Adopt Resolution #26-186 — Approving a Conditional Use Permit for a Restaurant with a Drive-Thru at 14340 Ramsey Blvd. NW (Scooter's Coffee).

Harlow Beckett Enterprises is proposing to construct and operate a a coffee shop with a drive-thru along the west side of Ramsey Boulevard and south of Sunwood Drive and the Casey's store.  The 664-square-foot Scooter's Coffee shop is classified as a "restaurant" in the Zoning Code, which is a permitted use in the COR-3 zoning district, though the drive-thru is considered a conditional use.  Therefore, a conditional use permit (CUP) is required.  The application includes a minor subdivision that creates the parcel for Scooter's (located elsewhere on tonight's agenda).  The applicant has been working with the City's Economic Development Authority (EDA) to purchase roughly 0.89 acres of the land from the City. The purchase agreement was approved by the City Council earlier this summer. Now the applicant is pursuing the Land Use Application portion of the entitlements.

Building Design
The small building will be constructed with brick and cement fiberboard panels.   The proposed building elevations appear to meet the requirements and intent of the COR Framework architectural standards that emphasizes masonry exterior materials.  Wall signage and awning will be located on the building as well.  The drive-thru window will be on the south end of the building while a window for walk-up service will be on the north side of the building.  Only employees will be allowed inside the building.  There will be a small patio north of the walk-up window that will only accommodate a handful of chairs.  

The COR-3 regulations require that a building is constructed between the front property line (in this case, the eastern property line) and a maximum setback of 30 feet.  The proposed building is shown with a setback of 50 feet, exceeding the build-to requirement.  There is an exception, however, where a decorative wall, fence, or hedge may be used instead of where the built-to condition cannot be met.  The increased building setback is due to the dive-thru, the patio area and the parking lot setback.  The applicant will satisfy the exsection by installing an ornamental fence along the east frontage with a gap for the walkway connection.  This fence is envisioned to look similar to the one constructed with the Taco Bell and Chipotle projects along the west side of the COR in similar circumstances.  On the site plan, the fence and sign location may switch, pending the final design of the sign.  

Access, Drive-Thru, and Parking
Vehicular access will come from the west side of the property via an extension to the shared drive between Casey's and O’Reilly Auto Parts. Scooter's will not have a driveway directly to Ramsey Boulevard.  This shared private roadway is envisioned to extend south to intersect an extension of Veterans Drive between Rhinestone Street and Ramsey Boulveard at an existing street stub. The shared driveway is currently City-owned, though the future intention is that it will be privately owned and maintained.  A cross-access and maintenance agreement will be required to be signed and recorded with the Anoka County Recorder's Office.  

Most of the traffic entering the site is expected to turn south to access the drive-thru lane, which wraps counter-clockwise around the building before exiting out the same western driveway.  City Code requires drive-thrus to accommodate stacking for six vehicles.  The proposed site plan notes the outline of six vehicles, though there will be room for approximately ten cars.  Driving customers using the walk-up window and employees will park in the spaces northwest of the building.  The applicant has noted that the proposed number of spaces will accommodate the employees and the number of driving customers who would use the walk-up window. The applicant is also proposing a bypass lane that will also serve as the delivery truck parking area, though it could be converted to additional drive-thru stacking should the queue extend onto the shared roadway.  

Pedestrian Connections
A walkway will connect the multi-use trail along the west side of Ramsey Boulevard with the building.  This walkway will extend west for access to the parking spaces and to the trash enclosure.  A bike rack is proposed along the east side of the building. 

Utilities
The building will be serviced by municipal water and sanitary sewer via stubs along Ramsey Boulevard.  These stubs are intended for connecting the mains, not as direct building services, to serve other sites in the vicinity.  The mains will be extended to the west.  Credit will be given for the portion of the sanitary sewer and water mains west of the building services.  A fire hydrant will be constructed in the south-west corner of the site to provide fire protection for this building and future buildings.  

Storm Water Management
Storm water in the COR is collected into regional basins to maximize the developable area of the site. To connect to the basins to the south, the applicant will need to connect to the storm sewer main running underneath the southerly extension of Peridot Street.  There will be a temporary connection to the storm sewer main; this will become permanent as the land in this area is further developed.  The applicant will also contribute an amount of money, in lieu of creating onsite ponding, towards the regional basin.  

Landscaping
From the EPB's review, it was noted that the site is devoid of any significant trees and, therefore, a Tree Inventory and Preservation Plan is not required.  A Landscape Plan was included with the submittal.  The Landscape Plan includes sixteen (16) deciduous trees and forty-three (43) shrubs, including a mixture of deciduous and coniferous species.  All proposed species and sizes are compliant.  The Subject Property is only about 0.89 acres in size, with a majority of the site being impervious.  The COR Design Framework really emphasizes streetscape plantings.  However, the only public road frontage abutting the Subject Property is Ramsey Boulevard, which is an Anoka County Highway, where tree plantings are not required.

SIgnage
The site plan shows the locations of two monument signs on the site, though plans of the signs themselves were not provided.  The signs will be reviewed for compliance with City Code Chapter 108 requirements at the time the applicant submits for sign permits.  The architectural plans note proposed and potential signage locations.  It appears that some of the potential signage could exceed the 15 percent allowed by City Code.  The applicant will need to provide measurements at the time of permit to ensure compliance.  As noted earlier, the monument sign location and decorative fence may switch pending the final design of the sign and its ability to clear the top of the ~42-in fence.  

Lighting
A lighting plan with photometrics was submitted, but does not meet City Code lighting levels.  Staff has asked that this plan be revised and is noted as a condition of approval in the attached resolution. 

Waste Management
A detached trash enclosure is shown west of the building.  The enclosure must be constructed out of the same masonry materials as the building, should it be a stand-alone structure.  The COR Framework gives preference to trash enclosures that are attached and integrated into the main building, though allowances have been made for detached enclosures.  

Plat
Accompanying this project is a minor plat titled "COR Seven" that subdivides an outlot into a buildable lot for development and outlots.  Consideration of this plat is on a separate agenda item.

Public hearing notices were sent to property owners within 350 feet of the site.  A "Proposed Development" sign was placed on the property.  A notice was published in the August 14 Anoka Union Herald Newspaper. 

Alternatives to Consider:
1.  Approve the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) as recommended by the Planning Commission and staff.
2.  Approve the CUP with modifications.
3.  Deny of the CUP based on certain findings.  

All costs associated with this project are the responsibility of the applicant.  The applicant is purchasing the property from the City.  Reimbursements will be provided for extending the water main to serve additional properties.

At its meeting on August 27, the Planning Commission recommended approval of the Conditional Use Permit.

Motion to Adopt Resolution #26-186 approving a Conditional Use Permit for a restaurant with a drive-thru located at 14340 Ramsey Boulevard Northwest.