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Memo from Todd Hoffman to Bob Generous 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 Finance Phone: 952.227.1140 Fax 952.227.1110 Park & Recreation Phone: 952.227.1120 Fax: 952.227.1110 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 lOCI 3 ~ lAM!1l!; t1 ;:llI;J 41 MEMORANDUM TO: Park and Recreation Commission 1;( FROM: Todd Hoffman, Park & Recreation Director DATE: 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 Y2 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 beautitul 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 of that being wetland. Wetlands are not accepted as parkland dedication. The wetland also has a l6.5-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 ofthat area being subjected to clearing and grading. This land dedication would be in lieu of the collection of cash dedication fees.