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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPCAgenda_04Feb24 City of Falcon Heights Planning Commission City Hall 2077 W. Larpenteur Avenue Tuesday, February 24, 2004 7:00 p.m. AGENDA • :] A. CALL TO ORDER: 7 p.m. B. ROLL CALL: Tracy Lukermann Harris Lageson Maher Heideman DeLeo Ryan Ziebarth Council Liaison Lindstrom City Administrator Worthington Staff Liaison Jones C. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: January 27, 2004 D. AGENDA ITEMS: None E. INFORMATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS F. ADJOURN TO WORKSHOP G. WORKSHOP: Falcon Heights City Code, Chapter 9 and Chapter 10 Planning Commission agenda 022404 • 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 February 24 Date: February 20, 2004 I have been out of town all week on family business, so I have not been able to gather all the material I hoped to have ready for your next meeting. In particular, I have not printed out some interesting sign ordinances I have found. (They are too long to print whole, and I haven't had time to pull out the good bits.) I will have some samples to hand out on Tuesday, but in the meantime, I highly recommend browsing the Internet to find some good examples. Many cities have this information on their websites. It is interesting to compare older, established cities with newer suburban communities, especially those with an "upscale" esthetic. Please do bring along anything interesting you find, or email me the web address so I can distribute it to the other Commissioners. By now you have had a chance to read Chapter 10 (in your January packet), so we'll focus on that chapter in the workshop on Tuesday. If you would like to go back and pick up anything from your previous discussions, we could do that as well. I will have some information on bus benches/shelters to share with you, either in workshop or during the Information and Announcements portion of the meeting. I will have the Chapter 9 sections for people who have told me they are missing them. If you are missing any part of Chapter 9 (which you received in several installments), please let me know so I can make a copy for you. As you look through your binder, also, please note any areas we haven't covered that you would like the Commission to discuss. And, as always, if you are unable to attend the meeting, please notify Staff. Thank you! • City of Falcon Heights • Planning Commission Minutes January 27, 2004 Chair Tom Lageson called the meeting to order at 7:09 p.m. after some technical difficulties with the video recording were resolved. PRESENT: Commissioners DeLeo, Harris, Heideman, Lageson, Tracy, Ziebarth, Council Member Lindstrom. Also present was Staff Liaison Deb Jones. ABSENT: Lukermann, Maher, Ryan The minutes of the November 25, 2003, meeting were approved. ELECTION OF OFFICERS: Commissioner Lageson opened the floor for nominations for 2004 Commission Chair. Commissioner Tracy nominated Pamela Harris. She was elected unanimously. Commission Harris then took the chair. There was no further official business. INFORMATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Council Member Lindstrom has been keep the Council informed of the Commission's discussion of the zoning code. . Commissioner Lageson reminded everyone of the City's "Dead of Winter" event coming up on Sunday, February 8. Staff Liaison Jones announced that the City website was moved today to a new server as part of Falcon Heights joining Roseville's computer network. The move may make all or part of the website inaccessible temporarily. If people are still having trouble seeing the website after a couple of days, they should call City Hall so the problem can be worked on. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:15 p.m. to a workshop on the zoning code. Respectfully submitted, Deborah Jones, Staff Liaison • City of Falcon Heights -Planning Commission Meeting of October 28, 2003 -Page 1 of 1 City of Falcon Heights Planning Commission Workshop Notes -January 27, 2004 Present: Commissioners Lageson, DeLeo, Harris, Heideman, Tracy, Ziebarth, Council Member Lindstrom, Staff Liaison Jones. The workshop commenced at approximately 7:20 p.m. Summary: Commissioners are reading and discussing the City's zoning code in preparation for a revision expected this year. This evening's discussion revolved around the sign code, in particular the maximum sign area allowed in business zones. There was also discussion on the issue of bus benches, prompted by the placement of a number of advertising benches on right-of- ways (without City or, apparently, County) permits. Discussion: A discussion on the sign ordinance (Chapter 9, Sections 13.01 to 13.04) was requested by Staff, prompted by some lengthy negotiations with Dino's about the signs for their new restaurant. Falcon Heights City Code places restrictions on the number, types and sizes of signs in each zone. However, only the sign codes for business zones are given in Section 13; residential sign codes are contained in the code for each particular zone. The Commission began with a general discussion on signage related to community esthetics, in particular how the size and number of signs impacts the perception of a city's character and quality. There was a consensus that restraint in size and number, as well as some uniformity of . design, tend to give a more attractive, "high end" impression, while a streetscape of "nothing but signs" can look "trashy". The University of Minnesota was given as an example of the former and Tucson, Arizona, as an example of the latter. Staff Liaison Jones explained how, in Falcon Heights, the allowable area of signage is calculated based on linear feet of building frontage. Commissioners suggested some other factors that could be used, such as the size of the lot and the height of the building. Ziebarth suggested that we might do it by streets instead of zones, because all our commercial zones are on Snelling, Larpenteur, Hamline or Prior. For example, the farther from Snelling/Larpenteur, the smaller the signs should be. The Commissioners requested some sign ordinance models from other cities. The organization of the sign section also came under discussion. Commissioner Ziebarth pointed out that it is not very logical to group B-1 and B-3 zones together. There may be some historical reason behind this; in any case the City has used the same rules for both zones since this section was written (1989). It also seems odd to have the residential and business sign codes in different parts of the chapter. Why not either group all the sign rules together or separate all into the sections for the various zones? The rules that are common to all zones could be put into the "universal" sign code section. The limitations specific to each zone could be put into that zone's section, with cross-referencing. The discussion then moved to bus bench advertising. Resident complaints have been received about these benches appearing where there are no bus stops. On the other hand, people do need places to sit while they are waiting for the bus, and we only have a few bus shelters so far. Jones said that the City Administrator Worthington is considering dealing with the benches • administratively since the ordinance against advertising signs clearly covers the benches. Falcon Heights Planning Commission Workshop, January 27, 2004 Page 1 of 2 Commissioners asked for information on what Roseville is doing. Do they allow the benches? If so, do they require a permit? What rules do they have about advertising on bus shelters? Does Falcon Heights have any control over the content of advertising in our bus shelters? It makes sense that we should, DeLeo said. Commissioners asked what is being done about signs and bus shelters at the SE Corner; Staff will see what information is available at this point. Returning to the general discussion on signs, Heideman said the maximum size allowed in Falcon Heights is twice as large as it needs to be. Harris said she would prefer to keep signs proportional to the building size. Ziebarth asked Staff to find out whether bus shelters are within the purview of the City (in reference to County or State right of ways) and whether shelter advertisers could be licensed. DeLeo said he is in favor of moving the zone-specific sign rules to the zone sections of the chapter. All the Commissioners asked for more information on other cities' sign ordinances. The workshop was adjourned at approximately 8:35 p.m. • • Falcon Heights Planning Commission Workshop, January 27, 2004 Page 2 of 2 Falcon Heights Planning Commission • Workshops on City Code: Summary of Main Points September, 2003 ^ Definitions and terms, Chapter 9, Section 1. o Some definitions may need to be modernized. Some items could be eliminated and there are, no doubt, some that should be added. o Much of 9-1 is probably based on a boilerplate; we should look at more recent models. Commissioners requested that Staff find some models of more up-to-date codes to provide comparison. October, 2003 ^ Height restrictions: o Will our present restrictions meet community needs 10 - 15 years down the road? o The new SE Corner development exceeds the height limit that applies in B-3, but it is provided for in the rezoning to PUD. o We should consider what might happen if the NW corner is redeveloped. ^ Are our setback, lot coverage and height restrictions there for a good reason or do they unduly restrict residents? 0 20021ot coverage process was begun by a neighbor's concern about one resident who was pushing the envelope; the resident in question felt zoning was too restrictive. How do we balanced my need for more house with your need to keep greenspace? o People are not moving; they are remodeling, trying to find more living space on the property they have. o When you buy a piece of property it comes with rules; you are also buying the rules. ^ Site plan review and design review: Falcon Heights already has the former but not the latter. ^ We should provide for the possibility of people buying adjacent lots and tearing down existing homes to build larger ones. November, 2003 -very brief discussion, continuing the themes of October, namely balance between individual needs for living space and neighborhood character. December, 2003 - no meeting January, 2004 -see workshop notes. ^ Sign ordinance o Sign size in business zones o Organization of sign section o Bus benches and shelters • c~r~a~xn~c «~FO~eraxrr~r "s #Q ~ ~ix'A11~ ftr~ ~ascr~ t~ep~irtriA+ant E~ ~'uc Sast~ety,.~ s~r® a~Fe~t; a #~~ Coimmui~ ~ ~ T (CERT~ tratni~~ oR hv~rv t~ »>~-~~ me~rn~er~ aid ~i~+~f~rs ~~_~~ a ~~~ter. Thy trair~g ~ ba~c skt~s~~ ar+a impcrta~t to knew ~ e ~ d'i when ernerge-~cy may rtod. ba irdy. ~ illt ~raifting and ~rca and by wortcing as a fieaun, ~. tie to do the ~ gbcid .for grew numt~r=afar' a di~ta#er, r~ti~ proms yvu# from be~orrting a victim. • There wri~.be ,ren c~~sses hek! on tiAonda~ event from 8:30'to 9:30 sung: on March 16. • Topics include dicer pree~dt~q~as, sup j~rt, rttgtiicat tt~ge, , arm tight searr~r cue. 1. Dear ~parodrtess Tly, Marr~h 18 6:30 - 9:3fl pm ~. Fine .$upptassbn ~, "Iwo ~ 6:30 -9:30 putt 3. t]isse~er Medi~tt 1 ~Y, Apr' 1 6:30 - 9:~ 4. der Mudd {3pebns 2 Tt'd~i, fi 6:38 - 9:3~ . 5. ~ & Rs~e "fhY, Apttl 15 fi:30 - 9:30 pm °6. .7,aon may, ~. 6:34- 9:30 pm 7. [lis~eter S~cxt ~ nay, 28 6:38 - 5:30 prat ~- ~ Tntir~tg is ±c~sll~tc,~a~ccarr_f~l~;vV'Ai"tha fEgul~"'1~. r -for she whotar t9r' ~ ;= $9$. _Those + c~~pte#e tt-e training trot tie pr~vfided emeFtt aid` ste~nr~rth appt~a~rty ~~30. t C#~y Hatt ~K1; 6~ 6+gl~A:D~ 1E't. ~ ~t~ tip caos. `` for mope irrfcsrn codhtaet Kt~ +c~tngi. ~tt~5t 6449 or kcotnc~t.neat. x f ,,~, Wedr~+e~rt~r=~~ 24, ~4~4, a~ ?:QO ~.rr~ H> . 8ttoidd faltx~rt hl~ c~or>aider ~s pt>a~t~It~y of a ~N c.~ort~ct to reakien#iai a P~c-up? This is the ~t public msal~t' a s~ttrdy ~tnd discs prooes~ fist will take at least 6 meart~ths. -For ~ro rt#otn, sea the ~~ iNet or t~ e~y Hari; 644-5450. i _.~~,~. ~ N~ ~ Safiday -~arc~ 27, ~~4 i~.d ~ow~ zs+7Ye of, r+edpi~ts l~Ct to between paylnq for food pr fi~tediGifte pf ~ 23.3 mlt~on needy pe+~te !n the last twelve ~~-or~tl~ seebng e~cY food assi~anct in the U.S., trwt~ than 9 mlilit>n are L,a~ year in Mlnnesoixr 95 people CMfldren are known to have: diets of homeiessness to o area, about 80,000 - - ! ~ compete ~ tfis 39,0-{lU' - 70°rb of the poor flamliles with - able housing units chtlClren indude a P -who works - - ~ ~t~ N Pa , Toiiegies, Cwt v-~t ~ ~ way ~ is - aty Fa#con Hie~g 5't Rise of ice` n Famiiy.It~~r ~fii~ Ei~~ne€~tary its kauderdaie ~i ryes far Wool ~' I '~ vps Fe~ra~1 Ci~dit U ~ S~tte fair= aat~i's Coffee Grounds tunberg' a htease FHday, Ma -2 hbor Unda flte/daie Huff Kris G Karen Sdttffman Paul and Laura KuetbM 1710 St. Mary's Street 1777 5 ~ 1879 Upper stmpson St Ann Lundberg/7bm La~svn Gtebst. Vidde Btpr'N! Robert 7t-ompson '~ 1Ti49"Pa+scal 14~ iN. Iowa Ave. f376 W. Idaho Ave. 1845 Moore St. and Sue Gehrz ~ I!- Elien tikJeson 'rwM Glty Go-ops Federal tS^adlt UMan Jgyce E'vana (i 2285 Folwdl 13?5 w. Idllbo Are. 2025 W. tarpanteur Ave. 3847 W. Fa~artew I You may also drop b~rlk tk~nntlons trfl' at Keystone Comdr Servk~ ~(>31 Gcunty Reed C. C dt~natbr~,Pdll also be:arc~epted, as;wttF chet~ts'rnede - out to "ICeystor-e. Gammunity ~ervice.4" Th e L1aIt~ Gub has offered to deNver our cotttribut~tt t0 the fdOd shelf. ~~a4t~i Ix+i ~~ t~~yt~ ~ :