Information Letter 5-31-05
J.EDWINCHADWICK, LiC
Land and Farms
11430 Zion Circle
Bloomington, Minnesora5 5437
Office (952) 853-2473
FAX (952) 886-0492
May 31, 2005
Ms. Kate Aanenson
. City ofChanhassen
7700 Market Boulevard
PO Box 147
Chanhassen,MN 55317
Re:. PetersoniJ acques Farm Tnform~tionLetter
Concept PUD Application to follow
DearMs. Aanenson:
This. info]Jl1ation letter is coming. forth. at this time. after two- years of deliberation
and extensive work with city staff, MNDOT and the AUM team.
Timing
The letting of the Tru11k Highway 212 project and therapiddesigI1/buildptocess
being undertaken by the contractor makes this a very timy sensitive project.
Additionally, the AUAR study has.been completed over the last couple of years,
the feasibility report fof infrastructure fof the area is in place and there is a natural
synergy of timely limd planning and construction inconcert with the large
Highway 212. The City has indicated that there is a desire to undertake the East
West Collector Street and bridge project shortly as well. Clearly the time is now.
Ownership Background
The property is owned by Mr. Sever Peterson and has a long history with the
Peterson family. Mr. Peterson, has owned the farm for four decades a:ndbeen
farming it even long~r, having worked with the thrashing crew as a boy assisting
.his father and grancifather. Due to this long attachment to this parcel of land, Mr.
Peterson wants to see a style of development which is sensitive to the existing
natural features arid takes full advantage of the spectacular views on the site.
Existing Land Use
The site js currently a mix of farming uses and natural open space adj acent to anci
induding parts ofthe Primary Bluff Creek Overlay Area; The topography has
beautiful rolling hills and is one of the highest points in Chanhasseni resulting in
spectacular views at many locations on the site.
Adiacent Land Use ,
The land to the west of the site is where Town and Country Homes, Inc. has
proposed the Liberty Developmel1ti which isa neighborhood of approximately
350' mid.,density residential townhomes.
The land to the north of the Peterson farm is under contrac;t with Pemtomand is
intended for housing.
,
The land totheeastofthePeterson farm iscontrolledbyTownand Country
Homes, Inc. and is in~ended for residential development.
The land to the south is part oftheZ015and 2020 MuSAexpansion areas and
also includesthesoon-to.:b~-constructed Highway 212. This areaisalso near one
of the possible. neW CR 41" river crossing. corridors, however, tfie.impac( of that
potential project is questionable at this time due to the uncertainty of itsJinal " .
iocationand thattheprojectis unfunded and therefore will likely notoccllr until
after 2020, which should be long after full development of the 2005. MUSA has
occurred. .'
Access to Infrastructure
The East.,West Collector will run through the Peterson property inthe northwest
comer. This project calls fora nice sweeping boulevard and installation of sewer
and water and is intended to start in 2005 or early 2006.
The second major roadway improvement will be the road labeled inthe AUAR as
the Southern Connector Road which will run from the new East-West Collector to
'Pioneer Trail.
Proposed Land Use
The proposal is a residential planned unit development (P1]D) on approximately
67 acres that is in concert with the residential component that is called forth by
the CityofChanhassen Comprehensive Plan. The current guidance calls for
development of4-8 units per acre of housing and although the ultimate density is
still being worked out in design, we anticipate it will be at the lower end of that '
density range. .' This reduced density is due in large part to the constraints of the .
topography and soils and also due to the desire to preserve and enhanc~, the acceSs
tdtheexistingnatural resources and views. We waritto work w~th the existing
topography and resources rather than over-engineer the site and destroy much of
its unique and special character. Issues of density transfer of units that could be
built within Bluff Creek Overlay# 1 but must be relocated outof the Primary
district will be worked out over time with City Staff.
The East.:West Collector and Southern Collector toads are proposed to heutil1zed
as buffers between areas of higher and lower densities. Higher densities. ate . ,
proposed onthewest side ofthe sitetp remainCOlnpatible with the adjacent Town
and C911ntryHomes, Inc.proposeddevelopnientand then the density drops off.
significantly as the topography rises in the east and adjacent to the Bluff Creek
Overlay Area.
Our engineer did look at the suitability ofthe topography and soils for non-
residential purpO'sell and determined thatIVuch of the site was unsuitable for non-
resident,ial u,'se,s d, u,e", totopogra, p,hy an, dso,i1 c, 0, nst,rain,t,s',Thatre,',po,rt h,a,sbe,en
provided to Citystaff.' The Peterson Family would be disappointed ifthis
beautiful site was turned into asea,ofparking lots, loa~ing docks and retaining
walls.' '
Housing Product Types
,', . . "
The hmd use design would call for threiresidential product typesof varying. size
and density.' . '
The centerpiece of the project is an area of large lot executive home sites which
would be overlooking or adjacentto the beautiful Bluff Creek. Valley. These
homes can be some ofthepremier homes in the area. There are more20 acres of
the Bluff Creek Park nature area whichwill preserved as part ofthis development
and these homes willhavewonderful views ofthis amenity as well as a view from
, the top of Chanhassen. '
" The .area west of the Southern Connector Road will be an area of 2-4 unit
buildings which will provide a nice transition between Town and Country's
offering to' the west and the generous single-family homes to east.
The area north of the East- West Collector and on the western side of the parcel
which would be contiguous with Town and Country will have ,a higher density
townhome product which would be similar to what is being offered by Tow-nand
Country in,area immediately adjacent to it. This area would lii<'elybe physically,
connected to the Town and Country project throughfheextensionofToWn and.
Country's local street system. If the Town and Country proj ect ends up reducing
density adjacent to this area, it could be redesigned for more executive homes due
to its proximity to the Bluff Creek Overlay and terrain.
We look forward toreceiving input from the City regarding this proposal so that
we can then move forward with the more detailed design informat~on that will be
needed for the City Engineer's final roadway design on the East-West Collector
and related infrastructure proj ects.
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Peterson Develo
Chanhassen, MN
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_SITE DATA
I
PROPOSED RSF ZONING
UNIT COUNT: 37 UNITS
LAND AREA: 0039.8 ACRES
(INCLUDES 0019.7 ACRES OF BLUFF
CREEK PRIMARY OVERLAY DISTRICT)
DENSITY: D.93 UNITS/ACRE
LOT REQUIREMENTS:
15.000 SF MINIMUM LOT SIZE
FRONT YARD SETBACK: 30 FEET
REAR YARD SETBACK:30 FEET
SIDE YARD SETBACK: 10 FEET
MINIMUM LOT FRONTAGE: 90 FEET
MAXIMUM HEIGHT: THREE (3) STORIES/FORTY (40) FEET
PROPOSED R- 4 ZONING
UNIT COUNT: 36 UNITS
LAND AREA: :1:16.5 ACRES
(INCLUDES 005.1 ACRES OF BLUFF
CREEK PRIMARY OVERLAY DISTRICT)
DENSITY: 2.18 UNITS/ACRE
LOT REOUIREMENTS:
15.000 SF MINIMUM LOT SIZE
FRONT YARD SETBACK: 30 FEET
REAR YARD SETBACK: 30 FEET
SIDE YARD SETBACK: 10 FEET
MINIMUM LOT FRONT AGE: 50 FEET (TWO F AMIL Y)
MAXIMUM HEIGHT: THREE (3) STORIES/FORTY (40) FEET
PROPOSED R-8 ZONING
UNIT COUNT: 42 UNITS
LAND AREA: :1:14.2 ACRES
(INCLUDES 004.9 ACRES OF BLUFF
CREEK PRIMARY OVERLAY DISTRICT)
DENSITY: 2.95 UNITS/ACRE
LOT REOUIREMENTS:
5.500 SF MINIMUM LOT SIZE (TOWNHOMES)
FRONT YARD SETBACK: 25 FEET
REAR YARD SETBACK: 25 FEET
SIDE YARD SETBACK: 10 FEET
MAXIMUM HEIGHT: THREE (3) STORIES/FORTY (40) FEET
MINIMUM lOT FRONTAGE: 150 FEET (TOWNHOMES)
OUTLOT #1: :1: 3.13 ACRES
OUTLOT #2: 002.33 ACRES
(OUTlOTS #1 AND #2 ARE NOT INCLUDED
LEGEND
~ OVERALL PARCEL
L:::J IN THE ABOVE COMPUTATIONS)
rIII1J 0~~~RN50~ISI~S
-.,- BLUFF CREEK PRIMARY OVERLAY DISTRICT (129.71 AC.)
...-.. BLUFF CREEK SECONDARY OVERLAY DISTRICT (:1:49.84 AC.)
BLUFF CREEK
C'JI BLUFF CREEK PRIMARY OVERLAY DISTRICT
c==J NET DEVELOPABLE AREA
~ FLOOD ZONE A
1
1"
- - PROPOSED MNDOT R.O.W. (PER MN/DOT DEC. 2004)
o EXCLUDING EXISTING PIONEER TRAIL R.O.W. (0043.12 AC.)
D '00
,-.;,; EXISTING WETLAND (:1:0.62 AC.) '::;
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FCC1
Date: June 3, 2005 ~
Peterson Bluff
Aerial View
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