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00-8877r 26 RESOLUTION NO. 8877 RESOLUTION GRANTING PRELIMINARY APPROVAL TO AN AMENDMENT OF THE CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CONCERNING THE INTERCHANGE WEST AREA WHEREAS, the City's Comprehensive Plan provides a Guide Plan establishing classifications for individual property; and WHEREAS, the property located in the Interchange West area, specifically between Knox and Penn Avenues and 76th Street and midway between 77th and 76th Street is designated R-SFH (high density single family residential) and C-N (neighborhood commercial) [the "subject area"]; and WHEREAS, the City has reviewed the Guide Plan classifications and determined that it would be appropriate to classify this area as C-R/O (regional commercial/office); and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission has conducted a public hearing concerning modifying the Guide Plan classifications of property in the subject area; and WHEREAS, the appropriate jurisdictions have been notified of the amendment; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission approved the modification on March 28, 2000 following a public hearing; and WHEREAS, the City Council held a public hearing on the amendment on April 24, 2000 and May 8, 2000; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Richfield, Minnesota, as follows: 1. The City of Council makes the following findings of fact: A. An objective of the Comprehensive Plan is to "advocate and support with municipal investment a high quality visual environment throughout the City and particularly along major transportation corridors." The proposed amendment is consistent with this objective. B. The amendment is also consistent with the following goal of the Comprehensive Plan: "Provide an economic climate within Richfield that will encourage the availability of quality goods, services and employment opportunities for residents." C. The amendment is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan goal to, "Promote diverse development that will broaden the tax base while reinforcing the residential character of Richfield," and with its accompanying objective, "promote development that can support itself and broaden the tax base." D. The amendment is consistent with the following Comprehensive Plan objective: "promote Richfield's locational advantage within the greater metropolitan area. " E. The amendment is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan objective to "address the means to improve the visual quality throughout the City, concentrating on design districts and transportation corridors, beginning with land use coordination." F. The amendment is consistent with the description of the 1-494 West subarea plan that states as follows: "The area between 1-35W and Penn Avenue offers the same future commercial development potential as its counterpart to the east of 1-35W." G. Although housing is not part of the development that is currently being proposed for the subject area, approximately $7 million of the tax increment generated by the development will be placed in a housing fund to finance construction and rehabilitation of affordable and market rate housing throughout the community. 2. The amendment of the City's Comprehensive Plan, to change the classifications of property in the subject area from R-SFH and C-N to C-R/O, is hereby preliminarily approved, subject to review and approval by the Metropolitan Council. Following Metropolitan Council review, this matter shall come back to the City Council for final consideration. 3. The preliminary approval granted herein is subject to the following conditions: a. A determination that the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) prepared for the Best Buy project is adequate. b. All of the property in the subject area must be under common ownership or control, consistent with development of a regional commercial/office complex. Adopted by the City Council of the City of Richfield, Minnesota this 8th day of May, 2000. ~~u Martin J. Ki c , Mayor ATTEST: I!rfiYlUUl f) /:2tMJ Thomas P. Ferber, City Clerk Attachment A RICHFIELD COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Vo1ume One: Executive Summary COMMUNITY WIDE GOAL 1 Preserve those elements that contribute to and enhance the small town character and community identity. Objectives . redevelop the housing supply to meet diverse needs while maintaining the integrity of existing neighborhoods . encourage community participation in order to reinforce a sense of community ownership and belonging . continue municipal investment that enhances community pride . preserve historical, natural and cultural resources GOAL 2 Maintain and enhance Richfield's imaQe as a distinct and livable community. Objectives . maintain and provide quality amenities and a safe living environment for all residents . advocate and support with municipal investment a high quality visual environment throughout the City and particularly along major transportation corridors . encourage and support a diversity of compatible non-residential land uses that are accessible and responsive to the needs of Richfield and adjacent communities GOAL 3 Provide an economic climate within Richfield that will encouraQe the availabilitv of Qualitv Qoods. services and emplovment opportunities for residents. Objectives . encourage business growth . encourage and support the development of strong commercial districts that respect the values and standards of the citizens of Richfield . encourage the development of viable and responsive neighborhood commercial services GOAL 4 EncouraQe and facilitate the preservation and development of a transportation infrastructure that provides a hiQh deQree of accessibilitv for destinations in and around Richfield. Objectives . encourage the development and preservation of transportation connections with neighboring communities . encourage the development and use of alternative methods of transporation . promote Richfield's locational advantage within the greater metropolitan area . develop pedestrian and bike facilities-that are functional, attractive, safe and accessible . promote transit-sensitive development ECONOMIC GOAL 5 Promote diverse development that will broaden the tax base while reinforcinQ the residential character of Richfield. Objectives . promote development that can support itself and broaden the tax base . manage development in a manner that will not harm the residential character of Richfield . create commercial districts that sustain specific types of development and stabilize the economic base . encourage diverse, high-quality development that meets the needs of all residents and neighbors TRANSPORTATION GOAL 6 Expand the existing transportation system so as to improve accessibility and the Quality of life for all Richfield residents. Objectives . neutralize impact on the residential areas by focusing on accessibility . strengthen coordinated transportation efforts with other communities in the metropolitan area that enhance and reinforce the location advantages of Richfield . pursue improved system services to increase flexibility and access . address parking and highway use through travel demand management (TOM) and other means to reduce congestion . continue to support the long-term operation of the existing airport in the metropolitan area, working with the federal agencies to provide a quality living environment for those residing near the airport . minimize the traffic impacts of parking areas GOAL 7 Emphasize and encourage alternate forms of transportation. Objective . develop a city-wide system of bike trails COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT GOALS Achieve a standard of land use that is reflective of the "home town" character of Richfield. Objectives . consider Richfield's role in the metropolitan area as a basis for land use policies . develop residential standards for land use that will support neighborhood character . promote the development of housing stock that is available to all income levels . support commercial land use that is diverse and responsive to its context and the socio- economic needs of Richfield . maximize the use of existing structures for community needs . minimize the impacts of parking GOAL 9 Continue to provide high Quality parks and open spaces that are available on a neiQhborhood and community-wide basis. HUMAN ENVIRONMENT GOAL 10 Improve the Quality of life in Richfield by addressing human environmental and visual resources. Objectives . promote the improvement of environmental elements (water quality) that can enhance the image of Richfield . reduce residual noise and air pollution that can harm the health and safety of Richfield residents . address the means to improve the visual quality throughout the City, concentrating on design districts and transportation corridors, beginning with land use coordination . provide environmental standards that will be consistent with the needs of the next decade and reinforce the City's image as a sustainable and environmentally sensitive city . minimize the environmental impacts of parking NATURAL ENVIRONMENT GOAL 11 Recoanize the value of the urban forest to the community by developina policies that will preserve the existina urban forest and encouraae its continued arowth and expansion. Objectives . develop policies that will encourage an urban forestry approach to energy conservation . continue to encourage a diversity of tree species that will prevent the depletion of urban trees from disease . develop policies and construction specifications that will minimize damage to the existing urban forest canopy GOAL 12 Ensure the preservation of a hiah level of water Quality by reducina the use of pesticides and chemical turf treatments that contribute to water pollution. INFRASTRUCTURE GOAL 13 Create an infrastrucure that responds to the needs of the next decade Objectives . promote infrastructure improvements that are responsive to and appropriate for existing and future needs . promote an infrastructure that is efficient and of high quality GOAL 14 Assure the lona term maintenance and eventual reolacement of infrastructure. Objectives . provide adequate annual funding for maintenance . select, train and retain capable maintenance staff GOAL 15 Promote infrastructure that is environmentally responsible. GOAL 16 Reduce visual and physical clutter by burvina all new and replacement infrastructure utilities. RICHFIELD COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Volume Three: Plan Elements J. 1-494 CORRIDOR (WEST) The area between 1-35Wand Penn A venue offers the same future commercial development potential as its counterpart to the east of 1-35W. What it lacks is an upgraded street between the two freeway interchanges. The Plan proposal suggests a concept to approach that situation by improving Knox Avenue and West 77th Street as the commercial connection to support proposed Regional Commercial (C-R) sites on both sides of that upgraded street. The existing development can support or justify this and should be a strong candidate for complete or partial redevelopment with the support of this plan proposal. A mixed use project including High-Density Residential and Office would be most likely and is so designated. West 76th Street carries very high traffic volumes today and the increased density and character of the development in the proposed Plan will add even more traffic, particularly between Penn Avenue and 1-35W. For that reason, the Plan proposal would close (or limit movements to right-in and right-out only) all of the intersections east of Penn A venue except Logan and Newton A venues and relocate the service road by combining it with the freeway ramp in order to improve the safety and movement of local and through traffic.