Planning Case #21-019 – Public Hearing RequiredApplicant: Launch PropertiesProperty Location: 3737 Lexington Avenue and 1133 Grey Fox RoadRequest: Preliminary Plat, Final Plat, Master Planned Unit Development and Site Plan Review

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Attachm

entP

PProposedd Use

This development includes the demolition of the existing vacant industrial building and redevelop the parcels with two separate one-story buildings, +/- 19,480 square foot ALDI grocery store and an additional pad site with an +/- 5,300 square foot building purposed for a national dental tenant

(~ 2,800 square feet) and Bank of America (~2,500 square feet), that will function as one property under the Planned Unit Development.

Internal view from parking lot – West Elevation and South Elevation View facing South – North Elevation and West Elevation

View from corner of Grey Fox Rd and Lexington Ave facing NW. Aldi – East Elevation and Dental Clinic/Bank – South Elevation and East Elevation

OOverview• City Council reviewed a concept plan for this development on April 26, 2021 • Redevelopment of a 2.48-acre site • Property is currently owned by STORE Master Funding III, LLC• Parcel zoning - B-3, Service Business District• 2040 Comprehensive Plan – Commercial (COM) • Future Land Use designation is for a broad range of retail, shopping, and

services to meet the needs of the community and region. Compatible uses such as office buildings are also intended for this area. Retail sales and service are a permitted use within this district.

Direction 2040 Comp. Plan Land Use Zoning Existing Land Uses

North COM - Commercial B-3 Service Business District Retail/Fast Food Restaurant

South COM - Commercial B-3 Service Business District Retail/Grocery Store

West CMU - Community Mixed Use B-4 Retail Center District Retail and Other Commercial

SSubdivisionn Requirements Existing Parcel Boundaries

Proposed Lots

Lot Square Footage

Lot Width Lot Depth

Lot 1 71,767 295 ft. 250 ft.Lot 2 37,132 250 ft. – Lexington Ave.

139 ft. – Grey Fox Rd.139 to 151 ft. – Lexington Ave.250 ft. – Grey Fox Rd.

B-3 Minimum Dimensions:• Lot Area - 13,000 sq. ft. • Lot Width - 100 ft. • Lot Depth. 130 ft. • Subdivision meets all dimensional

requirements.

PPerformance Standardss forr B-33 District

Ordinance Requirements B-3 District Standards Proposed Development Proposed Development

Maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) 0.8 Approx. 0.23 Meets RequirementsMaximum Structure Coverage 40% 23% Meets RequirementsMinimum Landscape Lot Area 25% 16% Flexibility RequestedMinimum Front Yard Setback 50 ft. Bank/Dental: 19.2 ft. – Lexington

Avenue and +/- 138 ft. Grey Fox Road

Aldi: 74 ft. – Grey Fox Road

Flexibility Requested

Minimum Rear Yard Setback 20 ft. Bank/Dental: 21.4 ft.Aldi: 30 ft.

Meets Requirements

Minimum Side Yard Setback 20 ft. (min)/40 ft. (total)

Bank/Dental: +/- 62 ft. (min) / N/A corner lot (total)

Aldi: 120 ft. (east) and 10 ft. (west)

Flexibility Requested

Minimum Lot Area 13,000 sq. ft. Lot 1 – 71,767 sq. ft. Lot 2 - 37,132 sq. ft.

Meets Requirements

Maximum Building Height 35 ft. +/- 29 ft. Meets Requirements

PPerformancee Standards

Setbacks – Flexibility Requested

Ordinance Requirements B-3 District Standards Proposed DevelopmentMinimum Front Yard Setback 50 ft. Bank/Dental: 19.2 ft. – Lexington Avenue and +/- 138 ft.

Grey Fox Road

Aldi: 74 ft. – Grey Fox RoadMinimum Rear Yard Setback 20 ft. Bank/Dental: 21.4 ft.

Aldi: 30 ft. Minimum Side Yard Setback 20 ft. (min)/

40 ft. (total)Bank/Dental: +/- 62 ft. (min) / N/A corner lot (total)

Aldi: 120 ft. (east) and 10 ft. (west)

DDesignn Standards

Building Positioning – Flexibility Requested• Section 1325.05 Subd. 8, E - 50% of the largest building on each site shall be

constructed at the front setback line. • B-3 District Front Setback - 50 feet • Proposed bank/dental clinic building - 19.2 feet from the property line abutting

Lexington Avenue, +/- 138 feet from the property line abutting Grey Fox Road. • Aldi building - 74 feet from the property line abutting Grey Fox Road.

DDesignn Standardss ––Aldi

Exterior Materials – Flexibility Requested• At least 75% must be a combination of brick, masonry, tile masonry, natural stone or equivalent, glass.• Aldi building elevations consist of masonry, cedar fiber cement panels and aluminum composite panels with

metal coping. • Aldi is seeking flexibility of the masonry product as a comparable to brick masonry in combination with fiber

cement boards and aluminum composite panels. • Use of aluminum composite panel ranges from 23% of the east elevation to 14% on the south elevation.

DDesignn Standards- AldiExterior Materials – Flexibility Requested• Aldi requests use of Spec-Brik for the

masonry material.

• Spec-Brik is a concrete masonry unit with a brick like texture that replicates a traditional clay brick.

• Masonry face will be:• 4’ wide by 8’ high • 12’ wide by 8’ high (cart wall only)

• Installation is similar to a brick and mortar process.

• Masonry Breakdown:• North Elevation – 71%• South Elevation – 30%• East Elevation – 40%• West Elevation – 65%

Transparency – Flexibility Requested• Aldi building will use a combination of clear and opaque windows in the building

design. • 50% of all first level building façades that front a public street shall be comprised of

transparent windows or doors in order to allow views of interior uses and activities.• South elevation of Aldi building - 11% of clear glazing

DDesignn Standardss ––Aldi

Exterior Materials – Flexibility Requested• At least 75% must be a combination of brick, masonry, tile masonry, natural stone or

equivalent, glass.• Outparcel building consists of masonry, cedar fiber cement panels and aluminum composite

panels with metal coping. • Applicant is seeking flexibility of the masonry product as a comparable to brick masonry in

combination with fiber cement boards and aluminum composite panels.

DDesignn Standardss ––Dentall Clinicc && Bank

DDesignn Standardss –Dentall Clinicc && BankExterior Materials – Flexibility Requested• Outparcel building will feature

Belden Brick in 2 colors for the masonry material.

• Installation is similar to a brick and mortar process.

• Masonry Breakdown:• North Elevation – 38%• South Elevation – 52%• East Elevation – 40%• West Elevation – 25%

Transparency – Flexibility Requested• 50% of all first level building façades that front a public street shall be comprised of transparent windows or doors in

order to allow views of interior uses and activities.• Architectural elements such as, but not limited to, windows, shutters, awnings, doors, masonry exterior veneers,

cornice detailing, window casings, and other architectural details should demonstrate consistency on all sides of the structure that are reasonably visible to the general public.

• South Elevation - 20% clear glazing• East elevation - 29% opaque spandrel glass

East Elevation – Lexington AvenueSouth Elevation – Grey Fox Road

DDesignn Standardss – Dentall Clinicc && Bank

DDesignn Standards

Lighting – Meets Requirements • Plan includes:

• Wall mounted lights around the building• 25’ light poles in parking lot and

drive aisles

DDesignn Standards

Landscaping – Flexibility Requested • B-3 minimum landscape lot area – 25% • Applicant is proposing a landscape lot area - 16%• Project narrative states the project will provide significant landscaped green space along

Lexington Avenue at grade level. • Proposing the addition of 30 trees throughout the site.

DDesignn Standards

Landscaping – Flexibility Requested • Minimum of 1 tree be provided along the ROW of every 50 feet of public street

frontage. • Required to plant 14 trees along the Lexington Avenue and Grey Fox Road. • Applicant revised Landscape Plan to plant 7 trees.

DDesignn Standards

Landscaping – Flexibility Requested • Section 1325.04, Subd. 2, requires landscaping on lots used for drive-up windows to

the minimum widths:Front Lot Line - 20’Side Lot Line - 10’Rear Lot Line - 15’

• Drive-thru lane will be approximately 8’ from the north property line and 5’ from the east property line.

DDesignn Standards

Parking – Flexibility Requested • Off-street parking spaces to be located a minimum of 20 feet from the ROW of any public

street. • Applicant is proposing a 5 foot and 9 foot setback from the ROW along Grey Fox Rd.

DDesign StandardsNumber of Parking Stalls –Flexibility Requested

Total Site Proposing – 140 parking spacesTotal Required – 120 parking spaces

• Changes to site layout resulted in Aldi having 2 less parking spaces than the minimum requirement.

• New layout added 1,350 square feet of landscaping.

• Applicant seeks flexibility with shared parking through the Master PUD.

Land Use

ProposedSquareFootage

RequiredStalls

Number of StallsProvided

Grocery Store –1 space per 150 SF of retailgross floor area1 space per 1,000 SF ofback room/cooler1 space per 250 SF of office

12,838

4,590

670

94 92

Bank – 1 space per 250 SF ofgross floor area

2,500 10 10

Dental Office – 1 space perdentist & technician, and 1space per 200 SF of gross floorarea

2,800 16 38

Site Total: 120 140

DDesignn Standards

Pedestrian and Bicycle Circulation – Meets Requirements• Minimum 6 foot concrete sidewalk adjacent to or in all ROW. • Proposed 6 foot concrete sidewalk along Grey Fox Road. • Applicant is not proposing a sidewalk along Lexington Avenue. Notes this will be part of the future Lexington Avenue Public

Improvement Project.• City and County will split the cost of Lexington Avenue sidewalk 50/50. • Consistent with Lexington Station Phase 3 may consider a condition that states “The Developer shall construct a sidewalk from

Lexington Avenue into the Subject Site. The Developer shall use best efforts to obtain approvals from Ramsey County to construct a sidewalk along Lexington Avenue should the County not proceed with their Lexington Avenue Improvements.”

• Bicycle rack on the east side of the Aldi building complies.

DDesignn Standards

Snow Storage • Adequate area should be designed for snow storage such that clear visibility shall be afforded from

the property to any public street. • Proposing to store snow in the NW and SE corner of the proposed site and has indicated that in

scenarios of excessive snowfall that snow will be hauled away from the site. • During the concept plan discussion, adequate snow storage and/or removal of snow was a concern

with the proposed development. • Applicant has indicated that the upkeep of landscaping, parking lot maintenance, and snow removal

would be shared services between the two properties.

DDesignn Standards

Freestanding Signs – Flexibility Requested• Sign District 5 allows 1 freestanding sign

up to 100 square feet in area and not exceeding 16’ in height. • Shared monument sign in the SE corner of

the site. • Proposed internally illuminated

freestanding sign is 16’ in height and has a total sign copy area of 108 square feet allocated between the three tenants.

DDesignn SStandards

Wall Signs – Flexibility Requested• Code allows wall signs up to 80 square feet• Applicant is proposing:

• One 75 square foot sign on two elevations for Aldi• One 33 square foot sign for each tenant for

outparcel – interior facing• One 14 square foot sign for each tenant for

outparcel – east elevation• One 33 square foot sign for each tenant for

outparcel – north and south elevation• All signage is noted to be internally lit

DDesign StandardsDrive-Through Facilities – Flexibility Requested• Section 1325.04 states:

• no drive up facility shall be located within 1,320’ of another facility. The nearest drive-up facility is the Arby’s, located directly to the north.

• During the concept review, the Applicant was originally proposing a coffee shop/food and beverage tenant for the northern endcap of the outparcel building. • That triggered discussion on possible traffic congestion, shared parking,

and sufficient space for drive-thru stacking. • The tenant occupancy has changed to a bank. • The Applicant has stated that the change in tenant will eliminate the

concerns previously expressed. • The Applicant is not proposing any electronic devices.

Plan Evaluation Summary

DDesignn Standards

Traffic Study and Site Circulation• No new access is proposed. • The Applicant intends to utilize 2 of the existing accesses and remove 2. • Access 1 is a two-way entrance that will be located on Grey Fox Road and is

noted to be primarily used. • Access 2 leads onto the alley on the western boundary of the site. • City Attorney has suggested that the Applicant provide evidence of or obtain

an ingress/egress easement.

View from Grey Fox Road facing North

View facing West towards 3728 Dunlap Street

Additional Reviews:• Fire Marshal has confirmed layout would be sufficient for emergency vehicle access and movements.

• City Engineer has confirmed site plans adjusted with no conflicts.

• During the concept review, the Applicant was asked to demonstrate how semitrailer traffic would maneuver around the site for access to the loading dock on the north side of the proposed Aldi building.

Public Notice• Notice was republished in the Pioneer Press on September 30, 2021.

Notice was prepared by the City and mailed to property owners within 1,000 feet of the subject property.

• No comments received.

Planning Case 21-019 – Launch Properties

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Questions?