2000-09-13 Planning ReportPLANNING REPORT
TO: Albertville Planning Commission
Linda Goeb, City Administrator
FROM: Deb Garross, Senior Planner
DATE: September 13, 2000
RE: Albertville -JMJ Outlet Center Phase II
- Site Plan
- PUD Amendment
FILE NO: 163.06 - 00.31
INTRODUCTION
JMJ Properties, Inc. is requesting site plan and PUD amendment approval for
development of a 59,500 square foot retail building to be located on Lot 1, at the
Albertville Outlet Mall. The PUD amendment is requested to provide for a lager building
(additional 10,000 square feet), reduction of parking spaces (332 to 297), and reduction
of required screening. The subject site is located directly east of the existing mall and
north of the main access drive. The site consists of 41.17 acres of land and is zoned
Planned Unit Development. The expansion is considered to be Phase II of the Outlets
at Albertville.
BACKGROUND
The site building plans, site plan, building elevations, proposed exterior materials,
landscape, lighting and floor plans were not made available to NAC until late in the
afternoon of September 11, 2000 six days after the date that the Planning Report was
due to the City. This being the case, NAC prepared a memo to the Planning
Commission outlining the major issues that need to be resolved prior to approval of the
applications. The applicant is concerned that the recommendation to continue the item
for further discussion at the October Planning Commission meeting will unduly delay the
project and has requested the Planning Commission to act on the proposal at the
September 13th meeting. This report should be considered as an addendum to the
memorandum dated September 7, 2000.
It is recommended that the Planning Commission review the attached plans and forward
a recommendation to the City Council.
Attached for Reference:
Exhibit A - Draft Findings of Fact and Recommendation
Exhibit B -Site Plans
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The applicant requests approval for the following:
• Site and Building Plans for proposed Lot 1, Block 1, Outlets at Albertville.
• PUD Amendment for flexibility to increase the size of the proposed building by
10,000 square feet; reduce the number of required parking stalls, reduce the
requirements for landscaping and screening.
The requested approvals require that the Planning Commission and City Council
consider the applications in relation to the established PUD, Zoning Ordinance review
criteria and Comprehensive Plan policies. The decision to approve or deny the
requested site/building plans and PUD amendment is viewed as a policy decision to be
made by the City Council. Should they find the submitted plans acceptable, it is
recommended that the following conditions be imposed.
1. All grading, drainage, utility, transportation and parking lot circulation plans are
subject to review and approval of the City Engineer.
2. The applicant obtains all required driveway, utility and other permits required by
Wright County.
3. The site plan should be amended to show parking stalls with a depth of 20 feet as
opposed to 18 feet as currently shown on the plan.
4. The site plan should be amended to show a minimum drive aisle width of 24' as
opposed to the 28' shown on the plan.
5. All proposed loading areas shall be striped, posted and located outside of the 24'
drive lanes.
6. All proposed garbage containers and recycling areas shall be designated on the site
plan, located within enclosed structures that are made of similar materials as are
proposed for the principal building and shall be screened from view of the north and
east properties/CSAH 19.
7. A truck circulation plan should be submitted by the applicant demonstrating that the
proposed turning radius at the northeast, northwest and southwest corners of the
parking lot/access drives will accommodate semi-truck trailers.
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8. The parking lot and drive aisle access roads, design, circulation, and signage should
be subject to the review and approval of the City Engineer, Fire Department, and
Wright County.
9. The landscape plan should be amended to show that the front and side yards will be
sodded.
10.The landscape plan should be amended to provide for the screening required by the
Zoning Ordinance.
11.The landscape plan should be amended to provide screening along the north side of
the lot to screen the parking lot, trash dumpsters, and loading areas.
12. Landscape/screening materials that are lost due to transportation/parking lot
improvements recommended by the City Engineer should be relocated within the
drive islands and/or other areas of the site including the building planters, and east
side of the lot.
13.An irrigation system should be installed on site to ensure survivability of all required
landscape/screening materials.
14.The lighting plan should be required meeting the illumination and glare performance
standards of the Zoning Ordinance.
15.The building and site shall be subject to the same sign plan criteria that are in effect
for the rest of the PUD.
16.A sidewalk should be installed along the east side of the north/south access drive
(located on the west side of the proposed building) along with a sidewalk on the
south side of the Ralph Lauren shop to connect the two retail areas.
17.A 3' raised concrete stoop should be located along the north and west sides of the
building to protect people utilizing the merchandise/employee entrance doors.
18.A sidewalk easement and 5' concrete sidewalk shall be installed by the developer
adjacent to CSAH 19 as indicated by the Albertville Park and Trail Comprehensive
Plan. The location of said easement and sidewalk shall be subject to review and
approval of the City Engineer.
SITE PLAN REVIEW
The applicant is proposing a retail outlet expansion for Lot 1 that will be located directly
east of the existing outlet mall. The following review evaluates the site plan.
Building/Parking Lot Setbacks. The proposed building and parking lot areas meet the
required setbacks of the B-3 Zoning District.
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Site Access. The site access is from County Road 19 utilizing the main access to the
Outlet Mall. A secondary loading access drive is proposed along the north side of the
lot. Site access, signalization, turn lanes, internal parking lot circulation and driveway
separation are all major issues to be reviewed and resolved with the City Engineer.
Building Appearance. Plan sheets A-4 through A-10 illustrate proposed building
elevations and construction details. The proposed plans indicate that the structure will
be similar in appearance and architectural style as the existing mall. Exterior finishes
include metal roofing (and multi-color (Glade Green, Ocean Blue and Rust)
vinyl/polyester awnings. The walls will be a mixture of pre-cast concrete panels and
glass window and door fronts.
Parking. The Zoning Ordinance requires the following parking for the proposed use:
Retail (100' x 589' = 59,800 - 10% = 53,820 =200) =269.1
Number of Handicap spaces required: 5
The site plan provides 297 total parking stalls (with 6 handicap stalls) for Lot 1, which
satisfies the required number of parking stalls per the Albertville Zoning Ordinance.
^ The site plan should be amended to show parking stalls with a depth of 20 feet as
opposed to 18 feet as currently shown on the plan.
^ The site plan should be amended to show a minimum drive aisle width of 24' as
opposed to the 28' shown on the plan.
Loading. The site plan does not show designated delivery truck unloading areas
however this activity will likely take place at the rear of the building similar to how
deliveries are made to the existing mall. As indicated in the Memorandum dated
September 7, 2000, the proposed parallel parking, 24' access drive, refuse container
location plans are questionable. The plan proposes to utilize a similar drive aisle/parking
arrangement on the north (back) side of the new building as is currently in place for the
outlet mall. The plan indicates parallel parking spaces along the edge of the parking lot
with cement pads for trash dumpsters.
The experience with the existing mall is that this parking arrangement/drive aisle does
not work. Based upon several site inspections, the parallel parking spaces are utilized
for the storage of delivery containers, boxes, pallets, extra trash containers, garbage
and refuse and angle parking. Trash dumpsters are often not located on the dumpster
pads, are not screened and are often insufficient to hold the trash, recycling and freight
used by the retail tenants. The result is that the drive aisle is compromised in that
vehicles/boxes/merchandise crates are parked/located in the drive aisle either alongside
of the building, in designated parking stalls and outside of the dumpster locations. This
situation is serious because it impedes traffic flow and could block access for
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emergency vehicles. The Albertville Fire Department has cited this matter as an issue
as well.
^ All proposed loading areas shall be striped, posted and located outside of the 24'
drive lanes.
All proposed garbage containers and recycling areas shall be designated on the site
plan, located within enclosed structures that are made of similar materials as are
proposed for the principal building and shall be screened from view of the north and
east properties/CSAH 19.
Circulation. The internal circulation for the site plan is questionable due to the issues
mentioned in the preceding paragraphs and based upon the following. The plan
indicates one parking lot access on the south side of the lot and the use of the existing
freight driveway located on the west side of Lot 1 as the parking circulation plan. The
freight driveway is located about 160' east of the main parking lot entrance to the
existing mall. Traffic is extremely congested at the existing parking lot entrance and the
use of the freight driveway will likely exacerbate the situation, which will be repeated at
this access.
The site plan indicates a secondary access along the north side of Lot 1. The spacing,
access design, identification and turning movements associated with the northerly
access will need to be reviewed and approved by the City Engineer. An access permit
will also likely be required from Wright County.
The larger footprint has further restricted drive aisles and based upon utilizing standard
templates, the turning radius is insufficient for truck traffic within the access drive
located at the northwest corner of the building. Truck turning movements will not clear
the northwest corner of the building if vehicles are parked in the stalls shown along the
north property line.
^ A truck circulation plan should be submitted by the applicant demonstrating that the
proposed turning radius at the northeast, northwest and southwest corners of the
parking lot/access drives will accommodate semi-truck trailers.
The parking lot and drive aisle access roads, design, circulation, and signage should
be subject to the review and approval of the City Engineer, Fire Department, and
Wright County.
Landscaping Plan. The proposed landscaping includes the placement of a mixture of
Snow Crabapple, White Spruce, Linden, Nordic Holly and Stella D'Oro Daylilies along
the perimeter of the parking lot and within planting areas located on the south side of
the building. The following table illustrates the required and proposed landscape
materials for the site:
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Standard Re uired Pro osed
Front and side yards (and yards that abut a public street) shall be Required Not
sodded Shown
1 shade tree or ever reen tree er lot. 1 11
16 ornamental trees or shrubs per street side of non-residential lot. 16 8 trees
60 holly
142 da lil
^ The landscape plan should be amended to show that the front and side yards will be
sodded.
Screening. The Zoning Ordinance requires that the parking lot be screened from
adjacent public streets with landscaping/screening to a height of 4 feet. The screening
around the parking lot areas is to consist of a green belt planting strip of evergreen trees
and/or deciduous trees and plants and shall be of sufficient width and density to provide
an effective visual screen. The planting strip shall be designed to provide complete
visual screening to a minimum height of 4 feet. Earth berms may be used but shall not
be used to achieve more than 3 feet of the required screen. As an alternative, a
screening fence constructed of masonry (e.g.: brick, stone, decorative concrete block,
interlocking or mortarless concrete wall systems) wood or metal may be provided.
It is anticipated that the City Engineer will seek to incorporate additional turn lanes and
wider drive aisle widths, which will eliminate or drastically reduce the landscape areas
on the south side of the lot. Screening along the north side of the building (parking lot,
dumpsters and mechanical equipment areas) should be provided as well.
Consideration should be given to the installation of trees within the drive islands and
foundation plantings near to the building, to make up for any areas of
screening/landscaping that may be lost due to additional parking lot/drive aisle/turning
lane improvements that may be required by the City Engineer.
^ The landscape plan should be amended to provide for the screening required by the
Zoning Ordinance.
^ The landscape plan should be amended to provide screening along the north side of
the lot to screen the parking lot, trash dumpsters, and loading areas.
^ Landscape/screening materials that are lost due to transportation/parking lot
improvements recommended by the City Engineer should be relocated within the
drive islands and/or other areas of the site including the building planters, and east
side of the lot.
^ An irrigation system should be installed on site to ensure survivability of all required
landscape/screening materials.
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Lighting. Alighting plan was not submitted for review. It is suggested that the lighting
proposed for the parking lot consist of a box type light fixture that directs light downward
as opposed to outward to avoid glare onto I-94 and adjacent properties.
^ The lighting plan should be required meeting the illumination and glare performance
standards of the Zoning Ordinance.
Signage. A sign plan was submitted for the PUD at the time that the existing mall was
approved.
^ The building and site shall be subject to the same sign plan criteria that are in effect
for the rest of the PUD.
Sidewalks/Trails. The plan indicates that a 20' wide sidewalk area will be located along
the front (south side) of the building and a 10' wide sidewalk is proposed along the east
side of the building. There are no provisions for sidewalks to provide pedestrian links
between the existing mall and the proposed building. At a minimum, a sidewalk should
be installed along the east side of the north/south access drive (located on the west side
of the proposed building) along with a sidewalk on the south side of the Ralph Lauren
shop to connect the two retail areas. For safety reasons, a 3' raised concrete stoop
should be located along the north and east sides of the building to protect people
utilizing the merchandise/employee entrance doors. The doors at the existing outlet
mall open directly into drive lanes and offer no protection to people utilizing the
entrances. Additionally, the revised Park and Trail Comprehensive Plan calls fora 5'
concrete sidewalk to be installed adjacent to CSAH 19 as part of the Albertville trail
system.
^ A sidewalk should be installed along the east side of the north/south access drive
(located on the west side of the proposed building) along with a sidewalk on the
south side of the Ralph Lauren shop to connect the two retail areas.
^ A 3' raised concrete stoop should be located along the north and east sides of the
building to protect people utilizing the merchandise/employee entrance doors.
^ A sidewalk easement and 5' concrete sidewalk shall be installed by the developer
adjacent to CSAH 19 as indicated by the Albertville Park and Trail Comprehensive
Plan. The location of said easement and sidewalk shall be subject to review and
approval of the City Engineer.
RECOMMENDATION
The proposed land use is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and past PUD
approvals. The applicant has demonstrated that an adequate building envelope and
parking exist on proposed Lot 2 without the need for future setback variances. Based
upon our review, we would recommend preliminary plat approval subject to the
conditions outlined in the Executive Summary of this report.
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ACTION REQUESTED:
A separate motion to approve, deny or conditionally approve the PUD amendment and
site plan. In the event that the Planning Commission recommends approval subject to
conditions outlined herein, findings of fact have been prepared for the PUD amendment
and site plan. Staff should be directed to make the appropriate changes to the findings
of fact in the case that additional and/or amended conditions or project denial are
recommended.
Pc: Linda Goeb, Chad Cichos, Mike Couri, Pete Carlson, Wayne Stark, Wayne
Fingleson, Kevin Mealhouse, Jim Povich, Terry Herman, JMJ Properties Inc.
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