City of Hopkins • Comprehensive Plan • Land Use & Development Plan

Hopkins' planned land use pattern is illustrated on the Future Land Use Plan. Because Hopkins is a fully developed community, this plan includes only minor changes from the present development pattern. Planned changes are outlined below.

The principal emphasis of the Land Use plan is not to make wholesale changes in the pattern of development but, rather, to achieve better quality site planning and use the land in a way that reflects its very limited availability and good access. The policies identified on the following pages support that position.

Existing single-family and two-family housing on the fringes of downtown between First Street North and Excelsior Boulevard will be maintained as single-family and two-family housing. The only exception is the small area of single-family housing lying east of 12 th Avenue South and south of First Street South. This area is designated as high density residential on the Future Land Use Plan. If higher density housing is developed in this area, it should be owner occupied units.
The commercial property along both sides of Shady Oak Road should be redeveloped. Shady Oak Road north of Excelsior Boulevard contains a mix of restaurant, retail and service commercial businesses that have inadequate parking and access. Redevelopment of this area should be done concurrent with planned roadway improvements and will require the cooperation of the cities of Hopkins and Minnetonka since the common municipal line meanders through the area. Redevelopment of this area may even require "trading" land between the two cities in order to create parcels that can accommodate appropriate uses. This area should be considered as a gateway to downtown Hopkins and accordingly, should have design elements that echo the improvements along Mainstreet.
The former landfill site south of Seventh Street is designated as open space. If the land becomes suitable for public access, the site could be designated as a future park.
A portion of the industrial site west of Highway 169 and north of Third Street South is planned for use as a major LRT or commuter rail station and parking area.
The industrial parking lots located north of Second Street Northeast on either side of Tyler Avenue should be redeveloped into single family housing. The land lying west of Tyler should be developed into traditional single-family neighborhood lots. The parcel east of Tyler might be developed with smaller lots accommodating single-family detached uses.
The trucking site east of Blake Road south of Minnehaha Creek is expected to continue as an industrial use. The property at the corner of Blake Road and 2nd Street Northeast that is contiguous to the industrial property may support a commercial use.

The SuperValu North Annex site should be redeveloped as a business park accommodating a mixture of office, office showroom and light industrial uses. The area should be developed consistent with the City's business park zoning criteria and performance standards.
The area north of Excelsior Boulevard and east of the railroad tracks should be redeveloped to include commercial uses along Excelsior Boulevard and industrial uses along the railroad tracks. When Excelsior Boulevard is reconstructed between the railroad tracks and Blake Road, a detailed redevelopment plan for this area should be prepared.
The former Knox site south of Excelsior Boulevard is zoned and guided Business Park, but will be considered for an auto sales lot with a PUD overlay zoning. The site will revert to Business Park zoning if the use of auto sales vacates the site.

The City will work to protect the integrity and long-term viability of its low-density residential neighborhoods and strive to reduce the potential negative effect of nearby commercial or industrial land development through zoning, site plan reviews, and code enforcement.
The infilling of vacant parcels and the rehabilitation of existing developed land will be in accordance with uses specified in the Comprehensive Plan.
Incompatible land uses will be improved or removed where possible and the land reused in conformance with the Comprehensive Plan.
The City will work to assure a strong and well-maintained neighborhoods in order to foster an overall positive economic development climate in Hopkins.
The City will work to provide an overall mixture of residential land use in the City.
The City will work to correct the disproportional amount of multiple family land uses within the City.
The City will work to provide a balance of land uses within the City.
The City will seek to provide housing opportunities for people in all segments of the life cycle.
The City will protect the visual integrity of the Highway 7 corridor through Hopkins by not allowing new commercial uses along the roadway.
The City will examine the existing Zoning Code in order to determine if more flexibility is required for provisions regulating residential properties.

On a limited basis, the City will continue to leverage private investment in the redevelopment of the Downtown through judicious use of tax increment financing revenues and local capital improvement funds.
The City will work with Downtown landowners and merchants to improve parking, access, appearance, and the land use pattern.
The Downtown will be kept in a compact arrangement in order to increase its commercial function and also to protect adjacent residential areas. Expansion of the commercial area will generally be limited to areas that do not displace single family housing.
The City will continue to offer its commercial structure and sign rehabilitation loan program targeted to downtown Hopkins as long as it financially feasible to do so and the need is there.
On a limited basis, the City will allow the conversion of older single-family homes in Downtown Hopkins as noted in the Plan to attached, owner occupied housing (townhouses, condominiums, etc.).

The City will continue to actively promote the development and redevelopment of its industrial areas through marketing and public relations efforts, land use planning, and careful financial incentives, including tax increment financing.
The City will strive to leverage its valuable locational assets and create industrial areas, which have attractive building and grounds, no visible outdoor storage, high floor-area ratios, and high levels of employment, especially employment in the professional and technical job areas.
The City will attempt to improve the appearances of all businesses in the Excelsior Boulevard area through public-private landscaping and fencing partnerships and local code enforcement.
The City will carefully study the implications for commercial redevelopment of the planned reconstruction, widening, and realignment of Shady Oak Road. The objective will be to create new commercial sites which are appealing to the contemporary commercial market, which have good access, parking, and service docking, and which can be well landscaped.
The City will participate in the redevelopment of deteriorated and/or obsolescent industrial and commercial areas when public financing is determined to be feasible and necessary.
Industrial zoning will be expanded only where and when it would not have a detrimental effect on a nearby residential neighborhood.
The City will set and enforce high standards for all non-residential design. New business site plans will be carefully reviewed for building orientation, parking placement, access, traffic impact, landscaping, screening of storage, and general architectural appearance.
The City will assist owners of new businesses with the process of obtaining funding such as Small Business Administration loans and tax increment financing when determined necessary and appropriate.
When commercial property abuts residential property (especially across a street), extensive landscaping, fencing and /or berming should be used to protect the housing.

The City will work to unite the core of the City with those neighborhoods that are separated by highways or non-residential development. Approaches will include bicycle and pedestrian paths or lanes and bridges.
The City will protect the long-term viability of its greatest asset--its residential neighborhoods--through zoning, land use planning, rehabilitation assistance, traffic engineering, parks improvements, and replacement and infilling with compatible housing styles.

The closed landfill in southwestern Hopkins will be maintained as open space. If it is to be used as a park in the future, local residents will be actively involved in its programming and design.