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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPZ MINUTES 10-25-21/ City of Lake Elmo Planning Commission Meeting Minutes of October 25, 2021 Commission Chair Risner called to order the meeting of the Lake Elmo Planning Commission at 7:00 p.m. No cable casting/recording of this meeting COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Risner, Graen, Mueller, Steil, Vrieze, Weeks COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: None STAFF PRESENT: Planning Director Just, Interim Planning Consultant Jane Kansier Bolton & Menk, Finance Director Sam Magureanu Pledge of Allegiance at 7:00 PM Approve Agenda: M/S/P: Steil/Risner moved to approve the agenda. Vote: 6-0, motion carried unanimously. Approve Minutes: Commissioner Steil stated the need to correct the 9-27-21 minutes to show Commissioner Steil as Commission Chair for the meeting. M/S/P: Risner/Weeks moved to approve the amended Planning Commission minutes of September 27th, 2021. Vote: 6-0, motion carried unanimously. Public Hearings: Krueger Tree Farm Interim Use Permit- Lake Elmo Ave and 43rd Street The Krueger Christmas Tree Farm has requested an amendment to its Interim Use Permit (IUP). The current IUP allows the sale of Christmas trees that are grown off-site on the property in order to supplement the sale of trees that are grown on the property. The proposed amendment to the IUP would allow the following additional items: Construction of an approximately 2,576 square foot barn to be used for Christmas tree sales; Allow a professional photography business to operate on the property from July through December of each year (this will need to be covered under a separate IUP); Extension of the term of the existing IUP from January 1, 2042 by five years to January 1, 2047. Interim Planning Consultant Jane Kansier gave staff report and presentation. Applicant, Neil Krueger spoke regarding the history of the Krueger Tree Farm. Applicant John Krueger spoke regarding upcoming plans for the Krueger Tree Farm. John thanked the neighbors and the City of Lake Elmo for all the support that has been shown. Staff is recommending the Planning Commission recommend approval of the amendments to the IUP for Agricultural Sales (Christmas trees) and the new IUP for the Agricultural Entertainment Business (professional photograph) with the listed conditions. Public hearing opened at 7:57 PM Commissioner Risner read the emailed responses that were received by the City: Dan & Ruth Lundgren, 4251 Kirkwood Ln N, in favor of a new building. John & Tonya Oberg, 4143 Kirkwood Ln N, in favor of a new building. Zac & Christina Edstrom, 4155 Kirkwood Ln N, in favor of a new building. Brittany & Josh Peltier, 4167 Kirkwood Ln N, in favor of a new building. Dr. Mathew Hei, 4220 Kirkwood Ln N, in favor of a new building. Dave & April Wyland, 4177 Kirkwood Ln N, in favor of a new building. Richard & Erin Mathaus, 4265 Kirkwood Ln N, in favor of a new building. Beau & Marlena McGraw, 4199 Kirkwood Ln N, in favor of a new building. The following residents spoke during the public hearing: Adam Slinger, 9849 59th St. Ct. N, spoke in support of the Krueger Tree Farm. Steve Pott, 4212 Lake Elmo Ave. N, Steve stated that he feels that this business has grown too large for the existing location and does not want the IUP expansion. He also spoke regarding parking and traffic issues. Doug Williams, 4596 Lake Elmo Ave. N, spoke in favor of the new building. Public hearing closed at 8:10 PM Commissioner Weeks commented on the increased traffic being a safety risk, and that photography is a commercial use, and not an agricultural sale use. Weeks does agree with Mr. Pott, that this business has out grown the existing location. Commissioner Mueller spoke in favor of striking condition number ten. Commissioner Steil spoke regarding the removal condition number ten. He is concerned that removing condition number ten would open it up for the applicants to add more buildings. Commissioner Graen pointed out that condition number 11 still limits the amount of trips allowed. M/S/P: Graen/Vrieze moved to recommend approval of the amendment to the IUP for agricultural sales with ten conditions based on the findings listed in the staff report and striking condition number ten. Vote: 4-2, (Weeks, Steil - nay) motion carried M/S/P: Mueller/Risner moved to recommend approval of the IUP for agricultural entertainment business to allow professional photography sessions on the site with twelve conditions, based on the finings listed in the staff report, and amending condition three to change hours of operation from 9 AM to sunset, amend condition four to no more than fifty people per hour, and striking condition number five. Vote: 3-3, (Weeks, Graen, Steil - nay) motion fails M/S/P: Graen/Mueller moved to recommend approval of the IUP for agricultural entertainment business to allow professional photography sessions on the site with ten conditions, based on the finings listed in the staff report, removing conditions three, four and five. Vote: 4-2 (Weeks, Steil - nay) motion carried 2022-2026 Capital Improvement Plan A Capital Improvement Program, or CIP, is a multi-year (typically 5 years) capital expenditure plan for a city’s infrastructure (such as streets, parks and utility systems), vehicles, equipment, and public buildings. It identifies the major projects needed and desired by the community, their potential costs and how they would be financed. Including a project in a CIP does not commit the city to that project. The City Council must specifically authorize each one, and the associated funding, before any project may proceed. When the CIP is reviewed (ideally annually, in conjunction with the budgeting process), projects may go forward as planned, advance ahead of schedule, be removed entirely, or new projects may be added, depending upon changes in circumstances and priorities. Finance Director Sam Magureanu gave staff report and presentation Commissioner Graen noted that the 2040 Comprehensive Plan states that the city is to grow in a fiscally responsible way, he does not think the money riding to our debt service is fiscally responsible, also a new civic square was to be included with the new city hall and is not on the plan and should be accounted for in the Capital Improvement Plan and in the Building Plan, also there is supposed to be a special use park access to the Lake Elmo Park Reserve that is called out in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan, which has not been included, and he feels the trail budget is not comprehensive enough to accomplish all the trails called out in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan at a rate that has them completed by 2040. Public hearing opened at 9:03 PM No public questions. Public hearing closed 9:04 PM M/S/P: Risner/Weeks moved to recommend to the City Council that the 2022-2026 Capital Improvement Plan is consistent with the 2040 Comprehensive Plan Vote: 5-1, (Graen - nay) motion carried. New/Unfinished Business None Communications/Updates City Council Update 10-05-2021 Meeting –Wildflower 4th Addition Final Plat and PUD 2021 Meeting – Crossroads East Final Plat and PUD Staff Updates Upcoming PC Meetings: November 8, 2021 (Cancelled) November 22, 2021 Meeting adjourned at 9:17 PM. Respectfully submitted, Diane Wendt Permit Technician