8C, Planning Case 12-001 and or Moratorium on Multi-family Housing

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Draft Planning Commission Minutes, dated June 6, 2012 Planning Case 12-011— Zoning Code Amendment; City of Arden Hills; B-2 District — Public Hearing City Planner Meagan Beekman reviewed the Planning Commission is requested to consider approval of Planning Case 12-011 to Amend Section 1325.05 and 1320.06 of — - the Zoning Code to remove Multi=family Dwellings as a permitted use in the-B-2 District; - as presented in the report to the Planning Commission. City Planner Meagan Beekman stated at the March 19, 2012, joint work session the City Council and the Planning Commission discussed several possible zoning code amendments as part of the Planning Commission's 2012 work plan. At that meeting, Staff was directed to proceed with a review of the B-2 District design standards and possible revisions that would ensure that the Zonirig Code was adequately regulating development in line with the Guiding Plan for the B-2 District. It was discussed at the meeting that several developments have occurred, or been proposed, since October of 2008, when the Guiding Plan and subsequent Zoning Code Amendments for the B-2 District, were put into place. The direction given to Staff was to review land use applications since 2008, and the Zoning Code, to ensure that the design standards reflect the City's vision for the B-2 District. Staff has begun this work and anticipates proposed Zoning Code amendments in the coming months. City Planner Meagan Beekman reviewed simultaneous to the review of design standards in the B-2 District, the City Council has also moved forward with Phase I of developing an implementation plan for the public improvements proposed to create a more pedestrian and bicycle friendly environment, as well as traffic management solutions that will improve the traffic flow and function of County Road E. The City has contracted with engineering firm Bolton and Menk to assist with this process, and the Council has appointed a Corridor Advisory Committee, consisting of area business and property owners to provide recommendations to the Council. Bolton and Menk are scheduled to submit their fnal implementation plan this fall. City Planner Meagan Beekman stated the Guiding Plan for the B-2 District envisions a walkable downtown area in Arden Hills that is distinct, with a sense of arrival and destination that is unique in the community. The Guiding Plan identifies principals for the B-2 District that include allowing greater intensity of land uses in order to create a sense of place. As part of the process of developing the Guiding Plan the City had a traffic study done to identify how much development was possible along County Road E, and what traffic management improvements would be necessary to accommodate additional intensity of use. The traffic study found that current left turns onto County Road E could function, though with extended wait times, in the short-term, but that as traffic increased in the area the left turn waits could become an impediment to development and negatively impact property values. The traffic study indicated that some traffic management improvements would be necessary in order to accommodate additional intensity of land uses, and recommended the addition of a traffic signal