Idea Transcript
Chapter 7: Land Use & Redevelopment
OAKDALE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Land Use & Redevelopment Historically, the City’s land use has been guided by two principles-building strong neighborhoods as the foundation of the community and maintaining a variety of land uses. The current goals and strategies continue to build on these principles as follows: Land Use Goals Goal 1: Maintain strong distinct neighborhoods. a. Create programs and events that support neighborhood interactions and celebrations. b. Promote community initiatives that support distinctive assets of neighborhoods. Goal 2: Provide safe, healthy, and attractive residential environments. a. Actively pursue the mitigation and elimination of incompatible land uses. b. Ensure that community development conserves and protects environmental features and natural amenities. c. Provide infrastructure and municipal services to support Oakdale’s neighborhoods. Goal 3: Promote and encourage a diverse array of housing types, styles, and price points to serve a diverse population. Goal 4: Promote commercial uses that are viable and responsive to the needs of the community and immediately surrounding market area. a. Actively promote cooperation and collaboration with the private sector in pursuit of community economic growth and positive development and redevelopment. b. Actively promote and support industrial, retail, and office/business park developments in areas that are well served by interstate interchanges. c. Actively promote cooperation and collaboration with the private sector in pursuit of retail development in appropriate areas. d. Utilize the Park and Trail plan to encourage trails and pedestrian connections in new redeveloped commercial areas. Redevelopment Goals Goal 1: Pursue the redevelopment of blighted, underutilized, and obsolete properties. a. Actively promote the implementation of the preferred alternative redevelopment plans for areas such as Oakdale Mall, Tanners Lake, and the Fleet Farm 29 Pines site. b. The City will consider the long range potential for other areas, including the Hwy 120 corridor and the former Oakdale Golf and Tennis property on Hadley Ave and 50th. c. The City will consider the use of public financial assistance to promote redevelopment. d. The City will consider acquiring and demolishing property, the remediation of property, as well as relocating owners and tenants to encourage private and public redevelopment. Executive Land Use &Summary Redevelopment
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Introduction e. The City will consider establishing a redevelopment fund to provide resources that
address long term redevelopment needs in the City of Oakdale.
f. Pursue strategic sidewalk and trail connections. g. Continue to explore strategies for the development of Hadley Avenue and other major
thoroughfares based on standards of a “Signature” street.
h. Investigate alternative fiscal incentives to attract or retain desired commercial, retail,
and industrial development.
Goal 2: Realize high quality redevelopment opportunities that are functionally and aesthetically compatible with their surrounding uses. a. Whenever City financial assistance or rezoning is required, the City, should utilize PUD’s and similar tools to custom design development standards for redevelopment projects. b. Apply sufficient screening, buffering and landscape standards to all new development and redevelopment. c. Promote joint parking and access where appropriate. d. Explore and pursue joint development opportunities with surrounding cities. e. Investigate the process and costs of burying overhead utilities. Goal 3: Actively promote the maintenance and rehabilitation and where appropriate, replacement of Oakdale’s housing stock. a. Continue to actively partner with the agencies to further rehabilitation. b. Continue and enhance code enforcement efforts. c. Review and explore additional rehabilitation financial incentives for Oakdale’s residents. d. The City will consider establishing a housing rehabilitation fund to provide resources that address long term housing needs in the City of Oakdale. Introduction Oakdale has reached a milestone in its development history, as it is now largely developed with only 7.2% of its land area identified as vacant and developable (Table 7.1). The majority of the vacant land is contained in the vacant industrial/office land surrounding the Imation headquarters, therefore most land use categories have reached or are approaching the end of their greenfield development cycle. This new point in history brings with it new opportunities and challenges. No longer will the primary focus be on preparing undeveloped portions of the City for development, but instead on preservation, enhancement and in
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some cases, redevelopment of the existing community.
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Planning in a developed community Planning in a fully developed community is often more complex than planning in a developing community. The City has made a commitment to decreasing the number of blighted properties through the Commercial Redevelopment Action Plan. This plan provides creative strategies for reinvestment and economic vitality. Implementing a project in a developing community can be successful with a simple agreement between the City, neighbors, and a developer. A successful project in a fully developed community, still needs agreement between the City, neighbors, and a developer, but often also requires agreement with non-profits; county, regional and state funding agencies; and homeowners or businesses that might need to be relocated or inconvenienced in some manner. Another complexity that arises in a developed community is that change is often subtle but widespread. In a developing community, it is easy to identify change, because it largely consists of conversion of agricultural land uses to urban land uses. The planning challenges center on what form that land use conversion should take and what supporting public infrastructure (sewer, traffic signals, schools, parks, etc.) are required to meet the increased demand of the new area. In a fully developed community, change occurs gradually, yet can still have dramatic positive and negative impacts on the quality of life in the City. Some of those subtle changes include the following:
• Conversion of owner-occupied residences •
to renter-occupied residences Decline of buildings due to a lack of main-
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• • • • • • • • • • • •
tenance Building expansions and upgrades Functional obsolescence Gentrification Lack of parking for current lifestyle Neighborhood change from families to empty nesters Decline in property values Changes in use Demolitions and other destruction Vacant lots and buildings Changes in landscape Outdoor storage Over utilized infrastructure
Neighborhood Planning One of the planning tools that can assist in the identification and evaluation of these more subtle changes is to divide a city into smaller planning areas, sometimes referred to as “neighborhood planning”. This division has three main purposes: 1. To bring the planning focus to a finer level
of detail 2. To allow comparison between neighborhoods 3. To ensure areas of the City are not forgotten It is important to recognize that the “neighborhood planning areas” identified for planning purposes are often not the same as the public’s
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Figure 7.1: Neighborhood Map
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Figure 7.2 Existing Land Use
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Neighborhood Conditions perception of neighborhood. A neighborhood planning area is often a collection of smaller neighborhoods that are separated by some significant features, such as major roadways, bodies of water, or open space (Figure 7.1). The first step in this process is to quantify and analyze existing development in the City. This information will reveal development patterns and can point to areas that need further attention. The City-wide existing land use is shown in Figure 7.2 followed by additional detail of existing land use issues on a neighborhood basis. Neighborhood 1 Location: South of Mahtomedi border, North of Highway 36, East of Maplewood/North St. Paul border Description: This is the smallest neighborhood planning area, but may have some of the most significant planning issues. The natural terrain is dominated by a couple of large wetland areas, the largest being contained in Golfview Park, which is located roughly in the center of the neighborhood planning area. On the eastern edge is a commercial area with superior visibility and excellent traffic counts, currently occupied by Fleet Farm and Marcus Cinema. The location of some large wetlands in the commercial area separates uses and makes pedestrian linkages more challenging, but also provides an opportunity for visual interest and enhancement. The retail area does not appear to have reached “critical mass” for such an attractive retail corner.
development that takes advantage of excellent visibility on Interstate 694 and adjacency to the large amount of open space in Golfview Park. Immediately south of it is a mobile home park that is showing its age and could be a candidate for redevelopment. When combined with some adjacent vacant parcels, this could provide an excellent opportunity to link the two wetland areas and enhance the existing retail area. The southern edge of the neighborhood contains many new or updated commercial uses along Highway 36, however, immediately behind this layer of uses is an area of older residential and industrial uses that are excessively intertwined and inadequately buffered from each other, particularly given the large amount of open storage in the industrial area. The western edge of the neighborhood is dominated by a newer residential area adjacent to Golfview Park. This single family neighborhood appears to be well maintained and takes advantage of its close proximity to the open space. Although the neighborhood appears healthy, since it shares its southern border with the aging industrial uses, it should be monitored to make sure that it remains that way. Given the age of some of the housing stock in this neighborhood, key ongoing issues will be housing maintenance and neighborhood sup-
To the west of the commercial area is a new, large scale multi-family rental residential
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port. In addition, there are negative impacts that could result from incompatible land uses in close proximity to each other. Due to the traffic counts in the area and some of the deteriorated conditions, this neighborhood is a likely candidate for some redevelopment. Neighborhood 2 Location: South of Highway 36, West of Interstate 694, North of Highway 5, East of North St. Paul border Description: This neighborhood is largely residential in nature and at its core is the Oakdale Nature Preserve. The presence of the nature preserve as well as other scattered wetlands and the mature trees of established neighborhoods gives this neighborhood a feeling of being closely tied to the natural environment. The housing stock in this neighborhood is relatively balanced, with older homes in close proximity to some newer in-fill or redevelopment residential properties. The neighborhood is largely single family in nature, however, there is a pocket of higher density housing in the southwest corner of the neighborhood and some industrial and medium density residential in the northeast corner. In the southeast corner is the Minnesota Department of Transportation District Headquarters.
Given the age of the housing stock in this neighborhood, the key ongoing issues will be housing maintenance and neighborhood support. Neighborhood 3 Location: South of Mahtomedi border, West of Lake Elmo border, North of Highway 5, East of Interstate 694
Description: The north half of this neighborhood consists of newer residential development, with increased densities along Interstate 694. The housing stock appears to be well maintained, which is to be expected in a newer neighborhood. The eastern edge of the neighborhood has a more rural feel due to some large lot single family development and the adjacent development in Lake Elmo. The southern half of this neighborhood is the City’s last large vacant land area and is dominated by the world headquarters of Imation Corporation. Given the housing stock in this neighborhood, the key ongoing issue will be neighborhood support.
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Neighborhood 4 Location: South of Highway 5, West of Interstate 694, North of 15th Street, East of Maplewood border Description: One of the primary drivers of the pattern of land use in this neighborhood is the railroad track that separates the northern third of the neighborhood from the remainder. The area north of the railroad track consists largely of commercial and industrial uses and a few large wetland complexes. The southern 2/3 of the neighborhood is almost exclusively residential in nature, with the exception of public uses, such as City Hall. There is also a small, retail node at Highway 120 and Stillwater Blvd. N. that appears in areas to be site constrained with hard edge land use transitions to the adjacent residential uses. The single family housing stock is older with mature trees and has a varied development pattern, with traditional suburban lots in some areas and large, deep lots along Stillwater Blvd and Highway 120 that point to Oakdale’s rural past. One of the primary landmarks in this neighborhood is the Richard Walton Park. It is located in an area of newer multi-family housing and public uses. Two areas that may be suitable for more fo-
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cused study are the Highway 120 and western Stillwater Blvd. corridors. These two corridors are important gateways to the community and currently have few distinguishing features that set them apart from adjacent communities. Both corridors contain smaller, aging homes on large lots which can provide opportunities and challenges. When the value of the lot begins to be more significant than the value of the structure, there can be opportunities for redevelopment and gentrification, but it can also be a source of ongoing code violations such as open storage and businesses that are not appropriate for residential areas. One of the tools that can assist with determining which path the area takes is a focused planning effort on the area that allows the City and the residents to develop a shared vision for the future. This is an area that could be a candidate for redevelopment that would encourage the “move up” housing that would allow more residents to remain in Oakdale as they enter new stages in their lifecycle housing needs. Given the age of the housing stock in this neighborhood, the key ongoing issues will be housing maintenance and neighborhood support with some opportunities for redevelopment. Neighborhood 5 Location: South of Highway 5, West of Lake Elmo border, North of 15th Street, East of Interstate 694 Description: This neighborhood has the largest concentration of single family homes. With the exception of the retail north of the railroad tracks, anchored by a Target store and 4 or 5 small businesses along Stillwater Blvd., this neighborhood is entirely residential. There is one Summary Land UseExecutive & Redevelopment
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north of 10th Street and the large amount of developed open space at Tartan High School. The industrial area in the southeast portion of the neighborhood appears to be well maintained with an active industrial base. This industrial area benefits from the convenient access to Interstates 694/494 and Interstate 94. small medium density residential area off of Stillwater Blvd. and another one where 15th St. crosses I-694. All remaining residential is single family. Unlike many of the other neighborhoods in Oakdale, there isn’t a large natural amenity in this neighborhood and open space needs are handled in smaller park and open space areas. One key landmark is the Eagle Point Elementary School in the southeast corner of the neighborhood. Given the housing stock in this neighborhood, the key ongoing issue will be neighborhood support. Neighborhood 6 Location: South of 15th Street, West of Interstate 694, North of Woodbury border, East of Maplewood border Description: This neighborhood, like Neighborhood 1, has some challenges due to aging building stock in both the residential and non-residential areas. The Tanner’s Lake area is one of the City’s oldest housing areas and has been the focus of some housing rehabilitation efforts and is a potential redevelopment site. In addition to the open space around Tanner’s Lake, this neighborhood has some preserved wetland areas Executive Land Use &Summary Redevelopment
The retail centers in this neighborhood will present some challenges in the future. On the western edge of the neighborhood is a series of strip commercial uses with good customer traffic and minimal aesthetic enhancement. As with Neighborhood 4, the Highway 120 corridor does not provide a clear border with adjacent communities or an attractive gateway to the community. At the corner of Geneva and 12th Street, there is a strip mall that may provide a redevelopment opportunity that could bring fresh neighborhood retail, a pedestrian friendly environment and curb appeal to set a new standard for retail along the corridor. This kind of pilot project can often serve as a catalyst for additional private sector investment in retail areas that are nearby. At the 10th Street and I-694 interchange, the Oakdale Mall site is typical of early malls that have become obsolete. The development is uninviting and has a tenant mix typical of a failing retail area. To the south of the Oakdale Mall is a center anchored by K-Mart and Rain-
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bow Foods that could suffer from the increased retail construction activity in recent years. Given the age of some of the housing stock in this neighborhood, key ongoing issues will be housing maintenance and neighborhood support. Due to the traffic counts in the area, the amenity of Tanner’s Lake and some of the deteriorated conditions, this neighborhood is a likely candidate for some redevelopment, particularly in the Oakdale Mall, Geneva and 12th Street and Tanner’s Lake areas. Neighborhood 7 Location: South of 15th Street, West of City limits, North of City limits, East of Interstate 694 Description: This neighborhood is defined by the large open space of the Oak Marsh Golf Course, Armstrong Lake, and the non-residential developments along the Interstates 94 and 694. Much of the development in this neighborhood is relatively new and in excellent condition, such as the Oakdale Village Shopping Center at the corner of I-94 and Inwood Ave. Although this neighborhood has the fewest number of residential units, it is the primary opportunity in the City for “move up” housing, which is important as the City attempts to provide a full range of lifecycle housing. Given the housing stock in this neighborhood, the key ongoing issue will be neighborhood support.
Existing and Future Land Uses The City of Oakdale’s existing and future land use (Figure 7.2) is defined by the following land use categories: Low Density Residential: The low-density residential areas consist of single-family dwelling units, defined as approximately three (3) units per acre. Medium Density Residential: Dwelling units, defined as four to eight (4-8) dwelling units per acre. The medium density residential development in Oakdale consists primarily of duplexes, townhomes, rowhomes and twinhomes that are scattered throughout the City. Many of the medium density units are available as rental units in addition to ownership.
High Density Residential: Dwelling units, defined as eight or more (8+) dwelling units per acre. The vast majority of the high-density residential development consists of rental units located in apartment complexes containing more than one building. Office/Limited Business: Office/Limited Business areas provide for offices, office buildings, and Class One restaurants.
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Commercial: Small, service oriented retail establishments as well as professional offices, banks, hotels, cinemas, and restaurants. Commercial also includes larger retailers such as Target and Best Buy. Highway Commercial: Commercial development located along the Interstate 94 Corridor and totaling 8.19 acres of land. Business Campus: Business Campus areas provide for corporate development primarily in the form of offices and incidental storage and light manufacturing uses. Mixed Use: Mixed Use Land occurs in the form of a Planned Unit Development (PUD), where commercial, residential, and office uses all come together in the form of one cohesive development. In the City of Oakdale, Oakcrest
if the City Engineer determines that adequate excess infrastructure capacity exists to accommodate the increased density. General Industrial: General Industrial areas provide for light and heavy manufacturing, large-scale warehousing, truck terminals, and businesses which require large amounts of outdoor storage. Industrial/Office: Industrial/Office areas provide for light manufacturing, office, research and development, warehousing, and other uses in a functional, attractive manner, which does not unduly affect the development of nearby properties.
Village is the only existing land use that is mixed use, however, many of the conceptual redevelopment plans incorporate a mixed use concept, so this category could increase in the future. Residential densities for mixed use projects should average four to eight (4-8) dwelling units per acre, however, densities may be adjusted by the City Council on a project specific basis and in accordance with detailed development plans. Densities may only be increased above eight (8) dwelling units per acre Executive Land Use &Summary Redevelopment
Public/Semi Public: Public land uses include government buildings such as the Oakdale Municipal Buildings, Public Works Building, Fire Department Buildings, the Nature Center, Tartan Ice Arena, and the MNDOT Building. Semi Public land uses include schools and churches. Park: Park includes all City Parks as well as privately owned recreation facilities such as the Oak Marsh Golf Course. Open Space: Open space is publicly owned land that does not have any development on it. Typically, open space is land not subject to
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active use and includes wetlands, woodlands, or pasture/crop land that has been retired.
Right of Way: Public or private vehicular, transit, and/or pedestrian rights-of-way.
Vacant: Vacant land is all privately owned land that is currently not developed. Vacant land also included privately owned land that is wetland and may never be able to be developed.
Figure 7.3 is the City of Oakdale’s future land use map. The size of the future land use areas is contained in Table 7.2.
Open Water: Permanently flooded open water, rivers and streams, not including wetlands or periodically flooded areas. NWI Wetlands: Wetlands included in the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI).
Table 7.1 Existing Land Use
Source: Bonestroo 2008
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Figure 7.3 Future Land Use Map
July 25, 2018
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Future Land Use Table 7.2 Future Land Use
Source: Bonestroo 2008
Land Use Staging In order to plan for regional sewer system capacity, the Metropolitan Council requires that cities submit 5 year staging plans of projected growth so that it can size the regional system accordingly. In a City with large amounts of vacant land, this often results in the creation of growth staging areas that are left unsewered until a particular time period or a certain development stage is reached. Since the 2030 Comprehensive Plan provides access to sewers for all of the developable areas of Oakdale, this plan will not contain any growth staging areas. Development can occur City-wide and sewers can be constructed, as needed, for new development or to replace failing private systems.
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Without growth staging areas, the Metropolitan Council still has a need for a forecast of development in five year increments for its own system planning efforts. This forecast is contained in Table 7.3. It is important to note that without growth staging areas, it is difficult to provide an accurate forecast of the actual land use category mix over short time periods so, individual category growth rates could vary significantly, for instance, more single family than expected one period, more multi-family than expected another, etc. The City of Oakdale will monitor the growth in aggregate to ensure that it remains within forecasted ranges to avoid any metropolitan system impacts. If growth begins to significantly differ from what is projected and appears to have the possibility of metropolitan system-level impacts, the City of Summary Land UseExecutive & Redevelopment
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Oakdale will alert the Metropolitan Council and an appropriate response will be jointly created to ensure system capacity and demand are appropriately balanced. The 5 year staging plan is also compared against the population, households, and employment projections to ensure that adequate land is available to accommodate the projected growth. That comparison is contained in Table 7.4. The planned land use capacity is approximately 80% of the projected residential growth, however, it is important to note that this table
is calculated for the Metropolitan Council using the minimum of the density range, so actual development should support the larger population if development occurs as it has historically. The City of Oakdale will monitor density levels as part of the development review process and will encourage developers to develop at more than the minimum density levels, as appropriate, to ensure development will be adequate to meet the future growth needs of the community and the region.
Table 7.3 5 Year Growth Staging
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Table 7.4 Planned Minimum Land Use Capacity
Vacant Land Analysis The growth projected for the City of Oakdale in the future will be accomplished through a combination of development of vacant lands/infill and redevelopment (Table 7.5). The analysis of vacant lands allows the City to determine whether the growth projections are realistic and whether there is any unmet need that will have to be satisfied by redevelopment. As mentioned earlier, Oakdale’s land use pattern is affected significantly by the regional highway system and the majority of its vacant areas are located at or in close proximity to interchanges (Figure 7.4). These interchange areas are well suited to non-residential development and have been guided accordingly. Over time, the development of these areas will improve the economic opportunities in the City and reduce the need for residents to travel significant distances on the regional highway system for employment. The second largest vacant land use category is for open space which demonstrates the City’s continued commitment to identifying areas of natural value so that they can be preserved and be a benefit to all citizens.
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Table 7.5 Vacant Land Analysis
Source: Bonestroo 2008
Finally, as can be seen on the map of the vacant areas, opportunities for residential development are smaller in size and scattered throughout the community. This is to be expected now that the City is approaching full development. Increasingly, residential needs will be accomplished via infill and redevelopment rather than in large tracts of greenfield development.
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Figure 7.4 Vacant Land Locations
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Redevelopment As mentioned earlier in this chapter, Oakdale has multiple redevelopment opportunities within the City that can enhance the social character and economic fabric. The City’s redevelopment efforts can promote economic activity, create jobs, upgrade housing, encourage mixed use development, and support trail connections and other recreational assets. Through these redevelopment efforts, the City will also remove blighted areas and buffer incompatible land uses. Utilizing design principles that create inviting and sustainable places will attract new residents, enhance the quality of life, and increase surrounding property values. These design principles can begin with planning development that is compact, conserves land, and is integrated with multiple uses whenever possible. Utilizing a network of streets and sidewalks with a mixture of uses instead of single use districts isolated by major thoroughfares can reduce traffic congestion and provide multi modal opportunities for users traveling to nearby destinations. The City can work to provide a variety of quality housing for numerous income levels that exemplify architectural character and presence. Public art and other site amenities can be utilized to help promote attractive areas and build a sense of community. When possible, connections to transit facilities should be made to enhance accessibility. With each redevelopment project, the City can lead by example and support conservation in new development. By constructing and promoting energy conservation systems, green buildings and infrastructure such as pervious pavements, the City can reduce negative im-
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pacts on the important natural systems that exist in Oakdale. The City can also create tools to preserve open space and protect important natural resources as each future redevelopment site is considered. Primary Redevelopment Sites The City of Oakdale has completed an extensive study of its redevelopment needs and has identified the following sites as priorities:
Oakdale Mall: This is a multi-tenant, enclosed shopping mall containing a gross building area of 180,000 square feet and a net rentable area of 145,371 square feet. Refer to (Figure 7.5) for a before aerial plan. This was one of the first outlet malls in the Metropolitan Area. The concept was not well received and local market demand failed to materialize. As a result, the property suffered from continually low rents and high vacancy rates. Other challenges to the success of this project include the fact that the enclosed mall area is functionally obsolete; and the building is not very inviting with a lack of exterior entrances to the mall tenant spaces, as well as a lack of exterior facades, storefronts, and signage. The new plan (Figure 7.7) is a representation of the type of uses and building square footage that could be effectively utilized. Each building incorporates flexible design so it can be altered and rearranged based on development potential and changes in the marketplace. The City is sensitive to residential development along I-694 and would consider alternate uses for buildings facing this major corridor. Building Summary Land UseExecutive & Redevelopment
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massing and effective use of green space minimizes the negative visual and environmental impacts of surface parking. Parking ramps are shown on the proposed plan in three locations to further support these concepts. Building fronts are located along 10th Street to create visual interest and reduce the aesthetic impact of wide open parking lots on either side of 10th Street. This is a mixed use area including housing, office, retail, hotel, and restaurants designed to create walkable destinations and a variety of attractions. Adjoining parcels to the north could be developed in the future for purposes such as office, commercial, or parking ramp.
Tanners Lake: This redevelopment area along the SE shoreline of Tanners Lake includes multiple buildings extending from I-94 to 4th St North on the East side of Century Avenue. This area (Figure 7.8) currently contains the following restaurants: Blackie’s, Donovan’s, and Denny’s as well as Harmon’s Auto Glass, LivInn motel, and an automotive service. Many of these businesses are showing signs of decline as they age. Oakdale will need to work closely with the city of Maplewood on the development of this site as part of the land lies within Maplewood’s city limits. Special zoning considerations will also have to be considered by the City to facilitate redevelopment.
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The proposed concept plan (Figure 7.10) utilizes the shoreline and scenic views the property offers. Future uses can include retail, restaurant, office, and housing. Again, emphasizing the mixed use approach will create more activity on the site and provide destinations within walking distance. A large shoreline boardwalk is shown on the concept plan to allow visitors to stroll along the lake, host community-wide events, such as an art fair or farmer’s market, and offer seating areas. Restaurant patios are planned along the boardwalk to provide outdoor dining opportunities and encourage higher pedestrian use. Parking is tucked behind the buildings to optimize views and allow water runoff to collect in raingardens for treatment or an underground filtration system before running into the lake. Permeable pavements could further reduce the environmental impacts and pollutants draining into Tanners Lake. With the right design principles in place, this site could become a popular destination and an asset to the community.
First Student Bus Garage: Located on the south side of Stillwater Blvd, this parcel is home to the First Student Bus Garage site. This site was originally established in the 1950’s as a retail outlet with only a few buses before Oakdale was incorporated as a City. The site now operates as a training center for bus drivers and houses approximately 130 buses on site. Adjacent to the east side of the property are single family residen-
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tial homes (Figure 7.11). Buses are parked right up to the property line dividing the two incompatible land uses leaving homeowners disappointed with exhaust fumes, unsightliness, and litter in their backyards. The bus site is currently an industrial use surrounded by residential and wetland. It has been identified as a nonconforming land use and the City is working on addressing this issue. A residential use was determined to be more appropriate for this site. The proposed concept plan (Figure 7.12) shows 9 single family units on larger lots. As housing needs change in the future, multi-family housing units may be appropriate to consider based on the conditions at the time of redevelopment. It is unknown at this time whether this site is contaminated. Further analysis will need to occur to determine the extent of any clean-up. Fleet Farm Parcel/29 Pines Manufactured Home Park: These two sites are located north of Hwy 36 and west of Hadley Ave N (Figure 7.13). The Fleet Farm parcel is currently vacant at a highly visible location from Hwy 36 and I-694. The 29 Pines Manufactured Home Park currently has 152 units. The homes are deterio-
site has potential to be a key gateway into the community. The planned development (Figure 7.14) presents a destination commercial district with housing on 2nd and 3rd stories of retail spaces. Multiple uses such as a health club, grocery store, offices, retail, and restaurants add to the development’s variety and vitality. A trail corridor extends along the west side of the property offering views of the adjacent wetlands and woodlands. This redevelopment plan can be sectioned off in phases starting from the east side of the site moving west to allow adequate time for the manufactured home owners to relocate to better locations. Winner Gas Station Site: Located on the corner of Hadley Ave and 34th Street N, this old gas station site has been abandoned since 2005. A car wash, service building, and gas station canopy remain on site (Figure 7.15). The area just east of the gas station is vacant land. Highly visible from I-694, 34th Street, and Hadley Ave, this site is a great candidate for commercial use. The proposed plan (Figure 7.16) illustrates two restaurants with additional small retail space. Neighboring commercial and office uses have expressed the need for nearby sit down restaurants as currently there is no place to take their clients. The location is easily accessible from three major roads that would support the proposed retail well.
rating and create an unsightly and at times an uninhabitable living environment. This site is adjacent to a scenic natural area. A new apartment complex is being constructed in 2008 just northwest of the site. This redevelopment
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Figure 7.5 Oakdale Mall Existing Aerial Site Plan
Figure 7.6 Oakdale Mall Proposed 3D Rendering
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Figure 7.7 Oakdale Mall Proposed Redevelopment Plan
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Figure 7.8 Tanners Lake Existing Aerial Site Plan
Figure 7.9 Tanners Lake Proposed 3D Rendering
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Figure 7.10 Tanners Lake Proposed Redevelopment Plan
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Figure 7.11 First Student Bus Garage Existing Aerial Site Plan
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Figure 7.12 First Student Bus Garage Proposed Redevelopment Plan
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Figure 7.13 Fleet Farm & 29 Pines Manufactured Homes Existing Aerial Site Plan
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Figure 7.14 Fleet Farm & 29 Pines Manufactured Homes Proposed Redevelopment Plan
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Figure 7.15 Winner Gas Station Existing Aerial Site Plan
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Figure 7.16 Winner Gas Station Proposed Redevelopment Plan
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Other Redevelopment Sites In addition to the primary redevelopment sites, the City has identified secondary and nonconforming redevelopment sites. These redevelopment priorities through 2030 include but are not limited to the areas listed below and as seen on Figure 7.17.
Secondary Redevelopment Sites are highly visible areas that are currently tired and underutilized. These areas would benefit from new development that could bring greater economic vitality and improve the aesthetics of the community. Identified sites include: • Bergen Plaza • Geneva Corridor • Hildebrandt Property • Hwy 36 Area • Jacobsen Farm • Marathon Station • Stillwater Auto • I-94 Corridor (Hudson + Ideal) • Oakdale Golf and Tennis Site I-94 Corridor - Existing Residential Site Near Hudson Boulevard and Ideal Avenue It is the City Council’s intent that the area currently occupied by residential properties and generally bordered by Ideal Avenue on the west, Hudson Boulevard on the south, and the 3rd Street alignment on the north change to a commercial use. This change would be considered by the City Council upon presentation of a redevelopment proposal by a developer.
Executive Land Use &Summary Redevelopment
Oakdale Golf and Tennis Site It is the City Council’s intent that the parcel be marketed for sale by the City to a developer for the purpose of constructing a high quality industrial-office development that complements and is compatible with other developments in the area. The reguiding and rezoning of the parcel will occur as part of the normal development approval process. Furthermore, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this parcel will be designated specifically for the acquisition of park and or open space land elsewhere in the community with the goal of achieving a nonet-loss of park and/or open space land. Funds may also be used for park improvements as future needs dictate. Nonconforming Redevelopment Sites are existing parcels that currently do not meet City standards of land use type and City codes. The following sites have become problematic by conflicting with the desired surrounding land uses: • ASCO • Brockman Trucking • Eberhard Farm • Griffith Landscaping • Hwy 5 & Geneva • Myron’s Auto • Northwood Power & Equipment • Yocum Oil
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Figure 7.17 Redevelopment Sites
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Protecting Special Resources As required by state statute, a municipality’s comprehensive plan must also include strategies for protection of special resources, including solar access, historic preservation and aggregate. These strategies are discussed below. Solar Access Minnesota Statutes require an element for the protection and development of access to direct sunlight for solar energy systems. The purpose of this legislation is to prevent solar collectors from being shaded by adjacent structures or vegetation and to ensure that development decisions do not preclude the possible future development and use of solar energy systems. To ensure the availability of solar access, the City of Oakdale will, whenever possible, protect access to direct sunlight for solar energy systems on principle structures. The City of Oakdale will consider solar access in the review of site plans and planning decisions. Aggregate Resources The Met Council requires cities to identify the location of aggregate resources within the community based on the Minnesota Geological survey within the Comprehensive Plan. The east side of Oakdale has some aggregate resources identified in area just west and south of Olson Lake and Lake Demontreville. Much of this area is already developed (Figure 7.18) Historic Preservation The City of Oakdale does not currently have any properties listed on the National Register. If properties of historical significance are identified, the City of Oakdale will work with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) to determine the best course of action for the property.
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Figure 7.18 Aggregate Resources Map
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OAKDALE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2030 Comprehensive Plan Amendment: Helmo Station Area – Effective June 13, 2018 On April 24, the City Council accepted the Helmo Station Bus Rapid Transit Oriented Development Plan, a small area plan for the area around the planned Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit station at Helmo Avenue North and 3rd Street North. The City Council subsequently approved an amendment to the 2030 Comprehensive Plan on April 24, 2018 to change the Future Land Use classification of the subject area to provide for the mix of uses recommended in the plan. The Metropolitan Council reviewed the proposed amendment on June 13, 2018 and found that it conformed to the regional systems plans for transportation, wastewater, and parks; it is consistent with Thrive MSP 2040 and Metropolitan Council policies; and is compatible with the plans of adjacent jurisdictions; and determined that the City may place the amendment into effect. Consistency with the Comprehensive Plan The Helmo Station Bus Rapid Transit Oriented Development plan achieves the following City of Oakdale Comprehensive Plan goals: 2030 Comprehensive Plan Goals: Community Goal 2: Provide a diversity of land use opportunities within the City, to ensure a wide range of employment, consumer, and housing choices. Land Use Goal 3: Promote and encourage a diverse array of housing types, styles, and price points to serve a diverse population. Transportation Goal 3: Promote a multi-modal transportation plan that is fully integrated with land use planning. Draft 2040 Comprehensive Plan Goals: Land Use Goal 1: The City shall facilitate the redevelopment and development of certain property. Policy 3. Prepare small area development plans for the following areas to guide public and private investment to achieve a transit oriented development pattern. a. Helmo Avenue North and 4th Street North (Bus Rapid Transit Station Area) Transportation Land Use Goal 3: The City’s visual appearance shall incorporate streetscaping and public art. Policy 1. Identify and prioritize areas to enhance streetscaping at major intersections and along key corridors. Policy 2. Develop streetscape design standards for landscaping, lighting, street furniture, sidewalks, and public art in priority areas. Transportation Goal 4: Sidewalks, trails, and bikeways shall be connected within the city and between adjacent cities. Policy 3. Support the construction of new sidewalk and trail connections identified in the Gold Line Station Area Plans. Policy 6. Support the rehabilitation and reconstruction of complete streets that enable safe access for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities.
Land Use & Redevelopment
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OAKDALE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Policy 7. Support the rebuilding of the 4th Street Bridge over I-694 to include space for a dedicated pedestrian walkway and bus rapid transit guideway. Policy 8. Support the addition of a pedestrian walkway adjacent to the 4th Street Bridge over I-694 to improve access to the Helmo transit station from the west side of I-694. Transportation Goal 5: Transit service shall improve mobility options for residents, workers, businesses and transit dependent persons. Policy 1. Collaborate with Metro Transit to assess current transit service and improve transit service for residents, workers, businesses and transit dependent residents. Policy 2. Collaborate with Metro Transit to assess and improve transit facilities and sidewalk and trail connections to and from transit facilities. Policy 3. Collaborate with Metro Transit to develop bus connections between employment and residential areas in the City and the Gold Line bus rapid transit station areas. Parks and Trails Goal 2: Recreational programming, park facilities and open space shall be accessible to all physical abilities and incomes. Policy 1. Develop a plan to ensure programming, parks and open spaces are accessible for all abilities and incomes. Policy 2. Develop a plan to ensure the public use of open space, including wetlands, is open to all pedestrians and bicyclists. Housing Goal 1: All people, regardless of age, income, family status, ability, race or ethnicity, shall have realizable choices and access to a safe, stable, and affordable home. Housing Choice Policies Policy 1. Guide and zone land to facilitate and promote the construction of a full range of housing choices to include single-family detached homes, twinhomes, townhomes, duplexes-fourplexes, and multifamily buildings. Policy 2. Promote the development of a variety of housing types within close proximity and safe pedestrian access to shopping and services, including transit, and schools, parks, trails, and open space. Future Land Use Guiding The Future Land Use classification for the subject area is Bus Rapid Transit Oriented Development (BRTOD) defined as follows: Bus Rapid Transit Oriented Development occurs in the form of a Planned Unit Development (PUD), where a mix of transit-supportive development (multi-family medium density residential; multi-family high density residential; office-industrial; professional office; and commercial/retail uses) along with park and open space amenities all come together in the form of one cohesive development. Residential densities shall be 15-24 dwelling units per acre (DU/Ac) for Medium Density Residential land uses and 30-50 DU/Ac for High Density Residential land uses. Nonresidential land uses shall have a 0.5-1.0 FAR (floor area ratio). Densities may be adjusted by the City Council on a project specific basis and in accordance with detailed development plans.
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Land Use & Redevelopment
OAKDALE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Helmo Station Area – Subject Parcels The BRTOD Future Land Use Classification applies to the following highlighted parcels (see also Figure 7.3 Future Land Use Map on p. 7-14):
Address 7468 Hudson Blvd N 7500 Hudson Blvd N 360 Helmo Ave N 7750 3rd St N 7700 3rd St N 7600 3rd St N 7701 3rd St N 7655 3rd St N 7601 3rd St N (stormwater pond) (stormwater pond) (stormwater pond)
PID 3202921340016 3202921430022 3202921430037 3202921440093 3202921440094 3202921430036 3202921440091 3202921430038 3202921430039 3202921430031 3202921430032 3202921430033
Legal Description Lot 3, Block 1 Crossroads of Oakdale 2nd Addition Lot 1, Block 2 Crossroads of Oakdale Lot 1, Block 3 Oaks Business Park Lot 2, Block 2 Oaks Business Park; Excepting the east 35.50 feet Lot 3, Block 2 Oaks Business Park; Excepting the east 35.50 feet Lot 4, Block 2 Oaks Business Park Lot 2, Block 2 Oaks Business Park 2nd Addition Lot 3, Block 1 Oaks Business Park 2nd Addition Lot 4, Block 1 Oaks Business Park 2nd Addition Lot B Oaks Business Park Lot C Oaks Business Park Lot D Oaks Business Park
Forecast Adjustments The Helmo Station Area Plan estimates the potential for 962 units of apartments and townhomes in an area previously guided for non-residential uses. The Metropolitan Council has adjusted the forecasts for the subject area (in 2040 TAZ #2412) to add 700 households and 1,700 population.
Land Use & Redevelopment
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OAKDALE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN The forecast for population, households, and employment in Oakdale has been adjusted to reflect this amendment as follows:
Helmo Station Area BRTOD Small Area Plan Narrative The site history, planning process, and description of the Helmo Station BRTOD small area plan is contained in Appendix F.
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Land Use & Redevelopment
OAKDALE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2030 Comprehensive Plan Amendment: 3M Small Area Plan – Effective July 25, 2018 In August 2016, the Oakdale City Council authorized the 3M small area planning process to study the potential for creating a new residential neighborhood on property that had been previously planned for a multi-tenant office-industrial development. The study included background research and site history, issue identification and goal development, concept plan iterations, environmental review, and a traffic study for the subject area. The result is a Conceptual Master Plan for new residential neighborhood with a variety of housing types and densities situated within an interconnected open space system. The City Council subsequently approved an amendment to the 2030 Comprehensive Plan on May 22, 2018 to change the Future Land Use classification of the subject area to provide for the mix of residential uses recommended in the plan. The Metropolitan Council reviewed the proposed amendment on July 25, 2018 and found that it conformed to the regional systems plans for transportation, wastewater, and parks; it is consistent with Thrive MSP 2040 and Metropolitan Council policies; and is compatible with the plans of adjacent jurisdictions; and determined that the City may place the amendment into effect. Consistency with the Comprehensive Plan The 3M Small Area Plan achieves the following City of Oakdale Comprehensive Plan goals: 2030 Comprehensive Plan Goals: Community Goal 2: Provide a diversity of land use opportunities within the City, to ensure a wide range of employment, consumer, and housing choices. Land Use Goal 2: Provide safe, healthy, and attractive residential environments. Land Use Goal 3: Promote and encourage a diverse array of housing types, styles, and price points to serve a diverse population. Natural Resources Goal 1: Continuously pursue a balance between Oakdale’s built environment and its natural resource system. Natural Resources Goal 3: Conserve and restore Oakdale’s significant natural features. Draft 2040 Comprehensive Plan Goals: Land Use Goal 2: Certain policies shall guide the City’s actions in ensuring the redevelopment and development of certain parcels and areas. Policy 1: The City shall prepare small area and redevelopment plans that include elements such as, but not limited to, land use, intensity and location, roads, trail and sidewalks, open space, public utilities, and transit. Transportation Goal 4: Sidewalks, trails, and bikeways shall be connected within the city and between adjacent cities. Policy 6: Support the rehabilitation and reconstruction of complete streets that enable safe access for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities.
Land Use & Redevelopment
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OAKDALE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Parks and Trails Goal 2: Recreational programming, park facilities and open space shall be accessible to all physical abilities and incomes. Policy 1. Develop a plan to ensure programming, parks and open spaces are accessible for all abilities and incomes. Policy 2. Develop a plan to ensure the public use of open space, including wetlands, is open to all pedestrians and bicyclists. Parks and Trails Goal 3: Parks shall be integrated into the City’s pedestrian system. Policy 1. The City shall develop a plan to connect parks to each other via the City’s trail and sidewalk system. Housing Goal 1: All people, regardless of age, income, family status, ability, race or ethnicity, shall have realizable choices and access to a safe, stable, and affordable home. Housing Choice Policies Policy 1. Guide and zone land to facilitate and promote the construction of a full range of housing choices to include single-family detached homes, twin homes, townhomes, duplexes-fourplexes, and multifamily buildings. Policy 2. Promote the development of a variety of housing types within close proximity and safe pedestrian access to shopping and services, including transit, and schools, parks, trails, and open space. Future Land Use Guiding The new Future Land Use classification for the subject area is Mixed Use Residential defined as follows: Mixed Use Residential land occurs in the form of a Planned Unit Development (PUD), where a diversity of housing types and densities are organized in distinctive neighborhoods that integrate parks, trails, and open space in the form of one cohesive development. Residential densities for mixed use residential projects should average four to eight (4-8) dwelling units per acre for low and medium density residential areas and range from thirty-five to fifty-five (35-55) dwelling units per acre for high density residential areas. Densities exceeding these may be adjusted by the City Council on a project specific basis and in accordance with detailed development plans. One parcel previously reserved for a future interchange that was to serve the business park is re-guided as Open Space described as follows: Open Space: Open space is publicly owned land that does not have any development on it. Typically, open space is land not subject to active use and includes wetlands, woodlands, or pasture/crop land that has been retired.
The Comprehensive Plan amendment includes a narrative describing the subject area, the planning process and outcomes, and outlines the development framework for land use, the circulation system, and parks, trails, and open space (Appendix G).
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Land Use & Redevelopment
OAKDALE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 3M Small Area Plan – Subject Parcels The Mixed Use Residnetial Future Land Use Classification applies to the following highlighted parcels (see also Figure 7.3 Future Land Use Map on p. 7-14):
Land Use & Redevelopment
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OAKDALE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Forecast Adjustments The 3M Area Plan estimates the potential for 310 units of single-family dwelling units and 1,100 apartments and townhomes in an area previously guided for non-residential uses. The Metropolitan Council has adjusted the forecasts for the subject area (in 2040 TAZs #2347 and #2348) to add 1,700 households and 4,100 population. The forecast for population, households, and employment in Oakdale has been adjusted to reflect this amendment as follows:
3M Small Area Plan Narrative The site history, planning process, and description of the 3M Small Area Plan is contained in Appendix G.
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Land Use & Redevelopment