Receive Update on River Walk Village (6080 Highway 10); Case of Village Bank

The purpose of this case is to review a Sketch Plan submitted by Village Bank (the "Applicant") for 6080 Highway 10 NW (the "Subject Property") for a 14 lot residential subdivision. The Planning Commission previously saw the Sketch Plan at their March 2019 meeting, and the City Council reviewed it at their March 26, 2019 meeting. Since the previous Planning Commission meeting, the Applicant has updated the plan set to show proper landscaping and density transitioning. Staff wanted to provide the Planning Commission another look at the updated plan set before Preliminary Plat submittal.

No notification was sent for this update; Staff will continue to notify neighbors of applications and meeting dates. This meeting is meant as an update for Planning Commission only.

The Applicant has proposed 50-foot wide, R-2 Detached Villa lots. The purpose of a Sketch Plan is to provide the Applicant high-level feedback and pertinent information to inform and expedite the Preliminary Plat process.  The project would require a rezoning and a comprehensive plan amendment - both of which are discretionary actions, meaning the City Council has the right to approve or deny the request.

Previous Proposal
The City saw a similar proposal in the past, which was halted due to the cost of removing buried construction debris onsite. The Applicant is proposing to remove all the debris with the construction of this project. A debris removal plan will be required with Preliminary Plat submittal. It is assumed that there are no hazardous materials. However, there is approximately an acre of disturbance as deep as 14 feet. The site was utilized as an unapproved landfill for construction materials. This material must be mitigated as part of the project.

Roads/Access
The Applicant is proposing to extend Rivlyn Avenue, which would terminate at a public cul-de-sac. The total cul-de-sac length would be approximately 950 feet, based on aerial photos. Staff would need this exact measurement with the submittal of the preliminary plat, and the Planning Commission would need to grant a variance to total cul-de-sac length in order for the project to move forward. Staff will seek a Parks and Recreation Commission recommendation on sidewalks. The Applicant is not proposing access onto Highway 10, though the City Police Department has requested an emergency access from the north, a trail with breakaway barriers.

Landscaping
Since the previous meeting, the Applicant has updated the plan set to show the proper density transitioning and has included additional landscaping along northern lot lines, as the Planning Commission and Environmental Policy Board recommended.

All costs associated with processing the Application are the responsibility of the Applicant. There are no requests for financial assistance from the City at this time. However, given the amount of construction debris cleanup, the project is seeking cleanup funds from the State of Minnesota. This may require some sort of local match. These discussions will occur at future stages of the project.

No formal action required. This is meant as an update to inform the Planning Commission of City Council direction and the future of the project. While the proposal does not reduce the total number of lots by 2 as discussed with the Planning Commission, the project was revised to meet density transitioning requirements. The City Council was comfortable sending this concept for public comment.

No formal action required. This is meant as an update to inform the Planning Commission of City Council direction and the future of the project.