HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-09-16 Met Council Ltr. to OPHMetropolitan Co.x.tcil
September 16, 2005
Eric A. Johnson, Cit Administrator
Cit of Oak Park Hei
14168 Oak Park Blvd. P.O. Box 2007
Oak Park Hei MN 55082
RE: Ackerman Propert Grove Gardens Land Use Chan
Comprehensive Plan Amendment — Administrative Review
Metropolitan Council Review File No, 19057-6
Metropolitan Council District 12, Chris Geor
I.
On no-
On September 6., 2005 the Metropolitan Council received the Cit proposed
comprehensive plan amendment chan the land use desi of 3.7 acres
immediatel east of Oal g reen Avenue off 5 81h Street from Residential Business
Transitional to Medium Densit Residential. Under the proposal 26 townhomes would
be built on the site.
The Metropolitan Council has identified certain t of local comprehensive plan
amendments that ma be reviewed b Council staff without further formal review b the
g overnin g bod of the Council. These criteria include coinformancc with re
s consistenc with Council policies, and a commitment b the communit to
address previous comprehensive plan review issues raised b the Metropolitan Council.
Council staff applied the Council's plan review waiver criteria to this amendment and
finds that the amendment is in conformance with metropolitan s plans, 'consistent
with the 2030 Re Development Framework, and has no impact on the plans of
other units of local g overnment. Therefore, the Cit ma place this amendment into
effect. Council staff offers two su for y our consideration before permittin this
development to g o forward:
The Cit staff Plannin Report attached to the Information Summar notes that
access wi 11 be via a cul-de-sac off of oak seen Avenue and that there should be
further review of the drivewa la from an emer access perspective.
"iven the site's proximit to H _36-' and the expecteod level of commercial
traffic on Oak Avenue, it would be advisable for the Cit en to also
review site access plans in terms of how d L irect drivewa access to Oak
affects traffic safet and flow.
The Cit Plannin Report also notes that the developers will attempt to preserve
as man si trees as possible per the Cit Tree Preservation Ordinance.
Implementin the terms of the ordinance is ver commendable, and this will be
especiall important on the northeast portion of the site. Preservin the lar
stand of trees in this area and dedicatin the area as Cit open space/parkland
would be consistent with adjacent land Uses, P lus it would encompass and protect
the small wetland in the vicinit
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Page Two
Eric A. Johnson
September 16, 2005
The amendment and its informatioii submission form will be appended to Oak . Park
eIglits' comprehensive plan in the Council's files and used to update Council
ge gra hle information files. If you have any questions about this review, please contact
Bob Ma ante, Principal Reviewer/Sector Representative,, e, at 651-602-1330 or at
b. nia z, , ciii ec %,metc, state . m n . u
Sinceii- ly,
kt
hyllis aiison, Manager
oc cAe'I'lanning Assistance
cc: Cris G or acas, Metropolitan Counc t District 1
Bob Ma anc , Principal Revie- r octor Representative
Cheryl Olsen, Reviews Coordinator
Solveig Berg, GIS Specialist
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