Summary

Marco McLane Development has proposed redevelopment of Plymouth Plaza, a commercial site southwest of the intersection of County Roads 101 and 6. The project would include demolition of a portion of the existing building, a new 14,238 square-foot multi-tenant commercial building, and a new 195-unit apartment building. The apartment building is proposed with underground and surface parking stalls and 4 stories of apartments.

At the public meeting held on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, the City Council reviewed and subsequently voted to approve the applicant's request for a compressive plan reguiding, rezoning, PUD general plan, and preliminary plat for the redevelopment of Plymouth Plaza located at 1455 County Road 101. More information on the development is available in the November 25 agenda packet on the Meetings, Agendas, & Videos webpage. 

Marco McLane has requested tax increment financing (TIF) assistance to help cover certain costs in connection with the construction of the apartment building. As part of this request, the applicant has agreed to abide by the city’s Inclusionary Housing Policy, including reserving 20% of the rental units for renters who earn no more than 60% AMI. The terms of the TIF assistance package were approved at the same public meeting.

Comprehensive Plan Amendment

The City Council approved a comprehensive plan text amendment to reguide the property from C (commercial) to MXD (mixed use) to accommodate the proposed redevelopment.

Rezoning

The City Council approved a zoning ordinance text amendment to rezone the property from C-2 (neighborhood commercial) to PUD (planned unit development) to accommodate the proposed redevelopment. A PUD allows greater flexibility in development than would be possible under a conventional zoning district. The development was based around the standards of the RMF-4 (residential multi-family) and C-2 zoning districts, congruent with the existing zoning of directly abutting properties zoned C-2, RMF-4, and RSF-1 (residential single family).

PUD General Plan

The applicant has applied for a PUD general plan to allow development flexibilities to address various site constraints. The following PUD flexibilities were requested:

1. Building Setbacks. The new apartment building is requesting a reduced setback of 24.7 feet along Olive Lane where 25 feet is required by the zoning ordinance, and 13.25 along County Road 6 where 50 feet is required. The reduced setback is due to the irregular shape of the north property line and right-of-way; even with the reduced setback, the actual distance from the roadway to the building remains approximately 48 feet. The new commercial building is requesting a reduced setback of 12.6 feet along County Road 101 and 16.6 feet along County Road 6 where 35 feet is required for both, to accommodate essential site features, including fire lane access, stormwater infrastructure, tenant visibility, and snow removal. 
2. Building Height. The applicant is requesting flexibility to allow a height of 46-48 feet where a maximum height of 45 feet is required by zoning ordinance. The site slopes downward approximately 3 feet, so to maintain proper drainage away from the building, the first-floor level was set at the higher end of the site, reaching a maximum of 48 feet above the final average grade.
3. Parking. The zoning ordinance would require a total of 533 parking spaces for the project site, including one enclosed parking stall per residential unit. The proposed site plan shows a total of 453 parking spaces, 274 of which are allocated to the residential component, and 179 of which are allocated to the commercial component. The residential requirements are satisfied, while the commercial requirements are three spaces short of the minimum required by code; however, the proposed development includes a shared parking arrangement by both users, supported by a traffic and parking study included in the application. 
4. Landscaping. The zoning ordinance would require the applicant provide a total of 331 overstory trees or equivalent in understory trees. The proposed site plan would meet the minimum requirement for the commercial component, but due to site conditions that would result in overcrowding, the applicant is proposing to provide 117 overstory trees for the residential component and pay the remaining $55,000 into the Community Planting Fund.

As part of the city's PUD Policy, the applicant is required to hold a neighborhood meeting. The applicant held the meeting on October 9, 2025, at the Plymouth Community Center. The applicant used the same notice area as the city to mail invitations to neighbors to make them aware of the meeting. 

Transportation Study

A traffic study was completed as part of the project, commissioned by the city and reimbursed by the applicant. The objectives were to identify existing traffic operations within the study area, evaluate potential impacts of the proposed redevelopment, and recommend improvements, if necessary. The study area is bound by 19^th Avenue to the north, Oakwood Elementary School to the east, 13^th Avenue to the south, and Olive Lane to the west. It is important to note the existing traffic data was collected in May of 2025, when schools were in session and operating normally.

Hennepin County has reviewed the study, and their comments are reflected within the final report. County Roads 101 and 6 are under the county's jurisdiction, with the county having the ultimate authority on those roadways, including all traffic signal systems. The study offered conclusions and recommendations for both County Road 101 and County Road 6. Most of the recommended improvements exist with or without the propose dd redevelopment. The traffic study also offered recommendations for improvements specific to the development. 

Contact

Planning Division
Plymouth City Hall | 3400 Plymouth Blvd. | Plymouth, MN 55447-1482
P 763-509-5450 | planning@plymouthmn.gov