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HomeMy WebLinkAbout4-22-19 PC Report (SS) Metro_Transit_Park_and_RideSTAFF REPORT DATE: 4/22/2019 PUBLIC HEARING ITEM#: TO: Planning Commission FROM: Ken Roberts, Planning Director AGENDA ITEM: Metro Transit Park and Ride facility for the property on the south side of Hudson Blvd, west of Manning Avenue REVIEWED BY: Ben Prchal, City Planner Sarah Sonsalla, City Attorney Jack Griffin, City Engineer BACKGROUND: The Planning Commission is being asked to consider a request for approval of a conditional use permit (CUP) and final PUD plans for the development of a Park and Ride lot by the Metropolitan Council (Metro Transit). Metro Transit is proposing this new facility for a future platted lot (Lot 1, Block 1, Four Corners Second Addition) that will be on the south side of the realigned Hudson Boulevard, west of Manning Avenue. (Please see Metro Transit’s project narrative, the attached maps and project plans for more information). GENERAL INFORMATION: Applicant: Metropolitan Council (Metro Transit) Property Owners: EN Properties, LLC Location: Southwest corner of Hudson Blvd and Manning Avenue (Lot 1, Block 1, Four Corners Second Addition) Request: Final PUD Plan approval and a CUP for a Park and Ride Lot Existing Land Use: Vacant Surrounding Land Use: Lake Elmo Sod Farm and Residential/Agricultural (Rural Development Transitional) and realigned Hudson Boulevard to the North; Stillwater Bus Facility and Vacant Land (Rural Development Transitional) to the West; I-94 to the South (Woodbury); Manning Avenue and a future development site to the east zoned commercial. Existing Zoning: C - Commercial Comprehensive Plan: C - Commercial 2 History: The property proposed for the Park and Ride lot is vacant land and is now part of the existing Hudson Boulevard. The portion of the property on which the park and ride facility is being proposed also has been vacant land. A concept plan of a park and ride was introduced to Council on September 19, 2006. On March 19, 2019, the City Council approved a Preliminary Plat, Preliminary Planned Unit Development (PUD) Plan and a Zoning Map Amendment for a commercial development to be known has Four Corners Second Addition. This proposal includes the realignment of Hudson Boulevard and the creation of several lots for commercial development (including a lot for park and ride lot) for the property generally on the northwest corner of Manning Avenue and Hudson Boulevard North. Deadline for Action: Application Complete – March 22, 2019 60 Day Deadline – May 21, 2019 (applicant has waived this, however) Extension Letter Mailed – N/A 120 Day Deadline – N/A Applicable Regulations: Chapter 153 – Subdivision Regulations Section 154.210 – Off-Street parking Article XII – Specific Development Standards Article V – General Regulations Article XIV – Commercial Districts Section 154.258 – Landscape Requirements ISSUE BEFORE THE COMMISSION: The Planning Commission is being asked to hold a public hearing, review and make recommendation on the land use requests for a park and ride facility for the property located on the south side of the future Hudson Boulevard, west of Manning Avenue. PROPOSAL DETAILS/ANALYSIS: FINAL PUD PLANS Minimum Lot Size Requirements. The site of the proposed Park and Ride Lot is consistent with the lot shown as Lot 1, Block 1 of the Four Corners Second Addition. This proposed lot will be 5.66 acres and meets the City standards for minimum lot size and width as outlined in the commercial zoning district regulations. PUD Review. The proposed final PUD plans for this facility are generally consistent with the preliminary PUD plans for the Four Corners Second Addition as approved by the City Council on March 19, 2019. 3 Final Plat. The developer of Four Corners Second Addition has not yet applied for nor received final plat approval for his subdivision. Until the developer records the final plat with Washington County, there is not an official lot for this particular project. Therefore, the City Council will not be able to consider this request until after the final plat of Four Corners Second Addition has been approved by the City Council and the plat has been recorded. Since it is not clear when the final plat will be approved and recorded, Metro Transit has agreed to waive the requirement under Minnesota Statutes Section 15.99 that requires approval of these types of land use applications within 60 days so that the City can commence the review process. This is with the understanding that City Council action on the applications for the Park and Ride lot will not be able to take place until the City Council takes action on the final plat for Four Corners Second Addition. Parkland Dedication. The City requires commercial development to provide fees to the City in lieu of park land dedication. The City will require the developer or applicant to pay these fees before recording the Four Corners Second Addition final plat. The current City parkland dedication fee for commercial properties is $4,500 per acre. Recommended Findings. 1) That the proposed Final PUD Plans for the Metro Transit Park and Ride facility is generally consistent with the PUD Plans for the Four Corners Second Addition as approved by the City of Lake Elmo on March 19, 2019. 2) That the Metro Transit Park and Ride Facility Final PUD Plan is consistent with the Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan and the Future Land Use Map for this area. 3) That the Metro Transit Park and Ride Facility Final PUD Plan generally complies with the City’s Commercial zoning district standards except for impervious surface standard (78.8 percent versus a maximum of 75 percent) and parking lot setback standards. 4) That the Metro Transit Park and Ride Facility Final PUD plans comply with all other applicable zoning requirements, including the City’s landscaping, storm water, sediment and erosion control and other ordinances, except as noted in this report or attachment thereof. 5) That the Metro Transit Park and Ride Facility Final PUD Plan complies with the City’s Planned Unit Development Ordinance. 6) That the Metro Transit Park and Ride Facility Final PUD Plan is generally consistent with the City’s engineering standards with the exceptions noted by the City Engineer in his review comments to the City dated April 18, 2019. Recommended Conditions of Approval. Staff recommends the following conditions be attached to the approval of the Metro Transit Park and Ride Facility Final PUD Plans: 1) Final grading, drainage, and erosion control plans, utility plans, sanitary and storm water management plans, and utility construction plans shall be reviewed and approved by the City Engineer. All changes and modifications to the plans requested by the City Engineer in his memo dated April 18, 2019 shall be incorporated into these documents. 4 2) Before the start of construction, Metro Transit shall enter into a site improvement agreement acceptable to the City Engineer and the City Attorney that delineates who is responsible for the design, construction, and payment of the required improvements (including watermains, fire hydrants and landscaping) with financial guarantees therefore. 3) Easements as requested by the City Engineer and Public Works Department will be documented on the final plat of Four Corners Second Addition. Easements in addition to those dedicated to the City on the plat may needed pending review by the City of detailed and updated utility and grading plans showing the location of all stormwater facilities, watermains and fire hydrants. 4) The Final Landscape, Tree Planting and Irrigation Plans shall be submitted for review and approval by the City Landscape Architect Consultant before the City releases any site work or building permits. 5) The applicant must obtain all other necessary City, State, and other governing body permits before the commencement of any construction activity on the parcel including but not limited to building permits, watershed district permits, etc. 6) Any plans for construction on this site must comply with the Lake Elmo Design Standards Manual and specific general site considerations and development standards for specific uses within the Commercial Zoning District. 7) The site plan is subject to a storm water management plan meeting State, Valley Branch Watershed District and City rules and regulations. The applicant/owner shall obtain all applicable permits before starting any site work. CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT What is a Park and Ride? The City Code defines a park and ride as follows: PARK AND RIDE. A parking lot or structure located along a public transit route designed to encourage transfer from private automobile to mass transit or to encourage carpooling for purposes of commuting, or for access to recreation uses. Request. A park and ride lot is a conditional use within the Commercial Zoning District and so it requires City approval of a conditional use permit. The proposed park and ride facility will have parking spaces for up to 550 vehicles on the 5.6 acre site, including 13 handicap parking spaces; electric vehicle charging stations; bike racks with an overhead canopy; bus stop and passenger waiting area with two 6’X13’ bus shelters; and a 10.5’X12’ restroom/maintenance building. The timeline for constructing this facility as indicated in the applicant’s narrative is to start in the fall of 2019 with completion in the spring of 2020. Consistency with the Comprehensive Plan. The City’s 2030 and 2040 Planned Land Use Maps indicate that much of this area is guided for commercial land uses. This land use designation is intended to accommodate a wide range and scale of commercial uses (such as retail, service, entertainment, and office) as they are throughout the City’s planned urban centers. Commercial 5 uses can range from small neighborhood convenience nodes, to community retail areas along major roadways, to large shopping centers, to auto-related commercial uses along freeways. The Draft 2040 Comprehensive Plan states “this land use designation identifies areas that are used for retail and services businesses.” While a park and ride is not a commercial use, there is potential benefit of the draw for other businesses near the Park and Ride. A deterrent of a park and ride is that taxes received by the City would not be as substantial as that of a business, because the property will presumably be tax-exempt due to its public use as a park and ride. The City does not currently have a park and ride within its boundaries. The Transportation Chapter of the City’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan identified the area of Hudson Boulevard and Manning Avenue as the site of a planned park and ride lot. The park and ride has been in discussion with the City since at least 2011, when the Planning Commission’s Work Plan included an item to discuss on potential rezoning on two sites for a park and ride along I-94. The corner of Hudson Boulevard and Manning Avenue was one of these sites. The Council adopted an ordinance on May 4, 2011, which allowed park and rides as a conditional use within the Rural Residential Limited Business Holding District (HD-RR-LB), which is no longer a zoning district within the City. Request Details/Reason for PUD and CUP. Metro Transit is proposing to construct a park-and-ride facility on Lot 1, Block 1 of the future Four Corners Second Addition. Currently, the Zoning Code lists a parking facility (which, by definition, includes park and ride lots) as a possible land use in the Commercial Zoning District – with City approval of a conditional use permit. Because of the proposed mix of land uses, setbacks and buildings within the development of Four Corners Second Addition, Mr. Emerson (the developer of Four Corners Second Addition) requested and the City approved a Planned Unit Development (PUD). The approved PUD allows the developer to propose several uses that then become permitted uses within the development. A PUD is an overlay zoning for a specific development site. With PUD plans, the developer is asking for some deviations or flexibility from the underlying zoning regulations (such as setbacks, impervious surface standards, etc.) as part of the preliminary plat and PUD. The PUD standards and regulations are a negotiation intended to provide more creativity and higher quality design in exchange for flexibility from the standard zoning requirements. While a park and ride lot is not a commercial use, there is potential benefit of the draw for other businesses near the Park and Ride. Additionally, the City wide planning policy in regards to transportation of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan encourages, supports, and advocates public transit service to the City at appropriate geographic locations as determined by the City. Also, public transportation has less of a negative impact on the environment than taking a car, and financial savings result from eliminating parking fees, not needing to pay for gas for individual vehicles and the personal time saved when bypassing slow traffic. According to the US Census Bureau, in 2016 approximately 85% of Lake Elmo residents commute to work, and approximately 1.8% of those who commute to work utilize public transportation. It is not known whether or not a park and ride would encourage increased use of public transportation. A deterrent of a park and ride is that if a public entity (such as Metro Transit) buys the land for use as a park and ride (or any other public 6 use), the City and other government entities will not receive any property taxes with respect to the property because it will be tax-exempt. According to a slide show presentation to the Metropolitan Council in 2015, it previously considered a location in Woodbury for the park and ride lot, but now it has moved the location to the northwest quadrant of I-94 and Manning Avenue. The Metropolitan Council reviewed seven locations for the park and ride but many were not possible due to various reasons. The park and ride will serve a new express bus service to downtown Minneapolis with six morning and six evening trips each day. Current and Future Park and Rides. There currently are seven parking lots in adjacent cities that could be used by Lake Elmo commuters. The figure below shows existing and proposed park and ride facilities near the proposed facility. Additionally, there is a new park and ride facility planned less than 1 mile from the southwestern city border to provide access to the Metro Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). The numbers and percentages indicate the 2017 capacity of each park and ride. This information was derived from the 2017 Annual Regional Park and Ride System Report. • St. Croix Valley Recreation Center in Stillwater. • Guardian Angels Church in Oakdale (415 spaces, 81% utilized in 2017). • Walton Park in Oakdale (58 spaces, 50% utilized in 2017). • Woodbury Mall Theater in Woodbury (550 spaces, 79% utilized in 2017). • Woodbury Lutheran Church in Woodbury (90 spaces, 97% utilized in 2017). • Christ Episcopal Church Park and Ride next to Woodbury Lutheran Church Park-and-Ride. • There also is a park and car pool lot available in Grant near the intersection of TH 36 and Manning Avenue (CSAH 15). Bus service is not provided at this lot, but commuters may still park for free and carpool from this location (15 spaces, 7% utilized in 2017). 7 I-94 Impact. I-94 is identified as a High Priority on the Minnesota Interregional Corridor System (IRC) 2000 plan as part of the State Transportation Plan. Under this designation, I-94 has a goal 60-mph average peak hour operating speeds with minimal conflicts and interruptions to traffic flow. A corridor management plan has not yet been developed to examine the existing operations and determine future plans to meet those goals. It is expected that such a plan will be developed in the near future. It also is anticipated that Lake Elmo will have the opportunity to participate on some type of advisory panel in conjunction with development of that plan to express the City’s views and opinions on the corridor. The City will work with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT), the County and adjacent communities on a corridor plan that is effective for all involved. Site Data. The entire subdivision area for the Four Corners Second Addition is 56.9 acres which includes all of Lot 1, Block 1, Outlots A, B and C and the right-of-way for Hudson Boulevard. The site of the proposed Park and Ride (Lot 1, Block 1) will be 5.66 acres (246,806 square feet.) Site Plan. Lot 1, Block 1 of the Four Corners Second Addition is the site of the proposed park and ride lot. This facility will provide about 550 parking spaces, including 13 handicap parking spaces; electric charging stations; bike racks with overhead canopy; bus stop and passenger waiting area with two 6’X13’ bus shelters; 10.5’X12’ restroom/maintenance building. Lot Easements. The City requires the developer to dedicate 10-foot-wide easements along all public rights-of-way and rear property lines, five-foot-wide easements along all side property lines and easements for storm water management and public utilities as are needed. The easements along the property lines for this lot will be dedicated with the final plat of Four Corners Second Addition. The applicant will need to show all easements (including those along property lines and those for the watermains and hydrants) on the site and construction plans when submitting revised plans to the City for review and approval. The project plans show fencing and a retaining wall along the southern (rear) property line (near I-94). The applicant will need to enter into an encroachment agreement with the City to place the fence and retaining wall in the easement. Urban Services Required. Because the property is within the MUSA, the City will require the site to be connected to City services (sanitary sewer and water). Therefore, the developer of the Four Corners Second Addition submitted utility (sanitary sewer and water) and other construction plans to the City for approval as part of the overall approval process for the plat. The project plans for the Park and Ride Lot show public utilities being extended into the site from connections to the new utilities in realigned Hudson Boulevard. Setback and Impervious Surface Requirements. The following table outlines how the proposed use adheres to the setback and impervious surface requirements of the Commercial zoning district. All of the proposed requirements are met except for impervious surface standard (78.8 percent versus a maximum of 75 percent). Because this site is part of a PUD, the City may allow flexibility from City standards without a variance. Staff does not find this amount of hard surface to be unreasonable, as the use is a parking lot with support facilities. This flexibility is noted in the recommended findings for the final PUD plans in order to memorialize that it is allowed within 8 this development. If the Commission wishes, it may recommend that it be a condition of approval of the conditional use permit that the applicant revise the plans to meet the required impervious surface standard. Parking Lot Setback Requirements. Parking lot setback requirements for the Commercial Zoning District are a 15-foot front yard setback, 10-foot side yard setback, 15-foot corner side yard setback, 10-feet rear yard setback, and 35 feet from residential zones. All relevant zoning standards are listed in the table below: Commercial District – Zoning Standards Standard Required Proposed Maximum Height 50 feet Not provided Maximum Impervious Coverage 75% 78.8% Front Yard Setback – Building 30 feet 94.2 feet Interior Side Yard Setback – Building 10 feet 44 feet Corner Side Yard Setback – Building 25 feet NA Rear Yard Setback - Building 30 feet NA Front Yard – Parking 15 feet About 100 feet Interior Side Yard – Parking 10 feet 10 feet?? Rear Yard - Parking 10 feet 10 feet?? Minimum Building Floor Size N/A N/A It appears that some of the edges of the parking lot may be less than 10 feet from the side and rear property lines as is typically required by the City Code. Staff measured to the back of the curb and it appears there are places that the back of the curb is only 7 or 8 feet from the property lines. The City may allow a reduced parking lot setback as part of the final PUD plan approval for the site. In this case the slightly reduced setback should not negatively impact neighboring properties or drainage as there will be a storm water pond to the southwest and the I-94 right-of-way to the southeast of this facility. General Site Design Considerations, Commercial Districts. The following outlines how the proposed development adheres to the City’s General Site Design considerations for the Commercial Zoning District.  Circulation. o Internal connections when feasible. There are no feasible internal connections to the site. The site will be accessed off of realigned Hudson Boulevard North and will share a driveway with the adjacent lot to the northeast. o Curb cuts minimized. There are two proposed curb cuts in order to provide better circulation.  Fencing and Screening. There is not a need for fencing or screening with this proposal as it will not be adjacent to any residential land uses. The applicant is proposing extensive 9 landscaping along Hudson Boulevard and to install a six-foot-tall vinyl coated chain link fence along the three other sides of the site.  Lighting Design. It is a recommended condition of approval that the applicant submit a photometric plan that meets the requirements of Sections 150.035-150.038 of the City Code.  Exterior Storage. The applicant is not proposing any exterior storage with this facility. Standards for Park and Ride Lots within the Commercial Zoning District. There are no specific use standards for a park and ride facility within the Zoning Code. Parking Lot Requirements  Marking of Parking Spaces. Parking areas containing five or more spaces are required to be marked with painted lines at least four inches wide. This is shown on the plans.  Curbing. Open off-street parking areas designed to have head-in parking along the property line shall provide a bumper curb or barrier of normal height. This is shown on the plans.  Accessible Parking. The proposed number of parking spaces is 550. Of these, 13 are handicap –accessible with van access, which meets the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. Parking Lot Screening Standards  Interior Parking Lot Landscaping. At least 5% of the parking lot is devoted to islands or corner planting beds as is required per the City’s interior parking lot landscaping standards. Additionally, the number of trees required to be provided within these interior islands and corner beds is met.  Perimeter Parking Lot Landscaping. o Frontage Strip. A 30-foot wide frontage strip of landscaping is provided between the bus drive through lane and street. Screening has been provided along Hudson Boulevard in the form of trees and shrubs in the frontage strip along Hudson Boulevard. The requirement that one deciduous tree be planted every 50 linear feet has been met along Hudson Boulevard with the planting of eight trees in the landscape strip.  Screening. The City requires screening between land uses to provide visual and noise separation of intensive uses from less intensive uses. In this case, the property to the northeast is undeveloped and planned for commercial uses and the lot to the southwest is planned to be a stormwater pond. As such, there is not a need for the developer of this site to provide screening.  Tree Preservation and Landscape Plans. The applicant has submitted tree preservation and landscape plans that have been reviewed by the City’s landscape architect. In summary, the proposed plans meet and exceed the City standards and requirements. I have attached the review comments of the City Landscape Architect for your reference. Commented [EB1]: Condition 10 Lake Elmo Design Guidelines and Standards. The property is located within the I-94 district, and therefore must adhere to the Lake Elmo Design Guidelines and Standards. In this case, the project plans show one building on the site – a 10.5 –foot by 12-foot building that will serve as a driver restroom and for site maintenance. Metro Transit also is proposing to install two covered shelters for people waiting for a bus. The applicable design standard includes: • Site Design. Building is set back at least 30 feet from the right-of-way and oriented parallel to the street, providing convenient access to entrances and efficient on-site circulation. • Streetscape. Streetscape will be provided along Hudson Boulevard as a recommended condition of approval. • Landscaping. Trees and plant beds are utilized. Parking, service, storage and utility areas are buffered by plantings. • Parking. Parking areas utilize more than 60% of primary street frontage (it is a park and ride lot), but the applicant is proposing extensive landscaping adjacent to the primary street (Hudson Boulevard). • Building Design. There is one small building proposed with this facility. It will have no blank facades without windows or doors. The size, height, function and location of the building do not create any design concerns. • Building Materials. The building materials include fiber cement siding and ledge stone. The roof will consist of textured shingles. City Engineer Review. This review is attached and can be referenced in the Final PUD section of this report. Fire Chief Review. Chief Greg Malmquist reviewed the proposal and offered the following comments of items that need to be addressed (on final plans): • Ensure proper access throughout site • Ensure proper turning radius throughout. • Met with City Engineer and made recommendations for proposed fire hydrant locations. • Ensure proper markings and signage for “No Parking” areas to ensure access. As for fire hydrants, the Fire Chief is requesting the applicant to install six fire hydrants throughout the site. These will require the installation of watermains throughout the property to supply City water to the hydrants. All watermains and hydrants on the site will be public infrastructure and require drainage and utility easements around them to ensure they are accessible for City maintenance and repair purposes. Washington County Review. Washington County will likely require a signal at Hudson Boulevard and Manning Avenue in the next few years. A final determination of the timing and costs for such a project would be made when the traffic levels and the level of service for traffic movement through the intersection warrant the need for traffic signals. Other Agency Review. The City also received the following comments about this proposal: 11 West Lakeland Township: Should a traffic signal be included in this project, the current existing geometry of 2nd Street aligns with the proposed “signal ready” improvements. If Washington County require the Township leg to be upgraded with a dedicated right turn land (which is not currently shown), the townships position is that it is not needed at this time. This may possibly change some day in the future if 2nd Street is extended to the east and more development from the township contributes to the intersection and then the township will deal with it at that time. Township Supervisor Dave Schultz Note: This comment primarily focuses on the Hudson Blvd/Manning Avenue intersection and how and when it will be reconstructed. City of Woodbury: We have reviewed this at our weekly staff meeting and are supportive of the project. We were curious if the Met Council has indicated where the riders for the park and ride would be coming from (how many are currently using the Guardian Angles or Woodbury Theater lots and is there and estimate on new riders?) Janelle Schmitz – Assistant Community Development Director Wetland Delineation. There were no wetlands found on the property. I-94 Impacts. City staff sent a review request to MnDOT for the Four Corners Second Addition and for this request. They have several comments and note permitting requirements for this proposal. I have attached their comments for your review. Drainage easement encroachment would be required. Additionally, a part of State right-of-way will need to be vacated with the final plat for Four Corners Second Addition. Recommended Findings. In order to approve a conditional use permit, the City is required to find the proposal compliant with the following (staff comments are in bold). Pages 4 and 5 of the applicant’s project narrative includes responses to each of these findings. 1. The proposed use will not be detrimental to or endanger the public health, safety, comfort, convenience or general welfare of the neighborhood or the city. The proposed use will not endanger the public health, safety, comfort, convenience or general welfare of the neighborhood or City. A traffic signal is may be warranted at the intersection of Hudson Boulevard and Manning Avenue as this area continues to develop. 2. The use or development conforms to the City of Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan. The proposal is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan in that the property is guided for Commercial, and transit-related park and rides are a conditional use within the Commercial zoning district. A park and ride also has the potential to draw businesses to the area. 3. The use or development is compatible with the existing neighborhood. The use of the site as a park and ride lot is compatible with the existing neighborhood as it will be located near I-94 and there is little existing development surrounding the area. 12 4. The proposed use meets all specific development standards for such use listed in Article 7 of this Chapter. The proposed use meets the specific development standards currently set forth within the Zoning Code. 5. If the proposed use is in a flood plain management or shoreland area, the proposed use meets all the specific standards for such use listed in Chapter 150, §150.250 through 154.800 (Shoreland Regulations) and Chapter 152 (Flood Plain Management). The proposed use is not within a City shoreland or floodplain. 6. The proposed use will be designed, constructed, operated and maintained so as to be compatible in appearance with the existing or intended character of the general vicinity and will not change the essential character of that area. The proposed project will be similar in character and design to the existing area. 7. The proposed use will not be hazardous or create a nuisance as defined under this Chapter to existing or future neighboring structures. The proposed use will not be hazardous or create a nuisance on the property provided all the rules and regulations set forth by the City and other applicable agencies are met and all applicable permits are obtained. 8. The proposed use will be served adequately by essential public facilities and services, including streets, police and fire protection, drainage structures, refuse disposal, water and sewer systems and schools or will be served adequately by such facilities and services provided by the persons or agencies responsible for the establishment of the proposed use. The proposed park and ride facility will be served adequately by essential public facilities and services. It is a recommended condition of approval that the applicant include all the necessary information about utilities and storm water management on updated plans to be reviewed and approved by the City Engineer. Provided this information is supplied, reviewed and approved by the City Engineer and other applicable agencies, the use will be adequately served by the aforementioned. 9. The proposed use will not create excessive additional requirements at public cost for public facilities and services and will not be detrimental to the economic welfare of the community. The proposed use will not create additional requirements for public facilities and services. The developer of the Four Corners Second Addition will be installing public utilities in the realigned Hudson Boulevard which will serve this site and a larger area of Lake Elmo. 10. The proposed use will not involve uses, activities, processes, materials, equipment and conditions of operation that will be detrimental to any persons, property or the general welfare because of excessive production of traffic, noise, smoke, fumes, glare or odors. Traffic to the site will increase as it is now vacant property. Hazardous materials are prohibited from being stored on site, and staff has reviewed the proposed lighting and determined that it should not cause a nuisance as proposed. 13 11. Vehicular approaches to the property, where present, will not create traffic congestion or interfere with traffic on surrounding public thoroughfares. The reconstruction of Hudson Boulevard west of Manning Avenue should accommodate the increased traffic created by the park and ride facility. 12. The proposed use will not result in the destruction, loss or damage of a natural or scenic feature of major importance. The proposed use of the site as park and ride facility will not result in the destruction, loss or damage of a natural or scenic feature. Recommended Conditions of Approval. Based on the aforementioned, Staff recommends that the Planning Commission recommend approval of the requested Conditional Use Permit for a Park and Ride Facility on Lot 1, Block 1, Four Corners Second Addition, subject to the following conditions: 1) The applicant must obtain all other necessary City, State, and other governing body permits before starting any construction activity on the parcel including but not limited to watershed permit, a MnDOT drainage permit, a MPCA Stormwater Construction permit, an approved stormwater management plan, a site work agreement with the City, utility plans, grading plan, parking lot permit, building permits, etc. 2) Final grading, drainage, and erosion control plans, sanitary and storm water management plans, landscape plans and utility construction plans shall be reviewed and approved by the City Engineer and applicable Staff. All changes and modifications to the plans requested by the City Engineer in the memorandum addressing the Metro Transit park and Ride CUP and PUD Plans dated April 18, 2019 shall be incorporated into these documents before the City will review and approve the plans. 3) All easements as requested by the City Engineer and Public Works Department shall be provided to the City before the start of any site work or construction. 4) The applicant shall submit a photometric plan to the City for approval, and all lighting must meet requirements of Sections 150.035-150.038 of the City Code. 5) Landscape plans must be approved by the City’s Landscape Architect before the start of construction. The landscape plans must meet all city requirements and must show the locations of utilities to ensure that all trees will be planted at least 10 feet away from any public utility lines or facilities. 6) The applicant shall obtain a sign permit from the City before installing any sign on the property. 7) The proposed building shall meet the Lake Elmo Design Guidelines and Standards. 8) The applicant shall be responsible to place hydrants throughout the property at the direction of the Fire Department. All fire hydrants shall be owned and maintained by the City and the City will require easements for the hydrants and watermains. 9) Before the start of construction, Metro Transit shall enter into a site improvement agreement acceptable to the City Engineer and the City Attorney that delineates who is responsible for the design, construction, and payment of the required improvements (including watermains, fire hydrants and landscaping) with financial guarantees therefore. 14 10) That the final plat for Four Corners Second Addition must be recorded with Washington County. 11) That applicant enter into an encroachment agreement with the City to place the fence and retaining wall in the easement. FISCAL IMPACT: If approved and the recommended conditions of approval are adopted, the applicant will be required to pay sewer and water availability charges. The maintenance of public streets, trails, sanitary sewer mains, and other public infrastructure should be considered with this proposal. The City will collect Sewer Accessibility Charges and Water Accessibility Charges and building permit fees from this site (but no property taxes). RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff recommends that the Planning Commission recommend approval of the Metro Transit Park and Ride Facility Final PUD Plans with recommended findings and conditions of approval: “Move to recommend approval of the Metro Transit Park and Ride Facility Final PUD Plans with recommended findings and conditions of approval as drafted by staff.” Staff recommends that the Planning Commission recommend approval of the Conditional Use Permit for a park and ride facility for Lot 1, Block 1, Four Corners Second Addition: “Move to recommend approval of a Conditional Use Permit for a park and ride facility as proposed by Metro Transit for Lot 1, Block 1, Four Corners Second Addition, subject to the conditions of approval as prepared by staff.” ATTACHMENTS: • CUP written statement dated March 22, 2019 (6 pages) • 2 City Maps • Four Corners Second Addition Preliminary Plat • CUP Application drawings and plans • Engineering Comments dated 04-18-2019 (3 pages) • Landscape Architect comments dated March 29, 2019 (5 pages) • MnDOT comments dated 2-15-2019 (3 pages)