HomeMy WebLinkAbout060220PCWorkshopMinutesCity of Falcon Heights City Hall 2077 Larpenteur Avenue West Minutes Planning Commission Meeting Tuesday, June 2, 2020 7:00 PM NOTE: THIS MEETING WAS HELD BY WEB CONFERENCE A. CALL TO ORDER:
The meeting was called to order by Vice Chair Scott Wilson at 7:00 PM. B. ROLL CALL: Present: Williams, Kotelnicki, Gerich, Wilson
Absent: Larkin Present Staff and Council Liaisons: Markon, Mayor Gustafson C. WORKSHOP AGENDA
1. Discuss Conditional Use Permits (CUPs) Liaison Markon described and asked for a discussion of Conditional Use Permits (CUPs) taken from a memo from the League of Minnesota Cities and excerpts from the current Falcon Heights Code (see “Request For Planning Commission Action
document”). A discussion of Conditional Use Permits took place between Commission members. The highlights included: Markon said that currently drive-throughs are not allowed in Falcon Heights except at financial institutions but mentioned that, if approved, the conditions for adding a
drive-through to any property in the City must be met. Mayor Gustafson also mentioned that the State Legislature recently made it more difficult to approve CUPs by requiring that any CUP that is approved for any property in any City in Minnesota must be entered into the code of that City, and the
new conditions made available to any property in that City. 2. Discuss drive-throughs Liaison Markon described and asked for a discussion of the Drive-Through code
taken from the current the City of Falcon Heights code (see “Request For Planning Commission Action document”). A discussion of drive-throughs took place between Commission members. The highlights included: Markon stated that all facilities with drive-throughs must comply with seven items
listed in the Falcon Heights code. Markon also mentioned that Dino’s is planning to request for a drive-through, which seems to be motivated by the financial issues
associated with Covid-19. He noted that currently, it appears that Dino’s would not meet 4 or 5 of the 7 conditions and would need a PUD and/or variance.
Mayor Gustafson says that Dino’s must be compliant with the code, regardless of the establishment of a PUD. This could be accomplished by Dino’s changing their parcel and location of the drive-through to comply with the City’s code, the City changing the code to allow Dino’s to comply, or a combination of both. Gustafson
also commented, that even after compliance is met, the neighbors surrounding the area of the restaurant will be entitled to their opinion in a Public Hearing forum, of which the noise factor of having a drive-through close to their homes is likely to be an issue.
3. Discuss Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) Liaison Markon described and asked for a discussion of PUDs taken from the City code of Falcon Heights as a possible solution for Dino’s drive-through request (see “Request For Planning Commission Action document”). A discussion of PUDs took
place between Commission members. The highlights included: Markon reiterated that one possible way for Dino’s to correct the five violations to the code could be to combine their lot into one parcel and establish a PUD with variances.
Conclusion: Place a call to Dino’s ownership to discuss what was suggested in the Planning Commission meeting and possible ways to resolve issues with the current code.
Request that Dino’s provide a specific plan, including drawings, that can comply with Falcon Heights code, and present these plan ideas during the next Planning Commission meeting and provide the City Council with specific written plans as well. Recommend that Dino’s consider the establishment of a PUD with variances.
Dino’s must work with the surrounding neighbors for suggestions and to gain their confidence for the drive-through plan. D. INFORMATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
N/A E. ADJOURN Adjourned at 9:30 PM.