06-21-2006 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Integra Homes Request June 21, 2006 Page 3 Character of the Surrounding Area. The project area is located on County Road 10, the City’s primary commercial corridor. Within two blocks of the site, one can find a variety of commercial and residential uses. The residential uses include single family residential, owner-occupied townhomes and multi-family rental dwellings. In the immediate area however, the predominating land use is single-family residential. Demonstrated Need for Such a Use. The applicant desires to rezone the property to allow for owner-occupied townhomes. This type of housing is under-represented in the City’s housing demographic. The primary housing option in the City is single family detached with higher-density rental housing and manufactured homes second and third respectively. Owner-occupied townhomes and senior housing (independent or assisted) units are less prevalent. The requested rezoning to R-3, Medium density residential, would not be out of character for the County Road 10 corridor and would not be inconsistent with the Comprehensive Plan, which anticipated a mix of housing and commercial / office development in this area. The proposed development that would be permitted via the requested rezoning would increase the market values of the subject area by a factor of ten—from $460,000 to $4,750,000. While enhanced market value is desirable, the Commission needs to determine if the potential density allowed would be too intensive for the subject area, which is primarily lower density residential. The applicant feel this type of housing is in demand and would be a positive complement to the City’s housing stock. Public Comment: Staff sent notices to property owners within 350 feet of the subject property and published a copy of the notice in the New Brighton Bulletin regarding the May 17, 2006 public hearing. Only one written comment has been received to date, that being from the residents at 8080 Groveland Road. They write: Because we are bordering your proposed project on two sides, we want to give you our input. We are not able to attend the meeting due to a handicap. Our opinion is that a multi unit building will be available to least desirable neighbors. Individual houses would mean a class of people that can afford to own property, keeping the area safe and property appearance acceptable. Please consider these issues in your planning. Thank you. Mr. & Mrs. Roy Droel, 8080 Groveland Road. At the public hearing which was held on May 17, 2006, residents Duane Waldoch, Mark Schnor and Cindy Johnson spoke to the request, each expressing varying degrees of opposition to the request. Only one individual spoke in favor of the request, a resident residing in the townhome development across the street in Spring Lake Park. The same Mounds View residents expressed their same concerns at the June 7, 2006 meeting.