CCP 10-18-1994 - Laserfiche WebLink

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--------- . ..------ I ""i Arden Hills Business Park PUn Page 2 . BACKGROUND The land located in the northeast quadrant ofI-694 and I-35W (See Figure 1) benefits from great prominence and visibility and has excellent development potential. Public utilities, such as water and sanitary sewer are available and have more than adequate capacity to serve the property at full development. The land also benefits from the proximity of Round Lake and other natural amenities. The City and the Developer have also recognized significant obstacles to overcome if the site is to achieve its development potential. Both the current ownership pattern and the number of property owners present a compelling constraint to an efficient development pattern. Access control along both of the bordering interstate highways and the location of Round Lake greatly limit the access to the land. Beyond these physical considerations, this development process benefits greatly from the fact that the City of Arden Hills has carefully and completely studied the site and understands its assets and liabilities. Notably, the City has recognized that while its philosophy normally does not support public financial participation in development, without such participation this property will not develop in a timely manner and may not reach its full potential. The study also provided the opportunity for the City to fully explore and refine its objectives for this land. The Developer understands and agrees with these objectives and is committed to working cooperatively with the City to accomplish them. INTRODUCTION This narrative is intended to assist the City in its review of the preliminary PUD Concept Plan for . the Arden Hills Business Park. It begins with a brief overview of the property, its size, location and other factors affecting its development. It also includes a summary of its current access limitations and the potential for future access improvements. A very complete and detailed description of the area, its natural characteristics and development opportunities and constraints is contained in the ~ 35W & 694 Studv. This report will not duplicate or repeat that information. Rather, the majority of this report focuses on the purposes to be served by processing this development as a PUD. It explains the developer's intention to prepare a detailed Design Framework Manual and incorporate that manual into the PUD. This manual will include detailed design guidelines for all of the physical design features of the project, including: exterior building materials and architectural design, landscaping, signage, lighting, site amenities, and screening requirements for loading and service areas, trash handling, and utilities. By including the City in the process of completing this manual and incorporating it into the PUD, the Developer will be able to expedite the development process and provide both the City and the developer with a competitive advant!lge. The PUD also provides the flexibility to fully accomplish the purpose of the zoning ordinance, while allowing departure from the strict application of all of its standards. The areas where the need and benefits of flexibility have been identified are explained later in this document, along with a description of the justification for these departures and other mitigating considerations. Once again, it is important to remember that this information is presented to advance the dialogue between the City and the Developer and it is based on the preliminary information that is currently available. More detailed analysis may reveal the need for other considerations, or eliminate the need to request some others. .