Land Use Change-Main/Shady Oak Rd.City Council Report
LAND USE CHANGE
MAINSTREET /SHADY OAK ROAD AREA
PURPOSE: Public Hearing to consider Comprehensive Plan
Change for Mainstreet /Shady Oak Area.
BACKGROUND: Recently the City was approached by Ryan
Construction to consider a redevelopment project for
the Pines Mobile Park property. Their plan as
presented was for a comercial re -use which would have
required a rezoning of the property from R -4
Residential to B -3 Commercial and a change in the 1990
Comprehensive Plan would also have to be changed from
its present residential designation. After reviewing
the Ryan proposal in detail, both the Zoning and
Planning Commission and Council denied the concept of
rezoning.
The staff was directed to prepare a land use and
traffic analysis of the area, and return with a
recommendation as to the appropriate future land use in
the southwest quadrant of the Mainstreet /Shady Oak
intersection.
To undertake this analysis, the firms of Wuornos &
Associates (Planners) and Benshsoof & Associates
(traffic consultants) were hired. They were charged
with the responsibility of identifying the most
appropriate land use(s) and with analyzing the traffic
impacts on the surrounding area.
The City Council reviewed the consultants'report at
their February 17th meeting and referred it to the
Zoning and Planning Commission and the City Center
Development Corporation (CCDC) for further review and
action.
No.
The CCDC has completed their review and is in general
agreement with the conclusions of the study. (see
attached report).
A representative of the Pines did appear before the
City Council on March 17. It is the resident's
position that the Wuornos Study did not sufficiently
address the social impacts of a potential zoning change
(e.g. relocation of families, loss of population,
etc...) The City Council indicated that it was
premature to raise these issues, and that the
appropriate forum to provide imput was the Zoning and
Planning public hearing.
ANALYSIS: The Land Use Study formed the basis for the
staff recommendations contained in this report. The
following is a summary of the study recommendations:
o the existing commercial structures located along
Highway #3 and Shady Oak Road, including south of
the bowling alley, and the single family
residential structures on the west side of 20th
Avenue, should be redeveloped as commercial uses
within a 5 -10 year period.
o a 1.5 - 1.7 acre parcel on the southeast portion
of the "Pines" site be redeveloped into multi-
family housing at a density of 20 -30 units per
acre.
o the remaining portion of the "Pines" site,
including the entire block facing on Mainstreet &
Shady Oak Road, should be combined with
approximately 1.2 acres of land north of the
bowling alley, and redevloped as an
architecturally coordinated commercial complex.
o require developments to incorporate specific site
and roadway design elements which protect
surrounding residential neighborhoods. Possible
roadway improvements along Shady Oak Road and
County Road #3 as well as an upgrading of the
intersection of these two streets.
2
o establish specific guidelines to
overall design of the study area.
controls would address seven basic
Preferred Land Use, Building,
Circulation, Pedestrian
Landscaping /Open Space, Lighting,
(see pages 12 -17).
control the
The design
categories:
Vehicular
Circulation,
and Signage
o revision of Comprehensive Plan to reflect the
proposed land uses but wait on rezoning until a
specific acceptable proposal is presented by a
developer
The present owners of the Pines have indicated their
intent to sell the property. Therefore, at a minimum,
the City can expect a change in ownership. Due to the
fairly high land cost, however, it would be very
difficult for anyone to purchase the property, maintain
the mobile home park, and have sufficient cash flow to
make it a profitable venture. From a financial
perspective, it would be more feasible to develop the
site as multi - family residential in conformance with
the existing R -4 zoning. Under this scenario, assuming
code conformance, the City would be unable to deny the
conditional use permit. Current zoning would permit up
to 170 units on the site.
Exclusive of what happens with ownership of the park,
the task of the Zoning and Planning Commission is to
analyze all of the information available, and then
determine how development in the area should be guided
by the City. The 1990 Comprehensive Plan designation
for this site is residential. From a planning
perspective, this may have been a logical decision in
1980 when the Plan was adopted, however, the
surrounding area has maintained its' commercial
character and there is no reason to expect that this
will not continue in the future. Shady Oak Road and
Main Street both carry significant amounts of traffic
which makes property adjacent to them more conducive to
commercial uses than residential.
The CCDC also studied the report and their comments are
attached. The following will serve to respond to their
concerns detailed:
3
CCDC Comment: The planning and schedules of
Hennepin County relevant to future traffic flows and
the configuration of Shady Oak Road should be
considered, more comprehensively ".
Staff Comments: The report did analyze most of
the information available, to date from the
County concerning future traffic flows and
proposed road improvements. Any developer
proposing a project for the property in the study
area, whether it be residential or commercial
would be required to provide a detailed trafffic
analysis "to determine specific site and roadway
design elements, roadway improvements necessary
to accommodate traffic and timing of roadway
improvements."
CCDC Comment: "Wuornos' report of their study does
not adequately address the implications of traffic
conditions that would likely result from development
of the land in the quadrant southeast of the
intersection of Mainstreet and Shady Oak Road for
commercial use ".
Staff Comments: If all of the property
between south of Mainstreet and County Road #3
east of Shady Oak Road was to be redeveloped, the
only site that would have major ramification as
relates to traffic would be the Pines. All of
the other property in this area is primarily
commercial and even if redevelopment would
provide for a more intense commercial use, it
would generate a comparable number of trips to
those currently generated by existing
development. Furthermore, based upon the
analysis by Benshoof & Associates, it is their
conclusion that the roadway system can
effectively accommodate traffic associated with a
more intense use of this area.
CCDC Comment: "The widening of Shady Oak Road will
result in less land being available for either the
use now prevailing or for any different use of the
4
area now occupied by the PINES mobile home park. A
smaller area is not likely to provide a sufficient
number of parking spaces together with an adequate
truck docking arrangement for successful operation
of a grocery supermarket, for example, given that
some kind of family restaurant and comparison
shopping facilities would have to be located within
the area also. (5 1/2 parking spaces per 1,000
square feet of building appears to be a minimum
need) ".
Staff Comments: The road improvements along
Shady Oak Road and at the intersection of Main
Street will result in less land available for
redevelopment. At the time a project is proposed,
the staff will work with the developer, the
County and the City Engineer to insure that it
fits with future road improvements. In essence,
this may mean a project which is smaller in scale
than originally proposed. Items such as parking
and loading dock arrangement and landscaping will
be dealt with at that time.
CCDC Comment: For redevelopment of the land
considered a necessary addition to the area now
occupied by the mobile home park, in order to make
commercial development of the whole area south from
Mainstreet suitable and acceptable, the
possibilities of tax increment funding will need to
be explored ".
Staff Comments: Tax increment financing to
facilitate redevelopment of the overall area
southeast of Main Street and Shady Oak Road is a
possibility at some future date. However, the
City Council has stated they are not willing at
this time to consider using such a tool.
CCDC Comment: "Potential impact of commercial
development at any site along Shady Oak Road on the
Central Business District needs to be studied
further. A number of concerns arise relative to
replacing businesses that may move from the downtown
area to locations at the western terminus of
Mainstreet".
5
Staff Comments: It is agreed that impact on the
downtown needs to be studied in more detail.
Probably one logical approach to this matter is
to require any developer proposing a commercial
use to provide an impact study geared
specifically to the project proposed.
As the Wuornos Study states, impacts can also be
reduced by requiring compliance with design
standards.
The staff has reviewed the Wuornos Report and feels
that the data supporting the conclusions are
acceptable. As a result, the staff supports the
recommendation that the Comprehensive Plan be
changed for the following property:
1) Pines Mobile Home Property from Residential
R -2, 3 to Business Disrict B -2, 3.
2) the commercial property north of Main Street
between Shady Oak Road and 19th Avenue from
Residential R -2, 3 to Business District B -2,
3.
3) the single family homes along the west side
of 20th Avenue abutting the Shady Oak
commercial property from R -1 -A, B to Business
District B -2, 3.
The Wuornos report stated that a 1.5 - 1.7 acre parcel
on the southeast portion of the "Pines" site be
redeveloped as multi - family residential. They felt
this would act as a buffer between the suggested
commercial and the existing single family residential
east of 19th Avenue. The staff and CCDC both feel that
this can better be accomplished by a landscape buffer.
As the Wuornos study emphasized, such a change would
only provide a guide for future development of this
area. A number of properties in the City have
conflicts between the Comprehensive Plan and the zoning
ordinance. State law indicates that zoning
6
classification superceeds the comprehensive plan
designation. As a result, the change which is proposed
would have no effect on the trailer park operation
should the owner of this site wish to maintain such a
use. Even at present, the mobile home use does not
comply with the plan designation. The zoning ordinance
only allows a mobile home park in an R -4 district, yet
the Comprehensive Plan presently designates this area
for R-2, 3
With the Plan change, the Pines and adjacent
residential property would have to be rezoned before a
developer could actually undertake a commercial
development. As the study states, this should not be
done at this time.
In response to comments made at the March 17 Council
meeting that the study did not include an analysis of
the impacts on the residents, it needs to be emphasized
that the study was commissioned by the City to deal
with land -uses. A study of the "people impact" at
the time a project is proposed and rezoning is
considered. The rational being that conditions could
change significantly from the present until a project
is proposed.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Recommend approval to City Council of
Comprehensive Plan change for the property as
detailed in the report.
2. Refer to staff or consultant for further
study
3. Accept the findings of the study but
recommend to the City Council that no
further action be taken at this time.
4. Reject the findings of the study.
7
RECOMMENDATION:
Alternative #1. As has been previously stated, the
Wuornos Report and related data substantiate such a
change.
Respec ully submitted,
Jams D. Kerriga
Director of Planning &
Economic Development
8
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•
•
I'='Y CENTER DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
HOPKINS MINNLSOTA
To:
From:
RE:
Hopkins City Council
CCDC Board of Directors
DRAFT
TO BE USED FOR
LAND USE - EAST SIDE OF SHADY OAK ROAD DISCUSSION ONLY
CONSIDERATION OF STUDY BY WUORNOS & ASSOCIATES
TRAFFIC and PARKING CONSIDERATIONS
1. Traffic conditions existing today and now foreseeable under
various potential conditions particularly to the south of the in-
tersection of the future, Mainstreet and Shady Oak Road, must be
taken into further consideration.
2. Wuornos' report of their study does not adequately address
the implications of traffic conditions that would likely result
from development of the land in the quadrant southeast of the
intersection of Mainstreet and Shady Oak Road for commercial use.
3. The planning and schedules of Hennepin County relevant to
future traffic flows and the configuration of Shady Oak Road should
be considered more comprehensively.
4. The widening of Shady Oak Road will result in less land being
available for either the use now prevailing or for any different
use of the area now occupied by the PINES mobile home park. A
smaller area is not likely to provide a sufficient number of parking
spaces together with an adequate truck docking arrangement for
successful operation of a grocery supermarket, for example, given
that some kind of family restaurant and comparison shopping fac-
ilities would have to be located within the area also. (51/2 parking
spaces per 1,000 square feet of building appears to be a minimum
need),.
DEVELOPMENT
5. A structure to be built on the limited area now occupied by
the mobile home park alone could probably not exceed 50,000 square
feet of footprint area because of the expected width of Shady Oak
Road in the future, and because of the need for parking and docking
arrangements in any case.
VOLUNTARY PROGRESS TOWARDIS COMMVNZTX DEVELOPMENT
•
6. Development for commercial use of the land now occupied by
the mobile home park would seem to be best assured of success if
the total area of the project were to include the present site of
the Zenith -Heath facility as a minimum.
7. Wuornos' report includes a recommendation that approximately
11/2 acres at the southeast corner of the area now occupied by the
mobile home park be "redeveloped into multi- family housing at a
density of 20 -30 units per acre ". Acting in accordance with this
recommendation would leave appreciably less space for commercial
development of acceptable kind with regard to proximity to Shady
Oak Road. It would seem preferable to have some open space in an
area of somewhat less than 12 acres at the southeast corner of a
larger commercial area. A landscaped berm would seem to be an
appropriate buffer in such a smaller space between the commercial
activity and the strong residential area of southwest Hopkins east
of 19th Avenue.
FINANCE
8. For redevelopment of the land considered a necessary addition
to the area now occupied by the mobile home park, in order to make
commercial development of the whole area south from Mainstreet
suitable and acceptable, the possibilities of tax increment funding
will need to be explored.
IMPACT ANALYSIS
g. Potential impact of commercial development at any site along
Shady Oak Road on the Central Business District needs to be studied
further. A number of concerns arise relative to replacing businesses
that may move from the downtown area to locations at the western
terminus of Mainstreet. There is agreement at CCDC with the finding
reported by Wuornos that: "Impacts on the existing business com-
munity can be held to a minimum with some limited restrictions on
the type and size of facilities allowed. For example, we would
suggest no convenience stores, gas pumps, drive -in banks, or fast
food restaurants be permitted. Rather, we recommend uses such as
a family restaurant, small retail shops, limited professional office
space, comparison food and drug shopping, and /or general software
merchandise ".
10. Beyond basic considerations for purposes of zoning any land in
the area studied by Wuornos, the need for both landscaping and newly
developed structures near the intersection of Mainstreet and Shady
Oak Road to make an architectural statement would seem to merit more
particular consideration also.
/-
CITY OF HOPKINS
Hennepin County, Minnesota
RESOLUTION NO: 87 -
A RESOLUTION OF THE HOPKINS PLANNING COMMISSION
AMENDING THE 1990 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE CITY OF
HOPKINS UNDER MINNESOTA STATUTES 462.351 TO 462.364
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of
Hopkins approved the 1990 Comprehensive Plan on September 9,
1980, based on statutes, the Metropolitan System Statement,
extensive research, and analyses involving the interests of
citizens and public agencies, and
WHEREAS, the 1990 Comprehensive Plan was approved
by the City Council on September 16, 1980, and
WHEREAS, the use of such Comprehensive Plan will
insure a safer, more pleasant, and more economical
environment for residential, commercial, industrial, and
public activities and will promote the public health,
safety, and general welfare, and
WHEREAS, said Plan will prepare the community for
anticipated desirable change, thereby bringing about
significant savings in both private and public expenditures,
and
WHEREAS, the Comprehensive Plan has taken due
cognizance of the planning activities of adjacent units of
government, and
WHEREAS, the 1990 Comprehensive Plan is to be
periodically reviewed by the Planning Commission of the City
of Hopkins and amendments made, if justified according to
procedures, rules, and laws, and provided such amendments
would provide a positive result and are consistent with
other provisions in the Comprehensive Plan, and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission has
comprehensively studied an amendment to the Comprehensive
Plan and has conducted a public hearing on March 31, 1987 to
consider a change in its 1990 Comprehensive Plan and
approved such change.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of
the City of Hopkins that the 1990 Comprehensive Plan as
previously approved by the Planning Commission and City
Council is hereby amended by amending the 1990 Comprehensive
Plan at the following locations from R -2,3 to B -3:
Par 1: That part of the Southeast 1/4 of the
Southeast 1/4 of Section 23, Township 117, Range
22, described as follows: Commencing at a point in
a line parallel to and 660 feet West at right
angles from the East line of said subdivision
which point is 689.3 feet measured along said line
Northerly from the intersection of said line with
the Northerly line of the right -of -way of the
Chicago Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad Company,
thence West at right angles 291 feet to the point
of beginning of the tract to be described; thence
continuing West 382.6 feet more or less to the
West line of said subdivision thence North to the
Northwest corner of said subdivision, thence East
along the North line thereof, to an intersection
with a line drawn from the actual point of
beginning, parallel with the East line of said
subdivision, thence South along said parallel line
to the point of beginning.
Par 2: That part of the Southeast 1/4 of the
Southeast 1/4 of Section 23, Township 117, Range
22, described as follows: Commencing at a point in
a line parallel to and 660 feet West at right
angles from the East line of said subdivision
which point is 689.3 feet measured along said line
Northerly from the intersection of said line with
the Northerly line of the right -of -way of the
Chicago Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad Company,
thence West at right angles 291 feet; thence North
at right angles to the North line of said
subdivision; thence East along the North line of
said subdivision to a point in a line parallel to
and 660 feet West at right angles from the East
line of said subdivision; thence Southerly on an
extension of the last mentioned line to the point
of beginning.
Par. 3: Lots 13 thru 19, inclusive, except road,
Block 13, West Minneapolis Third Division.
Par. 4: Lots 13 thru 19, inclusive, Block 14, West
Minneapolis Third Division.
Amend 1990 Comprehensive Plan from R -1A,B to B -3 at the
following location:
Par. 1: Tracts 'D', 'E' & 'F', Registered Land
Survey No. 731.
Par. 2: Tracts 'A', '8', 'C', 'D' & 'E',
Registered Land Survey No. 610.
Par. 3: That part of the following described
tract of land lying east of the west 220 feet
thereof: Commence at the Southwest corner of
Tract 'A', Registered Land Survey No. 610, thence
West along the extension of the South line of
Tract 'A', Registered Land Survey No. 610, to West
line of Southeast Quarter of Southeast Quarter,
thence North along said West line distance 398
feet, thence East 168 feet, thence South 90 feet,
thence East to West line of 20th Avenue South,
thence South along 20th Avenue South to North line
of Registered Land Survey No. 610, thence West to
Northwest corner of Tract 'A', Registered Land
Survey No. 610, thence south to point of
beginning, except road.
•
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that approval of the
amendment is contingent upon approval by the Metropolitan
Counoil.
Adopted by the Hopkins City Council on this day of
1985.
J. SCOTT RENNE, City Clerk ELLEN LAVIN, Mayor