Consider the Natural Resources Aspects of the Site Plan for a New Mixed-Use Apartment/Retail Building in The COR (Case No. 25-119); Case of Roers Companies

The City has received a Land Use Application from Roers Companies (the "Applicant") for a proposed five-and-a-half (5.5) story mixed-use apartment and retail building located between Sunwood Drive and Zeolite Street, south of Ramsey Parkway and north of the Home2Suites hotel (the "Subject Property").  This is the same location that the Norhart apartment project previously received site plan approval.  However, they (Norhart) officially withdrew their application and opted not to proceed with their project.  This new project is proposing 191 units, along with 5,000 square feet of commercial space on the first floor, and will include sunken (partially underground) parking.

Project Overview
The Subject Property is zoned COR-4c, which requires a minimum density of fifteen (15) units per acre, and is guided as Mixed Use in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan.  As previously noted, this project includes 191 units, 5,000 square feet of commercial space, and both sunken (partially underground) and surface parking.  There will be two points of vehicle access to the Subject Property.  The site will share access with Home2Suites off Sunwood Drive, and there will also be a full access to the Subject Property from Zeolite Street.  The building is "L" shaped, lining Sunwood Drive and Ramsey Parkway, with surface parking south and east of the building.  Access to the sunken parking area is at the east end of the building.  There will be a total of 315 parking stalls, with 197 stalls being surface parking and the remaining 118 stalls being in a partially sunken garage beneath the building.

Natural Resources Inventory and Minnesota Land Cover Classification System
The City's Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) does not identify any native plant communities on the Subject Property.  The Minnesota Land Cover Classification System (MLCCS) classifies the Subject Property as 'Urban with Little Vegetative Cover'.  There are no wetlands or floodplains on the Subject Property.

Tree Inventory and Preservation Plan
There are no significant trees on the Subject Property and therefore, there was no need for a tree inventory and preservation plan.  The Environmental Policy Board may recall that much of the remaining vacant land in The COR was cleared and grubbed in the fall of 2023.  The proposed landscaping for this project includes thirty-eight (38) new trees, including a mix of shade trees and ornamental trees, along with a mix of deciduous and coniferous shrubs.  The combination of plantings for the hotel project, this project, and the Waterfront Village detached townhome project (north of the Subject Property), along with the City's improvements to The Waterfront, which also includes plantings, will ultimately exceed the reforestation requirements from the 2023 clearing and grubbing activities.

Landscape Plan
The Landscape Plan includes street trees along Ramsey Parkway (Sienna Glen Maple) and Zeolite Street (Boulevard Linden) and a mix of trees, shrubs, and ornamental grasses internal to the site.  There are also numerous trees either adjacent to the surface parking stalls or in the raised islands within the parking lot.  The existing street trees in the boulevard along Sunwood Drive will be protected and preserved throughout the construction process.  The Landscape Plan does a good job of not only addressing the streetscape requirements of The COR, but also ensuring the interior of the Subject Property is well landscaped as well.  Staff has identified a few corrections that are necessary and has also included some recommendations for the Applicant to consider, but there are no major concerns with what is proposed. 

All costs associated with this request are the Applicant's responsibility.

Staff recommends approval of the Landscape Plan, contingent upon compliance with the review comments.

Motion to recommend approval of the Landscape Plan, contingent upon compliance with Staff's review comments.