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Application: Subdivision, Site Plan, Wetland Alteration Permit, and Vacation (PC #2023-16)
Planning Commission Review Date: July 18, 2023
City Council Review Date: August 14, 2023
SUMMARY OF REQUEST:
The applicant is requesting a Subdivision replating two outlots, a Vacation of easements and
right-of-way, a Wetland Alteration Permit, a Site Plan review of two office/industrial buildings
with a total size of 394,247 square feet, and variances.
LOCATION: Located at the SW corner of
Arboretum Blvd and Audubon
Blvd.
Outlot A, McGlynn Park and
Outlot A, McGlynn Park 2nd
Addition; PID 254520020 and
254480020 (Subject Property)
OWNER: Mesenbrink Construction &
Engineering, Inc.
7765 165th Street East
Prior Lake MN 55372
Applicant: Edward Farr Architects Inc.
CURRENT ZONING: Industrial Office Park, IOP
2040 LAND USE PLAN: Office Industrial (O/I)
ACREAGE: 29.52 acres DENSITY: 0.32 FAR
PROPOSED MOTION:
The Chanhassen Planning Commission recommends approval of the Subdivision, Site Plan,
and the Wetland Alteration Permit request for the construction of Audubon Business Park
subject to the conditions of approval and adopts the attached Findings of Facts and
Recommendation.”
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LEVEL OF CITY DISCRETION IN DECISION-MAKING:
The city’s discretion in approving or denying a Preliminary Plat is limited to whether or not the
proposed plat meets the standards outlined in the Subdivision Regulations and Zoning Ordinance. If
it meets these standards, the city must approve the preliminary plat. This is a quasi-judicial decision.
The city’s discretion in approving or denying a Site Plan is limited to whether or not the proposed
project complies with Zoning Ordinance requirements. If it meets these standards, the city must then
approve the site plan. This is a quasi-judicial decision.
The city’s discretion in approving or denying a Wetland Alteration Permit is limited to whether the
proposal meets the standards outlined in the Zoning Ordinance. If it meets these standards, the city
must approve the wetland alteration permit. This is a quasi-judicial decision.
Notice of this public hearing has been mailed to all property owners within 500 feet.
APPLICABLE REGULATIONS
Chapter 20, Article II, Division 6, Site Plan Review
Chapter 20, Article XII, “IOP” Industrial Office Park District
Chapter 20, Article XXIII, Division 7, Design Standards for Commercial, Industrial and Office-
Institutional Developments
Chapter 20, Article XXVI, Signs
Chapter 20, Article XXIX, Highway Corridor District
ZONING OVERVIEW
Zoning Designation
The property is zoned Industrial Office Park District, IOP.
Environmental Protection Districts
Bluff Creek Corridor - This is not encumbered by the Bluff Creek Overlay District.
Bluff Protection - The proposed project is located outside of the required bluff setback.
Floodplain Overlay - The proposed project is located outside of the floodplain.
Shoreland Management - The property is outside of the Shoreland Protection District.
Wetland Protection - There are no wetlands on the site.
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SUBDIVISION REVIEW
The applicant is replatting two outlots into two developable lots. In conjunction with the plat,
they will be vacating a portion of the existing McGlynn Drive right-of-way.
EASEMENTS
The proposed development is at PINs 254520020 & 254480020 which were platted in 1988
McGlynn Park) and 1995 (McGlynn Park 2nd Addition), respectively. At that time typical public
drainage and utility easements (DUE) along the property lines were recorded. With the proposed
development these public DUEs must be vacated concurrently with the recording of the final plat
and newly platted DUE in accordance with City Ordinance provided. Additionally, public water
mains will extend into the site as discussed later under “Utilities” of this report. A 20-foot
easement centered over the public mains shall be provided in accordance with Sec. 18-76 of City
Ordinance; the developer’s preliminary and final plat generally indicate these easements will be
provided.
The developer is proposing to dedicate public right-of-way (ROW) along Coulter Boulevard to
meet the requirements of City Ordinance. Coulter Boulevard is a collector road and is required
under Sec 18-57(b) to have an 80-foot-wide ROW. The applicant is providing adequate width
associated with Coulter Boulevard abutting the south side of the proposed development by
dedicating an additional 10 feet, as well as vacating a public road easement (Doc. No. 212079
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with Carver County) and platting the required ROW. A platted ROW is preferred over easements
as they are more specific and provide more protection for their public use in perpetuity.
Furthermore, the developer is proposing to dedicate ROW over the newly located McGlynn
Road cul-de-sac which appears to generally be in conformance with the City’s Standards and
Specifications and Detail Plates (#5205).
Lastly, the developer shall provide an updated title commitment prior to the recording of the final
plat, Development Contract, and Site Plan Agreement and provide any recorded encumbrances
on the property identified on the title commitment.
GRADING & DRAINAGE
The existing Audubon Business Park site is mostly undeveloped in the current condition with
McGlynn Road stubbed into the middle of the site. Runoff from the site sheet flows in all
directions of the site but primarily it drains to the northwest towards an existing wetland. There
are several existing wetlands and one watercourse located throughout the site. The site does not
receive any offsite drainage as it is surrounded on the north, east and south sides by existing
roadways which handle their own drainage and the area along the west property line sits lower
than the site.
Plans submitted by the applicant dated June 16, 2023, were reviewed showing improvements on
the property including two large industrial buildings with parking lots along with utility
including water, sanitary and storm sewer infrastructure to support the development. In the
proposed condition drainage from the proposed parking lots and buildings is directed to one of
five proposed infiltration basins for treatment and rate control management. The infiltration
basins outlet towards either existing wetlands in the north and northwest, into existing storm
sewer along McGlynn Road or into existing storm sewer along Courtier Boulevard. Four
wetlands and the watercourse are shown with impacts as part of the plan. Wetlands along the
northern boundary and in the northwest corner are preserved. All onsite storm sewer and
stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) on the Audubon Business Park site will be
privately owned and maintained.
WETLANDS
The proposed plans show six (6) wetlands onsite that were delineated by Jacobson
Environmental PLLC on October 10, 2022. The delineation was approved by the City of
Chanhassen in its role as the local governing unit (LGU) that is responsible for administering the
Wetland Conservation Act (WCA). The Technical Evaluation Panel (TEP) made up of
representatives from the city, Watershed District, MN Department of Natural Resources (DNR),
Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR), and Carver County Soil and Water Conservation
District (SWCD) are all part of the WCA process in reviewing wetland applications including
types and boundaries. The Wetland types and sizes on site were determined to be:
Wetland 1 - 0.16 acre shallow marsh
Wetland 2 – 0.22 acre wet meadow
Wetland 3 – 0.21 acre wet meadow
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Wetland 4 – 0.17 acre shallow marsh/shrub swamp
Wetland 5 – 0.10 acre shrub swamp
Wetland 6 – 0.02 acre shrub swamp
Wetland three (3) was determined to be an incidental wetland that was created from earth
moving activities associated with an old farmhouse on the property. As such wetland three (3) is
not governed by the Wetland Conservation Act (WCA).
The proposed plan would fill wetlands three (3), four (4), five (5), and six (6). Wetlands one (1)
and two (2) would be preserved and buffers would be established around them as outlined in City
Ordinance Article VI, Chapter 20. The report included a Minnesota Routine Assessment Method
MNRAM) assessments to determine the size of the wetland buffer and associated setbacks.
Wetlands one (1) and two (2) were classified as medium value wetlands (manage type 2) with a
minimum buffer width requirement of 20 feet and a 30 feet principle structure setback from
wetland buffer. The proposed plans include the required native buffers and meet the setback
requirements.
The grading and filling over the wetlands would facilitate the construction of the buildings,
stormwater treatment BMPs, and parking lots associated with the development. The WCA and
City Ordinance was created to protect wetlands because of their value as a water resource and
their numerous benefits to the surrounding area (water quality, flood mitigation, wildlife habitat,
etc.). The main principles of the WCA are to avoid wetland impacts, then minimize impacts, and
finally replace filled wetlands where wetland altering activities could not be avoided. The
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process of filling wetlands and showing the avoidance and minimization are defined in State
Statue 8420 and submitted to the TEP and Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) as a Joint Permit
Sequencing Application. The ACOE reviews applications separate of the TEP and LGU. The
applicant must secure permits for the wetland impacts from both the LGU and ACOE. The
applicant submitted a Sequencing Application on March 18, 2023 which was found to be
incomplete. An application was submitted by the applicant on April 12, 2023 which was
determined to be complete. The sequencing application outlines why the applicant needs the
specific design, alternative designs reviewed, actions to minimize wetland impacts, and a
property search analysis to show the other parcels considered as an alternative site location. The
application and review are a rigorous process. The complete application was determined to be
deficient with regards to demonstrating the need for the project and the quality of the alternatives
provided. Several meetings and additional Sequencing Applications were submitted to the TEP
for review during the Months of April through July to answer the TEP’s questions. On July 12th a
memo was provided by the applicant that addressed all the TEP’s concerns about the sequencing
application. The additional information was needed to determine if the project met the intent of
the WCA with regards to project need and wetland avoidance and minimization. During the
review process, the applicant was able to demonstrate to the TEP that the building layout needed
by the project could not be reconfigured on the parcel to further reduce wetland impacts. The
TEP formally approved the wetland sequencing application on July 25, 2023. The filled wetlands
will be offset by the purchase of 0.066 acres of wetland banking credits from Banks 175 and 176
located in Scott County and 0.5328 acres of wetland banking credits from Bank 1689 located in
Sibley County. The wetland sequencing for this activity required a 2:1 purchase ratio.
Impacting wetlands in Chanhassen requires a wetland alteration permit as defined in Article VI,
Chapter 20 of City Ordinance which must be approved by City Council. The intent of this
section of code was to give the city additional control of wetland impacting activities within the
city of Chanhassen and ensure that the WCA was followed by all activities that could impact
wetlands. The sequencing application provided by the applicant is consistent with the WCA and
City Ordinance and has shown how the project avoided and minimized wetland impacts to the
maximum extent practicable. The wetland credits purchased are not within city limits, but the
TEP would not approve wetland mitigation onsite – wetland banks are generally preferred to
onsite mitigation because of the proven success of the wetland banking program.
The construction plans dated June 16, 2023 show wetland buffers and setbacks that are
consistent with Article VI, Chapter 20 of City Ordinance - Wetland Protection and appear to
meet watershed buffer requirements. The proposed plans show areas where the native wetland
buffer is disturbed and filled. A vegetation management plan will be required to reestablish and
maintain the proper buffer vegetation to protect the remaining wetland area.
EROSION CONTROL
The proposed development will impact over one (1) acre of disturbance and will, therefore, be
subject to the General Permit Authorization to Discharge Stormwater Associated with
Construction Activity Under the National Pollution Discharge Elimination/State Disposal
System (NPDES Construction Permit). The applicant has prepared and submitted a Surface
Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) to the city for review. The SWPPP is a required
submittal element for final site plan review along with the Erosion and Sediment Control Plan
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ESCP) in accordance with Section 19-145 of City Ordinance. No earth-disturbing activities may
occur until an approved SWPPP is developed and approved. This SWPPP shall be a standalone
document consistent with the NPDES Construction Permit and shall contain all required
elements of the permit. The SWPPP will need to be updated as the plans are finalized when the
contractor and their sub-contractors are identified, and as other conditions change. All erosion
control shall be installed and inspected prior to initiation of site grading activities.
STORM WATER MANAGEMENT
Article VII, Chapter 19 of City Code describes the required stormwater management
development standards. Section 19-141 states that “these development standards shall be
reflected in plans prepared by developers and/or project proposers in the design and layout of site
plans, subdivisions, and water management features.” These standards include abstraction of
runoff and water quality treatment resulting in the removal of 90% total suspended solids (TSS)
and 60% total phosphorous (TP). The proposed project is located within the Riley Purgatory
Bluff Creek Watershed District (RPBCWD) and is therefore subject to the watershed’s rules and
regulations. A Stormwater Management Report dated June 16, 2023 was submitted by the
applicant to the city. Comments provided by the RPBCWD must be addressed and a permit from
RPBCWD is required prior to construction.
The site is within RPBCWD and is required to meet all applicable watershed rules which
includes volume abstraction of 1.1 inches of runoff from all new or fully reconstructed
impervious areas. Soil borings and results from infiltration testing were provided for all five
proposed basin locations. Soil borings indicated clay soils were present through the majority of
the site although the infiltration testing indicated some infiltration onsite may still be feasible,
with infiltration rates ranging from 0.06 – 1.8 inches per hour. The applicant is proposing designs
utilizing infiltration rates between 0.06-0.2 inches per hour. Additional investigation and
information are needed to determine the viability of infiltration onsite. For example, while
groundwater was not found at any of the soil boring locations, mottled soils were identified in
the proposed basin locations at varying depths. Mottled soils can indicate seasonally saturated
conditions in the soils, and proposed infiltration basins will need to be designed to maintain a
minimum of three feet separation between the bottom of the basin and saturated soils. The site
proposes 18.5 acres of new and reconstructed impervious area requiring 73,672 cubic feet of
volume abstraction. Based on the current design 76,887 cubic feet of volume abstraction is
proposed however confirmation that the separation requirements are being met for all proposed
infiltration basins is needed before volume abstraction requirements can be confirmed to be met.
P8 modeling was provided and reviewed to confirm that the site is providing the required 90%
TSS and 60% TP removal requirements. The site is currently shown to meet the required water
quality treatment targets through the proposed infiltration basins however confirmation of the
basins meeting the required vertical separation is needed in order to confirm the site is properly
modeled in P8.
The Stormwater Management Report and supporting Hydrologic and Hydraulic HydroCAD
models were reviewed. The HydroCAD modeling shows the site is meeting rate control to each
of the discharge points for the 2-, 10-, and 100-year storm events. The applicant shall provide
final versions of all modeling (HydroCAD and P8) and an updated SWMP report to address
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remaining comments and confirm rate, volume and water quality requirements are met as part of
the final plat approval.
As outlined in the City’s Surface Water Management Plan adopted in December 2018, the city
requires at least 3 feet of freeboard between a building elevation and adjacent ponding features.
Based on the HydroCAD modeling results all proposed buildings are meeting freeboard
requirements with respect to the proposed BMPs.
The proposed BMPs are to be privately owned and therefore will require an Operations and
Maintenance (O&M) Agreement and associated plan. The plan shall identify the maintenance
schedule, responsible party, and should include information on how the system will be
maintained. The proposed BMPs are located outside of drainage and utility easements.
STORMWATER UTILITY CONNECTION CHARGES
City Ordinance sets out the fees associated with surface water management when subdividing
properties. Water quality and water quantity fees are collected with a subdivision. These fees are
based on land use type and are intended to reflect the fact that the more intense the development
type, the greater the degradation of surface water.
The fees will be applied to the new lots of record being created. It is assessed at the rate in effect
at that time; the 2023 rate for industrial is $23,820.00 per acre of developable land:
SURFACE
WATER
DEVELOPMENT
FEE
AREA
PER ACRE
FEE
ACRES FEE
GROSS AREA $9,180 2.205 20,241.90
OUTLOT A $9,180 0.548 5,030.64)
NET AREA 1.657 $ 15,211.26
As such, the net SWMP fee due at the time of final plat (in 2023) is estimated to be $666,957.62.
SANITARY AND WATER UTILITIES
The site has access to public sanitary sewer and water mains abutting the property within Coulter
Boulevard’s and McGlynn Road’s rights-of-way. The applicant is proposing to extend sanitary
sewer from the previously installed stub from McGlynn Road and extend water mains from the
previously installed stubs from Coulter Boulevard and McGlynn Road. The proposed water main
and sanitary sewer main extensions shall be owned and maintained by the city after acceptance
of the public improvements by the City Council. As such, the installation of these public utilities
will be required to be constructed in conformance with the latest edition of the City of
Chanhassen’s Standard Specifications and Detail Plates.
Based on the plans provided the public water mains will be looped internally to provide better
serviceability and water quality to the site. There is an extension to the north of “Building A”
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that will not be looped as its extension is only to provide adequate fire suppression (hydrants) to
that portion of the building. All hydrant locations must be verified by the Fire Department.
In order to access and maintain the newly installed public utilities adequate public drainage and
utilities must be recorded prior to or concurrently with the final plat. Minimum easements are 20
feet wide from the center of the utility alignment in typical construction applications, however,
easements can vary in width depending on the depth and size of infrastructure proposed. As
currently proposed with the construction plans and final plat, adequate easements have been
provided. The applicant will be required to supply profile drawings of all the public utilities
being extended on-site, this includes the sanitary sewer main, for staff to review and approve all
required easements.
There is approximately 250 linear feet of public water main that are proposed to be constructed
on substantial fill (>3 feet), and a total of approximately 450 linear feet of public water main on
fill throughout the site. When utilities are constructed over fill, there are concerns that inadequate
compaction and/or materials could be used which can lead to the fill settling over time which can
cause the water main to shift or break. It does not appear that the geotechnical report provided
with the application materials addresses this concern. The developer shall update the
geotechnical report to incorporate recommendations and requirements when constructing utilities
over fill areas. Construction plans must incorporate these recommendations, and a geotechnical
engineer must be on-site to observe that the construction is in conformance with the incorporated
recommendations. Final civil construction plans will be subject to review and approval by staff
prior to recording the final plat.
Fees
Based on the proposal the following fees would be collected according to rates in effect for 2023
with the Development Contract:
a) Administration Fee: If the improvement costs are less than $500,000, 3% of the
improvement costs. If the improvement costs are between $500,000 and $1,000,000, 2%
of the improvement costs.
b) Surface water management fee: $23,820/acre.
c) Park dedication fee: $12,500/acre.
d) GIS fees: $100 for the plat plus $30 per parcel.
LANDSCAPING AND TREE PRESERVATION
The applicant for the Audubon Business Park did submit tree preservation calculations. They are
as follows:
Total inches (significant trees) 2,550”
Total inches removed (significant trees) 2,322”
Total inches preserved (significant trees) 228”
The applicant’s inventory seemed accurate (most trees sampled were one to two inches larger
than the diameter recorded in the inventory), based on several sample areas checked in the field.
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The site is not fully wooded and has been farmed for many years, based on aerial images going
back to the 1930s. Trees that have been on the site have been historically located around several
buildings that were located near where the current McGlynn Rd is located. No trees on the site
are older than 35 years (except maybe a couple individuals in the NW wetland area).
PARKS & RECREATION
The quality and number of recreational facilities in a community directly contribute to its quality
of life. For this reason, the City of Chanhassen places a strong emphasis on parks and open
space. As the City of Chanhassen has developed and increased in population and businesses,
more pressure and attention has been given to providing recreational opportunities for our
residents, visitors, employees, and businesses. Increased leisure time, health awareness, greater
mobility, and high disposable incomes have all contributed to the increased demand for
recreational activities. The challenge of the next century will be to provide facilities for a
growing and diverse population.
The development is within a half mile of Chanhassen Recreation Center and 1,727 feet of Lake
Ann Park. The site connects directly to trails on Audubon Road and Coulter Boulevard.
Park and Trail Conditions of Approval
Park fees for the new building sites in effect at the time of final plat approval shall be paid prior
to recording the plat. The park fees for 2023 are $12,500.00 per acre for commercial/industrial
land. The developer shall pay $349,987.50 when subdivided in 2023. (27.999 acres x $12,500 =
349,987.50)
SITE PLAN REVIEW
The developer is requesting site plan approval for two office industrial buildings of 229,688 and
164,559 square feet that would be used as an office-manufacturing-warehouse.
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The Industrial Office Park District outlines specific setbacks for development A summary of the
applicable setbacks and design standards is provided below:
ACCESS
The Audubon Business Park development is proposed at PINs 254520020 & 254480020 which
are located at the NWC of Audubon Road & Coulter Boulevard with additional access to the
properties at the cul-de-sac of McGlynn Road. Two accesses are being proposed via Coulter
Boulevard, a city collector road, and three accesses are being proposed from McGlynn Road, a
local city road. Two of the three accesses from McGlynn Road will provide ingress/egress to the
truck loading areas and truck/trailer parking, while the remaining accesses to the site will provide
ingress/egress to the 482 parking stalls surrounding the north and south lots. A Traffic Analysis
produced by Vernon Swing, PE with SSTS was provided which evaluated existing traffic
operations and potential traffic impacts to the adjacent roadway network based on the proposed
use for the anticipated 2024 build. The report concluded that traffic operations will continue to
operate under acceptable levels of service for the adjacent road network. Trip generation
calculations provided indicate that additional traffic generation would produce 268 and 291 trips
during the a.m. and p.m. peak hours, respectively, and a weekday ADT of 1,870. These trip
generation values were calculated based on the Institute of Transportation Engineers’ Trip
Generation Manual, 11th Edition (ITE) by utilizing the ITE’s Land Use Code of “Manufacturing”
for the entire site’s building areas (approximately 393,600 square feet). The developer in their
narrative provided information that there will be office and potentially other Land Use codes
associated with the development. The developer will be required to update the trip generation
estimates in accordance with the anticipated Land Use Codes. If the development is estimated to
generate either 250 or more peak-hour vehicle trips or 2,500 or more new daily trips after this
update, the Traffic Analysis will be required to be updated to incorporate a future year analysis
of 2040 and the impacts on the level of service and operations of the surrounding network. The
final traffic analysis will be subject to review and approval by staff prior to recording the final
plat.
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The development’s proposal includes the taking of a segment of McGlynn Road by relocating
the cul-de-sac approximately 300 feet to the east. As McGlynn Road will not be required to be
extended in the future and the proposed construction plans illustrate adequate access to the
proposed development as well as maintaining the neighboring existing site’s accesses, staff is in
support of the updated configuration to McGlynn Road. This will require that McGlynn Road’s
existing right-of-way be vacated, and the resolution be recorded concurrently with the final plat.
Further discussion on vacations, right-of-way, and easements is discussed under the “Easements”
section of this report.
Compliance Table
IOP/HC Project
Building Height 4 stories 1 story
50 feet 43 feet three inches (south elevation)
Building A Setback N – 75/150 E - 30' N - 143' E - 219'
W - 10' S - 30' W - 173' S – 170’
Building B Setback N - 30' E - 30' N - 125' E - 264' *
W - 10' S – 50/100’ W -250' S – 96’
Wetland Buffer 30 feet 40 feet
Parking Stalls 485 stalls 428 stalls with 54 proof of parking
Parking Setback N - 75' E - 25' N - 83' E - 135'
W - 10' S -25' W -192' S - 20'
Hard Surface Coverage 70% 32%
Lot Area 43,560 sq. ft. 946,994 sq. ft. (21.74 ac.)
North Elevation (Facing Highway 5)
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West Elevation
Building A
Building B
East Elevation (Facing Audubon Road)
South Elevation (Facing Coulter Boulevard)
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Southeast Elevation
Interior Elevations (Truck Bays)
Size portion and Placement
The proposed structures will be constructed parallel to Highway 5 and Coulter Boulevard.
Material and Color
The primary building material is textured
exposed aggregate) light and dark gray
concrete panels, which are located on all
sides of the building. Additionally, metallic
copper metal are proposed to provide
banding on the structure. Building A, north
building, will be primarily light precast.
Building B, south building, will be
primarily dark precast. Prefinished metal
coping will be provided at the top of each
building with the color matching the
building material color. Window framing is
clear anodized aluminum with gray, low-E
reflective glass.
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Architectural Interest
The Applicant is proposing pre-cast tilt-up panel buildings. The building walls would include
two colors to provide variation, large windows around the entrances to provide further
articulation of the wall faces and reveals in the concrete panels throughout the building.
Clerestory windows are provided above the truck docks and on the ends of the building. The
proposed structure would have parapet walls over each of the entrances as well as evenly spaced
along the north and south elevations. The proposed parapets and building height will aid in
screening of rooftop mechanical equipment. Articulation is provided at entrances, building
columns, and window openings.
Roof Design
The flat roof is articulated by the use of varying parapet heights. Rooftop mechanical equipment
shall be screened.
Façade Transparency
The proposed development uses significant window areas, especially around building entrances.
Additional architectural features include two different parapet heights and three color tones on
the wall faces on public-facing sides of the structure.
Site Furnishing
The developer is providing a patio area and seating at the end of each building. Sidewalks from
each building will connect to the city’s trail system on Audubon Road and Coulter Boulevard.
Loading and Refuse Areas
The facility will utilize an interior (truck yard) trash enclosure in the middle of the property.
Lighting
Submitted plans show that the applicant is proposing lighting on the building and parking lot.
Monopole lights for the parking area. The plans note that poles and wall mounts will be 30 feet
above grade. The wallpack lighting must be shielded with a total cutoff angle equal to or less
than 90 degrees.
Signage
Submitted plans show both wall signage as well as a ground monument sign.
Wall Signage – one wall business sign is permitted on the street frontage for each business
occupant within a building.
Ground signage - ground signs may be no closer than 10 feet to any property line and be no
larger than 80 square feet of sign display area. The maximum height of the monument structure
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is eight feet. The applicant shows a monument sign at the corner of Audubon Road and Highway
5. Ground lighting may not spill skyward.
Separate sign permits are required for each business sign. Signage shall comply with the Office
Industrial sign regulations. Directional signage must be located outside public right of way.
Landscaping
The development is proposing buffer areas along the north, south, east, and west property lines.
The applicant does not meet bufferyard requirements along the north property line, as they are
not counting the entire length that need to be buffered along Hwy 5. Staff recommends that the
applicant finalize the buffer calculations to see if the proposed landscaping quantities meet
minimum requirements.
The applicant will need to provide adequate screening of the northwestern corner of the property
as there are no proposed plantings for this area to further screen the northwestern corner of the
property from Hwy 5.
The applicant will need to provide calculations for the minimum requirements for landscaping
for the parking lots to see if they meet the requirements for landscape area and parking lot trees.
The landscape plan meets tree diversity requirements. The planting schedule reflects that no one
species will comprise more than 10% of total trees to be planted, no genus will have more than
20% of total trees and no one tree family will have more than 30% of total trees.
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
SITE PLAN
Required Planning Department Comments/Corrections to Plan Set:
1. Separate sign permits are required for each business sign. Signage shall comply with the
Office Industrial sign regulations.
2. Directional signage must be located outside public right of way.
3. Site lighting must comply with city ordinance.
Building Department Notes:
1. A building permit must be obtained before beginning any construction.
2. Building plans must be prepared and signed by design professionals licensed in the State
of Minnesota.
3. Building plans must provide sufficient information to verify that proposed building meets
all requirements of the Minnesota State Building Code, additional comments or
requirements may be required after plan review.
4. The building is required to have automatic fire extinguishing systems.
5. Structure proximity to property lines (and other buildings) will have an impact on the
code requirements for the proposed buildings, including but not limited to; allowable
size, protected openings, and fire-resistive construction. These requirements will be
addressed when complete building and site plans are submitted.
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6. Building plans must include a code analysis that contains the following information: Key
Plan, Occupancy group, Type of construction, Allowable height and area, Fire sprinklers,
Separated or non-separated, Fire resistive elements (Ext walls, Bearing walls - exterior or
interior, Shaft, Incidental use), Occupant load, Exits required (Common path, Travel
distance), Minimum plumbing fixture count.
7. Retaining walls (if present) more than four feet high, measured from the bottom of the
footing to the top of the wall, must be designed by a professional engineer and a building
permit must be obtained prior to construction. Retaining walls (if present) under four feet
in height require a zoning permit.
8. If any soil corrections are done on the property a final grading plan and soil report must
be submitted to the Inspections Division before permits will be issued.
Fire Department Notes:
1. Building will require a fire suppression system and fire panel to monitor the system.
2. Additional hydrants may be required after final review of utility plans.
3. If building stays under 30 feet, no additional fire apparatus entrance required.
4. Fire apparatus turnaround required, looks to be provided by N/E portion of parking lot
but cannot confirm spacing until more detailed plans provided.
Natural Resources
1. The applicant shall revise the landscape plan to increase quantities to meet minimum
ordinance requirements for bufferyard plantings and vehicle use areas (including
parking).
2. The applicant shall increase the number of trees in areas where there is a need for further
screening (NW corner of property).
3. The applicant shall increase the number of plantings along the western parking lot of
Building A (L2.0), so it is similar to the proposed plantings along the western parking
area for building B (L2.3).
4. The applicant shall include tree protection fencing in plans in red for sheet C37, to match
C35, C36 & C38.
5. Plantings of tree overstory species shall be at least 25 feet from the overhead utility lines
along the N side of the property, along on Hwy 5 (see L2.0 & L2.1).
6. Plans will need to be amended to show that any boulevard trees are proposed to be
removed (see the SW entrance to the site on C37).
7. When within 20 feet of the dripline of a tree to be saved, silt fences shall be replaced by
mulch socks, so no roots of trees to be preserved are cut from the installation of a typical
silt fence skirt. Note that silt fences are not to be used as tree protection fencing.
8. Replace white spruce trees that are N of the SW pond and S of a building with Norway
spruce or other evergreen that will be large enough to screen building. The proposed
variety (Black Hills, densata) is quite a bit shorter at maturity than the recommendation.
Water Resources
1. The developer and their Engineer shall work with city staff in amending the construction
plans, dated June 16, 2023 prepared by Rehder & Associates, Inc., to fully satisfy
construction plan comments and concerns. Final construction plans will be subject to
review and approval by staff prior to recording of the final plat.
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2. An approved permit from RPBCWD will be required prior to the commencement of
construction activities.
3. The applicant shall confirm the feasibility of infiltration onsite given the mottled soils
shown in several of the soil boring logs and the location of the proposed basins. If basin
locations are modified, updated soil borings and infiltration testing shall be provided to
confirm viability of new basin locations.
4. The applicant shall update the models (HydroCAD and P8) per city and any watershed
district comments and submit updated computations and models in their native forms
with the final plat submittal and final construction plans.
5. The applicant shall enter into an Operations and Maintenance Agreement for any
proposed privately owned stormwater facilities which shall be recorded concurrently with
the final plat.
SUBDIVISION
Engineering
1. The developer and their Engineer shall work with city staff in updating the Traffic
Analysis, dated April 14, 2023 prepared by Vernon Swing, PE with SSTS, to fully satisfy
comments and concerns by staff. The final Traffic Analysis will be subject to review and
approval by staff prior to recording of the final plat.
2. All public drainage and utility easements and rights-of-way within the development shall
be vacated concurrently with the recording of the final plat.
3. The developer shall supply public drainage and utility easements over all public utilities
within the development prior to recording the final plat.
4. The developer shall dedicate right-of-way in accordance with Sec. 18-57(b) for Coulter
Boulevard and in accordance with the City’s Specification and Detail Plates (Plate
5205) for McGlynn Road.
5. The developer shall provide an updated title commitment prior to the recording of the
final plat, Development Contract, and Site Plan Agreement and provide any recorded
encumbrances on the property identified on the title commitment.
6. All newly constructed water and sanitary mains shall be public, owned and maintained by
the city after acceptance of the public improvements by the City Council.
7. All sanitary sewer and water main improvements on the site will be constructed in
accordance with the latest edition of the City of Chanhassen’s Standard Specifications
and Detail Plates.
8. The developer shall update the geotechnical report to incorporate recommendations and
requirements when constructing public utilities, as well as their construction over fill
areas. A geotechnical engineer shall be on-site to observe that the construction is in
conformance with the incorporated recommendations.
9. The developer shall enter into a Development Contract and pay all applicable fees and
securities prior to recording of final plat.
10. The developer shall enter into a site plan agreement with the City and provide necessary
financial security to guarantee compliance with the terms of site plan approval.
11. The developer and their Engineer shall work with City staff in amending the construction
plans, dated June 16, 2023 prepared by Rehder & Associates, Inc., to fully satisfy
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construction plan comments and concerns. Final construction plans will be subject to
review and approval by staff prior to recording of the final plat.
12. It is the developer’s responsibility to ensure that permits are received from all other
agencies with jurisdiction over the project (i.e. Carver County, RPBCWD, Board of
Water and Soil Resources, MnDOT, US Army Corps of Engineers, etc.) prior to the
commencement of construction activities.
Parks and Recreation
1. Park fees for the new building sites in effect at the time of final plat approval shall be
paid prior to recording the plat.
WETLAND ALTERATION PERMIT
1. The applicant shall provide a copy of the signed Army Corps of Engineers Permit prior to
the commencement of construction activities.
2. The applicant shall comply with all requirements of the approved WCA sequencing
application and provide proof of purchased credits prior to the commencement of
construction activities.
3. The applicant shall work with staff to create an approved plan for reestablishing the
wetland buffer that will be disturbed prior to recording of the site plan agreement.
ATTACHMENTS
Findings of Fact and Recommendation
Development Review Application
Project Narrative
Civil Plans
Zoning (Architectural) Plans
Affidavit of Mailing
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CITY OF CHANHASSEN
CARVER AND HENNEPIN COUNTIES, MINNESOTA
FINDINGS OF FACT
AND RECOMMENDATION
IN RE:
Application of Mesenbrink Construction & Engineering, Inc. and Edward Farr Architects Inc. for
Subdivision approval to create two lots, Site Plan review for two office-industrial buildings of
22g,688 square feet and 164,559 square feet, respectively, and a Wetland Alteration Permit to fill
wetlands on site for the construction of Audubon Business Park subject to the conditions of
approval
On July 18,2023,the Chanhassen Planning Commission met at its regularly scheduled meeting
to consider the application of Mesenbrink Construction & Engineering, Inc. and Edward Farr
Architects, Inc. for Audubon Business Park. The Planning Commission conducted a public
hearing on the proposed development preceded by published and mailed notice. The Planning
Commission heard testimony from all interested persons wishing to speak and now makes the
following:
FINDINGS OF FACT
1 The property is currently zoned Office Industrial Park, IOP, and Highway Corridor District,
HC.
2. The property is guided in the Land Use Plan for office Industrial use.
3. The legal description of the property is Outlot A, McGlynn Park and Outlot A, McGlynn
Park 2nd Addition; PID 254520020 and 254480020.
4. The Subdivision Ordinance directs the Planning Commission to consider seven possible
adverse effects of the proposed subdivision. The seven (7) effects and our findings regarding
them are:
a. The proposed subdivision is consistent with the zoning ordinance;
b. The proposed subdivision is consistent with all applicable city, county and regional
plans including but not limited to the city's comprehensive plan;
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c. The physical characteristics of the site, including but not limited to topography, soils,
vegetation, susceptibility to erosion and siltation, susceptibility to flooding, and
stormwater drainage are suitable for the proposed development;
d. The proposed subdivision makes adequate provision for water supply, storm drainage,
sewage disposal, streets, erosion control, and all other improvements required by
Chapter 18 of the Chanhassen City Code;
e. The proposed subdivision will not cause significant environmental damage;
f. The proposed subdivision will not conflict with easements of record; and
g. The proposed subdivision is not premature. A subdivision is premature if any of the
following exists:
l) Lack of adequate storm water drainage.
2) Lack ofadequate roads.
3) Lack of adequate sanitary sewer systems.
4) Lack of adequate off-site public improvements or support systems.
5. Site Plan:
a) Is consistent with the elements and objectives of the city's development guides, including
the comprehensive plan, official road mapping, and other plans that may be adopted;
b) Is consistent with the requirements of Chapter 20, Article II, Division 6, Site Plan;
c) Preserves the site in keeping with the general appearance of the neighboring developed or
developing areas;
d) Creates a harmonious relationship of building and open space with natural site features
and with existing and future buildings having a visual relationship to the development;
e) Creates a functional and harmonious design for structures and site features, with special
attention to the following:
I ) An internal sense of order for the buildings and use on the site and provision of a
desirable environment for occupants, visitors and general community;
2) The amount and location of open space and landscaping;
3) Materials, textures, colors and details of construction as an expression of the design
concept and the compatibility of the same with adjacent and neighboring structures
and uses; and
4) Vehicular and pedestrian circulation, including walkways, interior drives and parking
in terms of location and number of access points to the public streets, width of interior
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drives and access points, general interior circulation, separation of pedestrian and
vehicular traffrc and arrangement and amount of parking.
0 Protects adjacent and neighboring properties through reasonable provision for surface
water drainage, sound and sight buffers, preservation of views, light and air and those
aspects of design not adequately covered by other regulations which may have substantial
effects on neighboring land uses.
6. Wetland Alteration
a. Will not be detrimental to the public health, safety, comfort, convenience or general
welfare of the neighborhood or the city.
b. Will be consistent with the objectives of the city's comprehensive plan and this chapter.
c. Will be designed, constructed, operated and maintained so to be compatible in
appearance with the existing or intended character of the general vicinity and will not
change the essential character ofthat area.
d. Will not be hazardous or disturbing to existing or planned neighboring uses.
e. Will be served adequately by essential public facilities and services, including streets,
police and fire protection, drainage structures, refuse disposal, water and sewer systems
and schools; or will be served adequately by such facilities and services provided by the
persons or agencies responsible for the establishment of the proposed use.
f. Will not create excessive requirements for public facilities and services and will not be
detrimental to the economic welfare of the community.
g. Will not involve uses, activities, processes, materials, equipment and conditions of
operation that will be detrimental to any persons, property or the general welfare because
olexcessive production of traffic, noise, smoke, fumes, glare, odors, rodents, or trash.
h. Will have vehicular approaches to the property which do not create traffic congestion or
interfere with traffic or surrounding public thoroughfares.
Will not result in the destruction, loss or damage of solar access, natural, scenic or
historic features of major significance.
j. Will be aesthetically compatible with the area'
k. Will not depreciate surrounding property values'
l. Will meet standards prescribed for certain uses as provided in the zoning ordinance.
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7. The planning report #2023-16, dated July 18,2023, prepared by Robert Generous, et al, is
incorporated herein.
RECOMMENDATION
The Planning Commission recommends that City Council approve the Preliminary Plat, Site
Plan, and the Wetland Alteration Permit request for the construction of Audubon Business Park
subject to the conditions of approval.
ADOPTED by the Chanhassen Planning Commission this 18th day of Jdy 2023
CHANHASSEN PLANNING COMMIS SION
By
Its:
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Project Narrative
Audubon Business Park
1650 McGlynn Road (Bldg A) & 1700 Coulter Blvd. (Bldg B)
Prepared By:
Edward Farr Architects and Rehder & Assoc.
June 16, 2023
For Application of:
Site Plan Review, Subdivision (Prelim & Final Plat), Vacation of Easements,
Variance, and Wetland Alteration Permit
Project overview
Mesenbrink Construction & Engineering, Inc. is pleased to propose the Audubon Business Park, a
Class A industrial campus consisting of two Office / Warehouse buildings totaling approx. 394,400 sq.
ft. on approximately 29.52 acres of undeveloped land located southwest of the intersection of Hwy 5 /
Arboretum Blvd and Audubon Road. The site is already zoned properly as IOP – Industrial Office Park
and is guided Office Industrial in the 2040 Comprehensive Guide Plan. The site is also in the HC-2
overlay Highway Corridor District along Hwy 5. The property is within the Riley Purgatory Bluff
Creek Watershed District. It is our intention to start construction this summer of 2023.
Basic Site and Building Data
Parcel Land Area Bldg Area Bldg Height Parking
Bldg A – Lot 1 Blk 1 16.38 ac 229,688 sq. ft. 40 ft.* 229 + 52 POP
Bldg B – Lot 2 Blk 1 11.96 ac 164,559 sq. ft. 40 ft.* 204
Development Subtotal 28.34 ac 394,247 sq. ft. 433 (485 w/ POP)
ROW dedications 1.18 ac
Total Land Area 29.52 ac
Heights shown are for front and end elevations, typical wall height. Taller parapet features
extend up to 42 ft. The rear loading dock side is 4 ft higher for recessed docks.
Platting
The 30 acre property is being subdivided into two net developable lots totaling approximately 28 acres,
plus dedication of street right-of-way for Coulter Blvd, and the taking of the west half of McGlynn
Road. Both new development parcels will remain under current ownership. Private easements will be
created to document shared use agreements between the lots for vehicular access, signage, lighting,
maintenance, and utilities; plus, drainage & utility easements are provided for stormwater and utility
purposes.
Site Context
The property is in the northwest quadrant formed by the intersection of 35W and 85th Avenue NE / Co.
Rd J. The site is bordered by single family R-1 housing to the west; L-1 light industrial to the north;
35W and B-2 community commercial to the east. 85th Avenue NE defines the property’s southern
border, as well as the City border and Anoka County border. On the southern side of 85th Avenue NE is
L-1 light industrial. There are no permanent structures on the site.
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Screening to Residential Properties
Adequate landscape buffering from the Andrew Court residential townhouses is in place already. Those
homes are approximately 1,000 ft southwest from our development; and do not appear to have a
sightline through the dense tree line buffer along Coulter Blvd.
Impervious Coverage / Greenspace Areas
We comply with the minimum 30% pervious greenspace coverage and 70% maximum impervious.
Wetlands
There are 6 delineated wetlands on the site. The development will remove 4 of the 6 wetlands on the site
with one of the wetlands being an incidental wetland and thus the purchase wetland banking credits will
only be required for 3 of the 4 wetlands.
Landscaping
Landscaping across the site consists of a variety of deciduous, coniferous, ornamental trees, and native
prairie groundcover strategically designed to provide screening, minimize irrigation needs, minimizing
the heat island effect with shading of bituminous pavements, and create a unified aesthetic across the
development.
Site Setbacks / Variance Requests
Our building and parking setbacks meet or exceed the minimum zoning requirements for the IOP
district. However, the Arboretum Blvd Highway Corridor district HC-2 requires a 150 ft maximum
setback as well. Due to the necessary setback from the wetland along Arboretum Blvd, we can only
achieve the 150 ft max. building setback at the east end of Bldg A, then the setback increases further
west along our north façade, resulting in an average building setback of 155 feet. Technically this
requires a variance as part of our approvals. The parking setbacks are met except for the south parking
lot along Coulter Blvd. Parking is allowed within the setback, but we must provide 100% screening to a
height of 5’ where the parking lot is within the setback. Lastly, we are requesting a variance from the
15’ minimum wetland buffer accessory structure setback from Wetland 2. Due to the constraints of
meeting the 150’ building setback, there is a proposed retaining wall that falls within this setback.
Utilities
Utility stubs for sanitary sewer and watermain are available to both lots from McGlynn Drive; refer to
Civil Utility drawings. A water main loop is proposed through the site to avoid dead-ended water service
for hydrants and the services. A fire pump to boost pressure will be provided inside for each building’s
ESFR sprinkler system, if the available city water pressure is deemed insufficient (flow tests will be
confirmed). Stormwater runoff will be collected from roof drains and parking lot inlets and routed
through infiltration basins before leaving the site, all in accordance with the local watershed district
regulations. Electrical and natural gas utilities are readily available as well.
Vehicular Traffic and Parking Calculations
The projected occupancies for both Buildings A and B are 80% warehouse, 10% office and 10%
manufacturing. Parking calculations are published on the Site Plans. The lead tenant for Building A
Federal Package) does not require all of those stalls, so we are providing Proof of Parking (POP) on
that site for future use if needed. In the meantime, the POP pavement area will be used for truck trailer
parking instead. Further, in the unlikely event that a building requires more parking due to increases in
office or manufacturing areas while warehouse areas decrease, we can easily add more car parking in the
truck dock area since the warehouse dock doors would not all be used. These ‘flex office / warehouse’
buildings offer good flexibility for parking.
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A traffic engineering consultant, SSTS LLC, was hired to analyze traffic impacts to the local road
system at key intersections. Their April 14, 2023 report is filed as part of our submittal. The traffic
engineer’s summary concluded that the road system will have adequate capacity to serve this new
development, with minimal vehicle back-ups.
Pedestrian Circulation
Sidewalk connections will be provided between the existing city sidewalk system and our building
sidewalks at tenant entrances.
Architectural Design and Building Materials
The buildings will be constructed with high quality, commercial grade, low-maintenance materials; and
are designed in a contemporary style with variations in color, plane, parapet height and window
treatment which offer visual interest to the public way. The two buildings have ‘reversed’ colors for
further variety and individual identity. Facade materials will include exposed natural stone aggregate
architectural precast concrete wall panels and energy efficient aluminum & glass windows. The
building includes multiple tenant office entrances articulated with recessed doors protected with an
architectural accent canopy and additional wall panel detailing to provide visual interest. More glass is
used at key corner entrance features. Refer to the ‘Materials Legend’ on the exterior elevations sheets
for a full breakdown of finish materials and glazing percentages on each elevation.
Both buildings will have a 32 foot ‘clear height’ inside, resulting in an exterior building height of 40 feet
measured from floor grade up to the top of wall. Accent parapet wall features along the façade bump up
to 42 feet tall. Along the back dock walls of all buildings, the grade is lowered 4 feet for truck berths, so
the wall height at the docks is 4 ft higher than the heights mentioned above.
The building height includes a parapet wall that serves to screen rooftop HVAC equipment from
ground-level views. Refer to our Site Sections for this screening graphic.
Pertaining to building codes and fire codes, the buildings will be constructed to Type II-B standards,
non-combustible, and protected with an ESFR sprinkler system. We anticipate tenants having high-piled
and racked storage of materials classified as commodity Types I – IV. With those commodity contents,
no smoke and heat vents are required, nor smoke draft curtains; however fire access doors will be
provided every 125 ft around the perimeter per MN Fire Code requirements.
Site Signage
One campus monument sign is requested, located near the intersection of Arboretum Blvd and Audubon
Rd. Directional signage at each driveway entrance is requested, to guide vehicles toward parking or
loading zones. We may also add stop signs at driveway exits, but those are not shown on the plan. All
ground signs will have standardized color, size and materials for consistency; however, our designs are
conceptual only at this point. Wall mounted tenant name signs are shown on the buildings; those
locations will be finalized / determined later. The Owner or Tenant will submit final sign drawings for
approval when applying for signage permits.
Site Lighting
Site lighting fixtures will use energy efficient LED lamps in architectural fixture housings with sharp
cutoff, down-cast light distribution features to contain lighting within our property. A combination of
pole-mounted fixtures around the perimeter plus wall-mounted lighting at the loading dock areas are
needed to provide adequate site illumination. Tenant entrances will have LED down-lighting to provide
proper exit illumination at the entry doors. Other exit doors will have small LED egress lights to meet
code. Refer to our proposed Lighting Plan.
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Trash & Recycling Storage
Trash and recycling material will be placed into fully enclosed weather-proof collection containers. The
containers will be stored within 4-sided, open air Trash Enclosures that provide 100% opacity of the
containers stored inside. Materials for the enclosures will be of the same materials as the building. Each
tenant will contract for their own trash and recycling service, as is consistent with this building type.
End of Narrative
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