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ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION – March 9, 2011 2 <br /> <br />3.A. Planning Case 11-004; Concept Plan Review; Pulte Development Group; 4500 Snelling <br />Avenue North – Not a Public Hearing (continued) <br /> <br />subdivide the property located at 4500 Snelling Avenue North into 39 single-family lots. <br />Staff is requesting direction from the Planning Commission on whether a PUD <br />application that includes wetland setbacks in exchange for reduced front yard setbacks <br />would be something Staff should request the applicant to submit. She provided <br />additional background information. <br /> <br />City Planner Beekman stated when there is a conflict between a city’s comprehensive <br />plan and a zoning code, the city is required to amend the zoning code to comply with the <br />comprehensive plan, unless the city approves an amendment to the comprehensive plan. <br />The Metropolitan Council must approve all comprehensive plan amendments. Staff has <br />been in communication with the City’s Sector Representative at the Metropolitan Council <br />regarding this property. The Sector Representative has indicated that the Metropolitan <br />Council could be supportive of a Comprehensive Plan Amendment that would allow the <br />City to reduce the minimum density required on property guided for Low Density <br />Residential given the higher density that is anticipated on the TCAAP property. <br /> <br />Chair Larson opened the floor to Commissioner comments. <br /> <br />Chair Larson asked what would be considered the normal wetland buffer in the City. <br /> <br />City Planner Beekman stated the city does not have established wetland setbacks. The <br />City may be interested in negotiating with the developer for greater wetland setbacks in <br />exchange for reduced front yard setbacks and reduced right-of-way width. This would <br />allow the developer to build homes closer to the road and move the homes further away <br />from the wetlands. The City could then extend its easement area over these areas to <br />create wetland buffers. Other benefits that are created by this sort of flexibility would <br />include additional tree preservation since trees in rear yards are more likely to be <br />preserved than trees in front yards. This would create lots with larger back yards and <br />smaller front yards. Moving the homes closer to the road would create an average of a <br />20-foot wetland buffer versus no buffer which would exist under the current plan. <br /> <br /> <br />Mr. Marv McDaris, Division President for Pulte Group, stated Pulte Group supports the <br />proposal being presented to the Planning Commission at this time. In order to meet the <br />Comprehensive Plan a higher density would have been required but this would not have <br />met the code requirements of the City. The current plan meets all of the City’s code <br />requirements and Pulte would make every effort to save as many trees as possible. The <br />plan does allow for additional trees to be planted, replacing the trees that would need to <br />be removed. The current proposal allows for a 20-foot structure setback from the <br />wetlands but Pulte is willing to look at this if that is the direction give by the Planning <br />Commission. He requested additional feedback from the Council regarding the road <br />connection at Keithson Drive.