At its Jan. 5 meeting, the Blaine City Council unanimously approved both a preliminary plat and a conditional use permit for the third addition of the North Meadows development at the intersection of Lexington Avenue and 109th Avenue.
Community Development Director Sheila Sellman said the proposal covers 18.36 acres and includes one lot and two outlots. The conditional use permit allows for general retail and office space, an animal hospital and restaurants, including two with outdoor dining. The plan also includes a zero-lot-line configuration with shared access and parking on the northern portion of the property.
The site is zoned development flex, with surrounding properties to the north, west and east also zoned development flex. Planned Business District zoning applies to properties immediately south within the larger North Meadows development.
Sellman said the vacant parcel was platted as an outlot for future development in 2020.
Under the preliminary plat, the existing outlot would be reconfigured into one lot and two outlots. Lot 1 measures 1.78 acres, while Outlot A measures 5.03 acres and Outlot B measures 1.55 acres, Sellman said.
The site plan includes one 13,856-square-foot building. Proposed setbacks are 50 feet in front, 15 feet on the sides and 20 feet in the rear. Parking setbacks are proposed at 30 feet in front and 15 feet on the sides and rear.
Sellman said the landscape plan meets city requirements and includes 12 overstory trees, seven ornamental trees and seven conifer trees.
The building elevations meet Planned Business District architectural standards and would include glass, metal panels, decorative masonry and brick, Sellman said.
The development requires 85 parking stalls. Of those, 78 would be located on Lot 1, with an additional 20 to 25 stalls available to the north through shared parking arrangements.
Outdoor dining is proposed at two locations. The southwest corner of the building would include four tables with 14 seats, while the east side would include 14 tables with 36 seats. Both areas would be enclosed by maintenance-free fencing, Sellman said.
Sellman said two residents attended a Dec. 4 neighborhood meeting, expressing excitement about the proposed restaurants while raising questions about construction timing and equipment staging.
The public hearing was held at the Dec. 9 Planning Commission meeting, where the commission unanimously recommended approval.
Council Member Jess Robertson said she had seen online comments suggesting the development would remove wetlands and asked Sellman to clarify.
Sellman said the development area contains minor wetlands that would be minimally impacted. Existing ponding would remain and be expanded, while wetlands elsewhere on the parcel are not part of the proposal.
Robertson said portions of the property could not be developed because of wetland constraints.
The Blaine City Council unanimously approved several charter amendments at its Jan. 5 meeting, following first readings held Dec. 15. The changes include adding a recall provision and clarifying the city’s form of government, updating ordinance violation and administrative adjudication language to simplify notices and fees, and revising provisions for peddlers, solicitors and transient merchants to clarify licensing requirements. City Clerk Cathy Sorensen said the amendments largely clean up redundancies and housekeeping items; a penalty schedule tied to the changes will be presented to the council at a later date.