Referral Memo from Todd Hoffman 4-17-07
CITY OF
CHANHASSEN
7700 Market Boulevard
PO Box 147
Chanhassen, MN 55317
Administration
Phone: 952.227.1100
Fax: 952.227.1110
Building Inspections
Phone: 952.227.1180
Fax: 952,227.1190
Engineering
Phone: 952,227.1160
Fax 952.227.1170
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Phone: 952.227.1140
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Park & Recreation
Phone: 952.227.1120
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Recreation Center
2310 Coulter Boulevard
Phone: 952.227.1400
Fax: 952.227.1404
Planning &
Natural Resources
Phone: 952.227.1130
Fax: 952.227.1110
Public Works
1591 Park Road
Phone: 952.227.1300
Fax: 952.227.1310
Senior Center
Phone 952.227.1125
Fax: 952.227.1110
Web Site
www.ci.chanhassen.mn.us
07-0/
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Park and Recreation Commission
111
FROM:
Todd Hoffman, Park & Recreation Director
DA TE:
April 17 , 2007
SUBJ:
Lotus Woods Subdivision
This application is for a preliminary plat to subdivide 7.6 acres into eleven single-family
lots and one outlot with a variance to allow a 50-foot wide street right-of-way. The
property is located south of Fox Hill Drive, east of Carver Beach Road, north of Big Woods
Drive, and west of Lotus Lake. The proposed plat combines four separate parcels of land,
currently best described as a woodlot, allowing for the orderly subdivision of the entire
parcel into eleven single family lots. Eight of the lots are located in Block 1 and will be
marketed as new home sites. The remaining three lots, comprising Block 2, are existing
homes to three of the four owners and are located on Lotus Lake. Outlot A has been set
aside at the request of staff as a means of preserving a small, intact section of the woodlot.
PARK AND TRAIL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN REVIEW
Parks
This property is located within the park service area of Carver Beach Playground and Carver
Beach Park. Carver Beach Playground is located at 900 Carver Beach Road and is a two-
acre site featuring a ball field, basketball court, and creative playground. Carver Beach Park
is located at 6891 Lotus Trail and is a six-acre waterfront park featuring two public
swimming beaches, a picnic area, nature trail, and small playground. The nature trail
follows the shoreline of Lotus Lake and is nearly 112 mile in length.
Trails
With the exception of the nature trail and one section of concrete sidewalk, the Carver Beach
neighborhood is void of trails and sidewalks. This condition is directly attributable to the
age of the area and the narrow street grid and road rights-of-way. There is very limited, if
not non-existent, right-or-way to construct sidewalks and/or trails in the area. Carver Beach
Road serves as a main transportation corridor in the neighborhood for both vehicles and
pedestrians. The one sidewalk mentioned is located on Carver Beach Road starting at
Carver Beach Park and traveling west to Powers Boulevard. In addition to this sidewalk, an
important "trail connector" is located at the terminus of Carver Beach Road linking
pedestrians to Big Woods Boulevard, Kerber Pond Park, and south to the downtown area.
The City of Chanhassen · A growing community with clean lakes, quality schools, a charming downtown, thriving businesses, winding trails, and beautiful parks, A great place to live, work, and play.
Park & Recreation Commission
April 17, 2007
Page 2
Outlot A
The Park and Recreation Commission has the choice of recommending the City Council
accept cash park fees or land dedication as a condition of approval for the Lotus Woods
Subdivision. The cash park fees required of this application as submitted are $63,800 or
$5,800 per lot. It is staffs recommendation that the Commission seek land dedication of
Outlot A in lieu of cash park fees as a means of preserving some of the woodlot character
that currently exists on this site. The location of Outlot A is at the intersection of Carver
Beach Road and Fox Hill Drive and will serve as a landmark for the new residents. In
addition, the larger neighborhood and community will view this dedication as a worthy
investment in preserving the unique character of Carver Beach.
Staff s request of the applicant was to maximize the size of the "no touch" outlot
preservation on the comer. The maximum dedication of land allowed by our ordinance is
one acre for every 75 people. With eleven single family lots, we use the calculation of
3.5 persons per home arriving at .51 acres or 22,361 square feet of dedication. As drawn,
Outlot A currently contains 30,527 square feet with 8,050 ofthat being wetland. Wetlands
are not accepted as parkland dedicatioh. The wetland also has a 16.5-foot wide protected
buffer that does not count towards the 22,361 square feet of dedication. Additionally, the
upland area of the outlot is split into three separate parcels, the largest of which is located on
the comer. However, this portion of the outlot is partially subjected to tree clearing, grading
and filling, further reducing the "no touch" preservation node desired at this location.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Park and Recreation Commission recommend the City Council
require, as a condition of approval for the proposed Lotus Woods subdivision, the full
dedication of "no touch" parkland (22,361 sq. ft. for 11 lots or 20,328 sq. ft. for 10 lots) at
the comer of Carver Beach Road and Fox Hill Road. This is an area with the general
dimensions of 140 feet by 150 feet. The area currently depicted at this location is generally
140 feet by 86 feet with a full one-third of that area being subjected to clearing and grading.
This land dedication would be in lieu of the collection of cash dedication fees.
PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION ACTION
On April 24, 2007, the Park and Recreation Commission visited this property prior to their
regular meeting. Upon calling the official meeting to order, commissioners asked that the
staff report be presented. Chair Stolar then called upon the applicant and members of the
audience to speak. Upon listening to all of the speakers, commissioners discussed their
positions on the proposed application. At the conclusion of the discussion, the following
motion was made:
Daniel moved, Scharfenberg seconded that the Park and Recreation
Commission table the Lotus Woods subdivision request to allow staff
time to discuss with the property owners and engineers their
recommended approach towards dedicating land in lieu of park fees
in an area estimated at 22,475 square feet and discuss the specific
G:\PLAN\2007 Planning Cases\07-09 Lotus Woods\Park & Rec Reportdoc
Park & Recreation Commission
April 17, 2007
Page 2
points listed by the commission such as grading, drainage swale, tree
inventory, redesign of the house on Lot 8, and signage. All voted in
favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 6 to o.
On Monday, April 30, staff met with the applicant and agreed upon the
configuration of the 22,475 square foot Outlot A and confirmed the
requirements that no grading be conducted within the Outlot, the rip rap swale
be deleted, and that the border of the Outlot be identified with appropriate
slgnage.
G:\PLAN\2007 Planning Cases\07-09 Lotus Woods\Park & Rec Report.doc