Commission recommends 94 Exchange comp plan amendment, plat and site plan with materials caveat

The Oakdale Planning Commission on July 9 voted to recommend approval of a comprehensive plan amendment, a preliminary plat and a site plan for a proposed 94 Exchange development at the northwest quadrant of I‑94 and I‑694.

Staff (Luke) said the roughly 36‑acre site would be replatted and partially re‑guided from office/limited business to industrial office to permit two light‑industrial buildings on the northwest portion of the property, reserving southern and eastern areas for future commercial uses. The staff presentation detailed site constraints including an interior wetland/floodplain, required easement updates, MnDOT review for interstate‑adjacent improvements, required sanitary sewer connection charges, and other standard plat and site‑plan requirements.

Key technical details in staff’s presentation: Lot 1 is approximately 16 acres; the proposed plan shows 192 parking spaces for the two industrial buildings, with proof‑of‑parking for 26 additional spaces reserved for future construction; tree‑replacement calculations require "a little over 2,000 inches" to be covered by a fee‑in‑lieu; and traffic‑related conditions include that the developer cover costs for signal upgrades and pedestrian improvements at the intersection of 4th Street and Hale Avenue.

Developer Peter Mork (founder, Capital Partners) and his team described the project as smaller‑bay industrial product intended for local and regional tenants (box trucks and pickup trucks rather than extensive 54‑ft semis), said they do not seek tax‑increment or city subsidies, and asked for limited flexibility on tree‑mitigation timing and materials on internal truck faces. A nearby resident, Brian Ritchie, urged the commission to consider neighborhood impacts and said prior transit and road projects had not left the neighborhood feeling heard.

Commission discussion focused on exterior materials and architectural standards required in the B‑2 district (70% class‑1 materials on visible facades). The developer requested that painted precast be allowed on internal truck‑facing walls; commissioners expressed concern about setting a broad precedent but agreed there are averaging mechanisms in the code. The commission adopted a motion to recommend the comprehensive plan amendment and preliminary plat and then moved to recommend the site plan with a modification to condition 8: the 70% class‑1 exterior material requirement should apply to the three sides facing outward, and painted precast may be used on internal truck faces. Staff confirmed the amendment language would be forwarded to City Council. Each motion passed by voice vote.