PUBLIC HEARING: Consider a Preliminary Plat and Variance Request for Riverstone South 6th Addition (Project No. 24-127); Case of Development Consulting Services, LLC

The City received an application from Development Consulting Services, LLC (the "Applicant") seeking approval of a Preliminary Plat for Riverstone South 6th Addition, located on Outlot C, Riverstone South (the "Subject Property").  A variance to cul-de-sac length is also necessary.     

General Project Overview
The Applicant is proposing a fourteen (14) lot, single-family residential development, similar to previous additions in Riverstone South.  The Subject Property is approximately 6.2 acres in size and is located south of Riverdale Drive, between 148th Avenue and Pearson Street.  The new lots will be accessed by the extension of 147th Avenue, which will terminate in a cul-de-sac just south of Riverdale Drive.  All lots will be served by municipal water and sanitary sewer.  The Preliminary Plat also includes a long, narrow outlot abutting Riverdale Drive, which will be owned and maintained by the Riverstone South HOA, which will include the continuation of a vinyl privacy fence and landscaping similar to the area east of Snowy Owl Street.

Zoning and Land Guidance
The Subject Property is zoned R-1B, which is a single-family zoning district that requires a minimum lot size of 6,500 square feet, a minimum lot width of sixty-five (65) feet, and a minimum road frontage of forty-five (45) feet.  The parcels to the east are zoned R-1C (also a single-family residential zoning district allowing slightly smaller lots), the parcels to the west are zoned R-1A (the 'standard' single-family residential district, requiring a minimum lot area of 10,000 square feet and a minimum lot width of eighty [80] feet) and P (Parks and Open Space), and the parcels north of Riverdale Drive are zoned B-2 Community Business.

Through the initial plan review, Staff identified several lots that had widths, measured along the front property line, which were less than sixty-five (65) feet.  Additionally, Lot 9 was deficient in the minimum road frontage requirement as well.  The Applicant is aware of these inconsistencies and is working on making slight adjustments to ensure that all proposed lots meet the bulk standards for the R1-B District.

The 2040 Comprehensive Plan guides the Subject Property as Low Density Residential.  In fact, all the surrounding parcels south of Riverdale Drive are guided Low Density Residential.  The parcels north of Riverdale Drive are guided Commercial.  Development in areas guided as Low Density Residential must develop with a density of no less than 2.25 units per acre and not more than 4 units per acre.  As proposed, the net density of this project is 2.25 units per acre.

The Subject Property is within the Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area (MRCCA) and more specifically, it is within the Separated from River subdistrict.  However, per the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' (DNR) mapping tools, there are no native plant communities on the Subject Property nor does the Subject Property provide a connection to a regional park.  Therefore, the dedication of open space (different from the standard park dedication requirements), as outlined in the MRCCA standards, does not apply.  Staff sent the preliminary plat plans to the DNR for review and comment.  No response has been received as of the writing of this case.

Roads/Access
Access to the lots will be via an extension of 147th Avenue, which will terminate in a cul-de-sac just short of Riverdale Drive.  Due to the proximity of 148th Avenue to the west and Pearson Street to the east, and the fact that there is a fairly significant curve in Riverdale Drive between these two intersections, the preference is for this road to end in a cul-de-sac rather than connecting to Riverdale Drive.  However, this results in a cul-de-sac that is approximately 640 feet in length.  City Code restricts cul-de-sac length to a maximum length of 600 feet.  Reducing the length of the cul-de-sac to 600 feet would likely result in the loss of one lot, which would drop the density of the project below the minimum required.  Thus, due to limited spacing between existing intersections and the curve in Riverdale Drive, Staff supports issuing a variance to address the cul-de-sac length.

There is an existing, short segment of sidewalk along the south side of the 147th Avenue stub.  This sidewalk will be extended along the south/west side of 147th Avenue and will terminate at the start of the cul-de-sac bulb.

Utilities
The Subject Property is within the 2040 MUSA boundary and therefore, must be served with municipal water and sanitary sewer.  Utilities were stubbed in to the Subject Property as part of Riverstone South 4th Addition, and these lines will simply be extended to serve these fourteen (14) lots.

Natural Resources
There are no wetlands or floodplain on the Subject Property.  The southern portion is heavily wooded.  However, per the Tree Inventory and Preservation Plan, about forty-five percent (45%) of the total existing, significant tree inches will be preserved.  This complies with the tree preservation standards.  The northern part of the woodland is where tree removal will occur, leaving intact a large, contiguous woodland corridor (including the fifty [50] foot wide corridor the City obtained as part of the Pearson Place subdivision and the seven [7] acre wooded parcel the City acquired as part of the Riverstone South preliminary plat).  Enuring that this natural corridor does not get fragmented is much more beneficial for wildlife than preserving scattered trees across the site.

The Environmental Policy Board (EPB) reviewed the natural resources aspects of this project at their January 13, 2025, meeting.  The EPB recommended approval of the Landscape Plan and the Tree Inventory and Preservation Plan, contingent upon compliance with Staff's review comments.

Alternatives

Alternative 1: Approve a variance for cul-de-sac length and recommend the City Council approve the Preliminary Plat.  This project is an extension of the Riverstone South development.  The project meets the minimum density required, appears to meet all bulk standards of the R-1B District, and preserves a significant portion of the trees on site.  Furthermore, the cul-de-sac is only approximately forty (40) feet longer than what is permitted.  If 147th Avenue were to connect to Riverdale Drive, this variance would not be necessary.  But, as was previously noted, there are multiple reasons why it is preferred for this road to terminate in a cul-de-sac.  Additionally, the extra forty (40) feet of length does not result in any additional lots being added to the project.  Staff supports this alternative.

Alternative 2: Approve a variance for cul-de-sac length and recommend the City Council approve the Preliminary Plat with modifications as specified by the Planning Commission.

Alternative 3: Do not approve a variance to cul-de-sac length and recommend the City Council not approve the Preliminary Plat.  It appears that the preliminary plat meets the bulk standards of the R1-B District, and the development is very similar in nature to the rest of Riverstone South.  The additional forty (40) feet of cul-de-sac is not to accommodate extra lots, and if it weren't for the proximity to the other two existing intersections, as well as the curve in Riverdale Drive, the extension of 147th Avenue would not end in a cul-de-sac.  Staff does not support this alternative.

 

 

All costs associated with this application are the Applicant's responsibility.

Staff recommends approving both the variance for cul-de-sac length and the preliminary plat for Riverstone South 6th Addition.

Motion to adopt Resolution #25-026 approving a variance for cul-de-sac length.

-and-

Motion to recommend City Council adopt Resolution #25-027 approving the Preliminary Plat for Riverstone South 6th Addition.