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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/29/2017 Special MeetingApple VaIIey NOTICE: The Apple Valley Planning Commission will hold a special informal meeting at the Municipal Center, on Wednesday, November 29, 2017, at 7:00 PM to consider the items listed in the following agenda: Meeting Location: Municipal Center 7100 147th Street West Apple Valley, Minnesota 55124 November 29, 2017 SPECIAL INFORMAL PLANNING COMMISSION TENTATIVE AGENDA 7:00 PM 1. Call to Order 2. Discussion Items A. Review of Community Context and Land Use Chapters of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan 3. Adjourn Regular meetings are broadcast, live, on Charter Communications Cable Channel 180 and on the City's website at www.cityofapplevalley.org Apple„ ITEM: PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING DATE: SECTION: 2.A. November 29, 2017 Discussion Items Description: Review of Community Context and Land Use Chapters of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan Staff Contact: Thomas Lovelace, City Planner Department / Division: Community Development Department Applicant: City of Apple Valley Applicant Date: ACTION REQUESTED: N/A 60 Days: Project Number: PCI7-06-P 120 Days: SUMMARY: Attached for your review is the final draft of the Community Context chapter and the first draft of the Land Use chapter of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan update. The Community Context chapter update involved review by the consultant and staff of existing and past planning documents, and review and analysis of the City's data as provided by the Metropolitan Council. The outcome of this analysis is documented in the chapter which describes the current characteristics of the City and how it has changed, both physically and demographically. The data in the draft chapter illustrates the characteristics and context of the City and the change over time. As stated in its introduction, the Land Use chapter lays the foundation for the 2040 Comprehensive Plan update and provides the framework for guiding land use to achieve the City's vision for future development. The draft Land Use chapter consists of the following components: • The Land Use Goals and Policies, which describes objectives the City seeks through implementation of the Land Use Plan as well as other elements of the Comprehensive Plan. • The 2040 Land Use Plan Map, which shows the land use assigned to each parcel. • The description of Land Use Categories that further explain the Land Use Plan by describing the land use depicted on the Map. • The Focus Areas, which describes the details of land use plans for key parts of the city. Staff has included a copy of the Vision chapter of the 2030 Comprehensive Plan to use as a reference when reviewing the draft Land Use chapter. Contained within that chapter are the following 11 keys: 1. Sustainable 2. Livable 3. Business Oriented 4. Employment Focused 5. Safe 6. Play and Preserve 7. Healthy and Active 8. Accessible 9. Successful Downtown 10. Learning 11. Service Please note that there will be some minor changes to those keys in the 2040 Plan. These changes will be as follows: 1. Service 2. A Great Place to Live 3. Business Oriented and Employment Focused 4. Safe 5. Parks to Experience 6. Healthy and Active 7. Sustainable 8. Accessible 9. Successful Downtown 10. Exceptional Learning 11. A Community for a Lifetime And finally, during your review please reference the following priorities that were gathered from the November 15, Sustainability Planning Commission work session: • Energy profile baseline — Great Plains Institute • GreenStep Cities Step 4 and 5 metric reporting (multi-year) • Electric Vehicle work plan for a 3rd ring suburb (Dakota Electric) • Energy Conservation; residential and commercial • Surface water (or stream) monitoring and improvement • Storm water management (rain gardens, public infrastructure at public and school property; explain city program responses • Recycling (the 4 city Dakota Recycling consortium) • "Resilience" in an energy conservation and sustainability sense • Address topics in 2040 Comprehensive Plan • LED Street lighting • Fleet vehicle management BACKGROUND: N/A BUDGET IMPACT: N/A ATTACHMENTS: Background Material Background Material Background Material Introduction Planning for the future does not start on a clean slate. The future will be built on the foundation of Apple Valley, as it exists todayThe commu- nity has evolved over time, shaped by a variety of geoRnsphic, economic, and sociodemographic faotora, as well as historical planning decisions. A clear understanding of these influences provides the context for planning decisions now and in the It is impossible to plan without a careful exam- ination of the physical, damogrephic, social and economic characteristics of the community. What characteristics exist today and how are they likely to change over the course of this plan? Do these characteristics point to potential public actions through the Comprehensve Plan? The Communi- ty Context provides information needed to answer these questions. Location Apple Valley lies in Dakota County in the souther portion of the seven -county Twin Cities Metropoli- tan Area, The community is located approximately 20 miles from downtown Saint Paul and 20 miles from downtown Minneapolis, and 13 miles from the Minneapolis -St. Paul lnternationalAirport. This location is ideal for residents who want to enjoy the amenities of the Twin Cities but prefer a more suburban lifestyle. Two major regional highways, I -35E and Cedar Avenue/Minnesota Trunk Highway 77 (MNTH 77), connect Apple Valley with employment cen- ters and amenities throughout the metro region. These highways also provide local businesses with excellent access to customers, emp|oyeae, and shipping. Figure 3.1 shows the Iocation of the City relative to the regional system of highways and outdoor recreation areas, Regional Planning Designation Apple Valley is designated as a Suburban commu- nity in the Twin Cities' regional plan. Thrive MSP 2040. Apple Valley is typical of a suburban com- munity in that it experienced primary development in the 1980o and 1890a. Following this growth, Apple Valley is approaching buikjout, but many opportunities remain for redevelopment. Similarly, the future roadway network is largely in place. Fu- ture transportation investments will primarily focus on continued maintenance and adaptive improve- ments to manage travel demand. Understanding Apple Valley's suburban context is key to devel- oping the and use plan, transportation plan. and other elements of the Comprehensive Plan. Historic Context The 2040 Comprehensive Plan update is part of an ongoing process of community planning in Ap- ple ValleyLand use management predates the incorporation of Apple Valley in 1974The Leba- non Township Board adopted the first zoning or- dinance in 1954 and formed the initial Planning CITY OFAPPLE VALLEY/2040Comprehensive Plan Update OWO Valley Commission in 1982. The first comprehensive plan was prepared in 1972 and used a new town" concept of seven residential neighborhoods sup- ported by village centers and the downtowri area. The 1R78Land Use Plan responded tothe require- ments ofthe1878PN*gmpo|itanLandP|ennmgAot The 1979 Land Use Plan was originally established as a flexible guide oriented towards a pattern of development that emphasized the downtown area. However, through the amendment proceaa, nu- merous land use designations were created, espe- cially in the business and institutional cstegories, that tended to defeat the emphasis on flexibility. The 1979 Plan was quite specific in defining the types of business planned for each parcel. The specificity of the approach took on a regulatory ap- proach rather than a planning approach. The Comprehensive Plan was updated in 2000 (2020 Plan) and again in 2009 (2030 Plan). The 2030 Plan has served as the development guide for Apple Valley since it was adopted in 2009. Over the past fifty years, Apple Valley has trans- formed from a rural township to a city of more than 50,000 people. The remainder of this Historic Context section examines key tnanda, past plans, and recnt development that frame the issues that must be considered in planning for the next twenty years. Other sections of the Community Context chapter provide more detailed information about the demographic and physical characteristics of 3-1 Figure 3.1- Apple Valley Location IRESTiow Legend [71 Cities and Townships Regional Highways Regional Parks Lakes and Rivers Airport Al' Eden Pli Chanhassen Hopkins , MM. j_Fark 494 100 !IilErfiriiiimormwooriiIEF LA Minneapolis IFINwk 11111111EAFAMP 111 ill111111.111 St -Paul Richfield WWI 1442111111111111111 MN= IJ Bloomirr31111 1111111 NIP • v MI Lilydale West St. Paul 111111111111 Sunfish Lake -- 1SkiI arstitiVI z rAlmat 13 111 Eagan Up& !VII Shakopee Burn ville Savage 0 1 2 Prior -Lake Lakeville Apple.Valley Rosemount1111 Empire Twp. CITY OF APPLE VALLEY 12040 Comprehensive Plan Update Apple „ Valley 3-2 Current Trends Population Growth While Apple Valley has grown steadily over the past fifty years, the amount of population growth dropped in each decade from 1970 to 2010. At the 2010 Census, Apple Valley's population was 48.O84.enincrease of3557from 20OOBy2O2O. the population is forecasted to grow to 55.500. an increase of 8.418 residents. The Metropoli- tan Council forecasts slower growth from 2020 to 1etropo|i'tanCounoilfonaoeaYaa|owergrowthfrom2O28to 2040. the planning horizon for this update of the Comprehensive Plan. The population is forecast- ed to grow to 83.800 by 2040` with growth aver- aging around 400 residents per year over the next ver-agmgaround4OOreaidenLsperyeoroverihenex1 two decades. Figure 3.2 shows historical and forecasted growth. Apple Valley is forecasted to add 14,000 residents by 2040. Population growth and housing development go hend'in'hand. Figure 3.3 shows annual new housing starts, based on building permit data from the State of the Cties Data Systems (SOCOS) for the period 2006 to 2015. This chart makes sever- al important points about residential development trends in Apple Valley: ~ 1.214new housing units were built from 2OO6 to 2015. The pace of development slowed considerably from the previous period. (The 2O3OPlan reported 7'S94new units from 1888 to 2007) The effect of the national housing Figure 3.2 Population and Households in Apple ValIey 70,000 60,000 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 o CO CO r4 00 en CO .160 0 Lin tri in 8 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2015 2020* 2030* 2040* Source: DeeennaI Census. 2015 ACS.Metropolitan Council Forecasts Figure 3.3 Annual Housing Units Perniitted by Apple Valley 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 1111 0 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 niSingle-Famity Detached MuItifamIy (3 units or rnore) Townhomes (single-family attached) -1o"p/e" Sourcemetrop knanco"nnn CITY OF APPLE VALLEY 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update Valley 3-3 bubble and subsequent recession is evident beginning in the late 2000s. ~ 43% of the units were single family, 4% were multi -family structures wtth 3-4 unts, and 53% were multi -family structures with five or more units. • Traditional single-family detached homes rep- resent 22% of total development since 2000. However, annual demand for new singe-famiy homes was steady from 2000-2015. ~ Similarly, sngIe-farniIy attached homes (town - homes) represent 23% of total development since 2000. However, nearly all townhome construction occurred in the early 2000s. With this initial burst of townhome supply, the local Figure 3-4 Total Permit Value for Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional Projects $40,000,000 $35,000,000 $30,000,000 s25,000,000 $20,000,000 $15'000'000 $zo'000'000 $5,000,000 1 1 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 housing market appears to have shifted awa Source: Metropolitan Council from further townhome development. The City has egood mix ofhousing styles with a core of sing!e-fami!y detached neighborhoods and newer townhomes and apartments. WhUe these trends do not determine futurere hous- ing davelopmont. they lead to important ques- tions. What pace of new housing development can be expected in the short-term and the long-term? How can Apple Valley best encourage an appro- priate mix of new housing options? How does housing influence the characteristics of the future population? acommerc^| Industrial Public and Institutional Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional Development Another means of describing recent development trends comes from the value of new construction reported by building permits. Figure 3.4 shows the reported value of all building permits forcom- meroia|. indumtria|, and institutional from 2003 to 2015. Note that this chart does not express the number of establishments or the number/quality of jobs associated with investment. New construction of commercial, industrio, and institutional dipped during the recession, although redevelopment did continue to occur. Following the reuemokon, there has been steady develop- ment of new commercial, industrial, and ino1itu' CITY OF APPLE VALLEY 12040 Comprehensive Plan Update Valley tional facilities. • The permitted value for new oommercia|, in- dustrial, and institutional development aver- aged $16 7 million from 2003 to 2015, ranging ver-aged$1G7miUionfrom2003to2O1G.ranging from elow ofnodevelopment in2O11to$34.7 ^ Commercial deve|opmant, which includes businesses that provide goods and/or ser- vices, constituted 47% of the total investment in non-residential development since 2003. Commercial development occurred in every year but 2011 ^ Public and Institutional development constitut- ed 34% of total investment in non-residential development. Public uses, such as mchoo|a, porka, and public service faoUitioa, are fi' 3-4 nanced with public dollars. Institutional uses, including churches and hospitals, may not be. There has been sustained investment inpub- lic • Industrial development constituted 11% the total investment from 2003 to 2015. Indus- trial development did not occur as regularly as commercial or institutional development. Nevertheless, industria development is a vita component of the local economy, and invest- ment increased each year from 2013 to 2015, nveot-mentinonaasedeaohyearfrom2O13to2O15. following the recession. Tax Base New private development creates tax base. In 2015. according to the Dakota County Assessor, City property tax receipts totaled more than $68 million. Approximately $50 million was from resi- dential (single-family and apartments), $17 million sai-dentie|(mingle-familyondapartmento).$17miUion was from commercial, and just over $1 million was from industrial. Property Value Trends Protecting property values is a key goal of ur- ban planning. Understanding local property value trends heJpsjurrsdctions make informed decsions. For example, areas with Iow or declining property values may be opportunities for redevelopment –ortheymayindioate\ocatmnooffunotiomngaf- fordable housing that should be protected. Building Value as a Share of Total Property Value Figure 3.5 maps building value as a share of total property value for the entire City, using the esti- mated values for taxes payable in 2015. This ratio od'mehsdms\uasfortaxeepoyob|ein2O1G.Thiarado is intended to identify underutilized parcels that might be opportunities for redevelopment. (White areas on the map indicate parcels with suppressed data.) In general, the building value share of total property value is lowest in the following situations: • vacant lots • ots arge amounts of surface parking ^ parks and open space ^ lakes, wetlandsand stormwater ponds • low-income housing Some oream, such as parks and vve1|ando, pro- vide a valuable public function because they are undeveloped. Others, such as two mobile home areas located east and west of Minnesota Trunk Highway 77 (MN 77), provide affordable housing alternatives for Iow-income residents. Truly vacant or underutilized areas should be considered for redevelopment. Taxable Value per Square Foot Another way to visualize development efficiency is to divide total taxable value (building value plus lot value) by parcel area. Like the previous metric, total taxable value/parcel area is contingent on the use of the parcel, the total property value, and the intensity ofdevelopment. For example, the down- town foouoareanhoweanotiooab|yhigher\amab|e value per square foot than the surrounding resi- dential area—this is largely due to the concentra- tion of retail and related commercial businesses in onoentna'honofregaUendna|atmdoommeroia|businesoeain the area. However, some areas within downtown CITY DFAPPLE VALLEY |2O40 Comprehensive Plan Update Valley perform better than others from a tax -efficiency perspective. Figure 3.6 maps totataxable value per square foot of parcel area, for taxes payable in 2015' in the downtown focus area. The Shops on Galaxie has a taxable value greater than $3/square foo, as does the adjacent property, Vivo Kitchen, and Ecumen Seasons at Apple Valley, a senior hous- ing facility. The Wings Financial Credit Union on Glazier Avenue is taxed at approximately $2.99/ square foot. Meanwhile, the Super Target on Ce- dar Avenue a'darAvenue is taxed at $0.73/equere foot; Best Buy a\$O81/aquarefoot. From eparcel utilization standpoint, oommercio| properties that are developed at higher intensi— ties/densities perform better than properties that are developed at lesser intensities/derisities. One critical variable that influences tax efficiency (tax- able value tax'eb|eva|ue per square foot) is total property value/ square foot Clearly, higher -value properties pro- vide more total tax revenue. Hovvover, the most efficient developments are those that have a high property value per square foot, and therefore a higher taxable value per square foot. Parcel size is also a critical determinant. Once commercial parcels approach 4-5 acres (approx- imately 200'000 square feet), it is nearly impossi- ble to achieve mpooa,'b1etoeohieve a taxable return than $1 per square/ foot. This is because a large percentage of "big - box" development is devoted to perking and in- ternal vehicle circulation. Also, large commercial buildings tend to be single -story and permit only one use of the parcel. 3-5 Figure 3.5 - Building Value as a Share of Total Property Value 0 Building Value Share of Total Property Value Less than 1O.0% 10.1% to 25.0% 25.1% to 50.0% 50.1% to 75.0% 75.1% to 90.0% El More than 90.0% Insufficient Data Source: Dakota County GIS 0 0.25 0,5 Miles 1II4 Coma/ring group. Inc NORTH CITY OF APPLE VALLEY 12040 Comprehensive Plan Update Apple Valley 3-6 Figure 3.6 - Taxable Value per Square Foot Total Tax Value per Parcel Area (SF) in Downtown Less than $0.25 $0.26 - $0.50 $0.51 - $1.00 $2.01 - $3.00 - More than $3.00 *For taxes payable for 2015, residential excluded Source: Dakota County GIS FLAG 0 0 1 0.2 0.3 �■■ Miles MINI A cAffituiling croup, Inc. NORTH FY OF APPLE 'VALLEY 12040 Comprehensive Plan Update App e, Val Y 3-7 Figure 3.7- 2030 Land Use Plan 2030 Land Use Plan Low Density Residential Medium Density Residential 11 High Density Residential 111 Commercial Mixed Use Mixed Business Campus Industrial Institutional Park and Open Space Private Recreation Right of Way Water LEBANON HILLS REGIONAL PARA' MINNESOTA ZOOLOGICAL GARIDENS VALLEYWOOD MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE 140TH ST W 0 0.25 0.5 MIMI= Mlles 114k Coniulling Group, Inc NORTH 160Th ST W 411111111111111LNIMI LAKEVILL CITY OF APPLE VALLEY 1 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update :al V.7 Apple Valley 3-8 2030 Plan The 2030 Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 2008. Figure 3.7 on page 3-8 shows the pattern of development and types of land use envisioned at that time. The 2030 Plan provides a frame of reference for viewing changes in the community since that pan was adopted. Recent Development The previous sections show broad trends for growth and deveopment. It is usefull to look inside these trends. Since 2000, a variety of actions have laid the foundation for future development. Cobblestone Lake In 2002' Tradition Development began construc- tion of Cobblestone Lake. This 323 -acre mas- ter -planned community lies in the southeast portion es'ter-p|annedoornmunity\iesiniheaoutheostpm1ion of the South Central Planning Area, Cobblestone Lake currently contains over 2.000 homes with varying styles and derisities. The commercial element of Cobblestone Lake took shape in2OO7.The master plan for the com- mercial ansaoontamedan18O.00Osquemafoo Su- per Target and four other buildings (26,400 square u'perTargetondfourotherbui|dmga(2G.4OOsquare feet). The Cobblestone Lake commercial area is located on the east side of Pilot Knob Road at 155th Street. This commercial district represents the first major commercial area not physically con- nected toLhedmwnkmvnarea. Development at Cobblestone Lake has contin- ued through 2017. A senior living facility, Orchard Path, is currently under construction at the wes entrance to the development, This complex will provide 193 units for senior residents. Central Village In December 2003, the City Council approved the "Central Village Plan". This plan established the development principles for a 60 -acre area focused around Galaxie Avenue and 1 53 Street. The Cen- Yra|ViUageindudenapproximate|y45O.00Ooquare feet of commercial/retail/office space and a mix of medium- and high-density housing types, includ- ing townhouses, condominiums no|ud'ing\ownhoueem.00ndomin/uma apartments, and senior -only dwelling units. In 2017. the Planning Commission approved a mixed-use senior housing cooperative with 58 units. The Parkside at Galante apartments on the southeast corner of Galaxie Avenue and 152nd Street W added 134 multi -family units to the city's housing stock. Infill development on Founder's Lane continues to take shape. The Central Village design plan was intended to promote a more dense, wa|kab|e, mixed-use en- vironment, which stands in contrastto the subur- bonauperblockaendpoweroenhano|ocatede|ong Cedar Avenue and County Road 42. However, there is room for improvemen1, as the Central ViUage design concept has not been as success- ful as hopedAs the commercial retail landscape CITY DFAPPLE VALLEY |2O4U Comprehensive Plan Update Top: The Shopon Galaxie; Middle: Multifamily apartments un- der construction on Gaaxie Avenue; Bottom: Senior Cooperative Housing and Mixed -Use is planned for the vacant parcel on Galax- ApPleattie, 3-9 continues to change, therwUt be opportunities to apply some concepts from the Central Village to the Downtown Focus Area. Chapter 4, Land Use, includes a series of Downtowri Design GudeIines that buiid on the successfui elements of the Cen- trai Cedar Avenue Improvements/BR-I After morthan a decade of planning, the Twin Cities metropolitan area's first bus rapid transit (BRT) line, the METRO Red Line, began operat- ing in 2013. This line provides station -to -station service between the Mali of the America and the Apple VaIley Transt station iocated at 155th Street and Cedar Avenue. This station includes park- ing deck, shelters for northbound and southbound riders, and an overhead skyway. Additionai stops were constructed at 140th and 147th Streets West. To facilitate the shoulder -running BRT system, Cedar Avenue was reconstructed o include a thru lane between 153mand 18O`" Streets, \n2O15.the Cedar Avenue Tranoitv«ayImplemen- tation PksnUpdate(|PU)wasoompleted.Thimpkan identifies a series of goals, evaluation measures, investment thnashcdds, and other progress indica- tors to help establish priorities for future transitway deve|opmen1through 2O40.Expansion ofthe Apple Valley Transit Station was programmed for Stage 2(2O15-2Q2O)Apork'and'hdecapacity expansion has been discussed for northern Apple Valiey or Eagan in Stage 4 (By 2040) Various bicycle and pedestrian improvemento, technological improve' r_ll~~ONIR „, Red Line transit station and walkway on Cedar Avenue. ments, and maintenance will occur over the Iife of this plan. One of the goals of the IPU is to enhance and promote transit -oriented developrnent that is com- patible with community goals and helps increase ridership." Apple Valley can leverage regional CITY OF APPLE VALLEY 12040 Comprehensive Plan Update transit investments by encouraging a dense mix- ture of residential and employment -based rede- velopment in the Cedar Avenue Transitway, but regional planning authorities also recognize that TOD implementation should occur on a scale that is compatible with the community's goals. To this Valley 3-10 end, the Future Land Use PIan identifies practical, suburbanHntensive" TOD strategies for the Cedar Avenue Transitway Planning Area. (See Chapter 4.) Kelly Park Area east of Galaxie Avenue Development activity has included the following multi -family apartment projects. ^ Parkside Village Gabeka. a 198 -unit market rate apartment building ^ Parkside Village, a 134 -unit market rate apart- ment building • Remington Cove and 11, 196 units of market rate apartments in two buildings. Senior Housing Development As its population ages, Apple VaHey has prioritized development of senior housing facilities. Numer- ous ongoing developments offer a varied living and affordability arrangements. In addition to the Zvago housing cooperative in the Central ViIlage, these developments nclude: ~ Legends, a hous;ng facility with 163 affordable units. ocated on the southeast corner of Ce darAvenue and l4Oth Street W. • Orchard Path, with 193 market -rate units, lo- cated at the west entrance to the Cobblestone Lake Development. Existing Land Use Apple Valley's physical setting forms the founda- tion of the Comprehensive Plan. Existing land use patterns influence the type and location of future development. Housing is the largest land use and a defining characteristic. Some key aspects of the existing land use pattern include: Low density residential is the dominanland use. Single-family detached housing occupies approximately 41% of Apple VaIleys total land area. ^ Comrnercial uses, inoluding retail, restaurants, and commercial offices/aervicooana primarily concentrated in the Downtown Focus Area, along the CedarAvenue and County Road 42 corridors. ~ Parks and open spaces are located through- oudthecommunityendino|udetheN1inneaota Zoo. Lebanon Hills Regional Park, and Ve|' leywood Golf Course. Between the zoo. golf oounsee, and numerous parks, Apple Valley maintains substantial acreages of for open space and recreation. These parks and recre- ation amenities are a point of community pride and a defining quality -of -life asset for the City. • The last large area of undeveloped land is the gravel mining area located in south central Apple Valley, which contains 413 acres. The Fischer mine is currently in operation and is expected to be reclairned for a variety of uses over the next several years ^ Other physical characteristics influence the CITY OF APPLE VALLEY 1 2040 Comprehensive PIan Update valley future growth and development of Apple Val- ley. The following elements are discussed in greater detail in other chapters of the plan: ^ Major streecorridors are an important factor in organizing land uses. Most high-volume commercial uses are located on higher clas- sification streets. such as arterials and collec- tors, which ensure that they are highly visible to customers and reduces through traffic on residential streets. (Transportation Chapter 8) ~ The extension of a regional sanitary sewer in- terceptor provides the capacity for land to be developed in southern sections of Apple Val- \ey(UtiUYios Chapter 9). ▪ The municipal water system provides safe drinking water and support for fire suppres- sion. (Utilities Chapter 9). Stormwater managemensystems are required to support development, but also become de- fining physical featres (storm water collection ponds are among the more notable physical ~ Parks, Trails and Open Space (Chapter 7) in- fluence the form of development and the qual- ity of life in Apple Valley. ^ Public objectives for Economic Development and Redevelopment (Chapter 6) influence the use of land for commercial and industrial pur- poses. As existing land uses grow older, the need for reinvestment and the opportunity for redevelopment will increase. 3-11 Figure 3.8 - Existing Land Use rw Existing Land Use 2017 Rural Residential Low Density Residential Medium Density Residential High Density Residential Mobile Home Park 1111 Commercial y#:, Mixed Use Indus tri a I Public and Institutional Park and Open Space di Private Recreation Utilities Sand and Gravel Agricultural Vacant Water Right of Way 4.E8ANON AMON& PARX VALLEYWOOD MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE Forquer Lake 0 0.25 0.5 RINI Comuifing Group. Inc. NORTH 111111111111111111111111.11111 Cabbiesle.e Lake CITY OF APPLE VALLE,' 12040 Comprehensive Plan Update Apple„ Valley 3-12 Table 3.1 - Existing Land Use, 2016 LAND USE ACRES PERCENT Agricultural 20 0.2% Rural Residential 30 0.3% Low Density Residential 4.470 40 0% Medium Density Residential 576 5.1% High Density Residential 260 2.3% Manufactured Housing Park 108 1.0% Commercial , 504 4.5% Mixed Use . 21 . 0.2% Industrial 231 2.1",<, Sand and Gravel ' 413 3.7% Public/Institutional 490 4.3(A Park, Open Space, Golf Course 32 0.3;U Private Recreation 1,743 15.4% Utilities 7 i 0.1% Vacant 65 0.6% Right -of -Way 2,031 18.0% Water and Ponding' 275 2.4% Total 11,2752 100_0% 1. Water calculations are based on parcel lines, not wetland in- ventory data. The actual acreage of water features is greater than indicated. The land use calculations reflect gross acreage. not net developed/developable acreage given actual wetland area. 2. The total City area is 11.181 acres. The discrepancy is due to the clip- ping method that was used to extract city parcels from the Dakota County dataset. Figure 3.8 shows a snapshot of land use in 2017. The map uses an interpretation of prop- erty tax data to determine existing land use. The purpose of this map is not to precisely specify the use of each parcel, but to illustrate the overall pattern of development. Table 3.1 contains the estimated area in each land use category. Aggregate Resources Municipalities must consult the Minnesota Geolog- ical Survey, Aggregate Resources Inventory of the Seven -County Metropolitan Area for the location of identified aggregate resources. The extraction of aggregate resources and the reclamation of mining areas has been a defining characteristic of Apple Valley. The last remaining aggregate mining site in Apple Valley is Fischer Sand and Aggregate mine located south of County Road 42. The 2009 Comprehensive Plan identified this site for rede- velopment, with a focus on establishing new job opportunities on a "mixed -business campus.'' Por- tions of this area shown as a "Sand and Gravel" on the Existing Land Use Map, is being reclaimed and redevelopment planning is under way. Devel- opment of this site will occur in stages as mining is phased out. Reclamation of the Fischer Sand and Gravel Mine is a significant economic development opportunity. Housing Housing comprises most of the land area in Ap- ple Valley, accounting for more than 48% of the existing land use. Housing shapes the form and character of the community. It influences who lives CITY OF APPLE VALLL 12040 Comprehensive Plan Update Ape Iley Figure 3.9 - Growth by Housing Type 12,000 10,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 0 (.., 6' lp --bliict.6 -,.. rA co r•4 0 rq iN .-,:..c, iz, " c),)0 \,. '('. o'c, .,,, . li 1 4z. NSib. •2000 u2015 Source: 2000 Census, 2015 ACS in Apple Valley today and in the future. Accord- ing to the Census, there was net growth of 3,389 housing units from 2000 to 2015, a 20% increase. Figure 3.9 illustrates this growth for different types of housing, including single-family attached, sin- gle-family detached, and multi -family buildings of various sizes. Housing Types Single-family detached housing is the most corn - 3 -13 mon type of housing in Apple Valley. Nearly 53% of all existing housing in 2015 was single-family detached housing. This type of housing is occu- pied by a single family and is not physically con- nected to any other housing unit. However, the housing supply 5 becoming more diverse, and the share of single-family detached housing contin- ues to decline due to an increase in higher den- o\Yy multi -family development. In 1900 68% of the City's housing stock consisted of single-family detached housing. In 2000. that share was 61%, and in 2015. it was down to 52%. Single-family attached homes (townhomes) and apartment structures/senior housing with 10 or more units accountfor 94% ofthe housing stock growth.Most multi -family growth is attributed to apartment fa- cilities with 10 units or more. From 2000 to 2015, there was a net increase of 1.208 dwellings in multi -family structures containing 10 or more units. The share of this housing type increased from 9% ofthe overall housing stock to 14%. The housing supply contains a mix of architectural styles. Newer single-family housing is most com- monly a two-story design. Houses that are two or more stories represent 32% of all units. Near- ly 40% aar-|y4O96 of homes are "split level" style. Split-level and multi -story homes may not be suitable for old- er residents wishing to age in place. The median finished size forApple Valley homes is 2,122 square feeOver the last several decades, the trend has been towards increasing square footage. While larger homes are desirable today, it is important to ensure a variety of home sizes and Figure 3.10 - Housing Tenure 12,000 10,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 o ce eb 0 � � .. Source: 2015 ACS Own Rent floor plans to continue to improve the fiexibility and affordability of Apple VaIleys housing stock. Fig- ure 3.11 ig'urm311 an page 3-15 illustrates various dwelling types in Apple Valley. Housing Tenure Most housing in Apple Valley is owner -occupied; however, the share of renter -occupied housing units is increasing. The 2000 Census reported that 87% occupied housing units were owner- oc-cupied. The 2015 ACS estimates that 78% of CITY OF APPLE VALLEY 2040 ComprehensivePlan Update Applen Vaiiey occupied housing is owner -occupied. This rep- resents a significant change and is consistent with ep'namentsasignifimantnhsmgeandiaoonoistartvvith the ncrease in multiple -family and attached hous- ing that took place between 2000 and 2015. This trend has continued through 2017, with more than 1.000 additional multi -family units either planned or under construction. Rental housing is provided primarily by multi- ple -family structures. More than 55% of rental housing was in structures with 10 or more units. Approximately 26% of rental housing was sin- gle-family attached units. Approximately 1096 of rental units were single-family detached. Since 2009' approximately 1,300 multi- family dwelling units have been added to Apple VaIleys housing stock, which has increased the percentage of rent- er -occupied housing in the city. Figure 3.10de- picts houaingtenuneinApp|eVaUey. Age of Housing Stock The age of the housing stock is a useful planning statistic. It is one indicator of historic growth pat- terns. It is also a useful guide for future housing maintenonoeneods.Aahoua1ngogea. it requires reinvestment to retain its value and integrity. Figure 3.12 on page 3.16 illustrates the age of Ap- ple Valley's housing stock by decade of construc- tion. Over half of all housing units are more than 30 years old. According to Dakota County property tax data, 52% of all housing units (through 2016) were bullt prior to 1987. These units are primarily 3-14 JOHNNY CAKE RIDGE RD Figure 3.11- Dwelling Types Dwelling Type Single Family Residential IIIITownhouse Twin Home Apartment Duplex 11 Assisted Living Manufactured Housing Source: Dakota County GIS 0 0.25 0.5 cmtin CtouP• In. NORTH gl 1 ASN 11E1 GALAXIE AVE dis 150Tli ST W DIAMOND PATH Y OF APPLE VALLE-1 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update Apple„ Valley 3-15 Figure 312- Age of Housing Stock Year Structure Built Prior to 1971 1971 - 1980 1981 - 1990 • 1991 - 2000 • 2001 - 2010 • 2011 2016 *Residential Properties Source: Dakota County GIS 0 0.25 0,5 Miles C On. Eti G p. 1111111111161 CITY OF APPLE VALLEY 1 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update Apple„ Valley 3-16 Growth Forecasts Growth trends and projections are critical ele- ments of the Comprehensive Plan. Historic trends le'mentsoftheCompnmhensiveP|an.H)storiotnandu describe how current conditions evolved and may offer insights about future development. Looking to 2040. Apple Valley wiU continue to grow as a place to live. work and shop. Projections of future development determine the demand for and, the need for infrastructure and municipal services. Metropolitan Council Forecasts Future growth is a critical consideration in updat- ing Apple Valley's Comprehensive Plan. The Com- prehensive pdat-ingApp|aValley'aCompnahenaivoP|anTheCom- pnahenawe Plan relies on the most recent fore- casts made by the Metropolitan Council. Table 3.2 ore+castsmedebytheN1etropo|itanCounoiiTab|e3.2 contains popu|ation, household and employment forecasts for 2020, 2030 and 2040 with compari- sons toactual totals for 2OOQand 2O1O These forecasts show Apple VaIleys population n - creasing by more than 13.000 people (30%) from 2010to2040. Growth is anticipated to be steady, ranging from 400 to 600 persons per year. The Census data implies that average household size was 2.60 in 2010. The forecast assumes that average household size will remain steady, de- clining slightly to 2.55 persons per household by 2040. Metropolitan Council has revised its previous forecast to project aslower rate of job growth in Apple Valley, The updated forecast anticipates an Table 3.2 - Council Growth Forecasts / YEAR . POP HH EMP 2000 45�27 1GJ44 | 12'1O3 2010 49084 ^ 18.875 14,279 202055,500 —!— z1.7OO 15800 2030 ���0 � 2�30O 184OU 2040 _ | 83,600 --_ 24.900 17'100 'Metropolitan Council Forecast increase of2.821jobs from 2010 to 2040, or 20% growth. This rate of job growth is slower than the rate ofpopulation growth. |n2O18.there were O.2B ]obsparperson: that ratio is expected to dectine to 0.27 jobs per person in 2040. Most job growth in Apple Valley is forecasted to occur by 2020. This forecast may need to be revised following refine- ment and approval of a development plan for the Fischer Sand and Aggregate mining area. Forecasting for any local jurisdiction is a chal- lenge. The Metropolitan Councils forecasts were made with the best available data, One benefit of the forecasts is that they are rooted in a region- al socioeconomic model. Thus, they account for regional economic factors that are anticipated to exercise general effects throughout the metropol- Future growth will be supported by new development, infill, and redevelopment itan area. The level of uncertainty associated with the fore- casts forApple Valley is tempered by geographical CITY OF APPLE VALLEY 1 2040 Comprehensve PIan Update Valley constraints. The city is unlikely to grow dramatical- k/ more than the forecasts given, simply because it is running out of available land for development. Future growth will be driven primarily by redevel- opment. Population growth will be primarily driv- en by migration. As the metropolitan area grows outward, Apple Valley will have the advantage of being a suburb that is closer to Minneapolis and GL Paul than developing fringe oibea, centrally located within the southern suburbs. Therefore. it may be more likely to retain and attract residents who would prefer to avoid longer commute times. Nevertho|eos, no forecast is perfeot, and any number of uncertain rnacroeconomic factors could cause deviation from these forecasts. Looking ahead to 2040. a variety of factors wifl influence actual growth outcomes, including the following: ^ National economic and housing market con- ditions. ^ Local development of adequate housing, util- ities, and other infrastructure to support the ~ The cost and availability of energy. ~ Changing climate conditions that make the Twin Cities more or less favorable relative to other regions in the United States. ^ Competition from other oommunitiea, partic- ularly other communities in the Twin Cities metro, which encourages populations to vote with their feet." ~ Redevelopment 3-17 Note that some of these factors are related. An important element of implementing the Compre- hensive Plan will be to monitor these changes and ompne-henamep|anvviUbebzmonitortheueohangesand their implications for the future of Apple Valley. Local Housing Forecast A study of future housfttg needs in Dakota County provides insights on future development in Apple VaJley. In 2013, Maxfield Research Inc. prepared a Comprehensive Housing Needs Assessment for the Dakota County Community Development Agency. This study forecasts housing demand in two stages, from 2010-2020 and 2020-2030 The study breaks down demand for rented and own- er -occupied sing|e-fami|y, multi -family, and senior housing. Table 3.3 summarizes Apple Valley's forecasted housing demand for 2020-2030. The total forecasted demand for new units ranges from 2,170 to 2,408. This forecast is approximate- ly 50% higher than Metropolitan Council's fore- casted household growth for 2O2O-2O3O.which io 1,600 households. Commercial Retail Trends Apple Valley is thriving commercial hub. Commer cial development slowed during the recession but has since picked up although not quite to pre- re—cession levels. According to market studies by Maxfield Research Inc. there will be continued de- mand for commercial uses through 2030. The currenretail market does pose concern. The Table 3.3 Housing Demand Foroast, 2020`2030 Tenure Type Forecast Units Own Single-fam/ly 625-636 550-560 Senior Rent Market rate 590-610 Affordable 100-275 Senior market 100-115 Senior afford - 155 -162 Total, all units 2.170-2`408 Source: Dakota County HousinNeeds Assessment success of onhne shopping has greatly impacted brick -and -mortar retail. In early 2017, for example, there were more than 100 closures each by J.C. Penney, Smans, and Macys. The emerging model for successful brick -and -mortar retail is focused around delivering a unique shopping experience. Over the course of this plan, the City will likely be affected by the closure of one or more large retei|ens, with impacts to local emp|oymont, oon- aumption, and revenue generated by property and sales taxes. This would provide opportunities for infiU' adaptive reuse, and redevelopment. One of the intents of the future land use plan is to estab- lish a community vision and provide guidance for the City to capitalize on these opportunities when they occur. Demographic Characteristics A comprehensive plan focuses most closely on the physical aspects of community — land use, parks, streets, and utilities. Neverthe|osm, plan- ning must recognize that the physical and social aspects of community are intertwined. In fact, one of the primary goals of city government is to sus- tain/improve the hea|ih, safety, and welfare of the citizens of the community. The land use and built environment of a uornmuni\y influence a variety of mooia|, cultural, and economic characteristics, in- cluding ^ Household size and composition ^ Housing affordability ^ Availability of good local jobs ^ Work/housing balance and commuting trends Access to commodities and services • Places for iriteraction among residents • Community diversity In turn, the characteristics of the population influ- ence ~ Demands for goods and services ~ Demands for public services (public safety, reoroation, social services, education) ~ Economic capacity to support both private businesses and local government. CITY OFAPPLE VALLEY |2O40 Comprehensive Plan Update Applen 3-18 1111111111.111.1111111.1 27% Figure 3.13- Age Distribution 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 33% 36% 10% 13% 31% 1990 2000 2010 12% 14% 29% 2015 Under 18 • 18-34 35-54 •55-64 • 65 and Over ,Jrce:Decennial ensus, 2015 ACS Age of Population The characteristics of the Apple Valley's population are changing. In 1990, Apple Valley was a place pri- marily made up of families with children. Thirty-five percent (35%) of the 1990 population was under age 18 and only 7% of Apple Valley residents were 55 years of age or older, By 2015. the proportion of residents age 18 or younger had fallen to 18% while the share of residents aged 55 or over had grown to 26%. Figure 3.13 depicts the aging ofAp- 85 or over 80-84 75-79 70-74 65-69 6G-64 55-59 50-54 4.3% 45-49 3.5% 40-44 3.4% 35-39 30-34 25-29 20-24 15-19 10-14 4.1% 5-9 3.5% 2.4% 2.8% 3.3% 1.3% 0.4% • 0.5% 0.6% =Ill= 0.9% 0.7% ME 1.1% MEM= 1.7% 2.4% 4.0% 3.7% 2.9% 3.2% 2.8% 3.0% 3.4% 2.7% 3.4% 2.8% 111111111111111111 Less than 5 3.9% MnilIMIIMIIIMMI 2.9% 2.8% 3.2% 3.3% 4.5% 4.1% 5,0% 4.0% 3.0% 2.0% 1.0% 0.0% 1.0% 2.0% 3.0% 4.0% 5.0% Percent of Total Population Male Female Source: 2015 ACS ple Valley's population. Existing Cohort Composition Figure 3.14 shows the existing composition of Apple Valley's population, broken down by age and sex. The distribution is consistent for children CITY OF APPLE VALLEY 12040 Comprehensive Plan Update Apple Val ey through young adults. This shape corresponds to steady, but not rapid, growth in Apple Valley. There is a bulge for baby boomers focused around the age 50-54 cohort. This bulge will move toward the top of the pyramid over the timeline for this plan. There are more males than females for every co- hort under age 24. 3-19 Forecasted Age Composition The aging of the population will be one of the primary demographic trends over the life of this Comprehensive Plan. The State Demographer provides detailed population forecasts for each oounb/, broken down by age cohort. These fore- casts can be used to supplement the forecasts from Metropolitan Council, Figure 3.15 illustrates the change that is forecasted for each cohort in Dakota County. from 2015 to 2040. The height of the bars indicates percent change and the data la- bels indicate the total magnitude of the change. The State Demographer projects total population growth of 70514 for Dakota County. Growth in the cohorts aged 65 or over account for more than haf of this increase. The argestnet increase is for the age 70-74 oohort, which is projected to grow by 11325. This increase is accompanied by a decne in the number of individuals aged 45-54. Little growth is anticipated for the cohorts of children, youth. and teenagers. Because this projection is for Dakota County (pop- ulation 413,000), Apple Valley will experience only a fraction of the growth depicted. Nevertheless, the general trends for Dakota County are similar for Apple Valleyand the City will experience simi- |arimpootaaademandforgoodsandsamioeana- mpondsto1heneedaofohangingdemognaphios. While the overall population will grow older, it is more difficult to predict what this trend means for Figure 3.15 Forecasted Population Change by Age Cohort in Dakota County2015-2040 4,662 2,095 1,970 MUM -598 • 6,417 5,525 6,05/ --- 4,253 111 2,373 -3,205 420 3,049 6,708 10,240 11,325 5,847 8,563 -5,187 "s 5-9 10-14 15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45 -49s0 -54s5 -59s0 -64e5 -69r0 -74r5 -79a0-84 85+ Age Cohort Source: Minnesota State Demographer Apple Vailey. Several questions highlight the chal- lenge of forecasting the aging of Apple Valley's population: • How long will current baby boomer residents of larger single-family houses choose to stay in these homes? • Will more seniors opt to live alone, with family, or with peers? ~ Will seniors have fewer financial resources? If so, how does this affect the community? ~ Will Apple Valley offer the housing opions, physical chanacbahstics, infrastructure and services that attract seniors? These questions frame important elements of the CITY OF APPLE VALLEY 1 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update Valley 3-20 Household Size A household includes all the people who occupy a housing unit as their usual place of residence. Historical data shows that household size has de- creased each decade for fifty years. After decades of decline, the number of people living in each home is leveling off. In 1960, the Census reported that average household size in Apple Valley was 5.27 people. Fifty years later, the average house- hold size was reduced to 2.58 persons. The current estimate from the 2015 ACS is 2.56. The smaller household size is consistent with societal trends to- ward smaller families.The average household size in Apple Valley is now similar to the average house- hold size for Dakota County as well as to the rest of the metro. Figure 3.16 depicts average household size in Apple Valley. Figure 3.17 shows how the composition of households has changed over time. Household size has decreased steadily for 50 years. This trend is likely to continue with significant growth in the number of one- and two -person senior households. Other trends that are evident from the charts: • 71% of Apple Valley households are family households. This is down from 83% in 1990. • From 1990 to 2015, the share of households that included children under the age of 18 de- creased from 56% to 34%. • From 1990 to 2015, the share of households that consisted of a family with no children increased Figure 3.16 - Household Types 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% 49% 35% 26% " 23% 10% 5% 24% 7%' 1990 2000 2010 2015 • Unmarried family with kids • Non -family houshold Married family with kids t Live alone Family, no kids Source: 2015 ACS Race Racial diversity is increasing in Apple Valley. The 2000 Census reported that 91.8% of Apple Valley's population identified itself as white. The 2015 ACS estimates that 81.2% of Apple Valley's population identifies as white. The racial diversity of Apple Val- ley's 2015 population is similar to that of Dakota County, but less than the region as a whole. An important factor in understanding race data is CITY OF APPLE VALLEY 1 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update Apple Valley Figure 3.17 - Average Household Size 4.00 3.00 2.00 1.00 0.00 3.09 2.582.60 2562.58 532.50 1990 2000 2010 2015 Apple Valley — Dakota County Twin Cities Metro ource: eriial Census. 2015 Metropolitan CoulICH Estimate. the reporting of the Hispanic population. People who identify their origin as Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino are not classified as a separate racial cate- gory At the 2000 Census, 912 people were report- ed as Hispanic or Latino (of any race). The 2015 ACS estimates that 2,268 people are Hispanic or Latino. This represents 4.5% of the current popu- lation, and an increase of nearly 150% in the His- panic/Latino population from 2000. Figure 3.18 depicts the racial and ethnic composition of Apple Valley. 3-21 Income Income influences many aspects of community. Income provides the capacity to acquire housing and to purchase goods and services from local busnesses. Hgher incomes tend to correlate with better public school systems. Figure 3.19 shows median household incomes in Apple Valley, Da- kota County, and the Twin Cities metro. The val- ues in Figure 3.19 ai'ueainFiguna3.19 are reported in nominal terms — they have not been adjusted for inflation. The most important takeaway from the figure is that the average household income in Apple Valley is consistently higher than the average household income for Dakota County as well as the Twin Cit- ies metro. • The distribution of incomes provides addition- a|infomnotionobouttheaoonomioutamdingof the community: ^ 37.796ofhouseholds earn $10O`OOOurmore. • 7.196ofhouseholds earn $2OU.00Oormore. • 1O.3Y6ofhouseholds earn less than $26.00O Poverty To estimate the incidence of poverty, the Cen- sus defines a set of income thresholds based on household characteristics. These thresholds vary by the size of the household and the age of household membens, and are adjusted yearly for inflation. No distinction is made for geography and cost of Fiving.Thus, it is misleading to compare the poverty rates for areas with significantly different Figure 3.18 - Race and Ethnicity American Indian and Alaska Native alone, 0.17% Black o,African Amoncnamne 5.27% Asian alone, 5.02% Some other race alone, 0.02% Flispanic or Latino, 4.51% Native Hawaiian and Othe Pacific Islander alone, 0.01% Two or more races, 3.11% Figure 3.19 - Median Household lncome $100.0 $80.0 $60.0 $20.0 $50.0 '-$42.2 $36.6 1990 $69.8 $54.3 2000 2010 Apple Valley • Dakota County Twin Cities 2015 Source: Decennial Census, 2015 ACS CITY OF APPLE VALLEY 12040 Comprehensive Plan Update Valley 3-22 misleading to isolate one poverty statistic with no reference to trends over time. |nnMaad, it is useful to review historical poverty data to identify the ex- tent to which poverty is increasing or decreasing for a given community. It can also be helpful to compare poverty rates within a region if there is minimal variance in the cost of living. Historically, Apple Valley has relatively low levels of poverty, but poverty has increased in recent years. In 2000, 2.1% of the population reported in- comes below the poverty level. In 2010, the pover- ty rate was 5.2%. The current ACS estimate from 2015 shows that 7.5% of the population of Apple Valley is living below the poverty level. This is sim- ilarilar to the poverty rate for Dakota County (7.7%), but less than the poverty rate for the Twin Cities metro area (10.396) Figure 3.20 shows poverty trends over timeinclud- ing the percent of the population below the poverty |eve|, as well as the as the percentage of people earning 100-14896percent ofthmpovertythmeshold. and the percentage earning 150-185% of the pov- erty threshold. From 2010 to 2015, the poverty level ncreased while the percentage of individuals earn- ing 100'185% of the poverty threshold deorcaaed, a general indication that many individuals who were close to the poverty level in 2010 have now fallen below. Wage stagnation is one explanation for this trend. Educational Attainment The Census shows that Apple Valley residents are Figure 3.20 - Percent Poverty 16.0% 14.0% 12.0% 10.0% 8.0% 6.0% 4.0% 2.0% 0.0% 2.8% 3.6% 2.9% 1990 2000 2010 2015 Persons between 150% and 184% of pov^v • Persons betweenzmomand 14emorpoverty ▪ Persons below poverty level Source: Decennial Census, 2015 ,ACS increasingly well educated. From 1890 to 2015, the percentage of the population aged 25 or older that did not attend college decreased from 29.8% to 22.7%. Meanwhile, the percentage of the pop- ulation with a graduate or professional degree in- creased from 7.8% to 14.5% In 2015. 29396 of the population aged 25 or older had obtained a bachelor's degree and another 14.4 percent had obtained a graduate or professional degree, bring- ing the total percentage of adults with bachelor's degrees and beyond to over 43.7 percent. CITY OFAPPLE VALLEY !2D4U Comprehensive Plan Update Employment Employment touches many aspects of community life. Jobs provide the income to pay for housing and to purchase goods and services. The location of jobs influences the amount of time that Apple Valley residents are in the community each day. Commuting decisions affect transportation sys- tems, and the work -housing balance impacts lo- cal tax revenue and expenditures, Apple Valley residents who commute to another jurisdiction for work utilize public services outside Apple Val- ley throughout the day and contribute to the local economies of other jurisdictions. The Quarterly Census of Employment and Wag- es (QCEW) provide quarterly data on employment aQ'oa(C)CEW)providequartedydataonemp|oymenL by industry for local geographies. Three industries employ more than half of the workforce: Retail Trade, Educational Services, and Accommodation and Food Services. Health care, another major in- dustry, employs 12 percent of the workforce, Note that the majority of local jobs are filled by individ- uals who live outside of Apple Valley. Figure 3.21 shows a breakdown of employment by industry for Apple Valley residents for the second quarter of 2015. Place of Employment The Census tracks the location of work place for the population. In 2014, only 11.4% of residents in Apple Valley reported a place of employment in Apple Valley; the other 89% of residents commut- Valley 3-23 Finance and Insurance, 4.6%_ Arts and Entertainment, 3.2% Information, 0.9% Health Care and oda' Assistance, 11,9% Manufacturing, 4.7% Other Services, Ex. Public Admin, 3.7% Professional and Technical Add10, Services, 2.5% All Other Industries, 5.6% Accommodatio and Fond Services, 13.6(4;, Wholesale Trade, 1.2% Public Administration, 5.3% Real Estate and Rental and Leasing, 1.9% Transportation and Warehousing, 1.0% Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. 2nd Quarter, 2015 ple Valley residents work in Dakota County, while 39.5% travel to Hennepin County. The City of Min- neapolis employs a higher of share of Apple Valley residents than Apple Valley itself. Figure 3.22 de- picts the place of work for Apple Valley residents, in 2014, the Census recorded 16,327 jobs in Ap- ple Valley. Of these, 13,312 (81.5%) were filled by people living elsewhere, and 3,015 (18.5%) were filled by the local workforce. Meanwhile, 23,367 workers commuted outside the city for work. There- fore, Apple Valley is a net exporter of jobs. This is reflected in its land use patterns, with relatively more residential acreages than commercial and industrial acreages. Workplace location also affects daily com- muting trends. with high shares of workers commut- ing by personal vehicle. CITY OF APPLE VALLEY 12040 Comprehensive Plan Update Figure 3.22 - Place of Work Minnetonka - 2.O% Eden Prairie 2.4% Edina 3.0% Lakeville - 3,5% St. Paul 6.5% Burnsville 7.7% Eagan 8.4% Bloomington - 9.5% Apple Valley 11.4% Minneapolis - - 12.0% All other locations 33.5% 0.0% 10.09 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% Source: 2014 ACS data via On the Map. Commuting Travel -to -work data shows a strong dependence on automobiles. The share of Apple Valley's work- force that drives alone to work is 81.6%. The work- force makes limited use of public transportation, with 4.7% of commuters using that mode. How- ever, use of public transit has grown 1.6% since 2000. The percentage of workers who work from home is increasing, consistent with global trends. The 2015 Census reported a mean commute time of 24.5 minutes. Apple, valley 3-24 Those commuting patterns are reflective of Apple Valley's suburban setting in the Twin Cities region, The decision to live or work in Apple Valley will continue to be influenced by the cost of trave which ncludes the costof fuel and the cosof trav e| time. which reduces worker productivity and/ or workers' leisure time. Over the timeline of this plan' these factors will be influenced by emerging technologies such as automated vehicles (AVs) and connected vehicles (CVs), and changing eco- nomic conditions, such as the scaled transition to renewable energy sources. Community Co Implications for 2040 The Community Context chapter is more than sim- ply gauging the existing conditions of Apple VaIIey and gaining an understanding of various trends affecting the community. Impactful issues can be drawn out of the datthat will inform plan policies and strategies. These issues are outfined below. Community Aging The age 70-74 cohort is projected to have the larg- est net increase through 2040 of any age cohort. The population above 65 years is projected to have significant increases in Apple ValIey as baby boomers continue to age. Potential Plan Considerations: If seniors are to be kept in the community, housing policies and options will need to be ^ Parks and trails are not only important for younger segments of the population. Public recreatonal spaces can be designed to better accommodate seniors. . As the population as a who!e becomes older, the demand for health care will only increase. Future land uses need to provide flexibility to allow more o|in/cs, medical offices, hospitals, and related facilities Increasing Diversity Race and etnicity, as well as the types of house- ho1ds(e.Q.lNea|one.meniedwithkido.non'fam' non -fam- ily, etc.) are becoming increasingly diverse in Ap- ple VaIIey. Potential PIan Considerations: ~ Planning decisions need to be increasingly sensitive to the needs of a diversifying pop- ulation. ^ Park and recreation facilities and community events will become increasingly important as areas that bring different nacms, ethnicities, age groups, and others together aaacommu- nity. ~ Encourage new development and redevelop- ment to provide a variety of household types to better accommodate the changing popu|otion. - CITY OF APPLE VALLEY 12040 Comprehensive Plan Update Apple „ Valley Jobs-HousUng Balance Apple Valley imports its lower -wage work force. The 4 top employers in Apple Valley by Industry (Health Care and Social Assistenoe, Education- al Services, Accommodation and Food 8emices, and Retail Trade), representing over 65% of those employed in Apple Valley, support average hourly wages below the metro average. The majority of these jobs are filled by people iving outside of the city Conversely, 89% of those who live in Apple Valley work elsewhere. The relative lack of high wage job opportunities encourages residents to commute to other cities for those types ofjobs. Potential PIan Considerations: ^ Focus on attracting and accommodating more development that caters to higher wage jobs, such as: / Commercial Office � Business Parks � Industrial Parks ~ Reduce in -commuting ofthe lower wage work- force byexpandinghousinQopionaandother pathways to increasing housing affordability. Housing Affordability Average household incomes are higher in Apple Valley than for Dakota County and the Twin Cit- ies metro. However, the incidence of poverty is increasing in Apple Valley and throughout the re - 3 -25 gion. While Apple Valley is affordable for mosresi- dents, there is a general lack of affor eai-dents.than*isagenena||aokofaffor able housing for Iow-income earners throughout the Twin Cities metro. Apple Valley is committed to meeting its share of the regional affordable housing require- ment and increasing local access to well -paying, head -of -household jobs. Potential Plan Considerations: • Increase the supply and mix of housing types to allow more opportunities for affordable rents and mortgages. • Consider housing proximity to below-average wage industries in order to retain and grow this workforce in Apple Valley and support as- sociated industries. ^ Continue and strengthen multimodal infra- structure: pedamhan, bicycle, and transit op- tions need to be made increasingly available. National Retail Trends The currennationwide retail bubble is a concern, given the significant amount of retail space cur- rently available in Apply Vo|ley Moving fonwond, new retail development opportunities have the potential to add additional stress to existing retail development. Potential PIan Considerations: • The conventional formula of big box stores and strip malls with significant retail square footage is not the only way to provide retail opportunities. Encourage the diversification of the city's retail development. Consider in- oreosed intensity of retail opooa, allowing for smaller square footage retail space to in- crease opportunities for small and medium sized businesses, to reduce the city's reliance on large chain retailers. • For older, or more at -risk big box store and strip mall |ooa(iona, provide contingency plans in the event such locations cannot attract re- placement retail businesses. Envision what post -retail uses might fit into targeted loca- tions. Development Opportunities The Fischer Sand and Aggregate Mine and the downtown village area represent the last areas with significant opportunities for new development of significant scale. Potential PIan Considerations: ▪ The city must leverage these coveted areas to provide development that solves issues identified in the Community Coritext, primarily including development that: / Attracts a high -wage workforce / Allows for medical services / Provides a variety of housing options Provides multiple uses at a higher intensity and density than how the city has historically developed connect- ed into the surrounding urban fabric through careful development design and the consider- ation of multimodal connections. CITY OFAPPLE VALLEY |2U48 Comprehensive Plan Update 45.t. Apple n Valley 3-26 Imagine Apple Valley 2041•0 APPLE VALLEY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE Draft Land Use Chapter November 29, 2017 Contents Vision for General Development 3 General Planning Strategies 4 Zoning and Buffering Concepts 4 General Community Design Standards 6 Employment Areas 6 Natural Resources 7 Focus Areas 7 Fischer Mine Site and Adjacent Infill 7 Economic Development Potential 9 Transportation Network 9 Environmental and Recreational Amenities 9 Downtown Area 10 Ring Route 10 Downtown Focus Area 12 Central Village District 15 Transitway Planning Area 16 Cedar Avenue Corridor 19 County Road 42 Corridor 21 2040 Land Use Plan 21 Residential Uses and Neighborhoods 24 Low Density Residential 25 Medium Density Residential 26 High Density Residential 27 Commercial Land Uses and the Downtown 28 Limited Business 28 General Business 29 Retail 30 Imagine Apple Valley 2040 .lsi li.i• Apple. Land Use PIanh1 Neighborhood Service 30 Industrial and Mixed Business Employment Areas 31 Industrial 32 Mixed Business Campus 33 Mixed Use 34 Parks, Institutions, and Open Space 34 Institutions 34 Parks 36 Private Recreation 37 Water/Pond 37 Staged Development and Redevelopment Plan 38 Goals and Policies 39 Downtown Development Guidelines 42 Imagine Apple Valley 2040 Apple. Land Use PlanI2 Land Use The Vision for the future of Apple Valley (Chapter 2) lays the foundation for the Comprehensive Plan. The Land Use Plan, in turn, provides the framework for guiding land use to achieve this vision. This Chapter includes several key elements that express the vision through maps, goals, guidelines, and policy statements. These elements include: • Focus Areas (page 4-7) • The Future Land Use Map (page 4-22) • Description of Land Use Categories (page 4-24) • Downtown Design Guidelines (page 4 -XX) • Land Use Goals and Policies (page 4-39) These elements are the primary tools for guiding future land use in accordance with the community's vision. The Future Land Use Map guides uses for each parcel in the City. However, this land use plan is intended to be flexible, because it is anticipated that most growth will occur through redevelopment, of which the exact location and character cannot be specified. To acknowledge the need for flexibility, the plan refers to three focus areas, which are prioritized for development and/or redevelopment: • Fischer Sand and Gravel Mining Area and Adjacent Infill • Downtown • Transitway Planning Area Each of these areas has unique opportunities and challenges. The Land Use Plan describes objectives, strategies, and design guidelines for each. To implement its vision in these areas, the City may need to solidify its strategies through formal policies, i.e., though amendments to the zoning code, parking requirements, etc. For example, the City could establish redevelopment standards in the Transitway Planning Area through the application of a transit - oriented development overlay district. The recommendations in the Plan are intended as a guide to facilitate future policy implementation. Vision for General Development The overall goal of the City is to guide the use of land to realize the vision for Apple Valley. The goals and policies in this section describe the land use objectives of Apple Valley, which aim to meet the needs and desires of all members of the community. The Land Use element of the Comprehensive Plan promotes a development pattern that can be sustained over time, makes the best use of available resources, and maximizes the ability of each use to meet its intended function, such as the provision of recreational, social, environmental, or economic services. Imagine Apple Valley 2040 OWO Land Use PlanI3 Apple Valley "Apple Valley is a place with outstanding quality of life. We must wisely use the natural, economic, and human resources needed to create this quality of life. We seek to provide the resources required to maintain and enhance the quality of life for generations. In doing so, Apple Valley aspires to be sustainable." General Planning Strategies The City uses zoning and buffering techniques to guide all parcels toward their highest land use and maintain the integrity of distinctive uses. Zoning and Buffering Concepts An important objective of city planning in Apple Valley is to preserve the vitality and cohesiveness of residential neighborhoods. To that end, the City aims to minimize land use conflicts through application of the zoning ordinance and buffering policies. Zoning boundaries represent the most tenuous locations in a city, where land use incompatibilities are likely to arise. Buffering techniques are Apple Valley's primary strategy for smoothing land use transitions. The City uses buffers to separate incompatible land uses or portions of land uses that have the potential to negatively impact adjacent properties and/or neighborhoods. Buffers also: • Define neighborhood convenience centers • Provide open space in higher -density residential developments • Introduce strategic design features into developments • Reinforce neighborhood identity There are two types of buffers. Designed buffer treatments utilize a variety of natural and structural design elements to reduce the effect of noise, light, traffic, or mismatched aesthetics on residential properties. Solutions Apple Valley recommends include the use of landscaping elements, berms, distance, fencing, and site and building orientation. The second type of buffer, a "use" buffer, is part and parcel of land use planning and zoning as it is typically applied, but is not always stated as such. A "use" buffer acts to moderate the transition from a high-intensity use to a low -intensity use by incorporating uses of moderate intensity in between. Typical zoning arrangements attempt to minimize the interface between high-intensity and low -intensity uses by promoting a gradual transition in intensity across an urban transect. An idealized arrangement is as follows: Industrial/commercial-*high-density residential -*medium density -*low density Imagine Apple Valley 2040 0.111.0.41 Apple. Land Use PlanI4 This arrangement has several benefits: • Protects homeowners' property investments. Most Apple Valley homeowners live in low-density, single-family neighborhoods. • Protects commercial and industrial uses. Some commercial and industrial areas lose their ability to function properly if they are encroached by low -intensity uses. • Links high-density residential developments to jobs, retail, and services. Linking employees, workers, and consumers creates mutually beneficial relationships for businesses for all three groups. In this way, local regulatory policies recognize the practical needs of the private market. • Aids transportation goals. The general arrangement described above is seamlessly integrated with the transportation plan through the roadway functional classification system. High density/intensity uses are located along arterials and major collectors. Low intensity uses are located on minor collectors and local streets. In addition, concentrating residential and employment densities along key transitways promotes ridership for the regional Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and Minnesota Valley Transit Authority's (MVTA) transit system. While separation/buffering of incompatible uses is critical, it is equally important to note how historical planning and zoning techniques have contributed to current development challenges. For example, Downtown Apple Valley currently consists of a cluster of big -box commercial retailers. These businesses have clustered around the arterial grid — specifically the intersection of Cedar Avenue and County Road 42 superblocks. This agglomeration reflects historical retail trends and is typical of suburban communities throughout the country. However, it is also a response to local and regional development strategies that favored large, homogeneous zoning districts and auto -oriented planning. With the national retail model in transition, there are opportunities to modernize Apple Valley's planning strategies and zoning policies accordingly. Currently, Apple Valley applies mixed-use zoning, through the Planned Development (PD) zoning process, in strategic areas to achieve a desired blending of uses. Blending uses effectively requires smaller parcels, smaller building footprints, and the close proximity of uses that have conventionally been separated to a great extent. Blending uses together will lead to development that is built more at the "human scale" and offers a more pedestrian -friendly built environment. Other commercial districts, such as the NCC — Neighborhood Convenience Center, are utilized for similar reasons. As the name of this district attests, significant land use incompatibilities do not always arise from nominal distinctions between different uses. Therefore, land use conflicts should be determined based on the potential external impacts associated with each specific use. These factors may include total traffic impacts, mixture of pedestrian versus vehicle traffic, light and noise pollution, building bulk, aesthetics, and property values, among others. Imagine Apple Valley 2040 Apple. Land Use PlanI5 General Community Design Standards The City uses this Plan, design policies, and other land use regulations to create desirable environments for its residents to live, work, and play, and sustain the standard of high-quality development. The City uses general design standards to establish minimum requirements for site design, exterior architectural form and scale, and landscaping in key development areas, including major road corridors and larger parcels with few natural amenities. (Specific design guidelines for Downtown are included at the end of this chapter.) Municipal design guidelines consider the following aspects of development: • Site grading • Architectural building materials • Building orientation • Landscaping • Parking • Lighting • Property access • Internal traffic circulation • Pedestrian and bicycle facilities Innovative subdivision and development design techniques will be encouraged if they produce the enduring quality of development sought by the City and achieve other objectives of this Plan. Employment Areas Thriving, well-balanced communities require plentiful employment opportunities. Two key objectives of the Land Use Plan are to provide sufficient acreage for employers and connect more Apple Valley residents to jobs within the city. (See Chapter X, Economic Development.) To retain talent, the City targets head of household or "living wage" jobs (i.e., jobs that are supportive of a family). The Fischer Sand and Gravel Mining Area has been guided for this purpose since the 2030 Comprehensive Plan Update. Desirable uses in higher -wage employment areas should consist of office, office -showroom, services, medical, health care, research and development, and forms of light industrial land use that produce minimal noise, odor, or other forms of pollution. Undesirable uses are those that have high levels of noise, traffic congestion, odor, dust, vibration, lighting, and unmitigated contamination. Retail uses should be limited to 25% at the very maximum of the overall employment area and should be strategically guided to support the primary employment use. Employment areas should have strong connectivity to the Downtown, residential Imagine Apple Valley 2040 Land Use PlanI6 Apple Valley neighborhoods, and transit facilities. The City will adopt policies to guide the use of financial programs and land use controls to attract and expand businesses that achieve these objectives. Natural Resources The natural environment makes a significant contribution to an attractive community image and quality of life. A mature urban forest dissipates heat and provides shade from the sun. Wetlands provide habitat for waterfowl and filter storm water runoff. The value of these and other natural features is not easily quantified. It is important that significant natural features be preserved whenever possible, and that artificial alternatives, which perform a similar ecosystem service, are constructed when necessary. Federal regulatory policy protects valuable natural features at a high level, but the City of Apple Valley has also taken steps to protect fragile resources. Focus Areas Fischer Sand and Gravel Mining Area and Adjacent Infill The Fischer Sand and Gravel Mining Area contains 414 acres (Figure 4.1). In addition to infrastructure, enormous quantities of fill will be needed to prepare the site, creating large capital investment costs. Thus, development must provide a comparable return on investment, some of which will be offset through a tax -increment financing (TIF) plan. (define TIF in glossary) A master plan concept for the Fischer site, called Orchard Place, designates 262 acres for non- residential, employment -based use. The 2030 Land Use Plan guided most of this acreage as Mixed Business Campus. The area is intended to be a high quality setting for general office, corporate office, research and development, light manufacturing, and office showroom. The City also has a strong desire to attract health facilities with related offices and clinics to this location given market support for this use. The Mixed -Business Campus District provides flexibility for a variety of business/industry clusters. As of 2017, the Orchard Place site plan illustrates the location of each cluster, and identifies a specific set of land use envisioned for each cluster. The plan sets clear goals for density and/or floor area ratios (FAR), which establish general parameters to achieve the desired development. (define FAR in glossary) In addition to the Fischer Sand and Gravel Mining Area reclamation project, development will continue in the adjacent Cobblestone Lake area, located east of Pilot Knob Road. This Planned Development area is nearing buildout, with construction continuing in 2018. Remaining vacant parcels are planned for commercial and multifamily residential. Imagine Apple Valley 2040 .... •s.. Apple Valley Land Use PlanI7 Figure 4.1 - Orchard Place Site Concept Plan (use most up to date plan) COUNTY ROAD 42 HOME DPO 147th STREET TRANSIT ETAT1ON 1(11Aui) ORCHARD PLACE APPLE VALLEY. MN Pi.,‘CE AUGUST 21317 Imagine Apple Valley 2040 ST Apple Valley CONCEPTUAL LAND USE DIAGRAM Acreage Conceptual Lo- d Use., Goals A 26 6 Oflica Hole. Medical Commercial Retam B 7 0 Offica Hotel Medical Commemtal Regal; C 29 5 Office Hole' Medical D 14.5 E 2 8 C,nirnercia, Retau Office Medical Denuty or F AR. Range Goals Rewlerlial Senior Housing F 60 6 Office induarlai Medical G 70t H 12.9 Medical Corporate Campus Office Industrial Commercial Raw Commercial Riled Office Hotel Medical 1 27 4 Single- F Residential .1 16.6 Singie-Farnity Residential K 24.4 L 30.7 TOTALS Mule -Family Residential Senior Housing bornmerclal Retail Office Medical Non -Residential Uses Residential Uses Amenity Features ACCESS_KEY , 44 FLA Access 1114 314 Access L-. 104 Rigi-it-in:Rigt•I-out Only -). North Creek Greenwey -.... Orchard Place Trail 0.251a035 0 3510 050 0 25 to 0 40 0 '13 to 010 0 25 lo 035 0 3510 0 50 025to 0 40 0181o0.30 02510 0.35 0.3510 0 50 0.25 10 0.40 011110030 0 25 la 0.35 025 lo 0.40 4.0t0300 1200 300 0.25 10 0.35 0.30 10 045 0 25 10 0 40 0.25 to 0 40 0.25 to 0.35 0 25 10 0 35 0 30 to 0 45 0.18 to 0,30 018 to 0.30 02510 0.35 0 35 lo 0.50 0 25 10 040 3.0104.0 30104.0 4.0 to 304 12,0 to 30 0 0 18 10 0.30 0.25 to 0.35 0.2510 0.40 251 9 Acres 71 2 Acres 35 Acres Kimleyo Horn Land Use PlanI8 Economic Development Potential The Metropolitan Council projects that Apple Valley will support 17,100 jobs by 2040, an increase of 2,821 from the 2010 Census figure. However, the Economic Development Authority has set a goal of reaching 19,000 jobs. The City recognizes a significant opportunity to create high-quality jobs and retain local labor, given that most residents currently work in other jurisdictions. With its emphasis on employment -based uses, Orchard Place will substantially contribute toward this goal. Consistent with the keys identified as part of Apple Valley's vision, this employment -focused area will help provide a diversity of living -wage jobs and create opportunities for the City's residents to work closer to home. The Mixed Business Campus land use category is intended to accommodate a mix of approximately 55% to 65% office (1/3 of which would be targeted for health and medical related facilities), 10% to 20% light industry/manufacturing, and 10% office showroom or office warehouse. Because the area also includes other mixed uses, high-density housing and incidental retail and service uses could also be considered to a limited extent. Transportation Network The Orchard Place plan is centered around two internal collector roads, Johnny Cake Ridge Road and 153rd Street West/155th Street West. Johnny Cake Ridge Road bisects the site from north to south, intersecting with 153rd Street West/155th Street West at a roundabout. These two streets provide four primary access points to Orchard Place. They are each spaced approximately 1/2 mile from other signalized intersections. As the City looks to develop its east - west transit connection along County Road 42, a future transit station is envisioned at the intersection of County Road 42 and Johnny Cake Ridge Road, at the north entrance to the Orchard Place site. Additional minor accesses are spaced at intervals of 1/8 mile to 1/4 mile around the perimeter of the site. The 153rd Street West/155th Street West route is a vital east -west connection to Downtown. This road is a planned extension of the Downtown Ring Route. (See Figure 4.2 on page 4.11.) A gas -line easement parallels the road to the south. An internal circulator route complements the primary north/south and east/west routes. Environmental and Recreational Amenities Three large ponding areas will provide on-site storm water management and recreational amenities. The ponds are a practical use for the site, acting to counteract the effects impervious surface runoff and reducing the amount of fill that is needed for development. Apple Valley's bedrock geology provides natural storm water filtration. The ponds are connected through the North Creek Greenway and internal trail connections, three bridges, and two plaza/greenspace areas. One grade -separated trail connection is illustrated across 153rd Street West, in the northwest quadrant of the site. Other midblock grade - separated trail crossings should be explored. Imagine Apple Valley 2040 .lsi li.i• Apple. Land Use PlanI9 Downtown Area Ring Route The Downtown of Apple Valley is an evolving part of the community. Downtown began as a commercial district that grew from the crossroads of Cedar Avenue and County Road 42. In 1990, the City built distinctive streetscape improvements that became known as the Ring Route. These improvements help to define an identity and character for the Downtown area. The Ring Route also serves to provide vehicle access to the Downtown apart from the primary arterials, and separates Downtown activities from the surrounding neighborhoods. The original Ring Route circles 147th Street West, Galaxie Avenue, 153rd Street West, and Pennock Avenue. The Central Village is located within this area, with a number of undeveloped parcels remaining. The Ring Route helps define the primary shopping and service area of the City. Apple Valley's core commercial district has shifted to the east with the development of the Fischer Marketplace, Hillcrest Acres and Central Village. The Ring Route should be extended through Orchard Place in order to connect to the future employment area and draw from adjacent multifamily developments. Imagine Apple Valley 2040 ♦rw• •s�� Apple Valley Land Use PIanI10 Figure 4.2 - Conceptual Ring Route Extension LEGEND • ■ • Original Ring Route Proposed Ring Route Extension — — City Limits 0 01 02 03 NORTH r,1 es 47TH ST W Employment Center 53RD ST 155TH PKWY Imagine Apple Valley 2040 Apple Valley Land Use PIanh11 Downtown Focus Area Figure 4.2 identifies the Downtown Focus Area as Apple Valley's Commercial Center. This boundary is more generalized than the area defined in the 2030 Comprehensive Plan. The intent is to provide a more general concept for Downtown, create flexibility for application of the Downtown Design Guidelines, and allow the Downtown fabric to become integrated with surrounding neighborhoods. As sites within the downtown age and become obsolete, the City expects property owners to reposition those properties for redevelopment to create new opportunities; the boundary can be further redefined. A series of factors shape planning of the future of Downtown: • Large -box retail users are located in the southeast and southwest quadrants of the Cedar Avenue/County Road 42) intersection and the northwest and southwest corners of Flagstaff Avenue and 150th Street West. Some of the retailers could remain as -is through 2040. Others may witness site transformation, adaptive reuse or infill development as the retail market adapts to changing consumer preferences. • The existing travel grid consists of a series of "super blocks" — long, uninterrupted routes designed for private vehicles that pose connectivity obstacles for other modes. The predominate use is surface parking, which could be retrofitted for other uses. • Cedar Avenue is viewed as a river. That is, its function is to convey large volumes of continuous traffic flow on a local and regional basis. As a "river", the road effectively severs the east and west portions of Apple Valley. A previous planning effort by the American Institute of Architects recognized that Cedar Avenue, as constructed, prohibits a unified Downtown plan, and recommended a series of self-contained village plans for each quadrant of the Cedar Avenue/County Road 42 intersection. • Rivers need bridges. Cornejo Consulting and LHB Architects, in their 2008 study "Transit -Oriented Land Use Planning and Development Evaluation", put forward conceptual improvements for the intersection of Cedar Avenue and County Road 42. One proposal envisions a grade -separated "lid"/plaza over the intersection (See Figure 4.3), which provided a green connection across Cedar Avenue and directed traffic below. Additional pedestrian crossings may be enhanced at other locations, including 140th and 147th Streets West and Cedar Avenue. These improvements face the complex task of balancing the implications for traffic on Cedar Avenue and County Road 42, transit service, pedestrian and bicycle safety and mobility, and impacts to adjacent land development. If these or similar opportunities arise in the plan horizon, the City will work proactively with Dakota County to achieve the best possible results from these improvements. • The Red Line bus rapid transit (BRT) service has been extended along the Cedar Avenue Corridor. The Red Line improvements may likely alter the form and function of Downtown and create new development opportunities in Downtown. Access to BRT can Imagine Apple Valley 2040 .lsi Apple. Land Use PIanI12 be a catalyst for commercial, office, and housing development. The growth of regional BRT service expands the convenience and opportunity of traveling between Apple Valley and other metro -area destinations for employment, shopping, and other needs. • The Downtown is the location of the Apple Valley Transit Station, the METRO Red Line, a bus rapid transit service jointly operated by the Metropolitan Council, Dakota County and Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA), along with six other MVTA local and express bus routes serve the facility. Connections to the region's three largest job centers (Downtown Minneapolis, Downtown Saint Paul, and the 1-494 Corridor), the light rail, and to MSP Airport are possible through transfers at the Mall of America. The facility has a total of 768 spaces in a combination of structured and surface parking and future expansion will add two levels and 330 spaces to the AVTS facility. • County Road 42 is a vital east -west transit link that connects the Downtown and greater Apple Valley with the dense concentration of jobs that are anticipated for Orchard Place, existing employment near 147th Street West, and the other amenities described above. • Commercial development continues in Rosemount, Farmington, and Lakeville. These commercial areas compete with the market in Downtown Apple Valley as a regional shopping destination. Apple Valley will need to focus on downtown land uses, design features, and other opportunities that will differentiate Downtown from other regional communities. • Dakota County, along with the MVTA, Scott County, and the cities of Rosemount, Apple Valley and Burnsville are studying opportunities for a multi -countywide east -west transit connection from the Dakota County Technical College in Rosemount to Mystic Lake in Prior Lake. • Connections to the surrounding residential neighborhoods. As public infrastructure projects and redevelopment opportunities arise, there will be opportunities to improve automotive, pedestrian, and bicycle connections from existing, vibrant residential areas to the Ring Route and the Downtown. Imagine Apple Valley 2040 ♦rw• •s�� Apple Valley Land Use PIanI13 Figure 4.3 - Conceptual Cedar Avenue Lid Source: LHB Architects Sense of Place The results of the public survey indicate that there is strong support for investments and redevelopment in the Downtown Area that continue to promote a unique "sense of place." A sense of place arises from utility, activity, and careful design. The City can use policy, economic, and design strategies to achieve its Downtown Area objectives. Despite a thriving retail hub already present in the Downtown Area, public input related an overwhelming desire for "dining and retail variety" as something that people felt was specifically needed in Apple Valley. Significant mention was also made by the public for a "downtown or focal point" as something needed in Apple Valley. By following the Downtown Design Guidelines as new infrastructure, development and redevelopment opportunities arise, the City will be able to make significant strides towards creating a more unique downtown with dining and retail variety, along with a more definitive focal point (or points). Walkability A key goal is improving walkability and pedestrian activity. Both the public survey for this plan and previous survey efforts described the difficulty of navigating Apple Valley without a car. A sense of place is difficult to absorb from the automobile. Pedestrian activity leads to social interaction and community health benefits, and has been shown to increase retail sales receipts in many downtown environments. With two large demographics — Baby Boomers and Millennials — increasingly seeking alternative living and travel arrangements, there are ample consumer markets to tap. Imagine Apple Valley 2040 .... •s.. Apple Valley Land Use PIanI14 The roads and businesses in the Downtown Area require a safe and convenient environment for drivers and pedestrians. Within this environment, the City is committed to examining and implementing techniques to make the Downtown Area a place that is safe and attractive for pedestrians and bicyclists and where vehicle access makes good business sense. Increasing the density of jobs and households in the Downtown Area will promote walkability by increasing the percentage of internal trips (trips that have both origination and destination in the Downtown Focus Area/travel analysis zone). (define traffic analysis zone in glossary) Mixed Use The City desires more mixed-use development in the Downtown Area. Uses could be mixed horizontally in a building or in separate buildings located close together, or they could be mixed vertically by floors within a single structure. Although vertical mixed-use was recently in fashion, it poses certain challenges and has begun to lose favor. A development is typically only as successful as the ground -floor use. A development built on ground -floor retail will suffer if the retail businesses suffer or are forced to vacate. Some ground -floor uses, such as restaurants, may also create bothersome effects (noise, odor) for the residents above. For these reasons and others, the development trend has shifted toward horizontal mixed-use throughout the suburban communities of the region. Likewise, Apple Valley encourages horizontal mixed use. However, horizontal mixed use is only effective when designed as part of a cohesive site plan that considers both vehicular and active modes of transportation, well connected both internally and externally from the entire site. Central Village District The Downtown focus area contains the Central Village. This area includes the Shops on Galaxie, Vivo Kitchen, new apartment and senior housing construction, and some remaining developable parcels around the intersection of 153rd Street West and Galaxie Avenue. The Central Village has been a learning experience for Apple Valley. The Central Village plan attempted to create a unique sense of place by offering a design alternative to the rest of Downtown by emphasizing higher density compact development that was more pedestrian friendly. The success of the project has been mixed. Various tenants have cycled through the Shops on Galaxie. Part of the issue may be that the Village is incomplete. Development of the surrounding vacant parcels with dense residential or mixed residential/commercial could help the entire area be more successful. The City has installed on -street parking and streetscaping improvements that will facilitate drivers to park in the Central Village area and walk the district. To maximize "dining and retail variety" opportunities in this area, the existing street improvements can be taken advantage of through the promotion of ground -floor commercial retail development on vacant land. To further promote the Central Village as a "focal point", new development should be built to the sidewalk to enhance pedestrian interaction with the street and to make the area unique from the rest of Apple Valley, a departure from significant building setbacks from the sidewalk. Imagine Apple Valley 2040 OWO Land Use PlanI 15 Apple Valley The City can take positive design concepts from the Central Village and build on them throughout the Downtown. As a first step, a series of Downtown Design Guidelines was developed for the plan. These are included on page 4-X. Transitway Planning Area Inclusion of a Transitway Planning Area (TPA) reflects the reality of regional transportation opportunities and constraints. As noted in the Metropolitan Council's 2040 Transportation Policy Plan, the Twin Cities' regional growth pattern and funding limitations do not make it possible to continue to expand the highway system in sustainable way. The regional transportation plan is shifting toward a strategy of travel demand management (TDM) versus highway capacity improvement. Part of TDM involves the application of transit -oriented growth strategies. (define travel demand management in glossary) The Transitway Planning Area includes the Cedar Avenue Corridor and the County Road 42 Corridor (See Figure 4.4). As the figure illustrates, the Transitway Planning Area partially overlaps with the Downtown Area. While the Downtown Design Guidelines apply to the general Downtown Area, the TPA is intended to be a more focused area where the City can implement specific land use policies to direct higher expectations for land use. Within the Downtown and the TPA, the current commercial footprint could change significantly by 2040. In contrast to residential development, job-related land uses have a tendency to change frequently. Over the 20 -year horizon of this Comprehensive Plan, many job-related properties are expected to become structurally, functionally, and/or economically obsolete, opening the door for a new design footprint that better supports transit -oriented development. Land use objectives will differ across the TPA. The Cedar Avenue Corridor supports the Red Line, a fixed -route BRT service with regional connectivity. This is the primary TOD area. The County Road 42 corridor is envisioned as a supporting future transitway that has yet to develop. This corridor will provide more of a local transit function. Therefore, land use strategies may differ slightly along these axes. In general, the TPA should support a mix of housing choices, retail, office, and other commercial uses, with increased densities from the present. Within the TPA, Apple Valley supports the following objectives for "suburban -intensive" transit -oriented development: • Support job growth where concentrations exist and along regional highway nodes • Provide a complementary mix of land uses to balance housing, employment, service, and retail needs • Locate medium -to -high density housing at a variety of price points • Increase overall density, with the highest density located within 1/4 mile of the transitway station areas (approximately 10 -minute walk) Imagine Apple Valley 2040 ... ..... Apple Valley Land Use PIanI16 • Support a system of arterials, local streets, sidewalks, and trails that distributes traffic more broadly and improves opportunities to walk and bike. • Improve parking efficiency by shared parking opportunities, minimum parking requirements and other schemes. Density expectations are highest within the Transitway Planning Area. Although Apple Valley's zoning code requires a minimum of 12 units per acre for high-density development, multifamily developments have largely exceeded 40 units per acre, especially Downtown. Recognizing this trend, the City of Apple Valley targets a minimum of 40 units per acre for future residential development in the Transitway Planning Area, with a goal of achieving an average of 10 units per acre for the entire area. Imagine Apple Valley 2040 Apple. Land Use PIanI17 Figure 4.4 - Downtown Focus Area and Transitway Planning Area Transitway Planning Area Transit Line Transit Station Conceptual Transit Line Conceptual Transit Station Park and Ride a 01 02 03 NORTH Miles Imagine Apple Valley 2040 •ii.. Apple Valley Land Use PIanI18 Cedar Avenue Corridor The Red Line BRT has three stops in Apple Valley: the main transit station at 155th Street, and two walk-up stations at 147th Street and 140th Street. The extension of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) to Apple Valley via the Red Line has already triggered land use changes along the Cedar Avenue Corridor. This transit investment can leverage future transit -oriented development (TOD). As a suburban community, Apple Valley recognizes that TOD goals must be practical in scale and intensity — they must be "suburban -intensive." The Cedar Avenue Transitway Planning Area extends from 140th Street West to 160th Street West and from 1/4 mile west of Cedar Avenue to 1/2 mile east. These dimensions approximate the distances that most people are willing to walk to or from a stop. However, they are measured as the crow flies. If there are not direct routes to the transit station, walking becomes more onerous, and ridership is affected. Thus, the long superblocks and wide parking lots that are characteristic of Downtown are a barrier to successful transit -oriented development. Pedestrians always prefer to take the shortest route, and are deterred by a system of long, orthogonal blocks. Although parking lots are technically navigable on foot, they are neither inviting nor particularly safe for extended pedestrian travel. Figure 4.5 illustrates conceptual linkages to improve the travel grid around Cedar Avenue and County Road 42. Transit Station Planning Nodes There are three transit stations located in the Cedar Avenue corridor. These represent nodal opportunities to encourage transit -supportive land use and discourage uses that obstruct TOD objectives. As redevelopment opportunities arise, the following uses will be encouraged: • Multifamily housing and small -lot residential units • Hotels • Commercial Office Space • Health care clinics and medical offices • Retail services and restaurants • Entertainment facilities In addition, the following uses will be discouraged as standalone uses: • Surface parking lots, excluding designated park-and-ride lots • Warehouses and storage facilities • Motor vehicle sales • Auto -oriented services, including car washes and repair centers Imagine Apple Valley 2040 0.111.0.41 Apple. Land Use PIanI19 Figure 4.5 - New Conceptual Linkage Priorities LEGEND Original Ring Route Conceptual Linkage 151 Transit Station Park and Ride Imagine Apple Valley 2040 Apple„ Land Use PIanI20 County Road 42 Corridor County Road 42 is identified as a potential east/west regional transit route. The City of Apple Valley has been engaged in conversations with Dakota County regarding fixed -route transit service in this corridor. This transit route would be viewed as a supporting route for the Cedar Avenue Red Line, and is crucial for linking the primary future employment area with Downtown and fully integrating the Orchard Place Plan into the existing urban fabric. The City envisions a future transit station at the intersection of Johnny Cake Ridge Road and County Road 42. 2040 Land Use Plan The 2040 Land Use Map identifies a future land use for every parcel in Apple Valley. Significant new development and redevelopment is anticipated to occur in the focus areas described in the preceding text. However, the exact location and orientation of that development is not presently known. Parcel boundaries will change as the retailers come and go. Large superblocks may be subdivided. Figure 4.6 shows the parcel -based land use plan for 2040. Table 4.1 provides the total acreage for each use. Individual uses are described in the following text. Imagine Apple Valley 2040 .... •s.. Apple Valley Land Use PIanI21 Figure 4.6 - 2040 Land Use Plan P—Wirli III 2040 Future Land Use Low Density Residential Medium Density Residential 111 High Density Residential Mobile Home Park A Commercial Mixed Use di Industrial Mixed Business Campus di Public and Institutional Park and Open Space A Private Recreation Utilities Water Right of Way EAGAN ,, LEBANON HILLS REGIONAL PARK MINNESOTA ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS VALLEYWOOD MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE LINTY ROAD Farquar Lake MCANDREWS RD E Long Lake Future Land Use Map may need to be revised given changes to existing land use base map. 0.25 25 1.111== ['Ales Ll 1 NORTH Consuiting G roup. IncInc 160TH ST W 411M111.16111.11.1 LAKEV L Imagine Apple Valley 2040 Apple„ Valley Land Use P1anI22 Figure 4.7 - Difference Between 2030 and 2040 Land Use Plans 2030 to 2040 Change Low Density Residential Medium Density Residential High Density Residential Mobile Home Park 101 Commercial ped Use Industrial Mixed Business Campus Public and Institutional Park and Open Space Private Recreation Utilities Water Right of Way MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE UNTV ROAD MCANDRENS RD PLACEHOLDER: Future Land Use Map may need fine-tuning. 160TH ST Imagine Apple Valley 2040 Apple Valley Land Use PIanI23 Table 4.1 Future Land Use Categories (Future Land Use Map and Future Land Use Calculations will need to be updated) Land Use Acres % Total Low Density Residential 4,753 42.5 Medium Density Residential 458 4.1 High Density Residential 240 2.2 Mobile Home Park 88 0.8 Commercial 531 4.8 Mixed Use 61 0.6 Industrial 269 2.4 Mixed Business Campus 165 1.5 Institutional 625 5.6 Park and Open Space 1,667 14.9 Private Recreation 23 0.2 Water 266 2.4 Right -of -Way 2,036 18.2 Total 11,181 100% Residential Uses and Neighborhoods Imagine Apple Valley 2040 Apple Valley Land Use PIanI24 Low Density Residential Use type examples: Single-family detached homes, duplexes, twin homes, townhome Low Density Residential (LD) broadly consists of single-family, detached dwellings. This is the single largest land use in Apple Valley. A large base of owner -occupied homes promotes neighborhood stability by reducing resident turnover and encouraging homeowner investment in private property. Low Density Residential (single-family residential) is the most restrictive zone. Limiting conflicts with high-intensity ensures that property values are protected over time. Protected property values help maintain stable neighborhoods and directly benefit local citizens through contributions to the municipal tax base. Low Density neighborhoods benefit from a variety of services and institutions, including parks, playgrounds, schools, religious institutions, and appropriate -scale commercial. A system of safe and well-designed sidewalks and trails is essential to connect with schools, parks, downtown, and other destinations in the community. Extended or multiple vacancies may indicate an opportunity to provide an alternative use, provided the design of any new structure is compatible with the style and scale of surrounding properties, and the new use is compatible as well. Small-scale retail/service uses are not categorically prohibited, as there is a need to provide convenient services to low-density neighborhoods. Corner lots, especially those located on neighborhood collector roads, are suitable for small-scale commercial uses. The City uses the NCC — Neighborhood Convenience Center zone to accommodate these types of uses. A variety of housing types may be built in Low Density Residential areas including single-family detached dwellings, duplexes, twin homes, townhomes, and other types of attached housing. In the past, housing densities ranged from one-half to six units per acre. Today, the Land Use Plan places housing densities in Low Density Residential areas at 3-6 units per acre. However, the City recognizes that in some cases of infill development when there are severe slopes, mature trees, lakes, wetlands, or existing adjacent residential neighborhoods, it may not be practical to meet the density standard. The City will use the zoning ordinance and other land use controls to manage this land use category. Most existing single-family residential neighborhoods are zoned R-1, R-2, R-3 or R - Imagine Apple Valley 2040 •. i Apple Valley Land Use PIanI25 CL. Additionally, the R-5 (two-family); M-1, M-2, and M-3 (multiple -family), and PD (planned development) districts are eligible for this land use category provided that the performance criteria set forth in the zoning ordinance are met. Medium Density Residential Use type examples: Duplexes (side-by-side or stacked), carriage houses, triplexes, fourplexes, bungalow courts, townhomes Medium Density Residential (MD) enables the City to provide alternative housing types such as twin homes, townhomes, or bungalow courts (small footprint single family detached housing with shared open space). This housing may be attached or detached. It is important to provide a sufficient supply of alternative single-family housing styles. Not all residents want to own or maintain a conventional detached home with a yard. Nationwide, alternative single-family living options are increasingly becoming an attractive option for aging baby boomers seeking a transition to a living environment that offers independence without the maintenance requirements and property tax bill associated with conventional single-family detached housing. In addition, Medium Density Residential typically provides housing at a lower price point than low-density residential and helps enable the City to meet its share of regional affordable housing requirements. Imagine Apple Valley 2040 •. i Apple Valley Land Use PIanI26 Medium Density Residential land uses include townhomes, other attached single-family dwellings, and low-rise apartments and condominiums at densities that range from 6-12 units per acre. This designation fits with the M-4, M-5, M-6, and PD zoning districts. High Density Residential Use type examples: Courtyard apartments, cottage flats/maisonettes, conventional apartment building complexes High Density Residential (HD) consists of attached multifamily housing. The City benefits from high-density development by capitalizing on efficiencies in the provision of infrastructure, services, and attached -building construction, and the increased concentration of taxpayers per unit area. High-density residential neighborhoods benefit from proximity to services such as shopping, transit, daycare, recreation, and other similar uses. Retail shopping centers and service providers likewise benefit from a dense local customer base. Providing these uses near high-density residential leads to mutual efficiencies and lessens dependence on private vehicles. High-density residential developments should be located where services are currently available and convenient or are expected to be in the future. Linking people to jobs and services is critical. High-density developments can be leveraged for economic development purposes and suburban transit -oriented development. As such, they are frequently located on high-volume arterial corridors with access to retail and services. Buffer treatments, including landscaping and building/site orientation, can minimize the impacts of light, noise, and traffic on high-density areas. The strategic location of a row of garages, for example, can shield apartments from the noise and activity of a nearby highway. Limited -scale high density residential can be used as infill at the fringes of existing lower -density neighborhoods, provided new structures match the surrounding aesthetic. For example, a large corner lot formed from one or two vacant parcels may be appropriate for multifamily infill. In this instance, the infill site could be large enough to support one or two small apartment buildings that are high-density by definition, but which do not conform to the public's perception of large apartment complexes. When such vacant "remnant" lots are located adjacent to a higher traffic collector or arterial, the infill use as high density residential can work to buffer the existing Imagine Apple Valley 2040 •. i Apple Valley Land Use PIanI27 neighborhood from the view and noise of the thoroughfare. This type of infill can help a developed city such as Apple Valley respond to growth pressure. High Density Residential areas include multiple -family structures (apartments and condominiums) at densities greater than 12 units per acre to the extent allowed by the zoning ordinance. Developments with densities of up to 40 units per acre are allowed in the areas within and adjacent to the downtown if certain performance standards in the zoning code are met. The HD designation fits with M-7, M-8, and PD zoning districts. High Density Residential requires additional provision of parking, infiltration, and buffering from incompatible uses. Building setback, bulk requirements, lot -coverage requirements, and parking requirements are outlined in the zoning code. Commercial Land Uses and the Downtown Use type examples: Retail "power centers", neighborhood retail, commercial strip malls, medical and professional offices. 11- The Commercial (C) designation includes a wide variety of retail, office, and service uses that vary in intensity and off-site impacts. The City uses the zoning ordinance to regulate the intensity and characteristics of development. Lower -intensity districts include Limited Business and Neighborhood Commercial. Higher -intensity districts include General Business and Retail. In each district, land use and performance standards set parameters for development. Examples include parking, building setbacks, infiltrations, site access, and lot coverage. The following descriptions provide guidance on the type, character, and location of commercial land uses. Limited Business The Limited Business designation is reserved for general offices and businesses that exclude retail activities. Business operations usually occur within an enclosed building and are generally limited to weekdays. These uses are located adjacent to the retail core of the downtown and Imagine Apple Valley 2040 Land Use PIanI28 Apple Valley may act as a transition to residential neighborhoods. The LB, LB -1, and PD zoning districts are applicable with this commercial category. Applicable performance standards include: • High-quality site and architectural design. Building materials are expected to promote pleasing off-site views of the development. • Buffering and screening to the residential land uses is limited to the parking areas and delivery areas due to limited off-site impacts associated with limited business uses themselves; • Landscaping shall consist of aesthetic treatment to complement existing vegetation retained on the site, and to enhance building design and soften parking lot areas. • Significant traffic attracted by the site development shall be generally limited to the morning and evening peak hours with modest levels of off-peak activity. Weekend traffic impacts should be considered. • Driveway access points to the use shall be from non -local streets or those designed for primarily non-residential traffic. No direct access to County Road 42 or Cedar Avenue shall be allowed. • Lighting is limited to parking lot and building illumination designed for customer and employee safety with attention to impacts to adjacent residential uses. General Business Insert Picture General Business uses are larger commodity retail services that primarily serve private other business and industrial needs as well as residents. These uses have the potential to create off- site impacts and may not be appropriate adjacent to residential neighborhoods the GB and GB - 1 zoning districts accommodate commercial uses within this land use category. Applicable performance standards include: • High-quality site design and building materials are expected to be used to promote pleasing off-site views of the development. • Buffering and screening of loading dock and delivery areas from adjacent land uses should be provided due to noise and activity within these areas. • Landscaping shall be used to provide interruption of long building walls and to soften parking lot areas. • Traffic impacts are not expected to be as significant as those created by large uses in the Retail district. However, freight traffic is characteristic of uses in this land category. Space for truck maneuvering should be planned for these uses. Imagine Apple Valley 2040 •. i Apple Valley Land Use PIanI29 • Driveway access points to the development shall be from non -local streets or those designed for primarily non-residential traffic. Direct access should be limited to roadways planned and designed for heavy vehicles. No direct access to County 42 or Cedar Avenue shall be allowed. • Lighting is limited to parking lot and building illumination designed for customer and employee safety. Loading and delivery areas shall be screened from off-site views. Retail uses typically encompass the traditional community shopping businesses and occupy much of the downtown area. This commercial land use is intended to accommodate a wide range of goods and service retailers. Off-site impacts include activity, light, noise, and generally higher traffic impacts than other commercial uses. Residential developments are not allowed within this land use category except for those planned in conjunction with a planned development (PD), or within the upper floors of multi-level buildings as a conditional use to ensure that impacts are mitigated. Retail land uses will be zoned RB, SC, and PD. Applicable performance standards include the following: • High-quality site and architectural design and building materials are expected to be used to promote pleasing offsite views of the development. • Development in the downtown area shall adhere to the Downtown Design Guidelines; • Landscaping shall be installed to provide aesthetic treatment of buildings and to soften parking lot areas; • Significant traffic impacts during the weekday and weekend is associated with retail development. Traffic studies may be requested in conjunction with the review of large developments that have the potential to threaten the integrity of the existing and planned roadway system. Developments that lower the level of service on adjacent roadways or intersections may be required to install traffic improvements to improve the level of service to its pre -development condition if City approval is granted. • Driveway access points to the development shall be from non -local streets or those designed for primarily non-residential traffic. No direct access to County Road 42 or Cedar Avenue shall be allowed • Lighting is limited to parking lot and building illumination designed for customer and employee safety. Neighborhood Service These uses are defined as limited commercial areas that accommodate the opportunity for a limited amount of convenience retail shops such as grocery and drugstores; residential services Imagine Apple Valley 2040 •. i Apple Valley Land Use PIanI30 such as dry cleaning and daycare; and accessory small offices. These areas are zoned RB and NCC. Applicable performance standards include: • High-quality site and architectural design and building materials are expected to be used to integrate development into surrounding neighborhoods. • The scale of development is expected to be limited in size to complement adjacent development and designed with a residential character. • Parking and delivery areas should be limited to non-residential sides of the development to remove off-site impacts of noise and activity. No uses with drive -up windows shall be allowed if they cannot be located/buffered away from residential areas. • Landscaping shall consist of buffering of adjacent residential uses from parking areas and aesthetic treatment of buildings. • Traffic impacts from development are intended to localized, as opposed to trips from other community or sub regional markets. • Driveway access to the development shall be directed away from residential homes. • Lighting is limited to parking lot and building illumination designed for customer and employee safety. Building and parking area lighting shall not be allowed during the time the businesses are closed. • Given proximity to residential areas, hours of operation of the use(s) shall be limited. Industrial and Mixed Business Employment Areas As explained in the Community Context chapter, Apple Valley has a relative lack of high wage (above the hourly metro average) job opportunities. Therefore, it is important to designate property for the creation of jobs and to expand opportunities for people to live and work in Apple Valley. An overarching vision for the land use plan is to provide opportunities for higher -wage businesses and workers to thrive. The land use plan does this by identifying ample areas that could be developed or redeveloped for business and employment purposes, including manufacturing facilities, office space, research and development sites, and medical and healthcare facilities. The Industrial (IND) and Mixed Business Campus (MBC) districts accommodate many of these uses, and help solidify the City's economic base. Imagine Apple Valley 2040 •. i Apple Valley Land Use PIanI31 4 h American ...afters INTELLIGENT WATER IS COMING... Industrial Industrial (IND) allows offices, assembly, warehouse, manufacturing, and other similar activities within an enclosed building to limit the amount of dust, noise, odor, and other adverse impacts. The current zoning district categories that regulate industrial uses include 1-1, 1-2, and BP. A limited percentage of floor space (10% gross floor area) is permitted for retail activities accessory to the industrial uses. Use of 1-2 zoning district will be phased out as redevelopment opportunities arise to comply with the industrial land use policies of this plan. Performance standards in the Industrial district include the following: • High-quality site design and building materials are expected to be used to promote pleasing off-site views of the development • This land use designation shall not be located adjacent to residential land uses without a significant buffer, which consists of distance, berming, heavy landscaping, decorative fences/walls, or a combination thereof as determined by the area characteristics is proposed and deemed adequate by the City. Loading and delivery areas shall be screened from off-site views. • Landscaping shall consist of aesthetic treatment to provide interruption of long building walls and to soften parking lot areas; Imagine Apple Valley 2040 •. i Apple Valley Land Use PIanI32 • Exterior storage of materials and equipment shall be completely enclosed, or screened from all property lines by a fence or wall. • Personal vehicle traffic impacts from development are not expected to be significant compared to other retail land use categories. However, heavy freight vehicles are characteristic of uses in this land use category. Space for truck and vehicle maneuvering needs to be planned for these uses. Weekend trip attraction to industrial sites should be minimal. • Driveway access to the development shall be from non -local streets or those designed for primarily non-residential traffic. No direct access to County Road 42 shall be allowed. • Lighting is limited to parking lot and building illumination designed for employee safety. Mixed Business Campus Mixed Business Campus (MBC) areas are intended to be high-quality settings for office campus, office with light industrial, office with biomedical manufacturing, health care facilities, health care training, general office, corporate office, and other higher -intensity employment uses. Mixed retail and commercial service uses that serve the campus and adjacent neighborhoods will be limited in area and to activities that support the employment objectives of the MBC. Some examples of supportive uses include lodging, restaurants, daycare, banking, and other retail uses that may support the campus directly as well as adjacent neighborhoods. Such uses should generally be located along County Road 42. The mix of uses in the MBC district includes the following: • 55%-65% office • 10-20% light industry/manufacturing • 10% office warehouse/showroom • 5% commercial and retail uses As part of the interest in creating mixed-use development, higher -density housing along 153rd Street and generally south to 157th Street would also be considered to complement the most intense office, health, and industrial uses. Multi -family housing could be developed upwards of 40 units per acre and constitute up to 20% of the district total. This modeling is further discussed in the Economic Development Chapter, which references land use percentages, FAR ratios, and job -creation goals. Imagine Apple Valley 2040 •. i Apple Valley Land Use PIanI33 Mixed Use Mixed Use (MU) areas contain a mix of retail and service businesses, office, institutional, medium and high-density residential, public uses, and/or park and recreation uses. The uses may be mixed vertically in a common structure or horizontally in a common, well-defined site or area. As of 2017, the development market in the Twin Cities Metro favors horizontal mixed use. One specific challenge with vertical mixed use, particularly where residential units are planned for the upper floors, is the need to maintain non-residential tenants on the first floor of the building. First -floor vacancies limit the viability of the entire development. Furthermore, some uses that are traditionally incorporated in downtown vertical mixed-use buildings, such as restaurants, bars, and clubs, create noise and other impacts that can disrupt the tenants above. Apple Valley's objectives for Mixed Use are as follows: • Organize land in a compact and walkable environment • Ensure that Mixed Use PD site plans include strong, well-defined internal and external multimodal connections, especially for pedestrians and bicyclists. • Set standards for private development and public improvements that produce enduring quality and enhance the character and identity of Apple Valley. • Encourage parking strategies that support greater intensity of use and which promote pedestrian activity in Mixed Use districts. • Integrate green/open space into Mixed Use areas. • Improve environmental conditions, such as water quality and energy use, through development incentives. • Connect Mixed Use areas to public facilities, including transit systems, and to the broader community. Mixed Use will be implemented through Planned Development (PD) zoning. The City will also use design standards and other land use controls to achieve the desired outcomes. Currently, the Central Village, Apple Valley Transit Station, former Apple Valley Transit Station, and a small portion of Cobblestone Lake are designated Mixed Use. It is anticipated that Mixed Use may be applied in the future in other parts of the Downtown Focus Area and/or the Cedar Avenue Development Corridor to facilitate redevelopment. Parks, Institutional, and Open Space Institutional Use type examples: Schools, religious institutions, libraries, civic buildings. Imagine Apple Valley 2040 Apple Valley Land Use PIanI34 Institutional (INST) areas are public or quasi -public amenities, excluding parks that greatly impact the character of the community. Although public uses require public investment or donations and do not generate taxes of their own, the value of these amenities is reflected by increasing the value of surrounding properties. Schools, hospitals, and places of worship give neighborhoods definition. These uses are a source of community pride. They drive residential property values and neighborhood reinvestment. Apple Valley citizens are proud of their strong public school system. The largest institution is the Minnesota Zoo, which is an asset for the entire Twin Cities region. Government facilities are a prime example of institutional uses. City offices, the County library, government services, and the US post office, etc., should be all concentrated in Downtown Apple Valley. The City seeks to maximize the local benefits of regional park and institutional uses while avoiding expansion or changes in use that have a significant negative impact on adjacent residential properties. Undesirable impacts include traffic, light, and noise. Buffering techniques should be incorporated into the designs of planned institutional and similar land uses that are located adjacent to residential uses. The implementing zoning districts for institutional properties are the P -Institutional District and the Planned Development (PD) district. Imagine Apple Valley 2040 •. i Apple Valley Land Use PlanI35 Parks The Parks (P) designation is applied to all existing public parks, public playfields, trail corridors, and golf courses. Trails are connecting elements, not zones. Property that is intended for park purposes in the future is depicted on the 2030 Land Use Plan Map. Future neighborhood parks that result from subdivision development have not been depicted on the map since the exact location of the park will not be known until development occurs. The need and area of future parks are discussed in the Parks Chapter. The provision of park dedication associated with development may require an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan at the time of development review. The zoning districts that accommodate parks are the P -Institutional District and PD. Imagine Apple Valley 2040 •. i Apple Valley Land Use PIanI36 Private Recreation A distinction is made between public -owned and privately owned open space. The Apple Valley Golf Course is designated as Private Recreation (PR) to differentiate it from the public park system. The Plan recognizes that the Apple Valley Golf Course may face financial challenges in the future, as other small golf courses in the Metropolitan Area have experienced. These challenges may lead the property owner to seek a change in land use. Any change in land use must be carefully considered for the ability of the property to support the proposed use, the fit with the surrounding area, and the overall plans for Apple Valley. The current Institutional zoning designation best reflects the present use and numerous alternative uses may be allowed in the future. The course is surrounded by Low Density residential uses that might also be evaluated based on density and property value if a land use change or development is proposed. Commercial uses are not encouraged unless those businesses have a residential character are integrated in a mixed-use, PD -style design. Water/Pond Existing lakes and storm water ponds are designated as Water/Pond (W) on the 2040 land use map. The shoreland around Alimagnet, Farquar, and Long Lakes are regulated by a zoning overlay district, which is shown as Shoreland District (SH) on the zoning map. Other waterbodies including wetlands and waterways are not designated on the 2040 land use plan but are depicted on maps included in the City's Stormwater Management Plan. Imagine Apple Valley 2040 Land Use PIanI37 Appy Valley Staged_eveo eit a►id edevelo e it a►� • Identify potential local infrastructure impacts for each 10 -year increment • Demonstrate that the municipality is capable of providing services and facilities that accommodate its planned growth. • The staging plan or likely development phasing must support and be consistent with your community's share of the Region's Need for Affordable Housing for 2021-2030. • Identify and map the land areas that are available or likely to be available for redevelopment, infill development, or new development in your community. • Provide a table of those areas identified that includes future land uses, acreages, density ranges, and total residential units in 10 -year increments. Use your professional judgment for estimating the timing of development for areas that are uncertain or do not have plans in process. Imagine Apple Valley 2040 •. i Apple Valley Land Use PIanI38 Goals and Policies GENERAL DEVE Goal 4.1 Policies Goal 4.2 Policies Goal 4.3 Policies Goal 4.5 Policies Goal 4.6 Policies OPMENT Direct development to meet the household, social, spiritual, recreational, and professional needs of the city's residents and workforce. Prioritized consideration will be given to development proposals that reflect the community needs and desires expressed in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. Plans that do not meet a significant need will be critically reviewed. All new housing developments will be located within one-half mile of a park and connected to the park by sidewalk or trail. Multi -family developments that are not located within one-half mile of a park must incorporate a practical recreation area into their site design. Land use conflicts are minimized to maintain the functional integrity of distinct uses and individual property values. Utilize local land use controls to cluster like uses and physically separate or buffer incompatible uses. In general, excessive light, noise, and activity should be directed away from residential neighborhoods. The City will review the degree of potential land use incompatibilities based on the objective analysis of potential impacts associated with the specific uses proposed. Non-residential parking areas may not be located adjacent to residential uses unless a proper buffer is created. The face(s) of buildings containing a drive -up facility (such as a bank teller window) may not be located adjacent to any residential use. Adequate buffers should be provided, where feasible, to separate neighborhoods from roadways that carry significant traffic volumes. Apple Valley is a community with strong, cohesive, identifiable neighborhoods. Assets such as schools, community centers, historic buildings, parks, and religious institutions are integral to their neighborhoods and should be maintained in a good state of repair, leveraged for outreach opportunities, and expanded as necessary. The City of Apple Valley encourages and supports local neighborhood associations. Zoning, buffering, subdivision regulations, and design guidelines should promote unified neighborhood design. Apple Valley's land use plan connects residents to jobs and services. High-density residential will primarily be oriented toward arterial and collector roads, where it is best supported by transit, shopping, daycare, recreation, and other services. The City will look for opportunities to mix residential and commercial land uses when appropriate. Mixed uses may occur in common structures and in common areas. Projects should be designed to integrate residential units with commercial uses in a cohesive site plan or building, as warranted. Apple Valley will attract and retain businesses that provide wages above the metro -area average and benefits, which can sustain a family. The Land Use Plan will be guided to encourage manufacturing, finance, information technology, medical, bio -medical, and healthcare -related businesses to locate in Apple Valley. Imagine Apple Valley 2040 •. i Apple Valley Land Use PIanI39 OPMENT Mixed -business areas are encouraged to accommodate non -retail commercial development necessary to attract higher -wage businesses. Ensure that the acreage for the Commercial -Office land use category is maintained or increased as shown at the time of adoption of the Imagine Apple Valley 2040. Ensure that zoning is consistent with office as the primary commercial use. A vibrant, successful Downtown is the primary shopping, service, and activity center in Apple Valley. Refer to the Downtown Development Guidelines to implement the community vision for downtown Apple Valley. Encourage taller buildings and more compact site designs Downtown to make the best use of existing infrastructure, facilitate redevelopment, increase the tax efficiency of Downtown parcels, and increase opportunities for pedestrian and bicycle access. Increase the number of residents in the Downtown Focus Area to promote activity throughout the day and increase the rate of internal trip capture. Downtown should have strong pedestrian, bike, and auto connections to transit services and facilities. Strip commercial developments (define in glossary) along the major roadways extending from Downtown are discouraged. Retail financing incentives are primarily directed to the Downtown. AND REDEVELOPMENT The City provides a flexible framework to encourage property maintenance and facilitate infill redevelopment and adaptive reuse to sustain an attractive environment and prevent the creation of blight. Development of single vacant residential parcels within residential neighborhoods must be compatible in use, size, and scale with adjacent properties Improvements to existing homes should be compatible in use, size, and scale with adjacent properties. The City uses strategic infill development and redevelopment to improve underutilized properties and neighborhood cohesion, and address housing supply issues. The City will review zoning policies that restrict opportunities for redevelopment and reuse of vacant and underutilized parcels, and pursue amendments where necessary. The City will encourage redevelopment when properties are no longer cost-effective to maintain. As needed, the City will establish redevelopment/rehabilitation programs to guide efforts for City involvement in projects. The City will actively monitor the condition of existing buildings for signs of deterioration and to guide public actions in code enforcement, maintenance, rehabilitation, foreclosure response, and redevelopment. The City will actively explore options for the replacement of housing units that are displaced by redevelopment or disaster with a similar type, cost, and density of housing within the community, and preferably within the same neighborhood. GENERAL DEVE Goal 4.7 Policies REHABILITATIO Goal 4.8 Policies Imagine Apple Valley 2040 �.i Appy Valley Land Use PIanI40 Parcel redevelopment efforts will target aging facilities and underperforming properties. TRANSIT -ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT Goal 4.9 The City will guide land use in the Transitway Planning Area to increase appropriate housing opportunities and support a compatible mix of residential, retail commercial, and other commercial uses. Policies The City will encourage higher density housing and employment -based land uses that are located within 1/4 mile of the Cedar Avenue transitway and the conceptual Country Road 42 transitway. The City will plan for an orderly, compact mix of residential, commercial, and employment uses around transit station nodes. Goal 4.10 Downtown development and redevelopment will enhance walking and bicycling in Apple Valley. Policies When opportunities arise, the City will create new linkages for roads, trails, and sidewalks in Downtown to break up the existing patterns of superblocks. New and improved linkages to transit corridors will be designed to foster an inviting experience for pedestrians and bicyclists. Goal 4.11 The City will manage parking supply to reduce the amount of unused surface parking and increase facilities for bicycle parking. Policies The City will encourage opportunities for shared parking arrangements, new parking ramps, and other schemes to reduce the demand for excessive/unused surface parking. The City will evaluate parking requirements for existing commercial uses and actual parking demand for existing commercial development and will adjust requirements if necessary. INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS Goal 4.12 The City will maintain a cooperative relationship with other governmental, quasi - governmental, and other non-profit organizations that serve the community to advance the vision for Apple Valley, and ensure that the focus of programs, facilities, and specific land uses are reflective of Apple Valley's needs. Policies The City will share development efforts with Independent School District #196 and Independent School District #191 on an ongoing basis to coordinate the appropriate sharing of resources and services. The City will encourage cooperation and participation with adjacent communities in the review and development of planning and community development activities. The City will continue to work with Dakota County and regional agencies in dealing with facility or system improvements and programs. The City will collaborate with State, Regional, and County Economic Development Agencies and foster a positive and supportive role with the Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce and local business organizations. The City will continue to support the Dakota County Historical Society and local efforts of the Historical Committee to preserve historically and/or culturally significant buildings and sites in the community. ENERGY Imagine Apple Valley 2040 Apple Valley Land Use PIanI41 Goal 4.13 Policies The City seeks to minimize energy waste and increase the role of renewables in the public and private sectors. The City will actively monitor energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions to assess efficiencies on an annual basis. The City encourages developments to make effective and appropriate use of renewable energy sources, including increased use of distributed solar, wind, geothermal evaluation, biogas, and solid waste utilization. The City encourages developments that use recycled materials and/or low -impact materials. The City will evaluate methods of protecting access to renewable energy sources, including solar and wind that fit with existing land uses and development patterns. Guidelines for incorporating renewable energy into existing development will be investigated and incorporated, as appropriate, into land use controls. Land use and construction practices that promote energy and resource conservation will be encouraged. Examples include the use of energy-efficient construction materials, building plan and orientation that facilitate passive heating/cooling and natural lighting, and site-specific storm -water infiltration. The City will work to reduce energy demand by educating and incentivizing the public to increase conservation and reduce consumption of electricity and water use. The City emphasizes land and roadway development design that minimizes vehicle miles traveled by reducing trip length and increasing the share of trips taken via public transit, car sharing, or active modes. The City will evaluate the application of electric vehicle charging stations to encourage the use of electric vehicles. The City will evaluate the need to develop a clean energy action plan to identify concrete emissions reductions targets and further incentives to meet its renewable energy goals. Downtown Development Guidelines To be completed per discussion with Community Development Staff. Imagine Apple Valley 2040 Apple Valley Land Use PIanI42 Vision for A V 2030 Comprehensive Plan The qualities and characteristics desired for the City of Apple Valley by the year 2030 are expressed in this Vision Statement. The Comprehensive Plan is the blueprint to achieve that future vision. The Vision Statement blends the qualities of today with the aspirations of tomorrow. In times of change or conflict, the Vision Statement serves as a compass, pointing the way to a common direction and values. Not all aspects of this vision statement pertain directly to the Comprehensive Plan. In this light, achieving this vi- sion cannot be the sole responsibility of city government. The community must take ownership of this vision. By owning the vision for Apple Valley, people will take pride in their community and bring commitment to taking the steps required to achieve this vision. The vision for the future of Apple Valley is described as a series of keys. Each of these keys works together to create, maintain and enhance the community. These keys describe both what Apple Valley is today and what it aspires to become in the future. The numbers associated with each key serve as a means of identification and not as a ranking of priority or importance. October 2009 Vision for Apple Valley I 2-1 Key 1 - Sustainable Apple Valley is a place with outstanding quality of life. We wisely use the natural, economic, and human resources needed to continue this quality of life. We seek to provide the resources required to maintain and enhance the quality of life for future generations. We plan our community in ways that sustain the clean water and air that are essential elements of the quality of life in Apple Valley. In doing so, Apple Valley aspires to be sustainable. Key 2 -Livable Apple Valley is a great place to live. We build neighbor- hoods of enduring quality and character. They are active, healthy and safe places. Tree lined, well maintained streets increase the beauty and comfort of our neighborhoods. Sidewalks and parks provide places to meet our neighbors. The places we live are well connected to parks, schools, shopping and employment. Apple Valley offers choices in housing that allow people in all stages of their life to make a home in our community. Apple Valley is an affordable place to live. We encourage residents to be connected with their neighbors and engaged in community life with a com- mitment to volunteerism. We promote pride in property that results in actions that enhance the quality, integrity and value of existing neighborhoods. We are committed to maintaining and enhancing the future quality of life in Apple Valley. Key 3 - Business Oriented Apple Valley is a magnet for businesses. We provide an excellent location, strong regional transportation connec- tions, a skilled work force, and a strong market place. We work with the Chamber of Commerce and other business organizations to actively attract and retain businesses to achieve the vision for Apple Valley, while remaining committed to our traditional high standards of quality. We seek an expanding array of jobs, goods, services and entertainment that meet the needs of our residents. We encourage businesses and their employees to play an active role in community life. 2-2 I Vision for Apple Valley October 2009 City of Apple Valley Key 4 - Employment Focused Apple Valley offers the locations, the work force and the technological infrastructure that create more opportuni- ties for people to live and work in Apple Valley. Increas- ing local jobs helps to take trips off of regional highways, reduces fuel consumption, and lower air pollution from automobiles. Short commutes give people more time to spend with family and in the community. Particular at- tention is given to growing jobs with incomes capable of sustaining a family. Apple Valley's location provides excel- lent access to employment centers in Minneapolis, Saint Paul and southern suburbs. A variety of regional highways, quality transit systems and proximity to the Twin Cities International Airport give access to jobs throughout the region and the world. We play an active role in the region to ensure that current and future transportation systems continue to provide Apple Valley residents with access, choice and flexibility. Apple Fire Station No. 1 995 Dalai Avenue Key 5 - Safe Apple Valley maintains a strong commitment to safety in all places, at every hour of the day. Through excellent police, fire and medical response services, our citizens feel safe knowing that help is only minutes away. We are committed to maintaining high service standards by adding resources as the community grows and changes. The commitment to safety extends to our residents. Apple Valley is a place where we care for our neighbors. Key 6 - Play and Preserve Parks are an integral part of the fabric of our community. Every home has walkable access to a city park. Parks pro- vide places for us to play and to gather with our neighbors. Parks help to preserve the natural environment of Apple Valley. Apple Valley parks are not seen as individual enti- ties, but part of a broader, inter -connected system. This system includes the Minnesota Zoo, Lebanon Hills Re- gional Park and local schools. We provide a wide range of parks and recreational facilities with the ability to adapt to the changing needs of the population. We are committed to providing the resources to maintain and improve Apple Valley parks. The City works collaboratively with ISD 196, ISD 191, Dakota County, local athletic associations and other groups to meet shared park and recreation needs and make best use of our resources. 2030 Comprehensive Plan October 2009 Vision for Apple Valley 2-3 „ . fir. _• Key 7 - Healthy and Active Apple Valley's policies are designed to make it the model of a healthy, active and safe community. A comprehen- sive system of sidewalks, trails and bike lanes connects neighborhoods, jobs, schools, and other destinations as an integral part of our transportation system. We offer a wide range of formal and informal recreation facilities that adapt to the changing needs of the population. Food, health care and other essential goods and services are readily accessible to all Apple Valley residents. We plan our community in ways that sustain the clean water and air that are essential elements of the quality of life in Apple Valley. Through stormwater management, pollution prevention practices and natural resources protection, we will continue to pro- tect and sustain our environment. Through sustainable design and development, we are more efficient users of our resources. Key 8 - Accessible The ability to move safely and efficiently within Apple Valley and the region is essential. Apple Valley supports a multi -faceted transportation system that can accommodate automobiles, mass transit, bicycles and pedestrians. Apple Valley should be a place of `great streets': A great street extends beyond the street surface to the sidewalks and landscaping in the adjacent right-of-way. A great street provides for the safe and efficient movement of vehicles while encouraging travel by bicycle and foot. A great street supports and enhances land use. A great street adds to the quality of life and identity of Apple Valley. The street system should be designed to avoid unintended traffic patterns and volumes. Key 9 - Successful Downtown Apple Valley seeks a unique, identifiable and successful "downtown” area. We face this aspect of the vision with realism. Downtown Apple Valley will not be a singular place, but a collection of strongly connected destinations that serve and enhance the community. The core of the downtown area is the four quadrants of the Cedar Avenue/ County Road 42 intersection, creating a setting different from the"traditional" downtown area. The scope of down- town Apple Valley continues to evolve in form, use and density and has expanded to include Central Village, the Transit Station and Fischer Marketplace. The downtown area will be first and foremost a place of commerce. It is the location of the goods and services needed by Apple Valley residents. We envision a downtown area that includes a growing mixture of places to shop, work, live, and play. It must continue to be the civic core of the community. While businesses require safe and convenient access by car, the downtown should be designed to allow people to reach it and move within it on foot or bicycle. 2-4 I Vision for Apple Valley October 2009 City of Apple Valley Key 10 - Learning The quality of life in Apple Valley is inextricably linked to the quality of educational opportunities. Educating our children remains our highest priority. Schools are not only places to learn, but they are focal points of community life. Learning does not begin with kindergarten nor end with high school. It is a life long activity. We seek a future with increasing opportunities for continuing education located in Apple Valley. We work in strong partnership with Independent School District 196, Independent School District 191, Dakota County Technical College, St. Mary's University and other educators to achieve this vision. Key 11 - Service City government provides the services, infrastructure and land use controls that touch every aspect of this vision. While city government is not solely responsible for the vision, the vision cannot be realized without its leader- ship and stewardship. Quality leadership and excellent staff should be continued hallmarks of Apple Valley. City government should be responsive to community needs, holding firmly to community standards while retaining the flexibility to seize opportunities. The City is a partner with businesses. City government sets high standards for its financial stewardship, making investments that pay divi- dends in quality of life and affordability. The quality of city government ultimately lies in the hands of our residents. We must care enough to become informed and involved. Governance in Apple Valley encourages and facilitates public involvement. 2030 Comprehensive Plan October 2009 Vision for Apple Valley 2-5 This page is intentionally blank 2-6 I Vision for Apple Valley October 2009 City of Apple Valley