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ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION –JUNE 19, 20132 <br />Community Development Intern Bachler explained Roberts Development Company owns the <br />industrial warehouse building at 3771 Lexington Avenue that has been converted to retail use, as <br />well as the property at 1120 Red Fox Road. They recently closed on the former Blue Fox <br />property at 3833 Lexington Avenue, which consists of two parcels. The company is in the <br />process of platting the property to merge the two parcels together. The applicant is proposing a <br />multi-phased redevelopment at the southwest corner of Red Fox Road and Lexington Avenue <br />that would include all four parcels. In total, 7.57 acres would be included in the redevelopment <br />project. <br />Project Description <br />Community Development Intern Bachler indicated Phase I would include the demolition of the <br />Blue Fox Restaurant and the construction of an approximately 15,000 square foot retail building <br />for up to nine tenants. Two of the larger retail bays have been designed to accommodate <br />restaurant users. The site plan includes a drive-up window located on the northern side of the <br />building and outdoor seating areas in front of the two restaurant bays. The primary building <br />façade would be oriented to the west towards what will become a larger retail center in Phase II <br />and Phase III. As part of Phase I, the applicant is proposing to remove the three access driveways <br />on the Blue Fox property. The Phase I building would share the driveways currently providing <br />access to 3771 Lexington Avenue and 1120 Red Fox Road. <br />Community Development Intern Bachler stated Phase II of the Master PUD development would <br />include a remodeling of the existing building at 1120 Red Fox Road. The building would be <br />reoriented to face east towards the Phase I building. Additional parking would be constructed for <br />this phase as well. The building is currently used as office and light manufacturing space and the <br />applicant intends to repurpose the building for retail uses. <br />For Phase III, the existing building at 3771 Lexington Avenue would be demolished and three <br />new buildings would be constructed on the lot. Two of these buildings would be two-stories with <br />retail uses on the main floor and office uses above. The third building would be single-story with <br />all retail tenants. During Phase III, the applicant has proposed removing the existing driveway <br />access at 3771 Lexington Avenue and adding a new curb cut entrance at the southern end of this <br />property directly across from the Target southern drive access. Ramsey County would condition <br />this new access on the installation of necessary traffic control at the intersection. <br />Community Development Intern Bachler explained the applicant is also requesting Preliminary <br />Plat approval for the site. Currently, the area that would comprise Phase I of the development is <br />divided between two separate parcels: 3833 and 3831 Lexington Avenue. The site is being <br />replatted in order to combine these two parcels. No subdivisions are taking place. <br />Planned Unit Development (PUD) Process <br />Community Development Intern Bachler commented the Planned Unit Development process is a <br />tool that provides additional flexibility for development that an underlying zoning district would <br />not otherwise allow. For example, a PUD may make exceptions to setbacks, lot coverage, <br />parking requirements, signage, building materials, or landscaping requirements. It is intended to <br />overcome the limitations of zoning regulations and improve the overall design of a project. <br />While the PUD process allows the City to negotiate certain aspects of the development, any <br />conditions imposed on the PUD must have a rational basis related to the impacts of the <br /> <br />