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Home My WebLink About07-11-12 WS Chair Clayton Larson 1245 W. Highway 96 Commissioners �RZN HILLS Arden Hills, MN 55112 Angela Hames �� 651.792.7800 Andrew Holewa www.ci.arden-hills.mmus Samuel Scott Arden Hills Roberta Thompson Clayton Zimmerman Planning Commission Janet Stodola (Alternate) Work Session July 11 , 2012 City Vision A strong community that values our unique environment, our fiscal soundness, and our tradition as a desirable city in which to live, work, and play. Agenda Regular Planning Commission Convenes 6:30 PM Call to Order— Role Call 1. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA 2. Discussion Items A. Zoning Discussion Study—Multi-family Design Standards 3. COMMENTS AND REPORTS A. Report from the City Council B. Planning Commission Comments C. Staff Comments 4. ADJOURNMENT A quorum of the City Council may be present at this meeting. Planning Cases are available online at: http://www.ci.arden-hills.mn.us/planningcases �- DEN HILLS MEMORANDUM DATE: July 11, 2012 PC Agenda Item 2.A TO: Planning Commission FROM: Meagan Beekman, City Planner SUBJECT: Zoning Study Discussion—Multi-Family Design Standards Requested Action Discuss the scope of work for the multi-family design standards zoning study. Provide Staff input on priorities and parameters for possible zoning code amendment. Backlzround At their June 25, 2012, regular meeting, the City Council approved a city-wide moratorium on multi-family dwelling units while the City conducts a zoning study to look at possible design standards. While the moratorium can last up to one year, the Council directed Staff to move forward quickly and bring forward any proposed zoning code amendments as soon as possible. Staff has begun researching multi-family design standards in other communities, but would like feedback from the Planning Commission on what items are of highest priority, and if there are specific areas of concern that should be focused on. Discussion Based on review of the City's regulations, as well as regulations in other communities, Staff has prepared a list of possible areas to be considered when drafting design standards for multi-family housing. The items provided by Staff are not exhaustive, and it would be helpful to know if there are items that have not been listed, but should be considered. Similarly, if there are items City of Arden Hills Planning Commission Work Session for July 11, 2012 P:Wlannin&lanning Cases12012Voning Code Amendment-Multi family HousingW-11-12- PC Memo-Multi family zoning study.doc Page 1 of 3 listed that the Planning Commission feels are not important, that should also be part of the discussion. • Minimum unit sizes—based on a preliminary review of other communities in the metropolitan area, cities that have minimum unit size requirements have regulations that range from 450 to 650 square feet. Some cities differentiate between efficiency units and other units in terms of their minimum sizes and some do not. • Windows—Staff has not been able to identify other cities that have a requirement that every unit have at least one window to the outside. The building code requires each living unit have a window to the outside or to a courtyard; however, courtyards are not clearly defined. Design standards could be written that define courtyards. • Parking requirements—Some cities have more nuanced regulations that consider the size of a residential unit when setting minimum parking requirements. One possibility would be to require a certain number of stalls per sleeping unit; for example, 1.25 or 1.5 stalls per bedroom. • Structured parking—Many cities require that at least one parking stall per unit be either covered or enclosed. Staff would like input on the difference between covered versus enclosed parking. • Lighting—The Arden Hills Zoning Code currently has maximum lighting requirements, but not minimum requirements. The Ramsey County Sheriff has recommendations for minimum lighting for commercial and multi-family residential properties. The City may want to consider adopting minimum standards to go along with the maximum standards that already exist. • Secured bicycle parking requirements—It is not clear if other communities have requirements for a certain number of secured bicycle parking spaces for multi-family residential, additional research is necessary. • Minimum indoor community space— Some communities have requirements related to a ratio of required community/shared space for number of units in the building. • Outdoor recreation areas—The B-2 District has requirements for outdoor gathering spaces; however, this is not a requirements in other districts. The City may want to consider requirements for outdoor recreation or gathering space for all multi-family housing developments. Next Steps Based on the discussion with the Planning Commission, Staff will begin drafting design standards for multi-family housing. Staff plans to identify key stakeholders that may have an City of Arden Hills Planning Commission Work Session for July 11, 2012 P:IPlanningOanning Cases12012Voning Code Amendment-Multi family HousingW-11-12- PC Memo-Multi family zoning study.doc Page 2 of 3 interest in the regulations and invite them to provide comments as the draft regulations are developed. Staff plans to bring draft regulations to the Planning Commission at the August 8, 2012, meeting for further direction and feedback. The draft regulations would then go to the City Council for additional discussion at a work session later in August. Provided discussions go well, and Staff is given clear feedback, a proposed ordinance amendment could go to the Planning Commission for formal review and a public hearing as early as September 5, 2012. Requested Action Discuss the scope of work for the multi-family design standards zoning study. Provide Staff input on priorities and parameters for possible zoning code amendment. City of Arden Hills Planning Commission Work Session for July 11, 2012 P:IPlanning0anning Cases120121Zoning Code Amendment-Multi family Housing107-11-12- PC Memo-Multi family zoning study.doc Page 3 of 3 'It ,-SR�EN HILLS MEMORANDUM DATE: July 11, 2012 PC Agenda Item 3.A TO: Planning Commission FROM: Meagan Beekman, City Planner SUBJECT: Report from the City Council June 25,2012,Regular Meeting The City Council voted unanimously to approve Planning 12-010 for a Site Plan Review at 4293 Lexington Avenue for an accessory six-stall garage. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of this item at their June 6,2012, meeting. The City Council voted unanimously to not approve Ordinance 2012-006 for a Zoning Code Amendment to remove multi-family housing as a permitted use in the B-2 District. The Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend denial of this item at their June 6, 2012, meeting. The City Council voted 3-2 (Tamble and Werner dissenting)to approve a city-wide one-year moratorium on multi-family dwelling units. The City Council voted unanimously to approve a Resolution of Support for the acquisition and remediation of TCAAP by Ramsey County. City of Arden Hills Planning Commission Meeting for July 11, 2012 PAPlanning\Planning Commission\CC Reports\07-11-12-PC report-CC report.doc Page 1 of 2