02-25-13 Agenda Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION JANUARY 22, 2013 4 Community Development Director Hutmacher noted that at previous meetings, discussions regarding landscaping ideas on this parcel included ideas for structures or a gazebo. She stated that structures require frost footings and she questioned whether the Council would like to eliminate structures from the menu of landscaping options. Councilmember Holden stated that the parcel is not a large area, and she is not in favor of putting improvements there that will draw people to the property because of accessibility issues. She also noted that she does not want anything that requires footings to be constructed on the site because it increases potential liability. The consensus among the Council is that they do not want to consider site improvements on the triangle parcel that include structures. B.Discussion on Multi-Family Design Standards City Planner Beekman stated that the Council approved a City-wide moratorium on multi-family dwelling units at its June 25, 2012, regular meeting. She explained that the moratorium allowed time for the City to conduct a zoning study to review design standards. City Planner Beekman noted that the Planning Commission met in work session on July 11, 2012, and reviewed the scope of work for the zoning study. They provided direction to staff on items they considered to be high priority. She explained that recommendations from the League order for staff to prepare draft regulations of design standards for multi-family dwelling units. City Planner Beekman stated that the Planning Commission met again in work session on August 8, 2012, and they reviewed the draft regulations and provided comments to staff. City Planner Beekman indicated that the revised draft regulations were presented to the City Council at their August 20, 2012, work session. She noted that the Council provided additional input for revisions and directed staff to move forward with a Planning Commission review and public hearing at their September 5, 2012, meeting. City Planner Beekman stated that the City Council adopted regulations as presented by staff at their September 24, 2012, meeting. She noted that the regulations required new multi-family dwelling units to be approved through a conditional use permit (CUP) process, and certain design standards would be set up as criteria (such as requiring a minimum unit size of 600 square feet for efficiency units, with an additional 100 square feet for each bedroom included in the unit) for the CUP review. Mayor Grant noted that Councilmember Holden had a concern regarding design standards for new structures. Councilmember Holden expressed her concern of small living spaces. She explained that a one- person efficiency would be a minimum of 600 square feet, but as many as eight people could potentially live in a four-bedroom unit. At 1,000 square feet in size, that leaves 125 square feet