City Council Meeting Date: October 3, 2023
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Mikayla Schmidt, City Planner
Title
Resolution for Cedar Meadows Preliminary Plat.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council is asked to consider a resolution approving the preliminary plat for Cedar Meadows with conditions.
Summary Report:
North and Cedar 62, LLP has applied for a preliminary plat for Parcel ID: 43-52005-00-010 located in Dakota County. Cedar Meadows (or the “Project”) is the development of a 61.94-acre parcel situated along the north side of North Avenue and the west side of Cedar Avenue.
At the July 20, 2023 Planning Commission (PC) meeting, the PC voted to postpone making a recommendation on the preliminary plat until the August 17, 2023 PC meeting. The PC asked for further analysis of providing pedestrian improvements around the exterior of the proposed plat. The developer provided proposed pedestrian improvements within and outside the preliminary plat. The PC recommended incorporating the pedestrian improvements pending approval from Dakota County on the portions that cross Cedar Ave. The pedestrian improvements are included as a condition in the resolution. The PC recommended approval of the preliminary plat with conditions in a 4-1 vote at their Aug. 17, 2023 meeting.
The CC is being provided with two resolutions, one with the PC’s recommendations and the other with staff recommendations. They are essentially the same resolutions, but the staff resolution includes some formatting changes, the addition of exhibits, and adjustments to the street widths. A redline version is included for review of the changes to only the street widths.
City staff sent the preliminary plat to Dakota County for review during the Environmental Assessment Worksheet process and again for preliminary plat review (with the proposed ped. improvements) because it is adjacent to Cedar Avenue (CSAH 23) and is subject to the County Plat Ordinance No. 108. The Dakota County Plat Commission reviewed the plat on August 30, 2023 and recommended approval of the preliminary and final plat to the Dakota County Board of Commissioners. The Commissioners approved the plat on consent agenda at their September 26, 2023 meeting.
Dakota County staff are supportive of pedestrian improvements across Cedar Ave. and the process to implement them has been discussed. Dakota County staff appreciated and supported the connection within the development to the Hospital road and also supported the future trail along the west side of Cedar Ave. be constructed along with the development. Staff had not proposed the developer construct the trail along the west side of Cedar Ave. as part of this development. City Council is asked to consider whether the trail should be built in conjunction with this subdivision or whether it should be constructed after Cedar Ave. is turned back to the City as a local street.
Background:
The applicant originally planned to come before the Planning Commission (PC) in July of 2023. The applicant ended up withdrawing from the agenda to adjust the plat. Changes were made and the applicant brought forward an updated preliminary plat for the PCs review in August. The plat is now less dense than previously shown in documents due to the one large Outlot on the southwest corner being changed from multi-family housing to single-family homes.
The Project is planned to include the following mix of residential units:
• Single Family Lots - 44
• Detached Villa Style Lots - 41
• Twin Home Lots - 28
• Triplex Lots - 12
• Lot 1 Block 15 - designated for a senior co-op building
• Total Project unit creation is approximately 195
o Gross Acreage = 61.94
o Right of Way Acreage = 9.97
o Outlot Acreage (A-G) = 21.82
o Net Acreage = Gross - ROW - Outlots = 61.94 - 9.97 - 21.82 = 30.15 acres
o Net Density = 195 units / 30.15 acres = 6.47 units/ac
Analysis:
Sanitary Sewer and Water:
The Comprehensive Sewer and Water Plans plan for growth of different housing types in this area. The trunk sewer and water lines in North Avenue have capacity to serve this development and future growth. The City owns land for a future water tower NW of the Hospital as well. The Water Tower will be built in the future as growth occurs (there is currently not high enough demand for tower). However, water tower will provide redundancy for this area. The City has growth capacity for an additional 20-year time period.
Stormwater:
A Stormwater Management report has been completed and is included with the submittal. A total of five stormwater ponds will be constructed for the development; one of which will include an engineered filtration bench. These ponds will provide the control of volume, water quality, and rate control as required by the City of Northfield stormwater rules.
Streets, sidewalks and trails:
The streets within the development were developed to construct a grid design to the greatest extent possible. Given the wetland in the middle, this offered the biggest constraint. Sidewalks are required on both sides of all streets, there is a Greenway Corridor trail on the western edge of the site, a trail looping around the wetland and off-street bikeways/shared use paths.
The City worked with Alta Planning and Design to help layout the pedestrian and biking facilities in the area along with improved/safe crossing locations. These facilities need to ensure they integrate with planned or existing connections in the pedestrian and bike network. Understand that a disconnected/lack on continuity in these facilities can lead to issues.
Park Dedication:
The areas dedicated for park include an outlot in the middle and north side of the subdivision, dedicated greenway corridor trails, and trail around the wetland area. The Cedar Meadows preliminary plat allocates parkland dedication in the form of trail way easement corridors and a single contiguous parkland area, which is planned to connect to future development to the north. The western boundary of the site will include a pathway connection that runs from the southern border to the norther border of the site to accommodate the City’s Greenway Corridor Connection. Within the project, approximately 3.56 miles of useable trails, sidewalks and bike paths will be created.
Adjacent Property:
The property is situated along the north side of North Avenue and the west side of Cedar Avenue. Neighboring properties include the Northfield Hospital to the west, residential development to the east, a mix of commercial and residential uses to the south, and undeveloped land to the north.
Conformance with Comprehensive Plan:
The project is in conformance with the comprehensive plan. The parcel is denoted as a “Pipeline” site on the Conservation & Development Map in the Land Use section of the Comprehensive Plan. “Pipeline” is described as vacant land that has been approved for a preliminary plat by the City, but has not yet been final platted. In 2001, St. Olaf College received a final plat approval for the construction of the Northfield Hospital. The parcel considered for development for Cedar Meadows was platted as an outlot. Outlots require formal platting in order to be built upon. The City Council resolution calls out that Outlot B (Cedar Meadows) shall go through the preliminary and final plat processes, and that if the preliminary plat, for which the Northfield Hospital was built, is not entirely platted within five years, the preliminary plat shall be considered null and void. Hence, the requirement for an environmental assessment worksheet and new preliminary plat for Cedar Meadows.
Approval Criteria & Findings:
The Planning Commission and City Council shall consider the following criteria in the review of a preliminary plat. Criteria (a) and (g) must be met and (b) through (f) shall be considered:
Criteria (a) and (g) must be met:
(a) The proposed subdivision must be in full compliance with the provisions of this LDC;
The proposed subdivision is in compliance with the land development code (LDC) through review by the City Planner and the Development Review Committee.
(g) The design of the subdivision or the type of improvement must not conflict with easements on record, unless those easements are vacated, or with easements established by judgment of a court.
There are no conflicting easements.
(b) through (f) shall be considered:
(b) The proposed subdivision must be in accordance with the general objectives, or with any specific objective, of the city’s comprehensive plan, capital improvements program, or other city policy or regulation;
The subdivision is in compliance with the Northfield Comprehensive Plan and the intent of the project reflects the spirit and values of many of the 12 land use principles including:
• New and redeveloped residential communities will have strong neighborhood qualities - The development of this parcel will fill a parcel denoted as “pipeline” growth within city limits. The subdivision creates streets with a grid network as best possible given the wetland in the middle of the site. The streets will incorporate sidewalks on both sides of the streets, off-street bikeways/shared use paths, trails and small lots with homes built up to the street.
• A wider range of housing choices will be encouraged - This development is planned to include the following mix of residential units:
• Single Family Lots - 44
• Detached Villa Style Lots - 41
• Twin Home Lots - 28
• Triplex Lots - 12
• Lot 1 Block 15 - designated for a senior co-op building
• Total Project unit creation is 195 - this equates to a gross property density of 3.07 units per acre.
o Gross Acreage = 61.94
o Right of Way Acreage = 9.97
o Outlot Acreage (A-G) = 21.82
o Net Acreage = Gross - ROW - Outlots = 61.94 - 9.97 - 21.82 = 30.15 acres
o Net Density = 195 units / 30.15 acres = 6.47 units/ac
• Streets will create an attractive public realm and be exceptional places for people - The development contains multiple streets that will have sidewalks on both sides of the streets, a separated bikeway/shared path (per the Alta recommendations), greenway corridor trail, other trails around the wetland (which connect throughout the neighborhood) and trees every 40 feet.
• Places will be better connected, opportunities will be created to walk and bike - The development contains multiple opportunities to walk and bike by providing sidewalks on both sides of the streets, a separated bikeway/shared path (per the Alta recommendations), greenway corridor trail and other trails around the wetland (which connect throughout the neighborhood).
(c) The physical characteristics of the site, including but not limited to topography, vegetation, susceptibility to erosion and sedimentation, susceptibility to flooding, water storage, and retention, must be such that the site is suitable for the type of development or use contemplated;
The site has relatively flat terrain and is suitable for the type of development proposed. Stormwater management is incorporated into the project to address water storage and retention.
(d) The site must be physically suitable for the intensity or type of development or use contemplated;
This development site is physically suitable for the intensity of proposed units.
(e) The design of the subdivision or the proposed improvements must not be likely to cause substantial and irreversible environmental damage;
Development of the site will include grading, new private infrastructure and the development of lots. It will convert the land from a former farm site into a residential neighborhood. The plat is not expected to result in substantial or irreversible environmental damage.
(f) The design of the subdivision or the type of improvements must not be detrimental to the health, safety, or general welfare of the public; and
The design and development of the subdivision is not expected to be detrimental to the health, safety, or general welfare of the public. Creation of the neighborhood with housing, sidewalk connections, trail connections and bikeway/shared path is expected to result in improved health, safety and general welfare of the public.
Recommendation:
Staff recommends approval of the preliminary plat for Cedar Meadows based on the criteria and the additional conditions listed in the resolution.
Alternative Options:
City Council could approve the PC resolution, the staff resolution or make additions or changes to either resolution. The City Council should consider whether to include the future trail along the west side of Cedar Ave. as a condition in the resolution for the applicant to construct with the subdivision or if the City would construct the trail when Cedar Ave. turns back and becomes a local street.
Financial Impacts:
N/A
Tentative Timelines:
The anticipated timeline for the final plat for the first phase would follow preliminary plat approval.