Adopt Resolution #25-271 Approving Final Plat for "COR SIX" and Resolution #25-272 Approving a Conditional Use Permit for a Bank with Two Drive-Thru Lanes at 7845 Sunwood Drive NW (CorTrust Bank)

CorTrust Bank (the applicant) previously worked on the development of the northeast corner of Sunwood Drive and Zeolite Street in early 2023 for construction of a one-story bank branch with two drive-thru lanes.  The development included a purchase of some land from the City.  The requests were eventually denied by the Council for a variety of reasons, including how the accesses along Zeolite Street would work.  Since then, Zeolite Street was reconstructed, the adjacent land to the east was regraded, and Home2 Suites to the west is now open for business.  CorTrust Bank is still committed to the site and worked with the current City Council on a purchase agreement to revive the previous plans.  

Property Use
The use of the 0.76-acre property will be for a bank, a permitted use within the COR-2b Commercial Subdistrict.  All properties within a COR district require a Site Plan Review approval.  This site did receive rezoning approval in 2023 in order to allow a second drive-thru lane (only one lane is allowed in the COR-2 District, its previous zoning).  Drive-thrus are conditional uses and a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) is required (a CUP review automatically includes a Site Plan Review).  

Building Design
The one-level 5,000 square foot building will be constructed with a mostly brick exterior.  Several windows are shown on all sides of the building and some metal accents.  The front door and is shown at the southeast corner of the building in a prominent way, providing access from both the Sunwood Drive sidewalk directly and the parking lot.  The building design meets the requirements of the COR Framework.  

Access and Parking
Vehicular access to the parking lot will come from Zeolite Street via a shared roadway that is aligned with the Home2 Suites driveway.  This roadway will be retained by the City and extended as other developments occur.  The roadway will be designed in such a way that it could be converted into a standard public roadway, should it warrant.  In the meantime, a shared access and maintenance agreement document will need to be signed by the applicant.  Until other users are present, CorTrust Bank will be responsible for all of the construction costs and maintenance obligations in this segment.  After other users are constructed (and while still a private roadway), they will pay some portion of the maintenance costs.  

The 20-space parking lot on the east side of the building will not have direct access to Sunwood Drive.  Driveways along this roadway are limited to maintain good traffic flow.  One may be possible in the future roughly midway between Zeolite and Yolite Streets, depending on how the balance of the property is developed.  For a bank of this size, 17 spaces are required.  The applicant has operated several bank branches and has sized the parking lot to meet the needs of the staff and customers.  In addition, on-street parking is available on this portion of Sunwood Drive and would be a very convenient option for customers.  In order to prevent employees (or other people) from parking on the street all day, the applicant has requested approval to sign this area for one-hour parking.    

Drive-Thru
Drive-thrus are considered conditional uses in the Zoning Code and a conditional use permit (CUP) is required.   City Code Section 106-525(6) lists out "standard conditions" for this use and the proposed lane configuration appears to be designed to those conditions.  The drive-thru will be accessed from the parking lot with cars exiting onto Zeolite Street.  The drive-thru will have a bypass lane that can be used as an exit for the parking lot.  Sound from any speaker system must not be audible from the adjacent rights-of-way or residential use (which will be several hundred feet away).  

Pedestrian Connections
As a part of the development of this site, sidewalks will be constructed along both Sunwood Drive and Zeolite Street. The Sunwood Drive sidewalk will contain planter beds that fit the streetscape while making an adjustment to frame the front door.  The sidewalk along Zeolite Street will be a six-foot wide sidewalk with a boulevard between the sidewalk and curb of the roadway.  This sidewalk will be constructed to the north private roadway in order to provide better snow clearing operations for City crews.  

The building is being constructed so that the front door directly accesses the sidewalk along Sunwood Drive.  

Landscaping and Screening
The applicant submitted a landscape plan with the application.  An earlier draft was reviewed by the Environmental Policy Board (EPB) at its meeting on October 20.  A revised plan has been submitted (attached) that addressed the issues raised at that time.  It is noted that two of the trees are too close to the intersection, violating the vision clearance triangle rule, and should be removed with the remaining trees being able to be spread out a little more.  

Along the east side of the building is a mechanical area screened by a short brick wall that matches the building's exterior.  The COR Framework also requires screening of parking areas from Sunwood Drive.  A decorative block kneewall will stretch the entire frontage of the parking lot, augmented by shrubs, to provide screening of the parking lot.  The block wall will not match the brick in the building, though it is complementary in its design.

Lighting
The lighting plan shows a mix of decorative wall-mounted lights, freestanding lighting, and under-canopy lighting.  All of the light fixtures appear to meet City Code requirements, provided the side shields are installed on the under-canopy lights in order to prevent glare.  

Future Development Site
The area between the private roadway and the drive-thru exit will be retained by the City.  This area was created so that the private roadway can line up with the Home2 Suites driveway.  The applicant has stated that they do not need or want it.  It is possible that a small single-user building up to about 3,000 square feet and the associated parking can be developed on this space.  It is not big enough, however, to accommodate anything with a drive-thru.  Any use on this site will be brought forward when a user and site design are known.

Plat
The application includes a final plat to subdivide the bank site off from the larger outlot.  This final plat is considered a "minor plat."

Development Agreement
Attached to this case is the proposed development agreement.  The agreement is standard in form with some provisions for private roadway.  Approval of the agreement is included in the CUP approval resolution.  

Mailed notices were sent to property owners within 350 feet of the site.  A "proposed development" sign was placed on the property.  A legal notice was placed in the November 7 Anoka Union Hearld Newspaper.  

Alternatives to Consider:
1.  Approve the Plat and the Conditional Use Permit as recommended by the Planning Commission.
2.  Approve the Plat and/or CUP with modifications or additional conditions.
3.  Deny the Plat and/or CUP based on specific findings.  

All costs associated with this project are the responsibility of the applicant.  The applicant is purchasing land from the City.  Development fees will also be collected through the development agreement.

At its meeting on November 20, the Planning Commission recommended approval of the Conditional Use Permit for a bank with two drive-thru lanes (5 in favor, one abstained).

Motion to adopt Resolution #25-271 approving Final Plat of COR Six; 

-and-

Motion to adopt Resolution #25-272 approving a Conditional Use Permit for a bank with two drive-thru lanes at 7845 Sunwood Drive NW.