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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPZ Minutes; 04-26-10APPROVED AS AMENDED; 6-14-10 City of Lake Elmo Planning Commission Meeting Minutes of April 26, 2010 Chairman Van Zandt called to order the meeting of the Lake Elmo Planning Commission at 7:00 p.m. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Bidon, Britz, Fliflet, Pearson, Pelletier, Van Erem, Van Zandt, Williams, and Ziertman. Absent: Hall and McGinnis. STAFF PRESENT: Planning Director Klatt, Planner Matzek. Agenda M/S/P, Williams/Britz, move to approve agenda as presented. Vote: 9:0. Minutes - March 22, 2010 M/S/P, Williams/Bidon, move to approve minutes as presented. Vote: 8:0. (Pelletier abstained.) Public Hearing: Comprehensive Plan Amendment and Zoning Text Amendment Planning Director Klatt introduced the item and distributed a series of letters received regarding the two items being discussed. He identified the two components being discussed at the meeting is part of an application requiring four total components for a proposed senior living and farm school development. The applicant is requesting the Comprehensive Plan be amended for the property at 9434 Stillwater Boulevard North to change the land use guidance from RAD (0.45 dwelling units per acre) to RAD2 (2 dwelling units per acre). The zoning text amendment is to change the city code to allow town homes, a multi-unit building, and a farm school. Planning Director Klatt suggested this may be most appropriately achieved by creation of a new overlay district. Commissioner Williams asked which zoning districts would currently allow a farm school. Planning Director Klatt said that it may be allowed in the PF (Public and Quasi-Public Facilities) District. Commissioner Ziertman asked why a Planned Unit Development (PUD) was required. Planning Director Klatt said that a PUD allows a mix of uses on a site and some potential exceptions to the underlying regulations such as an increase in density allowed. Council Member Anne Smith provided the commission with a brief history on the current Comprehensive Plan. Commissioner Pearson expressed concern of setting a precedent of allowing the upzoning to RAD2 for this parcel. APPROVED AS AMENDED; 6-14-10 Planning Commission Minutes; 4-26-10 2 2 Planning Director Klatt said this level of review provides the city with the most discretion to make those decisions. The city should also specify in findings why this location is unique. Tammy Malmquist, Applicant Mrs. Malmquist introduced herself and spoke about her day care center and the inspiration for the development. She explained the relationship she had with her neighbor before he died and how the farmer had enjoyed her day care. From that friendship she came up with the idea to combine a farm school with senior housing. Jan Green, Property Owner Ms. Green identified herself as the daughter of the farmer. She said she is supportive of the application. Tim Freeman, FFE – Surveyor and Engineer Firm for applicant Mr. Freeman said a neighborhood meeting was held to allay concerns of the neighbors before an application was submitted. He said the neighborhood was in support of the application. He went through and addressed the Planning Director’s concerns expressed in the staff report. Commissioner Pearson said he was uncomfortable with the suggested movement of density from one property to this one. Mr. Freeman responded by saying they had thought it was more important to not add units to the city, but would be supportive of the Planning Director’s suggestion that this property be allowed more units without taking from another area. Commissioner Ziertman asked if allowing an increase in density on this parcel without requiring it to come from another property would open this up to all properties to request the same increase. Council Member Anne Smith gave some background information on the RAD2 designation in the Comprehensive Plan and why the RAD2 district was created. THE CHAIRMAN OPENED THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 8:29 P.M. Kimberly Lipman, 8249 Deer Pond Court N Ms. Lipman distributed a letter she wrote. She said she has lived in the Tri-lakes area for 15 years and is supportive of the proposed changes to the Comprehensive Plan. She said she believes the project is needed and is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. She asked that her letter be added to the record. Alan Kupferschmidt, 2769 Legion Avenue North Mr. Kupferschmidt said he has been living in the city for 39 years and he wants to live near the country, not near the railroad tracks in the Village Area. He is in support of the project. APPROVED AS AMENDED; 6-14-10 Planning Commission Minutes; 4-26-10 3 3 Bob Crabtree, 3603 Lake Elmo Avenue Mr. Crabtree said he has lived in the city for 66 years and is supportive of the application. Julie Beutel, 3415 Jamaca Avenue North Ms. Beutel said her mother had to move out of town as there is no living area for seniors at this time and she is supportive of the application. Vint Lewis, 3945 Granada Avenue North Mr. Lewis said he is representing a man and his wife and read a letter in support of the application on behalf of them as they are out of town on business. Vicki Linnell, 9402 Stillwater Boulevard Ms. Linnell stated that she has lived next to that property for 23 years. She is supportive of the application and thinks it will be a positive addition for seniors and children to work together. She will have access to walking trails that she never had available before. Anne Smith, 12153 Marquess Lane N Mrs. Smith said she believed the findings staff had written were not consistent with the Comprehensive Plan she spent five months writing. THE CHAIRMAN CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 8:49 P.M. Planning Director Klatt said he had received information from Ed Neilson, who lives directly to the west of the property stating he did not have any objections to the proposal. Chairman Van Zandt stated there were eight letters in front of him in favor of the application. Commissioner Fliflet said she has a problem with the idea that senior housing could only be located in the Village Area as there are varying personal preferences. She said that senior housing does not necessarily mean not able-bodied. Commissioner Pelletier asked Planning Director Klatt how this would affect the Metropolitan Council population requirements for the city. She said her primary concern is traffic safety and would like to know what MnDOT’s response was. Planning Director Klatt said MnDOT’s response was that they would prefer the entrance be off of Jamaca Court, but does not say they will not accept the plan unless that is done. He said that the overall population is established with sewered and non-sewered area designations. He believes it is more critical to meet the sewered population identified. Commissioner Pelletier asked if the bigger structure could be reduced and an increase in the number of townhomes utilized instead. APPROVED AS AMENDED; 6-14-10 Planning Commission Minutes; 4-26-10 4 4 Mr. Freeman said it would make the project not economically feasible to continue to have an underground parking lot. Mrs. Malmquist said some seniors would like a sense of community which is why the bigger building is being proposed. M/S/P, Pearson/Ziertman, move to allow the applicant’s property to be guided for RAD2 and to leave densities on the remaining RAD2 parcels with the findings provided in the staff report and to add that this was a working farm. Vote: 9:0. Commissioner Williams stated that the proposal does not talk about affordability and that the city will be penalized if development does not occur in the future sewered areas. Mrs. Malmquist stated that her goal is to keep the project as affordable as possible. Commissioner Fliflet wanted it noted that no one spoke against the development at the meeting. The commission took a five minute break and reconvened at 9:46 p.m. Planning Director Klatt introduced the second half of the item and gave information on the proposed changes for the zoning text amendment. Commissioner Fliflet asked why “N/A” was included in the chart. Mr. Freeman stated that their proposal does not include internal lot lines and that a buffer setback would function for the outer setback. THE CHAIRMAN OPENED THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 10:03 p.m. No one spoke. THE CHAIRMAN CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 10:03 p.m. There was a general consensus of the commission for staff to move forward with the creation of an overlay district instead of amending the existing code for OP developments. M/S/P, Williams/Pelletier, move to table the item in order to review the revised ordinance being proposed. Vote: 9:0. City Council Updates Planning Director Klatt provided a verbal update to the commission on the recent discussions and decisions made by the City Council. Adjournment: APPROVED AS AMENDED; 6-14-10 Planning Commission Minutes; 4-26-10 5 5 The meeting was adjourned 10:10 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Kelli Matzek Planner