PUBLIC HEARING: Comprehensive Plan Amendment, Zoning Amendment, and Site Plan for Ramsey Elementary Campus 2 (Project #17-109)

This purpose of this case is to review the Comprehensive Plan Amendment to reguide the property from Low Density Residential to Public/Quasi Public, Rezoning from R-1 Residential (MUSA) to Public/Quasi Public, and Site Plan for Ramsey Elementary Campus 2.

This case is being reviewed based on the standards within the B-1 General Business Zoning District. This is in keeping with the City's past practice for similar projects.

City Staff attempted to notify all property owners within 700 feet of the Subject Property of the request via U.S. mail and published a notice of public hearing in the Anoka Union Herald, the City's official newspaper.

While the proposed zoning is Public/Quasi Public, Staff finds that the setbacks and dimensional standards the project should be measured by is the B-1 General Business District.  While a public use, a school does project certain intensities into the area that need to be assessed and mitigated in order to be compatible with surrounding properties.  As a result, this case is being reviewed per City Code Section 117-118 entitled B-1 General Business District. This is in keeping with the City’s past practice for similar situations.

As proposed the Site Plan appears to meet the requirements of the zoning ordinance with minor alterations as outlined in the Staff Review Letter and the attached ProjectDox ChangeMark report.

The Planning Commission will need to discuss the buffer yard requirements as it relates to the subject property. The residential properties to the east of the subject property appear to have sufficient buffer yard with adequate screening. The residential properties to the north of the subject property may require additional screening within the buffer yard. The Applicant is currently proposing more landscaping than is required by the City Code and so a portion of the currently proposed landscaping could potentially be shifted to the north property line to provide the additional buffering.

Alternatives:

Alternative 1:  If the Planning Commission is supportive of the project as currently presented it should recommend approval of Resolution #2018-004 Approving the Comprehensive Plan Amendment to reguide the subject property from Low Density Residential (LDR) to Public/Quasi Public. Recommend approval of Ordinance #2018-003 rezoning the subject property from R-1 Residential (MUSA) to Public/Quasi Public and recommend approval of Resolution #2018-005 approving the requested site plan. The project would seem to be a benefit to the community and compatible with the surrounding land use. Staff supports this alternative.

Alternative 2: If the Planning Commission is supportive of the requested Comprehensive Plan Amendment as well as the requested rezoning but is not supportive of the site plan as currently presented it should recommend approval of Resolution #2018-004 Approving the Comprehensive Plan Amendment as well as Ordinance #2018-003 rezoning the subject property and table the site plan application and direct the Applicant to amend the site plan. Staff is not opposed to this alternative.

Alternative 3: If the Planning Commission is not supportive of the requested Comprehensive Plan Amendment it should state its findings. If not supportive of the Comprehensive Plan Amendment, the Planning Commission should also recommend denial of the requested rezoning as well as the site plan as they would not be compliant with the land use of the property. Staff does not support this alternative.
 

All costs associated with processing the Application are the responsibility of the Applicant. There are no City Funds proposed to be utilized for the construction of this project.

Staff recommends approval of Resolution #2018-04 Approving the Comprehensive Plan Amendment and Ordinance #2018-03 Rezoning the Subject Property from R-1 Residential (MUSA) to Public / Quasi Public, as well as Resolution #2018-05 Approving the Site Plan for Ramsey Elementary Campus 2.

Motion to recommend approval to the City Council of Resolution #2018-04 Approving the Comprehensive Plan Amendment and Ordinance #2018-03 Rezoning the Subject Property from R-1 Residential (MUSA) to Public / Quasi Public, as well as Resolution #2018-05 Approving the Site Plan for Ramsey Elementary Campus 2.