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HomeMy WebLinkAbout[0001] Findings of Fact-Recommended by Board STATE OF MINNESOTA ST. JOSEPH JOINT PLANNING BOARD COUNTY OF STEARNS REZONING PROCEEDINGS In the matter of: A request for rezoning was submitted by Cory Ehlert and Dan Thielman on behalf of the Roman Notch Revocable Trust. The request for rezoning would amend the current Urban Expansion District Classification to Residential 5 (R-5). The request is being submitted to allow for the development of a residential subdivision. The proposed subdivision will contain approximately twelve homes all serviced by private utilities, well and septic. The matter was duly published and notice was provided to property owners within 1000 feet of the above referenced property with the hearing conducted on August 13, 2012. PROPERTY ADDRESS/LEGAL DESCRIPTION: The property is described as follows: lying southerly th of 320 Street, located in the SE ¼ NE ¼ and in part of the NE ¼ NE ¼ of Section 3, St. Joseph Township 124, Range 29, containing approximately 62.5 Acres. PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: 31.20623.0000. The St. Joseph Joint Planning Board acknowledged the following information in consideration of the request for Rezoning to allow for the development of a residential subdivision: 1. In 1997 the City of St. Joseph and St. Joseph Township entered into an agreement for Orderly Annexation (OA) to provide for cooperative future planning of land within the OA area. The agreement states “the Town Board and City Council have expressed their desire to encourage future development of land near the City so as to avail such development of municipal services as much as is practical, while encouraging the retention of land in agricultural use. 2. The subject property is currently governed by the OA between the City/Town of St. Joseph and currently zoned Urban Expansion (UE). 3. The purpose of the Urban Expansion district is to enable the orderly and efficient staging of urban services, including wastewater, water, electric, gas, roads and communications in those are where cities and townships have entered into an orderly annexation agreement. Urban services are extended more efficiently and land use patterns are more coherent when cities grow without being hindered by large lot residential or commercial development. 4. The UE district is intended to meet the goals of the Stearns County Comprehensive Plan by limiting barriers to efficient growth of cities and encourage joint planning between cities and townships and is specifically directed by the following Stearns County Comprehensive Plan Goals: a. Mange the impacts of growth and development on the County’s rural character – deter premature development in rural areas and in urban expansion areas around cities. b. Use existing infrastructure and resources efficiently 5. On July 2, 2012, Cory Ehlert, developer, and Daniel Thielman representing the Roman L. Notch Revocable Trust, submitted an application to Stearns County Environmental Services to change district boundaries (rezone) of parcel no. 31.20623.000. The request for rezoning was submitted to allow the development of a residential subdivision and request R5 Zoning classification. The request for rezoning was accompanied with an application for concept plan approval, allowing a cul-de-sac length exceeding the maximum 1320 feet. 6. The application for rezoning was submitted as the proposed development is not consistent with the Urban Expansion Zoning classification; therefore, R5 Zoning was requested. 7. The purpose of the R5 Zoning district is to provide somewhat limited residential development opportunity on land that is not highly valued farmland and is located in close proximity to lakeshore and municipal expansion areas. The R5 district is a transitional district, and in order to minimize future land use conflicts, new animal feedlots shall be prohibited and in order to maintain the area’s rural characteristics, cluster development shall be encouraged. 8. The applicant has indicated that the surrounding properties have homes constructed on one (1) to twenty (20) acre lots, which is similar to the proposed development. The applicant further indicates that the development will allow the property to remain rural in nature served with rural section roads and designs. The lots will range from four (4) to eight (8) acres with one residential home per lot. The proposed development will include higher end housing with protective covenants. The property proposed for development has previously served as pasture land with a small portion used agriculturally. 9. The southern boundary of the proposed development is located within 1000 feet of a residential subdivision (Northland Heights), located within the City of St. Joseph. Northland Heights is served by municipal water and sewer. 10. In 2008 the City of St. Joseph, Stearns County and Town of St. Joseph participated in a transportation study to define a north east/west corridor. The end result of the study identified alternatives for a corridor between CR 2 and CR 133. The alignment abuts the southern edge of the property as described above and is classified in the St. Joseph Transportation Plan as a potential minor arterial. 11. A minor arterial road is characterized as one of regional importance as they relieve, expand, or complement the principal arterial system. The nature of land uses adjacent is typically medium to high density. The Transportation Plan includes recommended geometrics for the proposed minor arterial of a four lane divided roadway with a ROW of 120 – 150 feet with an accompanying trail. 12. The property for which rezoning is requested, is located within Planning District 3 of the St. Joseph Comprehensive Plan. Due to the proposed minor arterial, the proposed future land uses are commercial tiering back to medium density residential and then low density residential. 13. In 2009 the St. Joseph City Council authorized the preparation of a Comprehensive Sewer Study. The purpose of the plan is to identify locations of future sewersheds and collection facilities for future annexation areas; provide long range planning for wastewater systems upgrades/expansion so that proposed construction projects include properly sized sanitary sewers to allow for future development in a cost effective manner. The proposed development falls within this study document. 14. In 2006 the City Council authorized and accepted a Water Distribution Model Study. Like the Sewer Study, the purpose of the document was to plan the future water system for future annexation areas in a cost effective and efficient manner. The proposed development falls within this study document. DECISION AND CONCLUSION Based on the Findings of Fact, the St. Joseph Joint Planning Board recommends the St. Joseph Township Board and St. Joseph City Council amend the zoning of the aforementioned property from the current Urban Expansion to R5 based on the following findings: 1. The rezoning is requested to allow a large lot residential development and the proposed development is compatible with adjoining land uses and retains the rural character of the area. 2. The proposed large lot residential development preserves the natural resources of the area such as wetlands and trees. 3. The rezoning is compatible with the purpose of the Urban Expansion Area managing the impact of growth and development of the rural area. 4. The proposed development includes a single access for the proposed twelve lots and the developer indicated that he has discussed the matter with the Fire Chief and he supports the development with one access point. However, in planning for the future, the developer is required to provide an easement allowing for a second ingress/egress. The easement shall be at least 66’ in width and located in the southwest quadrant of the proposed plat. 5. The proposed development may have impacts from the future east/west corridor as identified in the St. Joseph Transportation Plan. In addition, the proposed development may require th modifications to 320 Street to accommodate the additional traffic. ST. JOSEPH JOINT PLANNING BOARD By Jerome Salzer, Chair By Ann Reischl, Secretary St. Joseph Township Clerk Drafted by: City of St. Joseph PO Box 668 St. Joseph MN 56374 320.363.7201