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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity of Falcon Heights Minutes October 24, 2017City of Falcon Heights Planning Commission Minutes Tuesday, October 24, 2017 Present: Commissioners Larkin, Sunderland, Murphy, Samatar, Stemper, Kotelnicki, Staff Liaison Moretto Absent: Williams The meeting was called to order by Committee Chair Larkin at 7:00 pm. The minutes of September 26, 2017 meeting of the Planning Commission were approved. AGENDA: 1. Discussion – End of year updates and items for next year Updates on PUD amendment submitted by the Kelly Brothers were discussed. The Kelly Bros, have moved forward with their purchase of the property located next to The Good Acre. The property will be known as the Hendrickson. Paul Moretto described the project as being in the very initial design phase. Moretto suggested there would be innovative ideas and technologies incorporated into the design. Moretto stated that he would be giving each commissioner a call to share ideas and get feedback from each commissioner individually. The commission asked Moretto if the initial design presented to the commission and approved by the commission was the same or different plan now being proposed and what was the timeline. Moretto stated this was conceptual and that the owners were working with an architect and contractor to finalize the plan which would be available for submission in late winter early spring of 2018. Commissioner Kotelnicki asked whether the height of the building had been discussed and approved. The project had been approved for a 4 story building. Chair Larkin stated that approval was conditioned on being able to be reached by the Fire Department’s fire truck ladder, and stated that it does. Commissioner Kotelnicki asked about the process of working with WSB to plan public meetings and how would the planning commission work with WSB in those public meetings. Moretto suggested that more input is better input. Meetings with the Planning Commission would to scheduled in the future. Moretto discussed the schedule for January 2018 and suggested that a person from the MET Council would be meeting with the city in January to introduce SolSmart. Minnesota’s cities and counties can unlock the economic development benefits of solar energy by becoming designated through SolSmart, a national program that provides free technical assistance with addressing local barriers to solar energy development. All local governments that join SolSmart automatically qualify for up to 100 hours of free technical assistance from national solar experts. 2. Discussion – End of year schedule The monthly meetings in November and December fall very close to the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays and if there is no item of importance planned or to be heard by the commission those end of month meetings would not be scheduled. INFORMATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Moretto suggested that the commission officers could be re evaluated if there were changes to the commission or if current officers wanted to make any changes those could be proposed. The open meeting law was introduced for discussion in the context of having discussions and inter communication on commission planning business. Commissioner Sunderland asked about opportunities for establishing the means to have open conversation through a working groups that would not violate the open meeting law. Forms of meeting including email discussions were offered. The commission agreed to look in to this issue further. Commissioners and Moretto discussed workshops, and opportunities to attend workshops in the future. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 7:38 p.m.