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HomeMy WebLinkAbout#03 - Palmquist Property DiscussionCITY COUNCIL DATE: 08/10/21 WORKSHOP TO: Mayor and City Council ITEM: Palmquist Property Concept Plan Review SUBMITTED BY: Ken Roberts, Planning Director REVIEWED BY: Ben Prchal, City Planner SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUESTED: The City Council is being asked to review and comment on a Concept Plan for a proposed 3-lot residential subdivision for the Palmquist property located at 12202 55th Street North. Mr. Mick Lynskey has been working with the property owner to market and possibly develop the property. He has submitted a narrative and a proposed sketch plan that shows the 10.26-acre site divided into 3 lots – one 5-acre lot for the existing house on the property and two lots for future homes that are each about 2.5 acres in size. Please see the narrative and the attached maps for more information about this site and the subdivision concept idea for the property. The applicant is requesting feedback from the City Council about the proposed 3-lot subdivision plan and would welcome a discussion with the City Council about other development possibilities for the property. STAFF REVIEW COMMENTS: Existing Conditions The property is 10.26 acres with one single-family house set in the northeast corner of the property adjacent to an existing storm water pond and wetland area. There is a significant area of existing trees along the east property line and along the south property line near 55th Street. The adjacent properties include commercial development on Oak Park Heights to the east, future mixed use (multi-family and commercial) to the north in Stillwater, a single-family home on about 15 acres to the east in Lake Elmo and the Carriage Station development to the south across 55th Street. Comprehensive Plan The site is planned RAD – rural area development. The density in this land use designation is planned to maintain maximum of 1 residential dwelling unit per 10 acres. This land use designation is limited to areas not within the MUSA planning area. The site is outside the MUSA and sanitary sewer is not available to the property. To have more than 1 residential unit on the 10.2 acres, the City would need to approve a Comprehensive Plan Amendment to RSF (rural single family). This designation includes single- 2 family detached housing served by private on-site well and septic systems. The expected density range in this land use category is 0.1 – 2.0 residential dwelling units/acre. All Comprehensive Plan Amendments require approval by at least four City Council members and the approval of the Metropolitan Council. Zoning The existing zoning is A – Agricultural (which has a 40-acre minimum lot size). To have the development with lots with sizes of 2.5 – 5 acres, the City would need to approve a zoning map change to RE (residential estate district) as the RE zoning district has a minimum lot size of 2.5 acres. The Metropolitan Council is generally not supportive of having more properties in Lake Elmo divided into the smaller-sized rural lots (1- 10 acres in size) as their guidance requires the non-sewered areas in the City to average 1 unit per 10 acres. In addition, the RE zoning code also specifically prohibits flag lots like they show for proposed Lot 3. Access The City vacated part of 55th Street in front of this property and to the west toward Manning Avenue. The site plan shows the property having about 212.7 feet of frontage on the remaining part of 55th Street. The proposed plan would have the existing house with the existing driveway on Lot 3 sharing the driveway to provide access for proposed Lot 2. Proposed Lot 2 would be landlocked as it would not have any frontage on a public street. Having a land-locked parcel using a shared driveway would not meet City code standards and would require special City Council approval. Existing and Natural Conditions There is an existing wetland/ponding area located on and adjacent to the property to the north. The City should require a buffer area around the wetland if and when the property develops. This wetland/ponding area may be in a floodplain area. The applicant would need to determine the limits of the designated flood zone and the wetland boundaries as part of any land use applications and plans for the development of the property. If and when the property develops, the applicant will need to prepare a storm water management plan to meet City ordinances and Valley Branch Watershed District standards. Any further development on the property may require additional ponding or infiltration areas to meet City and Watershed requirements. In accordance with the City’s Engineering and Design Standards, all storm water facilities would be required to be located on an outlot dedicated to the City. The developer would need to provide access to these ponds to allow for future maintenance. 3 Applications Based on the above information, if the owner or applicant wants to proceed with a development proposal, the City would require submittal of the following land use applications: Application Application Fee (2021) Comprehensive Plan Amendment $1500 plus $2500 escrow Zoning Map Amendment $1250 plus $1000 escrow Variance(s) $1250 plus $1000 escrow Minor Subdivision $525 plus $1000 escrow Totals $4525 plus $5500 escrow Summary This property is in a unique location with two different cities adjoining the property (Stillwater to the north and Oak Park Heights to the east) that have a variety of more intense land uses. The challenge for Lake Elmo in accommodating a higher density type of development on the 10.26 acres is that the nearest sanitary sewer connection is in Wildflower and currently the density is not allowed to exceed one unit in 10 acres. The City has no immediate plans to bring sanitary sewer to this part of Lake Elmo. As I have noted, developing the property with any additional units would be challenging and requires many City approvals. The applicant is requesting feedback from the City Council about their 3-lot subdivision plan and would welcome a discussion with the City Council about other development possibilities for the property RECCOMENDATION: Staff is recommending that the City Council provide the applicant with feedback and direction about the proposed 3-lot concept plan for the property located 12202 55th Street North. ATTACHMENTS: 1. Applicant’s Narrative 2. 2040 Land Use Plan Map 3. Surrounding Properties Map 4. Property Line Map 5. Aerial Photo 6. Topographic Map 7. Proposed Concept Plan 4 Applicant’s Narrative My name is Mick Lynskey. I am a resident of Lake Elmo and also own commercial land within the Old Village. I met with Mayor Cadenhead about Carol Palmquist’s property on 55th Street across from Carriage Station. At one point in time, Carol’s property was in Baytown Township. There came a time when that quadrant was relinquished by the Township and Carol had to make a decision whether to have her property go into Lake Elmo or Oak Park Heights. At the time, she loved the rural character of Lake Elmo and wanted to be associated with that philosophy so she chose to be put into Lake Elmo. Since then, the property abutting her to the south was developed into Carriage Station, of which the portion of that neighborhood that abutted her is 100’ lots with an urban feel. The property to her East is in Oak Park Heights and had water and sewer extensions brought in to facilitate commercial development. The property to her north used to be in Lake Elmo. The families that owned it at the time wanted to do higher density development in Lake Elmo, which is only logical when the property abuts a state highway. The Lake Elmo City Council, at the time, refused to get creative and find ways to help the land owner develop in a manner that would ensure that the property remain in Lake Elmo. Ultimately, the families petitioned to detach from Lake Elmo into Stillwater Township, a petition that the Lake Elmo City Council spent hundreds of thousands of our tax dollars only to ultimately lose the fight. That land has now been brought into the City of Stillwater and water and sewer services are being extended to the property to facilitate high density commercial development. We failed to protect our borders and retain land within our tax base. The land to the west of Carol is in Lake Elmo and is currently a homestead on 15 acres. Combined with Carol’s, there is 25 acres of contiguous land that is abutting property with sewer and water services. I think it would be incredibly naïve to think that in our lifetime, or our children’s, that this property won’t eventually find its way into one of the two adjoining communities who have sewer and water available for development. At this point, Carol has been contacted by some high density residential developers interested in constructing apartment housing on her 10 acre parcel. Whether it could be done today or in the future, it is highly likely it will eventually happen at some point in time. As a resident of Lake Elmo, I think we owe it to our community to find a balance between allowing some responsible development versus losing more of our tax base to adjoining communities. Carol would benefit greatly, financially, by her property being in one of the two adjoining communities that can deliver water and sewer. At this point in her life, financial security is very important. However; there is a way to balance that and align her goals with the goals of the City of Lake Elmo. Attached, please find two pdf’s. One depicts Carol’s and surrounding properties and the other is a sketch drawing of how I feel we could align Carol’s goals and the City of Lake Elmo’s goals. I think we sometimes get hung up on what a landowner might be gaining on something rather than focusing on protecting the city’s best interest. If the Lake Elmo City Council would direct staff to advise exactly what items need to be done in order to approve the attached sketch plan, it would be the first step to protect our borders from annexation, retain/increase our tax base, and to still maintain a rural nature that drew Carol to our city. My understanding in conversations with staff is that we’d need a zoning map amendment, comprehensive plan 5 amendment, and a couple ordinance variances for required amount of lot frontage on a public road. Again, if you look at this in the BEST interest of the city, you can make this happen. Mayor Cadenhead consented to me conveying that he is very much in favor of this plan and will work diligently to advance this. The final result will be a home on 2.5 acres, another on 2.5 acres, and Carol’s existing home on 5 acres, of which Carol will remain. That is still very low density and rural in nature. It will add another $1.5 million of taxable assets to the land and protect our borders. I respectfully ask for your support and feedback. I look forward to your response. Sincerely, Mick Lynskey Owner/Sales Associate PO Box 36, 118 S. Main Street Stillwater, MN 55082 Office: 651-439-1412 Cell: 651-210-0075 Fax: 651-439-8071 E-mail: mick@lynskeyclark.com Palmquist - Surrounding Properties December 19, 2017 0 1,000 2,000500 ft 0 310 620155 m 1:8,000 Disclaimer: Map and parcel data are believed to be accurate, but accuracy is not guaranteed. This is not a legal document and should not be substituted for a title search,appraisal, survey, or for zoning verification. EXISTING HOUSETO REMAINLOT 12.5 ACRESLOT 22.51 ACRESLOT 35.05 ACRES513.95257.96 220.32230.16519.37 124.90895.30 126.66 60.42217.61 194.62332.65360.14 247.8787.77324.75ROAD 0.19 ACRESLAND SURVEYING, INC.CORNERSTONE0NORTH100200Suite #2001970 Northwestern Ave.Stillwater, MN 55082Phone 651.275.8969dan@cssurvey.net