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Home My WebLink About08-08-12-WS Chair Clayton Larson 1245 W. Highway 96 Commissioners Arden Hills, MN 55112 Angela Harries EN HILLS 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 August 8, 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 Immediately Following Regular Meeting Call to Order—Role Call 1. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA 2. Discussion Items A. Planning Case 12-014- Multi-Family Dwelling Design Standards Discussion 3. COMMENTS AND REPORTS A. Planning Commission Comments B. 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/planninqcases EN HILLS MEMORANDUM DATE: August 8, 2012 PC Agenda Item 2.A TO: Planning Commission FROM: Meagan Beekman, City Planner SUBJECT: Zoning Study Discussion—Multi-Family Design Standards Requested Action Review draft design standards and provide feedback and direction to Staff. Background 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. At their July 11, 2012, work session, the Planning Commission reviewed the scope of work for the design standards study and provided direction to Staff on high priority items. Staff has since prepared draft regulations of design standards for multi-family dwellings in the City (Attached). Discussion Based on the Planning Commission's July 11, 2012, discussion, Staff has prepared a draft ordinance that addresses multi-family design standards. The regulations include items related to the following: • Added definition for kitchen facility • Added definition for Court City of Arden Hills Planning Commission Work Session for August 8, 2012 P:IPlanningWIanning Cases1201 ZZoning Code Amendment-Multi family Housing107-11-12- PC Memo-Multi family zoning study.doc Page 1 of 3 • Added definition for Enclosed parking • Minimum units sizes • Participation in the Ramsey County Sheriff's Crime Free Multi-housing Program, which would include submission of a security plan and lighting plan. • Access to natural light • Parking requirements • Common area requirements — minimum common area space would be based on a percentage of minimum required lot area, similar to the park dedication requirement. • Percentage of efficiency apartments allowed within a specific development • Minimum bike parking requirements • Window covering requirements — Staff was not able to identify any other cities that regulate the aesthetics of window treatments. Staff has sent a copy of the draft regulations to the City's Attorney, as well as the League of Minnesota Cities to get feedback. While the League has not yet responded to the inquiry, the City Attorney has reviewed the regulations and does not have any immediate concerns at this time with any of the draft language. At their July work session, the Planning Commission requested market information on rental vacancy rates in the metro area based on unit sizes. Staff has not been able to find any official market studies that would include this information. Staff was able to find newspaper articles about the rental market in the Twin Cities, all of which describe a booming rental market, with high demand for all unit types. Staff was not able to find any documented information about crime rates in rental housing as they relate to unit size; however, Staff has asked the Ramsey County Sheriff to comment on this topic. Items not addressed in the proposed regulations include: • Distinguishing between senior and regular units in terms of different requirements for each. • Additional interior unit requirements such as dishwashers, ceiling fans, air conditioners, etc. • Penalties to property owners for falling out of compliance with the Crime Free Multi- housing Program. Staff hopes to gather additional information about this issue from the Ramsey County Sheriff's Department Additional discussion may be required on these items. City of Arden Hills Planning Commission Work Session for August 8, 2012 P:IPlanningWIanning Cases120121Zoning Code Amendment-Multi family Housing107-11-12- PC Memo-Multi family zoning study.doc Page 2 of 3 Next Steps Based on the discussion with the Planning Commission, Staff will revise the draft regulations. Staff then intends to send out copies of the draft regulations to identified stakeholders for comment and feedback. The draft regulations will then go to the City Council for a work session discussion on August 20, 2012. 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 Review draft design standards and provide feedback and direction to Staff. Attachments Draft Revisions to Sections 1305.04, 1325.05, and 1325.06 of the Arden Hills Zoning Code City of Arden Hills Planning Commission Work Session for August 8, 2012 P:IPZanning0anning Cases12012IZoning Code Amendment-Multi family HousingW-11-12- PC Memo-Multi family zoning study.doc Page 3 of 3 City of Arden Hills Chapter 13 Zoning Code Section 1325 - General Regulations 1305.04 Definitions. Subd. 45 Cooking Facilities. Any room or portion of a room principally used, intended, or designed to be used for cooking or the preparation of food. In addition to the requirements of the Minnesota State Building Code, a cooking facility shall include a range, oven, and minimum ten (10) cubic foot refrigerator/freezer. Subd. 47 Court. An uncovered area partly or wholly enclosed by buildings or walls and used primarily for supplying access to natural light to abutting buildings. Subd. 70 Enclosed Parking. A structure used for the storage of a vehicle which must be covered and completely enclosed by walls or doors on four sides. 1325.05 Design Standards Subd. 7.5 Design Standards for Multi-family Dwelling Units. A. Minimum Unit Size. six hundred (600) square foot minimum floor area for efficiency apartment units, plus one hundred (100) square feet for each additional bedroom. Garages, breezeways, hallways, balconies, and porch floor spaces shall not be credited in determining the required floor area of units. B. Crime Free Multi-housing Program. Owners and operators of multi- family dwellings created after October 1, 2012, shall maintain participation in the Ramsey County Sheriff's Crime Free Multi- housing Program. Participation shall include: 1. A complete security plan submitted at the time of the development proposal, subject to the approval of the Ramsey County Sheriff's Department 2. Implementation and maintenance of a photometric plan which is in compliance with the recommendation of the Ramsey County Sheriff's Department. Compliance with this requirement shall be in addition to any maximum lighting requirements, as described elsewhere in the City's Zoning Code. C. Access to Natural Light. Each dwelling unit shall have a glazed opening for access to natural light facing directly to the outdoors or a court. Section 1325—General Regulations DRAFT—Last Revised: 07-17-12 City of Arden Hills Chapter 13 Zoning Code D. Parking. A minimum of one enclosed parking stall shall be assigned to each dwelling unit. Enclosed parking structures shall be attached to at least one of the principal structures to which parking is being provided. E. Common Area. At least ten (10) percent of the required minimum lot area of each multi-family dwelling site shall contain a combination of usable indoor and outdoor common space which shall primarily be used by residents of the development for the purposes of leisure activities. F. Efficiency Apartments. Except for senior citizen housing, the number of efficiency apartments in a multiple dwelling shall not exceed ten(10)percent of the total number of apartments. In the case of senior citizen housing, efficiency apartments shall not exceed twenty five (25) percent of the total number of apartments. G. Bicycle Parking. A minimum of one enclosed and secured parking stall shall be provided for every dwelling unit. H. Window coverings. All windows which are visible to the outside shall be provided with window treatments. Window treatments shall be consistent throughout each multi-family dwelling structure or development. 1325.06 Requirements for Parking, Loading and Circulation. (Revised 04128108) Subd. 1 Off-Public Street Parking. J. Off Street Parking Spaces Required: IS wn� am T 4 m ,.: ... ON Dwelling, single and two-family 2 for each dwelling unit 1.25 for each studio and 1 bedroom; 2.25 for Dwelling, multiple family each 2+bedroom; and .25 per dwelling unit for visitor parking Section 1325—General Regulations Adopted: November 13,2006 Page 2 of 2