PUBLIC HEARING: Request for Sketch Plan Review of NORTHGATE ADDITION (Minor Plat) and Request for Site Plan Review and Conditional Use Permit for Northgate Performing Arts Center at the North East Intersection of Sunwood Drive and Peridot St; Case of PSD, LLC and Northgate Church

Northgate Church is proposing construction of a performing arts center that will include 504 auditorium seats, two classrooms, nursery and lobby area on the property legally described as Ramsey Town Center 14th addition located at the northeast corner of Sunwood Drive and Peridot Street NW. In order to accomodate the request, the parcel must be platted as part of the request for NORTHGATE ADDITION.

A public hearing is not required for the site plan review. However, Staff attempted to notify all property owners within 350 feet of the Subject Property of the request for a Conditional Use Permit and property owners within 700 feet of the Subject Property of the request for Sketch Plan Review of NORTHGATE ADDITION via Standard US Mail. The Public Hearing was published in the Anoka County Union.

The Subject Property is zoned Mixed Use and is located within the COR3 Subdistrict. Institutional uses are a conditional use in this subdistrict. The Subject Property is located immediately west of the Allina  Medical clinic and directly south of the PACT Charter school. The proposed structure is 15,242 square feet in size with a future expansion area identified on the site plan immediately north of the proposed structure of approximately 13,000 sq. ft. The minimum F.A.R in this subdistrict is 0.25; the proposed F.A.R. is 0.257 with this initial construction.

The site will derive public access from a shared driveway with the Allina site to the east from Sunwood Drive. An existing access easement is recorded on the site. COR 3 requires that blocks be more internally oriented with driveways, parking lots and walkway connections in the center, ringed by buildings. The position of the proposed structure at the southwest corner of the site, shared drive access and proposed parking lot located to the side and rear of the structure meets the intent of this requirement.

The COR3 setback from the street is 0-15 feet with at least 60% of any street frontage meeting this build to line. The proposed structure is located along this build to line on both the Sunwood Drive and Peridot Street NW elevations. The proposed building frontage on Sunwood Drive is 54% where 60% is required. The COR Design Framework allows for flexibility in meeting this frontage by allowing an architectural wall with a minimum height of 3 feet and a maximum of 4 ½ feet to be used to meet this 60% building frontage requirement. This method has been successfully used to frame the Allina site. Staff recommends an extension of a similar wall, as along the Allina site, to fulfill the building frontage requirement and satisfy required parking lot screening for the proposed spaces facing Sunwood Drive. This addition will provide necessary consistency to the frontage of Sunwood Drive.

The proposed building frontage along Peridot Street is 46%. When combined with the percentage along Sunwood Drive the total building to street frontage is 49%. The applicant has indicated a building addition in the northern portion of the site. Once this addition is complete the site will meet the required 60% frontage requirement along the Peridot Street. In the interim, proof of parking is planned where the addition will be situated which may result in parking facing Peridot Street NW. Since a building addition is planned it seems onerous to require an architectural wall if it will eventually be removed for the building addition. Staff recommends installation of landscape screening that meets the 3 feet height minimum along the entire west property line extending from the northerly building line to the northerly property line to provide parking lot screening and a consistent “street presence” of the site along this western edge. This suggested alternative is consistent with past practices and approvals of other phased developments in the COR.

Required sidewalk and streetscaping is installed along the entire portion of Sunwood Drive. The applicant will be responsible for a similar pattern of sidewalk and streetscaping consisting of landscaping, street furniture and lighting along Peridot Street NW.

The COR Design Framework establishes perimeters for parking in all subdistricts and sets a minimum parking space standard of one space per five seats for places of assembly (with a maximum of one per three seats). The guidelines also support the use a wide range of parking options to fulfill required parking including use of on-street parking and encouraging shared parking solutions. Based on the total of 504 seats at 1 space per 5 seats a total of 101 parking stalls are required. The applicant is proposing 43 on-site parking stalls, 40 proof of parking stalls (on-site) and 25 on street parking stalls (along Peridot Street NW and 145th Avenue NW) to fulfill its required parking.

While this shared method of parking is different than other “typical” sites in Ramsey, it is the intent in the COR that sites minimize surface parking and create strategies for shared parking between adjacent users particularly when taking advantage of peak and off peak parking cycles. This proposal is an excellent candidate for alternative parking arrangements due to their primary use on Sunday mornings and evenings, opposite of other users immediately adjacent to the site. The applicant has provided a summary of information regarding their proposed use and its intent to install only the parking it needs while relying on shared and joint parking and facility use with PACT, NAU, Allina, the City, and other community groups. The Design Framework states that the City may approve joint parking for one or more businesses where the total number of parking stalls provided for joint use is less than the sum of the total required for each business should they be provide them separately. A written report, as detailed on Page 21 of the Design Framework, is required. Staff is generally supportive of the use of on-street parking for the proposed use, as no parking structures (vertical) are planned in this area.

The first phase construction could meet required parking provided the City supports the proposed proof of parking. The applicant is proposing proof of parking as a method to save initial site development and construction costs. The applicant intends to utilize shared parking through cross-parking agreements with PACT, Allina and NAU. Again, the COR Design Framework encourages shared parking as a method to provide required off-street parking. However, any shared parking shall be approved only when it’s in close proximity, no conflict in hours and a legally binding instrument for joint use of off-street parking is approved by the City and recorded at the County. While the Northgate intends to share parking through “cross-parking agreements”, and has an effective history of doing so, no recordable document has been provided to the City therefore the site is not meeting minimum requirements for off-street parking. This leaves the City in the position of needing to make a decision on whether to support the proposed proof of parking or require installation of the 40 stalls during Phase 1. Options to consider include:

• Require proof of parking to be installed with Phase 1 due to lack of legally recordable shared parking agreements to meet requirements of the COR Design Framework.
• Provide City with legally recordable shared cross-parking agreement.
• Accept proof of parking plan with a condition that at such time that parking demand is beyond what is provided on-site and the 25 accepted on-street parking stalls, and extending into additional on-street parking areas beyond 300’ radius of the site, such proof of parking shall be installed at the applicants expense.

While this site plan review and Conditional Use Permit request does not include approvals for Phase 2 construction, it is apparent that the site will be under parked. While this review is based on the merits of the current application Staff recommends a condition that Phase 2 cannot move forward without recordable cross-parking agreements.

All cost associated with processing the application are the responsibility of the Applicant.

Staff recommends approval of the Site Plan and Conditional Use Permit contingent upon compliance with the City Staff Review Letter dated September 20, 2012, with direction by the Planning Commission on the proposed proof of parking plan.

Motion to recommend that the City Council approve the Site Plan and Conditional Use Permit contingent upon compliance with the City Staff Review Letter dated September 20, 2012, with direction by the Planning Commission on the proposed proof of parking plan.