VII.3. 425 Madison Avenue Concept Plan Review; Lindahl
August 4, 2020, City Council Report 2020-057
425 Madison Avenue Concept Plan Review
Proposed Action: As a concept review, this application does not require formal action by the
Planning & Zoning Commission or City Council. Rather, the applicant requests feedback on the
proposals so they can work toward preparing a future, formal submittal. Any comments
provided by the Planning & Zoning Commission or City Council shall be for guidance only and
shall not be considered binding upon the City regarding any future, formal application.
Overview
The applicant, Xijing Zhang, requests concept plan review of the proposal to subdivide the
existing 1.48 acre single family property into three (3) single family lots. The proposal would
keep the existing single family home and divide the remaining area into two (2) new single family
lots for future development. The subject property is located at 425 Madison Avenue North, just
east of Highway 169 between Highway 7 and 2nd Street Northeast. The Planning & Zoning
Commission reviewed this application during their July 28, 2020 regular meeting and was
generally supportive of the concept plan.
The site is currently guided by the 2030 Comprehensive Plan as LDR - Low Density Residential
and zoned R-1-C, Single Family Medium Density. As such, this staff report reviews the concept
plan against the R-1-C zoning standards. Based on the review detailed below, it is likely the
applicant will also need approval of a Planned Unit Development (PUD) to allow flexibility from
some of the R-1-C Standards in exchange for a high quality development. This report
summarizes the concept proposal, reviews the proposal against the R-1-C district development
standards and outlines a likely formal review process.
Primary Issues to Consider
• Background
• Subdivision Design
• Land Use & Zoning Review
• Engineering Comments
• Potential Review Process
Supporting Documents
• Site Location Map
• Concept Plans
_____________________
Jason Lindahl, AICP
City Planner
Financial Impact: $ N/A Budgeted: Y/N ____ Source: _____________
Related Documents (CIP, ERP, etc.): _________________________________________
Notes:
City Council Report 2020-057
Page 2
PLANNING & ZONING COMMISISON ACTION
The Planning & Zoning Commission held a public hearing to review this item (Planning
Application 2020-16) during their July 28, 2020 regular meeting. During that meeting, the
Commission heard presentations from both staff and the applicant. No public hearing is
required for concept plan review. The Planning & Zoning Commission was generally
supportive of the concept plan but had questions about the shared access and driveway for lots
1 and 2 and about the adjacent creek. Staff answered that the shared driveway was the best
overall design given the limited amount of street frontage along Madison Avenue. The applicant
agreed and added that they would prefer to keep future construction activity on lots 1 and 2 on a
separate driveway to limit impact to their property. The applicant added that they had
completed a wetland survey of the adjacent creek and none of it is located on their property.
Staff added that the applicant will also be required to receive approval from the Minnehaha
Creek Watershed District.
BACKGROUND
The 1.48 acre subject property was originally subdivided as part of the Campbell Third Addition
plat in 1958. However, the existing single family home appears to pre-date the creation of the
lot as it was built in 1950. The applicant purchased the property in 2017 and is using it as a
single family home and plans to remain in the property after the subdivision. The concept plan
would subdivide the subject property in such a way as to keep the existing single family home
and create two new single family lots for future development.
SUBDIVISION DESIGN
To facilitate the proposed concept plan, the applicant would need to subdivide the subject
property. As proposed, the concept plan subdivision would likely meet or exceed the
requirements of the zoning ordinance with the exception of lot width and lot frontage along a
public street. The applicant should revise their plans to provide an equal amount of street
frontage for each lot. However, even with this change the approval process for this application
will include subdivision through a preliminary and final plat and a planned unit development
(PUD) to deviate from the lot width and lot frontage requirements (see PUD section below).
Access to the three proposed lots would be provided through two curb cuts. The existing curb
cut will be modified to provide a shared access to the two new single family lots. In addition,
the applicant plans to add a new curb cut to provide a separate private access to the existing
single family home.
With any subdivision, the City has the ability to collect park dedication in the form of land or a
fee. The standard park dedication fee for single family residential subdivisions is $1,000 per unit.
Based on the concept plan’s 2 new lots, this project would be required to pay park dedication of
$2,000.
LAND USE & ZONING REVIEW
The land use and zoning section reviews the concept plans against the goals and policies in the
comprehensive plan (both 2030 and draft 2040) as well as the specific zoning standards of the R-
1-C district. Staff’s review and findings related to each standard are provided below.
Land Use. The Subject property is guided LDR – Low Density Residential by the 2030
Comprehensive Plan. According to the narrative for this land use classification, it allows for
City Council Report 2020-057
Page 3
single family detached residential dwelling at 1 to 7 units per acre. By comparison, the 2040
Comprehensive Plan Update – Cultivate Hopkins guides this property as Traditional Urban,
which allows for moderate density residential neighborhoods and accessory uses such as parks
and neighborhood scaled public and institutional uses. Densities in this area typically range from
5-12 units per acre. As proposed, the single family lots will have a densities between 1.6 and 2.5
units per acre.
Zoning. The subject property is zoned R-1-C, Single Family Medium Density. The table below
compares the development standards for this district with those shown in the concept plan. As
proposed, the concept plan meets or exceeds the development standards for the R-1-C district
with the exception of lot width and lot frontage along a public right-of-way (street). Based on
the overall design, staff supports using a planned unit development (PUD) to allow these minor
deviations (see PUD section below).
425 Madison Avenue North Concept Plan Zoning Comparison
Development Category R-1-C Standard Concept Plan Proposal Status
Lot Frontage 80’ Lot 1 – 37’
Lot 2 – 38’
Lot 3 – 25’
Non-
Conforming
Lot Width 80’ Lot 1 – 37’
Lot 2 – 38’
Lot 3 – 25’
Non-
Conforming
Lot Area 12,000 Lot 1 – 17,228 SF
Lot 2 – 20,025 SF
Lot 3 – 27,031 SF
Exceeds
Standard
Front Setback 30’ Lot 1 – 30’
Lot 2 – 30’
Lot 3 – 30’
Conforming
Side
Setbacks
1-Story=10’
2-Story=12’
3-Story=14’
Lot 1 – 12’
Lot 2 – 12’
Lot 3 – 12’
Conforming
Rear Setback 35’ Lot 1 – 35’
Lot 2 – 35’
Lot 3 – 35’
Conforming
Max. Building Coverage 35% N/A Undetermined
Max. Building Height 35’ N/A Undetermined
Planned Unit Development. The purpose of a planned unit development is to allow flexibility
from traditional development standards in return for a higher quality development. Typically, the
City looks for a developer to exceed other zoning standards, building code requirements or meet
other goals of the Comprehensive Plan. In exchange for the flexibility offered by the planned
unit development, the applicant is expected to detail how they intend to provide a higher quality
development or meet other City goals. A list of items to consider when evaluating the use of a
planned unit development for this site could include, but is not limited to, the items listed below.
• Larger lots than required by the ordinance (already provided)
• Architectural design and building materials
• Energy conservation and renewable energy
City Council Report 2020-057
Page 4
• Natural resource protection and storm water management
• Buffering and landscaping
• Pedestrian and bicycle facilities
ENGINEERING COMMENTS
The Engineering Department completed an initial review of the applicant’s concept plans.
Based on this review, the Engineering Department offers the following comments.
• All utility services would need to be on their respective properties (including the existing
home), or easements will need to be created.
• We would require the sanitary service connection to an extension of the 8” main in Madison
Avenue
o The 33” trunk to the north is approximately 15’ deep in very wet soils
o Without doing research into the easement that the line is laid, it is unclear if another
private connection could actually be made across the private property.
o Maintenance and access become significant issues on rear lot service connections.
• The shared driveway would require a signed agreement or easement to avoid any future
issues.
• Utility and street work would require plans signed by a licensed engineer.
POTENTIAL REVIEW PROCESS
Based on the applicant’s concept plan, staff anticipates this project will need the approval listed
below. The applicant should use feedback from the Planning & Zoning Commission and City
Council to prepare these applications.
• Subdivision through a preliminary and final plat
• Rezoning from R-1-C, Single Family Medium Density to R-1-C, Single Family Medium
Density with a Planned Unit Development (PUD)
• Execution of a Planned Unit Development Agreement
• Approvals from the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District
• Building permits for new single family homes on the 2 new lots
Site Location Map for
425 Madison Avenue North
Subject Property
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0 20'40'
PROPOSED
ZHANG
PROPERTY
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.U.S.STATE HWY. 169DELINEATED
WETLAND
(CREEK)
EXISTING DRIVEWAYPUBLIC TRAILPLOTTED:COMM. NO.
DRAWING NO.
06/23/2020 15203
ZHANG
PROPERTY
1 3 6 0 5 1 s t A v e n u e N . #1 0 0
P l y m o u t h , M N 5 5 4 4 1 | a e -m n .c o m
P 7 6 3 .4 1 2 .4 0 0 0 | F 7 6 3 .4 1 2 .4 0 9 0
A n d e r s o n E n g i n e e r i n g o f M i n n e s o t a , L L C
DRAWING TITLE
CHECKED BY:DRAWN:DESIGNED:
BFBFTG
JUNE 26, 2020
REVISION LOG
DESCRIPTION OF REVISIONSNO.DATE
425 MADISON AVE N
HOPKINS, MN 55343
CONCEPT REVIEW
SITE DATA:
EX ZONING: R-1-C (SINGLE-FAMILY MEDIUM DENSITY)
GUIDED LAND USE: LDR (LOW DENSITY RES.)
PARCEL AREA: 64,284 SF (1.48-AC)
PROPOSED LOT AREAS:
LOT 1 17,228 SF
LOT 2 20,025 SF
LOT 3 27,031 SF
TOTAL 64,284 SF
LOT STANDARDS:
MIN. LOT AREA : 12,000 SF
MIN. LOT WIDTH: 80 FT
FRONT YARD SETBACK: 30 FT
REAR YARD SETBACK: 35 FT
SIDE YARD: 10 FT (1-STY), 12 FT (2-STY), 14 FT (3-STY)
MAX. BLDG. COVERAGE: 35%
MAX. BLDG. HGT.: 35 FT
PROPOSED UTILITIES:
WATER SERVICE IS AVAILABLE TO EACH LOT VIA THE 6"
WATERMAIN LOCATED ALONG THE FRONTAGE OF MADISON
AVENUE.
SEWER SERVICE IS AVAILABLE FROM EXTENSION OF THE 8"
SEWER LOCATED WITHIN MADISON AVENUE, OR FROM THE
33" TRUNK LINE LOCATED ALONG THE NORTH PROPERTY
LINE OF THE PARCEL.
APARTMENTS
DELINEATED
WETLAND
(CREEK)SOUND WALLPOWER LINESTWIN HOMES
TWIN HOMESSINGLE
F
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M
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L
Y
R
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S
I
D
E
N
T
I
A
L
H
O
M
E
S
21 3
425 MADISON AVE.
EXISTING HOUSE
GARAGE27,031 SF20,025 SF17,228 SF
PROPOSED LOT 1 & 2
SHARED DRIVEWAY
RE-ALIGN
DRIVEWAY
TO LOT 3
EX. MANHOLE
EX. MANHOLE
EX. MANHOLE
EX. MANHOLE
EX. 33" SAN. SEWER
EX.
3
3
"
SAN
.
SEWEREX. 8"SAN. SEW.EX.
6
"
W
A
T
E
R
M
A
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EX. HYDRANT
108'-0"100'-0"107'-0"30'-0"30'-0"30'-0"20'-0"30'-0"12'-0"35'-0"71'100'108'150'170'200'250'27.78'203'25'
155'
70'67'50'38'
37'90.8781.94168.78'61.01
78.78
'
PARKING:
OFFSITE PARKING WILL BE PROVIDED SEPARATELY WITH AN
ATTACHED GARAGE FOR LOTS 1-3.
C1
CONCEPT
PLAN
EXISTING
STRUCTURES
TO REMAIN