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Planning Commission Staff Report D.W. Jones,Inc. PUD Request April 14, 1997 • Page 2 occupied by TJB Homes. The applicant discussed their alternative concept plan(date-stamped 3/26/97)which addressed some of the concerns staff had regarding the layout and integration of the uses. The uses themselves, however, did not change. The applicant requested that action be taken if possible so they could proceed in taking the plan to the City Council. The Commission indicated that a decision at that point would be premature. The two main topics of concern were the SRF Section 9 Redevelopment Study findings and the extent to which the development encroaches into the 100-foot wetland buffer. In the end, the Commission decided to delay their decision until after hearing the results of the SRF study. Discussion: SRF Section 9 Redevelopment Study. The City Council, at their April 7, 1997 work session meeting, was presented with a draft final version of the SRF Section 9 Redevelopment Study for the Highway 10 Corridor. The report suggested that a Planned Unit Development would be the preferred alternative for developing this group of parcels, and that a different alternative would be to join the two properties nearest the corner of Silver Lake Road and Highway 10 and re-zone them to B-3, Highway Business District. This zoning would be consistent with the types of uses best suited for this location: non-destination types of commercial development catering to the needs of the high volume of traffic present daily on highway 10. Encroachment into the Wetland Buffer. The placement of the senior citizen housing project away • from Highway 10 is appropriate, especially as a complementary building to the existing Silver Lake Pointe project, and takes advantage of the amenity provided by the wetland. Staff is concerned, however, with the degree to which this building and the office building at the east end of the site encroach into the wetland buffer. The applicant has calculated that 45% of the buffer area is proposed to be in impervious coverage (either building or paving). Staff contacted surrounding communities to determine how other cities regulate wetland buffers and to what extent. Of the eleven cities contacted, only two--Maplewood and Blaine--had a wetland buffer ordinance; the other nine did not. Maplewood's buffer requirements range between 10 and 100 feet depending upon the type and class of water involved. Blaine's buffer is 100 feet. The following cities had no buffering requirement: New Brighton, Spring Lake Park, Fridley, Coon Rapids, Shoreview, Arden Hills, Little Canada, White Bear Lake and Vadnais Heights. PUD document. Staff will prepare a draft PUD document much like the sample distributed at your last meeting which would accompany the ordinance approving the rezoning. This should be ready by April 14, 1997. Recommendation: In light of the information presented at the City Council work session regarding the SRF study and the results of Staff's research as to how other cities regulate wetland buffers, neither of which the Commission has had an opportunity to discuss, Staff has prepared two versions of Resolution • No. 505-97, one recommending approval and one recommending denial of this PUD request. N:\DATA\USERS\PAMS\SHARE\DEVCASES\477-97VONESPC3.RPT