HomeMy WebLinkAbout1989-06-21 NAC Planning Report northwest associated consultants, inc.
FIL COPY
PUAIINING REPORT
Oak Park Heights Mayor and City Council
FROM: Curtis Gutoszke
DATE: 21 June 1989
RE: Oak 'Park Heights - St. Croix Mall PUD Amendment
FILE NO: 798.02 - 88.28
EAECUTIVE SUM -'AARY
Background:
Wats(' - ).ti Center Inc. has submitted an application fcr a PUD
amendment to the St. Croix Mall PUD. I r 19%9, the City ap.proved
tlie original Mall PUD with an amendment passed in 199*7 to
--Mart (lepar+ :,:I anal nt-!
1-T.,e expansion of the K e a
us mall and site changes.
svi'-cellotrieo
lllhie proposcd -e-xpai').si( and renovation of tfie Mall is
ir, the applicant 's Summary Statement which is a.ttaC Led as Extilbi%
A.
In addition to the expansions and remodeling indicate(] in the
Summary Statement, the Canelake restaurant, the old Actio.'.i Rental
building, Mid the- Washington Federal drive-through bank are to he
remov to make room for the expansion. A p r e 111 1 1 - a. t: - 17
1,vidiczation is that the Canelake restau.r.ant may be ---eloca. iilq
-inside the Mall, however, this is not specifj- kriovit;'n at tbls
time
As you also are aware, Watson Center has submitted ari aFp.J-JCC!t )TI
-
for TIF assistance. This report, however, will only rc�vie _I
vv 1. �. ) r
proposed PUD amendment which is independent of the TIF reque--sL.
4601 excelsior blvd., ste. 4 10, minneapolis, mn 55416 (612) 925-9420 fax 925-2721
Recommendation:
Based upon the review which follows, our office recommends
approval of the submitted PUD amendment for the St. Croix Mall
contingent upon the resolution of the following conditions:
1. Curbed islands are provided as identified in Exhibit D and
landscaped in a compatible fashion with the balance of the
submitted landscape plan.
2. Typical parking stall and drive aisle dimensions are shown
on the site plan in accordance with minimum City standards.
3. The curb cut locations and widths along Osgood Avenue are
found to be acceptable by the City Engineer and Washington
County.
4. The green area between the east parking lot adjacent to
Herbergers and Osgood Avenue is given additional landscaping
treatment with shade and /or ornamental trees and shrubbery.
5. The east curb of the drive aisle across from the small shop
area is designated "no parking" to allow for proper truck
maneuvering.
6. A trash facility is designated on the site plan in
accordance with the comments stated in this report.
7. Specific language be included in the development agreement
regarding building facade renovation and requiring specific
City Council and /or Building Inspector approval.
8. A comprehensive signage plan is submitted and approved prior
to occupancy of any of the expansion area.
9. A grading and drainage plan and utility plan is submitted
and approved by the City Engineer.
10. Subject to the comments of other City staff.
CASE ANALYSIS
Land Use. The site is zoned B -2, General Business. The proposed
uses within the Mall expansion have been found to be permitted in
a B -2 District.
Setbacks. The Mall with its proposed expansion exceeds all the
required B -2 building setback requirements.
Grading and Drainage. The site currently has a significant
change in grade between the existing Mall and Osgood Avenue. The
applicant is proposing to take advantage of this grade change by
placing the two -story Herbergers Store at this location. The
accompanying parking lot grades in this area must be reviewed by
the City Engineer in a submitted grading and drainage plan to
ensure its conformance with City standards.
The site plan also indicates that a large portion of the site
will consist of building coverage or parking lot. This large
amount of impervious surface presents a concern of storm water
drainage, both during construction and after project completion.
The City Engineer should also comment upon this item in addition
to the general acceptability of the project with regards to storm
water drainage and erosion and sediment control.
Utilities. A utility plan is also required for submission to be
subject to the review of the City Engineer. In the previous 1987
PUD amendment, the property was subdivided into unit lots to
allow separate mortgages and ownership of the PUD. In that
instance, water service was provided to each lot by a separate
water connection with a shut -off valve to allow the City to shut
off individual service to a lot. This type of service should be
identified if it is to be provided in this Mall expansion.
Circulation. The Mall expansion will be receiving its access
from existing private drives within the PUD and from three new
curb cuts off of Osgood Avenue. These curb cuts will be subject
to the review of the County Highway Department and the City
Engineer. It should be noted that the number of curb cuts along
Osgood is being increased from one in the original PUD to three
now being proposed. The amount of lot frontage allows for three
curb cuts provided they are acceptable by the County and the City
Engineer. In addition, the northern two curb cuts exceed 24 feet
in width and will require to be accommodated via the provisions
of the PUD subject to the comments of the City Engineer.
The general circulation throughout the interior of the site has
been found to be acceptable with one exception. Painted no
parking areas have been proposed at the ends of the majority of
parking rows. To provide better definition and segregation
between the parking areas and the roadways, it is recommended the
striped no parking areas be replaced by concrete curbed islands
as illustrated in Exhibit D. In addition, it is recommended
that curbed islands are placed at the ends of parking rows that
contain no separation with the drive aisles. This
recommendation is also shown on Exhibit D. As a last item, it is
recommended these islands be landscaped in a compatible fashion
with the submitted landscaping plan.
Parking. As indicated earlier, the parking lot in combination
with the overall Mall size consumes a large area of the site.
The result is a minimal area devoted to green space and
landscaping. In an effort to reduce the visual impact of the
hard surfaces, it was recommended to install additional curbed
islands with landscaping throughout the parking lot. In
recognition of this recommendation, a few of the proposed parking
stalls will have to be eliminated. It is estimated 16 stalls
would be lost in providing the additional curbed islands as
recommended.
However, in review of the parking provided against that required
by Ordinance, it is found that an excess of parking exists which
may accommodate the reduction of spaces that is recommended.
Currently, the site plan indicates that 1,151 parking stalls will
be provided upon the ultimate expansion of the Herbergers. The
parking required, based upon the total floor area* of the Mall,
is 1,135 parking spaces. This requirement was calculated as
follows:
Allowable
Gross Floor Area Reduction Net Floor Area
252,297 square feet* - 10% = 227,067 square feet
Parking Calculation
227,067 square feet @ 200 sf /stall = 1,135 parking spaces
*Gross floor area excludes the original K -Mart store (55,552
square feet) which is owned by K -Mart and is not a part of the
Watson Center acquisition. Parking for the K -Mart is provided
independently from the Mall in the northwest portion of the site
(See Exhibit B). This parking lot meets all Ordinance
requirements.
The 16 space surplus that is provided in the plan could,
therefore, be utilized to accommodate the parking lot revisions
recommended in the previous section.
While the parking stall and drive aisle dimensions appear to
conform to Ordinance standards, due to the small scale of the
site plan the plan should indicate typical parking stall and
drive aisle sizes and perimeter curbing. The minimum stall size
required by Ordinance is 9' x 20' and the minimum drive aisle
width is 24 feet.
Landscaping. As mentioned previously, it is recommended the
additional curbed islands within the parking lot be landscaped in
a compatible fashion with the remainder of the landscape plan.
This becomes of particular importance in the south parking lot to
avoid this portion of the Mall from having "back side" appearance
and to improve its aesthetic appearance abutting the single
family homes to the south.
With regards,to the balance of the landscape plan, it has been
found to be acceptable and a desirable improvement to the Mall
property. The plant species and sizes are in accordance with
Code requirements. A last recommendation, however with regards
to landscaping, would be to have additional treatment be given to
• •
the green space between the small shop area on the east end of
the Mall and Osgood Avenue.
Loading. Two loading docks are proposed at the building's east
end on the lower level of Herbergers. This placement can be
accommodated via the provisions of the PUD provided Section
401.03.F.2.d is satisfactorily met. Review of the provisions of
this requirement find the loading berths to be acceptable as they
do not obstruct pedestrian or vehicular movements and contain
adequate maneuvering area to accommodate 55 foot semi - trailer
trucks. A condition we would recommend, however, would be to
stripe and sign "no parking" in the area immediately south of the
northern curb cut to keep the truck maneuvering area clear of
parked vehicles. In addition, it is recommended that all north
bound trucks using Osgood Avenue be required to use the center
curb cut to access Osgood. This is to avoid trucks required to
U -turn at the median break located across from the center curb
cut.
Trash Facility. It appears from the site plan that the trash
storage facility is to be located adjacent to the loading area.
If this is the case, the trash facility is in an acceptable
location provided it is specifically designated and signed and is
screened from all sides in a structure of compatible materials
with the Mall itself.
If the trash facility(s) is to be located in a different exterior
location, said placement must not obstruct the use of any parking
stalls or be in conflict with vehicular or pedestrian movements.
The trash facility must be contained within an enclosure built of
compatible materials with the principal structure and designated
on the site plan.
Architectural Design. It appears from the building elevations
that the recladding of the exterior of the facades will be a
significant improvement over the existing appearance of the Mall.
With the Mall being the "centerpiece" of the Oak Park Heights
commercial center, the City should strive to have the highest
quality materials and craftsmanship used in the Mall
renovations. As a means to ensure this, it is recommended
language be inserted into the development agreement that
specifies the building's exterior treatment is carried out
through an approved set of building plans. Said plans should
receive specific approval by the City Council or the City's
Building Inspector.
Signage. Prior to occupancy of any of the Mall expansion areas,
a comprehensive signage plan must be submitted in accordance with
Section 401.03.I of the Ordinance.
SUMMARY
The general improvement plans and expansions proposed within the
PUD amendment for the St. Croix Mall have been found to be
acceptable. Concerns do exist with regards to site circulation,
landscaping, lot coverage, etc., however, it appears these items
can be resolved through design modifications that would not
drastically alter the plans as submitted.
Because of this, our office is recommending a conditional
approval of the PUD amendment, subject to the conditions stated
in the "Executive Summary" of this report. It will be important
on the City's behalf that if the request receives approval, all
items of concern stated in this report, as well as those of the
City Attorney, City Engineer and other City staff are carefully
addressed in the PUD development agreement.
cc: LaVonne Wilson
Lyle Eckberg
Mark Vierling
Frank Leier
Joe Anderlik
Brad Henning
Arvid Elness Architects
/ St. Croix Mall
City of Oak Park Heights
PUD Application
Summary Statement
Watson Center Inc.'s proposed expansion and renovation of the St.
Croix Mall will include:
1) A 54,000 square foot two level Herbergers Store on the east
end of the mall.
2) 27,500 square feet of additional small shop space
connecting the Herbergers Store to the existing mall.
3) 8,600•square feet of small shop space on the lower level
of the Herberger's Store.
4) The existing St. Croix Mall will undergo a complete
renovation. Skylights will be added, lighting improved, and
air conditioning installed. As leases are renewed the
storefronts will be upgraded.
On-the outside we intend to reclad the exterior walls,
construct new entrances and add additional landscaping.
5) Additonal parking lot space will be provided and the
existing lots will be redesigned, sealcoated and restriped.
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