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2009 HRA Resolution 09-03 Adopting Redevelopment Plan for Douglas Drive Resolution 09-03 April 14, 2009 Commissioner Shaffer introduced the following resolution and moved its adoption: RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR DOUGLAS DRIVE CORRIDOR REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT AREA BE IT RESOLVED by Housing and Redevelopment Authority of the City of Golden Valley, Minnesota (the "Authority"), as follows: 1. Proiect Plan Review. The Authority has reviewed the Redevelopment Plan (the "Project Plan") for the Douglas Drive Corridor Redevelopment Project Area (the "Redevelopment Project"), which is attached hereto as Exhibit A. 2. Adoption. The Project Plan is hereby adopted, subject to approval by the Planning Commission and the City Council as provided in Section 4, based on the findings in Section 3 hereof. 3. FindinQs for Approval of Proiect Plan. The Authority h~reby makes the following findings: 3.01. The Project Plan proposes that the Authority undertake certain redevelopment activities for the purpose of encouraging redevelopment of properties in the Redevelopment Project. 3.02. The land in the Redevelopment Project would not be made available for development without the financial aid to be sought since private developers could not economically develop the Redevelopment Project without the proposed redevelopment activities. 3.03. The Project Plan will afford maximum opportunity, consistent with the needs of the City as a whole, for the redevelopment of the District by private enterprise. The redevelopment activities contemplated in the Project Plan would help to retard blight in the Redevelopment Project and provide an increase in employment and housing opportunities in the City and enhance the tax base of the City and overlapping taxing jurisdictions. 3.04. The redevelopment activities proposed by the Project Plan conform to the general plan for the development or redevelopment of the City as a whole. The redevelopment activities are compatible with the City's zoning ordinances and other related regulations and encourage efficient use of existing infrastructure as set forth in the City's Land Use Plan. 3.05. The Project Plan provides an outline for the development or redevelopment of the area and is sufficiently complete to indicate its relationship t~ definite local objectives as to appropriate land uses and to indicate general land uses and general standards of development or redevelopment. I I 4. Transmittal. The Authority does hereby transmit the P~oject Plan to the Golden Valley Planning Commission to affirm the findings of the Authodty in Section 3.04, and to Golden Valley City Council for approval after the same has bee~ considered by the Council Resolution 09-03 continued April 14, 2009 subsequent to a public hearing to be held in accordance with Mi.nnesota Statutes, Chapter 469. -~~ Paula Pentel, Chair ATTEST: ~/> ..i;" ThO~;~ft'~~DiR1c:: or The motion for the foregoing resolution was seconded by Commissioner Scanlon, and upon a roll call vote being taken thereon, the following voted in favor thereof: Freiberg, Scanlon, Shaffer and Pentel; the following voted against the same: Loomis; whereupon said resolution was adopted, signed by the Chair and her signature attested by the Director. Exhibit A Redevelopment Plan for Douglas Drive Corridor Redevelopment Project Area Consideration by Housing and Redevelopment Authority: Resolution 09-03, adopted April 14, 2009, and forwarded for consideration by Planning Commission and City Council Redevelopment Plan for Douglas Drive Corridor Redevelopment Project Area Section 1. Introduction As part of a goal-setting session in 2006 the City Council identified Douglas Drive (CSAH 102) as a primary area of concern for the future of the City. As part of the 2008 update of the Comprehensive Plan, the City again identified the Douglas Drive Corridor from Medicine Lake Road (CSAH 70) to Minnesota Trunk Highway (TH) 55 as a priority for further study. There is significant through traffic from communities to the north and the mixture of land uses along the corridor in Golden Valley adds even more traffic. The volume of traffic combined with limited public right-of-way available for expansion will present challenges to improving this corridor and its public infrastructure. Traffic is heavy along the corridor due to its designation by Hennepin County as a minor arterial corridor. Its mixture of land uses including single-family, multi-family, offices, retail, schools, churches and industrial uses, some of which are blighted, could through redevelopment, become a more vibrant, integrated community. The initial focus of redevelopment will be the east side of Douglas Drive between Duluth Street (CR 66) and the Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way. The City desires to look at this area in a comprehensive manner. The existing land use is a mixture of low-and-high density housing, some relatively new and some blighted, as well as office, commercial and industrial uses. Section 2. Statement of Need and Public Purpose, Statutory Authorization The Authority finds that there is a need for development within the City and the Project Area in order to provide employment and housing opportunities, to improve the local tax base, and to improve the general economy of the City and the State. The economic security of the people in the City depends upon proper development of property that meets anyone of a number of conditions, including properties whose values are too low to pay for the public services required or rendered and properties whose lack of use or improper use has resulted in stagnant or unproductive land that could otherwise contribute to the public health, safety, and welfare. The Authority finds that in many cases such property cannot be developed without public participation and assistance in various forms including property acquisition and/or write-down, proper planning, the financing of development costs associated with clearance, grading and soil correction, and the making of various other public and private improvements necessary for development. In cases where the development of property cannot be done by private enterprise alone, the Authority believes it to be in the public interest to consider the exercise of its powers, to advance and spend public money, and to provide the means and impetus for such development. The Authority finds that in certain cases property within the Project Area would or may not be available for development without the specific financial aid to be sought, that the Redevelopment Plan will afford maximum opportunity, consistent with the needs of the City as a whole, for the development of the Project Area by private enterprise, and that 1 this Redevelopment Plan conforms to the general plan for the development of the City as a whole. It is the intention of the Governing Body, notwithstanding the enumeration of specific goals and objectives in the Redevelopment Plan, that the Authority shall have and enjoy with respect to the Project Area the full range of powers and duties conferred upon the Authority pursuant to the HRA Act, the TIF Act, municipal housing and redevelopment authority laws, and such other legal authority as the Authority may have or enjoy from time to time. The HRA Act authorizes the Authority to exercise all the powers relating to a housing and redevelopment authority granted under Minnesota Statutes, Sections 469.001 to 469.047, or other law. Section 3. Background When Douglas Drive was initially constructed, the surrounding land uses were more rural in nature. Now a number of major employers including Honeywell, United Health Care and Tennant Company have a significant presence in the corridor and the average daily traffic on various sections of the corridor in Golden Valley range from 10,000 to 14,000 vehicle trips per day. The presence of numerous schools (Sandburg School, King of Grace Lutheran School and Perpich School of Performing Arts) and recreational facilities (Sandburg fields, Honeywell Little League field, Seeman and Hampshire Parks, and the Three Rivers Luce Line Trail) in the corridor increase the need for improved safety for non-motorized transportation. The Three Rivers Park District has constructed a portion of the Luce Line Trail through Golden Valley that will connect French Park in Plymouth with Wirth Park in Minneapolis. At the present time there are not safe north-south connections to this trail for bikers and pedestrians. In order to improve these connections Golden Valley received funding through the Non-Motorized Transportation Act to study this corridor and plan for future improvements to pedestrian, bicycle and transit connections in this corridor. The Principles for this study are outlined below. Section 4. Principles 1. Improve connectivity and functionality for all transportation modes. Douglas Drive, which is classified as a county state-aid highway in the Hennepin County Transportation Plan and minor arterial road in the City's Comprehensive Plan, has historically focused on motorized vehicles. Traffic volume has increased significantly over the years as has the need for better, safer pedestrian and non-motorized transportation and transit options. Intersection improvements at Highway 55/ Douglas Drive and other key major and minor intersections within the corridor are critical to safer and improved movement for pedestrians, non-motorized and vehicular traffic in the corridor. 2. Enable the corridor to maintain a diverse mix of land uses, including residential, commercial and industrial. A mix of activities, uses and densities will help to sustain the corridor through changing economic cycles, consumer 2 preferences and housing trends. Clustered and mixed uses can create synergies, increase transit use and enhance the level of pedestrian activity. 3. Maximize integration rather than separation of land uses, where appropriate. Many land uses can benefit from increased integration with one another, including neighborhood-serving retail, multi-family and senior housing, offices, and low-impact services. Non-residential corridor uses should be buffered from adjacent residential neighborhoods. 4. Maintain the corridor as an employment center. Jobs within the corridor help maintain Golden Valley's jobs-housing balance while sustaining commercial enterprises. Retaining 'living wage' jobs should be a priority. 5. Improve the visual coherence and attractiveness of the corridor. Improvements in streetscapes, landscaped areas, open spaces, building aesthetics and parking/service areas all contribute to a more unified and visually appealing environment, with an increased sense of identity. Buildings and other private improvements should make positive contributions to the corridor and the broader public realm, while public improvements should set the standard for private investment. 6. Foster neighborhood-serving retail and services. Multimodallinks to commercial development should be enhanced. 7. Foster sustainable development and work to establish a balance between urban and natural systems. Encourage the application of green building and infrastructure techniques. Examples include low-impact development that maintains the natural functions of the land, encourages reduced stormwater runoff and fosters resource conservation and the use of renewable systems in new construction. Section 4. Goals and Objectives The current hodge-podge of land uses, minimal right-of-way (63 to 100 feet), sometimes minimal building setbacks from a high-traffic road, and the desirability of buffering residential uses from the high volume of traffic make the corridor an ideal candidate for broader redevelopment. Some goals of the redevelopment would be to provide for additional right-of-way, consolidate corridor land uses and the number of access points onto Douglas Drive. There are existing impediments in the right-of-way (electrical poles, fire hydrants, utility boxes, railroad crossings, etc.) that complicate the infrastructure needs for the area and impede pedestrian and bike access which could also be addressed through redevelopment. To achieve its mission of structured redevelopment, this Plan has identified six goals with related objectives to encourage cohesive planning and structured redevelopment within the corridor. It then outlines policies that will help to achieve the goals and objectives. Goal 1 - Improve vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian transportation. Objectives · Improved roadway with added pedestrian and non-motorized transportation facilities 3 · Complete streets that meet vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian needs · Reduced impediments in the sidewalks · Undergrounded utilities · Consolidated access points onto Douglas Drive Goal 2 - Redevelop obsolete properties. Objectives · Blighted, functionally obsolete, and/or economically unsustainable buildings removed · New uses compatible with existing uses Goal 3 - Create jobs and life-cycle housing. Objectives · Increased high-paying jobs · Housing stock that is maintained or improved · Higher density housing · Housing for seniors and young families · Affordable housing · Commercial uses that serve the community Goal 4 - Require design that is sustainable and aesthetically pleasing. Objectives · Enhanced community identity through features which reflect Golden Valley · Visually attractive development that complements its surroundings · Buildings constructed with environmentally sustainable 'green building' practices (Development that meets environmental criteria set forth by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and the United States Department of Energy). · Active living criteria included in design Goal 5 - Protect the environment Objectives · Wetlands that are protected and enhanced · Land free of soil and wetland contamination · Arborous environments · Natural features retained and native vegetation (re)established · Co-located uses that reduce the amount of auto travel and corresponding air pollution · Best shoreline management practices implemented along Bassett Creek Goal 6 - Maintain a regional framework. Objectives · Growth compatible with the Metropolitan Council development framework · Public infrastructure designed in cooperation with Hennepin County, Three Rivers Park District, and the Minnesota Department of Transportation · Participation in grant programs available through Hennepin County, the Metropolitan Council and other agencies · A positive relationship with surrounding communities and governmental agencies · Continued participation in cooperative traffic management strategies · Improved transit options 4 Section 5. Policies Land Use The City will study planned land uses to determine the need or desirability of individual parcel or area-wide comprehensive plan or zoning amendments to accommodate desired land uses. The City and HRA will assure that its review processes, zoning, and building regulations will promote desired development projects. The City will assure that new uses in the redevelopment area are compatible with existing development and the City's land use plan. The City and HRA will review existing corridor properties to consider their long term viability and/or options for alternative uses. Land use plans will promote mixed use developments and increased density where appropriate, in keeping with the Metropolitan Council's regional growth strategy. Financing The City and HRA will identify criteria to target redevelopment funds such as tax increment financing, tax abatements, Livable Communities, Community Development Block Grants and other funding made available by the legislature or other agencies or governmental units. The City and HRA will consider providing public assistance to redevelopment projects that serve a substantial public purpose, remove blight, or mitigate contamination. The City and HRA will consider using land write-downs to subsidize redevelopment projects. Redevelopment funding will be paired with other funding options such as assessments, based on the Golden Valley Special Assessment Policy. The City will consider franchise fees and utility surcharges to underwrite the cost of utility and infrastructure upgrades. Design and Environmental Standards The City will promote best practices to meet the highest environmental standards. The City and HRA will identify approaches and/or incentives to promote a corridor beautification program. This program will include both public and private components. The City will monitor ongoing research on sustainable development initiatives to guide redevelopment and future updates of this plan. Transportation The City will work with Metropolitan Transit to monitor transportation needs of area residents and workers and identify ways to improve transportation services including 5 improving transit routes, and working with area businesses to develop transportation management plans. The City will work with Hennepin County, the State of Minnesota and other agencies to design and seek funding for an improved roadway with added pedestrian and non- motorized transportation facilities that meet city, county and state needs. Section 6. Redevelopment Area Defined In 2008-09 the City is studying the full length of Douglas Drive from Medicine Lake Road on the north to Trunk Highway 55 on the south. Until that study is completed the Douglas Drive Redevelopment Area will include the Douglas Drive street right-of-way and parcels on the east side of the street from Duluth Steet to the Union Pacific railroad right-of-way to the south. This area has limited sidewalks in the west right-of-way and no sidewalk or trail on the east side, which has a significant number of multifamily housing units. The full Douglas Drive Redevelopment Area is identified on Map A. The area is divided into three subsections, based on land use. Area A-1 Area A-1 extends from Duluth Street south to the Canadian Pacific Railroad and is guided Commercial and Office. It has three parcels, with the following land uses: two gas stations and a multi-tenant office. Area A-2 Area A-2 extends from the Canadian Pacific Railroad south to Golden Valley Road. It is guided High Density Residential and Railroad Right-of-Way. Existing land uses range from single family, duplex, and triplex units to three- to five- story rental apartment and condominium buildings and railroad facilities. The Metropolitan Council has identified this rail corridor for a regional, mixed-use trail on its 2030 Regional Parks System Map. Area A-3 Area A-3 extends from Golden Valley Road south to the Union Pacific Railroad/Luce Line Trail. It has only one parcel which is guided Industrial. A CenterPoint Energy peaking plant and maintenance center currently occupies this site. Common features for all of the areas include inadequate or no sidewalk and electrical poles and overhead lines that would impede the development of sidewalks. There is pedestrian access on intersecting east-west roads including sidewalks on Duluth Steet and Golden Valley Road and the new Luce Line Trail along the Union Pacific right-of- way. Common features for all of the areas include inadequate or no sidewalk and electrical poles and overhead lines that would impede the development of sidewalks. There is pedestrian access on intersecting east-west roads including sidewalks on Duluth Steet and Golden Valley Road and the new Luce Line Trail along the Union Pacific right-of- way. 6 Section 7. Redevelopment Opportunities Infrastructure A main objective of redevelopment is the provision of public infrastructure, including: road improvements that accommodate existing and future development along the corridor while limiting direct access to the road; sidewalk, trail and bicycle facilities in conjunction with the roadway or in the CP Rail corridor that bisects and runs adjacent to the Redevelopment Area; ponding and storm sewer facilities that meet current environmental standards; and water and sanitary sewer upgrades to meet current and future needs. Area A-1 Proposed land uses for Area A-1 include commercial and office development consistent with its location near the key intersection of Douglas Drive and Duluth Steet. The goal of redevelopment would be to provide high-quality uses and reduce the number of access points on both Douglas Drive and Duluth Steet. Area A-2 The focus of Area A-2 would remain residential, but in keeping with the 2009 Comprehensive Plan, higher density housing could replace existing single-family, duplex and triplex housing. The goal of replacement housing would be to provide high- quality life-cycle housing that provides a greater range of housing options for Golden Valley residents and to reduce the number of access points on Douglas Drive. Area A-3 In Area A-3 the objective would be to maximize CenterPoint's use of the site while keeping access points on Douglas Drive to a minimum. Expanded CenterPoint facilities, such as a customer call center, would complement its existing peaking facilities at this site and would increase the intensity of land usage, enhance the tax base and bring additional employees to the corridor. 7 ; I 'I~'~~! '., .1. _.. I:L i Area . i/ ~ r- y.UlTt.Ir~ '~'.: g....: "f:- ./ -. " '. . lBB' . . .- / ~ , I 0 ~ ....". 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MapA Douglas Drive Redevelopment Area