Loading...
CR 10-037 Site Plan Review - Marketplace and Main I Y 0 April 29, 2010 Council Report 10-37 SITE PLAN REVIEW — MARKETPLACE AND MAIN TOWNHOMES r Staff recommends the following motion: Move to adopt Resolution 10-19. approving a site„plan to cc.).nstruet seven townhomes on the former Hopkins Honda site between Sixth and Seventh Avenues on the north side of Mainstrect. At the Zoning and Planning meeting Mr. Beddor moved and Ms. Newcomb seconded to adopt Resolution RZ10-041, recommending approval of a site plan to construct seven townhomes on the former Hopkins Honda site between Sixth and Seventh Avenues on the north side of Mainstreet. 'fhe motion was approved unanimously. Overview Hopkins Honda moved to the loriner Knox site several years ago. This relocation removed the entire Honda line from downtown Hopkins. The area occupied by Honda on Mainstreet is available for redevelopment. The applicant, The Beard Group, is proposing to redevelop the triangular area on the north side of Mainstreet between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. This area is an odd-shaped lot that presents challenges in the redevelopment of the site. The Beard Group is proposing a row of four townhomes on Mainstreet and three along Seventh Avenue. The townhomcs will be three stories, with the fourth being an unfinished attic. The price point will be mid 300,000 to 400,000`s. Primal- Issues to Consider * What is the zoning of the property, and how has the Comprehensive Plan designated the subject site? • What are the specifics of the redevelopment? O Why was the fburth floor bonus room eliminated? • 'What \vas the discussion at the Zoning and Planning meeting? ,r _Documents O Analysis ()tissues O Site Plans O Resolution 10-19 Nancy S4Anderson, AICP Planner Financial Impact: $ NIA Budgeted: YIN Source: . _ Related Documents (CIP, ERP, etc.): Notes: f .' R l t)- 3 7 Page 2 Prhna° -• Issucs to Consider What is the zoning of the property, and liow has the Comprehensive Ilan designated the subject site? `l`he base zoning of the property is I3-3, General Business. This property has an overlay zoning of PUT) which allows flexibility in the uses and site development. The Comprehensive Plan has designated this site as Connnereial. What :u'e the specifics of the redevelopment? Buildings "There will be four units along Mainstrcet. The two end units will have two bedrooms and the middle two will have three bedrooms. The Seventh Avenue townhomes will have three units. The two end units will have two bedrooms and the middle unit will have three bedrooms. The height is approximately 45 feet. The units will be three stories with the fourth being an unfinished attic,. The access to the attic will be from a ceiling panel. Exterior The exterior" of the townhomes will cilso be a combination of rockface C11C, brick, lap shake and panel siding. The ends of the townhomes will be mostly brick. the rear of the townhomes will have a deck above the garages. The palate of colors will be earth tones. Parking The townhon'ics will have two -stall garages on the rear of the building. These garages will meet the parking requirements. Access Access to the site is from Seventh Avenue. The access from Seventh Avenue will lead to the garages. There will be a security gate at the entrance to the site. Setbacks A PUI) zoning offers flexibility in the setbacks. As currently designed, the fronts of the townhomes along Mainstreet and Seventh Avenue have a one root: setback. The setback from the I ICIZRA. is approximately 40 feet. and the setback from the cast approximately 70 feet, 1,andscaping The ordinance requires one tree per dwelling unit. There will be five trees of the correct size located on the site. There will be another four located along Seventh Avenue. The landscaped areas will have underground irrigation. CR 1 0-3 7 Page 3 There will be an infiltration basin on the east side of the site with 'additional green space. There will also be an infiltration pond on the north side of the site. On the corner or r Ave and Mainstreet will be a green area with an arbor for the residents. This area will be fenced with a wrought iron fence. The ends of each townhouse row will be landscaped. On the north side of the site along the Hennepin County Regional Railroad will be a wrought iron fence. In the parking area there will be concrete pavers cut into the bituminous pavement. Sidewalks The sidewalks on Mainstreet will remain. If any sidewalk on Mainstreet is disturbed., it will be repaired. The sidewalk along Seventh Avenue will be made wider and scored with a 3'x 3' pattern to match the Mainstreet sidewalk. Public Works The following are the comments of the public works department: * Add a concrete edge in back of the brick on the corner of Mainstreet and Seventh Avenue. • The. driveway to the most easterly townhome is too short. A car cannot back out or the garage. This can probably be solved by moving the curbing to the north. • New tree grates on Seventh Avenue must meet city standards, O Recommend that the wrought iron fence have brick bollards to match the City's wrought iron fencing. O Look at removing the concrete pavers in the parking area. O Move the landscaping on the corner of Sixth Aventte to the WCSt. The City has a 410-foot easement and wants to reserve this space. Trash The trash area will be located on the north side of the site, just south of the access point. All trash areas are required 10 be screened. Fire Marshal The fire marshal has reviewed the preliminary plans and found them acceptable. CR l 0- 3 7 Page 4 Staff Comments Staff is concerned with the appearance of the front of the townhomes. The area is in the downtown design overlay district with a PUL) overlay. One requirement in the downtown overlay district is that commercial first floors have a transparency of 30%. Although this is a residential development and only allowed because it is in a P1.1) overlay, the pedestrian experience along Mainstrcct will be of a wall when walking next to these townhomes. Because the front door (a door that is not visible from Mainstreet) is up a flight of stairs, there will be no activity on Mainstreut from these townhomes. With all buildings in the core downtown, the goals are to complement the existing architecture, create a design that encourages activity and interaction with Mainstreet. and create a design that is pedestrian-friendly. This block is the connector between the proposed Fifth Avenue Flats development and the blocks with Nilarketplace Lofts and Marketplace and Main. The PUI.) overlay allows conditions to be added to a development. Staff met with the architect, Jeff Wreck, and Bill Beard and Ron Mel of The Beard Group on April 23 to discuss our concerns with the design of the front of the townhomes. It is a difficult site to develop because of the lot shape. A suggestion that the architect will be exploring is to move the stairs out into the sidewalk area two feet. which would provide a patio area on Mainstreet for the residents, The new design was presented to the Planning Cormnission on Tuesday night. The Planning Commission looked favorably on the redesign. Staff met again with Mr. Wrede on April 30 to discuss the redesign or the front of the ,townhomes. Steve Stadler recommended not having the townhomes can Mainstreet project into the right -of -way. The staff and Mr. W rcde discussed moving the townhomes to the west by a foot. The result of moving the townhomes to the west would he that the townhomes on Mainstreet would not be in the right- of-way on Mainstreet. The townhomes on Seventh Avenue would be in the right -of -way by three feet. 'l'he right-of-way on Seventh Avenue is wider. and the remaining right --of -way will be adequate. Surrounding Uses The site is surrounded by the trail to the north, commercial to the east. commercial/residential to the south, and commercial to the west. 0 Wily was the fourth floor bonus room eliminated? The following is the building inspector's review of the fourth floor loft that was originally on the plans for the proposed development: The proposed "Bonus Room" for the townhorne project is considered a fourth. story and as such, will move the project from the International Residential Code, which specifically limits townhomes to three stories in height, to the International Building Code. The IBC is as more restrictive code foa' the occupancy. CR I 0-37 Page 5 First, it will require a change in the type of construction from V13 unprotected to VA protected, This means that the structural frame, interior and exterior bearing walls, floor construction and roof construction are required to have a one-hour rating under the 111C: Second, to add the fourth story requires the addition of a fire sprinkler system. The sprinkler system is also required by the IRC, however, when it is used for the addition of the fourth story it can no longer be used as a substitute for one-hour rated construction. Third, the designation of "Bonus Room" is vague and its USCV is subject to interpretation. W e are required to look at all possible uses for the room, one of which is a sleeping room. The use as as sleeping room will require an exterior exit balcony with a stair to grade as an emergency escape. A rescue window is not approved fOr use above the third story. Finally, the additional load imposed by the floor system will 110 longer allow us to use the conventional provisions fbr light frame construction and will require an engineer's design of the footings and framing systems. After the review, the loft was eliminated from the townhomcs and became an unfinished attic Nvith access only from a ceiling panel What was the discussion at the.Zoning and Planning meeting? Ms. Anderson reviewed the development and the changes to the front of the townhomes, Mr. Beard and Tom Gump of The Beard Group appeared before the Commission. Also appearing was Mr. Wrede the architect for the development. Nilr. Beard and Mr. Wreck reviewed the development with the Commission. Mr. Wredc also reviewed the changes to the front of the townhomes and the challenges that the site has. for the development of the townhomes. The Planning Commission indicated that the redesign on the front or the townhomes was good. No one appeared at the public hearing regarding this issue. Alternatives 1. Approve of the site plan. By approving of the site plan, the applicant will be able to construct the townhomes as proposed. 2. Deny the site plan. By denying the site plan, the applicant will not be able to construct the townhomcs as proposed. If the City Couneil considers this alternative, findings will have to be identified that support this alternative. 3. Continue for Itirther information. IC the City Council indicates that further information is needed, ihe item should be continued, -`, CITY OF HOPKINS Hennepin County, Minnesota RESOLUTION NO: 10-19 RESOLUTION MAKING FINDINGS OF MCI AND APPROVING A SITE PLAN TO CONSTRUCT A TOWNHOME DEVELOPMENT WI 1ERIAS, an application fir Site Plan Review SPR10-1 has been made by The Beard Group; WHEREAS, the procedural history of the application is as Ibllows: 1, That an application for a site plan review was made by The Beard Group; 2. That the Hopkins Zoning and Planning Commission. pursuant to mailed and published notice, held a public hearing on the application and reviewed such application on April 27, 2010: all persons present were given an opportunity to be heard; 3. That the written comments and analysis of City stall were considered; and 4. A legal description of the subject property is as follows: Lot 1 Block 2 Marketplace and Main. NOW, TI EREFORI:„ BE 1'I RESOLVED that the application for Site Plan Review SPRI 0-1 is hereby approved based on the following Findings of 1-'act: 1. That the applicant meets the requirements for site plan approval. BE IT FURTIIER RESOLVED that application for She Plan Review SPR10-1 is hereby approved based on the following conditions: 1. That the preliminary/final plat is approved. 2. That the \Watershed District approves the proposed development. 3. That the public 'r1s department approves the final, drainage, and utility lans. 4. That there are brick bollards in the wrought iron fence to match the City's design for the fence on the comer of Mainstreet and Seventh Avenue, 5. That the landscaping on the corner of Sixth Avenue is moved to the west out of the City's casement. 6. Tree grates must meet city standards. 7. That the trash area is screened. 8. That the Mainstreet and Seventh Avenue side of the townhomes is redesigned to allow a patio on the front of the townhonies.