HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016/01/20 - ADMIN - Agenda Packets - Planning Commission - Study SessionAGENDA
PLANNING COMMISSION STUDY SESSION
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
6:00 P.M.
JANUARY 20, 2016
1. 6:00 p.m. Annual Report discussion
2. 6:30 p.m. Planned code amendments
Subdivision ordinance
Microdistilleries and cocktail rooms
3. 7:15 p.m. Introduce upcoming development applications
Mister Car Wash expansion at 8700 State Hwy. 7
AC Hotel by Marriott
Marriott West
4. 7:30 p.m. Adjourn
If you cannot attend the meeting, please call the Community Development Office, 952/924-2575.
Auxiliary aids for individuals with disabilities are available upon request. To make arrangements, please
call 952/924-2575 at least 96 hours in advance of meeting.
St. Louis Park Planning Commission
2015 Annual Report
The St. Louis Park Planning Commission is a seven member advisory body
made up of citizen volunteers appointed by the City Council. The Planning
Commission reviews and makes recommendations on Comprehensive Plan
amendments, development projects, and zoning studies and amendments. It
also holds public hearings where the public can give input to Commission
recommendations.
Art Created By:
Myklebust + Sears
2015 Planning Commission Members
Richard Person, Chair
Claudia Johnston‐Madison, Vice‐Chair
Lynne Carper
Robert Kramer
Lisa Peilen
Carl Robertson
Joe Tatalovich, School Board Representative
Ethan Rickert, Youth Member
St. Louis Park Community Development Department Staff
Kevin Locke, Community Development Director
Sean Walther, Planning & Zoning Supervisor
Meg McMonigal, Principal Planner
Gary Morrison, Assistant Zoning Administrator
Ryan Kelley, Planner
Nicole Mardell, Associate Planner
Nancy Sells, Administrative Secretary
Alex Boyce, Community Development Intern
Development and Redevelopment in St. Louis Park
Approved Projects in 2015
The Shoreham
Location: 3907 Highway 7
Description: The 2.23‐acre redevelopment on the southeast
corner of France Avenue and County Highway 25 will be a 5‐
story mixed‐use building with 148 residential units and a
total of 20,000 sf. of commercial and medical office space.
The Planning Commission recommended approval of the
request at a public hearing on May 6, 2015. The City
Council approved the request at their May 18, 2015
meeting. The developer began site preparation in fall of
2015. Construction is expected to be completed fall 2016.
Developer: Bader Development
Minnota Addition
Location: 4903 Cedar Lake Road
Description: An application was submitted to the City to
plat the property located at 4903 Cedar Lake Road. The plat
will consist of one lot and will incorporate approximately
5,000 square feet of the neighboring property to the east.
The applicant intends to use the lot to construct a
residential building consisting of 16 townhome units. The
townhomes will be 2‐3 stories tall and have underground
parking.
The Planning Commission held a public hearing on April 15,
2015. The City Council approved the plat on May 18, 2015.
Construction is expected to begin in spring 2016.
Applicant: Erdogan Akguc
Methodist Hospital Expansion
Location: 6500 Excelsior Blvd
Description: Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital has embarked
on a multi‐year expansion of its medical campus on
Excelsior Blvd. The vertical expansion will add two floors on
the east side of the building and one floor on the west side
of the building. The east addition will add 38,334 sq. ft. for
new in‐patient private rooms. The west addition will
provide 20,535 sq. ft. for surgical services and renovations.
The project will also result in the conversion of most semi‐
private rooms into private rooms.
Developer: HealthPartners
Central Park West
Location: I‐394 and Highway 100
Description: Five more buildings are proposed for
construction at The West End at I‐394 and Highway 100.
Plans include two 6‐story multiple‐family residential
buildings, a 6‐story limited service hotel, two 11‐story office
buildings, a 2,534‐stall parking ramp, and a central
gathering space. At full build‐out, the multi‐phase
development proposes 363 residential units with eleven
affordable units, 150‐ hotel rooms, and 706,706 sf of Class
A office space. The project also includes reconstruction of
Utica Avenue along the west boundary of the development,
which is underway. Building permits have been issued for
the first apartment building (199 units).
Developer: DLC Residential
Wooddale Flats
Location: 3998 Wooddale Ave S.
Description: A redevelopment proposal was approved for
the former Church of the Most Holy Trinity site.
Construction is under way and when completed it features
six townhome‐style buildings with 34 units (76 bedrooms)
and surface parking. Five of the buildings are proposed to
be 3 stories and one building 2 stories. The first building is
nearing occupancy and three others are in various stages of
construction.
Developer: Gatehouse Properties Ltd.
Kia Dealership
Location: 6475 Wayzata Boulevard
Description: NLD 394 LLC is redeveloping a 2.7 acre parcel
at the former site of Woodfire Grill and Bennigan’s
Restaurants along the south side of Wayzata Blvd. The
developer plans to construct a new 26,471 square foot
auto dealership building, parking lot, new landscaping, and
an underground storm water management system.
Demolition is set to begin spring 2016 with the store
opening late 2016.
Developer: NLD 394 LLC
The West End
Location: 1600 West End Boulevard
Description: Conveniently located just west of downtown
Minneapolis, The West End is an up‐tempo place where
residents can live, work, and play all in one.
Duke Realty redeveloped approximately 40 acres
strategically located at the southwest corner of I‐394 &
Highway 100. The first phase of the $400 million project
includes a 350,000 square foot lifestyle retail center and
approximately 30,000 sf of office space. Opening in 2009,
tenants continue to build out their individual storefronts
and finish the store interiors. Currently the retail portion it
is 93% leased. The office space is 100% leased. The
Commission considered changes to the tenant mix that
related to parking requirements.
Recently opened: Primrose Park‐Juniper, Hand and Stone
Spa and the Bluefox Indian Bar and Grill.
South Side of Excelsior Design Guidelines
Creating a set of guidelines to shape the future of the south side of Excelsior Boulevard
is a forward‐looking action intended to enhance the ways the study area fits an
important community corridor. The guidelines were a product of a collaboration among
Community Development Staff, LHB Inc., SRF Consulting Group, and a City Council
Appointed Task Force. The Planning Commission reviewed the draft document (finalized
in April) and helped implement Zoning Code amendments recommended that went into
effect on May 15, 2015. The code amendments included setbacks, parking screening,
sidewalk width expansion, and parking lot drive aisle widths. These items were chosen
due to their contribution to a more vibrant and safe public realm and a higher quality of
life for residents.
The guidelines will continue to be used as a tool to creatively shape development for
years to come.
Zoning Amendments
Zoning Text Amendments ‐ Breweries
o Steel Toe Brewery requested an amendment to the zoning Ordinance to increase
the maximum number of barrels of malt liquor able to be produced annually
from 3,500 barrels to 20,000 barrels per year. Staff recommended this
amendment along with an ordinance amending Business Park and Industrial Park
Zoning Districts pertaining to breweries, and an amendment to the current liquor
licensing provisions in the City Code.
Zoning Text Amendments ‐ Signs
o The zoning ordinance section on signage was amended in three ways to allow for
greater flexibility. The first change included will increase the maximum sign area
for properties over 100,000 square feet in the Industrial and Business Park zoning
districts. The second will amend the code to apply the same sign regulations as
allowed in the General Commercial district to the M‐X district. Finally, the code
amendment will clarify and simplify the regulations pertaining to multi‐tenant
exemption.
Zoning Text Amendment – South Side of Excelsior
o The City of St. Louis Park worked with a consultant and City Council appointed
Task Force to create Design Guidelines for the South Side of Excelsior Boulevard.
From these guidelines the following were selected to be adopted into the zoning
code: Side yard width decrease from 15 feet to five feet in C‐1 and C‐2 zoning
districts, requiring a setback of buildings in C‐1 district with more than three
stories to set stories above the second floor back by at least ten feet from the
property line, reduction of drive aisle width from 25 feet to 24 feet in all districts
and to 22 feet in C‐1 districts, prohibition of parking in front yard of all C‐1
properties, and increase in minimum parking lot screening height from six feet to
eight feet and distance from residential properties to eight feet.
Zoning Text Amendment‐ Form Based Code
o The Form Based Code Amendment is designed to produce development
regulations for the areas around the three SW LRT Station Areas in St. Louis Park.
It is intended to foster predictable built results and a high‐quality public realm by
using physical form as the organizing principle. Planning Commission has
provided input on various sections of the draft code and staff continues to revise
the draft based on input form the community, Planning Commission and City
Council.
Applications Reviewed
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
2 111
758
1
6 7
6
7
4 4
4
2
10
1
5
2
1
1
42
1
6
3
6
5
1
6
2
3
3
3 1
4
2
6
3
6
5
APPLICATIONS REVIEWED
Comprehensive Plan Amendments Conditional Use Permits Planned Unit Developments
Rezoning Subdivisions/Plats Variances
Zoning Code Amendments
2016 Work Plan
Zoning Items:
Complete Form‐Based Code and officially adopt into Zoning Code
Review development proposals
Revise the Mixed‐Use zoning district requirements
Major Development Applications
West End/Central Park West Hotel and Office Tower Phases
PLACE mixed‐use redevelopment proposal
Excelsior & Monterey Mixed Use Redevelopment
Japs‐Olson expansion
Meadowbrook Golf Course & Minnehaha Creek Restoration
SWLRT Station Area Planning and Development
Comprehensive Plan Process
Planning Commission
Meeting Date: January 20, 2016
Study Session Item #2
Planned Code Amendments – Subdivision Ordinance
Description of Request:
Staff is initiating amendments to the Subdivision Ordinance. The intent of the amendments are to
update the design standards and make clarifications.
Draft Amendments:
The following is a summary of the proposed changes currently drafted. These changes will be
presented in concept to the Planning Commission for comment and direction. Staff is still in the
process of reviewing the ordinance, and additional changes may be proposed after the study
session.
The changes propose to:
Create regulations for administrative approval of lot combinations and lot line adjustments.
Change regulations pertaining to subdivision variances. Current regulations state four
criteria that must be met. Staff is proposing to change the language to say that five criteria
shall be considered when evaluating subdivision variance requests.
Remove infrastructure design standards from the ordinance, and instead refer to the
Engineering Director who will apply the City Engineering Department policies and
templates.
Continue to require sidewalks, but require them to be installed as per approved sidewalk
and trail plans and policies instead of requiring them on all street frontages.
Revise language requiring drainage/utility (D/U) easements. The ordinance currently
requires D/U easements around the perimeter of all lots, and changes to this require a
variance. Staff proposes to add an exception that allows the Engineering Director to reduce
D/U easements to avoid excessive and unnecessary easements and to design easements in
conjunction with development proposals and the City’s long-term plans for the area.
Reference the tree preservation regulations that are detailed in the landscaping section of
the zoning ordinance.
Make many clarifications to administrative and procedural regulations.
Next Step:
Staff will complete its draft of the ordinance and present the draft ordinance in more detail at a
study session item prior to scheduling a public hearing.
Prepared by: Gary Morrison, Assistant Zoning Administrator
Reviewed by: Sean Walther, Planning and Zoning Supervisor
Planning Commission
Meeting Date: January 20, 2016
Study Session Item #2
Planned Code Amendments – Microdistilleries and Cocktail Rooms
Description of Request:
Staff is initiating an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance. The intent of the amendment is to create
regulations pertaining to microdistilleries and cocktail rooms.
Draft Amendments:
On December 21, 2015, the City Council adopted an ordinance to provide for a microdistillery
cocktail room license and microdistillery off-sale license. As a result, the zoning ordinance needs
to be amended to determine in which zoning districts this should be allowed, the manner in which
it should be approved, and conditions that should be applied.
Staff proposes to mimic the brewery and taproom regulations currently in the zoning ordinance.
Therefore, staff is proposing the following:
Define microdistillery.
Allow microdistilleries as permitted with conditions in the Industrial Park and Business
Park zoning districts.
Allow a cocktail room as an accessory use to microdistilleries with the same conditions as
applied to taprooms. These conditions are as follows:
o In the Business Park district, up to 25% of the gross floor area of the microdistillery
may be used for any combination of retail and a cocktail room.
o In the Industrial Park district, up to 15% of the gross floor area may be used for any
combination of retail and a cocktail room.
The liquor ordinance prohibits one entity from owning both a taproom and a cocktail room license.
It also prohibits a cocktail room and a taproom at the same location.
Next Step:
Staff would like to proceed with a public hearing in February.
Prepared by: Gary Morrison, Assistant Zoning Administrator
Reviewed by: Sean Walther, Planning and Zoning Supervisor