HomeMy WebLinkAbout4 - Site Plan - Caribou Coffee
To: Planning Commission
From: Justin Fortney, City Planner
Date: September 10, 2018
Item: Site Plan – 2018‐43 – Caribou Coffee and Einstein Bagels – 1103 Vermillion Street
Planning Commission Action Requested: The Planning Commission is asked to review the
proposed site plan and make a recommendation to the City Council.
Background Information:
In 2012 the only house accessing this portion of 11th Street was demolished. Since 11th
street no longer accessed Vermillion Street, it no longer provided any necessary access, and
was not a right‐of‐way, it was deemed access property. The city sold this property to the
applicant for a redevelopment project a couple years ago. They have spent the past two
years acquiring adjacent properties and attempting to acquire a shared access agreement
with Walgreens to have permanent access to the Highway 61 and 55 intersection.
The applicant would like to incorporate the home at 1111 Vermillion Street into the project,
but has not been able to come to terms with the owner.
The applicant may develop an apartment building behind the site along Sibley Street in the
future.
Comprehensive Plan Classification
The 2030 Comprehensive Plan designates this area as Commercial.
Zoning Classification
The subject property is zoned C‐3 (Community Regional Commerce). Which allows the
proposed use.
Adjacent Zoning and Land Use
Direction Existing Use Zoning Comp Plan
North Walgreens C-3 Commercial
East Residential/ vacant R-3 Medium-D Res.
South Residential C-3 Commercial
West Midtown C-3 Commercial
Planning Commission Memorandum
SITE PLAN REVIEW
Access and parking
There are three accesses proposed, two of which exist today. A northern drive to Walgreens
and east drive into the end of 11th Street East onto Sibley Street. These will be similar to the
existing arraignment, but will now be through a parking lot with an easement allowing
through traffic of the subject property.
The existing driveway to Walgreens was built as a private driveway from the Walgreen’s
onto 11th Street in 1999. As this was their private drive onto a local road, there was not any
type of access easement recorded that would require it to remain open or allow the public
to utilize it. Walgreens and or their landlord has the ability to block or close the driveway at
their discretion. The applicant with some assistance from city staff attempted to negotiate
a cross access easement unsuccessfully over the past two years. The owner of the
Walgreens property was supportive, but Walgreens as the tenant was not willing to sign off
on the proposal.
A proposed right in/ right out access is proposed onto Vermillion Street. The right out onto
Vermillion Street is not ideal due to the distance to the intersection to the north. Without
any guarantees for continued access through the Walgreens property, the applicant doubts
they could move forward on the project without this direct Vermilion access. Staff does not
believe it would be appropriate to approve a commercial project where the only
guaranteed egress is through a residential neighborhood. MnDot is reviewing the site plan
and rationale for the right in/ right out onto Vermillion Street.
A narrow sidewalk exists between Sibley and Vermillion Streets that is not shown on the
plan. Staff believes this connection is necessary and the applicant intends to accommodate
it on the plan.
Parking
The parking standards are based on seating capacity. One space for every three seats would
be the minimum requirement. 54 seat/3= 18 spaces. The proposed site plan includes 31
parking spaces, which is likely more appropriate. The proposal also includes 20 seasonal
seats and the nature of a coffee shop, which has a high number of to‐go purchases.
Lighting
The photometric plan shows acceptable residential light limits along all property lines. The
limits shown are near zero at almost all boundary locations.
Setbacks
The setbacks for the building appear adequate. The area has a variety of setbacks from
Vermillion Street. Due to the size of the infill site, multiple entrances, and the drive thru,
vehicle circulation around the building may be necessary.
Landscaping Plan
Due to the redevelopment nature of an infill site, it is often not possible to meet all
landscaping requirements. The applicant has proposed alternatives for any shortcomings
including privacy fencing in place of berming adjacent to residential and doubling of shrubs
in place on a few trees.
Design Standards
The building exterior utilizes several different materials, including glass, stone, EIFS, and
bronze painted aluminum wall capping. The materials are entirely class I and II including
the 25% required class I.
Recommended Action:
Approval of the site plan, subject to the following conditions:
1) Conformance with the Planning Commission Staff Report and plans dated September
10, 2018.
2) All disturbed areas on the property shall be stabilized with rooting vegetative
cover to eliminate erosion problems.
3) Any uncompleted site work must be escrowed at 125 percent of the estimated
value prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy.
4) The perimeter of the site must have erosion control, as approved by the City
Engineering Department.
5) The City Engineering Department must approve any required drainage plan.
6) Approval is subject to a one year Sunset Clause; if significant progress is not
made towards construction of the proposal within one year of City Council
approval, the approval is null and void.
7) MnDot must provide approval all driveways and work within their row’s.
8) The parking spaces on the east lot must be combined into the subject parcel or
have an administrative lot line adjustment.
Attachments:
Aerial Photograph
Photographs
Site Plans
Landscaping Plan