HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-12-30 Planning Report (no exhibits) •
NAC NORTHWEST ASSOCIATED CONSULTANTS, INC.
4800 Olson Memorial Highway, Suite 202, Golden Valley, MN 55422
Telephone: 763.231.2555 Facsimile: 763.231.2561 planners@nacplanning.com
PLANNING REPORT
TO: Eric Johnson
FROM: Scott Richards
DATE: December 30, 2008
RE: Oak Park Heights — City Hall and Public Works Facility:
Application for Conditional Use Permits, Site Plan Review, and
Design Guidelines Review
FILE NO: 798.04 — 08.03
BACKGROUND
Randy Engel, representing Buetow and Associates, has made application on behalf of
the City of Oak Park Heights for the construction of a new City Hall building and
expansion of the Public Works facility. The application consists of requests for a
conditional use permit for open and outdoor storage, a conditional use for proof of
parking, a conditional use permit for building height, site plan, and Design Guidelines
review. The project is to be completed in two phases, the first to construct the City Hall
and Public Works expansions, outdoor storage areas, and associated driveway. The
second phase would involve demolition of the existing City Hall building and
construction of the entry driveway, traffic circle, and much of the parking adjacent to the
new building.
The property is zoned 0, Open Space Conservation in which city halls and their
accessory structures and uses are a listed permitted use.
Attached for reference:
Exhibit 1: Plan Cover Sheet (A0.0)
Exhibit 2: Boundary and Topographic Survey (02.01)
Exhibit 3: Demolition Plan (C1)
Exhibit 4: Paving Plan (C2)
Exhibit 5: Grading Plan (C3)
Exhibit 6: Erosion Control Plan (C4)
Exhibit 7: Utility Plan (C5)
Exhibit 8: Engineering Details (C6)
Exhibit 9: Engineering Details (C7)
Exhibit 10: Landscape Plan (L1.0)
Exhibit 11: Site Plan (A1.0)
Exhibit 12: City Hall Existing Floor Plan (A2.0)
Exhibit 13: City Hall Proposed Lower Level Floor Plan (A2.1)
Exhibit 14: City Hall Proposed Main Level Floor Plan (A2.2)
Exhibit 15: City Hall Proposed Roof Plan (A2.3)
Exhibit 16: Public Works Proposed Floor Plan (A2.4)
Exhibit 17: Public Works Proposed Roof Plan (A2.5)
Exhibit 18: City Hall Exterior Elevations (A3.0)
Exhibit 19: City Hall Exterior Elevations (A3.1)
Exhibit 20: Public Works Exterior Elevations (A3.2)
Exhibit 21: Lighting Plan (EP1)
Exhibit 22: Comments of the City Arborist
Exhibit 23: Comments of the City Engineer
PROPOSED PROJECT
The City Council, in May 2008, passed a resolution authorizing the issuance of bonds to
fund the construction of a new City Hall facility which will replace the 35 year old
building located at 14168 Oak Park Boulevard. A Citizens Advisory Committee was
appointed by the City Council to look at options and provide recommendations on the
building and facility needs of the City.
The project architect, Buetow and Associates, and the project engineer, Larson
Engineering, have provided site and building plans for review. The project will require a
conditional use permit for open and outdoor storage, for building height, for proof of
parking, as well as site plan and Design Guidelines review. The footprint of the new
City Hall will include 13,640 square feet on the first floor and 11,697 square feet on the
lower level. It will include offices for City Administration and the Police Department,
meeting space, a Council chambers, storage space, and garage space in the lower
level. The Public Works garage will be expanded to a 5,996 square foot facility. The
existing City Hall will be demolished. Of that building, a 484 square foot water pump
house will remain.
The site and grounds will be updated with new parking, trails, and landscaping. A
Public Works storage area and a City impound lot will be located at the west side of the
site and are to be totally enclosed by fence and landscaping.
ISSUES ANALYSIS
Comprehensive Plan. The Proposed Land Use Map of the 2008 Comprehensive Plan
indicates the City Hall property and the area to the north as Government Facilities. The
map and the Comprehensive Plan were adopted by the City Council at its December
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23, 2008 meeting. The new City Hall and Public Works facility improvements will be
conforming with the Comprehensive Plan.
Zoning. The City Hall and surrounding open areas are zoned 0, Open Space
Conservation. Municipal structures and buildings, as well as parks and recreational
facilities, are a listed permitted use. The Public Works facility and water pump house
are existing accessory structures on site.
Area and Building Size Requirements.
City Hall Property — 0, Open Space Conservation
Required Lot Area Existing Lot Area
5 acres 17.8 acres
Required Lot Width Existing Lot Width
200 feet 200 feet + ++
Required Building Height Proposed Building Height
35 feet Main Structure — 24 feet
Rotunda — 40 feet
City Hall Property — 0, Open Space Conservation
SETBACKS — CITY HALL
Required Front Yard Proposed Front Yard
50 feet City Hall — NA
Required Side Yard Proposed Side Yard
30 feet 30 feet + ++ on all sides
Required Rear Yard Proposed Rear Yard
50 feet 300 feet ++
SETBACKS - ACCESSORY BUILDING — PUBLIC WORKS GARAGE
Required Side Yard Proposed Side Yard
5 feet 35 feet (west)
Required Rear Yard Proposed Rear Yard
8 feet 400 feet ++
SETBACKS — PUBLIC WORKS STORAGE AND CITY IMPOUND LOT
Required Side Yard Proposed Side Yard
10 feet Public Works Storage — 20 feet
City Impound Lot — 23 feet
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The new City Hall building, the addition to the Public Works facility, the Public Works
storage, and City impound lot will meet all Zoning Ordinance setback requirements.
Parking. City halls are considered as office buildings for the purpose of calculating
parking requirements. The Zoning Ordinance requires "three (3) spaces plus at least
one space for each two hundred (200) square feet of floor area."
Main Level 13,640 square feet
Lower Level (Parking
Area Subtracted) 11,697 square feet
Total 25,337 square feet
25,337 X .9 = 22,803 _ 200 = 114 + 3 = 117 parking spaces required
The site plan indicates the following parking to be provided:
Surface Parking 56 stalls
Parking Garage 8 stalls
Proof of Parking 54 stalls
Parking Stalls Provided 118 stalls
Section 401.15.F.9.00 of the Zoning Ordinance allows the City Council to approve a site
plan with proof of parking by conditional use permit. The site plan indicates the area
that has been reserved for the 54 stalls of proof of parking. If the stalls are needed in
the future, the parking area can be expanded to meet the demand at that time.
The site would require five accessible parking stalls. The site plan indicates five
accessible stalls, all of which are van accessible.
Open and Outdoor Storage. Open and outdoor storage is allowed as a conditional
use permit in the Zoning Ordinance. The City impound lot will be located on the west
side of the City Hall site. It will be enclosed with an eight foot solid fence constructed of
a Trex composite wood. The area will be 72 feet by 65 feet and accessed by a gate on
the south side. The Public Works storage area is located to the south of the impound
lot and is proposed to be 40 feet by 74 feet. It will also be enclosed with an eight foot
solid fence. The gate would face east. Both of the enclosure areas would be
landscaped, especially to the west, adjacent to the existing Pine Grove Garden
development. Additionally, there are existing trees that will provide screening,
especially for the Public Works storage area.
City staff has reviewed the list of conditions for a conditional use permit found in Section
401.03.A.7 of the Zoning Ordinance and finds no adverse effects of granting the
conditional use permit for the open storage areas. The areas will be adequately
screened by a solid fence, existing trees and landscaping.
Site Access /Trails. The site will be accessed via Oak Park Boulevard, a two -way
street, and west bound only from O'Brien Avenue just as it is today. Vehicles entering
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the site will be able to enter a parking area and the City Hall from both access points
from a traffic circle. The Public Works facility and the lower level of the City Hall would
be accessed off a separate entrance off of Oak Park Boulevard. The City Hall is
provided with a main parking area and another traffic circle which allows for disability
parking, short term parking, and a drop off area. The driveways and turnaround area
design shall be subject to review and approval of the Police Chief and Fire Marshal.
Trail access through the site will be re- routed to accommodate the new building, parking
areas, and driveways. The trail from Oak Park Boulevard will extend through the site to
the east side and up to the existing trail. A trail access will also be provided to the Pine
Grove Garden neighborhood to the west. A sidewalk will extend from the front of City
Hall, to the drop off area, the parking area, and to the rear of the Public Works building.
Impervious Surface /Rain Garden / Stormwater. The total impervious surface
coverage of the site after construction will be 15 percent. A large rain garden is
incorporated into the drainage plan and it will be located just to the west of the City Hall
building. The stormwater plan for the project is subject to review and approval of the
City Engineer and the Middle St. Croix Watershed Management Organization.
Utilities. A utility plan has been submitted and shall be subject to review and approval
of the City Engineer.
Trash /Generator Enclosure. The trash /generator enclosure servicing the City Hall
and Public Works would be located on the north side of the Public Works garage. The
enclosure would be constructed of the same brick as is used on the garage and on City
Hall. Metal gates would be provided on both the west and north sides.
City staff suggests that the enclosure be moved approximately five feet to the west in
order to allow landscaping on the east side of the enclosure. This may depend on the
location of a fiber optic line in this area. The landscaping would reduce the visual
impact of the enclosure from the City Hall and parking area.
Lighting Plans.
Fixtures. The submitted photometric plan indicates 14 freestanding fixtures on 16 foot
poles with 36 inch concrete bases. A final fixture design has not been determined, but it
will likely be a hat box or shoe box design that is fully cut off. City staff suggests
eliminating the 36 inch concrete bases wherever possible, by placing the fixtures further
from the curb and using taller poles if necessary. The maximum height above the
ground grade permitted for light sources mounted on a pole is 25 feet.
Lighting is also proposed under the soffit of the building. The final design of these lights
and their locations have not been determined but the fixtures will be fully recessed.
Intensity. The submitted photometric plan meets the Zoning Ordinance requirements
for lighting intensity.
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Location. The ordinance requires the light source of an outdoor light fixture to be set
back a minimum of five feet from an interior side lot line. All of the proposed fixture
locations would meet this requirement.
Hours. Outdoor lighting for parking lots shall be turned off one hour after closing,
except for approved security lighting.
Landscape Design. The landscape plan shall be subject to approval by the City
Arborist. The comments of the City Arborist are found as Exhibit 22. In addition to
those comments, please find comments of City staff:
Rain Garden. The rain garden element is an effective way to treat stormwater runoff in
addition to educating the public. These gardens are not only aesthetically pleasing but
functional as well. This might be a great opportunity to add an interpretive signage
element that outlines educational and interesting rain garden /stormwater facts.
Traffic Circles. The two traffic circles give opportunity for a vertical element, whether
that be landscaped or public art. According to AASHTO Roundabout Design
Guidelines, center landscaping is an important part of a roundabout design to provide
visual awareness of the traffic circle. The available space in the center would allow for
perhaps a hardy ornamental tree and shrubs, flag pole or public art piece, or any
combination of all three.
Bollards. The traffic circle bollards could be enhanced aesthetically from the currently
specified concrete filled tubes. There are several examples of "off the shelf" catalog
bollards that include interesting metal work in a variety of colors and shapes.
Trash Enclosure. The trash enclosure located south of the rain garden could be shifted
to the left to allow additional space for landscaped elements in front of the trash
enclosure wall. This would screen an otherwise vertical blank trash enclosure wall.
Signs. The building plans indicate only one wall sign at the front of the City Hall
building. The sign reads" City of Oak Park Heights" and is a total of 25 square feet.
The signage for a public facility in the 0 District is not allowed to exceed 60 square feet.
The sign will be lilt with ground mounted directional fixtures in accordance with the
Zoning Ordinance standards.
Additional directional signage may be added to the Public Works building. When
proposed, the signage shall be subject to approval of City staff. The City may also
decide to add additional directional signage at the first traffic circle to direct vehicles to
the City Hall and the parking areas.
Building Type and Construction.
Quality. The proposed City Hall building meets the quality standards of the ordinance,
which states that buildings in all zoning districts shall maintain a high standard of
architectural and aesthetic compatibility with surrounding properties to ensure that they
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will not adversely impact the property values of the abutting properties or adversely
impact the public health, safety, and general welfare.
Colored building elevations will be provided at the Planning Commission and City
Council meetings. The exhibits, as attached, provide detailed elevations with all of the
material types identified.
Exterior Finishes. The exterior of the City Hall structure will feature a stone veneer at
the front entrance with a majority of the building covered in brick. A rotunda feature will
emphasize the front entrance. There is significant detailing in the brick and around the
windows that breaks up the larger facades. The windows will be a pre- finished
aluminum window system and the roof a metal standing seamed system.
The final exterior colors of the building have not been finalized, but the initial material
selections have been neutral colors that are consistent with the Design Guidelines. All
exterior colors will be subject to review and approval of the City Council. The Public
Works garage and the water pump house are to be resurfaced in the same brick as
used for the City Hall.
Mechanical Equipment. All of the mechanical equipment for the City Hall and Public
Works facility shall be enclosed in the building structures or enclosed by screening
walls.
Building Height. For principal buildings (City Hall), the building height maximum
allowed in the 0 District is 35 feet. For accessory buildings (Public Works), the building
height is 17 feet with the approval of the Building Official. The main City Hall building
will be 24 feet in height when measured from the medium building elevation at the
ground to the mid point of the gabled roof. The building height measurement is
compliant with the Zoning Ordinance. The rotunda is 40 feet to the peak of the roof
from the medium building elevation. The Zoning Ordinance requires a conditional use
permit if a structural element of the building exceeds the maximum height of the building
by more than five feet. The rotunda element is about eight feet above the ridge of the
building and 16 feet above the measured height of the building. A conditional use
permit is required for the rotunda element. City staff has reviewed the requested
building heights in light of the requirements for a conditional use permit found in Section
401.03.A.7 of the Zoning Ordinance, and finds no adverse impact of granting the
conditional use permit for the building height.
The additions to the Public Works building will be 16 feet in height. The existing water
pump house is 11 feet in height. There are no height issues with either of the accessory
buildings.
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RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION
Based upon the preceding review, City staff recommends approval of the conditional
use permits for open and outdoor storage, for proof of parking, for building height as
well as approvals of the site plan and Design Guidelines review subject to the following:
1. The City Council shall approve the final materials and colors of the fencing and
gates for the City impound lot and the Public Works storage area.
2. The driveways and traffic circle design shall be subject to review and approval of
the Police Chief and Fire Marshal.
3. The stormwater plan for the project shall be subject to review and approval of the
City Engineer and the Middle St. Croix Watershed Management Organization.
4. The utility plan shall be subject to review and approval of the City Engineer.
5. The trash /generator enclosure shall be moved approximately five feet to the west
in order to allow additional landscaping. The final location of the enclosure is
subject to the location of a fiber optic line.
6. The City Council shall approve the final fixture design for the parking lot lights.
The concrete base heights shall be minimized to less than one foot in height.
7. The City Council shall consider options for the two traffic circle islands, including
trees, landscaping, flag poles, or public art piece.
8. The traffic circle bollards shall be of a decorative design.
9. The City Council shall determine the final building design, materials and color
selection.
10. The landscape plans shall be subject to review and approval of the City Arborist.
11. Any additional signage proposed for the site or buildings shall be subject to
review and approval of City staff.
12. Any other conditions of the Planning Commission, City Council, and City staff.
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