01-06-2014 Council Minutes Special Meeting

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MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, January 6, 2014 7:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 2 of 27 (1. #13-3638 and #13-3639 SOURCE LAND CAPITAL, LLC (PAT HILLER) O/B/O GRANT WENKSTERN (LAKEVIEW GOLF), 405 NORTH ARM DRIVE – COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT AND SKETCH PLAN REVIEW, Continued) Grittman noted the primary issues resulting from a denial and/or approval would be legal and budgetary issues but that it is not impossible to read the Comprehensive Plan to say that it is best to leave it as open space. A yes vote to the applicant’s proposal would re-guide the property from its current open space designation to rural residential and there are potential issues that would flow from that. Grittman indicated the nature of development under this scenario is still uncertain at this point. The applicants have proposed a series of sketch plans, and noted that the City Council, by simply changing the land use designation, does not lock the City into any specific plat or development plan. The rural residential designation is consistent with the existing zoning and there are several policies in the Comprehensive Plan that would sustain this land use designation. Grittman stated the issues are primarily based around issues relating to compatibility with the existing land use pattern in the area. Grittman stated the final issue before the City Council would be development and design and what type of development would result with a rural residential designation. Grittman stated the different land use designations for the community have a number of aspects to them that are written in the Comprehensive Plan. Grittman indicated if there is an approval, the Comprehensive Plan amendment would then be submitted to the Metropolitan Council. The Metropolitan Council would then be obligated to make a determination as to whether the proposed amendment is consistent with the regional planning documents within its areas of jurisdiction. Staff recommends approval of the Comprehensive Plan amendment and believes it is consistent with existing zoning in the area. Grittman indicated the rural residential land use designation would accommodate residential land use with two-acre lot zoning, which is consistent with this zoning district. Grittman stated the City would avoid certain legal or budgetary uncertainties if this approach is taken. The two-acre residential development would be consistent with the surrounding area, which Staff feels is one of the strongest factors supporting this particular amendment proposal. In addition, the City’s platting requirements ensure that the area will be protected from environmental threats, traffic problems, or engineering concerns. Grittman stated many of the other technical concerns that flow out of a development proposal on land such as this would be really very well managed by the City’s development regulations, such as its subdivision regulations and environmental regulations. As a result, Staff is confident that development on this property would not raise a threat to the environment, which is also a supporting factor of the idea that a change to the land use plan can be made in that regard. Following the decision on the Comprehensive Plan Amendment by the City Council, a discussion will be had on the sketch plan proposed by the applicant. The applicants have submitted a second alternative sketch plan for review in addition to the Comprehensive Plan Amendment. Grittman noted the applicant’s revised sketch plan does rely on some Planned Residential Development by varying lot sizes but does not provide the large open space component that was part of the original sketch plan. In support of the revised sketch plan, the applicants have taken a series of soil borings and percolation tests, prepared a generalized stormwater management plan, conferred with Hennepin County in relation to road design and access, conferred with the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District regarding stormwater management, and addressed the directives of the City’s Conservation Design principles.