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Home My WebLink AboutPZ Minutes; 02-27-17Lake Elmo Planning Commission Minutes; 2-27-17 City of Lake Elmo Planning Commission Meeting Minutes of February 27, 2017 Chairman Kreimer called to order the meeting of the Lake Elmo Planning Commission at 7:00 p.m. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Kreimer, Dodson, Larson, Dorschner, Williams, Lundquist and Hartley COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Fields and Haggard STAFF PRESENT: Planning Director Wensman Motion made to get written instructions on running cable equipment in order to comply with the Council’s request. Planning Director Wensman asked to add a VMX Discussion after item a. M/S/P: /, move to approve the agenda as amended, Vote: 7-0, motion carried, unanimously. Approve Minutes: January 23, 2017 M/S/P: /, move to postpone consideration of the January 23, 2017 minutes as wrong minutes were included in the packet, Vote: 7-0, motion carried unanimously. Approve Minutes: February 13, 2017 M/S/P: Williams/Dodson, move to approve the minutes of February 13, 2017 minutes as amended, Vote: 7-0, motion carried unanimously. Motion made to get written instructions on running cable equipment in order to comply with the Council’s request. Motion carried unanimously. Business Item – Zoning Text Amendment – Village Low Density Residential Zoning Planning Director Wensman gave a summary of the Commissions interest in creating V- LDR – Village Low Density Residential zoning district regulations ahead of applications for preliminary plats expected within the Village area. Planning Director Wensman gave an overview of the changes since the last meeting. Commissioner Williams pointed out that on page 1 of the draft ordinance that V-LDR was labeled as Village “Limited” Density Residential when it should be “Low”. Williams 2 Lake Elmo Planning Commission Minutes; 2-27-17 also thought that the allowed residential density range should be added to the Village Mixed Use District Purpose and District Descriptions similar to the other urban districts. Commissioner Dodson commented on the proposed maximum impervious coverage amount on Table 11-2. To allow for residential structures of the same size as in the LDR district, the impervious amount should be close to 35%. Planning Director Wensman explained how Planner Becker arrived at the 30% number, but agreed 35% was an improvement. Commissioner Williams thought the Maximum Building Setback line in Table 11-2 should be stricken. Williams also suggested the VMX allow PUDs. Planning Director Wensman thought it was unnecessary since the PUD overlay primarily to allow for a mix of uses and that the VMX allows for a mixed use. Williams also suggested under 154.505 A5 a subsection should be added for multi-family residential that is not mixed use. A discussion ensued about the proper setbacks for multi-family under different scenarios. There was no consensus and it was suggested that this might be a discussion in the comprehensive plan update process. Wensman offered to provide added language for future discussion. Dodson thought there should be build-to setback with the VMX. Wensman suggested there could be some refinement to the VMX ordinance such that certain defined areas of the VMX might have a build-to setback. Commissioner Hartley questioned the new language of 154.505 B1 and Wensman suggested amending the language to read something like …shall maintain the prevailing front yard setback of that block, or a maximum setback of 20 feet, whichever is less. Williams asked to strike VMX District at the end of 154.505 B6 Commissioner Kreimer thought 154.504 F should state that cul-de-sac bulbs should connect to the nearest through road or trail. Commissioner Williams requested that 154.505 A4 be changed striking everything but VMX Districts and suggested the comprehensive planning process include a discussion about new single family development within the VMX zoning district, currently prohibited. Commissioner Hartley suggested there be a defection for “redevelopment” Williams suggested that Section 154.507 A-F be rewritten as some other subsections appear to be redundant. The Commission discussed 154.507 F3 and suggested that they did not want to be prescriptive in determining the garage setback in relation to the principle structure. 3 Lake Elmo Planning Commission Minutes; 2-27-17 Williams suggested the garages be offset by a minimum of 2 feet from the front plane of any house forward or backward. Although new single family homes are not permitted in the VMX, it was suggested that new garages should maintain a setback of 25’ from the R/W. Williams supported the existing language that limits garage width to 40% of the width of the principal structure in the VMX. The Commission wanted to further research into the minimum house square footage requirements allowed in all the zoning districts and suggested looking at the zoning codes for progressive cities, neighboring cities and a few similar cities in the west metro. Business Item – Zoning Text Amendment – Planned Unit Development Zoning Planning Director Wensman introduced draft changes to the PUD ordinance. He suggested the purpose to the changes was to add the recently approved OP PUD process to the Article I PUD regulations. The other primary change was to eliminate the size requirement for commercial PUDs and to allow the Planning Director to waive the Sketch Plan requirement for small commercial PUDs when they meet the identified objectives in Section 154.751. Wensman also mentioned that Consulting Planner Gozola had reviewed the draft and offered some additional suggested changes. Wensman stated he will review some of Gozolas suggestions and will incorporate them into a future draft amendment. Commissioner Williams wanted to revisit section 154.751, Identified Objectives. He felt the requirement that only one of them needing to be met was too easy for developers. It was suggested that Planning staff research what other cities do for establishing a basis for allowing PUDs. Commissioner Hartley suggested that 154.752 C and D be reword ed to something like 120% increase from the underlying zoning requirements. Commissioner Williams was supportive of the draft changes to the minimum requirements, but suggested some rewording. Commissioner Hartley wanted 154.753 B to include public trails. The Commission discussed potential changes to the point system in Table 16-2 and wanted to revisit this. It was felt that Trails were a requirement already if part of a comprehensive trail plan and that otherwise the City should not award points for them. Business Item – Zoning Text Amendment – Solar Ordinance Discussion Planning Director Wensman introduced the Solar Ordinance discussion asking the Commissioners what they wanted to see changed with the City’s ordinance. 4 Lake Elmo Planning Commission Minutes; 2-27-17 Commissioner Dorschner wanted to be sure the ordinance protected neighbors from glare, etc. related to solar facilities. Commissioner Larson also stressed that safety was a concern. Commissioner Williams thought the ordinance should address impervious surface requirements. Williams also felt the City should be less concerned with the amount of energy that can produced and more concerned about the area or size requirements and the districts in which the facilities should be located. Director Wensman offered that he would review the city’s ordinance against other ordinances to create a draft ordinance that takes into consideration the Commissions’ concerns along with items generally addressed in other ordinances for future discussion. City Council Updates – February 21, 2017 Meeting i) OP-Alt Zoning District Repeal – passed ii) Shoreland Management Overlay Ordinance Amendment – failed and tabled to next meeting iii) ZMA and CUP for 3549 Lake Elmo Ave - passed Staff Updates 1. Upcoming Meetings a. March 13, 2017 Planning Director Wensman informed the Commission that the Royal Golf zoning map amendment and preliminary plat and preliminary PUD, Inwood 5th final plat and PUD and Lakewood Crossing 2nd Concept PUD public hearings will be held. b. March 27, 2017 Planning Director Wensman thought that Easton Village 2nd Addition and Hidden Meadows 2nd Addition final plat might be reviewed at this meeting along with business items for future ordinance amendments. Commission Concerns Commissioner Dodson asked to review the engineering standards for street lighting. Commissioners Dorschner and Hartley requested updated zoning maps for their zoning notebooks. Meeting adjourned at 9:45 pm Respectfully submitted, Joan Ziertman Planning Program Assistant 5 Lake Elmo Planning Commission Minutes; 2-27-17 (Please note there was no recording and minutes were done by Stephen Wensman from memory)