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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-07-25 Council Work Session Agenda Packet CITY OF CORCORAN Council Work Session Agenda July 25, 2019 - 5:30 pm 1. Call to Order / Roll Call 2. Discussion of Residential Development Standards* 3. Unscheduled Items 4. Adjournment *Includes Materials - Materials relating to these agenda items can be found in the House Agenda Packet by Door. 105 South Fifth Avenue Suite 513 Minneapolis, MN 55401 Tel: 612-252-9070 www.landform.net Landform® and Site to Finish® are registered service marks of Landform Professional Services, LLC. TO: Corcoran City Council FROM: Kendra Lindahl, Landform DATE: July 17, 2019 for the July 25, 2019 City Council Work Session RE: City initiated Discussion of Residential Standards 1.Background In 2003, the first iteration of the Guidebook for Self-Tour of Residential Developments was developed for the City of Corcoran. This guidebook facilitated a driving tour of 11 residential developments within the Twin-Cities Metro Area. Users of the guidebook were asked to take note of the lot sizes, densities, setbacks and street widths within the different developments. This was important as the City had recently adopted the first Comprehensive Plan that included municipal sewer and water services and would lead to the first urban development. In 2019, City Council asked staff to update the Guidebook for Self-Tour of Residential Developments. This version of the guidebook focused specifically on low-to-medium density urban (sewered) single family residential development. The task was to determine how other communities are dealing with similar concerns of the City of Corcoran, mainly side yard setbacks, lot size and lot widths. The tour was updated to give the Council real world examples of a variety of residential developments with different densities and design constraints. At the May 23, 2019 Council meeting, staff present key issues and finding from the report. The Council asked for additional time to complete the tour and asked staff to schedule a Work Session for July 25th to discuss the outcomes and provide policy direction and next steps. 2.Analysis The overall intent of the driving tour was to gain an understanding of what other communities in the Twin-Cities Metro Area are approving in single-family development and neighborhood design and to gain a better understanding of how these neighborhoods look and feel by experiencing them firsthand. The Council should review the May 23rd packet in advance of the work session and be prepared to discuss the following: 1.Density expectations. The 2040 Comprehensive Plan preserves 2/3 of the City as Rural/Ag Residential, which allows one unit per 10 acres. In the urban areas, density varies depending on the district. The largest zoning district in the MUSA is the Low Density Residential district, which has remained the same as the 2030 density at 3-5 units per net acre. The Council asked staff to provide a summary of the average density of previously approved residential developments in the MUSA. A review of the data since 2014 shows and average density of 3.35 units per acre. Item 2. Guidebook for Self-Tour of Residential Developments Work Session July 25, 2019 2. Side yard setbacks. This is the issue that initiated the update to the guidebook. All of the recent urban developments in Corcoran have requested a 5-foot side yard setback as part of their PUD. This reduction from 15 feet between buildings to 10 feet has been a concern of some Council members. The May 23rd packet and guidebook provided an opportunity to review other city ordinances against Corcoran’s and visit real life examples of development with side yard setbacks ranging from 10 feet to 20 feet between buildings. 3. Lot width and size. Like side yard setbacks, some of the recent developments in Corcoran have requested flexibility from the minimum lot width and size requirements. 4. Residential Design Standards. Related to the lot size and lot width standards are Corcoran’s design standards for single family, which limit the garage face to no more than 55% of the front elevation. This has a significant impact on lot width and home size. This issue was discussed in the May 23rd packet. The Council has granted flexibility from this requirement in previous PUDs. 5. Planned Unit Developments. Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) are a negotiated zoning district. It can allow more creative development or a higher quality development in exchange for some flexibility from development standards. There has been recent Council discussion about some of the PUDs that the Council approved in the past. It may be helpful for the Council to discuss what standards they are willing to provide flexibility on or what standards they will not provide any flexibility on. Council may also wish to discuss what negotiated improvements to prioritize in exchange for flexibility such as public improvements, open space, or high-quality design and materials. 3. Summary The 2040 Comprehensive Plan commits to providing opportunities for low density (3-5 units per acre) single-family development in the City. It is the now the Council’s prerogative to approve development standards that will not only implement the Comprehensive Plan but will also reflect their vision for the City. Staff recommends that the City Council take the time to tour the developments highlighted in the Guidebook for Self-Tour of Residential Developments and to compare these developments with the zoning standards of their respective communities. Many cities in the Twin Cities Metro Area face the same development and density pressures as the City of Corcoran and have allowed development to occur in a manner that creates quality neighborhoods. We will prepare a presentation for the Work Session to help frame the issues and guide the discussion. 4. Action No Council action is requested. The Council should tour the developments and begin thinking about development standards that are important to implement the Comprehensive Plan and the City’s vision. The 2040 Comprehensive Plan is being reviewed by the Metropolitan Council and once approved, the City will have nine months to update the Zoning Map and Zoning Ordinance to implement the plan. This is the first step in the process to help the Council begin thinking about design priorities.