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MINUTES OF TAE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMNIISSION MEETING <br /> Tuesday,January 20,2009 <br /> 6:00 o'clock p.m. <br /> 3. The range of potential uses within the existing RR-1B Rural Residential zoning for this site <br /> include the development of single-family housing as well as a variety of institutional,public or private <br /> uses. The RPUD rezoning for the Orono Villas project was very project-specific; likewise,RPUD <br /> rezoning for the Comforts-of-Home project would also be project-specific. <br /> 4. The property is at a highly visible location to traffic entering Orono from the east on Wayzata <br /> Boulevard. Department at this site might be considered as a `main entrance to Orono, and as such will <br /> inherently set a tone as to the character of the City. The Orono Villas project was approved subject to a <br /> variety of conditions that limited the orientation,character and height of the individual buildings and <br /> required substantial screening be developed or maintained, so as to minimize the visibility of the higher- <br /> density developed as viewed from Wayzata Boulevard. <br /> 5. The property abuts the Luce Line Trail,which, as it traverses Orono,has a completely different <br /> feel than it does in Plymouth to the east; a rural feel rather than a suburban feel. Development of a 46- <br /> unit residential building rather than nine individual buildings will likely result in a more compact, <br /> centered footprint,not as spread out as the Orono Villas buildings. This has a potential to then retain <br /> more of the long views to the southwest enjoyed by trail users;keeping in mind that those views are now <br /> of a freeway and railroad corridor. Due to the trail crossing of the freeway immediately west of the <br /> property,this is perhaps one of the very few locations in Orono traversed by the trail where denser <br /> development might not seem out of place. <br /> 6. The proposed site play layout does not account for the City's required 20-foot structure setback <br /> from the 35 foot wetland buffer. The 20-foot setback from buffer was specifically implemented to avoid <br /> having homes abut an unmowed buffer where there is no allowance for a mowed,usable back yard, such <br /> as in the Stonebay Development,where we anticipate encroachment of the buffer will occur over time. <br /> 7. The property is approximately one mile from Lake Minnetonka and drains eventually to Brown's <br /> Bay through a series of small creeks and wetlands. The location within the watershed is not a significant <br /> factor in whether this property should be re-guided. <br /> Staff recommends approval of the requested amendment subject to conditions specified by the Planning <br /> Commission. <br /> If the Planning Commission determines that the proposed CMP Amendment is appropriate, Staff would <br /> recommend that the amendment language contain the following parameters for approval relative to <br /> development of the proposed use: <br /> 1. In addition to the permitted,conditional and accessory uses allowed within the RR-1B zoning <br /> district,this amendment allows for residential development of the property at a density of no more than <br /> ten dwelling units per net dry buildable acre. Based on the net area being 4.9 acres,this would allow a <br /> maximum of 49 units. <br /> 2. The following parameters shall be adhered for any residential development of the property at a <br /> density greater than .5 units per net dry buildable acre of land: <br /> a. All dwelling units shall be contained within a single residential building that shall not <br /> exceed two stories in height and have a footprint of no greater than 20,000 square feet. <br /> b. The residential building shall maintain a low-profile and be designed in a residential <br /> PAGE 6 <br />