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Item No: 5A <br />Meeting Date: October 6, 2010 <br />Type of Business: Action <br />City of Mounds View Staff Report <br /> <br />To: Planning Commission <br />From: Heidi Heller, Planning Associate <br />Item Title/Subject: Resolution 934-10, Reapprove Variances for the Select Senior Living <br />Development at Highway 10 & Groveland Road <br /> <br /> <br />Introduction: <br />On August 20, 2008, the Planning Commission passed Resolution 892-08, which approved <br />variances for the Select Senior Living development. The four variances were necessary due <br />to the size of the project and that it was senior housing, which the code did not address well. <br />After this project, the City Council amended the City Code to make it easier for the City to <br />approve senior housing projects, including not needing variances. <br /> <br />Discussion: <br />As you know, the Select Senior Living project has not yet moved forward due to problems <br />with securing financing. The applicant has been continuously working to complete the <br />project, but for reasons beyond his control, the project has not yet began. Per the City Code, <br />an applicant has one year to complete the work permitted by the variance or the approval is <br />void. The code also states that the Planning Commission can grant an extension of time up <br />to another year. Due to the shakeup within the banking industry, Select Senior Living was <br />not able to start the project within the allowed year and their variance approval became void. <br />To keep the project moving forward and if the Planning Commission is agreeable, they can <br />reapprove the variances even though they have expired. <br /> <br />Select Senior Living, represented by Joel Larson, has submitted a letter asking that all of the <br />planning requests be re-approved. The financing is now moving forward, and on September <br />13, 2010, the City Council approved issuing private activity bonds that Select will use for <br />construction of the project. Select should have their financing complete within the next <br />month, and construction beginning shortly thereafter. <br /> <br />Recommendations: <br />Staff requests that the Planning Commission pass Resolution 934-10, reapproving the Select <br />Senior Living variance requests. <br /> <br /> <br />Respectfully submitted, <br /> Heidi Heller <br />Planning Associate <br /> <br />Attachments: <br />1. Letter from Applicant requesting extension <br />2. Resolution 934-10