2010 05-03 PC PACKET - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Page 1 of 3 From: Brass, Mike [MBrass@WelshCo.com] Sent: Friday, March 26, 2010 3:07 PM To: bill.short@ci.white-bear-township.mn.us; Riedesel Tom Cc: Craig Rafferty Subject: FW: Gem Lake - Questions See below per our meeting last week Mike Brass Vice President Welsh Companies LLC 5910 Rice Creek Parkway Shoreview, Mn 55126 Cell: 612.750.4312 Fax: 952-541-8054 mike@mikebrass.com www.mikebrass.com From: Eric Anderson [mailto:Eric.Anderson@RyanCompanies.com] Sent: Friday, March 26, 2010 12:52 PM To: Brass, Mike Cc: 'Todd Novaczyk'; Louis De Medici Subject: Gem Lake - Questions Mike, Per our discussion with Bill Short, Gem Lake's contract administrator, he asked us to provide a list of questions we would like some direction on, before we continue to move forward on development plans. This email encompasses the major issues/questions we would have. Please forward these on to the appropriate representatives. If they don't understand any of the questions, please have them call. Development Question: In a difficult financial environment, added uncertainty based on political risk is probably the largest deterrent to moving forward with a development. Based on my review of the Gem Lake Gateway District Development Code, I cannot clearly distinguish: • Whether Sr. Living is an acceptable use; • If it is, whether our required density and height results in an acceptable use (5 acres, 130 units or 26 units/acre, 3-4 stories); and • What the acceptable FAR, Setbacks, and other site -planning criteria are In a typical city, developers look at a comp plan and zoning code as a guide to determine whether you have an acceptable use based on the code and then meet with staff to get guidance on the "development particular" criteria to ensure we don't have a situation that will result in a significant number of variances. Once we get this guidance, developers will typically spend the money to develop full architectural and engineering plans that can be used for final approval. The reason to take the risk is that a municipal code has guided us that we have an acceptable use and we strive to create a development concept with no variances. In that situation, the governing board (either planning commission or city council) don't have the ability to deny approval of the development without justifiable reasons based on the the code. What has been represented to us, is that we should present our concept plan to the City Council for discussion so we can hear their thoughts to help guide us whether to move forward with the development, change the https://rcmail. co.ramsey.mn.us/Jean.Reiter/Inbox/FW : %2OGem%2OLake%20PC%202010... 4/20/2010