Subd. 1. Purposes. The intent of the Town Center (TC) zoning district is to provide an area for development of an attractive, compact, walkable, mixed-use town center that creates a live/work/play environment for the community. To support the intent of the Town Center, the purposes of the TC zoning district are to:

A.

Provide a mix of higher density regional uses, vertical mixed uses, more housing within walking distance of services, and a more efficient, compact and connected development pattern;

B.

Incorporate connections between the various land uses; including pedestrian, street and visual;

C.

Incorporate civic amenities such as urban parks and plazas, civic and cultural spaces, sidewalks and trails, and landscaped streetscapes;

D.

Promote strategies and designs that decrease the need for parking, including compact/mixed-use development patterns, on-street parking, joint use parking, structured parking, access to transit and shuttle services, bike sharing, and car sharing;

E.

Locate and design buildings that are oriented to public spaces, including streets, sidewalks, plazas and open spaces, to create the feel and function of a traditional town center and to emphasize a pedestrian oriented environment;

F.

Encourage non-automobile access and circulation, including transit, walking and biking; and

G.

Support an urban design pattern that encourages active living - the integration of physical activity into daily routines and healthy mobility choices, including walking, biking, riding scooters, and rollerblading, and other forms of pedestrian travel and includes accommodations for persons with disabilities to connect to transit.

The standards applicable to the TC zoning district are intended to implement the vision, goals and principles established in the Eden Prairie Major Center Area Framework Plan and Major Center Area Planning Principles and the Town Center Design Guidelines, which will be carried out through specific standards related to land use mix, site planning, building bulk and dimensions, architecture, building materials, transportation access, parking, landscaping, signage and lighting.

Subd. 2. Definitions. The following terms, as used in this section, shall have the following meanings:

Building Break means a recess in the building façade that provides façade articulation, creates the impression that one (1) building is two (2) or more buildings, incorporates a unique building element, and improves the building's overall composition and aesthetic. Minimum requirements for a building break are a depth of two (2) feet and a width of four (4) feet.

Building Stepback means a setback of a building's upper floor(s) in order to reduce the building's bulk, articulate the base of the building, ensure a more comfortable street environment, and provide light and air at street level.

Building Street Frontage means the proportion of a lot's frontage on a public street that is occupied by a building as measured at the required maximum front yard setback. Corner lots must meet maximum front yard setback requirements for both public street frontages.

Building Transparency means openings in the street-facing façade of a building which are transparent, including windows and doors, that enable increased physical and/or visual interaction between street/sidewalk/plaza activities and a building's interior uses and activities.

Community Commercial means medium-scale retail stores and personal services primarily serving the residents and employees of the community. No individual building or tenant space shall exceed sixty thousand (60,000) square feet in area.

Drive-thru Facilities means facilities that accommodate automobiles and from which the occupants of the automobiles may make purchases or transact business, including the stacking spaces needed for waiting vehicles. Examples of drive-thru facilities include, but are not limited to, drive-up windows, menu boards, order boards or boxes, drive-in restaurants and drive-up banks.

Ground Floor Height means measurement taken from floor to floor.

Joint Use Parking means a parking facility shared by two (2) or more uses, tenants or properties.

Mixed-Use Building means a multi-story building that contains allowed retail and services on the ground floor and allowed residential and/or office uses on the upper floors.

Neighborhood Commercial means small-scale retail stores and personal services primarily serving nearby residential areas and nearby businesses and their employees and small-scale specialty shops and services that contribute to the uniqueness and vibrancy of Town Center and may attract a larger trade area. No individual tenant space shall exceed ten thousand (10,000) square feet in area with the exception of grocery stores, which shall not exceed twenty thousand (25,000) square feet in area. Drive-thru facilities are prohibited as a neighborhood commercial use.

Public Open Space means a publicly or privately owned area such as a park, trail, sidewalk or plaza that is accessible to the public.

Usable Outdoor Open Space means planned and improved outdoor facilities and open spaces that provide active or passive recreational, relaxation or gathering opportunities, including, but not limited to, any one (1) or more of the following: parks; plazas; play areas; maintained and landscaped lawn with trees and seating areas; natural or landscaped walking paths and running trails; pedestrian spaces; publicly accessible natural or wildlife viewing areas; gardens; ponds and water features; and other similar environments. Usable outdoor open space shall not include: landscape strips or enlargements/enhancements of landscaping areas adjacent to the sidewalk; shrubs, flowers and other low profile landscaping around buildings, sidewalks and parking areas; required minimum building setback areas; yards associated with private dwellings; or outdoor areas that prohibit public or resident access during normal business hours for the area. No areas of usable open space shall contain less than two thousand (2,000) contiguous square feet. Usable open space in Mixed Use and Commercial sub-districts should be located near primary building entrances and be accessible by the public from a public sidewalk or streetscape area at least during normal business hours of the surrounding area.

Visitor Parking means an off-street, surface parking area for motor vehicles that will be parked for short periods of time, and visiting within the Town Center district. Visitor parking does not include long term or all day employee parking or parking of delivery vehicles engaged in loading or unloading goods.

Subd. 3. Sub-Districts. The TC zoning district is divided into three (3) sub-districts:

A.

Town Center Mixed Use (TC-MU). Town Center Mixed-use requires higher intensity vertical mixed-use buildings with ground floor retail shops, services and restaurants that front onto Town Center's "Main Streets" and are pedestrian-oriented. In order to support a live/work/play environment, the upper floors shall be primarily residential uses, both rental and ownership housing, with a minimal amount of office uses allowed.

B.

Town Center Residential (TC-R). Town Center Residential allows a mix of stacked housing types including high density high-rise residential and high density mid-rise residential. These higher density housing types, both rental and ownership, shall be designed to optimize the district's walkable access to retail, services, restaurants, parks and trails, transit and community facilities. High rise buildings shall be located and designed to take advantage of views of nearby natural amenities and where significant shading of lower buildings will not occur.

C.

Town Center Commercial (TC-C). Town Center Commercial allows a mix of lower intensity commercial uses including community retail, services, restaurants, entertainment, office, and hospitality/lodging. Site layout, building design and parking strategies shall support the compact and pedestrian-oriented character of the district.

Subd. 4. Design Guidelines. All new development, redevelopment and subdivisions within the Town Center district shall be in substantial conformance with the Town Center Design Guidelines. Development proposals will be reviewed as part of the Site Plan and Architectural Design Review process for conformance with the City Codes and the Design Guidelines.

Subd. 5. Permitted Uses. Refer to the table in Section 11.06.

Subd. 6. Permitted Building Types. The following building types are established as the only types of new buildings allowed within the TC district.

A.

Building Type A, Vertical Mixed-Use Residential/Commercial. Type A buildings shall have retail, restaurant and/or service uses on the ground floor with residential on the upper floors. Parking may be included below or above the ground floor.

B.

Building Type B, Vertical Mixed-Use Office/Commercial.

C.

Building Type C, High-Rise Residential.

D.

Building Type D, Mid-Rise Residential.

E.

Building Type E, Entertainment/Restaurant/Services. Type E buildings may include entertainment, restaurant and/or services uses.

F.

Building Type F, Hospitality/Lodging.

G.

Building Type G, Community Retail.

H.

Building Type H, Parking Structure.

Table 1 establishes where the permitted building types can be located within the Town Center district.

Table 1: Permitted Building Types in Town Center District

Subd. 7. Requirements and Conditions. In addition to those other provisions in this Chapter that are applicable to all zoning districts or specifically apply to the TC District, the following conditions and requirements apply to the TC District:

A.

Zoning applications will be considered only on the basis of compliance with the Comprehensive Guide Plan for the entire area to be zoned and specific plans for initial structures and site development.

B.

Any provisions contained in this Section 11.27, which are inconsistent with or are in conflict with any other provision of the City Code will supersede such other provisions.

C.

All zoning and development applications must include a trip generation analysis that indicates the traffic impacts on the overall Major Center Area (MCA) and demonstrates that the proposed development is not in conflict with the MCA traffic model.

D.

Acceptable, approved sanitary sewer and water services must be provided to all occupied structures.

E.

In the TC-MU District, retail and personal service uses are limited to Neighborhood Commercial uses as defined in Subdivision 2 of this section.

F.

In the TC-C District, retail and personal service uses are limited to Community Commercial uses as defined in Subdivision 2 of this section.

G.

In the TC-C and TC-MU Districts, drive thru facilities are prohibited.

H.

In the TC-R District, High-Rise Residential buildings must have a minimum gross density of 60 units per acre and Mid-Rise Residential buildings must have a minimum gross density of 40 units per acre

I.

In the TC-MU District, business and professional offices and clinics must be located in mixed-use buildings, may not be located on the ground floor, and may not occupy more than twenty-five percent (25%) of upper floors' gross square footage.

J.

In the TC-MU District, Mid-Rise Residential buildings must have ground floor retail, restaurant, and/or services. Ground floor uses with street frontage must be one hundred percent (100%) retail, restaurant, and/or services.

K.

Lots must have frontage on a public street.

L.

Architectural standards, signage, lighting, mechanical equipment, trash, and loading facilities must be in substantial conformance with the Town Center Design Guidelines.

Subd. 8. Building Bulk & Dimension Standards. Table 2 establishes specific bulk and dimension standards for new buildings in the Town Center District.

Table 2: Building Bulk & Dimension Standards for Town Center District

¹ Parking structures shall not be included in calculation of number of Floors, FAR and Building Footprint Coverage.

² Maximum building height and maximum FAR may be exceeded for permitted hotel, lodging and entertainment uses, when the peak period trips generated is in compliance with the MCA traffic model.

³ Buildings exceeding forty (40) feet in width along a street are required to incorporate building breaks in the street façade that break the building into smaller facades, which may be a maximum of forty (40) feet in width.

⁴ Front Yard Setbacks may be increased if outdoor dining or usable open space is proposed as part of a Planned Unit Development. Awnings, decks, overhangs, stairs, steps, retaining walls and structures, signs or bicycle parking, etc. shall not project into the public right-of-way.

Subd. 9. Non-Residential Building Orientation to Street and Pedestrian Areas. All new mixed-use and commercial buildings shall provide a variety of active uses and pedestrian-oriented design features along streets and pedestrian areas. These design features include, but are not limited to, the use of multiple storefronts or businesses, multiple entrances into large single-tenant buildings, and design treatments of facades, entrances, windows, and other similar features. Buildings and developments shall comply with the following standards for building orientation:

A.

All new buildings shall have primary entrance doors facing a public sidewalk or public open space and spaced no more than sixty (60) feet apart. A primary entrance is defined as a principal entrance through which people enter the building. A building or individual business may have more than one (1) primary entrance. Building entrances may include doors to individual businesses, lobby entrances, entrances to pedestrian-oriented plazas, or courtyard entrances to a cluster of stores. Primary entrances shall be open to the public during all business hours.

B.

Primary building entrances shall be architecturally emphasized and visible from the street. Primary building entrances shall be clearly defined and highly visible utilizing design features such as awnings, canopies, pillars, unique building materials and/or architectural details.

C.

A minimum percentage of a mixed-use and commercial building's street-facing ground level façade between two (2) feet and eight (8) feet in height shall be comprised of clear windows, as specified in the Street Level Frontage Transparency standard in Table 3 above, in order to allow views of indoor non-residential space or product display areas. Required windows shall have a sill no higher than four (4) feet above the adjacent sidewalk.

Subd. 10. Off-Street Vehicle Parking Standards.

A.

Due to the more urban pedestrian oriented character of the Town Center area, the location and quantity of off-street parking spaces will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis as part of the development review process. In general, the intent is for developments to provide a reduced number of off-street parking spaces to account for availability of joint and shared-use parking, parking efficiencies resulting from a compact mixed-use development pattern, on-street parking, transit, walking and bicycling. Off-street parking facilities shall be provided as established in Table 3 or as determined through the development review process, recognizing the potential for district, shared and public parking. Table 3 establishes minimum and maximum off-street parking standards for uses within the Town Center district.

Table 3: Off-Street Parking Space Standards for Town Center District

B.

On-site parking is prohibited in the front yard directly in front of a building, except for frontage along Highway 212. Parking shall be provided to the rear or side of buildings.

C.

All parking in the TC-MU sub-district shall be in a parking structure or on the street.

D.

All off-street parking for residents in the TC-R sub-district shall be provided in an enclosed building or structure.

E.

Parking structure facades visible from public streets and public open spaces shall architecturally complement the building or buildings the parking structure serves through the use of exterior materials, architectural elements, and color. Parking structures shall include architectural elements that enhance the structure, break up its mass, and complement the building or buildings the parking structure serves. Examples of specific architectural elements that assist in meeting this requirement include decorative piers and pilasters, banding, reveals, architectural accents, wall plane articulation, decorative artwork, ornamental grillwork, recessed window openings, façade treatment variations, and locating tenant signs on the side of parking ramps.

F.

Parking structures may also incorporate liner buildings that screen the parking structure with active street-level uses. Liner building may include upper floor uses or may utilize appropriate architectural elements as described above.

G.

The location and design of off-street parking will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis as part of the development review process. Off-street parking requirements may be reduced if the applicant demonstrates meeting the requirement through joint use, district, off-site, or on-street parking.

H.

Parking ramps facing a public street must be lined on the street-facing side with an active ground floor use or commercial ready space. If no upper floor uses are present the ramp must be appropriately screened as required.

I.

For new development occurring within the TC Districts, on-street parking along the uses's lot frontage may count towards the parking requirements when reviewed and approved through a Planned Unit Development. This count shall be rounded to the nearest whole number.

J.

Parking structures shall not be included in calculation of number of floors and FAR.

Subd. 11. Supplemental Analysis or Study.

A.

Traffic. All development and zoning projects in the TC District require documentation of the expected traffic impacts of the development. The scope of the traffic analysis is dependent on several factors including the size, type, and location of the development. The City Engineer should be contacted early in the project to determine the appropriate scope of the traffic analysis and to determine if a formal Traffic Impact Study is required. All development applications, regardless of size, shall document the size and type of the proposed development and provide Daily, a.m. Peak, and p.m. Peak traffic generation estimates for the development.

B.

Traffic Demand Management (TDM). All development applications for office uses shall include a Travel Demand Management (TDM) plan. The plan shall document TDM measures to be implemented, a two-year budget, and an evaluation plan. TDM strategies that should be considered in the TDM plan include, but are not limited to, financial incentives for car poolers, van poolers and bicyclists, subsidized transit passes, preferential location of carpool/vanpool parking, bicycle racks and storage, access to shower and lockers, and promotion of commuter programs. As a condition of approval a TDM plan, security in the form of a cash escrow, letter of credit with a corporation approved by the City Manager or other guarantee acceptable to the City Manager equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the cost of implementing the first two (2) years of the TDM Plan will be required. All new residential development applications should consider TDM strategies such as bikeshare and carshare memberships, subsidized transit passes, and an information kiosk onsite.

C.

Parking. All zoning and development projects in the TC District require documentation of the parking plan for the project site including the number of required parking spaces, the number of provided parking spaces and any proposed use of proof of parking. The location and quantity of parking will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis as part of the development review process. Based on the specifics of the parking plan for the project site a formal Parking Study may be required. The City Planner should be contacted prior to application and early in the project to review the parking plan for the project and to determine if a formal Parking Study is required.

Subd. 12. Pedestrian and Off-Street Bicycle Facility Standards.

A.

Public sidewalks and/or trails may be required to be constructed by the applicant in conformance with the Comprehensive Guide Plan and/or the City Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan. Design shall conform to the requirements of the City Engineer, Parks and Recreation Director or designee.

B.

An off-street sidewalk or multi-use trail shall be provided by the applicant that connects the front door of the building to adjacent public sidewalks or trails that are either existing or contemplated in an approved city trail plan or Capital Improvement Plan.

C.

Off-Street Bicycle parking shall be provided at the following ratios at the time of initial certificate of occupancy and at the time of an enlargement of a structure:

1.

Office - minimum of ten (10) spaces, plus one (1) space per seven thousand five hundred (7,500) square feet of gross floor area.

2.

Commercial - minimum often (10) spaces, plus one (1) space per three thousand five hundred (3,500) square feet of gross floor area.

3.

Public - minimum often (10) spaces, plus one (1) space per three thousand five hundred (3,500) square feet of gross floor area.

4.

Light Industrial - minimum of ten (10) spaces, plus one (1) space per ten thousand (10,000) square feet of gross floor area.

5.

Residential - one (1) space per two (2) dwelling units.

D.

Location. Bicycle parking shall be located within fifty (50) feet of the primary building entrance(s) and shall not obstruct sidewalks except as approved through a shared bicycle plan as referenced in Subsection G.

E.

Bicycle racks shall be securely anchored to the ground and on a hard surface. Up to twenty-five (25) percent of bicycle parking may be temporary or seasonal, but all temporary or seasonal bicycle parking shall be included within the Proof of Bicycle Parking plan.

F.

Covered spaces. If twenty (20) or more bicycle spaces are required, then at least fifty (50) percent of the required bicycle spaces shall be covered. Coverage may be provided under roof overhangs or awnings, in bicycle lockers, indoor room, fenced in corral, within adjacent parking structures, or within underground parking structures.

G.

Shared Bicycle Parking. Shared off-street bicycle parking facilities are allowed to collectively provide bicycle parking in any district for more than one (1) structure or use. The applicant shall demonstrate meeting the requirement through a joint use, district or shared parking agreement.

H.

Proof of Bicycle Parking. Any bicycle parking not constructed, as shown on the site plan, shall be constructed when determined necessary by the City Planner. If the applicant demonstrates to the satisfaction of the City Planner that the required bicycle parking is in excess of the actual demand, all of the required bicycle parking need not be constructed prior to the issuance of the initial certificate of occupancy for the building being served. The area of future parking shall be landscaped, which landscaping shall not be used to satisfy landscaping requirements. The City Planner shall notify the property owner in writing of the need to construct additional proof of bicycle parking spaces. No more than 50 percent of bicycle parking stalls may be placed in proof of bicycle parking.

Subd. 13. General Provisions. Refer to Section 11.08 for provisions that apply to all zoning districts.

Subd. 14. Architectural Standards. All buildings shall comply with Architectural Standards established in Section 11.46 of Chapter 11 of the City Code and shall be in substantial conformance with the Town Center Design Guidelines.

Subd. 15. Landscaping.

A.

All sites and buildings within the TC district shall comply with Screening and Landscaping standards established in Section 11.42, except for Subdivision 5.A (Minimum Size Requirements for Plantings) and Subdivision 5.B (Total Caliper Inches Required). The following standards apply within the TOD district in lieu of Section 11.42, Subdivision 5.A and Subdivision 5.B:

1.

Minimum Size Requirements for Plantings: Deciduous overstory plantings shall be a minimum of three (3) caliper inches; deciduous understory trees shall be a minimum of two (2) caliper inches; and coniferous trees shall be a minimum of eight (8) feet in height.

2.

Total Caliper Inches Required: Sites up to five (5) acres of on-site pervious area require a minimum of three (3) caliper inches of trees for every 500 square feet of the on-site pervious surface area. Sites with 5 acres or greater of on-site pervious area require a minimum of three (3) caliper inches of trees for every seven hundred fifty (750) square feet of the on-site pervious area. Pervious pavement areas, green roofs, and undevelopable areas including but not limited to: wetlands, floodways, archeological resource areas, and water bodies are excluded from the on-site pervious surface area calculation.

3.

Planting beds and/or decorative planting containers may replace up to fifty (50%) of the required caliper inches for trees at a rate of three (3) caliper inches of trees per five hundred (500) square feet of cumulative planting beds and/or decorative planting containers.

4.

Planting Beds and/or Decorative Planting Containers: Each planting bed or container shall include a variety of plants which may include shrubs, ornamental grasses, ground cover, vines, annuals, or perennials to provide year round color and interest. Native plant species to the local hardiness zone and those which provide interest and/or color in the winter are encouraged.

5.

Existing trees on the developable portions of the site that will remain after construction and/or existing trees on the overall site that provide benefits such as screening may be considered as counting toward a portion of the caliper inches required by this section as determined through the Development Review process. Any existing trees proposing to remain shall be determined to be healthy and of the appropriate species as determined by the City.

6.

Eco-grass, green roofs, rooftop gardens, limiting irrigation through xeriscaping and rainwater collection and reuse, public art, and other sustainable practices related to landscaping may be considered as counting toward a portion of the caliper inches required by this section as determined through the Development Review process.

B.

Landscaping shall be in substantial conformance with the Town Center Design Guidelines. Due to the urban character of the Town Center District, less landscape space will be available than in other zoning districts. Therefore a higher level of design detail and level of landscaping is required for the concentrated open space, pervious surface areas, plazas, planters, screening areas and streetscape areas. Rooftop gardens and green roofs are encouraged. A detailed landscape plan prepared by a landscape architect shall be submitted with the development application.

Subd. 16. Signage. All sites and buildings shall comply with Sign Permits standards established in Section 11.70 and shall be in substantial conformance with the Town Center Design Guidelines.

Subd. 17. Lighting. All sites and buildings shall comply with Glare standards established Section 11.08, Subdivision 3, and shall be in substantial conformance with the Town Center Design Guidelines.

Subd. 18. Mechanical Equipment, Trash, Loading Facilities. All sites and buildings shall comply with the Screening standards in Section 11.42, Off-Street Loading Facilities standards in Section 11.43, Trash and Recycling standards in Section 11.08, Subdivision 4, and Wastes standards in Section 11.08, Subdivision 9.F.

(Source: Ordinance No. 20-2023, 12-14-2023; Ordinance No. 2-2017, 3-16-2017; Ordinance No. 04-2025, § 6, 3-4-2025)