Attachment 4. Application Narrative – April 14, 2017LeveChanhassen,
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APPLICATION FOR REZONING TO
PUD, PUD DEVELOPMENT PLAN ,
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT,
VARIANCE AND PRELIMINARY PLAT
Revised May 10, 2017
GITY OF CHANHASSEP!
RECEIVED
IIA'( 1 0 2011
LANDFORM
CHANHASSEN PLANNING DEPT
From Site to Finish
INTRODUCTION
On behalf of Level 7 Development, LLC, Landform is pleased to submit this application for Rezoning to
Planned Unit Development(PUD), PUD Development Plan and Preliminary Plat for"Avienda", a mixed-
use Regional/Lifestyle Center at the southwest corner of intersection of Powers Boulevard and Lyman
Boulevard. We are also requesting approval of a conditional use permit and variance to allow impacts to
the primary and secondary zones of the Bluff Creek Overlay District.
The property is dual guided Regional Commercial or Office and zoned Agriculture Estate for the portion of
the property west of Powers Boulevard and is guided Medium Density Residential and zoned Agriculture
Estate for the portion of the property east of Powers Boulevard. The City Council approved the Concept
Plan on November 28, 2016 and directed staff to update the AUAR(Alternative Urban Areawide Review)
for the site. The development team has been working to address the issues raised during the concept
plan review and is excited to submit this development plan.
REZONING TO PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT
Our proposal to create a regional lifestyle center that serves Chanhassen residents and surrounding
communities is consistent with the vision and goals of the Comprehensive Plan and the standards of the
Zoning Ordinance.
The Comprehensive Plan anticipates development of this site as"Regional/Lifestyle Center Commercial".
The plan notes that the vision for the site is:
A mixed commercial district with retail and entertainment uses of a scale and function that serves
a regional market. The physical environment emphasizes an attractive, comfortable walking
experience for shoppers and visitors and is designed to serve trail users and mass transit as well
as automobile traffic. Centers of this type have at least two major retail anchors and are
characterized by the diversity and mix of retail and service uses within their boundaries. Uses
within this district should complement existing retail users in the other commercial districts.
Development of these centers shall be planned as a group of organized uses and structures to
accommodate a sensitive transition between commercial activities such as loading, parking of
automobiles, lighting and trash collection and surrounding residential uses. Such centers shall be
designed with one theme, with similar architectural style, similar exterior building materials and a
coordinated landscaping theme. Vehicle and pedestrian access is coordinated and logically linked
to provide a comprehensive circulation system.
Goods and Services Examples
Entertainment
Department Store
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Comparison Shopping
Specialty Retail/Boutique
Restaurants
Hotels
Residential
A new zoning district Regional Commercial(RC) will be created in the City Code to implement
this land use. The city has given a dual land use of the 118 acres at the southeast corner of
Powers and Lyman Boulevards to accommodate this use."
Rather than creating an RC zoning district,the City developed Zoning Ordinance Section 20-509
Standards and guidelines for regional/lifestyle center commercial planned unit developments). The
intent of this district is to"provide for the development of regional and community scale integrated retail,
office, business services,personal services and services to the traveling public near freeway
interchanges. It shall strive to create a self-sustaining pattern of land uses with cultural, employment,
entertainment, housing, shopping and social components."
This project provides this opportunity for this diverse mix of uses in a high-quality lifestyle center.
Lifestyle centers create a lifestyle experience, rather than a simple shopping experience, for customers
though creation of a main street in the center of the project with places to dine, converge and socialize.
Today's consumers do much of their comparison shopping online and come to the stores for unique
customer experiences. Avienda delivers this experience, meets the intent of the ordinance and we
request approval of the rezoning from Agricultural Estate District to Planned Unit Development(PUD).
PUD DEVELOPMENT PLAN
Level 7 Development has been working with the City to develop a plan that fulfills the City's vision while
meeting the demands of the current marketplace. We are excited to present our proposal, which includes
a mix of detached townhomes, apartments, office, medical and professional services, retail, entertainment
and hospitality. The site plan was developed to locate the retail in the central portion of the site with
residential and office uses at the perimeter of the site to provide a softer transition to the adjacent
residential uses. Our plan will help the City achieve its goals of providing a variety of housing types for all
people in all stages of life, providing a mixed commercial district with retail and entertainment uses of a
scale and function that serves a regional market, preserving natural resources through the protection of
the Bluff Overlay district, and providing regional shopping options for existing residents and new residents
as anticipated by the Comprehensive Plan. This plan incorporates a mix of office, retail and residential
space in an underserved area of the City and is consistent with the AUAR mitigation plan.
Our application includes detailed "Avienda Design Guidelines"that will ensure that this multi-phase
development meets the PUD development goals over time. We request approval of the Avienda Design
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Guidelines as part of the PUD approvals. The design guidelines generally comply with the PUD standards
in Section 20-509,with PUD flexibility requested for the following:
1. The ordinance states that minimum building setback on the PUD exterior is 30 feet, but also
requires that where the development abuts an area designated for residential use the setback be
50 feet. We are requesting that the standard 30-foot setback be permitted along the west lot line.
Lot 1, Block 2 and Lot 1, Block 3 are planned as detached townhomes abutting single family
homes of the same scale. Lot 7, Block 1 is separated from the adjacent residential by Bluff Creek
Boulevard and an outlot. For these reasons, we also request that a 20-foot parking and drive
aisle setback be allowed along this western lot line.
2. Section 20-509 of the Zoning Ordinance allows 5-stories for residential.We are requesting that
that the City allow up to 6-stories for the apartments in Block 5.
3. We are requesting approval to modify the parking standards and allow the following:
a. Parking shall be provided based on the shared use of surface parking areas whenever
possible. Cross access easements and the joint use of parking facilities shall be
protected by a recorded instrument acceptable to the city.
b. The development shall be treated as an integrated shopping center and reductions of up
to 30% in the number of required off-street parking spaces as outlined in Subd. 3 of this
section may be approved by the Zoning Administrator in the case of shared parking
between abutting uses.
c. Generally,the individual uses should provide a minimum of:
i. One space per 250 square feet of commercial/retail area.
ii. The office/personal service component shall be treated as an integrated office
building and provide four spaces per 1,000 square feet.
iii. Residential uses shall provide one space per unit with visitor spaces provided as
part of the commercial/office uses.
iv. Hotel/motels shall provide one space for each rental room or suite plus one
space for every two employees.
d. Signage to be allowed as outlined in the Avienda Design Guidelines.
Market Study
Our submittal includes a Retail Trends and Shopping Centers report prepared by McComb Group, Ltd, a
consultant that the City has used in the past. The report is an update to the 2014 report they prepared for
the development and reinforces the need for Avienda lifestyle center at this location. The report notes
that we are in the midst of a retail evolution driven by economic trends, generation shifts in population,
changing lifestyles and spending patterns. This study addresses the changing retail marketplace and the
characteristics of a contemporary Lifestyle Center, which a lifestyle experience, rather than a simple
shopping experience.
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No lifestyle center can be successful without activity generators. These are businesses that draw
customers to the site(sometimes called anchors). In today's changing retail market, those draws may be
individual users, but are just as likely to be the experience itself.A collection of quality businesses in an
interesting and accessible environment acts as an activity generator. Avienda Village will meet the
Zoning Ordinance stated goals for this center to provide"regional and community scale integrated retail,
office, business services, personal services and services to the traveling public near freeway
interchanges."
The study continues to support the 2014 findings that our project will help the City of Chanhassen capture
dollars that are currently leaving the City and provide services and amenities needed to support the
existing and new residential development in this area. Our Avienda Lifestyle Center will serve an unmet
need in the community, will serve regional demand and will complement existing Chanhassen
businesses.
Permitted Uses
The permitted uses in Avienda Village are all uses that would be part of a vibrant lifestyle center and as
anticipated in the Comprehensive Plan. The following categories of uses were anticipated in the
Comprehensive Plan and the listed uses should be permitted to ensure the success of the lifestyle center:
1. Entertainment:
a. Arcades and similar uses, accessory to permitted uses
b. Art Galleries
c. Bowling alleys
d. Dance, art, music, and similar professional studios
e. Movie theaters
2. Retail sales establishments:
a. Clothing and apparel stores, including shoes,jewelry, accessories, etc.
b. Drug stores and pharmacies.
c. Flower shops without green houses.
d. Furniture and home furnishings.
e. Home and furniture stores, including furniture store, home improvement center, electronic
store, appliance store, and similar establishments
f. Office supply stores selling items such as electronics, computers and software, musical
instruments and office supplies at retail.
g. General merchandise stores that carry an assortment of merchandise from all the other
categories. Such establishments may include but are not limited to department store,
discount store, and similar establishments.
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h. Miscellaneous retail stores for items such as antiques, articles on consignment, beauty
supply, sporting goods and bicycles, books(except adult book stores), stationery,jewelry, art,
hobbies, crafts,toys, and games, cameras and photographic supplies, gifts, novelties, and
souvenirs, pets and pet supplies, luggage and leather goods, sewing, needlework, catalog
and mail-order, and news dealers.
i. Supermarkets and other food and grocery stores such as butcher shops and fish markets,
fruit and vegetable markets, dairy products stores, candy, nut, and confectionery stores and
retail bakeries.
j. Cigar stores as a principle use. Tobacco products and accessories only when accessory to a
principal use.
k. Stores selling interior decorating supplies, such as paint, light fixtures and decor.
3. Hospitality and food service establishments including:
a. Bars and taverns.
b. Cafes, delicatessens, food catering establishments.
c. Coffee shops and cafes.
d. Patio/al fresco dining facilities.
e. Restaurants.
4. Hotels
5. Services
a. Barber and beauty salons and spas including hair, nail, tanning, skin and scalp services.
b. Computer services
c. Day care center, childcare centers, preschools and Montessori school
d. Dry cleaning, Laundry and garment services
e. Farmers markets.
f. Finance, insurance and real estate.
g. Financial institutions.
h. Health and recreation clubs, instructions and services.
i. Health services.
j. Legal services.
k. Offices of doctors, dentists, optometrists, lawyers, accountants, realtors, accountants,
attorneys, architects, engineers, business or financial consultants or other professionals, and
corporate, executive, administrative, or sales offices including incidental sales of medical or
dental aids.
I. Optical goods
m. Photographic studios.
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n. Print and Copy shops.
o. Shoe repair shops and shoeshine parlors.
p. Tattoo and body art and piercing services(MS ch. 146B),when accessory to a permitted use.
q. Travel agency.
6. Housing
a. Multiple-family dwellings
b. Senior citizen housing independent living.
c. Senior citizen housing, included assisted living, skilled nursing and memory care.
d. Single family homes.
e. Townhomes, including detached townhomes and twinhomes.
7. Other uses:
a. Retail businesses or service establishments that generally provide commodities or services
and that are judged by the Planning Director(1)to be similar in character and operation to
the permitted uses described above; (2)to be closely complementary and to enhance the
permitted uses; and(3)to be compatible with the intent and purposes of the Avienda Village
Regional Lifestyle Center PUD.
b. Drive-through accessory to a permitted use. A maximum of four shall be permitted in
Avienda.
Design Concept
The design vision for the Avienda development will be an integration of both traditional and contemporary
elements that will ultimately establish a"timeless"character as described in the Avienda Design
Guidelines. Both visually and physically, architecture will play a major role in the overall design character
for the development. High-quality materials including authentic stone, brick and masonry, architectural
metal panels, and glass will be key elements that will establish this character.The pedestrian experience
will establish the overall scale of the buildings and spaces,with interesting facades and carefully
designed architectural elements, lighting, awnings and other unique features. The project will be phased
over time with Phase I consisting of the mass grading and construction of the new public streets and
associated public infrastructure. Future phases will be added and details will be finalized as part of the
site plan and final plat process to ensure consistency with the design vision for Avienda. The site plan
submitted shows the general location of anticipated uses, but the specific building size, location and
orientation will be finalized as part of the site plan approval for that particular lot.
Landscaping and Tree Preservation
Ample landscaping will be incorporated to create an inviting environment. Our project preserves 20 acres
of the 120-acre site as open space in Outlots A, B and C and preserves 54% of the existing tree canopy.
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The site has only 59% impervious area, which is lower than we would typically expect to see with this
type of mixed use development.We have worked to preserve the trees in the Bluff Overlay zone in the
southwest portion of the site to provide a buffer between the proposed development and the existing
homes on the south and west. However, some of this area has been impacted both to provide an
emergency vehicle access through the Bluff Overlay zone as required by the City and to accommodate
development in the area south of Bluff Creek Boulevard. Our plans have been designed to provide this
connection in the development,while minimizing grading and tree loss. We believe this is consistent with
the intent of the overlay zone and other development in the area.
A comprehensive landscape plan has been developed to supplement the existing trees and support the
design theme throughout the development. The landscaping plans include private amenities and street
furniture that helps activate the streetscape and enhances the pedestrian experience by providing places
to relax, rest, or meet friends.The streetscapes are designed to reflect the different street characteristics
within the development from local residential streets to collector streets intended to move traffic through
the project. Final landscape plans will be submitted with the final plat and site plan applications for each
phase to ensure consistency with the project vision.
Streets
The plan shows construction of Bluff Creek Boulevard, a key east-west collector road connection between
the existing neighborhood and Highway 212. Traffic calming has been incorporated into the street design
through use of roundabouts, landscaped medians and boulevards, pedestrian crossings and other tools.
Internal connections are provided within the development by Avienda Boulevard,which will connect to
Lyman Boulevard at Sunset Trail.Access points on Lyman Boulevard have been designed based on
County plans. These public streets and the associated public infrastructure will be constructed in Phase I
of the development.
Stormwater Management
The plans were designed to maintain the existing drainage patterns. Stormwater improvements to serve
the proposed development scenarios have been designed to and will be constructed to meet the
requirements of the SWMP, RPBCWD rules, and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
NPDES) Phase II storm water requirements. The project includes a storm water pond in the northwest
portion of the site and two in the east central portion of the site, but a key component of the system is
reuse of stormwater runoff in the irrigation system. The stormwater narrative submitted with our
application describes this system in more detail.
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Wetlands— Wetland Alteration Permit
A wetland delineation has been completed for the property and the LGU (City of Chanhassen)concurred
with the delineation. Wetlands 3 and 4 will be preserved and will comply with the wetland buffer
requirements. It is our intention to mitigate the wetland impacts off-site through the use of wetland
banking credits. The development team has submitted a mitigation application and is working through that
process with the LGU and other agencies. We have received written comments from the USACE and will
be providing a response to the USACE and wetland LGU concurrently. We ask that the development
proposal be reviewed and approved contingent upon agency approval of the wetland mitigation plan.
BLUFF CREEK OVERLAY DISTRICT
The development team began working with City staff on this project in 2015. From the onset, staff
direction has been to provide an emergency vehicle access from the Camden Ridge development south
of our site. The emergency vehicle access cuts through the wooded area of the project site and is
required to go through the only area that meets the City's definition of a bluff or steep slope on the site.
We are requesting approval to allow impacts to the northern portion of the wooded area,which is part of
the Bluff Creek Overlay District. Staff has indicated that both a conditional use permit and a variance are
required to impact the Bluff Creek Overlay District primary zone. The proposed impacts to the primary
and secondary zones of the Bluff Creek Overlay(BCO)district are nearly equally split between impacts
resulting from the construction of an emergency vehicle access and Bluff Creek Boulevard as required by
the City and the Avienda development.
We have reviewed the ordinance standards, including the conditional use permit standards in Section 20-
232 and the variance standards in Section 20-58, and request approval based on the finding that the
standards have been met. Specifically, a significant portion of the impact, in the most sensitive part of the
site is for the emergency vehicle access required by the City. There is no alternative to bring the
emergency vehicle access from the south and connect to the Bluff Creek Boulevard without impacting the
BCO. The northern proposed impact for the senior housing is needed because the location of the
required Bluff Creek Boulevard does not allow adequate buildable area south of the boulevard if the
wetland to the north is to be preserved as shown. We have worked to minimize the impact, but some
impact on the north is required to create a buildable lot.
The impacts proposed will increase public safety by providing the required emergency vehicle access and
would continue to meet the intent of the BCO by preserving the most significant natural features,
particularly those on the south side of the bluff which drain more directly to Bluff Creek. With the
exception of a small portion of the south end of the emergency access road, the BCO impact area's
stormwater runoff will be routed to the Avienda stormwater management system. Peak discharge rates
and quality will meet the prescribed requirements from the City, Riley Purgatory Bluff Creek Watershed
District, and MPCA.
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The proposed impacts will allow development of the subject property as a regional/lifestyle center as
envisioned by the Comprehensive Plan. The development with comply with all other ordinance standards
established as part of the Avienda PUD. As noted earlier, the project preserves 20 acres of the 120-acre
site as open space in Outlots A, B and C, preserves 54% of the existing tree canopy and adds significant
new landscaping throughout the site to mitigate for the anticipated tree loss in the BCO.
PRELIMINARY PLAT
The preliminary plat shows 18 lots and three outlots. The three outlots are proposed as permanent open
space. The plat includes dedication of 11.5-acres of right-of-way on this 120-acre site and construction of
these new public streets as part of our project.
Phasing
This project will be phased over time with a series of final plats to support the phased development
project. All public streets will be platted with the initial plat and future phases will be platted in response
to market demand.
SUMMARY
We respectfully request approval of the rezoning to PUD, PUD development plan and preliminary plat for
Avienda" a regional lifestyle center. We look forward to Planning Commission review on May 16, 2017
and June 6, 2017 and City Council action on June 26, 2017.
CONTACT INFORMATION
This document was prepared by:
Kendra Lindahl, AICP
Landform
105 South Fifth Avenue, Suite 513
Minneapolis, MN 55401
Any additional questions regarding this application can be directed to Kendra Lindahl at
klindahl(ajlandform.net or 612.638.0225.
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