Consider Natural Resources Aspects of Proposed Site Plan for CorTrust Bank (Project No. 23-104)

The City has received an application from CorTrust Bank (the "Applicant") for a proposed new bank to be located at the northeast corner of Zeolite Street and Sunwood Drive (the "Subject Property").  The application includes a Site Plan, a Plat, and a Zoning Amendment.

General Project Summary
The Applicant is proposing a single-story bank that will provide service for walk-up customers and includes drive-thru service as well.  The Subject Property is a little less than twelve (12) acres in size, but the bank would only acquire about 1.25 acres.  The Subject Property is located within the COR District and, more specifically, the COR-2a sub-district, where banks are a permitted use.  The requested Zoning Amendment is to rezone the property from COR-2a to COR-2b to accommodate their proposed two (2) drive-thru lanes (COR-2a only allows one drive-thru lane).

Natural Resources Inventory and Land Cover Classification System
The City's Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) does not indicate any native plant communities within the Subject Property.  The Subject Property is categorized as 'urban with little vegetative cover' per the Minnesota Land Cover Classification System (MLCCS).  The Subject Property has no designated floodplains.

Tree Inventory and Preservation Plan
The plans do include a tree inventory.  There are twenty-seven trees on the roughly 1.25 acres that the bank would be constructed.  There are two (2) red cedars, one (1) box elder, and the rest are Siberian elms, which are an invasive species.  All trees within this 1.25 acre are proposed to be removed.  As the vast majority of them are invasive, they would be excluded from the removal threshold.  Thus, based on the proposed landscaping (see below), the project will satisfy the tree preservation standards via reforestation on site.  Staff has requested a bit more information regarding the tree inventory and preservation plan, but nothing of any great significance.

Landscape Plan
The Landscape Plan is generally acceptable with the corrections noted on the plan sheets.  Staff is working with the Applicant to lengthen the eastern most planter bed along Sunwood Drive so it matches the beds east of Zeolite Street (south side of Sunwood Drive).  Additionally, Zeolite Street will be reconstructed (a City project) in 2024, so it does not make sense to have boulevard trees installed until after the road project is complete.  Based on the linear footage along Zeolite Street (about 270 feet), eight boulevard trees would be required (spaced at 35 feet on center).  Similar to the hotel project, which is just across Zeolite Street from the Subject Property, Staff is recommending collecting a boulevard tree fee through the Development Agreement that can be used to purchase and install these trees in accordance with the COR Design Framework as part of the City's road construction project.  There are other minor corrections needed on the Landscape Plan as noted on the attached plan sheets.
 

The Applicant is responsible for all costs associated with this request.

Motion to recommend approval of the natural resources aspects of the proposed project.