CY56-25

Request of APX Construction Group, with permission of the owner, for a final plat review of Evenson Subdivision; for a conditional use permit to allow multiple family housing in the B-3, Highway Commercial zoning district; and for a certificate of design compliance for the construction of two new multiple family dwelling structures in the Highway Gateway Overlay District. The subject property is generally described as being in the east ½ of the northwest ¼, Section 21, Township 108 N, Range 26 W lying south of Highway 83 and east of Highway 22 excluding Stanley Subdivision, Blue Earth County (Blue Earth County PID R430921177001).  

The anticipated date of City Council action is December 8, 2025. 
 

The applicant is Ryan Evenson, on behalf of APX Construction Group.

Request of APX Construction Group, with permission of the owner, for a final plat review of Evenson Subdivision; for a conditional use permit to allow multiple family housing in the B-3, Highway Commercial zoning district; and for a certificate of design compliance for the construction of two new multiple-family dwelling structures in the Highway Gateway Overlay District.

 

The subject property is located at 901 S. Victory Dr. and is described as being in the east ½ of the northwest ¼, Section 21, Township 108 N, Range 26 W lying south of Highway 83 and east of Highway 22 excluding Stanley Subdivision, Blue Earth County (Blue Earth County PID R430921177001).

The property is currently vacant. 

The property has been recently zoned B-3, Highway Business District. 

The Mankato Township Board reviewed the petition for annexation at their October 14, 2025, meeting. The Board adopted a resolution outlining that they have no objection to the annexation.

City Council approved the annexation at their November 10, 2025 meeting. 

There are areas on the site that have delineated wetlands. 

Water Access Charges and Sewer Access Charges will apply. Costs will be determined once the final unit count is provided. 

The Mankato City Code related to Subdivision and Development Regulations (Platting) can be found in Chapter 10, Article XII, as linked here: https://library.municode.com/mn/mankato/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH10LAUSDE_ARTXIISUDEREPL 

Mankato City Code related to B-3, Highway Business, zoning criteria can be found in Chapter 10, Article V, Division 8, as linked here: 
https://library.municode.com/mn/mankato/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH10LAUSDE_ARTVCODI_DIV8HIBUDI 

The Mankato City Code related to the Highway Gateway Overlay District, criteria can be found in Chapter 10, Division 9, as linked here:
https://library.municode.com/mn/mankato/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH10LAUSDE_ARTVCODI_DIV9GTGAOVDI_SDIVHGHIGAOVDI

 

The Site Plan and Traffic Advisory Committee met on November 4, 2025. Below are their comments. The applicant's responses are included in the attachments section of this report. 

1. The applicant shall verify that the proposed pond location, in relation to the building, complies with all applicable building code requirements. An alternative pond design is recommended. Additionally, all preliminary plat comments must be addressed; at this time, they have not been satisfied.
2. If the stated conditions have not been met, the Site Plan and Traffic Committee recommend denial of this item. Revised plans and documentation addressing all outstanding conditions must be submitted and approved prior to this project moving forward.
3. The applicant shall provide a revised site plan demonstrating that sufficient parking is provided in accordance with the Mankato City Code.
4. The applicant shall be advised that upon annexation of the property, Water Access Charges (WAC) and Sewer Access Charges (SAC) will apply. These fees will be calculated based on residential units (RUs). Accordingly, the applicant shall provide clarification regarding the number of units proposed within each building.
5. The applicant shall be advised that the plans indicate the water main connection in the northeast corner is located approximately two (2) feet from a property pin. The applicant shall be responsible for reinstalling any property pins that are removed or disturbed during construction.
6. The applicant shall be advised that a manhole and water valve are located within the dog park area, and it is recommended that they be relocated to allow proper maintenance access. The applicant shall also note that the City of Mankato will require continued access to these utilities.
7. The applicant shall relocate the proposed dumpster enclosure to a location that meets accessibility, screening, and setback requirements per the Mankato City Code.
8. The applicant shall be advised that the assigned addresses for the buildings will be 905 and 909 South Victory Drive.
9. The applicant shall be aware that Parcel R43.09.21.177.001 has two deferred assessments that will be due upon annexation.
10. The applicant shall submit a revised drainage report based on previously provided review comments from 10-24-25 submittal.
11. The applicant shall submit updated plans based on previously provided plan review comments from 10-24-25 submittal.
12. The applicant shall provide a sidewalk connection from the proposed site to the existing sidewalk system at the roundabout of Stadium Road and S Victory Dr as approved by the City of Mankato and Blue Earth County.

Additional comments were provided on November 5, 2025. 

1. An annexation fee of $25.00 shall be made out to the State of Minnesota and should be provided to staff so that when the City Council has officially approved the annexation, the information can be sent to the law judge.
2. As previously corresponded, the wetland no-loss cannot be reviewed by the City of Mankato until such time as the annexation has occurred. Annexation is planned for review by the City Council on November 10, after which it will be sent to the State for official annexation.
3. If the desire is to have the City review the no-loss application once the annexation is complete, please make a separate request for as much in the City’s portal. If this separate application is complete, then the wetland TEP group can review the application at their November 19, 2025, meeting, which is tentatively scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
4. Additional clarification is needed on the actual size of the lot. The preliminary plat showed 3.89 acres; the annexation petition request contained a different request and the final plat shows 4.27 acres. Please provide details on the variation in the submitted lot size.

APX Construction Group is requesting a final plat review of Evenson Subdivision, a conditional use permit to allow for multiple-family housing in the B-3, Highway Business District, and a certificate of design compliance for the construction of two new multiple-family dwelling structures in the Highway Gateway Overlay District.

The subject property is located at 905 S. Victory Dr. at the roundabout of Victory Dr. and Stadium Rd. 

The project was reviewed last month by the Planning Commission for a preliminary plat and a rezone to B-3, Highway Business District. The property has been annexed into the City of Mankato, receiving approval on November 10, 2025 from City Council. 

Final Plat: 
The final plat proposes the creation of a one-lot, one-block subdivision encompassing approximately 4.0 acres. The lot standards outlined in the Mankato City Code are achieved with the proposed subdivision. Standard easements are shown on all sides of the parcel. 

The plat contains two wetland areas, one on the northwestern side of the parcel and one on the eastern side of the parcel. An easement is shown to represent the required 16.5' wetland setback around each of the wetland areas. The applicant has submitted a No Loss request which will be reviewed by the TEP Board on November 19, 2025. 

Below are the conditions of approval for the preliminary plat (and demonstration of compliance). 

1. The final plat submission shall reflect easements around the subject site in conformance with the Mankato City Code. The applicant has shown the required easements on the final plat document. 
2. The applicant shall enter into a subdividers agreement for any public improvements or improvements located in the public right of way. Alternatively, the applicant will apply for a license to encroach and for a variance to construct the sidewalk. 
3. The applicant shall provide a payment in lieu of a parkland dedication fee based on the 2025 commercial assessed market rates. The applicant shall pay a parkland dedication fee of $12,400 based on the current commercial market value rates.
4. In conjunction with the submission of the final plat, the applicant shall provide updated drainage and utility plans conforming to engineering standards and other applicable standards. The plans have been submitted to the City Engineer for review and approval. 
5. In conjunction with the submission of the final plat, the applicant shall address the wetlands on the site and obtain a no loss finding or the applicable wetland impact approvals. The applicant has submitted a "No Loss" application for review by the TEP Board on November 19, 2025. 
6. The applicant will be required to obtain a conditional use permit and a certificate of design compliance for the use shown on the proposed concept plan. The applicant has submitted these applications. 

Conditional Use Permit:
Site plans for the Evenson Subdivision illustrate a grouped housing development consisting of two apartment buildings with a total of 82 residential units. Supporting site improvements include on-site parking and associated residential amenities. The property is currently zoned B-3 Highway Business District, where grouped housing projects are classified as conditional uses. 

The project meets the recently adopted special requirements outlined in Chapter 10 for apartment buildings located in the B3 district. The following are those requirements and the details on how the development conforms.  

1. The housing unit density shall conform to the high-density residential standards in the land use plan. The proposed development conforms to the standard. The land use plan states that the high density residential developments shall have greater than 10 units per acre. This development achieves the land use density standard by having 20.5 units per acre. In addition, the development conforms to the R-4 zoning district density standards, which are 10,000 square feet for up to four dwelling units, plus an additional 2,000 square feet for each dwelling unit in excess of four units. The subject property contains 174,500 sf. to achieve the density standards 166,000 is required, and thus the site conforms. 
2. Shall provide a transitional yard the proposed development and low- and medium residential density uses. The transitional yard shall be 130 feet. For the purposes of this ordinance, a street right-of-way located between the proposed development and low- and medium residential density uses shall satisfy the transitional yard requirements. There are no low density areas directly adjacent to the site and thus no transitional yard is required. 
3. No outside storage shall be allowed. The plans do not reflect any outside storage and a condition has been added to ensure compliance with this special requirement. 
4. The property shall provide open space and recreational amenities. The open space and recreational amenities shall not be located in the front yard. Several outdoor amenities and recreational areas are proposed, including two patios with grilling areas and outdoor games, a fenced dog park, and outdoor athletic courts.
5. Parking shall conform to the requirements set forth for multiple-family dwellings. Parking exceeds the requirement of 1.5 stalls per unit. Per the parking ordinance requirements,123 parking stalls are required. The applicant is proposing to construct 154 parking stalls.
6. Parking lots shall be hardsurfaced, striped, and screened from adjacent residential properties or rights-of-way. The plans indicated that the parking lot shall be hardsurfaced. 
7. All mechanical equipment shall be screened from rights-of-way and residential uses and residential zones. Mechanical equipment has not be shown on the plans. A condition has been added to ensure compliance with this special requirement. 
8. Building materials shall conform to Mankato Site Code Section10-788. See Certificate of Design Compliance for exterior materials. 

The applicant proposes to construct two 41-unit buildings arranged in an "L" shape around a central parking lot. Building placement will be along the street frontages.  In addition to the building and parking lot area, the applicant is depicting a stormwater pond that will be required to meet the MS4 requirements for the City of Mankato.

The 41-unit buildings include 23 two-bedroom units, 12 three-bedroom units and 6 four-bedroom units. Both buildings will have a dedicated lobby and mail room. Both buildings include a variety of unit layouts for each bedroom classification. 

A tentative sidewalk location is proposed along Victory Dr, connecting with the current public sidewalk at the northwest corner of the property. The proposed sidewalk is located on the public right of way and does encroach onto one of the wetlands. Review and coordination will need to continue with City Staff to determine the viability of the sidewalk location. This will include the application for a variance to allow for the sidewalk to be located in the wetland setback and a license to encroach.

Public utilities will be connected, and the owner will be required to pay the Water Access Connection and Sewer Access Connection fees. Fee totals will be based on the final unit count and will be calculated at the rate listed in the fee schedule at the time of construction.  

Site access is shown off of Victory Dr. and will be required to conform to the City’s engineering and access management standards. Access will not be allowed on the northern side of the site connecting to Stadium Road.

A traffic study has been submitted with the request. The findings of the study indicate that the number of new vehicle trips estimated to be generated by the Proposed Project is 30 trips during the morning peak hour (7 entering and 23 exiting), 37 trips during the evening peak hour (23 entering and 14 exiting), and 447 trips daily. This volume is low, resulting in roughly one new trip every two minutes during peak hours. The operational analyses show acceptable conditions in the study area for both existing and 2027 No-Build scenarios. The crash history review revealed no safety issues. Further, the study finds that the operation analyses for 2027 Build Conditions with the Proposed Project indicate acceptable study area operations. The Victory Drive and access intersection function acceptably with single-lane approaches.

Certificate of Design Compliance:
The proposed exterior elevations have a modern industrial aesthetic. Materials include flat cement board architectural panels with square reveals, cement board and metal siding, exposed concrete, and thin stone veneer accents. The proposed materials are currently selected to be earth tones of white, grey and beige, with a purple accent. The storefronts and windows will be black. Any fencing material will also be black. 

A preliminary landscaping plan has been provided demonstrating the necessary landscaping and screening areas around the parcel. 
 

Staff submits the following findings of fact: 

1. The use, a grouped housing project, is considered a conditional use in the B-3, Highway Commercial district.
2. The request is in keeping with the comprehensive planning policies of the City, as the underlying land use plan identifies this parcel as “Commercial.”
3. The proposal does not interfere with or diminish the use of property in the immediate vicinity.
4.  The proposal will be served with public utilities and services.
5. There are no known historical or architectural resources on the site.
6. There are known environmental conditions on the site. The applicant is continuing to work through the conditions with the appropriate state and city departments. Permits will not be issued for the project until the wetlands have been addressed.
7. The grouped housing development will not cause a negative effect on the city as a whole as the proposed development conforms to the standards in the Code.
8. To the extent known, the proposal conforms with all other applicable regulations of the district, and other applicable ordinances.
9. The proposal will not jeopardize the public’s health, safety, or general welfare.
10. The proposal will not cause undue traffic congestion, as the traffic impact analysis demonstrates that the level of service proposed for the amount of traffic generated within the development will remain at acceptable levels. 

Staff recommends approval of the final plat, conditional use permit, and certificate of design compliance for the Victory Ridge Development with the following conditions:

1. If the grouped housing project on the subject parcel is constructed in phases, a phasing plan shall be submitted for review and approval, which demonstrates conformance to all standards for each phase of the development.
2. The applicant shall continue working with staff with regard to site water management and drainage. All systems shall conform to engineering standards and other applicable standards. 
3. The applicant will be required to make revisions to the site design to accommodate the wetland requirements based on the Technical Evaluation Panel recommendations. 
4. The applicant shall submit a variance request and a license to encroach for the construction of the sidewalk.  
5. No outside storage shall be allowed. 
6. The property shall have all amenity spaces complete at the time of leasing of units. 
7. Parking shall conform to the requirements set forth for multiple-family dwellings. 
8. Parking lots shall be hard surfaced, striped, and screened from residential properties and rights of way. 
9. All mechanical equipment shall be screened from rights of way and residential uses and zones. 
10. All exterior elevations shall be consistent per the Certificate of Design Compliance. The exterior finishes as shown and approved by the City Council shall be implemented. No substitutions shall be allowed. 
11. The applicant shall install bicycle parking which conforms to the Mankato City Code.
12. The applicant shall provide a photometric plan that demonstrates conforming lighting levels at the property line. This shall be provided with the building permit submission for the structures.
13. The applicant shall provide exterior light fixture cut sheets. All exterior light fixtures shall conform to the Mankato City Code.
14. The applicant shall obtain a sign permit for any desired site signage prior to fabrication and installation.
15. The required landscaping shall be installed prior to, or in conjunction with, occupancy of the premise. All required screening shall meet Mankato City Code Chapter 10. 
16. Prior to occupancy of any units, a rental license issued by the City of Mankato shall be in place.
17. The applicant shall submit a snow removal and storage plan for the proposed grouped housing project. Snow placement shall be in accordance with the MS4 requirements for the City.
18. The applicant shall schedule a pre-construction meeting with all appropriate City Staff. 
19. The applicant shall have the final plat recorded prior to the issuance of a building permit. 
20. The applicant shall provide a staging plan related to the phasing of construction. Ensuring that adequate parking is available for any building occupants. 
21. Prior to affixing the signature on the final plat, the applicant shall pay a parkland dedication fee of $12,400.00.