Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-13-04 WS e _ ® _• m~ ~ ,.m ~~ 3 ~ INi ;... In attendance: Mayor Robert Johnson and Council Members David Luick, Laurie Rieb, Mark Bellows, and Wendy Wulff. Also in attendance: City Administrator Steve Mielke, Assistant to City Administrator Brian Anderson, Planning Director Daryl Morey, Community and Economic Development Director Dave Olson. Item #Z -Update: Brandtjen Farms City Administrator Steve Mielke explained the purpose of this item on the agenda is to • provide a status report for Council on the project. The developer, staff and Planning Commission have been very involved with the project and the Council will be receiving a request soon for the Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) phase. Tradition Development representative, Rob Wachholz, as well as Tip and Jake Enebak, expressed their appreciation to the Council for taking the time for an update on the Brandtjen Farms project. Tradition has been working with staff and the Planning Commission since approval of the concept plan to identify and focus in on certain details that are important to the City. Council Members were involved in the on-site tour that was held in June and then had an opportunity to go back and look at the prominent assets of the lake and woodlands that will be incorporated into public parks. In July the Planning Commission toured Cobblestone Lake in Apple Valley, Liberty on the Lake in Stillwater and Centennial Lakes in Edina. The factors and items that were looked at and talked about during that tour are summarized in a book provided to Council Members. It specifically details neighborhood greens, architecture, and public spaces vs. private spaces. Tradition has completed the EAW for the project, which has received preliminary comment from City staff and consulting engineer WSB. Those comments were considered by Tradition and they have distributed a final draft to various organizations for comments. They hope to have the document on Council's September 20th agenda. The 30-day comment period for various other agencies would then begin. City Council Work Session Minutes September 13, 2004 page -2- Mr. Wachholz detailed the items the Planning Commission is working on. They include: Transportation; the use of alleys, bringing the garages to the rear of the units. The Planning Commission has some concerns. about snow storage, emergency vehicle access and garbage pickup. Roundabouts: Tradition is working with a consultant on the traffic analysis. The roundabout's are of concern to the Planning Commission especially in its close proximity to the entry to 170t" Street. The roundabout was inserted to add some landscaping and a more dramatic entrance to the Brandtjen Farm property. WSB will study that as well as the specifications of the other roundabouts in the development. Guest parking for townhome areas: Current ordinances do not address how to deal with the guest parking and shared drives in the back. The alley is designed for the arrival of the homeowner, not guests who would come to the front door. Transition of the existing PUD and Nordic Square: The Planning Commission will start to work with the developer on a framework for the transition. The Nordic Square PUD dates back to the 1970's and Tradition is not requesting any higher density than what is established in the comprehensive plan. Tip Enebak stated that Tradition will spend time working with the Planning Commission • on issues that are a departure from Lakeville's normal standards and wants to make sure not to leave the Council out of the process. Mayor Johnson asked if the alleys are essential to the project, because of the massive deviation they are from the current planning standards. Mr. Wachholz stated they are not essential but the consequence is that the boulevard and median landscaping is diminished by breaks in the landscaping with driveways. It is more for aesthetics along the parkway. Having the front door facing the street with the garage behind adds to the whole experience of the drive through the neighborhood. Council Member Wulff raised concerns about overnight parking because residents will have a high expectation of snow clearance in the winter. She thinks it's an attractive streetscape with the garage in the back and offers a product that is not currently available in Lakeville. Council Member Bellows asked about security and is concerned about Lakeville Police Department being so far away. Mr. Wachholz stated that Apple Valley PD increased evening patrols through the Cobblestone project, however, the residents are much more attentive to their surroundings. The orientation encourages front-yard communication with porches and sidewalks and people are more connected to their neighbors and more pro-active in securing their neighborhood. City Council Work Session Minutes September 13, 2004 • Item #2 -Update: Stonebridge Apartment Project page -3- CED Director Dave Olson provided the Council with a brief summary of a proposed development by Stonebridge Company of Apple Valley. They are exploring the possibility of a 76-unit apartment project on Outlot N in the Prairie Lake development, north of 185th Street, west of I-35. The 4.4-acre parcel has some irregularities due to the adjoining wetlands. It is currently zoned RH-1, which allows for the proposed density. The proposal includes one or possibly two 3-story buildings that would be comprised of one, two, and three-bedroom units with underground enclosed parking. The developer recently completed a similar project in Apple Valley. The developer has. been in contact with Dakota County Community Development Agency (CDA) and is examining various financing programs consisting of housing bonds and tax increment financing, both of which would be administered by the Dakota County CDA. The developers are proposing 20% of the 76 units would be available at 50% of the median income and another 20% for persons at 60% of the median income, based on family size. Mayor Johnson asked if there are any differences in the units that would be subsidized. Mr. Olson stated that the units all look the same and would be scattered throughout the development. They all have access to the same amenities. Council Members were interested in touring the development in Apple Valley and asked Mr. Olson to arrange for them to tour their Apple Valley project. Item #3 -Presentation: Pulte Homes, Del Webb Community Planning Director Daryl Morey gave the Council and overview of the Pulte Homes/Del Webb proposal. The project will require approximately 250-300 acres. Property located on the east side of Highview Avenue, south of Dodd Blvd. (160 acres) and additional property to the west across Highview (70 acres). Pulte Homes representatives Mike Devoe, Vice President of Operations, and Cory Leper were in attendance. The Del Webb communities are geared toward the active adult, 55 or older. Del Webb communities exist mostly in the southwest such as Sun City, AZ, but have now been expanded to other areas. The community is typically 750 to 1,000 units, with about a 16,000 square foot clubhouse, open space, trails, and outdoor amenities. Lifestyle management of active adults is accomplished with an onsite coordinator for activities and social events. Following approval, a focus group would be formed to determine what types of recreation facilities would be desirable to people in this area. • City Council Work Session Minutes September 13, 2004 page -4- Mayor Johnson stated that this is becoming very popular across the country because of the age of the baby boomers. Mr. Devoe stated the prices compare with the median resale price of a home, which in this area is currently about $220,000. The association fees for the amenities package are about $200 a month. Daryl Morey updated Council on the proposed site as it relates to current and future transportation. Mr. Mielke stated there are three policy issues in developing this area. The largest of these is the sewer and water availability tying in with a gravity flow system which would require going through a number of properties, none of which are planned to come into the system for quite a while. Second, the roads in this area are not set up to handle this type of development at this point. Third, Lakeville must decide if this is the type of plan they want to put in this area. Mr. Morey discussed the various parcels in the surrounding area of the proposed plat and conveyed anticipated development plans. Mr. Mielke asked if it was feasible to do some exchanges of the other developable properties in order to maintain the rates of growth, but change the location of the proposal Council directed staff to continue to work with the developer and bring the project back to the Council for a future work session before bringing it to the Planning Commission. Item #4 - U date: Cedar Avenue BRT Transitwa p Y Council Member Wulff is the representative on the Cedar Avenue Transitway study committee. The underlying factor and policy level issues in both the Cedar Avenue and I-35 BRT corridors is whether Lakeville should support and/or participate in the transit efforts. She felt the I-35 project seems to have a leg up in terms of its timing. There are some interesting things happening in I-35 with the potential to buy some land for park and ride at a future time. Cedar Avenue is a high priority for the County and the Dakota County Rail Authority is levying funds to keep the project going while long-term funding is secured. Wulff stated that the Met Council is working on their transportation plan, including the Cedar Avenue BRT and the I-35 transit corridor. No highway improvements are specified for Dakota County for the next 30 years. Mr. Mielke stated that either improvement could ultimately require the City of Lakeville's support. Anticipated cost to opt into the transit taxing district was estimated to be $34.00 per year to the average home, which would generate around $750,000 to the Metropolitan system. Mr. Mielke suggested investigating the hiring of a transit consultant to review the options and guide the way to a question on the community survey. Mr. Mielke will pursue interest free loans that may be available to secure property for spark-and-ride location on I-35. City Council Work Session Minutes September 13, 2004 page -5- Item #5 -Discussion: Ice Arena Study The city has negotiated an agreement with KPAC LLC to develop an athletic facility. Included in that facility is the potential for an ice arena. Mr. Mielke and Finance Director Dennis Feller have completed an Arena Study to determine the financial feasibility of an arena attached to the athletic facility. The Study shows that an arena operated in conjunction with the Ames Arenas can be feasible. Discussions have begun with ISD 194 to consider a joint partnership on the construction. Item #6 -Discussion: Council's Approach to Citizen Comments Mr. Mielke is asking Council for direction on how they would like to handle situations where citizens address the Council at a meeting. If a group comes forward, it needs to be determined whether their issue is more appropriately discussed at a work session after analysis, or if it can simply be turned over to staff. Council decided to continue the current practice of handling citizen comments. Item #7-Other Business. There was no other business. Item #8-Adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 8:50 PM Respectfully submitted, ~~ Ju ith R. Hawkins, Deputy Clerk ~~. •