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) rental units, platted as condominiums so that each unit will have a separate legal description and tax statement. All units will be owned by a non-profit organization and rented to the occupants under the agreements established for the building. The developer has also indicated he would like to sell the land to the City of Orono for$1,with the City leasing the land back to Orono Senior Housing West, LLC at $1 for 99 years, which would develop a 50-unit apartment building for independent seniors. The lease would be conditioned on the use remaining senior housing for the duration of the lease. Orono would issue Multifamily Housing Revenue Bonds to finance the project. This would allow the City to require that a portion of the units be affordable and designated for senior housing for ages 62 and up, for the life of the bonds. In addition,the HRA would create and establish a Tax Increment Financing District and contribute 90 percent of the tax increment financing for 20 years back to the development. With TIF in place, the City would have the ability to eventually recoup its expenditures for infrastructure or deferred/waived fees related to this development. The Applicant is again requesting deferral of park fees of approximately $162,500, and sewer and water connection charges of approximately $10,200, which the City would eventually recoup via TIF proceeds. Those amounts would be payable only in the event the Developer violates the senior housing restriction. Gaffron indicated these conditions help insure that this development will stay senior housing for a long period of time. Gaffron indicated the surrounding land use consists of the Sugar Woods neighborhood to the north, Highway 12 and the City of Long Lake to the south, the Orono Shopping Center and Conoco gas station to the west, and the other senior housing building to the east. Gaffron stated the topography of Lot 1 is significantly higher than Lot 2, with its high point near the northeast corner of the proposed building. The land slopes to the northeast, southeast, and southwest from this point. The existing home in Sugar Woods directly behind Lot 1 is at or slightly above the highest elevation on Lot 1. Gaffron indicated a very little portion of the foundation/garage wall will be visible from the rear of the building, but a significant portion of it will be visible from the south, east, and west facades. Gaffron indicated in his view the elevation of the garage could be lowered slightly, and recommended the elevation of the entire building be lowered four to six feet. Gaffron stated the building, as proposed, meets the RPUD District setback standards for the north, east, and south lot lines. However, the west and south walls are set back only 20 feet from the adjoining lot, with cantilevered decks extending to within 15 feet rather than the 35 feet minimum required. The RPUD standards additionally require that the building setback from lot lines be no less than the height of the building. The defined height of the building will be approximately 38 feet based on the elevations provided. Gaffron stated relocating the building 15 to 20 feet further east would require a re-design of the parking area and possibly elimination of the loop driveway, but would allow for additional green space west of the building. Moving the building 15 to 20 feet further north would have some impacts on the grading and vegetation buffer behind the building. Gaffron stated in his view the proposed parking area and driveway is the best option for this development. Gaffron stated the intent of the RPUD district is to provide for lifecycle as well as affordable and moderate cost housing needs. The RPUD ordinance recognizes that housing types needed to accomplish these goals may require buildings to exceed the 30 foot height standard. For property PAGE 16