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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-21-2021APPROVED PROCEEDINGS OF THE MOUNDS VIEW PLANNING COMMISSION CITY OF MOUNDS VIEW RAMSEY COUNTY, MINNESOTA Regular Meeting July 21, 2021 Mounds View City Hall 2401 Mounds View Boulevard, Mounds View, MN 55112 ______________________________________________________________________________ 1. Call to Order The meeting was called to order by Chair Rundle at 7:00 p.m. for July 21, 2021. 2. Roll Call Members Present: Commissioners French, Monn, Munson, Nelson (arrived at 7:03 p.m.), Rundle, and Stevenson. Absent and Excused: Commissioner Farmer. Also Present: Community Development Director Jon Sevald and Council Member Gary Meehlhause. Index to Minutes Page Concept Plan Review: Skyline, 4889 Old Highway 8 2 3. Special Order of Business None. 4. Citizens Requests and Comments on Items Not on the Agenda None. Mounds View Planning Commission July 21, 2021 Regular Meeting Page 2 ________________________________________________________________________ 5. Planning Cases A. Concept Plan Review: Skyline, 4889 Old Highway 8 Community Development Director Sevald stated MWF Properties has submitted a concept plan for a 120-unit senior (55+) apartment building. The building will be four stories above underground parking, and consist of one, two, and three bedroom units. The project will be affordable housing, with income limits of 50% of the Average Median Income (AMI). Maximum rents and income limits vary based on household size, and the number of bedrooms. For example, in Ramsey County, a three-person household with two bedrooms, has an income limit of $47,250, and a maximum gross rent of $1,181 per month. Community Development Director Sevald explained a Concept Plan Review is intended to solicit comments from the Planning Commission and City Council, to assist the Developer in site planning. A Concept Plan does not have the detail expected for a formal Development Review. The expectation is for individual members of the Commission/Council to provide opinions. There is no formal action or Resolution. All opinions are non-binding. After Concept Plan Review, the Developer intends to submit an application for; (1) Rezoning from Industrial (I-1) and Highway Business (B-3), to Planned Unit Development (PUD); (2) Subdivision; and (3) Development Review. Additionally, the City intends to amend the 2020 Comprehensive Plan (after it’s adopted) to increase the maximum density for properties guided as Mixed Use, from 30-units per acre, to 50-units per acre. The proposed project has a density of 34-units per acre. For comparison, Gray Stone Flats has a density of 31 units per acre, and Bel Rae is at 45 units per acre. Staff requested comment from the Commission on how to proceed with this project. Peter Worthington, MWF Properties, discussed the senior development in further detail with the Commission. He explained he was proposing a four-story, 120 units of senior housing. He noted this would be a long narrow building along the highway. He indicated there would be a variety of colors and textures on the front of the building. Commissioner Monn thanked the developer for sharing this information. She appreciated the fact the Commission had a chance to review this request in order to provide feedback. She noted she visited several senior housing developments in the area. She suggested this project be mixed use with commercial uses on the ground level with residential on the second, third and fourth floors. She believed this would provide necessary amenities to those living within the development. Commissioner Monn requested further comment regarding the parking situation. Mr. Worthington reported he was providing 1.7 parking stalls per unit. He explained City Code requires 2.5 parking stalls per unit which was too high for a senior housing development. Community Development Director Sevald provided further comment on the City’s parking requirements and noted Metro Transit would be extending a bus line past this property. Commissioner Munson explained she has worked in home health care and reported there were a lot of services available to assist the elderly or aging population. In addition, there were a lot of different senior buildings to meet the needs of the baby boomers. Mounds View Planning Commission July 21, 2021 Regular Meeting Page 3 ________________________________________________________________________ Commissioner Nelson anticipated these senior living units would require closer to two parking spaces given how active seniors were. He recommended more than four handicap parking stalls be considered for this development. Chair Rundle stated this was the perfect place for senior housing and he anticipated the parking concerns could be addressed. Commissioner Stevenson asked if The Legends senior housing project had any parking concerns. Mr. Worthington reported this was a Dominium project and noted he was not aware of any parking concerns. Chair Rundle commented he liked the proposed front of the building. Commissioner Monn questioned if this would be a smoking or non-smoking building. Mr. Worthington reported this would be a non-smoking building. Commissioner Monn inquired if the building would allow pets. Mr. Worthington commented this has not yet been decided. Commissioner Monn asked what amenities would be provided in this building. Mr. Worthington stated this building would have a fitness center and community spaces. He noted this building would have independent living units and no nursing staff would be provided. Commissioner Monn indicated the City only requires three story buildings. She questioned if MWF would consider doing a mixed-use development with commercial uses on the first level. Mr. Worthington reported the economics of this do not work for this type of development. Community Development Director Sevald reported a PUD allows for flexibility on the building height. Commissioner Nelson inquired how tall the building would be. Mr. Worthington estimated the building would be 47 feet tall. Commissioner Nelson indicated there were a lot of TBD’s within this plan. Mr. Worthington stated this was a concept plan. He noted his intent was to proceed this year with the land use approvals, with funding and construction occurring in 2022. Commissioner Nelson asked what the setbacks would be for this building. Community Development Director Sevald reported the building would be close to Old Highway 8. He explained the PUD would allow for reduced setbacks. Commissioner Monn questioned if a fence was being considered along Old Highway 8. Mr. Worthington stated he had not considered this. Mounds View Planning Commission July 21, 2021 Regular Meeting Page 4 ________________________________________________________________________ Commissioner Monn recommended the developer consider how the highway noise would impact the proposed units. Mr. Worthington stated he has built other units that were as close or closer to major freeways and noise has not been a concern. Commissioner Nelson discussed the proposed density for this development. Community Development Director Sevald commented the PUD would allow for increased density beyond City Code requirements. Commissioner Stevenson asked if staff was proposing to amend the Comp Plan to allow for 50 units per acre. Community Development Director Sevald discussed the different levels of density that have been proposed in recent projects and stated this change came about from these projects. Commissioner Nelson questioned how big the senior housing units would be. Mr. Worthington estimated the units would be 550 to 975 square feet in size. Commissioner Monn commented on the high demand for studio apartments in Mounds View. Mr. Worthington stated this was common within market rate apartments but noted the needs for senior housing was different. Commissioner Monn encouraged the developer to consider having meaningful greenspace on the outside of the building for the seniors to enjoy. She asked how much space there would be between the senior living building and BioClean. Community Development Director Sevald estimated there would be 100 feet between the two buildings. Commissioner Monn suggested the developer consider having decks on the senior housing units. Chair Rundle thanked the developer for his time. Community Development Director Sevald summarized the comments received from the Commission and noted this item would go before the City Council on Monday, July 26, 2021. 6. Reports A. Upcoming Planning Cases & Activity Community Development Director Sevald discussed upcoming planning cases with the Commission. He noted he had a variance request that would be coming to the Planning Commission on August 18, 2021. In addition, a concept plan may be coming forward. B. Staff Updates Community Development Director Sevald provided the Commission with an update from staff. He explained the AMC theater was getting close to reopening after being rebranded. He stated the Caribou Cabin would be going to the City Council for consideration on July 26, 2021. Mounds View Planning Commission July 21, 2021 Regular Meeting Page 5 ________________________________________________________________________ C. Council Updates Council Member Meehlhause provided the Planning Commission with an update from the City Council. He noted former City Council Member Sherry Gunn was recognized at the last Council meeting for her 17 years of dedicated service to the City of Mounds View. D. Planning Commissioner Reports None. 7. Approval of Minutes None. 8. Next Planning Commission Meeting: A. Wednesday, August 4, 2021 B. Wednesday, August 18, 2021 ______________________________________________________________________________ 9. Adjournment There being no further business before the Planning Commission, Chair Rundle adjourned the meeting at 7:57 p.m. ______________________________________________________________________________ Respectfully submitted, Jon Sevald Community Development Director Transcribed by: Heidi Guenther Minute Maker Secretarial