Commission recommends approvals for Astoria Oak Marsh senior cooperative project with variances and site plan conditions

The City of Oakdale Planning Commission voted April 3 to recommend approval of a variance, preliminary/final plat and site plan for Astoria Oak Marsh, a proposed 89-unit senior cooperative at 8001 Fourth Street North.

Planning staff told the commission the development site is roughly 5.1 acres within a larger roughly 20-acre plat that also includes the existing Oak Meadows senior facility; the project proposes a four-story building with one level of underground parking, approximately 17 dwelling units per acre, and 139 parking spaces (114 underground, 25 surface). Staff recommended approval with conditions, and commissioners voted to recommend all three enrollment items — variance, plat and site plan — with the conditions listed in the staff resolutions.

Planning staff summarized the requested variances and the rationale: the R-5 zoning district limits building height to 40 feet, but the proposed building has an average height of about 46 feet…