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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPCAgenda_05Nov29• City of Falcon Heights Planning Commission City Hall 2077 W. Larpenteur Avenue Tuesday, November 29, 2005 7:00 p.m. AGENDA A. CALL TO ORDER: 7:00 p.m. B. ROLL CALL: Tracy Lukermann Harris Lageson Heideman DeLeo Ryan Rodich Mercer-Taylor Council Liaison Lindstrom • City Administrator Worthington Staff Liaison Jones City Attorney C. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: September 27, 2005 D. PRESENTATION: Falcon Heights historical archive updates Jane Fandrey, Planning Intern E. AGENDA ITEM: Progress report on recodification F. INFORMATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS G. ADJOURN City of Falcon Heights Planning Commission City Hall 2077 W. Larpenteur Avenue Tuesday, November 29, 2005 7:00 p.m. AGENDA A. CALL TO ORDER: 7:00 p.m. B. ROLL CALL: Tracy Lukermann Harris Lageson Heideman DeLeo Ryan Rodich Mercer-Taylor Council Liaison Lindstrom • City Administrator Worthington Staff Liaison Jones C. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: September 27, 2005 D. PRESENTATION: Falcon Heights historical archive updates Jane Fandrey, Planning Intern E. AGENDA ITEM: Progress report on recodification F. INFORMATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS G. ADJOURN City Attorney L~ CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS 2077 W. Larpenteur Avenue Falcon Heights, MN 55113-5594 email: mail~ci.falcon-heights.mn.us Phone - (651) 792-7600 website: www.ci.falcon-heights.mn.us Fax - (651) 792-7610 MEMORANDUM To: Members of the Planning Commission CC: Heather Worthington, City Administrator; Peter Lindstrom, Council Liaison From: Deb Jones, Staff Liaison Subject: Planning Commission Meeting on November 29 Date: November 23, 2005 We're looking forward to seeing nearly all of you this coming Tuesday evening at the final Planning Commission meeting of 2005! We've only heard from one Commissioner • who is unable to come. The first item on the agenda will be a presentation on Falcon Heights by Jane Fandrey, the University of Minnesota urban studies student who has served as our planning intern this semester. Jane is gathering photos and anecdotes to add to our historical archive, bringing it up to date from the 50`h Anniversary in 1999. This is one of the many projects we've asked Jane to help us with over the last several months; others will be coming to fruition next year. The other main agenda item is a progress report on recodification. Yesterday Heather, City Attorney Roger Knutson and I met all day with Roger Merriam of Municipal Code Corporation to go over the legal analysis of our current code. The legal analysis is just the first stage of the process that will continue into 2006. We will outline for you the issues that came up in the analysis of the zoning chapter - I suspect none of them will be particularly surprising to you. Happy Thanksgiving! • HOME OF THE MINNESOTA STATE FAIR AND THE U OF M INSTITUTE OF AGRICUL: URE ~~~ PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER • MEMORANDUM To: Members of the Planning Commission CC: Heather Worthington, City Administrator; Peter Lindstrom, Council Liaison From: Deb Jones, Staff Liaison Subject: Planning Commission Meeting on November 29 Date: November 23, 2005 We're looking forward to seeing nearly all of you this coming Tuesday evening at the final Planning Commission meeting of 2005 ! We've only heard from one Commissioner • who is unable to come. The first item on the agenda will be a presentation on Falcon Heights by Jane Fandrey, the University of Minnesota urban studies student who has served as our planning intern this semester. Jane is gathering photos and anecdotes to add to our historical archive, bringing it up to date from the 50th Anniversary in 1999. This is one of the many projects we've asked Jane to help us with over the last several months; others will be coming to fruition next year. The other main agenda item is a progress report on recodification. Yesterday Heather, City Attorney Roger Knutson and I met all day with Roger Merriam of Municipal Code Corporation to go over the legal analysis of our current code. The legal analysis is just the first stage of the process that will continue into 2006. We will outline for you the issues that came up in the analysis of the zoning chapter - I suspect none of them will be particularly surprising to you. Happy Thanksgiving! City of Falcon Heights Planning Commission Minutes September 27, 2005 PRESENT: Commissioners DeLeo, Tracy, Lageson, Harris, Rodich, Ryan, Lageson, Mercer-Taylor, Council Liaison Lindstrom. Also present were City Attorney Soren Mattick and Staff Liaison Deb Jones. ABSENT: Heideman, Lukermann The meeting was called to order at 7:03 p.m. MINUTES: The minutes for August 23, 2005, were approved with one correction: Council Member Lindstrom was not present on August 23. PUBLIC HEARING: Variance Request for 1347 W. Larpenteur Avenue Commission Chair Ryan opened the public hearing. Zoning and Planning Coordinator Jones presented the staff report beginning with a slide show to review of variance standards and procedures for the benefit of the viewing audience. 1347 W. Larpenteur Avenue is a commercial property (B-1) at the northwest corner of Larpenteur and Hamline. It has been in use for many years as Thatcher Chiropractic Clinic. The property has been purchased by Dr. Omar Awad, who proposes to remodel the existing building for use as an eye clinic. • Dr. Awad is applying for a setback variance of 8 feet on the east (Hamline) side of the building to build an entrance vestibule, approximately 4 feet deep with an additional 4 foot overhang. The present entry, which faces Larpenteur, is not readily accessible to patients coming from the parking lot behind the building nor particularly welcoming and attractive to pedestrians. The applicant feels that the Hamline-facing entrance would be the best compromise between accessibility and creating a more welcoming streetscape. The staff findings found that no detriment or impairment would result from granting the variance. The property's uniqueness lies in its ties to the adjacent parcel on the west which is zoned R-1, although it has long been used together with the B-1 parcel. The only improvement on the adjacent parcel is a section of the clinic parking lot. No lot combination or rezoning is being sought at this time. The chief hardship from denying the variance would be that the owner would be required to place the new entry at the north, in effect, having the business "turn its back" to the street. Staff recommended approval. The applicant, Dr. Omar Awad, and the architect, Mr. Ali Awad, came to the podium to answer questions from the Commission. In response to questions from Commissioners, Mr. Awad confirmed that there would be a curved, flat (accessible) sidewalk from the parking lot, that the vestibule would be the only addition to the footprint of the building, that the enclosed area of the vestibule would be about 40 square feet, and that the sale of the property had not yet closed. Commissioner Lageson pointed out that many businesses do face rear parking lots and asked why this could not be done in this case. Ali Awad said that one of the remodeling goals is to create an entrance people can see, that it is very difficult to see where the entrance is now. The applicant wants • accessibility from the street as well as the parking lot as well as increased "street presence." The design intent is to make the building more "residential" and neighborly. City of Falcon Heights -Planning Commission Meeting of September 27, 2005 -Page 1 of 3 In response to a question from Commissioner Harris, the applicant said that the new business would use the existing sign. They are thinking about additional signage on the new entry but nothing is planned yet. Matthew Martin of 1697 Hamline came to the podium to address the Commission. The Martins own the home immediately adjacent to the clinic on the north. Mr. Martin's first concern was that there not be any more big neon signs going up, as he already has to look at many illuminated business signs, such as SuperAmerica and Tires Plus. As for the proposed entry, he has no objection. Della Martin of 1697 Hamline also spoke to the Commission. Her concerns are hours of operation and adding to light pollution for nearby residents. She said that the present entry is awkward for clinic clients, and she doesn't see a problem with the proposed vestibule. She and her husband would prefer an entry that faces the street instead of the parking lot, because arear-facing entry would also face their home and have more of an impact on them. There being no other person who wished to speak, the public hearing was closed at 7:42 p.m. DISCUSSION AND ACTION: Variance at 1372 Larpenteur In response to a question from Commissioner Ryan, City Attorney Mattick said that the variance would run with the property and that the current owner has also signed the variance application before the Commission. The Commissioners discussed the question of whether placing the entrance at the rear of the building (north, parking lot side) instead of on the east side as proposed, would really constitute a substantial • hardship for the owner and what the impact would be on the community, either way. The following points were made in the discussion: • The proposed entry makes good business sense • A rear entry would provide better service to clients • The above would not apply to clients arriving on foot or by alternate transportation • The Comprehensive Plan encourages business that face the community • The proposed addition is minimal, especially compared to the proposal for 1871 Larpenteur. • The Commission has applied tougher standards to other setback variances recently • It is not absolutely necessary to have the entrance on the east; there are other options such as the parking-lot (rear) entry and a vestibule inside the existing structure. • A rear facing entrance would have a greater impact on adjacent residents than aneast-facing entry. Tracy moved, Harris seconded, that the Commission recommend approval of the variance. Motion passed, S in favor and 2 opposed. The final decision will go to the City Council in October, most likely October 12. INFORMATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS: • Staff Liaison Jones introduced Jane Fandrey, who will be serving the City as a planning intern this semester. Ms. Fandrey is a student at the University of Minnesota. City of Falcon Heights -Planning Commission Meeting of September 27, 2005 -Page 2 of 3 Ms. Jones also reported that the Black Bamboo Restaurant project will not go through. The Wons were not able to arrange financing for the project, so 1871 Larpenteur is back on the market. Mr. Lindstrom reported that the Council denied the variance for the garage at 1800 N. Albert. The Council requests that in the future when there are multiple variances for consideration, that they be voted on one by one so the Commission's intention will be clearer. ADJOURNMENT The Planning Commission meeting was adjourned at 8.17 p.m. Res ectfully submitted, 2~~L~/~~~~~0. Deborah Jones, Staff Liaison • City of Falcon Heights -Planning Commission Meeting of September 27, 2005 -Page 3 of 3 • Planning Commission 11/29/05 ITEM: Progress Report on Recodification SUBMITTED BY: Deb Jones, Zoning & Planning Coordinator REVIEWED BY: Heather Worthington, City Administrator EXPLANATION: Summary: Several months ago the City contracted with Municipal Code Corporation to recodify the Falcon Heights City Code. The last recodification was done in 1993. The first step in the present process was a thorough legal analysis of the entire code, including all ordinances that have been passed since 1985. Roger Merriam of Municipal Code met with Staff and the City Attorney on November 22 to go over this analysis in detail. In Chapter 9, the zoning code, the following are some of the areas that will require the most work: • Signs • Appeals • • Variances • References to the building code and other outside standards In addition, many minor adjustments and revisions have been recommended throughout the chapter. The next step is to clean up the legal inconsistencies and obsolete provisions and to prepare a draft. ATTACHMENTS: None ACTION REQUESTED: None at this time. The purpose of this interim report is to keep the Planning Commission informed of the status of the recodification project. n U