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Mounds View Planning Commission July 7, 2021 <br />Regular Meeting Page 2 <br />________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />5. Planning Cases <br /> <br />A. Resolution 1135-21, Recommending Approval of the Preliminary Plat of <br />Anthony Properties, Second Addition; Amending the PUD Narrative for the <br />O’Neil Property; and Approving a Development Review for Caribou Cabin; <br />24XX Mounds View Boulevard <br /> <br />Community Development Director Sevald explained Java Companies (developer) is proposing to <br />construct a Caribou Cabin drive-thru coffee shop in the parking lot of the New Vision Theater. In <br />2019, Caribou began constructing “Caribou Cabins” a drive-thru only coffee shop. Caribou <br />operates 291 coffee shops in Minnesota, of which, nine are Caribou Cabins, the nearest being in <br />Fridley and Coon Rapids. Anthony Properties was approved as a Planned Unit Development <br />(PUD) in 1998, and subdivided in 1999. As a PUD, lot sizes and setbacks are customized to the <br />project. Most City Code requirements are considered a guideline, unless specified in the PUD <br />Narrative. This project requires approvals of; (1) Subdivision; (2) Amendment to the PUD <br />Narrative; and (3) Development Review of the coffee shop. <br /> <br />Community Development Director Sevald explained the proposed Caribou Cabin will reduce the <br />Theater’s parking lot by 34 parking stalls. The theater closed in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 <br />pandemic closure of public venues. New Vision Theaters went into bankruptcy in July, 2020. <br />AMC Theaters has taken over the lease, and intends to re-brand, and re-open in summer 2021, as <br />AMC Classic Mounds View 15. Whereas New Vision had planned on remodeling the theater to <br />include stadium seating, thereby reducing seating and parking by 50%, AMC has not <br />communicated any plans for improvements. It is Staff’s opinion that the parking lot is more than <br />adequate to serve the theater as-is, with the reduction of 34 parking stalls for the Caribou Cabin. <br />Staff recommended the Planning Commission recommend approval of the Preliminary Plat, PUD <br />Amendment and Development Review as requested. <br /> <br />Commissioner Monn thanked staff for the detailed presentation. She discussed the proposed lot <br />split and asked if there was a daycare on the property. Community Development Director Sevald <br />explained the Bridge’s School was on a separate lot and had shared parking with the movie <br />theater. He indicated Caribou Coffee and Bridge’s School were not competing uses and <br />reiterated that staff did not see a concern with the parking on this site. <br /> <br />Commissioner Stevenson agreed there were plenty of parking stalls for the movie theater on this <br />site. <br /> <br />Further discussion ensued regarding the parking stalls that would be given to Moe’s and Caribou <br />Cabin, along with how the parking needs for the movie theater would change if it were to move <br />to stadium seating. <br /> <br />Commissioner Farmer commented he lives near the movie theater and he has never seen the <br />parking lot full. He explained if the parking lot requirements were made decades ago, the <br />requirements may be overly restrictive. He was of the opinion the parking lot was too big for the <br />theater, and the Caribou Cabin was a good use for the space.