Planning Commission Packet - 03-25-2025

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The proposed commercial areas and future uses align with the land use guidance, and realigning the land use plan to follow the proposed uses is supported by the council. The mixed residential category supports a range of housing types, with the goal of a gentle increase in density when compared to a typical single-family neighborhood. While the proposal doesn’t include townhomes or multifamily uses, the smallest single-family parcels are 50-feet wide, which increases the overall density of the area. Access and Streets The development is located between Highway 10/169 and the river and abuts the historic Oliver Kelley Farm site along the southern boundary. The main access to the site will be from an improved access point at Highway 10/169 and 165th Ave. This is the current location of the driveway serving the property. City staff, the developer, and the City Council have been working with MnDOT to design the interchange. The project is contingent upon MnDOT’s approval and development of this interchange as the developer will need an access permit to begin development. Additional access to the development includes an extension of the existing Yale Street dead-end on the north end of the project and a frontage road along Highway 10/169. The project reserves land for a future interchange, but that is not part of this project. It is anticipated that the improvements at 165th Ave will provide access for the foreseeable future and the interchange will be constructed when funding and traffic demands allow. Internal circulation is provided by public streets, there are no private drives included in the project. A sidewalk is included on one side of each residential street, including the frontage road. Plans also include a 10- foot trail running through the development, which meets the city’s long-term goal of connecting to the river trail in Ramsey. The developer had originally requested a narrower street section for many of the interior streets. However, after discussions with the Planning Commission and the City Council, the developer agreed to follow the city design standards and construct all streets at 34-feet wide. City Utilities All parcels will be served by city sewer and water. This will require the extension of existing trunk services, which are the responsibility of the developer. Additional details regarding city services will be included in a future preliminary plat application. Housing Types The proposal includes four different lot sizes, ranging in size from 50-foot-wide lots with a 35-foot-wide building pad, up to 100-foot lots overlooking the Mississippi River. Many parcels are between 65 and 75-feet wide and are consistent with developments that have been approved in recent years. The largest lots are located along the river and have a minimum lot size of 20,000 square feet. These standards are a requirement of the Wild and Scenic River District for any parcel that abuts the river. Parcels within the district, but not along the river, are required to be at least 75-feet wide with a minimum size of 10,000 square feet. Proposed setbacks for these lots are 30-feet for the front yard and require a minimum of 15-feet between buildings – generally consistent with the typical R-1c zoning district. Most of the lots, 293 in total, are 65-feet-wide. As noted earlier, this has been the most common parcel size constructed in the city for several years. The proposed setbacks of 25-feet for the front yard and 15 feet between buildings are also typical of these lot types. The smallest lot sizes are clustered along Highway 10/169 and are 50-feet-wide with a front yard setback of 25-feet and maintaining 15-feet between buildings. The lot size does create some concern for on-street Page 25 of 55