Review Comprehensive Plan Amendment, Zoning Amendment, and Site Plan for Ramsey Elementary Campus 2 (Project #17-109)

The purpose of this case is to review the Comprehensive Plan Amendment to reguide the property from Low Density Residential to Public/Quasi Public; the Zoning Amendment to rezone from R-1 Residential (MUSA) to Public/Quasi Public; and the Site Plan for Ramsey Elementary Campus 2. This case is being reviewed based on the standards within the B-1 General Business Zoning District. This is in keeping with the City's past practice for similar projects.

Focus this evening should be on the internal, private site improvements. There has been significant discussion about public improvements to Nowthen Boulevard (County State Aide Highway 5). It is anticipated that turn lanes and a traffic signal will be added at the entrance. However, those improvements have not yet been shown on the plan set. With that in mind, final approval will not be considered until the February 27 City Council meeting. However, Staff recommends having a discussion on the private site improvements in the meantime, in case there were any major changes desired. This will help avoid any significant delays to the project.

City Staff attempted to notify all property owners within 700 feet of the Subject Property of the request via U.S. mail and published a notice of public hearing in the Anoka Union Herald, the City's official newspaper.

While the proposed zoning is Public/Quasi Public, Staff finds that the setbacks and dimensional standards the project should be measured by is the B-1 General Business District. While a public use, a school does project certain intensities into the area that need to be assessed and mitigated in order to be compatible with surrounding properties. As a result, this case is being reviewed per City Code Section 117-118 entitled B-1 General Business District. This is in keeping with the City’s past practice for similar situations.

As proposed, the Site Plan appears to meet the requirements of the zoning ordinance with minor alterations as outlined in the Staff Review Letter.

During the public hearing held at the Planning Commission meeting, residents to the north of the subject property expressed concern over the increased activity and the effect the noise could have on their properties.  The Applicant is currently proposing more landscaping than is required by the City Code and so a portion of the currently proposed landscaping could potentially be shifted to the north property line to provide the additional buffering. The School District indicated that they would be willing to work with the City to install trees and landscaping on the top of a berm to alleviate the concerns of the property owners to the north.

The Planning Commission unanimously recommended adoption of the Comprehensive Plan Amendment, Rezoning, and Site Plan requests contingent upon compliance with the Staff Review Letter and alterations to the Landscaping Plan to address the need for additional screening along the northern boundary.

Alternatives:

Alternative 1: If the City Council is supportive of the project as currently presented, it should adopt Resolution #18-004 approving the Comprehensive Plan Amendment to reguide the subject property from Low Density Residential (LDR) to Public/Quasi Public.  It should also adopt Ordinance #18-003 approving the Zoning Amendment to rezone the subject property from R-1 Residential (MUSA) to Public/Quasi Public and adopt Resolution #18-005 approving the requested Site Plan. The project would seem to be a benefit to the community and compatible with the surrounding land use. Staff supports this alternative.

Alternative 2: If the City Council is supportive of the requested Comprehensive Plan Amendment as well as the requested Zoning Amendment but is not supportive of the Site Plan as currently presented, it should adopt Resolution #18-004 Approving the Comprehensive Plan Amendment as well as Ordinance #18-003 rezoning the subject property and table action on the Site Plan application and direct the Applicant to amend the Site Plan accordingly. Staff is not opposed to this alternative.

Alternative 3: If the City Council is not supportive of the requested Comprehensive Plan Amendment, it should state its findings and deny the Comprehensive Plan Amendment and requested Zoning Amendment, as well as the Site Plan, as it would not be compliant with the land use of the property. Staff does not support this alternative.

All costs associated with processing the Application are the responsibility of the Applicant. There are no City Funds proposed to be utilized for the construction of this project.

The Planning Commission and Staff recommend adoption of Resolution #18-004 Approving the Comprehensive Plan Amendment and Ordinance #18-03 Rezoning the Subject Property from R-1 Residential (MUSA) to Public / Quasi Public, as well as Resolution #18-005 Approving the Site Plan for Ramsey Elementary Campus 2.

No action is being requested this evening. The desire is to seek consensus on the internal site improvements and the concept of adding turn lanes and traffic signals at the proposed main entrance to the school. Formal action will tentatively be requested at the February 27 City Council Meeting.