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Planning Report presented by Pflum, Klausmeier & Gehrum Consultants, Inc.
Rezoning and Preliminary Planning Approval Request Kingston Place

Current Zoning: R-l Rural Residential District. Density: 2.3 units per acre Proposed Zoning: PCD Planned Community Development District Density: 3.24 units per acre maximum

Project Description:

The developer is requesting a rezoning and Preliminary Plan approval for 202 acres located in the northwest area of North Ridgeville bounded by the Northern Corporation line, Case Road and Stoney Ridge Road. The project consists of a blend of traditional Single Family, Cluster Single Family and neighborhood business uses. The proposed phasing of the project is indicated on sheet 4 of the Project submission. As currently proposed, the project would consist of 118 traditional single family units, 501 cluster single units, and 7 acres of neighborhood retail uses. A full project description including provisions for stormwater management, sanitary sewer facility demand, water facility demand and system approach, and the environmental evaluation including wetland delineations submitted by the applicant is attached to this report for Planning Commission consideration.

Compliance with Ordinance 3491-99 (Planned Community Development:

Rezoning to a PCD district requires that a Planning Report be prepared for City Council that evaluates compliance with the design standards and criteria of Chapter B of the PCD District regulations. The following is that evaluation.

Permitted Building and Uses:

As proposed this project meets the criteria of single family, cluster single family and neighborhood business area designations.

Land Planning Criteria - Topography, Site Appearance, Building Arrangement:

Kingston Place is designed to provide protection of key stormwater management elements identified as important in this geographical area by the Master Plan. Open space elements, including active and passive recreational components, walking path connections and extensive proposed landscaping are all designed to meet the open space criteria of the PCD district. As contained in the application summary, the development is designed to utilized natural features, reduce utility expenditures and to conserve key environmental characteristics. Review of the existing wetland delineations (see application summary) indicate that the project was designed to minimize disturbance of key natural features and maximize natural stormwater management potential.

Unified Boundaries:

The project generally meets the criteria in that it is designed to have minimal adverse effects on adjoining properties while providing logical extensions to future development.

Minimum Development Area:

At approximately 202 acres, this project meets the 200 acre minimum criteria.

Open Space Requirements:

Although all open space areas are not identified on the Preliminary Plan as to specific acreage, planning review indicates approximately 48 acres of permanently dedicated open space. This represents 24% of the project site and therefore meets the 20% district requirement.

These open space areas are included in each phasing element of the project. It should be noted that the developer has eliminated one recreation area from the original submission and the remaining primary active recreation facility area of 4.5 acres is not designated in the Phasing element map. Planning commission may wish to clarify at what stage of development this active recreation area will be completed. The preliminary documents submitted by the developer indicate that these open space areas will be the eventual responsibility of Home Owners Association(s). Preliminary wetland designations have been submitted to the Army Corps for approval (see attached). At each phase's Final Approval, the retained and impacted wetland areas should be clearly designated as to acreage on the Site Plan.

Maximum Development Density:

The total project density of the designated residential areas is 3.17 units per acre, thereby complying with the 3.24 unit maximum. Planning Commission should note that the cluster single family areas shown in Phases 2 and 4 of the Preliminary Plan will have densities of 5.7 units per acre with no additional internal open spaces.

7 acres of neighborhood business uses are proposed. This represents 3% of the project area which is within the 10% allowable maximum.

Area, Yard. Height Regulations:

Review of the preliminary plan indicates that the single family dwelling lot requirements can be met. Building setback and dwelling spacing of the cluster element of the first and third phases are in compliance with the design guidelines. Approval of the Preliminary Plan will be conditional on the basis of future phases meeting the requirements of B.08 and B.09 of the zoning code for the PCD District.

Off-Street Parking:

While the first phase appears to meet the criteria of guest parking of one guest space for every 5 units, Planning Commission may wish to discuss whether the locations proposed on the site plan are appropriate in light of the street widths of the proposed cul-de-sacs.

Cluster Site Plan:

Only the first and third phase of the single family detached cluster site design areas have been submitted at this time. As proposed, these areas would be served by dedicated, public streets. The developer is proposing a greenway walking path in lieu of the required sidewalks. Approval of this concept will require a variance or waiver by the Safety Service Director. The application has not designated the paving material proposed for the Pedestrian Path system. Planning Commission may wish to condition approval on a specific pavement type since regular sidewalks are not proposed.

Traffic Analysis and Circulation:

The design criteria for traffic management requires that an estimate of traffic volumes be generated, allocation of traffic assignments to the existing road system be submitted and that "driveways for group developments and streets shall be connected at locations where the traffic can be controlled and operated effectively with minimum interference to the capacity of the collector streets".

PKG has reviewed the Traffic Impact Study submitted as part~of the application process and has several concerns. (See attached PKG traffic evaluation memo.)

(1) The traffic generation calculations appear to be understated to a significant degree.

(2) As this project plan eliminates the Mills Road connection to Case Road as envisioned in the Master Plan, the main interior road will carry significant amounts of east-west traffic not included in the Traffic Report. This will be particularly true at the completion of the commercial development. This raises concerns about the advisability of direct access to the main spine road of the single family lots indicated in Phase 2 as well as the proposed offset street access points for the future cluster areas.

(3) The driveway access to the primary 5 acre Neighborhood Business District is too close to Mills Road to meet the State of Ohio Access Management Standards. This access drive should be a minimum of 325 feet from the Mills Road intersection.

(4) There are no projections made for the increase in regional traffic on key roads such as Center Ridge, Case or Stoney Ridge.

As traffic capacity and management will be critical issues for the City of North Ridgeville in the future, we would recommend that traffic impacts be recalculated prior to the finalization of the proposed Development Agreement between Kingston Place LLC and the City. This Development Agreement would specify the necessary level of road improvements needed to comply with the design guideline criteria. The Traffic Impact Study submitted with the application has already indicated the need to install a 3 phase Traffic signal at Stoney Ridge and Center Ridge Road, install Stop sign controls at the internal road intersections as well as to improve the intersection at Stoney Ridge and Detroit outside of the North Ridgeville jurisdiction. We agree with these recommendations.

The key concern for North Ridgeville will be the cumulative effects of future development on roads such as Case which currently is in poor condition and has limited future capacity. Refinement of the traffic generation rates may indicate the need for deceleration lanes at the development access points.

We would ask the Planning Commission and City Administration to consider completing an overall Traffic Impact Analysis for future build out of at least the Northwest Quadrant of the City to provide a more accurate analysis of needed road improvements. This has substantial advantages over completing individual impact studies for each proposed project, none of which will be calculating cumulative effects. It will also be more cost effective for the development community in the long run. Most importantly, it will give the City a rational basis on which to determine required development improvements or cash contributions necessary to meet the Adequate Public Facilities Standards as set by the City Engineer.

Additional Considerations:

In reviewing the neighborhood business district area and the required parking requirements of Section 1284 of the Zoning Code, some inherent policy conflicts are apparent. The code allows for a 25% structure lot coverage in the PCD zone. This would allow for approximately 54,000 square feet of retail space on the 5 acre lot. The parking standards require 3.5 feet of parking for every foot of retail space, or 189,000 square feet. Thus the total parking and structure would require 243,000 square feet of a 217,800 square foot lot. The Code further limits parking and structure to 50% of the total lot which is in conflict with the above. A retail business zoning norm is one parking space per 250 square feet of retail. This would require 216 spaces or 38,900 square feet of parking. This standard would allow for the 54,000 square feet of retail space (at 25% maximum building coverage) plus adequate parking and still meet the 50% total lot coverage maximum. The Planning Commission should consider making this change to eliminate conflicting parts of the code which would seem to require unnecessary variance requests.

The PCD district requires screening from adverse views within the Development. All future site plans for commercial development should require careful landscape screening as a condition of approval.

Master Plan Conformance:

Although this project is not in conformance with the recommended low density designation in the Master Plan for this area, it does contain the open space considerations and storm water management retention concerns expressed in the Master Plan.

The Mills Road extension from Stoney Ridge to Case was a sound transportation engineering concept which has not been included in the Preliminary Plan for Kingston Place. Careful consideration should be given to providing new east/west capacity in the Northwest Quadrant of North Ridgeville in future proposals to avoid significant residential cut-through traffic.

PLANNING Review Summary:

The proposed rezoning and preliminary plan are in general compliance with the Land Planning and Design Criteria contained in the North Ridgeville Planning and Zoning Code with the minor exceptions noted in the foregoing analysis and the additional information required to make a correct determination with regard to traffic impact and mitigation.

The following conditions of approval are offered for consideration by the Planning Commission in addition to the standard compliance with Engineering Standards language.

(1) All Final Site Plans include wetland designation acreage and impact evaluation.

(2) Traffic management and mitigation includes installation of a traffic signal at Stoney Ridge and Center Ridge, a minimum driveway placement of 300 feet south of Mills Road for commercial access to the 5 acre neighborhood business district, that driveway access points for the cluster development areas on Phases 2 and 4 be aligned opposite one another rather than offset.

Final determination of turn lanes at the Stoney Ridge/Center Ridge Road intersection and placement of deceleration lanes at project entrances at Case and Stoney Ridge be completed prior to finalization of a Development Agreement between Kingston Place LLC and the City of North Ridgeville and included in that agreement.

(3) Final Site Plan approval for proposed commercial uses include adequate screening from neighboring residential uses.

(4) Densities for the Cluster Development areas of Phases 2 and 4 are maximum densities which may be altered in order to meet setback, planning or other City Engineering standards or storm water management criteria.

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Page Updated Fri Oct 1, 2004 10:53pm EDT