PL PACKET 10152024 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Planning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes August 20, 2024 Page 2 1 granted under the original PUD project. The site is the former Bremer Bank facility at the NE 2 corner of Kenzie Terrace and Stinson Parkway, with an address of 2401 Lowry. The parcel is 3 just under 2 acres in size. 4 5 The Planning Commission originally held a public hearing to consider the application on June 6 18, 2024. At the time, the applicants had described their request as consisting of the conduct 7 of after-school programming and office uses in the existing building. They indicated that the 8 building itself would not be remodeled on the exterior. Interior remodeling would consist 9 primarily of modifications to create an activity space in support of the after-school 10 programming. The applicants suggested that one floor of the building would remain unused at 11 the current time. No changes to the existing site plan were envisioned. 12 13 The proposed change would alter the approved PUD ordinance by replacing the expected 76- 14 unit multiple-family residential use with a proposed office use and after-school program for 15 school-aged children. The site plan approvals under the approved PUD would be altered to 16 retain the existing building and site improvements, which largely consist of paved parking lot 17 serving the original bank facility. 18 19 At the public hearing in June, the applicants expanded on their description of the uses of the 20 building, which included testimony that a variety of language and other academic classes 21 would be provided, as well as technical training in various disciplines. 22 23 The Planning Commission discussed the merits of the proposed use, and how it compared to 24 the Comprehensive Plan objectives for the site, as well as to the intent of the existing PUD 25 zoning, which anticipated housing that was designed to be affordable to low and moderate 26 income tenants. The rezoning ordinance recognized the change from commercial to residential 27 use, incorporating the approved site and development plans for the multi-family project, as 28 referenced the R-4 zoning district (the City’s multi-family zoning district) as the reference 29 district for performance standards not specifically identified in the approved PUD. 30 31 The 2040 Comprehensive Plan calls for mixed residential and commercial uses in the area. 32 The Land Use Plan expected a continuation of the commercial land use pattern on this site, 33 but included language that accommodates the conversion of commercial land to residential 34 when the specific site and other needs – including affordable housing goals – supported the 35 change. It was this set of policy considerations that led to the City’s participation in a multi- 36 site PUD approval that included this property. 37 38 That PUD shifted the Bremer Bank location to a site owned by the City, which was originally 39 acquired for redevelopment, with the goal being affordable housing. In turn, the housing 40 objective was shifted to the site currently under consideration, thus the multi-family project 41 approved there. 42 43 The Planning Commission voted against the proposed amendment in a split vote. Favorable 44 votes included comments that the use was a valuable one for the neighborhood and 45 community at large. Votes against the amendment cited concerns over an inadequate 46 description of the project plans, the loss of the opportunity for affordable housing on the site,