06-09-2003 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

M3-2889 April 18,2003 Page 3 Site Background The property was part of a 7-acre tract that was platted into two lots for development in 2001. The easterly lot (Lot 2, 4.S acres) was rezoned to RPUD and is now the site of Orono Woods Senior Housing. The west 2.6 acres became Lot I, Orono Ambar, and was rezoned to B-6 Highway Commercial District. Lot I is the subject of the current application. Development of a 25,000 s.f office building on Lot 1 was granted General Development Plan Approval via Resolution No. 4704 on October 22,2001, subject to the provisions of Planned Unit Development Agreement No. 2A. PUD Agreement No. 2A established that the only permitted principal structure on Ix>t 1 is a 25,000 gross s.f. 2-story ofTice building with underground and surface parking per the approved site plan. Permitted uses of that building are general office uses which may include business and professional offices of a general nature, and may include a clinic for human care on an outpatient basis only. The building may not be used for general retail use, but accessory retail uses could occur in up to 20% of the gross floor area of the building. Developer Frank Dunbar subsequently concluded that there was insufficient demand for the office building, and filed Application No. 02-277 1 with the City in March 2002, proposing a 50-unit Phase II of Orono Woods Senior Housing for Lot 1. That application resulted in a public hearing during which the adjoining neighborhood expressed significant opposition to the project based on the size, orientation and intensity of the proposal. Dunbar did not proceed with that application, and has now sold the property to Wara Real Estate (one of the principal current applicants) contingent upon City approval for the proposed office project. Surrounding Land Use Directly to the north of the subject property is a residential neighborhood called “Sugarwoods ”. The only butler between the applicants' office site and the residential use in Sugarwoods is a 40’ wide platted outlot that is owned by the Sugarwoods Homeowners Association. Restrictions were placed on each lot within the Sugarw oods neighborhood that prohibits removal of trees greater than 2” in diameter w ithin the rear setback for those lots located closest to the proposed development. The 40’ buffer outlot is generally wooded. The subject property is located on Highway 12 and the Orono Ambar Senior Housing development is located to the east. Two parcels that are located west of the subject property are developed as the Orono Shopping Center and Conoco gas station; the lot directly adjacent to the w est and surrounded on two sides by applicant ’s property contains nonconforming residential and industrial uses, including a welding shop. That property is zoned B1 Retail Sales Business District. Future redevelopment of the adjacent welding shop parcel is anticipated; both the residence and the w elding shop are nonconforming uses in B-1.