Loading...
V. 2. 2021-10 Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority Subdivision July 27, 2021 Planning Application 2021-10 Preliminary and Final Plat Review Hennepin County Regional Rail Authority (HCRRA) Downtown Hopkins Plat Proposed Action: Staff recommends the following motion: • Move to adopt Resolution 2021-15, recommending the City Council approve the preliminary and final plats for HCRRA Downtown Addition. Overview The applicant, Hennepin County Regional Rail Authority (HCRRA) requests preliminary and final plat approvals to dispose of excess right-of-way (ROW). The subject properties run from Excelsior Boulevard (CASH 3) to 9th Avenue North in Downtown Hopkins. The applicant proposes to plat the properties as outlots and retain some parcels while conveying most to Hennepin County Transportation, the City of Hopkins or adjacent private property owners. HCRRA proposes to plat and dispose of this excess ROW at this time because this corridor segment is no longer needed for future transit or transportation. Based on the findings contained in this report, staff recommends approval of the HCRRA Downtown preliminary and final plats. Primary Issues to Consider • Background • Community Comment • Subdivision Review • Alternatives Supporting Documents • Site Location Map • Applicant’s Narrative • Preliminary Plat • Final Plat • Planning and Zoning Commission Resolution 2021-15 _____________________ Jason Lindahl, AICP City Planner Financial Impact: $ N/A Budgeted: Y/N ____ Source: _____________ Related Documents (CIP, ERP, etc.): _________________________________________ Notes: Planning Application 2021-10 Page 2 BACKGROUND Hennepin County Regional Rail Authority (HCRRA) requests preliminary and final plat approvals to dispose of excess right-of-way (ROW). The subject properties run from Excelsior Boulevard (CASH 3) to 9th Avenue North in Downtown Hopkins. The properties are part of an abandoned railroad corridor from Hopkins to Victoria that HCRRA purchased from the Chicago North Western Transportation Company in 1981. Three Rivers Park District operates the Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail within this corridor. In 2018, the City completed reconstruction of 8th Avenue South into the 8th Avenue Artery which includes a new cycle track trail segment connecting the Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail, Dowtown Hopkins, the Minnesota River Bluffs Regional Trail and the future Downtown Hopkins Light Rail Transit Station. With the Artery complete and the Southwest Light Rail Transit project well underway, the remaining portion of this corridor is no longer needed for future transit or transportation purposes. COMMUNITY COMMENT Under state law, this subdivision application requires a public hearing. Accordingly, the City published notice of this request and public hearing in the Sun Sailor and mailed notice directly to all property owners within 350’ of the subject property. That notice directed all interest parties to send questions or comments to City Planner Jason Lindahl by mail, phone or email or to attend the public hearing where they could learn about the request, ask questions and provide feedback. As of the writing of this report, the City had received no comments or questions regarding this request. During the public hearing, staff will provide an update on all public comments received prior to the Planning & Zoning Commission meeting. SUBDIVISION REVIEW Subdivision approvals are considered quasi-judicial actions. As such, the City is acting as a judge to determine if the regulations within the Comprehensive Plan, Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Ordinance are being followed. Generally, if the application meets these requirements, the subdivision application should be approved. The City also has the authority to add conditions to an approval that are directly related to the application. Standards for reviewing subdivision requests are outlined in Chapter 100 of the City Code. This section of the Code details a two-step preliminary and final plats process for land subdivision. In this case the applicant requests the City review preliminary and final plats concurrently. Preliminary and Final Plat Design. Hennepin County Regional Rail Authority owns several parcels along the abandon Chicago North Western Transportation Company railroad corridor that runs from Excelsior Boulevard (CSAH 3) to 9th Avenue North in downtown Hopkins. The applicant proposes to plat the properties as outlots and retain some parcels while conveying others to Hennepin County Transportation, the City of Hopkins or adjacent private property owners. According to the City’s Subdivision Regulations, Outlots are a parcel of land, included in a plat, which are: • Smaller than the minimum size permitted for lots and which is thereby declared Planning Application 2021-10 Page 3 unbuildable until combined through platting with additional land; • A parcel of land which is included in a plat and which is at least double the minimum size and which is thereby subject to future platting prior to development; • A parcel of land which is included in a plat and which is designated for public or private open space, right-of-way, utilities or other similar purposes. An outlot is unbuildable and no permits to construct upon or improve an outlot may be issued. Platting the properties as outlots will allow them to be conveyed to the adjacent property owners; however, the adjacent property owner will be required to re-plat and combine the outlot with their existing property prior to any future development. The table below lists each outlot and who it will be conveyed to. HCRRA DOWNTOWN HOPKINS Outlot Size Resulting Owner A 6,660 Sq. Ft. City of Hopkins B 210 Sq. Ft. Kathleen Klugman C 4,470 Sq. Ft. HCRRA D 970 Sq. Ft. City of Hopkins E 9,250 Sq. Ft. HCRRA F 4,590 Sq. Ft. City of Hopkins G 14,390 Sq. Ft. City of Hopkins H 4,580 Sq. Ft. City of Hopkins I 3,560 Sq. Ft. A, E & M Prperties J 10,410 Sq. Ft. City of Hopkins K 8,120 Sq. Ft. City of Hopkins L 340 Sq. Ft. City of Hopkins M 15,120 Sq. Ft. Sixth Avenue Properties (Gene Maxwell) N 6,520 Sq. Ft. City of Hopkins O 31,100 Sq. Ft. Walser Real Estate, LLC (Walser Chrysler Dodge) P 12,220 Sq. Ft. Chrisprop-TTTT, LLC (Town Terrace Apartments) Q 24,940 Sq. Ft. Hennepin County Transportation R 1,120 Sq. Ft. Hennepin County Transportation Streets and Access Standards. Outlots A, F, H, K, L, and N will be conveyed to the City and remain part of the right-of-way for the corresponding streets. Outlots D and G will also be conveyed to the City and continue to be used as alleys. No access changes will result from any of the property transfers. Park and Open Space Standards. Given the subject properties will be platted as outlots and many will continue to be used as public right-of-way, the City of Hopkins may not collect park dedication fees as part of this plat. However, the outlots that will be conveyed to private property owners may be subject to future park dedication should those owners choose to re-plat and combine their property for future development. ALTERNATIVES 1. Recommend approval of the Preliminary/Final Plats. By recommending approval of Planning Application 2021-10 Page 4 the preliminary/final plats, the City Council will consider a recommendation of approval. 2. Recommend denial of the Preliminary/Final Plats. By recommending denial of the preliminary/final plats, the City Council will consider a recommendation of denial. Should the Planning & Zoning Commission consider this option, it must also identify specific findings that support this alternative. 3. Continue for further information. If the Planning & Zoning Commission finds that further information is needed, the items should be continued. Site Location Map for HCRRA Downtown Hopkins Addition Subject Properties Preliminary and Final Plat Application of HCRRA DOWNTOWN HOPKINS The Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority (HCRRA) submits a preliminary and final plat application for the plat titled “HCRRA DOWNTOWN HOPKINS” for property that runs from Excelsior Boulevard (CSAH 3) to Ninth Avenue North in downtown Hopkins. This property is part of an abandoned railroad corridor from Hopkins to Victoria that HCRRA purchased from the Chicago North Western Transportation Company in 1981. With the Southwest Light Rail Transit project currently under construction, it is known that this corridor segment is not needed for future transit or transportation purposes. Three Rivers Park District operates a trail on this corridor that begins at 8th Avenue North. The trail will not be impacted by the proposed plat or disposition of property by HCRRA. Accordingly, HCRRA board resolution no. 20-HCRRA-0022 declared the property surplus in April 2020. The plat will be used to sell portions of the corridor to adjacent property owners and the City of Hopkins. CITY OF HOPKINS Hennepin County, Minnesota PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION RESOLUTION 2021-15 RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THE PRELIMINARY AND FINAL PLATS FOR THE HCRRA DOWNTOWN HOPKINS ADDITION WHEREAS, an application for both preliminary and final plats were submitted by the Hennepin County Regional Rail Authority (HCRRA); and WHEREAS, the procedural history of the application is as follows: 1. That applications for both preliminary and final plats were submitted by the HCRRA on June 23, 2021; 2. That the Hopkins Zoning & Planning Commission, pursuant to mailed and published notice, held a public hearing to review such applications on July 27, 2021: all persons present were given an opportunity to be heard; 3. That the written comments and analysis of City staff were considered; and, 4. The legal descriptions of the parcels are attached to this resolution as Exhibit A NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Planning & Zoning Commission of the City of Hopkins hereby recommends the City Council of the City of Hopkins approve the preliminary and final plats for the HCRRA Downtown Hopkins Addition based on the findings of fact detailed in the staff report dated July 27, 2021, subject to the following conditions: 1. Conformance with all requirements of the City’s Comprehensive Plan, zoning regulations, and subdivision standards. 2. Conformance with all requirements of the City Engineer. Adopted this 27th day of July 2021. ______________________________ Samuel Stiele, Chair Exhibit A – Legal Description That part of the Northwest Quarter of the Southeast Quarter and the Southwest Quarter of the Southeast Quarter of Section 24, Township 117, Range 22 lying within Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority Property Map No. 1, on file and of record in the office of the County Recorder in and for Hennepin County, Minnesota as Doc. No. 5404251 and in the office of the Registrar of Titles in and for Hennepin County, Minnesota as Doc. No. 4685955. AND That part of the Southeast Quarter of the Southeast Quarter of Section 24, Township 117, Range 22, also being part of Lot 26, Auditor's Subdivision No. 242, Hennepin County, Minnesota, lying within Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority Property Map No. 1, on file and of record in the office of the County Recorder in and for Hennepin County, Minnesota as Doc. No. 5404251 and in the office of the Registrar of Titles in and for Hennepin County, Minnesota as Doc. No. 4685955. AND That part of the Southwest Quarter of the Southeast Quarter of Section 24, Township 117, Range 22 lying northeasterly of the northeasterly line of Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority Property Map No. 1, on file and of record In the office of the County Recorder in and for Hennepin County, Minnesota as Doc. No. 5404251 and in the office of the Registrar of Titles in and for Hennepin County, Minnesota as Doc. No. 4685955, and southwesterly of a line 22.58 feet northeasterly of and parallel with the center line of the main track of the Chicago and North Western Railway Company as referenced in Doc. No. 3838198. AND That part of the Northwest Quarter of the Southeast Quarter of Section 24, Township 117, Range 22 lying northeasterly of the northeasterly line af Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority Property Map No. 1, on file and of record in the office of the County Recorder in and for Hennepin County, Minnesota as Doc. No. 5404251 and In the office of the Registrar of Titles In and for Hennepin County, Minnesota as Doc. No. 4685955, southerly of the south line of Excelsior Avenue (now known as Mainstreet), as depicted in said Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority Property Map No. 1 and southwesterly of a line 22.58 feet northeasterly of and parallel with the center line of the main track of the Chicago and North Western Railway Company as referenced in Doc. No. 3838198. AND That part of the Southeast Quarter of the Southeast Quarter of Section 24, Township 117, Range 22, also being part of Lot 26, Auditor's Subdivision Na. 242, Hennepin County, Minnesota, lying within Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority Property Map No. 12, an file and af record in the office of the County Recorder in and for Hennepin County, Minnesota as Doc. No. 5518920 and in the office of the Registrar af Titles in and for Hennepin County, Minnesota as Doc. No. 4688062, lying northwesterly of a line drawn parallel with and distant 25.00 feet southeasterly af the following described line: Commencing at the southeast corner of said Section 24; thence northerly along the east line of said Section 24 a distance of 953.32 feet to the point of beginning of the line being described; thence westerly deflecting to the left 112 degrees 38 minutes 17 seconds for a distance of 780.00 feet and said line there terminating. (Said line referenced in Tract 15, Parcel 1 of Doc. No. A10621894)