HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 7 - CC Report Village Preserve Final Plat; 5-5-15
MAYOR & COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
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DATE: May 5, 2015 REGULAR ITEM # 7 AGENDA ITEM: Village Preserve Final Plat
SUBMITTED BY: Nick M. Johnson, City Planner
THROUGH: Dean Zuleger, City Administrator
REVIEWED BY: Planning Commission Kyle Klatt, Community Development Director Jack Griffin, City Engineer
Greg Malmquist, Fire Chief
Stephen Mastey, City’s Landscape Consultant
SUGGESTED ORDER OF BUSINESS:
- Introduction of Item .....................................Community Development Director
- Report/Presentation………………………...Community Development Director
- Questions from Council to Staff ............................................. Mayor Facilitates
- Call for Motion ............................................................... Mayor & City Council
- Discussion ....................................................................... Mayor & City Council
- Action on Motion .................................................................... Mayor Facilitates
POLICY RECCOMENDER: Planning Commission
FISCAL IMPACT: TBD – the City will be asked to review a developer’s agreement concerning the final plat at its May 19th meeting. The agreement will include a detailed accounting of any
development costs that will be the responsibility of the City.
SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUESTED: The City Council is being asked to consider a request from GWSA Land Development, LLC (Gonyea Companies) for approval of a final plat for the first phase of the Village Preserve residential development. The final plat includes 46 single-family residential lots, and the related construction plans for the improvements necessary
to serve these homes. The City approved the Village Preserve Preliminary Plat on July 15, 2014, which covered approximately 39 acres of land within the Village Planning Area. There are 91 single family residential lots planned within the entire subdivision, and the final plat covers approximately half of the overall total of units that will eventually be platted.
City Council Meeting [Regular Agenda Item 7]
May 5, 2015
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The Planning Commission considered this matter at its April 27, 2015 meeting and unanimously
recommended approval of the Village Preserve Final Plat subject to 11 conditions of approval. The suggested motions to adopt the Planning Commission recommendation is as follows:
“Move to adopt Resolution No. 2015-34, approving the Final Plat for the first phase of the Village Preserve residential subdivision.”
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Attached is the original detailed Staff report that was provided to the Planning Commission regarding the applicant’s request for final plat approval. The staff report includes general information about the application, a summary of the relevant planning and zoning issues, a
thorough review and analysis of the final plat (including a draft list of recommended conditions
of approval), draft findings, and the Staff recommendation to the Planning Commission.
It should be noted that two critical path issues were identified at the time of the preliminary plat approval. First, the design of the Village Preserve subdivision proposed to discharge some of the water from the site to the property to the north, owned by Robert Engstrom Companies. The
applicant was required to get written permission from Robert Engstrom Companies, which has
now been submitted in the form of an agreement between the two parties (Attachment #5). This strategy to discharge stormwater to the north has been extensively reviewed by the Valley Branch Watershed District as part of a sub-watershed study of the Goetschel Pond sub-watershed. It should be noted that the applicants have obtained their Valley Branch Watershed
District Permit (Attachment #14). The second critical path issue for the Village Preserve
subdivision was the completing of sanitary sewer down to the Reid Park lift station, which is necessary to make the sewer operational. With the approval of the Easton Village Final Plat and the acceptance of the Construction Plans for the sanitary sewer, staff is confident that this issue has effectively been resolved. The construction of the last segment of sewer pipe is still
necessary to serve the Village Preserve subdivision. The Eastern Village trunk sewer system will
need to be in operation prior to the City issuing general building permits for the subdivision.
Finally, it should be noted that there are multiple improvements that are being coordinated between the Village Preserve and Wildflower at Lake Elmo developments. The agreement between Robert Engstrom Companies and Gonyea Companies identify who is responsible for the
construction and payment of each joint-improvement. Should one of the two parties be delayed,
the other party has the right to construct the improvements and be reimbursed according to the terms of the agreement. Staff and the Planning Commission are recommending a condition (Condition #10) that all the necessary improvements that are shared or outside of the subdivision must be complete for the general construction of homes is allowed to proceed.
PLANNING COMMISSION REPORT: The Planning Commission reviewed the final plat application at its April 27, 2015 meeting. There was general discussion about the timing of the improvements with regards to the
Wildflower at Lake Elmo subdivision. In addition, the Planning Commission was pleased that
City Council Meeting [Regular Agenda Item 7]
May 5, 2015
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there would be a trail connection offered to the northern preserve within the Wildflower at Lake
Elmo subdivision.
The Planning Commission recommended approval of the Village Preserve Final Plat with 11 conditions of approval. The vote to recommend approval of the Village Preserve Final Plat was unanimous (Vote: 5-0).
STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES, THREATS (SWOT): Strengths: The proposed final plat is consistent with the approved preliminary plat subject to the conditions being recommended by Staff and the Planning Commission.
Weaknesses: There remain conditions of approval must be met by the applicant,
including revisions to the final construction plans to address comments from the City Engineer. Opportunities: Approval of the plat application allows the development plans for the
Village Preserve residential subdivision to proceed as planned in the Comprehensive
Plan. Moving forward with sewered single family growth should allow the City to add additional users to the City’s public sanitary sewer system, helping to finance the City’s investments in sanitary sewer. Threats: None
RECOMMENDATION: Based on the aforementioned, the Planning Commission and Staff are recommending that the City Council approve the Village Preserve Final Plat through the following motion:
“Move to adopt Resolution No. 2015-34, approving the Final Plat for the first phase of the
Village Preserve residential subdivision.”
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution No. 2015-34
2. Staff Report to the Planning Commission, 4/27/15
3. Location Map
4. Application Forms and Project Narrative
5. Agreement on Joint Improvements w/Robert Engstrom Companies
6. Final Plat (3 sheets)
7. Final Grading Plans (3 sheets)
8. Final Landscape Plan (3 sheets)
City Council Meeting [Regular Agenda Item 7]
May 5, 2015
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9. Turn Lane Exhibit (2 sheets)
10. City Engineer Review Memorandum, dated 4/14/15
11. Fire Chief Review Memorandum, dated 4/20/15
12. Landscape Consultant Review Memorandum, dated 4/22/15
13. Washington County Review Email w/Exhibit, dated 4/21/15
14. Valley Branch Watershed District Permit, dated 3/18/15
MATERIALS NOT ATTACHED BUT AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST:
1. Final Street Plans
2. Final Utility Plans
3. Final Storm Plans
4. Final Erosion Control Plans