Title
Approving the Snelling-Midway Redevelopment Site Stadium Site Plan for Minnesota United FC. (Public hearing held August 3)
Body
WHEREAS, Nate Pearson, Tegra Group, Inc. has applied for a site plan review on behalf of Minnesota United FC for a proposed 20,000 seat professional soccer stadium with expansion and standing room capacity to accommodate a maximum of 25,500 visitors and staff. This development is a first phase of what will eventually be a multi-phase redevelopment of the entire “super block” currently the site of the former Metro Transit "bus barn" and the Midway Shopping Center; and
WHEREAS, an Alternative Urban Areawide Review (“AUAR”) was prepared for the Stadium Site and the MSC Site, collectively known as the Snelling-Midway Redevelopment Site ("SMRS"), to analyze potential impacts and was subsequently approved by the City on August 9, 2016; the AUAR includes a mitigation plan that specifies measures or procedures that will be used to avoid, minimize, or mitigate potential environmental impacts; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission determined that the full Planning Commission would review the Stadium Site Plan and Master Plan and that the Commission, upon the conclusion of a public hearing, would assign to its Comprehensive Planning Committee the task of reviewing the Stadium Site Plan and Master Plan in light of all the testimony received in response thereto and to subsequently return to the Commission with any recommendations regarding each for the Commission’s consideration as final recommendations to the City Council regarding the Master Plan and the Site Plan; and
WHEREAS the Planning Commission, on June 10, 2016, held a public hearing at which all persons present were given an opportunity to be heard pursuant to said application in accordance with the requirements of §61.303 of Leg. Code; and
WHEREAS the Planning Commission considered all of the public testimony, made findings of fact related to the site plan review requirements, and recommended approval of the site plan as reflected in the Planning Commission resolution 16-38 and substantially reflected in the minutes; and
WHEREAS, in recognition of the requirement under Leg. Code § 66.344(b) that all master plans be approved by the City Council, that the Planning Commission specifically conditioned approval of a Stadium Site Plan upon the City Council’s final approval of a Master Plan for the 35-acre site such that the Planning Commission’s decision on the Stadium Site Plan cannot be considered as a final decision until such time as the City Council approves the Master Plan; and
WHEREAS the City Council, on August 3, 2016, held a public hearing on the Master Plan and Stadium Site Plan at which all persons present were given an opportunity to be heard; and
WHEREAS, the City Council considered the testimony presented at the public hearing and the findings and recommendations set forth in the Planning Commission's resolution recommending approval of the Stadium Site Plan,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council approves the Snelling-Midway Redevelopment Site stadium site plan within the redevelopment area, subject to the following conditions:
1. Approval by the Mayor and City Council of the Snelling-Midway Redevelopment Site master plan and zoning clarification amendment.
2. The applicant shall apply for and obtain approval of variances of the two provisions of the zoning code identified in the staff report.
3. The developer shall obtain City Council approval of an interim use permit to allow a temporary parking lot to be developed on the west side of the stadium fronting on Snelling Avenue.
4. General Site Plan Elements Needing Further Detail:
a) Bicycle parking shall be provided, in accordance with Legislative Code 63.210, a minimum of one (1) secure bicycle parking space for every twenty (20) motor vehicle parking spaces. The developer’s designers have indicated the site plan shows bike parking locations that will accommodate 420 bicycle parking spaces.
b) The developer’s designers shall work with the City in formulating their design of the plaza north of the stadium and the pedestrian walk on the south side of the stadium along St. Anthony Avenue, between Pascal Street and Snelling Avenue.
c) Pedestrian-scale lighting shall be provided within parking areas. Light standards shall be no more than twenty-five (25) feet in height in parking lots and sixteen (16) feet in height along interior sidewalks and walkways, and have a downcast glow.
d) As discussed in the master plan staff report, the planning and development of infrastructure in the Snelling-Midway urban village shall include provision for broadband development.
5. Public Works Transportation Planning and R.O.W.
a) Complete design for the location and type of infrastructure elements within the proposed public rights -of -way (e.g. lane configuration, appropriately sized pedestrian walks, bike, vehicle travel and parking lanes, lighting, street trees, etc.) is needed. Once the site plan is approved, public improvements shall be constructed under an Ordinance Permit issued by Public Works. Plans for an Ordinance Permit must provide higher levels of detail and include details such as pavement thickness, pavement specs, etc.
b) Provide updated plat coinciding with final alignments for the public rights-of-way planned for the site. The site plan needs further development prior to Transportation Planning & Safety finalizing comments on the plat.
c) Continue discussion with City, County and State transportation agencies in finalizing the design for site access to local, county and state roads adjacent to the site. Obtain all necessary permits and approvals.
d) The developer will need to provide a game/event day Traffic Management Plan more specific to the stadium site than the information contained in the Transportation Study of the Minnesota United MLS Stadium and Surrounding Mixed-Use Urban Village Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR).
e) Provide plans for pedestrian and bike circulation access. Plans should include design approach for transit access and associated pedestrian queueing for LRT and buses on game days.
f) Since the stadium will be online prior to other site development taking place, continue to work with the City with respect to identifying motorized and non-motorized traffic impacts specific to the soccer stadium.
6. Public Works Sewers
a) Detailed plan & profile design of the proposed sanitary and storm sewer construction will need to be reviewed and approved by the Sewer Utility.
b) The Sewer Utility is aware of the ongoing efforts to develop a comprehensive storm water management plan for the entire site. When the detailed plan & profile design for the storm sewer construction, along with the chosen storm water management plan become available, they will need to be reviewed by the Sewer Utility.
c) Developer to submit geotechnical and environmental investigation reports.
d) The design for the publicly-owned storm sewers within the development shall be for the 10-year storm event, 24-hr duration.
e) Site elements proposed to be maintained by Public Works will require the development and submittal of an Operations and Maintenance Manual from the Developer identifying activities and frequency. Further agreements may also be necessary.
7. Water Utility
Develop plans for the water service needs for this development and obtain all necessary reviews, approvals and permits from the Saint Paul Regional Water Utility.
8. Parkland Dedication
At least 0.63 acres of the site be dedicated for parkland as a condition of final plat approval. No parkland dedication is being required at this time for the 12.81 acre parcel of Lot 1 Block 2, owned by RK Midway, in the preliminary plat. This parcel shall be replatted in the future to allow for streets and right of way consistent with the Snelling-Midway Redevelopment Site Master Plan and Design Guidelines, City Council Resolution 16-239. The dedication of parkland for that parcel will take place at that time.
9. Water Resource
a) The project will be affecting more than one acre. No land disturbance activity for the project is allowed until state and watershed storm water permits are obtained and provided to the Department of Safety and Inspections.
b) If gravel is used as surface cover for the interim use parking, the parking operator/owner shall provide the Department of Safety and Inspections a written street sweeping maintenance plan for implementation as an on-going provision for erosion and sediment control.
c) Engineering design towards a Comprehensive Storm Water Management Plan (CSMP) scenario must progress concurrent with engineering design for a Base Plan scenario in order to support timely infrastructure implementation for the CSMP possibility.
d) Rainwater harvesting of the entire stadium roof must be explored and more details on the sources, uses and treatment approach for rainwater reuse (Base Plan and CSMP) must be reviewed with the Department of Safety and Inspections prior to City Council action.
10. City Forestry
a) Street trees shall be incorporated into the design for the public streets within this site. The landscape designer for this project shall consult with the City Forester regarding species, size and location of the trees to be placed in the boulevards. The planting of trees on the public boulevard require a permit from the City Forester.
b) Parking lots not designated as temporary shall meet internal landscaping standards and include tree planting to meet parking lot design standards. This would apply to the parking lot located at the southeast corner of the site as the parking lots to the west of the stadium would be temporary in nature until future development occurs. One tree for every five parking stalls is required as well as internal landscaping equal to 15% of the parking lot area.
c) Trees shall be provided along the east/west street serving the southeast parking lot.
11. Building Code Requirements
a) This proposal will require a building permit to proceed. The building permit is issued only after plans have been approved by City staff. Architectural, mechanical plans are required to be submitted under the general building permit application. In addition to the building permit, separate permits are required for any plumbing, electrical, mechanical work and elevator installation and any sprinkler modifications. These permits must be obtained and the work performed by City licensed contractors in each of the respective trades.
b) Two sets of complete construction documents (including floor plans and any structural or mechanical ventilation plans) must be submitted with the building permit application to the plan review group in DSI.
i. The construction documents must include architectural and any structural plans signed and stamped by design professionals, registered in the State of Minnesota, in the each of the respective disciplines. Architect shall provide code analysis.
ii. Mechanical ventilation, plumbing and electrical plans will need to be prepared by design professionals, registered with the State of Minnesota, in each of the respective disciplines.
c) Additional comments from the Building Official and Fire Engineer on plans submitted with stadium:
• Identify occupant use on the field to account for total exiting requirements out of the site.
• Need civils showing design for unobstructed exit path to the public way.
• The building permit will not be issued until all signoffs are received. Include energy calculation in construction documents with building permit application.
12. Fire Prevention
Fire Department vehicle access shall extend to within 150 feet of every portion of the exterior of the building. Access shall occur on public right of way or private drives on the same parcel as the building. Access shall have 20 feet of clear width and 13.5 feet of clear height.
13. SAC, or Service Availability Charge
The proposes project will need a SAC determination before a building permit can be issued. The applicant must submit a copy of the plans to the Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES) for a SAC determination. If MCES determines that a SAC fee is owed, the City will collect that payment under the building permit fee.
14. AUAR Mitigation Plan
The site plan approval for the proposed project is subject to implementation of all relevant mitigation measures as defined or described in the AUAR Mitigation Plan.
15. In cases where a building is proposed to straddle properties owned by different parties, the applicant or applicant’s representative must submit document(s) in a form and substance approved by the City between all property owners, including all lessees, indicating that all property owners, including all lessees, are a responsible party for all life-safety systems and designs throughout all of the properties and have a duty to ensure these systems are maintained. The document(s) shall indicate that all parties involved have access to all properties for the purpose of maintaining all life-safety systems and designs.