07-17-2017 Planning Commission Packet

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17-3948 July 17,2017 Page 2 of 7 The property is currently zoned RR-1B PUD,One Family Rural Residential.The intent of this zoning was functionally a`holding' zone,with the property originally anticipated to be rezoned to B-6 PUD at the time of approval of a specific commercial development on the site. For the proposed residential continuum of care use,rezoning to RPUD would be most appropriate. The property has been located within the Metropolitan Urban Service Area(MUSA)since 1980,and would be served with municipal sewer and water,for which connection charges are spelled out in the PUD No.4 Agreement. Comprehensive Plan Amendment The property is currently guided Office. The net development density based on 48 independent and assisted living units would be 13.8 units per acre. The proposal to re-guide the site for High Density Residential in the defined range of 10-15 units per acre would be appropriate. Met Council and Density. In approving Orono's 2008-2030 CMP, Met Council took into account that Orono guided specific properties for higher density sewered development(3-7,7-10,4-15 and 10-15 units per acre)in order to offset the long-planned sewered development at low densities in the Shoreland areas. In effect, the higher-density guiding of a select number of strategically located properties established a numerical `buffer' which allowed properties previously added to the MUSA and guided/planned for 2-acre minimum lot sizes,to be developed as historically planned. This numerical buffer has functionally been eliminated with the development of projects substantially lower than suggested by the Comprehensive Plan,including the Orono Preserve project at 3 units per acre,(guided 7-10 units per acre)and the Eisinger Meadows project at 5.5 units per acre(guided at 10-15 units per acre). In order to re-establish the buffer and allow sewer in areas at a density less than 3 units per acre, Orono must re-guide additional property for higher density. In the meantime, any new proposed developments at a density of less than 3.0 units per acre involving connection to or extension of the sewer system, will not be approved by Met Council. Reguiding of the applicants'property for residential use at high density would be a substantial step forward in re-establishing the necessary density buffer. When introducing high density residential,it is appropriate to consider surrounding land uses,the access to highways and mass transit,jobs, and services. The adjacent Stonebay Condominium has established high density residential. Wayzata Blvd is a major transportation corridor, and the site is near the commercial businesses and services in the northern third of the city. Bus service is not available to the area at this time. Placing the proposed continuum of care facility adjacent to a possible future office use to the immediate west would not be unusual,as an office use(as opposed to a retail use)would likely be compatible with the applicants' residential proposal. Rezoning to RPUD To accommodate the proposed development would be rezoned to RPUD. The RPUD District standards are found in Zoning Code Sections 78-621 thru 78-629 and attached as Exhibit G.The RPUD district standards indicate an RPUD site must be at least 5 acres in area, but does allow for smaller sites under specific conditions,as noted in the code excerpt below: Sec. 78-626. - Development standards. Within the RPUD district all development shall be in compliance with the following: (1) Minimum area; shoreland district limitation. Each site proposed for rezoning to RPUD shall have a minimum area of five acres, excluding areas within a designated wetland, floodplain or shoreland district or right-of-way,unless the council finds the existence of one of the following: a. Unusual physical features of the property itself or of the surrounding neighborhood such that development as a RPUD will conserve a physical or topographic feature of importance to the neighborhood or community.