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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/08/2021 P&Z Minutes APPROVED MINUTES CITY OF LINO LAKES PLANNING & ZONING BOARD MINUTES I. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL: Chair Tralle called the Lino Lakes Planning and Zoning Board meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. on December 8, 2021. II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA The agenda was approved as presented. IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Mr. Laden made a MOTION to approve the November 10, 2021 meeting minutes. Motion was supported by Mr. Evenson. Motion carried 5 – 0. Chair Tralle and Mr. Root abstained. V. OPEN MIKE Chair Tralle declared Open Mike at 6:33 p.m. There was no one present for Open Mike. Mr. Laden made a MOTION to close Open Mike at 6:33 p.m. Motion was supported by Mr. Vojtech. Motion carried 6 – 0. Chair Tralle abstained. VI. ACTION ITEMS A. MTO Properties-Thrivent Financial Final Plat and Site & Building Plan Review DATE: December 8, 2021 TIME STARTED: 6:30 P.M. TIME ENDED: 7:22 P.M. MEMBERS PRESENT: Paul Tralle (Chair), Neil Evenson, Perry Laden, Isaac Wipperfurth, Nathan Vojtech, Jeff Reinert, Michael Root STAFF PRESENT: Michael Grochala, Katie Larsen, Diane Hankee, Janele Waterman, Jessica Eller Planning & Zoning Board December 8, 2021 Page 2 APPROVED MINUTES Ms. Larsen, City Planner, presented the staff report. The applicant, MTO Properties, submitted a land use application for a final plat on a 1 acre lot in order to construct a 2,873 sq. ft. commercial office building for Thrivent Financial. Staff recommended approval of the final plat and site & building plan review for MTO Properties Addition and Thrivent Financial subject to conditions listed in the staff report. Board Comments Mr. Laden asked if Ms. Larsen received a lighting plan from the applicant. Ms. Larsen said a lighting plan was submitted, reviewed by staff, and all the requirements were met. She stated the lighting is down lit and the majority of the lighting would be on the building’s exterior. She also recalled there are two parking lights proposed in the parking lot. Mr. Laden asked if Ms. Larsen recalled the height of the light poles. Ms. Larsen said she did not remember the height of the light poles. Mr. Laden stated he was concerned about how lit the parking lot will be as the site will be immediately adjacent to a residential home. Mr. Root commented Hodgson Road is quite busy in the morning and afternoon hours and it may be difficult for individuals to turn left onto Hodgson Road from Blue Heron Drive during peak hours. He asked if staff had any traffic concerns for customers visiting the site and for the residents on Blue Heron Drive. Ms. Larsen stated, although traffic will be increased, it is not uncommon for current residents to take a left turn from Blue Heron Drive onto Hodgson Road. Applicant’s Comments Scott Mower, 4920 Otter Lake Road, White Bear Lake, MN 55110, with Progressive Architecture, said the light poles in the parking lot will be 20 ft. to 25 ft. high. With regard to accessing Hodgson Road, he commented Blue Heron Drive will be safer than implementing an alternative access road. Public Comments Susan Drabek, 6684 Sandhill Drive, expressed concern that a traffic study was not conducted. She stated traffic on Hodgson Road has increased significantly since the 1985 plat due in part to the construction of the new middle and elementary schools Planning & Zoning Board December 8, 2021 Page 3 APPROVED MINUTES and the increased student population at the high school. She commented it is exceedingly dangerous for motorists to turn left from Blue Heron Drive onto Hodgson Road given the 50 mph speed limit. Ms. Drabek cautioned if thirty customers visit the site each day, traffic will increase dramatically and it may cause issues. Board Comments Chair Tralle stated since visitors will come to the site at various times throughout the day, traffic will not be significantly impacted. Mr. Laden asked how staff determines when a traffic study is needed and when it is not. Ms. Larsen said each project is evaluated to determine if a traffic study is needed. In this case, she explained since the site will have eight employees and traffic will be staggered throughout the day, a traffic study is not warranted. Ms. Larsen noted adding an access onto Hodgson Road will not be allowed. Mr. Laden said in comparison to other commercial sites, the anticipated traffic volume for this site will be insignificant. He asked if determining whether a traffic study is necessary or not is subjective to staff. Ms. Larsen stated since there is not a threshold to determine whether a traffic study is required or not, it is subjective to staff’s discretion. Mr. Evenson made a MOTION to recommend approval of the final plat and site & building plan review for MTO Properties Addition and Thrivent Financial subject to conditions listed in the staff report. Motion was supported by Mr. Laden. Board Discussion Mr. Reinert commented although Hodgson Road is a county road, the City has jurisdiction to reassign the speed limit if they want to. Motion carried 6 – 0. Chair Tralle abstained. B. PUBLIC HEARING: Precision Tune Auto Care Conditional Use Permit Ms. Eller, Community Development Intern, presented the staff report. The applicant, Precision Tune Auto Care, is currently located at 550 Lilac Street. The applicant is proposing to relocate their business to 7910 Lake Drive and construct a new 4,125 sq. ft. facility on the 0.7 acre parcel. Planning & Zoning Board December 8, 2021 Page 4 APPROVED MINUTES Staff recommended approval of the conditional use permit and site plan review for Precision Tune Auto Care subject to conditions listed in the staff report. Board Comments Mr. Wipperfurth asked if the adjacent lot, 7920 Lake Drive, is also zoned commercial. Ms. Larsen commented all the properties along Lake Drive are zoned commercial. Mr. Vojtech asked if there is any rule in place to limit how long a customer vehicle can be stored on site. He also asked if there is a vehicle size limitation. Ms. Eller said she did not think there are any requirements regarding storage duration or vehicle size. Mr. Evenson asked why a parkland dedication fee is not required. Ms. Eller explained a parkland dedication fee is not required because it is an existing lot. Ms. Larsen added a parkland dedication fee is only applicable when a lot is subdivided. Mr. Evenson asked if a parkland dedication fee was received when the lot was created. Ms. Larsen said no. She stated the parcel is an existing lot from the1950s. She said the parcel is likely not a part of a plat or an old auditor’s edition. Mr. Laden asked if staff received new architectural plans since the applicant’s initial submittal. Ms. Eller said staff did not receive updated architectural plans. Mr. Laden said he was not comfortable moving this project onto City Council. He preferred the project return to the Planning and Zoning Board for review once an architectural plan that meets the City’s standard is submitted. Mr. Root requested the applicant submit the southwest elevation, as viewed from Lake Drive. Chair Tralle declared the Public Hearing open at 7:01 p.m. There was no one present for the public hearing. Planning & Zoning Board December 8, 2021 Page 5 APPROVED MINUTES Applicant’s Comments Paul Selbitschka said his business has been located at 550 Lilac Street since 2004. He explained, he is proposing this new building because he does not want to continue to be a lessee. He said he has already purchased the property and he is hopeful the project will move forward easily. Mr. Selbitschka commented he wants to ensure the project meets the City’s requirements. Mr. Laden asked if the franchise provided Mr. Selbitschka with architectural drawings or if he provided his own drawings. Mr. Selbitschka said he provided his own drawings. Mr. Laden said the elevations provided do not meet the City’s architectural standards. Mr. Selbitschka asked what standards need to be met. Mr. Laden explained the elevations need to show a strong base, middle, and cap. Brian Lubben, with Building Foundry, said he is the architect for Mr. Selbitschka and the project. He commented the elevations are a work in progress and he would be glad to work with staff to adjust them accordingly. Mr. Vojtech made a MOTION to close the Public Hearing at 7:04 p.m. Motion was supported by Mr. Wipperfurth. Motion carried 6 – 0. Chair Tralle abstained. Board Comments Mr. Reinert recommended moving the project forward to City Council and noting some architectural standards have not been met. This would allow the project to proceed and the City Council would be responsible for ensuring the standards are met prior to approval. Mr. Vojtech supported the project and commented it is in the City’s best interest to retain existing Lino Lakes businesses. Mr. Reinert made a MOTION to recommend approval of the conditional use permit and site plan review for Precision Tune Auto Care subject to meeting architectural standards. Motion was supported by Mr. Wipperfurth. Motion carried 5 – 1. Chair Tralle abstained. Chair Tralle informed the Board it is Ms. Eller’s last Planning and Zoning Board meeting. He thanked her for her presentation and her work with the City. He wished her well on her future endeavors. Planning & Zoning Board December 8, 2021 Page 6 APPROVED MINUTES Ms. Eller said she enjoyed working for the City and she thanked staff and the Board for the opportunity. C. Belland Farms Final Plat Ms. Larsen, City Planner, presented the staff report. The applicant, Rehbein Properties, submitted a land use application for the final plat of Belland Farms. The plat creates 2 commercial lots. Lot 1 is 1.76 acres and a 12,230 sq. ft. medical eye clinic will be constructed on it. The name of the medical eye clinic is Associate Eye Care Partners. Lot 2 will be a future commercial development. Staff recommended approval of the Belland Farms final plat subject to conditions listed in the staff report. Board Comments Mr. Root commented staff did a great job addressing Hugo residents’ traffic related questions during the preliminary plat review in October. Mr. Reinert asked if Otter Lake Road will be extended north of the Belland Farms and Main Street Shoppes development. Ms. Larsen said Otter Lake Road will extend north and likely connect at Heritage Parkway in Hugo. Mr. Reinert commented the additional traffic on Otter Lake Road, generated by the Belland Farms development, will likely impact 24th Avenue as well. Ms. Larsen said motorists will have multiple travel options once Otter Lake Road is constructed to the north. Mr. Wipperfurth noted Rosemary Way will be extended across 24th Avenue and onto the Belland Farms site. He asked if Rosemary Way will continue and connect to the existing private street within the Main Street Shoppes site. Ms. Larsen said that is the current plan, but it could change. The developer of Belland Farms spoke with the developer of Main Street Shoppes and they agreed connecting Rosemary Way to the existing private street would be the best alignment option. However, if a development is constructed within the Main Street Shoppes site, the road could pivot north and branch off and connect to the private road servicing McDonald’s and Dunkin Donuts. She noted Rosemary Way will connect to Otter Lake Road at some point, but the connection will be development driven. Planning & Zoning Board December 8, 2021 Page 7 APPROVED MINUTES Mr. Root made a MOTION to recommend approval of the Belland Farms final plat subject to conditions listed in the staff report. Motion was supported by Mr. Evenson. Motion carried 6 – 0. Chair Tralle abstained. VII. DISCUSSION ITEMS A. Project Updates Staff provided verbal updates to the Board on current City projects. Mr. Grochala stated Mr. Reinert will be concluding his term on the Planning and Zoning Board at the end of the year. He thanked Mr. Reinert for his service on the Park Board, City Council, Planning and Zoning Board, as Mayor, and as the Commissioner of Anoka County. Chair Tralle thanked Mr. Reinert for his time on the Board. VIII. ADJOURNMENT Mr. Evenson made a MOTION to adjourn the meeting at 7:22 p.m. Motion was supported by Mr. Laden. Motion carried 6 – 0. Chair Tralle abstained. Respectfully submitted, Janele Waterman, Community Development Administrative Assistant