Agenda Packets - 2008/10/13 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mermaid Staff Report October 13, 2008 Page 2 Easements: The City’s Subdivision Code requires that plats dedicate perimeter drainage and utility easements for each lot in the subdivision. This plat already has the required perimeter easements around the current Mermaid property, and staff does not believe that adding additional easements along the new property lines lot are necessary. Park Dedication Requirements: The Subdivision Code indicates that any subdivision of land is subject to a park dedication fee. For a major subdivision, the City typically sets the fee as equal to 10% of the market value of the land. Staff uses Ramsey County assessed values as the basis for dedication computation. When the Halls replatted the property in 2000, they paid a park dedication fee of $92,306. The City determined this fee based on the land value of the entire property in 2000. Chapter 1204.02 Subd. 5 addresses park dedication fees for a re- subdivision: Subd. 5. Dedication for Re-Subdivision: For any subdivision of a parcel on which a cash dedication for parks has previously been made but on which an additional cash dedication is required due to re-subdivision, the amount of cash dedication required on the re-subdivided parcel(s) shall be based on the market value of the land at the time of re-subdivision and the factors set forth in subdivision 4 of this Section less any applicable credit for the prior cash dedication. Based on the Ramsey County land value for the Mermaid site, the 2008 value per square foot is $4.66 ($1,814,400 land value divided by 389,300 square feet). In 2000, the value per square foot was $2.37 ($923,057 divided by 389,300 square feet). Since the Halls have already paid a fee on the entire Mermaid parcel, city staff proposes the fee be based only on the new 1.4 acre parcel and be figured using the difference between the 2000 and 2008 land values. The difference between the land values is $2.29 per square foot. The proposed park dedication fee would be based on 61,000 square feet x $2.29 = $139,690 x 10% = $13,969. The City Council should determine the park dedication fee. Streets and Traffic: No new or altered streets or access drives into the site are being proposed. The traffic from the retail center would exit by a right turn only onto County Highway 10 or onto County Road H, which is designated as a collector street. Both roads have adequate capacity for the additional traffic that five stores in the retail center would generate. Vegetation: Most of the new lot area is currently an asphalt parking lot with a few landscaped medians that will be removed or moved with the new development. When a new building is proposed, the City Forester will comment on the new landscaping plan at that time. Major Subdivision Summary: The Mermaid is currently zoned PUD, Planned Unit Development, and the proposed subdivision would be consistent with the existing zoning of the property. The submitted plat appears to meet city code requirements and is currently undergoing a review by the city attorney. There are currently easement agreements in place that address the shared parking and access for the entire site. The Halls intend to keep these in agreements in place and they would be amended to include the new retail lot.