Consider Landscape Plan for Ramsey Storage Center (Project No. 19-119); Case of Ramsey Storage Center, LLC

The City has received an application from Bob Mikulak (the "Applicant") with Ramsey Storage Center, LLC, for Site Plan and Final Plat for a new, indoor, climate controlled self-storage facility at the northeast corner of Ramsey Blvd and Bunker Lake Blvd (the "Subject Property").  Over the past fifteen years or so, there have been numerous self-storage projects proposed on the Subject Property, most recently in 2016.  That project was granted final approvals for Site Plan and Final Plat.  The approvals would have expired; however, the previous developer had obtained extensions on both fronts.  The current proposal has some slight changes from what was approved, thus, the Applicant is going through the review process for Site Plan (the Final Plat has not changed, other than the name and signatory blocks).

General Information
As previously noted, approvals were previously granted for a very similar project (main difference really being that the previous project included multiple buildings while the current proposal has consolidated everything into a single building).  The Subject Property will ultimately consist of two (2) lots.  In total, the Subject Property is approximately 6.3 acres in size; Lot 1 is about 4.45 acres in size and Lot 2 is about 1.75 acres in size.  Note that presently, only Lot 1 is being developed.

There is a split zoning across the Subject Property, with Lot 1 zoned E-1 Employment and Lot 2 zoned as B-1 General Business.  The parcels to the north and east are zoned R-1 Residential (MUSA); the parcels across Ramsey Blvd are zoned R-2 Residential (Medium Density), and the property to the south (across Bunker Lake Blvd) is zoned E-2 Employment.  Since the Subject Property shares a boundary along the north and east with existing residential parcels, a sixty (60) foot wide bufferyard is required.

Tree Preservation
The submittal does include a Tree Inventory and Preservation Plan, which appears to meet the requirements of the Tree Preservation standards.  Moreover, since the project has consolidated all storage space into a single building, more trees are being preserved now than the previous iteration.  Trees in the northwest portion of the Subject Property and trees south of the proposed building but north of the proposed stormwater pond are now also slated to be preserved.

Natural Area(s)
The City's Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) does not identify any quality natural areas within the Subject Property. The Subject Property, or at least the northern portion of it, was classified as semi-natural (a non-native grassland with sparse deciduous tree cover).  The Minnesota Land Cover Classification System (MLCCS) identifies this site as a dry grassland and as urban with vegetative cover. There do not appear to be any significant plant communities that warrant additional protections.

Wetlands/Floodplains
There do not appear to be any wetlands or floodplains within the Subject Property that need to be considered.

Landscape Plan
As previously noted, the Subject Property does abut existing residential parcels on the north and east and thus, a sixty (60) foot wide bufferyard is required along both boundaries.  The Landscape Plan does provide for this bufferyard and does include plantings.  However, the Landscape Plan does  need to be revised to include shrubs within the bufferyard (currently, none are included).  Staff has also noted in the Staff Review Letter that several trees and some of the proposed shrubs be relocated into the bufferyard to assist with enhancing the screening between the different uses.  Otherwise, the Landscape Plan is generally acceptable with all other necessary corrections outlined in the Staff Review Letter.

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

Motion to recommend approval of the proposed Landscape Plan, contingent upon compliance with the Staff Review Letter.