02/01/1994 - City Council SpecialAGENDA
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1994
5:00 P.M.
EAGAN MUNICIPAL CENTER LUNCH ROOM
I. ROLL CALL AND ADOPTION OF AGENDA
II. CONTINUED DISCUSSION - DOWNTOWN VISION
III. GUN CLUB ROAD DEVELOPMENT ISSUES
W. OTHER BUSINESS
V. ADJOURNMENT
MEMO
city of eagan
MEMO TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCILMEMBERS
FROM: CITY ADMINISTRATOR HEDGES
DATE: JANUARY 28, 1994
SUBJECT: SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF FEBRUARY 1, 1994
A special City Council meeting is scheduled for 5:00 p.m., Tuesday, February 1, 1994, to
review two development issues. The first is a continuation of the discussion of the
January 25, 1994 meeting, at which Larry Laukka and Peter Jarvis discussed the
Centenniel Lakes and Edinborough experience in Edina. Staff would appreciate the
benefit of additional feedback from the City Council concerning both the presentation and
further brainstorming concerning the tangible and intangible elements the Council is
anticipating for a downtown or signature development area.
In another development issue, the attached memorandum outlines development and
redevelopment issues for an area of southeast Eagan which presents certain challenges
and opportunities. It would be appropriate to discuss these in the context of the issues
raised by the memorandum.
Staff will be present to respond to questions and provide additional information at
Tuesday's meeting. The special meeting will adjourn no later than 6:30 p.m.
/S/ Thomas L. Hedges
City Administrator
4ti
MEMO
city of eagan
TO: Tom Hedges, City Administrator
FROM: Peggy A. Reichert, Community Development Director ,4(.4,,
DATE: January 21, 1994
SUBJECT: Development Issues In the Gun Club Road Area
INTRODUCTION
Further residential development south of Cliff road and east of Highway 3 is now being
proposed. Shamrock Development is proposing a 50 lot subdivision as an extension of
the Weston Hills Subdivision. Further development in this area raises a number of
broader community issues that we have discussed with Shamrock Development. In
adddition, staff met with representatives of District 196 last week concerning their need
and interest in developing a new elementary school in this area. Tom Colbert, Ken Vraa,
and I believe that we should have a preliminary discussion with the City Council
concerning these issues in order to clarify the policy direction that we as City staff should
follow and communicate to all afected parties. We have requested that this item be
placed on the Council's work session agenda for February 1.
OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CONDITIONS IN THE AREA
Map 1 provides a general view of the current land use and development layout of the
area bounded by Cliff Road, Highway 3, and the eastern and southern limits of the City.
The Weston Hills subdivision includes 131 lots of which 77 have been constructed with
homes. The map also identifies the location of the proposed Shamrock development,
Pines Edge Subdivsion. The remainder of the area is a combination of rural
development, including a few homes and the tree farms as well as a small industrial area
called Halley's Addition. These industrial lots are one acre in size and are currently
without any public improvements such as streets, sewers, and water service.
The City's Land Use Plan for this area calls for it to be developed entirely as low density
residential, D -1. The current zoning, however, is not consistent with this plan in that the
industrial area north of Gun Club Road is zoned industrial. The industrial development
is chiefly characterized by several Tight pole barn structures. The street is a gravel road
and there is no public sewer or water provided. This semi -rural style industrial activity is
more similar to the industrial development scattered in adjacent Inver Grove Heights and
South of Gun Glub Road is the Gun Club itself as well as a few single family homes and
a tree farm.
DEVELOPMENT ISSUES
Development of the southeast corner of Eagan seems to have come upon us sooner than
we expected. We have seen the issues that urbanization has provoked among the
neighbors on the west side of Highway 3 along Dodd Road. Similarly there are issues,
and opportunities, on the east side of Highway 3.
1. Street Access
The Weston Hills Subdivision is accessed totally from the north along Cliff Road. There
is a potential for access to the east through future subdivisions in Inver Grove Heights but
these have not been developed as yet. Whether to require a second access point to the
south as part of the Weston Hills development was an issueriased during the review of
the Weston Hills plat in 1992 -3. Construction of the southern outlet was not required at
that time, but provision for a future roadway extension and eventual outlet to Highway
3 was provided.
In looking at the Shamrock Development proposal, the question surfaces again of
whether this additional development should now be served with a second access from
the south. This would require the upgrading of Gun Club Road to a full public street. It
is currently a 30 foot gravel public road extending part of the way into the area east of
Highway 3. Gun Club Road crosses the railroad track at grade. This railroad track is not
very busy, having only two trains per day, however it is unlikely that we would be able to
achieve another grade crossing at any other location between Cliff Road and the City
limits.
Upgrading Gun Club road immediately raises the issue of assessments and the financial
feasibility of construction. As the area is currently developed, it would appear that there
would be limited benefitting property to assess for the costs of construction. To the south
of the road, much of the property is a wetland on the Gun Club property. To the north,
much of the property abuts the side property lines of the industrial lots in Halley's
addition.
An alternative approach to the access issue would involve extending a road east of the
proposed Shamrock development, through the "rural residential" parcel to the east and
then south through the Haley's addition. This would impose assessments on property not
yet proposed for development as well as the rural industrial area.
Shamrock Development Co. would prefer to develop its subdivision with access provided
only from the north through Weston Hills. Upgrading of Gun Club Road would be an
issue to postpone until the land to the south is ready to develop. This would result, in
effect, in about 180 homes being provided access from a single 3/4 mile cul -de -sac.
2. Impact of Area Assessments
Shamrock development, it is anticipated that trunk area assessments on adjacent
properties to the east and south will result from the extension of utilities to this plat. This
could provoke issues similar to those raised by the South Dodd Road residents and a
desire to stop further urbanization in the area. Shamrock Development has asked for a
clarification of the Council's policy concerning the urbanization of this part of the City.
Whether the Council is willing or able to provide that direction in the absence of the
specifics to be provided through a feasibility study is a question. The developer may be
willing to avoid the issue of trunk area assessments, however, by providing the necessary
over - sizing of utility lines at his own cost.
3.. Incompatible Land Uses.
As urban developments proceeds southerly to the Eagan- Rosemount border, several
apparent land use conflicts become evident. First of all, the Halley's Addition industrial
development will not be compatibile, in the long run, with the residential development in
the area. If Gun Club Road is to become a major entrance into this part of Eagan, this
industrial development, characterized by pole barns and outdoor storage, will not be
viewed as a very attractive element of the gateway. It is also unlikely that these business
activities could manage the costs associated with upgrading the gravel street and
providing public utilities.
The Gun Club itself is a potential issue. The Gun Club has been in this location for years
and even recently upgraded its facility. When this part of Eagan was the "country" the
Gun Club was viewed as an appropriate activity. Records indicate that the Gun Club was
rezoned from agricultural use to Public Facility in 1963. The Police Department reports
that they have received complaints from area residents about this activity. The Gun Club
is not licensed by the City, except for sale of beer.
4. Need for Park Land.
The Parks Department has indicated a need to develop a neighborhood scale park, of
approximately 5 acres, to serve this general area. They have been looking at parcel
west of the proposed Pines Edge subdivision and abutting Gun Club Road.
5. Need for new Elementary School
District 196 is looking for a site for a new elementary school to relieve the overcrowiding
conditions in Pinewood elementary and other schools in Rosemount. When we met with
their staff last week, they indicated that a site in the general area of Gun Club Road
would be theoretically ideal for them given the attendance area boundaries they are
considering
City staff expalined the various issues we are looking at in the area. We also indicated
that we saw a real opportunity to develop a wonderful school site and develop a
wonderful neighborhood at the same time. We suggested that we should look at
redeveloping the industrial area as the school site with an adjacent park, all integrated
School district staff think that this could be a possibility. Their concerns would be timing
and cost. In terms of timing, they are hoping to open a new elementary school in the fall
of 1995. Acquisition and potential relocation of the businesses in Halley's Addition may
be a litle more involved than acquiring a vacant farmstead. The cost may also be
somehwat higher. Hoever, the school district has paid a rather wide range in land costs
in recent years. They are understandable sensitive to the cost issue however.
Another issue that the District staff raised is whether the Eagan City Council would
support redevelopment of the Halley's Addition in that existing businesses would be
affected. We indicated that we would raise the question with the Council as soon as
possible.
The School District's alternatives are sites further to the south and potentially outside of
Eagan. But they need utilities provided by the City.
We City staff .believe that the current commercial acivity in the halley's Addition area is
not going to be compatible with the continued development of the area. Within a very few
years the City is going to be receiving questions about this area and requests to do
something to elliminate the conflicts and the generally blighting influence it presents. We
view the redevelopment of the area into an elementary school site as a tremendous
opportunity to not only correct a problem, but develop a fully integrated first class
neighborhood. We also believe that adding our vision, expertise, political support and
park investments to that of the school district could result in a very mutually beneficial
outcome.
It could be that redevloping this site into a school will require additional resources from
both the City and the School District. We won't know just what kind of "gap" we are
facing until we explore the option a little further. At this point we need to get some
reaction and sense of direction from the City Council. We do believe that if the City
Council believes that redeveloping Halley's Addition is going to be needed in the future,
there will probably be no cheaper redevelopment strategy available to the Ciy than one
involving leveraging the School District's investment. This is an opportunity that needs
to be considered very seriously and very soon.
SUMMARY
In summary there are several major issues and opportunities facing the City as a result
of potential development in the Gun Club Road Area. We would ask that the City Council
look at the area comprehensively and give staff some general direction on how to
proceed. At minimum, we need to decide if our vision for this area is to become a fully
urbanized part of the Eagan community.
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