Loading...
09/23/1986 - City Council RegularREGULAR MEETING OF THE ADVISORY PLANNING COMMISSION EAGAN, MINNESOTA SEPTEMBER 23, 1986 CITY HALL 7:00 P.M. MEMBERS: PAMELA MC CREA (CHAIRPERSON), JOSEPH HARRISON (VICE CHAIR -- PERSON), DORIS WILKINS (SECRETARY), CHARLES HALL, GARRETT MULROONEY, LORI TRYGG, RON VORACEK, DAVID BOHNE (ALTERNATE) ITEMS LISTED UNDER OLD BUSINESS WILL APPEAR ON THE OCTOBER 7, 1986 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA & ITEMS LISTED UNDER NEW BUSINESS WILL APPEAR ON THE OCTOBER.21, 1986 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA UNLESS CONTINUED BY THE ADVISORY PLANNING COMMISSION. I. 7:00 p.m. - Roll Call & Pledge of Allegiance II. 7:05 p.m. - Adopt Agenda & Approve Minutes III. OLD BUSINESS A. Blackhawk Acres 2nd Addition (Les DuOOS) - Preliminary Plat consisting of 32 townhouse units on approx. 6 acres in part of the SE4 of Section 17, west of Blackhawk Rd, abutting Robin La. B. Lexington Hills First Addition (H & Z Partners) - Preliminary Plat consisting of 168 apartment units on approx. 16.3 acres in part of the SWh of Section 23, NE quadrant of Lexington Av & Diffley Rd. C. Brittany 10th Addition (Sienna Corp) - Preliminary Plat consisting.of 180 single.family lots an approx. 98 acres & a Rezoning.from A(agricultural) to R-1 (single family) located in part of the NEh of Section 33, east of Beacon Hill Addition abutting Cliff Rd. IV. NEW BUSINESS A. Robert G. Dougherty - Conditional Use Permit for on -sale liquor for a.sit down restaurant in Town Centre 70 Second Addition located in part of the NW34 of Section 15, south of Yankee Doodle Rd & west of Denmark Av. B. Roy A. Spande - Waiver of Plat to split Lot 1, Block 1, Joseph A. Spande 1st Addition into 2 lots located in part of the SWh of Section 4, east of Hwy 13 on Bridgeview Terr. C. Dakota Electric Association - Waiver of Plat to split off approx. .89 acres from a 3.3 acre parcel for an electric substation located in part of the NWk of Section 360 SW quadrant of Dodd & Cliff Roads. D. CHARLES NOLAN - Waiver of Plat to split the north 650' of Lot 6, Block 1, Eagandale Center Ind Park #2 for E -Z Air Park expansion in part of the SWk of Section 2, SW of T.H. #55, east of Lexington Av. E. Holiday Plus - Conditional Use Permit for a sign & canopy for a Holiday Gas Station & Convenience Store located in the SWC of Section 30, NW quadrant of Cliff & Nicols Roads. (over) ADVISORY PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA SEPTEMBER 23, 1986 PAGE TWO F. Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church - Preliminary Plat for a church on approx. 3.5 acres located in part of the SW% of Section 22, Pilot Knob & Berry Ridge Roads. G. Carbones First Addition - Preliminary Plat to increase existing parcel 030-52 with a portion of parcel 012-52 to increase parking capacity for Carbones Pizza Restaurant located in part of the SWC of Section 9, abutting Yankee Doodle Rd to the south, east of Coachman Rd. Pond View - Rezoning for approx. 30 acres from A (agricul- tural) & P.D. (planned development) to commercial & mixed residential Planned Development and overall concept plan located in part of the S� of Section 16, abutting Duckwood Dr on the north & Pilot Knob Rd on the east. I. GRADING PERMITS - Change in application/approval process MEMO TO: HONORABLE MAYOR & CITY COUNCILMEMBERS CHAIRPERSON MCCREA & MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY PLANNING COMMISSION FROM: CITY ADMINISTRATOR HEDGES DATE: SEPTEMBER 23, 1986 SUBJECT: SPECIAL'CITY COUNCIL/ADVISORY PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING FOR SEPTEMBER 25, 1986 Attached is a copy of an agenda for the September 25 special meeting. Please note that the City Council has two brief items for consideration before the presentations are given by property owners concerning comprehensive guide plan changes. Those items are 1) Blackhawk Plaza Final Plat and 2) Approval for a building permit prior to waiver of plat for Lot 6, Blk 2, Safari 3rd Add. For a copy of the guidelines that were established for the special City Council/Advisory Planning Commission workshop, refer to an attachment. Also attached is a memo from City Planner Runkle outlining letters that were received from various developers. The City Planning Consultant, John Voss, has provided a letter that summarizes discussion related to the update Eagan's compre- hensive plan. A copy of that letter is also enclosed for review. City Administrato TLH/kf SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL/ADVISORY PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Comprehensive Guide Plan Review Thursday September 25, 1986 7:00 P.M. I. INTRODUCTION & GENERAL REMARKS II. CITY COUNCIL ITEMS A. Blackhawk Plaza Final Plat B. Building Permit Prior to Waiver of Plat Lot 6, Block 2, Safari 3rd Addition III. PRESENTATIONS BY PROPERTY OWNERS/ REPRESENTATIVES (limited to 15 minutes) IV. QUESTIONS & ANSWERS FOLLOWING EACH PRESENT- ATION BY CITY COUNCIL & ADVISORY PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS V. PUBLIC INPUT (after all presentations are completed) VI. REVIEW FUTURE MEETINGS VII. OTHER BUSINESS VIII. ADJOURNMENT MEMO TO: THOMAS L. HEDGES, CITY ADMINISTRATOR FROM: ED KIRSCHT, ENGINEERING TECH DATE: SEPTEMBER 23, 1986 SUBJECT: BLACKHAWK PLAZA - DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT APPROVAL I have received three (3) signed copies of the development contract for Blackhawk Plaza along with a letter of intent for their financial guarantee. Everything is in order to have the City Council approve this development contract. Ed Kirscht EK/kf SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL/ADVISORY PLANNING COMMISSION WORKSHOP Comprehensive Guide Plan Update Guidelines for Receiving Comments by Developers September 25, 1986 7:00 P.M. The following are guidelines for considering presentations and/or remarks from developers who are giving consideration to a change in the Comprehensive Guide Plan designation for their property or wish to update the City on their property. 1) All presentations will be scheduled on a Section by Section basis begin- ning with Section 1. 2) Formal comments are to be limited to 15 minutes. 3) All questions and answers raised by the Advisory Planning Commission and City Council following formal comments, will be directed to the presenter. 4) All questions and answers pertaining to any presentation by the audience will be considered at the end of the meeting and directed to the Chair. 5) The Chair will reserve the right to allow any additional presentation for a specific project if time permits at the end of the meeting. The meeting is not intended as a public hearing. The City staff and developers need direction on certain projects that are being considered and comply with the Comprehensive Guide Plan as well as those projects that would require a Comprehensive Guide Plan amendment. �O p NINc AND DESIGN, 1NC- September 11, 1986 Dale Runkle City Planning Director 3830 Pilot Knob Rpad Eagan, MN 55122 Dear Dale: 7300 W. 147th St. a Suite 504 e Apple Malley, Mn. 55124 a (612) 431-4401 John S. Mass, President RECEIVEDSEP 9 2 This letter is intended to summarize our discussion related to the update of Eagan's Comprehensive Plan. 1. It appears that the Eagan Planning Commission and City Council are not desiring any mayor revisions to the Comprehensive Plan at this time. Rather, the "Land Use Plan" revisions at this time should only be the more routine revisions that have already occurred from the 1980 plan. 2. Any mayor studies influencing the Comprehensive Plan, such as a major traffic or demographic study., appear to be several months in the future. The outcome of the 1987 budget process will help determine that schedule. 3. Consistent with the above assumptions, a proposed schedule for the current Comprehensive Plan update is as follows: September 25: Meeting to hear comments from property owners as already scheduled. - October meeting: a) Review demographic information prepared by staff; b) Review suggested locations for freeway development designations; c) Review "Land Use Plan" map to be presented at public hearing. November meeting: Hold public hearing on Comprehensive,Plan update. Dece mber meeting: Approve updated Comprehensive Plan for submittal to Metro Council. Yours �ru John S. Voss Plan ing Consultant JV:llo PLANNING LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE - SITE DESIGN MEMO TO: HONORABLE MAYOR & CITY COUNCILMEMBERS CHAIRPERSON PAM MCCREA PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS FROM: CITY PLANNER RUNKLE DATE. SEPTEMBER 23, 1986 SUBJECT: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1986, COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE GUIDE PLAN MEETING Thursday, September 25, 1986, is the next scheduled meeting to discuss the Comprehensive Land Use Guide Plan for the City of Eagan. The major purpose of this meeting is to solicit general comments from the public regarding the Comprehensive Land Use Guide review process and material gathered by Planning staff and consultant. To date, the Planning staff has received three letters regarding the Comprehensive Land Use Guide Plan review process. These letters are from Mr. Robert Hoffman of Larkin, Hoffman, Daly & Lindgren, Ltd.; Jim Curry of Jim Curry Investment Companies; and Vernon Colon of Federal Land Company. In addition to the aforementioned parties, I am sure that several business and other private interests will make presentations before the City Council and Planning Commission on Thursday night. I trust the enclosed agenda and material is sufficient preparation for the Thursday, September 25, 1986, Joint City Council and Planning Commission meeting. If I may be of further assistance regarding this matter, feel free to contact me. 1 CWIty lanner DCR/jj Attachment � - n Federal Land Company Yankee Square Office III • 3460 Washington Drive • Suite 202 • Eagan, Minnesota 55122 • Tel. 612.452-3303 September 22, 1986 The Honorable Beatta Blomquist Members of the Eagan City Council and Members of the Eagan Planning Commission c/o Dale Runkle, Eagan City Planner Eagan City Hall 3830 Pilot Knob Road Eagan, Mn. 55122 Dear Madam Mayor, Councilmembers, and Planning Commission, With regard to the Comprehensive Plan Review process, Federal Land Company has been closely following its progress. Considering that Federal Land Company is one of the major developers and landowners in the City we are very interested in the review process and in the final recommendations and decisions which will be made pursuant to this process. It is for this reason that we presented to the City our previous letter dated July 10, 1986, and that we are now continuing our involvement in the Comprehensive Plan Review process by elaborating on our prior correspondence. The City's existing Comprehensive Plan was developed through extensive efforts and numerous hours being spent by the City Staff, City Officials, expert consultants, and interested property owners. It is the result of not just one isolated review process, but rather several review processes over the past years. The Comprehensive Plan includes both a Land Use Guide Plan and a Thoroughfare Plan. Both of these plans have been approved by the Metropolitan Council and have been used by almost every governmental agency in the development and extension.of their respective services to the City. Consequently, both the Land Use Guide Plan and the Thoroughfare Plan would be subject to major changes if the proposed commercial reguiding, presently before the City, were approved. The existing Land Use Guide Plan and Thoroughfare Plan have been specifically been relied upon by the Minnesota Department of Transportation and Dakota County in establishing its road systems for the City. The City, Dakota County, and the Minnesota Department of . r Federal land Company The Honorable Beatta Blomquist Members of the Eagan City Council and Members of the Eagan Planning Commission September 22, 1986 Page 2 Transportation have worked extensively together in order to plan the roadway system so that it will meet the expected traffic needs as contemplated by the Comprehensive Plan. For example, the location and design of interchanges on I -35E have been premised on the City's Land Use Guide Plan and the associated traffic projections. The City, County, and MnDot have all developed capital improvement programs to provide an orderly basis for future roadway improvements. Development of the commercial sites proposed for rezoning would have major implications on the roadway system, quality of traffic service, and future improvements. When there is a substantive deviation from the land uses designated on the Land Use Guide Plan, the roadway system can break down if the property which a roadway serves is not developed in accordance with the guide plan. A good example of this is on I-494 between the metropolitan airport and Minnetonka. The design of I-494 was based upon uses designated in the Land Use Guide Plan for the respective communities. However, much of the property along the freeway was rezoned as it was developed and as a consequence it is now breaking down the highway system. The freeway, access locations, and associated service roads are no longer adequate to carry traffic smoothly. The result is that traffic is stopped on the freeway due to inadequate access and exits to the freeway and to insufficient traffic lanes thereon. The Minnesota Department of Transportation and Metropolitan Council are presently involved in an extensive study concerning the roadway. It appears the only solution is construction of additional lanes and the reconstruction of access and entrance ramps as wide as six lanes. The cost of these improvements are very substantial because there already are existing buildings in place which will have to be .condemned and because the fair market value of the commercial property which must be required is significantly higher than residential land. f4 The economic burden for these improvements is so high that there may not be a sufficient tax base to justify them. Therefore MnDot and the Metropolitan Council are considering a moratorium on any further rezonings in this area. A substantive deviation from the existing Land Use Guide Plan in Eagan could have the same results. The Honorable Beatta Members of the Eagan Members of the Eagan September 22, 1986 Page 3 Federal Land Company Blomquist City Council and Planning Commission An excellent example of the use of the existing Comprehensive Plan in the development of the roadway system is with our Town Centre -Eagan Center. The width of I -35E (i.e. eight lanes wide north of Yankee Doodle and six lanes south of Yankee Doodle), the interchanges at both Pilot Knob and Yankee Doodle Roads, and the three lane exit ramp on to Yankee Doodle provide good traffic circulation to and from the Town Centre -Eagan area. In addition, Lexington Avenue, Pilot Knob Road and Yankee Doodle Road provide an excellent north south county road system. The design and timing of all these roads were done in combination with the existing Comprehensive Plan and will serve the area well if the property is developed as set forth in the Land Use Guide Plan. However, if property in this area is not developed as presently designated on the existing Land Use Guide Plan, state.standards will be violated, the roadway system will be inadequate to service the needs of the community and this area will cause substantial problems for the city in the future. Another significant factor to consider in the establishment of the roadway system is that the roads are paid through the collection of real estate taxes and other funds. The county system is solely based on the collection of real estate taxes. Commercially zoned property pays a significantly higher real estate tax based upon its greater value as income producing property. This higher tax is justified in that more extensive roads are necessary for these commercial areas. Most commercial property in the City of Eagan has been zoned commercial for many years and taxes have been paid on that property based upon this commercial zoning. It would be unfair to the owners of commercial property to have residential property (upon which lower real estate taxes are paid) rezoned commercial, because the residential property owner would be taking advantage of the roadway constructed and financed substantially by commercial property taxes, while the residential property owner has been paying a much lower tax. Federal Land Company has used the services of James Benshoof & Associates, a professional traffic engineering company, in association with the location and the development of its property. The information provided by Benshoof & Associates has been very helpful in locating property which is served by roadway systems which are adequate for Federal land Company The Honorable Beatta Blomquist Members of the Eagan City Council and Members of the Eagan Planning Commission September 22, 1986 Page 4 commercial development. The information which is shown in tables 1 and 2 attached hereto is information received from Mr. Benshoof. The attached table 1 indicates major traffic and land use characteristics associated with each site presently being proposed for commercial reguiding in the City of Eagan. The table helps to illustrate the multiple characteristics which are important in reguiding considerations. Table 2 provides comments regarding potential traffic and land use implications associated with each site. As you will note, sites C & F have particularly significant traffic impacts. Specifically, commercial development on these sites could cause traffic capacity problems in the Pilot Knob Road/Yankee Doodle/I-35E area. Site G has significant implications regarding traffic and land use considerations. We have attached this information because it shows that the sites being proposed for reguiding do not have, for the most part, adequate roadway systems for commercial use. Furthermore this information illustrates how the existing Land Use Guide Plan has been used over the years by both MnDot and Dakota County in structuring the location, design and timing of its roads by putting more extensive roadway systems at the locations in the City which are designated for commercial uses under the existing Land Use Guide Plan. In addition to the traffic and roadway considerations set forth above, there are several other significant reasons why the City should not change the existing Land Use Guide Plan. These considerations include the amount of land already designated for commercial use on its Land Use Guide Plan, the saturation use at which this land would be put into use, and the obligation of the City -to those persons who have developed property based upon the existing Land Use Guide Plan, Planned Unit Development Contracts, and Development Contracts. As shown in the Commercial and Industrial Zoning Summary dated December, 1985, and prepared by the City Planning Staff and Urban Planning & Design, Inc., the City presently has over 1,250 acres of undeveloped land designated for commercial use on its Land Use Guide Plan. This land is well served by the necessary amenities as the road and utilities services were developed to serve these properties with the existing The Honorable Beatta Members of the Eagan Members of the Eagan September 22, 1986 Page 5 Federal Land Company Blomquist City Council and Planning Commission Land Use Guide Plan designation in mind. The Commercial and Industrial Zoning Summary states that the saturation of the commercial land in Eagan between the years.1985 and 2000 will be between 200 and 300 acres. Therefore, even upon full development, the City has at this time an excess of land committed for commercial use. It is common knowledge that commercial property requires a population base to support it. Eagan is one of the fastest growing communities in the state. However, the perception that there is an adequate population base to support major commercial development is not completely accurate. Eagan's population of about 40,000 does not compare with Bloomington, St. Paul, Minneapolis, and other areas which have population bases in excess of 85,000 people. Large corporations and companies demand a population base of at least ,85,000 people to locate within a community. Medium sized companies closely scrutinize whether they will locate in areas which have only 40,000 people. The Rainbow Food Store which is in our Town Centre -Eagan Shopping Center is a good example of this. Based upon extensive feasibility studies, Rainbow Foods determined that Eagan is still several years away from making a Rainbow Foods Store located in the City profitable. As a result, Federal Land Company had to give Rainbow Foods a subsidy of " over $500,000.00 in rent concessions to have them locate a store in Eagan at this time. Although Rainbow Foods felt that Eagan was not ready for a 60,000 square foot food store, it agreed to locate in Eagan based upon the rent subsidy and the fact that there were no similar stores within the immediate area. The same reluctance to locate a store in the City of Eagan has been experienced by Federal Land Company with other companies. It is true that Eagan is growing, however, it will not support the same commercial land use that a city with a population of 85,000 people and over will support. The existing Land Use Guide Plan is also relied upon by developers, such as Federal Land Company, in the development of property in the City of Eagan. As indicated above, commercial property requires the population base to support it. Therefore, the location of commercial property and the proximity of residential property is very important to the success of a commercial development. The fact that the existing Federal land Company The Honorable Beatta Blomquist Members of the Eagan City Council and Members of the Eagan Planning Commission September 22, 1986 Page 6 Land Use Guide Plan classifies the property to the north, east and south of the Town Centre -Eagan development as residential was a critical factor in Federal Land Company's determination to make a commitment to develop this property. Over $40,009,000.89 in construction, roadway, and utility, development, grading and land costs have been committed to this project. To make a committment of this magnitude, Federal Land Company has relied heavily on the existing Land Use Guide Plan. Furtermore, Federal Land Company has also entered into Planned Unit Development Agreements and Development Contracts pertaining to the property. Federal Land Company has always fulfilled its obligations by developing its property in accordance with these contracts and has always done so in less than the allotted time. In return, the City has the moral obligation, if not the contractual obligation, not to undermine a developer by diluting commercial acreage in a community. This is especially true where there is more than adequate supply of commercial property on hand. If the City does not fulfill its contractual responsibility by adhering to the existing Land Use Guide Plan, it could result in developers such as Federal Land Company not being able to adhere to the high quality of development that it has constructed in the past. Therefore, Federal Land Company is requesting that the City does not change the existing Land Use Guide Plan. In conclusion, it is important to recognize that Eagan's existing Comprehensive Plan, Land Use Guide Plan and Thoroughfare Plan were . created over many years. The Land Use Guide Plan and Thoroughfare Plan have been laid out to serve the entire community and to provide a guide by which the entire community can be developed to the greatest benefits " of its residents. The land within the City has been and is being developed and utilized in conformity with these existing plans. There have been some minor modifications to the plans in the past and certainly there will be some minor deviations in the future. Nevertheless, overall the existing Comprehensive Plan, Land Use Guide Plan and Thoroughfare Plan have guided the City well and there has been no real change which would warrant a substantive change in these plans. Therefore, Federal Land Company contends that there should be no ange in theLand Use Guide Plan at this time. Scerely your./. Vernon R. Colon VRC/ap I "Thoroughfare Plan". City of Eagan, February 1960. 2 "Land Use Guide Plan", City of Eagan, February 1980. TRAFFIC AND LAND USE CHARACTERISTICS REGARDING PROPOSED NEW COMMERCIAL SITES Roadway(s) Roadway) Existing Roadway Exlsting2 Available Functional Roadway Width Planned Guiding Guiding fort 51te for Access Classiflcatlon-'Wldth Wlthl,hl'5 Yrs for 51te Adlacent Properties A CR 26 (Lone Oak) Minor Art. 2 lanes dependant on N.A. N-N.A. (Cole) Northwest S -CR 26, R2 Airlines Site E -Inver Grove Hts development W -Comm. P.D. B Marlce Dr. Local 2 lanes 2 lanes R4, R2 N-Lemay's Lake (Olson) High Site Dr. Local 2 lanes 2 lanes 5 -LB Jurdy Rd. Local 2 lanes 2 lanes E -1-35E W -R2, R4 C CR 28 (Y. Doodle) Minor Art. 2/4 lanes 4 lanes R3, P N -Ind. (O'Neil, CR 43 (Lexington) Minor Art. 4 lanes 4 lanes S-CR28, CSC, LB, R3 Lombard, E -CR 43, Ind. Olson) W -1-35E E Federal Dr. Neigh. 2 lanes 2 lanes R2 N -NB (Astleford) Collector S -R2 E -1-35E W -R2 F CR 31 (Pilot Knob) Minor Art. 2/4 lanes 4 lanes R2, P N -1-35E (Cornwell, 5-R2 Dunn) E-CR31, CSC, LB, R1, P W -1-35E G CR 30 (Diffley) Minor Art. 2 lanes 4 lanes R2 N-Deerwood, R2 (Corn- Deerwood Dr. Neigh. 2 Lanes 4 lanes S-CR30, RB, R2, R3 well) Collector E -P, E, R2 W -1-35E H CR 30 (Diffley) Minor Art. 2/4 lanes 4 lanes RB, R3 N-CR30, R3, R2 (Astle- Johnny Cake Comm. 2 lanes 2 lanes NB, R2 5-112, R3 ford) Ridge Road Collector E -R2 Blackhawk Rd. Comm. 2 lanes 2 lanes W-Blackhawk, R3 Collector 1 CR 32 (Cliff) Minor Art. 4 lanes 4 lanes R3 N -P (Federal Rahn Road Neigh. 2 lanes 2 lanes S -CR 32, LB Land) Collector E -Rahn, NB, LB W -LB, R2 K CR 32 (Cliff) Minor Art. 4 lanes 4 lanes LB, R2 N-CR32, LB (Soule) Galaxle Ave. Comm. 2 lanes 2 lanes 5-Galaxle. R2 Collector E-Galaxle, RI W -1-35E I "Thoroughfare Plan". City of Eagan, February 1960. 2 "Land Use Guide Plan", City of Eagan, February 1980. TABLE 2 TRAFFIC AND LAND USE IMPLICATIONS REGARDING PROPOSED NEW COMMERCIAL SITES Site Comments Regarding Traffic and Land Use Implications A Sole Existing access Is via Lone Oak Road, a two lane county roadway. No plans (Cole) presently exist to upgrade this roadway. B Access Is available only via local streets through a residential area. (Olson) C Traffic volumes generated by commercial development could overload Pilot Knob (O'Neil) Road/Yankee Doodle Road/1-35E Interchange area. E Presently guided for residential development. Bounded by residential guiding on (Astleford) the northwest, west, and southwest.sldes. Access avallable via Federal Drive, a two lane neighborhood collector. F Presently guided for residential development. Bounded by residential guiding to (Cornwell, the south. Access available via Pilot Knob Road, which presently Is Just two Dunn) lanes wide, but Is being planned for upgrading to four lanes. Traffic volumes could overload Pilot Knob Road/Yankee Doodle Road/,1-35E area and could create a burden on Wescott Road, a community collector. G Presently guided for residential. Bounded by residential guiding to the east, (Cornwell) across Deerwood Dr. to the north, across 1-35E to the west and across Dlffley Rd. to the south. Access available via Dlffley Rd., which presently Is Just two lanes wide, but 1s being planned for upgrading to four lanes. Access to Deerwood Dr. could cause difficulties given Its neighborhood collector function and the adjacent residential guiding. H Careful consideration required about possible access points so as to avoid (Astleford) problems In 1-35E/Dlffley Rd. Interchange area. 1 Presently guided for residential. .Bounded by park to the north and business (Federal Land) guiding on other sides. Access available via,Cllff Rd., a'four lane minor arterial., and Rahn Road, a two lane neighborhood collector. K Presently guided for limited business. Bounded by residential guiding to the (Soule) southwest and across Galaxle to the east and southeast. Access available via Cliff Road and Galaxle, a two lane community collector. J 1 - , Proposed Comp. Pian Revision A E' ..ur... Ir..•u.. u.. •.0 p ........ .... J .... .. B .u.. p .....u. K.o... ' C o...i.,•..... a.. •.. ' SMS\ n•l Y n -.f 9 _ _ _{ _ e, �l YEIvAO • 1: � _ li -� I I .41 p J LARKIN, HOFFMAN, DALY & LINDGREN, LTD. ATTORNEYS AT LAW 1500 NORTHWESTERN FINANCIAL CENTER 2000 PIPER JAFFRAY TOWER 7900 %ER%ES AVENUE SOUTH 222 SOUTH NINTH STREET BLOOMINGTON, MINNESOTA 55431 MINNEAPOLIS. MINNESOTA 55402 TELEPHONE (6121835-3800 TELEPHONE 1612) 338-6610 TELECOPIER 16121 035-5102 TELECOPIER 1812) 338-1002 ROBERT L. HOFFMAN September 18, 1986 The Honorable Mayor Blomquist City Council Members Chairperson Pam McCrea Planning Commission Members [N4�lI<iT��i[e)ohl 3830 Pilot Knob Road Eagan, MN 55122 Dear Madam Mayor, Council Members, Chairperson McCrea and Planning Commission Members: REPLY TO BLOOMINGTON I, am a partner in Cliff Road Properties, a partnership that owns approximately 100 acres at the northwest quadrant of the intersection of Interstate I -35E and Cliff Road (the Property). We have owned this Property, together with other properties in the City of Eagan, for over twenty years. A major portion of the Property has been zoned high density commercial for almost twenty years. Several years ago it became part of an approved, Planned Development designating a major portion of the Property for mixed use retail, commercial, office, and high density residential. The purpose of this letter is to offer our observations to the City's Comprehensive Plan Review process. During our ownership of the Property we have made substantial dedications of lands to the city for park purposes, streets rights-of-way, utility and ponding easements. In addition, approximately 50 acres was taken for the Interstate 3'5E and Cliff Road Interchange. All of these dedications were made pursuant to the city's Comprehensive Guide Plan on the basis of existing zoning, the Planned Development, and the Guide Plan designating the Property for a major commercial center. Requests for amendments to the Comprehensive Guide Plan now ask for the redesignation of other lands from residential to commercial uses. We ask the city to carefully consider the following in its evaluation of these requests: L.ARKIN, HOFFMAN, DALY & LINDGREN, LTD. Letter to The Honorable Mayor Blomquist and City Council Members, Chairperson Pam McCrea, and Planning Commission Members September 18, 1986 Page 2 1. Comprehensive Plan Stability - Several years ago the state legislature mandated every municipality and county in the seven county area to adopt a Comprehensive Plan. Cities were given significant leeway in designating land uses within their communities so long as the cumulative effect of those land uses did not exceed the long term capacities of regional facilities such as highways, sewers, parks, and etc. The purpose for such a requirement is obvious. It would be impossible for regional and state agencies to plan twenty and thirty years in advance for the capacities of major highways and regional sewer facilities without information from each individual community as to the densities and capacities expected from those communities. Pursuant to that process the City of Eagan designated certain land uses within its community which resulted in densities that would be accommodated in the long-term capital plans of Eagan as well as the region. Therefore, in the Comprehensive Plan Review the densities of land use and projected capacities of facilities to service such uses are closely tied together. Individual landowners, in seeking request of changes from existing zoning, will focus on.a particular piece of land and do not have the responsibility to consider the impact of such changes on the whole community. Only the city council and planning commission can make that evaluation. Thies assigns a greater level of responsibility to local government and planning in the use of land within its community. Existing landowners within the city, including residential owners of existing homes, owners of existing commercial, office and industrial developments, and owners of land already designated for those uses have come to rely heavily upon Eagan's Comprehensive Guide Plan and the stability of that Plan. There should be significant and overwhelming evidence presented by any petitioner seeking to change the land use as designated in the city's Comprehensive Guide Plan. If that isn't followed then the stability of the Comprehensive Guide Plan will be substantially erroded, confidence disappears, and parcel by parcel rezonings become the norm. 2. Absorption Rates of Retail- My experience, in representing a substantial number of commercial, office, hotel and residential developers throughout the entire metropolitan area is that location is important. Obviously, there are exceptions. When several parcels of property are available for such uses, all of which have freeway frontage, there is seldom a specific site that "has to be". LARKIN, HOFFMAN, DALY & LINDGREN, LTD. Letter to The Honorable Mayor Blomquist and City Council Members, Chairperson Pam McCrea, and Planning Commission Members September 18, 1986 Page 3 Eagan's staff has found, that as of December 1, 1985, there already exists 1,309 acres of undeveloped land zoned for.commercial uses in the City of Eagan. The staff's research also projected, based on existing information, that Eagan's absorption of commercial land in the next fifteen years will be approximately 200 to 300 acres. Based on that analysis the City of Eagan has commercial land, already zoned or planned for that use, to last approximately sixty years. Even if the projections are doubled there is enough land for thirty years. Sixty or thirty years is a long time to wait for the development of a piece of property zoned commercial, paying taxes, assessed for highways, sewers and other facilities designed to serve that land. Several other communities have already experienced rapid growth similar to that which is now being expected to occur in the City of Eagan. Those communities, such as Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Maple Grove and Apple Valley have, as an average, about 3.68 of their lands designated for commercial use during the life of the community. Eagan presently has almost double that amount (6.78) designated for present and future commercial uses. There is not compelling or overriding reasons, based on those facts, for changes in the commercial aspects of Eagan's Comprehensive Guide Plan. 3. Location and Timing - Eagan is in its growth stage. Each of you is aware of all of the factors that hampered Eagan's growth for several years but have now been overcome. One of the major factors is the completion of Interstate 35E and the completion of major bridges on Cedar Avenue and I-494. Lack of such access, until the last couple of years, is a mayor factor why already zoned commercial and retail areas of the city have not been developed. Those properties should be given an opportunity, over the next several years, to develop before properties now zoned for single family residential uses are converted to commercial uses. Commercial growth is substantially influenced by the freeway systems, not just by the availability of some commercially zoned property. Major investments of hundreds of millions of dollars are based on community stability and confidence in the city's comprehensive planning process, not on fluctuating and potential change in land uses. 4. The Need for Housing - Proposed requests for changing current residential R-2 property to commercial encompasses approximately 200 acres. That represents approximately 128 of the projected acreage available in the City of Eagan for future single family housing. LARKIN, HOFFMAN, ITALY & LINDGREN, LTD. Letter to The Honorable Mayor Blomquist and City Council Members, Chairperson Pam McCrea, and Planning Commission Members September 18, 1986 Pace 4 There is ample evidence nationwide that the availability of reasonably priced housing, over the long term, is a critical factor in cities being able to not only attract busines's and industry but to keep business and industry. Dr. George Sternleib, keynote speaker at the recent State of the Region Conference sponsored by the Metropolitan Council, a nationally recognized expert on demographics and forecasting, has statedthat "the availability of affordable single family housing is a significant factor factor in business location." Karen Ann Gerard, a specialist in business relocation has written that she "steers financial institutions and insurance companies away from areas where moderate priced housing is not available.' The city that develops the housing is probably going to inherit a good deal of the office space." Recently the New York Times featured an article in which it found that housing shortages in the New York metropolitan area were driving away both existing jobs and corporations. The Urban Landllnstitute, in February, 1985 found that the Silicon Valley was having problems in attracting engineers, scientists and technically trained people because housing costs were becoming so high. Therefore, as Eagan seeks to attract businesses, retail, hotels and offices, it should also keep in mind the need of housing within that community to house the owners and employees of those businesses. Most people like to live near where they work. Therefore, the redesignation of 200 acres of property designated for single family housing to commercial uses, when it amounts to 128 of the potential single family housing, must be carefully scrutinized. 'Thank you for this opportunity of sharing these observations with you. Robert L. Hoffman cc: Tom Hedges - City Manager Dale Runkle - City Planner mj c JIM CURRY INVESTMENT COMPANIES 4817 Upper Terrace Y Edina, Minnesota 55435 6127927-9351 September 17, 1986 T0: Eagan Mayor and City Council Planning Commission City Staff I have a copy of the scoping document regarding Eagan's current supply of undeveloped commercial and industrial land. This document also projects the needs from now to the year 2000 for such land. I wish to add a few comments from a marketing standpoint that I have learned in the past years: I have heard at various meetings a concern that Eagan will end up having only a bunch of strip centers and no place to buy "socks and underwear for the kids." Some of you have asked, "Why do we have mostly strip centers now?" I have talked to many people about shopping centers - including the Center Companies who manage all the "Dales" and about 25 million square feet of shopping centers altogether. The consensus is as follows: Eagan will soon have 40,000 people. 40,000 people in a city finally makes "large" shopping centers feasible with major department stores, etc. With 40,000 people in Eagan, shopping center developers can begin to be serious about the multimillion dollar investments neces- "' " `sary to make major -destination shopping available. " `' Developers and major anchor tenants have become very sophisticated since World War II. They know what they want and they won't expand until they get what they want in the demographic sense. Eagan will get major shopping and centers. Target WILL be in Eagan. (They have told me so every year since 1981!) I am very confident we will also have K -mart, Walmart and many of the other great anchor stores. The reason you people are getting various kinds of pressure is because Eagan is finally ripe for such development! I say to you all "Don't panic!" and "Don't let them push you around!" The scoping report speaks eloquently about how much commercial land we have now and how many years the commercial land supply that we have now will last. September 17, 1986 Page 2 It sounds self-serving to say how long many of us have owned our commercial land. Probably some of it still should be said though, because it is part of the answer to questions being raised. Infrastructure has been planned and put in place. A Comprehensive Plan has been thought through and adopted. Assessment payments have been made. Much has been invested counting on a solid dependable plan. The City of Eagan has invested much time and money also in its plans for commercial land use. .In my own case, in 1978, to make sure all my PUD social and environ- mental bases had been touched, I had an Environmental Impact State- ment done. It was the largest EIS ever done in Minnesota. All these things.made it possible for my bankers to continue their eco- nomic support through good times and bad times. Since 1978 I have developed and arranged for development of hundreds of acres surrounding my commercial land. During August of 1986 the 1000th building permit was issued for my Lexington South Pub. For this year alone through August - the total permits issued is 248. This is 21.8°% of all permits issued in Eagan this year. My -entire investment in time and money has been based on the foun- dation of my solid healthy commercial land. - Diluting the amount of commercial land in Eagan would be a really serious blow to myself and others. The first question potential shopping center developers ask me is, "How much other commercial land is there in Eagan?" Too much commercial land will likely result in less than healthy smaller shopping centers and will discourage the major centers which we all want. An example: Currently office buildings are in over -supply in the Twin Cities. Some are "sick." I believe all signs point to the conclusion that we have all the com- mercia'1 land we need for now and at least for many many years to come. Maybe we have enough for all time. This letter has been probably too long and I appreciate your taking the time to read it. I felt these things should be said and that you would not mind my saying them. September 17, 1986 Page 3 Thank you all for working on the many items that come before you regarding my land. Eagan is a great city. You have made it great - because you care. Much excellent planning has helped make Eagan what it is today. May it ever be thus! Sincerely, tol'"M"Curry JC/pm REGULAR MEETING OF THE ADVISORY PLANNING COMMISSION EAGAN, MINNESOTA SEPTEMBER 23, 1986 CITY HALL 7:00 P.M. MEMBERS: PAMELA MC CREA (CHAIRPERSON), JOSEPH HARRISON (VICE CHAIR -- PERSON), DORIS WILKINS (SECRETARY), CHARLES HALL, GARRETT MULROONEY, LORI TRYGG, RON VORACEK, DAVID BOHNE (ALTERNATE) ITEMS LISTED UNDER OLD BUSINESS WILL APPEAR ON THE OCTOBER 7, 1986 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA & ITEMS LISTED UNDER NEW BUSINESS WILL APPEAR ON THE OCTOBER.21, 1986 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA UNLESS CONTINUED BY THE ADVISORY PLANNING COMMISSION. I. 7:00 p.m. - Roll Call & Pledge of Allegiance II. 7:05 p.m. - Adopt Agenda & Approve Minutes III. OLD BUSINESS A. Blackhawk Acres 2nd Addition (Les DuOOS) - Preliminary Plat consisting of 32 townhouse units on approx. 6 acres in part of the SE4 of Section 17, west of Blackhawk Rd, abutting Robin La. B. Lexington Hills First Addition (H & Z Partners) - Preliminary Plat consisting of 168 apartment units on approx. 16.3 acres in part of the SWh of Section 23, NE quadrant of Lexington Av & Diffley Rd. C. Brittany 10th Addition (Sienna Corp) - Preliminary Plat consisting.of 180 single.family lots an approx. 98 acres & a Rezoning.from A(agricultural) to R-1 (single family) located in part of the NEh of Section 33, east of Beacon Hill Addition abutting Cliff Rd. IV. NEW BUSINESS A. Robert G. Dougherty - Conditional Use Permit for on -sale liquor for a.sit down restaurant in Town Centre 70 Second Addition located in part of the NW34 of Section 15, south of Yankee Doodle Rd & west of Denmark Av. B. Roy A. Spande - Waiver of Plat to split Lot 1, Block 1, Joseph A. Spande 1st Addition into 2 lots located in part of the SWh of Section 4, east of Hwy 13 on Bridgeview Terr. C. Dakota Electric Association - Waiver of Plat to split off approx. .89 acres from a 3.3 acre parcel for an electric substation located in part of the NWk of Section 360 SW quadrant of Dodd & Cliff Roads. D. CHARLES NOLAN - Waiver of Plat to split the north 650' of Lot 6, Block 1, Eagandale Center Ind Park #2 for E -Z Air Park expansion in part of the SWk of Section 2, SW of T.H. #55, east of Lexington Av. E. Holiday Plus - Conditional Use Permit for a sign & canopy for a Holiday Gas Station & Convenience Store located in the SWC of Section 30, NW quadrant of Cliff & Nicols Roads. (over) ADVISORY PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA SEPTEMBER 23, 1986 PAGE TWO F. Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church - Preliminary Plat for a church on approx. 3.5 acres located in part of the SW% of Section 22, Pilot Knob & Berry Ridge Roads. G. Carbones First Addition - Preliminary Plat to increase existing parcel 030-52 with a portion of parcel 012-52 to increase parking capacity for Carbones Pizza Restaurant located in part of the SWC of Section 9, abutting Yankee Doodle Rd to the south, east of Coachman Rd. Pond View - Rezoning for approx. 30 acres from A (agricul- tural) & P.D. (planned development) to commercial & mixed residential Planned Development and overall concept plan located in part of the S� of Section 16, abutting Duckwood Dr on the north & Pilot Knob Rd on the east. I. GRADING PERMITS - Change in application/approval process MEMO TO: HONORABLE MAYOR & CITY COUNCILMEMBERS CHAIRPERSON MCCREA & MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY PLANNING COMMISSION FROM: CITY ADMINISTRATOR HEDGES DATE: SEPTEMBER 23, 1986 SUBJECT: SPECIAL'CITY COUNCIL/ADVISORY PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING FOR SEPTEMBER 25, 1986 Attached is a copy of an agenda for the September 25 special meeting. Please note that the City Council has two brief items for consideration before the presentations are given by property owners concerning comprehensive guide plan changes. Those items are 1) Blackhawk Plaza Final Plat and 2) Approval for a building permit prior to waiver of plat for Lot 6, Blk 2, Safari 3rd Add. For a copy of the guidelines that were established for the special City Council/Advisory Planning Commission workshop, refer to an attachment. Also attached is a memo from City Planner Runkle outlining letters that were received from various developers. The City Planning Consultant, John Voss, has provided a letter that summarizes discussion related to the update Eagan's compre- hensive plan. A copy of that letter is also enclosed for review. City Administrato TLH/kf SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL/ADVISORY PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Comprehensive Guide Plan Review Thursday September 25, 1986 7:00 P.M. I. INTRODUCTION & GENERAL REMARKS II. CITY COUNCIL ITEMS A. Blackhawk Plaza Final Plat B. Building Permit Prior to Waiver of Plat Lot 6, Block 2, Safari 3rd Addition III. PRESENTATIONS BY PROPERTY OWNERS/ REPRESENTATIVES (limited to 15 minutes) IV. QUESTIONS & ANSWERS FOLLOWING EACH PRESENT- ATION BY CITY COUNCIL & ADVISORY PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS V. PUBLIC INPUT (after all presentations are completed) VI. REVIEW FUTURE MEETINGS VII. OTHER BUSINESS VIII. ADJOURNMENT MEMO TO: THOMAS L. HEDGES, CITY ADMINISTRATOR FROM: ED KIRSCHT, ENGINEERING TECH DATE: SEPTEMBER 23, 1986 SUBJECT: BLACKHAWK PLAZA - DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT APPROVAL I have received three (3) signed copies of the development contract for Blackhawk Plaza along with a letter of intent for their financial guarantee. Everything is in order to have the City Council approve this development contract. Ed Kirscht EK/kf SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL/ADVISORY PLANNING COMMISSION WORKSHOP Comprehensive Guide Plan Update Guidelines for Receiving Comments by Developers September 25, 1986 7:00 P.M. The following are guidelines for considering presentations and/or remarks from developers who are giving consideration to a change in the Comprehensive Guide Plan designation for their property or wish to update the City on their property. 1) All presentations will be scheduled on a Section by Section basis begin- ning with Section 1. 2) Formal comments are to be limited to 15 minutes. 3) All questions and answers raised by the Advisory Planning Commission and City Council following formal comments, will be directed to the presenter. 4) All questions and answers pertaining to any presentation by the audience will be considered at the end of the meeting and directed to the Chair. 5) The Chair will reserve the right to allow any additional presentation for a specific project if time permits at the end of the meeting. The meeting is not intended as a public hearing. The City staff and developers need direction on certain projects that are being considered and comply with the Comprehensive Guide Plan as well as those projects that would require a Comprehensive Guide Plan amendment. �O p NINc AND DESIGN, 1NC- September 11, 1986 Dale Runkle City Planning Director 3830 Pilot Knob Rpad Eagan, MN 55122 Dear Dale: 7300 W. 147th St. a Suite 504 e Apple Malley, Mn. 55124 a (612) 431-4401 John S. Mass, President RECEIVEDSEP 9 2 This letter is intended to summarize our discussion related to the update of Eagan's Comprehensive Plan. 1. It appears that the Eagan Planning Commission and City Council are not desiring any mayor revisions to the Comprehensive Plan at this time. Rather, the "Land Use Plan" revisions at this time should only be the more routine revisions that have already occurred from the 1980 plan. 2. Any mayor studies influencing the Comprehensive Plan, such as a major traffic or demographic study., appear to be several months in the future. The outcome of the 1987 budget process will help determine that schedule. 3. Consistent with the above assumptions, a proposed schedule for the current Comprehensive Plan update is as follows: September 25: Meeting to hear comments from property owners as already scheduled. - October meeting: a) Review demographic information prepared by staff; b) Review suggested locations for freeway development designations; c) Review "Land Use Plan" map to be presented at public hearing. November meeting: Hold public hearing on Comprehensive,Plan update. Dece mber meeting: Approve updated Comprehensive Plan for submittal to Metro Council. Yours �ru John S. Voss Plan ing Consultant JV:llo PLANNING LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE - SITE DESIGN MEMO TO: HONORABLE MAYOR & CITY COUNCILMEMBERS CHAIRPERSON PAM MCCREA PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS FROM: CITY PLANNER RUNKLE DATE. SEPTEMBER 23, 1986 SUBJECT: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1986, COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE GUIDE PLAN MEETING Thursday, September 25, 1986, is the next scheduled meeting to discuss the Comprehensive Land Use Guide Plan for the City of Eagan. The major purpose of this meeting is to solicit general comments from the public regarding the Comprehensive Land Use Guide review process and material gathered by Planning staff and consultant. To date, the Planning staff has received three letters regarding the Comprehensive Land Use Guide Plan review process. These letters are from Mr. Robert Hoffman of Larkin, Hoffman, Daly & Lindgren, Ltd.; Jim Curry of Jim Curry Investment Companies; and Vernon Colon of Federal Land Company. In addition to the aforementioned parties, I am sure that several business and other private interests will make presentations before the City Council and Planning Commission on Thursday night. I trust the enclosed agenda and material is sufficient preparation for the Thursday, September 25, 1986, Joint City Council and Planning Commission meeting. If I may be of further assistance regarding this matter, feel free to contact me. 1 CWIty lanner DCR/jj Attachment � - n Federal Land Company Yankee Square Office III • 3460 Washington Drive • Suite 202 • Eagan, Minnesota 55122 • Tel. 612.452-3303 September 22, 1986 The Honorable Beatta Blomquist Members of the Eagan City Council and Members of the Eagan Planning Commission c/o Dale Runkle, Eagan City Planner Eagan City Hall 3830 Pilot Knob Road Eagan, Mn. 55122 Dear Madam Mayor, Councilmembers, and Planning Commission, With regard to the Comprehensive Plan Review process, Federal Land Company has been closely following its progress. Considering that Federal Land Company is one of the major developers and landowners in the City we are very interested in the review process and in the final recommendations and decisions which will be made pursuant to this process. It is for this reason that we presented to the City our previous letter dated July 10, 1986, and that we are now continuing our involvement in the Comprehensive Plan Review process by elaborating on our prior correspondence. The City's existing Comprehensive Plan was developed through extensive efforts and numerous hours being spent by the City Staff, City Officials, expert consultants, and interested property owners. It is the result of not just one isolated review process, but rather several review processes over the past years. The Comprehensive Plan includes both a Land Use Guide Plan and a Thoroughfare Plan. Both of these plans have been approved by the Metropolitan Council and have been used by almost every governmental agency in the development and extension.of their respective services to the City. Consequently, both the Land Use Guide Plan and the Thoroughfare Plan would be subject to major changes if the proposed commercial reguiding, presently before the City, were approved. The existing Land Use Guide Plan and Thoroughfare Plan have been specifically been relied upon by the Minnesota Department of Transportation and Dakota County in establishing its road systems for the City. The City, Dakota County, and the Minnesota Department of . r Federal land Company The Honorable Beatta Blomquist Members of the Eagan City Council and Members of the Eagan Planning Commission September 22, 1986 Page 2 Transportation have worked extensively together in order to plan the roadway system so that it will meet the expected traffic needs as contemplated by the Comprehensive Plan. For example, the location and design of interchanges on I -35E have been premised on the City's Land Use Guide Plan and the associated traffic projections. The City, County, and MnDot have all developed capital improvement programs to provide an orderly basis for future roadway improvements. Development of the commercial sites proposed for rezoning would have major implications on the roadway system, quality of traffic service, and future improvements. When there is a substantive deviation from the land uses designated on the Land Use Guide Plan, the roadway system can break down if the property which a roadway serves is not developed in accordance with the guide plan. A good example of this is on I-494 between the metropolitan airport and Minnetonka. The design of I-494 was based upon uses designated in the Land Use Guide Plan for the respective communities. However, much of the property along the freeway was rezoned as it was developed and as a consequence it is now breaking down the highway system. The freeway, access locations, and associated service roads are no longer adequate to carry traffic smoothly. The result is that traffic is stopped on the freeway due to inadequate access and exits to the freeway and to insufficient traffic lanes thereon. The Minnesota Department of Transportation and Metropolitan Council are presently involved in an extensive study concerning the roadway. It appears the only solution is construction of additional lanes and the reconstruction of access and entrance ramps as wide as six lanes. The cost of these improvements are very substantial because there already are existing buildings in place which will have to be .condemned and because the fair market value of the commercial property which must be required is significantly higher than residential land. f4 The economic burden for these improvements is so high that there may not be a sufficient tax base to justify them. Therefore MnDot and the Metropolitan Council are considering a moratorium on any further rezonings in this area. A substantive deviation from the existing Land Use Guide Plan in Eagan could have the same results. The Honorable Beatta Members of the Eagan Members of the Eagan September 22, 1986 Page 3 Federal Land Company Blomquist City Council and Planning Commission An excellent example of the use of the existing Comprehensive Plan in the development of the roadway system is with our Town Centre -Eagan Center. The width of I -35E (i.e. eight lanes wide north of Yankee Doodle and six lanes south of Yankee Doodle), the interchanges at both Pilot Knob and Yankee Doodle Roads, and the three lane exit ramp on to Yankee Doodle provide good traffic circulation to and from the Town Centre -Eagan area. In addition, Lexington Avenue, Pilot Knob Road and Yankee Doodle Road provide an excellent north south county road system. The design and timing of all these roads were done in combination with the existing Comprehensive Plan and will serve the area well if the property is developed as set forth in the Land Use Guide Plan. However, if property in this area is not developed as presently designated on the existing Land Use Guide Plan, state.standards will be violated, the roadway system will be inadequate to service the needs of the community and this area will cause substantial problems for the city in the future. Another significant factor to consider in the establishment of the roadway system is that the roads are paid through the collection of real estate taxes and other funds. The county system is solely based on the collection of real estate taxes. Commercially zoned property pays a significantly higher real estate tax based upon its greater value as income producing property. This higher tax is justified in that more extensive roads are necessary for these commercial areas. Most commercial property in the City of Eagan has been zoned commercial for many years and taxes have been paid on that property based upon this commercial zoning. It would be unfair to the owners of commercial property to have residential property (upon which lower real estate taxes are paid) rezoned commercial, because the residential property owner would be taking advantage of the roadway constructed and financed substantially by commercial property taxes, while the residential property owner has been paying a much lower tax. Federal Land Company has used the services of James Benshoof & Associates, a professional traffic engineering company, in association with the location and the development of its property. The information provided by Benshoof & Associates has been very helpful in locating property which is served by roadway systems which are adequate for Federal land Company The Honorable Beatta Blomquist Members of the Eagan City Council and Members of the Eagan Planning Commission September 22, 1986 Page 4 commercial development. The information which is shown in tables 1 and 2 attached hereto is information received from Mr. Benshoof. The attached table 1 indicates major traffic and land use characteristics associated with each site presently being proposed for commercial reguiding in the City of Eagan. The table helps to illustrate the multiple characteristics which are important in reguiding considerations. Table 2 provides comments regarding potential traffic and land use implications associated with each site. As you will note, sites C & F have particularly significant traffic impacts. Specifically, commercial development on these sites could cause traffic capacity problems in the Pilot Knob Road/Yankee Doodle/I-35E area. Site G has significant implications regarding traffic and land use considerations. We have attached this information because it shows that the sites being proposed for reguiding do not have, for the most part, adequate roadway systems for commercial use. Furthermore this information illustrates how the existing Land Use Guide Plan has been used over the years by both MnDot and Dakota County in structuring the location, design and timing of its roads by putting more extensive roadway systems at the locations in the City which are designated for commercial uses under the existing Land Use Guide Plan. In addition to the traffic and roadway considerations set forth above, there are several other significant reasons why the City should not change the existing Land Use Guide Plan. These considerations include the amount of land already designated for commercial use on its Land Use Guide Plan, the saturation use at which this land would be put into use, and the obligation of the City -to those persons who have developed property based upon the existing Land Use Guide Plan, Planned Unit Development Contracts, and Development Contracts. As shown in the Commercial and Industrial Zoning Summary dated December, 1985, and prepared by the City Planning Staff and Urban Planning & Design, Inc., the City presently has over 1,250 acres of undeveloped land designated for commercial use on its Land Use Guide Plan. This land is well served by the necessary amenities as the road and utilities services were developed to serve these properties with the existing The Honorable Beatta Members of the Eagan Members of the Eagan September 22, 1986 Page 5 Federal Land Company Blomquist City Council and Planning Commission Land Use Guide Plan designation in mind. The Commercial and Industrial Zoning Summary states that the saturation of the commercial land in Eagan between the years.1985 and 2000 will be between 200 and 300 acres. Therefore, even upon full development, the City has at this time an excess of land committed for commercial use. It is common knowledge that commercial property requires a population base to support it. Eagan is one of the fastest growing communities in the state. However, the perception that there is an adequate population base to support major commercial development is not completely accurate. Eagan's population of about 40,000 does not compare with Bloomington, St. Paul, Minneapolis, and other areas which have population bases in excess of 85,000 people. Large corporations and companies demand a population base of at least ,85,000 people to locate within a community. Medium sized companies closely scrutinize whether they will locate in areas which have only 40,000 people. The Rainbow Food Store which is in our Town Centre -Eagan Shopping Center is a good example of this. Based upon extensive feasibility studies, Rainbow Foods determined that Eagan is still several years away from making a Rainbow Foods Store located in the City profitable. As a result, Federal Land Company had to give Rainbow Foods a subsidy of " over $500,000.00 in rent concessions to have them locate a store in Eagan at this time. Although Rainbow Foods felt that Eagan was not ready for a 60,000 square foot food store, it agreed to locate in Eagan based upon the rent subsidy and the fact that there were no similar stores within the immediate area. The same reluctance to locate a store in the City of Eagan has been experienced by Federal Land Company with other companies. It is true that Eagan is growing, however, it will not support the same commercial land use that a city with a population of 85,000 people and over will support. The existing Land Use Guide Plan is also relied upon by developers, such as Federal Land Company, in the development of property in the City of Eagan. As indicated above, commercial property requires the population base to support it. Therefore, the location of commercial property and the proximity of residential property is very important to the success of a commercial development. The fact that the existing Federal land Company The Honorable Beatta Blomquist Members of the Eagan City Council and Members of the Eagan Planning Commission September 22, 1986 Page 6 Land Use Guide Plan classifies the property to the north, east and south of the Town Centre -Eagan development as residential was a critical factor in Federal Land Company's determination to make a commitment to develop this property. Over $40,009,000.89 in construction, roadway, and utility, development, grading and land costs have been committed to this project. To make a committment of this magnitude, Federal Land Company has relied heavily on the existing Land Use Guide Plan. Furtermore, Federal Land Company has also entered into Planned Unit Development Agreements and Development Contracts pertaining to the property. Federal Land Company has always fulfilled its obligations by developing its property in accordance with these contracts and has always done so in less than the allotted time. In return, the City has the moral obligation, if not the contractual obligation, not to undermine a developer by diluting commercial acreage in a community. This is especially true where there is more than adequate supply of commercial property on hand. If the City does not fulfill its contractual responsibility by adhering to the existing Land Use Guide Plan, it could result in developers such as Federal Land Company not being able to adhere to the high quality of development that it has constructed in the past. Therefore, Federal Land Company is requesting that the City does not change the existing Land Use Guide Plan. In conclusion, it is important to recognize that Eagan's existing Comprehensive Plan, Land Use Guide Plan and Thoroughfare Plan were . created over many years. The Land Use Guide Plan and Thoroughfare Plan have been laid out to serve the entire community and to provide a guide by which the entire community can be developed to the greatest benefits " of its residents. The land within the City has been and is being developed and utilized in conformity with these existing plans. There have been some minor modifications to the plans in the past and certainly there will be some minor deviations in the future. Nevertheless, overall the existing Comprehensive Plan, Land Use Guide Plan and Thoroughfare Plan have guided the City well and there has been no real change which would warrant a substantive change in these plans. Therefore, Federal Land Company contends that there should be no ange in theLand Use Guide Plan at this time. Scerely your./. Vernon R. Colon VRC/ap I "Thoroughfare Plan". City of Eagan, February 1960. 2 "Land Use Guide Plan", City of Eagan, February 1980. TRAFFIC AND LAND USE CHARACTERISTICS REGARDING PROPOSED NEW COMMERCIAL SITES Roadway(s) Roadway) Existing Roadway Exlsting2 Available Functional Roadway Width Planned Guiding Guiding fort 51te for Access Classiflcatlon-'Wldth Wlthl,hl'5 Yrs for 51te Adlacent Properties A CR 26 (Lone Oak) Minor Art. 2 lanes dependant on N.A. N-N.A. (Cole) Northwest S -CR 26, R2 Airlines Site E -Inver Grove Hts development W -Comm. P.D. B Marlce Dr. Local 2 lanes 2 lanes R4, R2 N-Lemay's Lake (Olson) High Site Dr. Local 2 lanes 2 lanes 5 -LB Jurdy Rd. Local 2 lanes 2 lanes E -1-35E W -R2, R4 C CR 28 (Y. Doodle) Minor Art. 2/4 lanes 4 lanes R3, P N -Ind. (O'Neil, CR 43 (Lexington) Minor Art. 4 lanes 4 lanes S-CR28, CSC, LB, R3 Lombard, E -CR 43, Ind. Olson) W -1-35E E Federal Dr. Neigh. 2 lanes 2 lanes R2 N -NB (Astleford) Collector S -R2 E -1-35E W -R2 F CR 31 (Pilot Knob) Minor Art. 2/4 lanes 4 lanes R2, P N -1-35E (Cornwell, 5-R2 Dunn) E-CR31, CSC, LB, R1, P W -1-35E G CR 30 (Diffley) Minor Art. 2 lanes 4 lanes R2 N-Deerwood, R2 (Corn- Deerwood Dr. Neigh. 2 Lanes 4 lanes S-CR30, RB, R2, R3 well) Collector E -P, E, R2 W -1-35E H CR 30 (Diffley) Minor Art. 2/4 lanes 4 lanes RB, R3 N-CR30, R3, R2 (Astle- Johnny Cake Comm. 2 lanes 2 lanes NB, R2 5-112, R3 ford) Ridge Road Collector E -R2 Blackhawk Rd. Comm. 2 lanes 2 lanes W-Blackhawk, R3 Collector 1 CR 32 (Cliff) Minor Art. 4 lanes 4 lanes R3 N -P (Federal Rahn Road Neigh. 2 lanes 2 lanes S -CR 32, LB Land) Collector E -Rahn, NB, LB W -LB, R2 K CR 32 (Cliff) Minor Art. 4 lanes 4 lanes LB, R2 N-CR32, LB (Soule) Galaxle Ave. Comm. 2 lanes 2 lanes 5-Galaxle. R2 Collector E-Galaxle, RI W -1-35E I "Thoroughfare Plan". City of Eagan, February 1960. 2 "Land Use Guide Plan", City of Eagan, February 1980. TABLE 2 TRAFFIC AND LAND USE IMPLICATIONS REGARDING PROPOSED NEW COMMERCIAL SITES Site Comments Regarding Traffic and Land Use Implications A Sole Existing access Is via Lone Oak Road, a two lane county roadway. No plans (Cole) presently exist to upgrade this roadway. B Access Is available only via local streets through a residential area. (Olson) C Traffic volumes generated by commercial development could overload Pilot Knob (O'Neil) Road/Yankee Doodle Road/1-35E Interchange area. E Presently guided for residential development. Bounded by residential guiding on (Astleford) the northwest, west, and southwest.sldes. Access avallable via Federal Drive, a two lane neighborhood collector. F Presently guided for residential development. Bounded by residential guiding to (Cornwell, the south. Access available via Pilot Knob Road, which presently Is Just two Dunn) lanes wide, but Is being planned for upgrading to four lanes. Traffic volumes could overload Pilot Knob Road/Yankee Doodle Road/,1-35E area and could create a burden on Wescott Road, a community collector. G Presently guided for residential. Bounded by residential guiding to the east, (Cornwell) across Deerwood Dr. to the north, across 1-35E to the west and across Dlffley Rd. to the south. Access available via Dlffley Rd., which presently Is Just two lanes wide, but 1s being planned for upgrading to four lanes. Access to Deerwood Dr. could cause difficulties given Its neighborhood collector function and the adjacent residential guiding. H Careful consideration required about possible access points so as to avoid (Astleford) problems In 1-35E/Dlffley Rd. Interchange area. 1 Presently guided for residential. .Bounded by park to the north and business (Federal Land) guiding on other sides. Access available via,Cllff Rd., a'four lane minor arterial., and Rahn Road, a two lane neighborhood collector. K Presently guided for limited business. Bounded by residential guiding to the (Soule) southwest and across Galaxle to the east and southeast. Access available via Cliff Road and Galaxle, a two lane community collector. J 1 - , Proposed Comp. Pian Revision A E' ..ur... Ir..•u.. u.. •.0 p ........ .... J .... .. B .u.. p .....u. K.o... ' C o...i.,•..... a.. •.. ' SMS\ n•l Y n -.f 9 _ _ _{ _ e, �l YEIvAO • 1: � _ li -� I I .41 p J LARKIN, HOFFMAN, DALY & LINDGREN, LTD. ATTORNEYS AT LAW 1500 NORTHWESTERN FINANCIAL CENTER 2000 PIPER JAFFRAY TOWER 7900 %ER%ES AVENUE SOUTH 222 SOUTH NINTH STREET BLOOMINGTON, MINNESOTA 55431 MINNEAPOLIS. MINNESOTA 55402 TELEPHONE (6121835-3800 TELEPHONE 1612) 338-6610 TELECOPIER 16121 035-5102 TELECOPIER 1812) 338-1002 ROBERT L. HOFFMAN September 18, 1986 The Honorable Mayor Blomquist City Council Members Chairperson Pam McCrea Planning Commission Members [N4�lI<iT��i[e)ohl 3830 Pilot Knob Road Eagan, MN 55122 Dear Madam Mayor, Council Members, Chairperson McCrea and Planning Commission Members: REPLY TO BLOOMINGTON I, am a partner in Cliff Road Properties, a partnership that owns approximately 100 acres at the northwest quadrant of the intersection of Interstate I -35E and Cliff Road (the Property). We have owned this Property, together with other properties in the City of Eagan, for over twenty years. A major portion of the Property has been zoned high density commercial for almost twenty years. Several years ago it became part of an approved, Planned Development designating a major portion of the Property for mixed use retail, commercial, office, and high density residential. The purpose of this letter is to offer our observations to the City's Comprehensive Plan Review process. During our ownership of the Property we have made substantial dedications of lands to the city for park purposes, streets rights-of-way, utility and ponding easements. In addition, approximately 50 acres was taken for the Interstate 3'5E and Cliff Road Interchange. All of these dedications were made pursuant to the city's Comprehensive Guide Plan on the basis of existing zoning, the Planned Development, and the Guide Plan designating the Property for a major commercial center. Requests for amendments to the Comprehensive Guide Plan now ask for the redesignation of other lands from residential to commercial uses. We ask the city to carefully consider the following in its evaluation of these requests: L.ARKIN, HOFFMAN, DALY & LINDGREN, LTD. Letter to The Honorable Mayor Blomquist and City Council Members, Chairperson Pam McCrea, and Planning Commission Members September 18, 1986 Page 2 1. Comprehensive Plan Stability - Several years ago the state legislature mandated every municipality and county in the seven county area to adopt a Comprehensive Plan. Cities were given significant leeway in designating land uses within their communities so long as the cumulative effect of those land uses did not exceed the long term capacities of regional facilities such as highways, sewers, parks, and etc. The purpose for such a requirement is obvious. It would be impossible for regional and state agencies to plan twenty and thirty years in advance for the capacities of major highways and regional sewer facilities without information from each individual community as to the densities and capacities expected from those communities. Pursuant to that process the City of Eagan designated certain land uses within its community which resulted in densities that would be accommodated in the long-term capital plans of Eagan as well as the region. Therefore, in the Comprehensive Plan Review the densities of land use and projected capacities of facilities to service such uses are closely tied together. Individual landowners, in seeking request of changes from existing zoning, will focus on.a particular piece of land and do not have the responsibility to consider the impact of such changes on the whole community. Only the city council and planning commission can make that evaluation. Thies assigns a greater level of responsibility to local government and planning in the use of land within its community. Existing landowners within the city, including residential owners of existing homes, owners of existing commercial, office and industrial developments, and owners of land already designated for those uses have come to rely heavily upon Eagan's Comprehensive Guide Plan and the stability of that Plan. There should be significant and overwhelming evidence presented by any petitioner seeking to change the land use as designated in the city's Comprehensive Guide Plan. If that isn't followed then the stability of the Comprehensive Guide Plan will be substantially erroded, confidence disappears, and parcel by parcel rezonings become the norm. 2. Absorption Rates of Retail- My experience, in representing a substantial number of commercial, office, hotel and residential developers throughout the entire metropolitan area is that location is important. Obviously, there are exceptions. When several parcels of property are available for such uses, all of which have freeway frontage, there is seldom a specific site that "has to be". LARKIN, HOFFMAN, DALY & LINDGREN, LTD. Letter to The Honorable Mayor Blomquist and City Council Members, Chairperson Pam McCrea, and Planning Commission Members September 18, 1986 Page 3 Eagan's staff has found, that as of December 1, 1985, there already exists 1,309 acres of undeveloped land zoned for.commercial uses in the City of Eagan. The staff's research also projected, based on existing information, that Eagan's absorption of commercial land in the next fifteen years will be approximately 200 to 300 acres. Based on that analysis the City of Eagan has commercial land, already zoned or planned for that use, to last approximately sixty years. Even if the projections are doubled there is enough land for thirty years. Sixty or thirty years is a long time to wait for the development of a piece of property zoned commercial, paying taxes, assessed for highways, sewers and other facilities designed to serve that land. Several other communities have already experienced rapid growth similar to that which is now being expected to occur in the City of Eagan. Those communities, such as Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Maple Grove and Apple Valley have, as an average, about 3.68 of their lands designated for commercial use during the life of the community. Eagan presently has almost double that amount (6.78) designated for present and future commercial uses. There is not compelling or overriding reasons, based on those facts, for changes in the commercial aspects of Eagan's Comprehensive Guide Plan. 3. Location and Timing - Eagan is in its growth stage. Each of you is aware of all of the factors that hampered Eagan's growth for several years but have now been overcome. One of the major factors is the completion of Interstate 35E and the completion of major bridges on Cedar Avenue and I-494. Lack of such access, until the last couple of years, is a mayor factor why already zoned commercial and retail areas of the city have not been developed. Those properties should be given an opportunity, over the next several years, to develop before properties now zoned for single family residential uses are converted to commercial uses. Commercial growth is substantially influenced by the freeway systems, not just by the availability of some commercially zoned property. Major investments of hundreds of millions of dollars are based on community stability and confidence in the city's comprehensive planning process, not on fluctuating and potential change in land uses. 4. The Need for Housing - Proposed requests for changing current residential R-2 property to commercial encompasses approximately 200 acres. That represents approximately 128 of the projected acreage available in the City of Eagan for future single family housing. LARKIN, HOFFMAN, ITALY & LINDGREN, LTD. Letter to The Honorable Mayor Blomquist and City Council Members, Chairperson Pam McCrea, and Planning Commission Members September 18, 1986 Pace 4 There is ample evidence nationwide that the availability of reasonably priced housing, over the long term, is a critical factor in cities being able to not only attract busines's and industry but to keep business and industry. Dr. George Sternleib, keynote speaker at the recent State of the Region Conference sponsored by the Metropolitan Council, a nationally recognized expert on demographics and forecasting, has statedthat "the availability of affordable single family housing is a significant factor factor in business location." Karen Ann Gerard, a specialist in business relocation has written that she "steers financial institutions and insurance companies away from areas where moderate priced housing is not available.' The city that develops the housing is probably going to inherit a good deal of the office space." Recently the New York Times featured an article in which it found that housing shortages in the New York metropolitan area were driving away both existing jobs and corporations. The Urban Landllnstitute, in February, 1985 found that the Silicon Valley was having problems in attracting engineers, scientists and technically trained people because housing costs were becoming so high. Therefore, as Eagan seeks to attract businesses, retail, hotels and offices, it should also keep in mind the need of housing within that community to house the owners and employees of those businesses. Most people like to live near where they work. Therefore, the redesignation of 200 acres of property designated for single family housing to commercial uses, when it amounts to 128 of the potential single family housing, must be carefully scrutinized. 'Thank you for this opportunity of sharing these observations with you. Robert L. Hoffman cc: Tom Hedges - City Manager Dale Runkle - City Planner mj c JIM CURRY INVESTMENT COMPANIES 4817 Upper Terrace Y Edina, Minnesota 55435 6127927-9351 September 17, 1986 T0: Eagan Mayor and City Council Planning Commission City Staff I have a copy of the scoping document regarding Eagan's current supply of undeveloped commercial and industrial land. This document also projects the needs from now to the year 2000 for such land. I wish to add a few comments from a marketing standpoint that I have learned in the past years: I have heard at various meetings a concern that Eagan will end up having only a bunch of strip centers and no place to buy "socks and underwear for the kids." Some of you have asked, "Why do we have mostly strip centers now?" I have talked to many people about shopping centers - including the Center Companies who manage all the "Dales" and about 25 million square feet of shopping centers altogether. The consensus is as follows: Eagan will soon have 40,000 people. 40,000 people in a city finally makes "large" shopping centers feasible with major department stores, etc. With 40,000 people in Eagan, shopping center developers can begin to be serious about the multimillion dollar investments neces- "' " `sary to make major -destination shopping available. " `' Developers and major anchor tenants have become very sophisticated since World War II. They know what they want and they won't expand until they get what they want in the demographic sense. Eagan will get major shopping and centers. Target WILL be in Eagan. (They have told me so every year since 1981!) I am very confident we will also have K -mart, Walmart and many of the other great anchor stores. The reason you people are getting various kinds of pressure is because Eagan is finally ripe for such development! I say to you all "Don't panic!" and "Don't let them push you around!" The scoping report speaks eloquently about how much commercial land we have now and how many years the commercial land supply that we have now will last. September 17, 1986 Page 2 It sounds self-serving to say how long many of us have owned our commercial land. Probably some of it still should be said though, because it is part of the answer to questions being raised. Infrastructure has been planned and put in place. A Comprehensive Plan has been thought through and adopted. Assessment payments have been made. Much has been invested counting on a solid dependable plan. The City of Eagan has invested much time and money also in its plans for commercial land use. .In my own case, in 1978, to make sure all my PUD social and environ- mental bases had been touched, I had an Environmental Impact State- ment done. It was the largest EIS ever done in Minnesota. All these things.made it possible for my bankers to continue their eco- nomic support through good times and bad times. Since 1978 I have developed and arranged for development of hundreds of acres surrounding my commercial land. During August of 1986 the 1000th building permit was issued for my Lexington South Pub. For this year alone through August - the total permits issued is 248. This is 21.8°% of all permits issued in Eagan this year. My -entire investment in time and money has been based on the foun- dation of my solid healthy commercial land. - Diluting the amount of commercial land in Eagan would be a really serious blow to myself and others. The first question potential shopping center developers ask me is, "How much other commercial land is there in Eagan?" Too much commercial land will likely result in less than healthy smaller shopping centers and will discourage the major centers which we all want. An example: Currently office buildings are in over -supply in the Twin Cities. Some are "sick." I believe all signs point to the conclusion that we have all the com- mercia'1 land we need for now and at least for many many years to come. Maybe we have enough for all time. This letter has been probably too long and I appreciate your taking the time to read it. I felt these things should be said and that you would not mind my saying them. September 17, 1986 Page 3 Thank you all for working on the many items that come before you regarding my land. Eagan is a great city. You have made it great - because you care. Much excellent planning has helped make Eagan what it is today. May it ever be thus! Sincerely, tol'"M"Curry JC/pm