HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Packets - 2010/04/05Item No: 2
Meeting Date: April 5, 2010
Type of Business: Worksession
Administrator Review: ______
City of Mounds View Staff Report
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council
From: Heidi Heller, Planning Associate
Item Title/Subject: Review of a Concept Plan for the Coventry Senior Housing
Development at 2320-2340 County Highway 10
Introduction:
Select Companies, represented by Greg Johnson, has submitted a concept site plan for
“Coventry Senior Living,” a 95-unit senior housing development on three lots on the south side
of County Highway 10, just south of County Road H2. The building plan shows 18
independent living units, 45 assisted living units, 16 memory care units and 16 high acuity
living (residents needing a higher level of nursing care than basic housekeeping or personal
assistance) units. Select Companies has not yet submitted a formal planning application to the
City for this project.
If Select Companies moves forward with an application for this site, the proposal would involve
three planning actions:
1. Rezone three properties from B-3, Highway Business and R-1 Single Family to a PUD,
Planned Unit Development.
2. Major Subdivision to combine three lots into one parcel (2-steps: Preliminary Plat and
Final Plat)
3. Development Review of the site plan and building design.
Background:
The City Council will recognize Select Companies from the other senior housing project that
they have been trying to build on County Highway 10 and Groveland Road for the last couple
of years. Due to the collapse of the financial markets, they have not been successful in
securing financing for their project. Select Companies still wants to build a facility in Mounds
View, and their research has shown there is a need for senior housing in the city. Recently a
new opportunity presented itself to Select Companies for building the senior housing on a
different site in Mounds View. Select Companies now has an additional developer working
with them, and an investor who will be a partner with them if they build the project on this new
site.
The development site includes three parcels with an area totaling approximately 2.2 acres.
County Highway 10 runs along the northeast side and O’Connell Drive runs along the
southwest side of the site. The three parcels involved currently have mixed zoning
designations - 2320 and 2340 County Highway 10 are zoned B-3, Highway Business, and
5260 O’Connell Drive is zoned R-1, Single-Family Residential. 2340 County Highway 10 has a
self-serve car wash on the site, and the other two parcels are vacant.
Coventry Senior Living Staff Report
April 5, 2010
Page 2
Relationship to the Comprehensive Plan
According to the Comprehensive Plan, the city has designated the area as Mixed-Use PUD,
planned unit development. This is defined as land containing a building or buildings with
significant amounts of residential uses in combination with commercial and/or office uses. By
using the Mixed-Use PUD designation in the Comprehensive Plan, the City has more options
for the allowed uses. Sites with this designation could be developed as planned unit
developments (PUD) to allow flexibility if the project meets the PUD criteria. An important
component of the Comprehensive Plan, the Housing Element, has goals and policies toward
maintaining and improving the quality and diversity of the existing housing stock and providing
infill-housing opportunities where both possible and practical. The proposed project would help
promote a greater diversity of housing choices in the City.
Geographical Area
The subject area proposed for this redevelopment now has a car wash and two vacant lots.
Adjacent on the northwest end (5284 Greenfield) is a 17-unit apartment building, and the city-
owned vacant “Premium Stop” site. The properties to the southwest of the subject parcels are
zoned R-1, single family residential, and are developed as such. The City expects the owners
of the five single-family homes south of this development site that front County Highway 10 to
redevelop their properties in the future. Directly across County Highway 10 is the Saturn of St.
Paul auto dealership. County Highway 10 properties tend to be developed with more intense
land uses, whether commercial or residential, than in other parts of the city.
Increased Site Density
Senior housing development is not typical multi-family housing. Many of the units are much
smaller than regular apartments because most of the assisted living and memory care
residents live alone and do not need full kitchen facilities or a large amount of living space.
Having smaller apartments allows more units in the same sized building. The idea behind
these senior housing buildings is for the residents to congregate together and not stay in their
apartments. Meals are provided in a separate dining room eliminating the need for much
kitchen area in the individual units, and the building would have community activity spaces for
the residents to come out of their units and socialize together, or to use if they have guests
visiting.
Parking
At about 2.2 acres in size, this development meets the City Code size requirements to be a
senior housing PUD. The Code has the following set of parking requirements for senior
housing:
(a) Independent living = 1 space per unit with half of the spaces enclosed
(b) Assisted living = 0.5 spaces per unit
(c) Nursing homes and memory care = 1 space for every 4 beds
(d) Facility staff = 1 space for every employee on the largest shift
The concept plan submitted by the developer shows a total of 70 parking spaces – 35 open
spaces and 35 spaces in the underground garage. Per the City Code, they are required to
provide a total of 59 spaces, with at least nine of those spaces covered. The concept site plan
(with 70 parking spaces) shows 11 more parking spaces than required by the City Code.
Coventry Senior Living Staff Report
April 5, 2010
Page 3
Setbacks:
The proposed development meets the required building setbacks of 30 feet for the front and
rear yards and 20 feet for side yards. All of the proposed parking areas would meet the
required five-foot setbacks.
Building Design and Materials:
The plans indicate that the building would be three-story with an underground garage. The
building elevations show a mix of siding styles with stone and/or brick accents on the exterior
of the buildings. The plan has the driveway access and main front entrance facing Highway
10. This building design would be nearly identical to the plans for the Groveland site (the
Groveland elevation drawing is included in this report).
Wetlands:
There are no wetlands in this development area. The developer would need to apply for a permit
from Rice Creek Watershed District for the onsite stormwater management.
Trails and Park Dedication Fee:
For all new development along Highway 10, the City requires the property owner/developer to
contribute funds for the future trail system based on the length of County Highway 10 frontage.
In addition, all subdivisions in Mounds View are subject to a park dedication fee based on the
Ramsey County tax assessed value of the land. The City should expect the developer of this
project to meet these dedication requirements.
Summary:
The Planning Commission reviewed the concept plan for this project on March 17, 2010 and
indicated that they were supportive of the project. Select Companies hosted a neighborhood
meeting on March 18, 2010, and they indicated to City staff that the residents who attended
the meeting were generally agreeable to the project, but did not want the vehicle access to be
on O’Connell Drive. On March 23, 2010, City staff received a revised concept site plan that
has the building facing and accessing Highway 10.
Recommendation:
The City Council should review the concept site plan for Coventry Senior Living and provide
the developer comments about the concept plans.
Respectfully submitted,
Heidi Heller - Planning Associate
Attachments:
1. Zoning Map
2. Aerial Views
3. Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map
4. Narrative from the developer
5. Building elevation for Groveland site (would be very similar on this new site)
6. Site Plan - updated March 23, 2010
Zoning Map
*Proposed project includes 2320 & 2340 County Highway 10 and 5260 O’Connell Drive
* Properties not indicated with a designation are zoned R-1, Single Family Residential
Aerial View Car wash
Single family rental property – vacant SaturnVacant lot- city owned Apt. bldgTaiko Rest.Robert’s Bar Aerial View
Comp Plan Future Land Use Map
Project area is designated as “Mixed Use PUD”
Narrative to City from Developer
County Highway 10 & Groveland Site Elevation Drawing for
reference
Item No: 3
Meeting Date: April 5, 2010
Type of Business: Work Session
Administrator Review : ____
City of Mounds View Staff Report
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council
From: James Ericson, Clerk - Administrator
Item Title/Subject: Review Reimbursement Request from Charlie Hall
Introduction:
Charlie Hall, owner of the Mermaid, located at 2200 County Highway 10, approached the
current City Council in 2009 asking to be reimbursed for a $10,000 check he asserts had
been provided to the City in 1977 in association with the expansion of his business and
never returned. Mr. Hall made a similar request a few years ago, and he indicates he has
appeared before many City Councils subsequent to his building expansion with the same
request. Subsequent to his appearance before the Council last year, Mr. Hall submitted a
detailed data practice request (attached) which resulted in many hours of staff time and a
consultation with the City attorney, with the ultimate outcome of not finding any
documentation referencing such a payment.
Discussion:
While no one is questioning Mr. Hall’s honesty or integrity, none of our archival research
(conducted multiple times at the request of Mr. Hall) has revealed any verification that the
City ever required such a deposit be made of Mr. Hall. Had the City made such a request,
it would have been memorialized in a resolution or development agreement associated
with the project. We have examined the 1977 accounts ledgers (revenues and
expenditures) at Mr. Hall’s request, plus Council minutes, resolutions, development
agreements, planning case files, address files, Laserfished data and microfilmed data,
none of which referenced a $10,000 deposit. The only reference staff could ascertain to
any kind of deposit or escrow was a $15,000 bond required by Development Agreement
78-13. The $15,000 bond was released by the City at the request of Daniel Hall in 1984.
At the December 14, 2009 City Council meeting, Mr. Hall again appeared before the
Council with the same request. Mayor Flaherty indicated the issue could be brought back
at a future work session for review and discussion. Subsequent to the data practices
request and the December 14th Council meeting, I asked Kennedy & Graven to prepare an
opinion for the Council’s benefit. The opinion is attached.
Recommendation:
Staff recommends that the Council take no action with regard to Mr. Hall’s request, in that
there is no documentation on file to suggest the City required Mr. Hall to provide a $10,000
check in conjunction with his building expansion project or even accepted such a check.
Given the amount of time that has lapsed since the check was allegedly provided to the
City (thirty-plus years ago) the City cannot be expected to consent to Mr. Hall’s demand for
reimbursement, regardless of the absence of documentation.
Charlie Hall Request
Feb 1, 2010
Page 2
Respectfully submitted,
________________________
James Ericson
Clerk - Administrator
Attachments:
1. Performance Bond, Issued by the St. Paul Companies, May 1, 1978
2. Letter to Eastern Heights State Bank, April 25, 1978
3. Council Report, May 17, 1984
4. Resolution 1744, May 29, 1984
5. Letter to The Twin City Group, June 15, 1984
6. Opinion from Kennedy & Graven, dated Jan 25, 2010
7. Data Practices Request from Charlie Hall, Dated Nov 12, 2009