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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPZ MINUTES 05-10-21 / City of Lake Elmo Planning Commission Meeting Minutes of May 10, 2021 Commission Chair Risner called to order the meeting of the Lake Elmo Planning Commission at 7:00 p.m. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Risner, Graen, Mueller Steil, Weeks COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: none STAFF PRESENT: Planning Director Roberts Pledge of Allegiance at 7:01 PM Approve Agenda: M/S/P: Graen/Mueller moved to approve the agenda. Vote: 5-0, motion carried unanimously. Approve Minutes: M/S/P: Steil/Weeks moved to approve the Planning Commission minutes of April 26th, 2021. Vote: 5-0, motion carried unanimously. Public Hearings: Launch Properties/Crossroads Properties PUD Preliminary Plan for a Light Industrial Business Park (Crossroads East First Addition) – Hudson Boulevard and Lake Elmo Avenue Director Roberts introduced and presented the staff report on the Launch Properties/Crossroads Properties PUD Preliminary Plan for a Light Industrial Business Park (Crossroads East First Addition). He explained that the City has received requests from Launch Properties (Dan Regan) and Crossroads Properties (David Johnson) for Planned Unit Development (PUD) Preliminary Plan and a Preliminary Plat related to a two-phase, 297,570 square foot light industrial development in two buildings that would be located at the intersection of Lake Elmo Avenue and Hudson Boulevard North. Mr. Roberts explained that the Planning Commission is being asked to review the preliminary PUD plans, hold a public hearing, provide feedback and then make a recommendation to the City Council about the preliminary PUD plans. The details concerning the two different aspects of the request are: A request for a PUD Preliminary Plan to allow the construction of two light industrial buildings with a net building area of 297,570 square feet. A PUD has been requested in order to allow for a zero lot line build out of what will eventually be two separate building parcels and to allow for a listing of permitted and conditional uses within the buildings and the site. A preliminary plat to divide the property into two lots and three outlots (for storm water management) and to allow for the necessary public street right-of-way and easement dedications. Director Roberts noted that access for both buildings would be via a shared 30-foot-wide driveway entrance off of Hudson Boulevard North, with ancillary access provided through a driveway in the extreme southeast corner of the site. They are not proposing an access driveway on Lake Elmo Avenue. He also explained that the proposed site plan includes a 100-foot-wide landscape and buffer area along the northern portion of the site and shared storm water facilities that would be located along Hudson Boulevard North. Mr. Roberts explained that the proposed Preliminary PUD Plan and the buildings/uses are generally consistent with the BP Comprehensive Plan land use designation and the BP Zoning designation. As part of their application, the developer provided the City with a listing of the proposed permitted uses within the PUD. Roberts noted that City staff would not support having all the listed uses as permitted uses in the PUD. There are some uses on the developer’s list that the City should require approval of a CUP and there are others uses such as day care and child care centers that the City should not allow in the development. Director Roberts stated the developer/applicant is asking the City to approve a preliminary plat as part of the PUD approval. The proposed preliminary plat would create 2 buildable lots that would each be 12.97 acres in size and would have 3 outlots for storm water management. Roberts also noted that the preliminary plat also shows right-of-way dedication for Lake Elmo Avenue. The platting process allows the City to ensure that all the necessary street right-of-way and drainage and utility easements are in place on the property. Mr. Roberts explained that the proposed site plan shows two lots of 12.97 acres each for building sites, a 148,470 square-foot building on the west lot and a 149,100 square foot building on the eastern lot. The site plan also shows a 30-foot-wide shared access driveway to Hudson Boulevard, a total of 180 parking stalls, 48 spaces for parking semi-trucks and trailers and three outlots for storm water ponding along Hudson Boulevard. He also noted that the proposed plan shows the parking spaces setback at least 100 feet and the proposed buildings setback more than 150 feet from the northern property line of the site. Roberts continued by explaining how the Lake Elmo Zoning Ordinance requires a minimum building setback of 150 feet from residential zones for buildings and 100 feet for parking areas (which would include maneuvering lanes and driveways) for properties zoned Business Park. The elements shown on the proposed site plan meet or exceed these minimum setback requirements. Director Roberts added that the applicant is proposing a berm and landscaping along the north property line to help mitigate the effects of the new development to the single-family homes to the north. Mr. Roberts noted that there are two proposed designs of the buildings in the development. The Crossroads Properties building on the west lot would be 30 feet tall with a mix of office and warehouse spaces with off street parking for 398 personal vehicles and parking for 18 semi-trucks and trailers. Roberts explained that the elevations of the Crossroads building show it with an exterior with a mix of smooth face architectural and textured pattern painted precast concrete panels. The colors shown on the plans for the panels are off-white with medium gray and dark blue accent areas. Director Roberts continued by showing the elevations of the proposed Launch Properties warehouse on the east lot. He explained that the elevations show a 38 foot tall building to allow 32 feet of clear interior space. The exterior would have a mix of smooth face architectural and textured pattern painted precast concrete panels. Roberts noted that the colors shown on the plans for the panels are off-white with light gray, medium gray and dark blue accent areas. There would be 189 off-street parking spaces for personal vehicles and 30 parking spaces for semi-trucks and trailers on the north side of the building. Roberts then explained that the City Engineer had reviewed the preliminary PUD plans and provided comments in a review letter to the City dated May 5, 2021. The applicant will need to address the Engineer’s comments as part of the final plan submission for the site. He also noted that the Engineer’s review included comments about streets and transportation, sanitary sewer, storm sewer and municipal water. As for the municipal water system, Director Roberts reviewed the comments and concerns about this development and its possible effects on the City water system. An extremely important issue is amount of water currently available to serve this site. The City Engineer noted in his review comments that “Municipal water service is not sufficient to support fire suppression demands for the proposed development until Water Tower No. 4 is operational. The City is currently negotiating and investigating potential water tower sites. Until a water tower site is determined (by the City) to be feasible and has been acquired by the City, the schedule for having Water Tower No. 4 operational is unknown.” Roberts continued his presentation by noting that the City needs to construct a new water tower in the area generally bounded by 10th Street on the north, Manning Avenue on the east and Keats Avenue on the west. This new water tower is necessary to help provide adequate water pressure to the existing water users and for future municipal water customers in this part of Lake Elmo. Director Roberts explained that the City is currently negotiating and investigating potential water tower sites but the City has not finalized the site for a new water tower. Director Roberts explained the steps that need to be completed before a new water tower is ready to be put online. These include finalizing the purchase of the site, the design work, advertising for construction bids, the City awarding a construction contract for the new water tower, the actual construction and final testing. The City has not yet finalized a purchase agreement for a water tower site and the City has not yet started design work for the water tower. Roberts also noted that there is no timeline as to when the construction of a new water tower could start and there is no date yet as to when a new water tower would be operational and ready for use. Roberts then reviewed with the Planning Commission the recently adopted ordinance language that outlines when a development may be premature – that is when the City is not ready or able to serve or provide services to a development because of any one of a variety of conditions. The new ordinance states “Any plat or other subdivision of property may be denied by the City Council if it is deemed by the City Council to be premature for development pursuant to the criteria listed below” which includes the lack of adequate municipal water supply to a site. Director Roberts stated that it is the opinion of City staff this site is premature for development. As noted by the City Engineer, Municipal water service is not sufficient to support fire suppression demands for the proposed development until Water Tower No. 4 is operational. In summary, Director Roberts stated that the Staff recommends the Planning Commission recommend denial of the Preliminary Plat and preliminary PUD Plans for the proposed Crossroads East development based on the several conditions per Section 15309 (D) of the city code, primarily the lack of water supply. Director Roberts also stated that if the Planning Commission wishes to recommend approval of the preliminary PUD and preliminary plat for Crossroad East development as proposed by Launch Properties and Crossroads Properties, staff would recommend that it would be subject to 30 conditions be met before final City approval. Commissioner Risner asked why the zoning was changed from Rural Transitional to Business Park back in 2014. Director Roberts stated that at the time, changing the zoning was to align with the City’s Comprehensive Plan and the developer had an approved concept plan for a business park then, but it fell thru. Co-applicants Dan Regan & David Johnson, co-applicants of the proposal, addressed the Planning Commission detailing their history with this site and the preliminary PUD and plat. They offered to respond to any and all questions and emails. Commissioner Weeks questioned whether the water pressure for the fire sprinkler system will be enough for this building with the city available water and asked if the co-applicants can wait for 6 -7 months until the city is further along with the water tower project Mike Connors, with Crossroad Properties, commented that the fire suppression system would be an ESFR Fire Suppression System which is not a gravity fed system, and will have a fire pump that will get the water to the fire sprinkler system. Commissioner Mueller questioned the security and lighting for the parking lot, and if this would affect the Vali-Hi Drive-In. Commissioner Graen asked for clarification on the screening and buffering that will be used for this project. Kimley Horn Project Engineer Brian Wordleman spoke about the screening plan for this project. Commissioner Risner did a summation of the six emails sent in, all were against the proposed PUD. M/S/P: Weeks/ Steil moved to open the public hearing. Vote: 5-0, motion carried unanimously. Commissioner Risner opened the public hearing at 8:32 PM Micah Vrieze – 11075 3rd St N – Thanked the Commission for the opportunity to speak about his concerns regarding the berm, truck parking location, lights, trash and hopes that Launch and Crossroads will be good neighbors. Linda Anderson – 275 Lake Elmo Ave N – Spoke regarding adequate tree coverage, semi-truck breaking noise, and the traffic growth being an issue. Justin Kirk – 11083 3rd St N – Spoke regarding having concerns with the landscaping / trees affecting the existing solar panel system energy production. Robert Thompson - 11149 3rd St N – Agreed with the previous speakers concerns and ask that the developer please make the screen more than adequate. M/S/P: Steil/Mueller moved to close the public hearing. Vote: 5-0, motion carried unanimously. Commissioner Risner closed the public hearing at 8:41 PM. Mike Connors, with Crossroad Properties, spoke to the audience about trash containment. Dan Regan spoke to the audience regarding trash containment and the berm / screening design. M/S/P: Graen/ Weeks moved to open discussion. Vote: 5-0, motion carried unanimously The Commission then continued their discussion about the project amongst themselves. They had a lot of discussion about City Engineer’s report, the water system needs and the need for a new water tower in the area. The understood the staff concerns about water, water supply in the area and how the development is premature, but focused much of their discussion on the land use and zoning designations on the site and how the proposal fits the land use and zoning requirements. Commissioner Risner closed the discussion at 9:10 PM. M/S/P: Graen/ Mueller moved to recommended approval of the Planned Unit Development (PUD) Preliminary Plan as requested by Launch Properties and Crossroad Properties for the office warehouse/light industrial development to be located on the northeast corner of Hudson Boulevard and Lake Elmo Avenue subject to recommended conditions of approval 1-30 as listed in the staff report. Vote: 3 Ayes -2 Nays (Steil, Risner), motion passed. New/Unfinished Business a. None Communications/Updates City Council Update 05-04-2021 Meeting – 2 setback variances, Wallace RLS, Airport Zoning Ordinance 05-18-2021 Meeting – 2 final plats Staff Updates - Still looking for two Planning Commissioners. Upcoming PC Meetings: May 24, 2021 – Tree and Land Ordinances June 14, 2021. M/S/P: Risner/Mueller moved adjourn the meeting. Vote: 5-0, motion carried unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 9:19 PM. Respectfully submitted, Diane Wendt Permit Technician