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HomeMy WebLinkAbout#02 - 2-10-20 Minutes Lake Elmo Planning Commission Minutes; 2-10-20 City of Lake Elmo Planning Commission Meeting Minutes of February 10, 2020 Commissioner Weeks called to order the meeting of the Lake Elmo Planning Commission at 7:00 p.m. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Cadenhead, Graen, Holtz, Mueller, Risner, Steil, and Weeks COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: STAFF PRESENT: Planning Director Roberts, City Planner Prchal Swearing in of New Members Brandon Mueller and Jordan Graen Election of Chairperson Charles Cadenhead and Vice Chairperson Jeff Holtz Approve Agenda: M/S/P: Holtz/Weeks move to approve the agenda with the amendment to remove item 6A, Vote: 7-0, motion carried unanimously. Approve Minutes: M/S/P: Steil/Weeks move to approve the January 13, 2019 minutes, Vote: 7-0, motion carried unanimously. Public Hearings a. CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REVOCATION – Stillwater School District School Bus Terminal (11530 Hudson Boulevard) Note: This item was removed from the agenda. b. Easement Vacation – Northport Third Addition (Village Parkway North and Upper 31st Street North) City Planner Prchal gave the staff report. This request is vacate a drainage and utility easement over an existing outlot in the Northport Addition as submitted by Pulte Homes LLC. The vacation is required to final plat the 3rd Addition of Northport, which is part of a planned 104 unit residential development. The 3rd Addition includes 41 single family lots that are Lake Elmo Planning Commission Minutes; 2-10-20 located among 11.7 acre on the northern part of the subdivision. Staff recommended approval of the request subject to compliance with the conditions listed in the staff report. Chair Caddenhead opened the public hearing at 7:15 and closed the public hearing at 7:16. There were no public comments. ___________ moved, and _______ seconded the motion to recommend to the City Council approval of the proposed vacation of the drainage and utility easement for the Northport Third Addition. Approved Ayes All. c. Code Amendment – Minimum Lot Area for On-Site Sanitary Sewer (Septic) Systems City Planner Prchal gave the staff report. The City Council had asked Staff to look into the sizing requirements for septic systems in the Rural Zoning Districts, essentially any zoning district that would not normally connect to City sewer. This was asked of Staff because the City no longer permits septic systems but instead defers to Washington County as the permitting authority, as such there is less of a need for the existing standards in the City Code as it pertains to septic area. The existing City Code for Septic Drainfield Regulation in the, A, RR, and RS Zoning Districts requires all lots to have at least 20,000 square feet of land suitable for septic drainfields and area sufficient for 2 separate and distinct drainfield sites. Placement of the second required drainfield between the trenches of the first drainfield is prohibited. Prchal noted that the standard of requiring 20,000 sq. ft. of area for septic is two things - slightly arbitrary and safe. He went on to note there is nothing inherently wrong with the 20,000 sq. ft. standard and in fact it is probably a safe number to use because of its size. However, now that the City has deferred the septic permitting to Washington County, the 20,000 square foot standard no longer means anything to the City. In staff’s opinion, as long as Washington County has provided the applicant/City with an approved permit, City staff is inclined to believe that the site can support the home that is being proposed. The existing City Staff is not suited to question the validity of a proposed septic system. The proposed code amendment would replace the existing code language requirement that each lot show an area of at least 20,000 square feet of area for a septic system with the following: All applicants for a use or building permit in any district not served by public sanitary sewer must demonstrate that an on-site sewage treatment system (Primary and Secondary Location) can be installed in accordance Lake Elmo Planning Commission Minutes; 2-10-20 with Washington County Subsurface Sewage Treatment System regulations. Chair Cadenhead opened the public hearing at 7:34 and he closed the public hearing at 7:35. There were no public comments about the proposed code change. The commission reviewed and discussed the proposal and were supportive of the proposal. Commission Holtz moved to recommend approval of the proposed ordinance amendment, Commission Weeks seconded the motion. The motion passed Ayes all. 2. New/Unfinished Business a. 2020 Planning Commission Work Plan City Planner Prchal presented the staff report about the proposed 2020 Planning Commission Work Plan. He noted that the Planning Department Staff has updated the 2019 Planning Work Plan for 2020. He went on to explain the projects listed below are those that the City completed from the 2019 Plan: • 2040 Comprehensive Plan approval • Update the subdivision code ordinance • Adopt Mixed Use Zoning • Zoning code update for trailers in the front yard • CIP review • Contract with Muni Code (instead of American Legal) to update the City code Prchal also noted some projects that are currently in progress: • Codify Zoning Ordinance(s) • Comprehensive plan amendment(s) • Submit application for Village Parkway railroad crossing • Summary cheat sheet • Update the PUD ordinance The Commission reviewed and discussed the proposed updated work plan. Commissioner Risner moved and Commissioned Weeks seconded to amend the proposed work plans to change ___ to ___. The proposed amendment passed Ayes All. Commissioner Weeks moved and Commissioner Risner moved to approve the 2020 Planning Work plan as amended. This was approved Ayes all. 3. Communications/Updates Director Roberts gave the Commission updates on the following items: Lake Elmo Planning Commission Minutes; 2-10-20 a. City Council Update 01-21-20 Meeting – Stillwater Schools Bus Terminal CUP Revision, Variances (8340 Stillwater Rd), Variance (10092 Stillwater Ln), Heritage Farms Subdivision Comprehensive Plan Amendments 02-04-20 Meeting – Applewood Pointe of Lake Elmo b. Staff Updates – Roberts reported that the developer of the Springs Apartments on Hudson Boulevard had closed on the purchase of the property and that they expect to start the site work for their project in March. c. Upcoming PC Meetings: 1. February 24, 2020 2. March 9, 2020 New members Brandon Mueller and Jordan Graen each gave brief introductions to the Commission. Meeting adjourned at 8:08 pm Respectfully submitted, Tanya Nuss Permit Technician And Ken Roberts – Planning Director