PHS Apple Valley Senior Housing, Inc. and South Shore Development is proposing a 175-unit continuum of care complex on 12.28 acres located along the east side of Cobblestone Lake Parkway, south of Embry Path and north of Elmhurst Lane. The site is currently made up of three outlots (Outlots E, F, and G, Cobblestone Lake Commercial 3rd Addition) that have a variety of Comprehensive Plan land use and zoning designations. The applicant is proposing to replat the existing outlots into one (1) lot and one (1) outlot. The proposed lot will be the location of the continuum of care facility and the outlot will be dedicated as public park.

It will be necessary for the applicant to receive approval of amendments to the City’s 2030 Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map, rezoning of the property, possible planned development ordinance amendments and site plan review/building permit authorization for this project.

Outlot E is currently designated “C” (Commercial), Outlot F “HD” (High Density Residential/ 12+ units per acre), and Outlot G, “P” (Parks and Open Space).  The project, with the reconfigured lot lines and proposed uses require amendments to the City’s Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map. The applicant is requesting that  Lot 1, Block 1, Presbyterian Homes at Cobblestone Lake, which encompasses approximately 2.8 acres of Outlot E, all of Outlot F, and approximately 1.72 acres of Outlot G,  be designated “HD” ; and Outlot A, Presbyterian Homes at Cobblestone Lake, which consists approximately 1.72 acres of Outlot E and two acres of Outlot  G, be designated “P”.  These designations would be consistent with the applicant’s development proposal and approval of the rezoning, subdivision, and site plan review/building permit authorization and are contingent on first receiving approval of Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map re-designations.

A public hearing for this development proposal was held before the Planning Commission on April 20, 2016.  It is the normal policy for the Planning Commission not to act on an item the night of a public hearing.  The petitioner asked that the Commission act on the Comprehensive Plan request due to its approval process that can include  a 60-120 day timeline for review by the Metropolitan Council.  By moving this forward to the City Council and hopefully on to the Metropolitan Council while they work on the issues related to the items in their request could save them a minimum of 30 days with their entitlements. 

The Planning Commission voted unanimously (6-0) to recommend that the City Council submit the proposed amendments to the 2030 Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map to the Metropolitan Council.  The Planning Commission will review the project's rezoning, platting, and site plan review/building permit authorization requests at their May 4, meeting.

It should also be noted that Apple Valley Park and Recreation Advisory Committee reviewed the change to the location of the park property at their March meeting.  They had no outstanding issues with the relocation of the park land as long as there was no change to the amenities slated in that area, which will include at a minimum a surface parking lot, picnic shelter, and bathrooms.

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The City received an $896,000 Livable Communities Demonstration Account (LCDA) grant in 2011, of which $598,000 is to be used for land acquisition and utility construction for the continuum of care facility, and $298,000 for Cobblestone Lake public park improvements. Terms of the grant required that the funds be used by the December 31, 2014, which did not happen. The City did apply and received a two-year extension that will expire December 31, 2016.