Rezoning-Southwest Corner of City•
August 13, 1985
Case No: 85 -40
Location: Southwest Corner of City
Subject: Rezoning
The proposed rezoning is for two parcels described as follows:
(A) The West one -half of the Southwest Quarter of the Southwest
Quarter of Section 25, Township 117, Range 22 from R -6 Resi-
dential to B -1 Business (Southwest 20 acres - owner Berglund
and Johnson)
(B) The West one -half of the Northwest Quarter of the Southwest
Quarter of Section 25, Township 117, Range 22, lying south
of the northerly 600 feet (Southerly portion of the former
City landfill property).
Parcel 'A' is presently zoned R -6 Medium Density Residential. The zoning
change proposed for this site is B -1 Business. This would allow for office develop-
ment similar to what is being built to the south in the Opus development.
Parcel 'A' site is designated as business /industrial in the 1990 Compre-
hensive Plan. It was changed from a residential use in 1982. This change was en-
acted by the Planning and Zoning Commission because there was a concern that the
present street system and recreation facilities in this part of the City could not
adequately serve the future residential densities possible.
The surrounding uses are both Commercial and Residential. The Opus de-
velopment is located adjacent to the site in Minnetonka. A fairly large scale resi-
dential development is presently being completed directly to the south. The Beachside
Townhouses are located to the west. The former Hopkins Landfill is to the north.
Parcel 'B' is also zoned R -6. It is proposed that this property be changed
to I -1 Industrial which would be a continuation of the industrial zoning to the north.
Such a use would be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan designation. Because of
soil conditions, this site has very limited uses, with industrial being the most logi-
cal.
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August 8, 1985
TO: Members of the Hopkins Planning Commission
and City Council
Mr. Jim Kerrigan
Director of Community Development
City of Hopkins
1010 First Street South
Hopkins, MN. 55343
Dear Mr. Kerrigan:
On behalf of the owners of P.I.D. #25- 117 -22 -33 -0001,
(Mr. Berglund and Mr. Johnson), permission is hereby requested
to develop the property consistent with the current zoning
(R -6 Medium Density Multiple Family). The property owners
have entered into a purchase agreement with the Barnett - Range
Corp., Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. They specialize in the construction
of high quality, high amenity garden apartment complexes and
elderly directed apartment projects. Since the current land use
guiding in your Comprehensive Plan is in conflict with the
zoning ordinance, we request that appropriate steps be taken to
allow c: .. ve . lopment of the property consistent with the curre:ic
zoning. Since you currently do not have administrative pro-
cedures to allow a landowner to request an amendment to the Plan,
we request that the City initiate an amendment.
We would note that we have carefully examined the Hopkins
Comprehensive Plan, dated February 1980, Amendment No. 1, dated
August 3, 1982, and the Hopkins Zoning Ordinance. We have
examined the Minnetonka Plan, since the site is adjacent to
that City. Existing and planned development patterns, as well
as roadway improvements currently underway or scheduled have also
been considered. It is our conclusion and belief that the
property should be developed consistent with the current medium
densic, n; ;;; family zoning. This conclusion is based upon
the following reasons:
1. The original plan dated 1980 recommended multiple
family on this site, consistent with the current
R -6 zoning. The site is also identified in the
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Mr. Kerrigan
Page 2
August 8, 1985
Housing Element as an area appropriate for add -
itional multiple family housing.
2. The 1982 amendment to the plan re- guiding the property
to Business /Industrial, only amended the land use
map and not the text. If this amendment is considered
in context with the plan text, numerous policies
support mid - density residential development as
opposed to business /industrial; these policies are:
a. (Pg. 31) The City will work with neighboring
communities to promote land use compatibility
at the City borders..." Adjacent land in Minne-
tonka is guided for high density residential to
the west and south. While it may be possible to
design and site business /industrial buildings
compatibly with high density residential, this
usually only occurs where there is unified owner-
ship and control, which is not the case relating
to this parcel. Further, the high density land
planned in Minnetonka is higher in elevation and
tends to overlook this site.
b. (Pg. 31) "There is vacant land within the City
suitable for medium to high density housing due
to neighboring uses, topography, soils and other
physical reasons." This site was identified with -
in the original plan as a vacant parcel suitable
for medium density residential.
c. (P. 31 Goal) "Assure completion of the develop-
ment of the remaining vacant land in south Hopkins
as residential and open space use."
d, (Pg. 32) "The industrial development within the
City will be contained within the boundaries of
the existing Industrial Zoning District." Amend-
ment No. 1 is clearly not consistent with this
policy.
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Mr. Kerrigan
Page 3
August 8, 1985
3. Development of the site as medium density residential
will have no adverse effects on the roadway systems
since the Hopkins Transportation Plan considered
mid - density development of this parcel and made
appropriate provisions for upgrading roadways. All
of the roadway recommendations in the plan (improve -
ments to Shady Oak Road, llth Street extension and
Crosstown extension to I -494) have either been com-
pleted or are under construction.
4. We believe that the owners of the property have the
legal right to develop their land in a- ccordance with
the Hopkins Zoning Ordinance. Since the zoning is in
conflict with the plan, we assert that the zoning should
supersede the plan.
The Comprehensive Plan contains considerable discussion
encouraging diversity in housing cost, style and type. It
should be noted that the type and style of housing envisioned
by Barnett - Range includes medium density townhouse type build-
ings containing 8 -12 units each. The buildings are designed
and sited around interior open spaces which are extensively
planned and landscaped. The result produces a high quality,high
value image which we feel will offer a viable alternative housing
choice to prospective renters. Barnett Range has constructed
thousands of multiple housing units around the country and they
pledge their cooperation to produce a project best suited for the
site. Your cooperation is appreciated.
Richard H. Bloom
Planning and Development Consultant
4929 Highland Road
Minnetonka, MN. 55343 C I 38- `
• cc: Mr. Arthur Johnson, ABJ Enterprises, Inc.
Mr. Norman Berglund, Norman T. Berglund Construction Inc.
Mr. Russell Barnett, Barnett - Range Corporation