04-15-2002 Planning Commission Minutes

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Monday,April 15,2002 6:30 o'clock p.m. (#02-2771 Orono Ambar,Continued) Frank Dunbar, Orono Ambar, indicated his concept is to bring forward a senior housing building similar to what is currently being constructed. Dunbar stated they are proposing to bring this building substantially forward, noting that the proposed building and parking will cover six percent less on the site than the office building which will enable them to save some landscaping in the area. Dunbar indicated they are also proposing to reconstruct the retaining wall that is currently on the property and replace it with a 4.5 foot retaining wall. In addition, there will be a number of pine trees placed near it that will also help to hide the garage. Dunbar reported according to the research conducted by Maxwell Consultants, this area is substantially undersized in its housing for seniors. Currently 40 percent of the first building is leased, with over 100 other people expressing interest in leasing a unit. Dunbar stated in his view that helps to demonstrate the need for additional senior housing in this area. Dunbar indicated the senior housing building will also reduce the traffic impact to this area and will require fewer parking spaces than the office building. Dunbar compared the differences of the proposed senior housing building with the office building,noting that the parking and amount of traffic generated with the senior housing building would be significantly less in his view than an office building. Dunbar noted the building would also be located 110 feet from the property line whereas the office building would be located 75 feet. Dunbar indicated the height of the two buildings is relatively the same, with the senior housing building being 27 feet high. Gaffron stated within PUD No. 2A the only uses that would be allowed are those uses designated by the 2000-2020 Comprehensive Land Use Plan. The property included in PUD No. 2A had been zoned B-1, Retail Sales Business District for at least 35 years prior to its rezoning to B-6 PUD in 2001, and has been formally guided for commercial use since adoption of the 1980 CMP. In 2001, Orono amended the draft 2000-2020 CMP to reguide Lot 2 for Multi-family Residential use, specifically for senior housing. Gaffron indicated the impacts to the adjacent residential neighborhoods are likely to be less intense than most of the potential commercial uses that could be established if the site remains guided for commercial use. The impacts of residential traffic through Lot 2 are expected to be less than if Lot 1 is developed commercially. Additionally, the limited direct access to Highway 12 makes Lot 1 a relatively unattractive site for high traffic commercial uses. Gaffron stated there clearly is a demand in this area for senior housing, and development of additional senior housing will be in keeping with the City's affordable and lifecycle housing goals as defined in the CMP and is within easy walking distance of downtown Long Lake. Further, senior housing would provide a reasonable transition between the single family housing to the north and the commercial/retail uses to the west and south. Gaffron stated the proposed 50-unit building on this 2.6 acre site would yield a development density of approximately 19 units/acre. This density can be allowed only via a rezoning to RPUD. Gaffron noted phase one of this project was 62 units, with a 15 or 16 unit per acre density. Gaffron stated in order for the City to accomplish some of its housing goals,higher density is required. Gaffron stated the developer is requesting essentially the same development parameters that were previously approved by the Council for phase one of this project. Gaffron stated the units will all be PAGE 15