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FILE #23-000067 <br />January 16, 2024 <br />Page 2 of 5 <br /> <br />acres are guided for high density residential at 20-25 units per acre. A minimum of 215 dwelling <br />units were contemplated for the area as part of the 2018 Comprehensive Plan Amendment; <br />with 215 units, the City’s calculated overall density is 3.206 units per acre. <br /> <br />Application materials provided by the applicant in 2018 refined the actual developable area of <br />the property. 7.95 acres of the property was guided for low density and 7.76 acres of the <br />property was guided for high density due to the wetland area identified with the delineation. <br />The wetland areas are removed from the developable area calculation. The current guidance <br />with the reduced buildable area would require roughly 179 units under the current guidance <br />with the wetland areas removed. <br /> <br />As part of the submittal the developer also identified wetland, right-of-way, and buffer areas. <br />According to the developer, there are 11.24 acres of buildable area, 4.47 acres less than the <br />2018 calculation. This adjustment which reduces the buildable land would require 169 units to <br />be a qualifying project, It would reduce the overall calculated density to 3.00 units per acre for <br />the City. To allow this density change, a Comprehensive Plan amendment would be required to <br />rezone the land to Urban Medium High Density of 15-20 units per acre. This is important <br />because the city’s density, affordable housing, and housing unit goals will still be met, even with <br />slightly lower densities. <br /> <br />At 156 total condo units, the applicant is proposing fewer overall units than required. Based on <br />the currently known information , including the buildable area of the land and the wetlands, the <br />property would need to maintain a 15 unit per acre density to meet the City’s requirement. (15 <br />units x 11.24 acres = 169 total units) <br />Proposed: <br />156 units/ 11.24 acres= 13.8 units/acre <br />Results in 2.95 units/acre overall City Density <br /> <br />As proposed, this development does not meet the density standards required for the city. This <br />results in a decrease in our overall City Density Calculation of 3.1 to 2.9. As proposed, the <br />development does not follow the City’s Comprehensive Plan goals for the density requirements <br />of the Met Council. <br /> <br />Following MPCA and Met Council guidelines, the contaminated area on the south side of the <br />property may be able to be removed from the buildable land calculation. If the developer <br />wants to explore the removal of this space from the buildable area and therefore the density <br />equation, additional guidance from the MPCA would be required. The removal of the <br />contaminated land area would decrease the overall buildable acres. However, this would then <br />require the developer to provide a more dense development so the City can maintain its 3.0 unit <br />per acre density requirement. <br /> <br />Zoning. The project is anticipated to be rezoned and developed as a Residential Planned Unit <br />Development (“RPUD”). Rezoning the property to a RPUD district will allow for the proposed <br />densities and will provide the Council with the flexibility to deviate from the standards outlined. <br />The portions of the property within 250 feet of the 974’ OHWL Lake Classen cannot be rezoned <br />to RPUD; the portion of the property more than 250 feet from the OHWL may be rezoned to <br />RPUD at the discretion of the city council when all other requirements are met. The analysis <br />below outlines the standards and flexibilities requested. <br /> <br />236