Receive Update on Highway 10 Access Planning Study as it Relates to Ridgepointe, a Seven Lot Subdivision located at 6080 Highway 10 NW

The purpose of this case is to update the City Council on the status of the Highway 10 Access Planning Study as it relates to Ridgepoint, a potential single-family subdivision proposed by Village Bank.

As the City Council will recall, the project includes a request for a Comprehensive Plan Amendment. The Comprehensive Plan Amendment, which would change the land use category, is impacted by the Highway 10 Access Planning Study. The Study included an alternative for a future local road connection that would conflict with the proposed subdivision. The City Council made a formal request to Mn/DOT and the Project Management Team for the Study to have the conflicting alternative removed.

A draft of the Highway 10 Access Planning Study Final Report has been completed. Staff is in the early stages of reviewing this document. However, both alternatives for a local road connection remain in the Study, and the conflicting alternative has NOT been removed from the Study. According to the consulting engineer, more analysis regarding land use (redevelopment potential of the area as a whole) and roadway design should be completed before making a decision in this sub-area. Since the Preliminary Plat approval was contingent on this topic, Staff needs policy direction from the City Council before moving the Developer into Final Plat Stage.

Notification is not required at this time.

The Applicant is requesting to develop a currently undeveloped portion of the Subject Property as seven (7) single family lots, with the extension of Rivlyn Drive. The site is currently impacted by the Highway 10 Access Planning Study currently initiated by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT). One of two alternatives for the area that would create a local road connection required to remove existing private access to Highway 10 conflicts with the proposed plat. The second of the two alternatives would allow the proposed plat to move forward from the perspective of the Study. On April 8, 2014, the Planning Commission directed the Applicant to postpone further review of the Plat until completion of the Highway 10 Access Planning Study. At that time, it was anticipated that the Study would be completed in June of 2014. The Applicant applied for Preliminary Plat review on June 3, 2014. The final Open House of the Highway 10 Access Planning Study was held on June 25, 2014. On July 10, the Planning Commission reviewed the Preliminary Plat, but was not comfortable in making a recommendation without receiving direction from the City Council or Mn/DOT on the status of the Access Planning Study. On July 22, 2014, the City Council adopted Resolution #14-07-147 requesting removal the alternative in conflict. On July 29, 2014, Staff met with City of Anoka Staff to discuss coordination of this alternative. The City of Anoka appears to be generally supportive of this request, but needs more information and exploration of specific details before supporting the request. Any approval of the Preliminary Plat shall be contingent upon official removal of the conflicting local road alternative from the Highway 10 Access Planning Study.

Alternatives

Alternative #1: Allow the Developer to proceed to Final Plat. The Highway 10 Access Planning Study does not prevent the City from approving the Plat. Several subsequent actions and land use tools would need to be implemented first if the City were to limit land use based on the Study.This could limit future options for the future local road connections. The Project Management Team for the Highway 10 Access Planning Study is recommending that the City explore design elements for both alternatives before making a decision, as the site is physically constrained and does not allow for other options in design. Since the proposed subdivision is dependent on the Comprehensive Plan Amendment, the City has broad discretion as to whether it should allow or not allow this subdivision to move forward.

Alternative #2: Direct the Developer to postpone further design of the Plat until the City Council formally adopts the Highway 10 Access Planning Study. Depending on the version the City Council adopts, further postponement may be necessary. As the Preliminary Plat was contingent, postponing action would be in line with said Council approval. However, the Developer is eager to move forward in a timely fashion so that final plat approval, request for City-installed/assessed improvements, and construction can occur as soon as practical in Spring, 2015.

Alternative #3: Direct Staff to bring the Preliminary Plat back for denial, based on the fact that the requested local road alternative of the Highway 10 Access Planning Study has not been removed from said study at this point. This alternative is possible due to the fact that the Preliminary Plat approval was contingent on this factor.

All costs associated with processing the Application are the responsibility of the Applicant.

Staff recommendation is that the Council allow the developer, at their own risk, to proceed with the final plat.  This is based upon the Council's previous direction to remove the conflicting road alternative from the MNDOT study.  Staff believes that the proposed subdivision would be a good use of the Property; however, understands and appreciates the variety of unknowns identified by the Highway 10 Access Planning Study.

Motion to allow the developer to proceed to final plat consideration.