LAKE JONATHON FLATS NARRATIVE June 7, 2016 BACKGROUND AND PROJECT OBJECTIVES The proposed Lake Jonathon Flats project will provide Chaska with an upscale residential apartment complex close to everyday conveniences and within a beautiful setting that integrates itself with the existing trails and woodlands. The property s natural attributes and nearby retail amenities make a residential the highest and best use of the property. Presently, the beautiful view of Lake Jonathon is underutilized as a parking lot. A commercial development, which is abundant in this portion of Chaska, would similarly not maximize the natural attributes of the site. As envisioned, Lake Jonathon Flats would be a welcoming place to live, promoting an active and healthy lifestyle, which will allow Chaska to continue to promote and realize its vision as The Best Small Town in Minnesota. In addition to the construction of the multifamily residences, the project will include the relocation of the Dairy Queen restaurant from its present site to the new location shown on the site plan. Dairy Queen has been a member of the Chaska community for over fifteen years and has a strong desire to stay in the community after its lease expires for its current location. The proposed multi-family residential and small commercial development allow Dairy Queen to achieve its goal while adding to the attractive housing stock available for the residents of Chaska. THE PROPERTY The proposed Lake Jonathon Flats will occupy approximately 2.8-acres of the total 3.9-acre parcel located directly to the west of North Chestnut Street/Highway 41 and north of County Road 14 (Pioneer Trail). The site is immediately north of the Jonathon Square retail center, and south of the Highland Shores luxury apartments. The property currently includes a level parking lot that formerly served the Crossroads Medical Center. EXISTING CONDITIONS The property consists of paved parking and green space situated along the eastern shore of the 21-acre Lake Jonathon. The site offers beautiful and unobstructed views to and across Lake Jonathon. The northern tip of the property, which is wooded, is and will continue to be preserved under a Forest Preservation easement and provides a natural buffer between Lake Jonathon Flats and the Highland Shores development. The topography of the property slopes down from Highway 41 to the lake, making underground parking not only attractive but also easier to construct. A city-owned path meanders along the shores of Lake Jonathon and connects the property to downtown Chaska. DESCRIPTION OF LAKE JONATHON FLATS Lake Jonathon Flats will contain approximately 117 luxury apartment units in a four story structure with a variety of modern floor plan designs including a mixture of studio, one and two bedroom units. There will be two levels of underground parking along with surface parking which will provide approximately
1.5-stalls of parking per unit for the entire project. Green space has been maximized by preserving the wooded area to the north, the trail along the lake, and the inclusion of outdoor patios that enhance community interaction amongst the residents. Because the proposed complex is not large in scale, the residential units will be easily absorbed with the current rental property demand in the community. Lake Jonathon Flats will be a luxury, market-rate residential community offering its residents a wide array of amenities within the units themselves as well as within the overall complex. Some of the site and project amenities include: a unique gathering area on a roof top patio; main level outdoor patio with grilling facilities; and a lake shore dock with a direct connection to the existing Chaska trail system. The residential unit amenities will include: walk-in closets, high-speed internet, hardwood floors, premium countertops, in-unit washer and dryers, kitchen islands and balconies to mention a few. The target resident of Lake Jonathon Flats will be the empty nester as well as Millennials, those that are renting by choice because of their lifestyle and are seeking more amenities from an apartment residences. ARCHITECTURE The serpentine layout of the proposed Lake Jonathan Flats reflects the existing site conditions and follows the ridge of the site overlooking Lake Jonathan, and in doing so half of the apartment units will have views of the lake. All residents will have access and views from either a rooftop deck or patio on the west side of the building. Access to the lake is available from the patio via a private walk which connects to the public trail around the lake. Also proposed is access to a proposed new public dock on the lake from the trail, and residents will have the option for the storage of small watercraft (canoe, kayak, paddle board) at the bottom of the private walk. The main entry for the apartments is off the eastside surface parking lot and through a stylized urban "Flat" apartment facade constructed of "Chaska" brick. Corner features also incorporate the use of the town's namesake brick as accents, the patio area will also feature the same brick in its landscaping. The balance of the building's exterior brick is of a contrasting color and will be complementary to the adjacent Jonathan Square. Additionally cementitious siding is used in two colors and styles for the balance of the upper story facade finishes. Aluminum hang balconies are used throughout the project and will project from the building's facade. Windows are in a dark bronze color and include both sliding doors to balconies and large fixed and awning window arrangements for each apartment. The lower garage levels establish the buildings foundation and consists of PC panel with a form-liner textured finish of stone. Please see exhibit drawings for the exterior building material percentages. The main entry lobby will feature "hotel" style features of multiply seating areas with either a fireplace or water as a focal point. Large west facing windows provide a connection to the lake, views of the patio and access to the lower level party room adjacent to the patio. Mail room and package pick up are off the lobby and are centrally located. Additional first floor common area space includes a fitness room, offices & conference room.
Unit mix includes a balance of studios, one & two bedroom units. Two bedroom units generally take advantage of both the inside and outside corners of the building and provide for unique floor plan layouts. Some units will have bonus space for dens or dining areas in their layouts. See exhibit drawings for unit mix and layouts. Services for the building trash collection/recycling arrives through chutes to a central location on the G1 level of the parking garage. Pick up day will have dumpsters transferred to a pick up spot at the NE corner of the building along the site's private N/S drive. Additionally along this drive is a pullout for move in/out activities. SITE PLAN AND ACCESS The property will be accessed from Highway 41 and Pioneer Trail from an internal frontage road that currently serves the property and which is in a driveway easement for that purpose. As shown on the site plan the site has multiple connection points to the frontage road and another connection point to the shopping center to the south for site connectivity. The property will be subdivided into two lots with parking lots shown for each use. The apartment site includes two levels of below-ground parking for its residents. GRADING AND DRAINAGE The proposed apartment site has been designed to work with the existing topography and provide views of the lake on the west side of the property. The ground in front of the apartment will sit below the highway and current frontage as the site steps down to the lake. The west side of the site further drops down to the lake and there has been an outdoor patio incorporated into the first garage level to take advantage of the western site slopes. Similarly the ground elevation of the proposed Dairy Queen site will sit below the highway but in close elevation proximity to the frontage road. In order to reduce the grading limits and to preserve trees on the north side of the site, a retaining wall will be constructed for the drive lane that leads to the below-ground parking garages. A retaining wall will also be constructed on the west side of the property facing the lake to support the patio and to partially hide the lowest floor garage. There will also be a retaining wall on the south side of the building to help accommodate the sidewalk/trail leading down to the lake. The site presently drains south and west in storm sewer and overland towards Lake Jonathan. As part of previous site development, a water quality pond was constructed adjacent to the lake. Similar to the existing site, drainage from the proposed project will be directed by new and existing storm sewer into the water quality pond. To provide additional stormwater rate control and water quality improvement, the proposed project will include a below-ground stormwater vault within the apartment parking lot. Typical erosion control measures such as perimeter erosion control fence, rock entrance drives and protection of existing
stormwater systems will be employed during the construction period to protect the lake and reduce erosion and sedimentation. In addition, regular sweeping, temporary seeding and prompt site restoration will be incorporated into the project activities and schedule. SITE UTILITIES The site presently has basic utilities available to serve the proposed apartment building and Dairy Queen site. There is presently a sanitary sewer main and a watermain within easements serving the property that will need to be modified to serve the two new buildings. There is also gas and electric utilities to the project site. Those services may also need to be modified to meet the demand of the new buildings. LANDSCAPING The site will be planted with native and acclimatized plant material to tie the site into the existing surroundings from which it sits. Vegetation will planted to maintain visibility of Lake Jonathan for the future residents of Lake Jonathan Flats and will accent entrances around the building. There will be a mixture of large deciduous trees, evergreen trees, ornamental trees, and an assortment of shrubs, grasses, and perennials planted throughout the site. STATEMENT RESPONSES Lake Jonathon Apartments, LLC is submitting plans and information in support of a PUD Amendment/Rezoning, Preliminary Plat and Site Plan Revie. The intended use of the property is for both a commercial/retail building (Dairy Queen) and a Class A multi-family luxury apartment residence building. The City s approval of the overall project should be based on the enhancement of the overall existing Jonathon Square shopping center area, with the addition of the new Dairy Queen restaurant with improved access, abundant queuing for the drive=thru and outdoor dining area. The multi-family building provides a transition for the other multi-family buildings to the north and takes a marginal commercial site and makes it a Class A location for housing with great views of Lake Jonathon and the adjacent scenic easement. The Lake Jonathon Flats building is welcoming from the street in that it is segmental in its appearance and will be viewed as sections and not as a whole because of its serpentine layout. The main entry uses Chaska brick and ties the flats to the community where people come in contact with the building. Additionally, the patio area overlooking the lake will make use of the same brick providing the apartment community with a gathering space tied to the City of Chaska. The entry sequence for residents and guests to Lake Jonathon Flats through the hotel style lobby with views of the lake provide both internal and external connections and opportunities to mingle with fellow residents or nature. Externally, the public can move between the lake trail and top of the hill by a new walk and stair along the south property. Light pollution will be held to a minimum with the use of down cast LED fixtures with the option of diming and will meet city standards.
At this early stage, we are also exploring the following possible sustainable initiatives: recycling, reduction of light pollution, building envelope design, cool roofs and shading devices.