PUBLIC HEARING: Consider Resolution #15-04-093 Granting Approvals for COR Parkview Addition and Parkview East

1. Preliminary Plat for Major Subdivision
2. Site Plan for 121 Unit Apartment Building

The purpose of this file is to review the official Preliminary Plat and Site plan Review for the Parkview East Apartment Complex. The subject property is located south of Ramsey Parkway, east of Town Center Drive East and west of Rhinestone Street NW and north of Sunwood Drive.  The property is located in COR-1 zoning sub-district. The application includes a plat to be called COR Parkview Addition and development of phase one apartment complex consisting of one four-story building with a total of 121 units with tuck under, detached garage and surface parking.

Staff attempted to notify all Property Owners within 700 feet of the Subject Property of the Public Hearing via Standard US Mail. A notification of Public Hearing was published in the Anoka County Union Herald.

The property is zoned COR-1 Mixed Use Core Subdistrict which is intended to provide a mix of residential, retail, and service uses. This sub-district allows the highest intensity of uses including high density housing.  The proposed use as an apartment building meets the intent of the COR-1 sub-district.

The COR Design Framework establishes maximum build to lines based on the roadway the property frontage. For buildings located along a Parkway, sixty (60) percent of the building (at least 300 feet) shall be located five (5) feet from the back of the side walk. The proposed building is located ten (10) and in some portions greater than ten (10) feet. The site does curve causing more difficulty in meeting this build to line. However, efforts should be made to meet the five (5) foot maximum for at least sixty (60) percent of the building façade along Ramsey Parkway. Later in this review a suggestion will be made to widen the boulevard which will help shift the sidewalk slightly closer to the building. In addition, because the building has frontage on more than one street, the building shall be located five (5) feet from the back of curb along Rhinestone Street. There are minimum or maximums for rear and internal side yard setbacks.
 
The COR Design Framework includes guidelines on how to manage parking. This is particularly important in COR-1 subdistrict, being the most intense and pedestrian oriented. A variety of parking options are proposed for the site. The building will include forty-four (44) tuck under garages with garage door entries on the south elevation internal to the site. An additional ninety-one (91) garage spaces are provided within five (5) detached garage structures. Finally, 148 surface parking spaces are planned south of the building internal to the south for a total of 283 spaces. No surface parking areas are abutting a street.
 
Typically the spaces internal to the building would not be counted dropping the total to 239 spaces.  The COR Design Framework sets a maximum parking allotment of two (2) spaces per unit for multi-family structures. The development incudes 121 units requiring 242 parking spaces. The site meets and even slightly exceeds the maximum allowed with the internal garage spaces. The additional spaces are not in a response to building code but rather based on perceived need due to the number of two (2) and three (3) bedroom units in the building which could result in more parking demand. The proposed break down in units is as follows:  forty-one (41) percent one (1) bedroom; forty-five (45) percent two (2) bedroom and fourteen (14) percent three bedroom. The additional spaces will also prevent potential use of on-street parking which is particularly important during summer months when the adjacent park is programmed.
 
As the surface parking lot is well screened by either the apartment building or the detached garage structures, and therefore not visible from the roadways, staff supports the additional parking. If concern exists the Planning Commission could recommend that some excess parking be included as a proof of parking area until the need for additional spaces is evident.
 
The COR Design Framework includes Street Design Standards within the COR. The plans will need to be revised to reflect the revisions required in the Staff Review File. Generally speaking, both the sidewalk and boulevard area along Ramsey Parkway will need to be widened. The landscape plan includes rows of street trees along each of the three streets the site abuts. Ramsey Parkway and Rhinestone Street contain two types of trees while Sapphire Street and 145^th Avenue include one type. The proposed trees meet the requirements based on street type. No other landscaping is shown on the plan other than the required street trees. A community garden and playground space is include at the northwest corner. Additional detail and proposed landscaping for this area shall be submitted. The Environmental Policy Board made several advisory recommendations to enhance the internal landscaping plan, as outlined in the Staff Review File.
 
High quality architecture and building materials is an essential component in fulfilling the objectives of the COR Design Framework.  Roof design, materials, amount of windows, and overall design that breaks up the different floors and walls are all important elements to the overall building design.  In the COR-1 subdistrict buildings are placed closer to the street so greater emphasis is placed on materials and design features at the street level.
 
Plans for the front elevation (south) and rear elevation (north) for the apartment building have been provided. Plans for each side elevation will also be required. The proposed materials consist of stone and brick at the base. The rear elevation includes an enhanced stone entry with canopy and additional stone above. Other materials include composite panel (i.e. fiber cement panels) and steel lap and vertical siding. Metal siding can be used as a complementary material. In COR-1 subdistrict buildings shall be primarily brick or comparable alternative and shall comprise a minimum of fifty (50) percent of the non-glazed wall area. Calculations shall be provided for brick and stone for each elevations.

Full colored elevation plans should be provided. The combination of composite and steel in the differing patterns divides the floors and sections of the building. Multiple sections of the building are articulated to break up the flat wall.  In addition windows and decks are proposed for each unit that provide further breaks in the building wall design. Additional information is required for the specific appearance of the individual air conditioning units. Staff is concerned over the appearance, color, size and overall look of units on each elevation.
 
The south elevation includes garage doors for tuck under garages. Garage doors shall be in colors that are complementary to the main building materials. The roof design is pitched with asphalt shingles. The elevation facing Ramsey Parkway is actually the rear of the building and contains the same materials as the front.  The first floor contains windows to create street-level interest and pedestrian scale along this street frontage. The northern elevation does include an entrance for the building.
 
Five detached garage buildings are planned in the southern portion of the site. Three long buildings each containing 16 stalls are located in a row along the south property line with two additional buildings just north of this row containing 22 stalls each. The garage buildings contain the same materials as the apartment building. The roofs are pitched with additional accenting so that they are of a higher design standard than typical detached structures. The materials will include stone, horizontal lap siding, shake siding and an asphalt shingle roof. The sides will contain the stone and horizontal siding. The additional roof treatments and glass demonstrate a good effort in enhancing the design of these detached structures. The use of stone at the base will help improve the longevity of these structures. Staff would recommend considering all brick or stone on the back side of these garages in lieu of any lap siding. Although the garages will eventually be screened by future buildings, that timeline is undetermined. The Environmental Policy Board recommended additional landscaping along this wall to soften the view. The EPB noted that the number of plantings along public streets could be reduced to off-set the suggested plantings along the southern garages.

All costs associated with processing this Application are the responsibility of the Applicant.

Staff recommends approval of the request, contingent upon conditions in the Development Agreement..

Motion to recommend that the City Council adopt Resolution #15-04-093 granting Preliminary Plat and Site Plan Approval for COR Parkview Addition/Parkview East.