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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-20-2015 PROCEEDINGS OF THE MOUNDS VIEW PLANNING COMMISSION CITY OF MOUNDS VIEW RAMSEY COUNTY, MINNESOTA Regular Meeting May 20, 2015 Mounds View City Hall 2401 County Road 10, Mounds View, MN 55112 ______________________________________________________________________________ 1. Call to Order The meeting was called to order by Planning Associate Heller at 7:00 p.m. for May 20, 2015. ______________________________________________________________________________ 1A. Elect Vice Chair Planning Associate Heller requested the Planning Commission elect a Vice Chair for the Planning Commission for 2015. MOTION/SECOND: Commissioner Love/Commissioner Birken. To elect Paul Schiltgen as Vice Chair of the Planning Commission for 2015. Ayes – 6 Nays – 0 Motion carried. 2. Roll Call Members Present: Commissioners Birken, Elofson, Kieffer, Love, Rundle, and Schiltgen. Absent and Excused: Commissioner Stevenson. Also Present: Planning Associate Heidi Heller and Council Member Gary Meehlhause ______________________________________________________________________________ Index to Minutes Page Elect Vice Chair 1 Approval of Minutes 2 VR2015-002 Variance Request to Allow a Driveway Curb Cut to Exceed 2 24 Feet Wide VR2015-003 Variance Request to Allow a Driveway with a 2-foot Setback 4 VR2015-004 Variance Request to Allow a Garage with a 3-foot Setback 4 Mounds View Planning Commission May 20, 2015 Regular Meeting Page 2 ________________________________________________________________________ 3. Approval of Minutes April 15, 2015. MOTION/SECOND: Commissioner Rundle/Commissioner Elofson. To approve the Minutes of the April 15, 2015 regular Planning Commission meeting as slightly amended. Ayes – 6 Nays – 0 Motion carried. 4. Citizens Requests and Comments on Items Not on the Agenda None. ______________________________________________________________________________ 5. Planning Cases A. VR2015-002 Variance Request to Allow a Driveway Curb Cut to Exceed 24 Feet Wide Applicant: Robert Horbul Address: 8382 Knollwood Drive Planning Associate Heller indicated the applicant, Robert Horbul, is requesting approval of a variance to allow the driveway curb cut to exceed 24-feet at his property at 8382 Knollwood Drive. The applicant’s entire driveway, including the curb cut, is currently 34 feet wide. This property is on a street that is being reconstructed this year. As the streets have been reconstructed, the City is installing the new curb cut aprons so that they comply with the Zoning Code requirements. The new aprons are installed with a 5-foot setback and a maximum of 24 feet wide. The applicant’s existing concrete driveway was installed 34 feet wide in 1977 when the house was built and has remained this way ever since. It does comply with the required side yard setback. City staff sent the applicant a letter stating that his driveway was non-conforming, and that the new apron would be installed 24 feet wide instead of matching to his existing width. The Zoning Code allows driveway curb cuts for single-family homes to be a maximum of 24 feet wide, so the applicant has requested a variance for a curb cut to exceed the allowed width. Staff discussed the matter further with the Commission and recommended denial of the variance request. Vice Chair Schiltgen opened the public hearing at 7:07 p.m. Robert Horbul, 8382 Knollwood Drive, provided the Planning Commission with a copy of Resolution 6836 from the City of Mounds View, which approved a conditional use permit for his oversized garage. He discussed the size of his garage further along with the items being stored in the garage. He indicated he has several trailers and a fish house stored in his garage. He requested the City allow him to keep his driveway at its existing width. Mounds View Planning Commission May 20, 2015 Regular Meeting Page 3 ________________________________________________________________________ Commissioner Birken explained that Mr. Horbul had a very nice home and she appreciated the fact that Mr. Horbul stored his recreational toys within his oversized garage. She discussed the City’s variance law and believed that the request did not meet all of the variance requirements. Mr. Horbul commented that the driveway was original since 1977 and he was simply requesting that the driveway width remain as is. Associate Heller reported that driveway width requirements have always been limited by the City, first to 22 feet and then 24 feet. Commissioner Love believed that the variance criteria were open to interpretation. It was her opinion that traffic safety would not be compromised if the driveway was to remain 34 feet wide. In addition, she thought the driveway width would not negatively impact the aesthetics of the neighborhood. She explained that the unique circumstances could be construed to be the fact that the property owner purchased the home with the existing driveway width and curb cut. Vice Chair Schiltgen understood the safety concerns, but questioned how much traffic was moving along Knollwood Drive. Mr. Horbul discussed the traffic along Knollwood Drive stating the traffic speed was increasing. Commissioner Kieffer questioned the length of Mr. Horbul’s driveway. Mr. Horbul was uncertain. Commissioner Birken believed that the variance criteria was not being met in Mr. Horbul’s request and explained that all other residents in Mounds View were able to back their trailers and fish houses into their garage with a 24-foot wide apron. Vice Chair Schiltgen agreed. Mr. Horbul reiterated that he was not asking for anymore apron than he already had. He simply wanted the apron put back to the same condition it was when he purchased his home. George Grone, 8424 Knollwood Drive, did not believe that Mr. Horbul’s driveway looked out of place. He recommended that the driveway and apron be allowed to remain as is. Vice Chair Schiltgen closed the public hearing at 7:29 p.m. MOTION/SECOND: Commissioner Elofson/Commissioner Birken. To approve Resolution 1027-15, a Resolution Recommending Denial of a Variance for a Curb Cut to Exceed 24-Feet Wide at 8382 Knollwood Drive; Planning Case No. VR2015-002. Ayes – 4 Nays – 2 (Kieffer and Love) Motion carried. _____________________________________________________________________________ B. VR2015-003 Variance Request to Allow a Driveway with a 2-foot Setback Mounds View Planning Commission May 20, 2015 Regular Meeting Page 4 ________________________________________________________________________ Applicant: James Anderson Address: 7930 Sunnyside Road Planning Associate Heller indicated the applicant, James Anderson, is requesting approval of a variance for a reduced driveway setback on his property at 7930 Sunnyside Road. The applicant’s driveway runs next to the house to access the detached garage, which is behind the house. The applicant is replacing the entire driveway and is requesting that it be allowed to stay in the same location, which has a 2-foot setback. The Zoning Code requires a 5-foot setback, so the applicant has requested a variance for a reduced driveway setback. Staff discussed the matter further with the Commission and recommended approval of the variance request. Vice Chair Schiltgen opened the public hearing at 7:34 p.m. James Anderson, 7930 Sunnyside Road, explained he purchased his home from his father. He discussed the driveway improvements he was planning and requested the Commission allow a driveway with a 2-foot setback. Vice Chair Schiltgen questioned how much space there was between the house and parked cars on the driveway. Mr. Anderson estimated there was about three feet of space. Commissioner Birken supported the request and believed that all variance requirements were being met. Vice Chair Schiltgen closed the public hearing at 7:39 p.m. MOTION/SECOND: Commissioner Rundle/Commissioner Love. To approve Resolution 1028- 15, a Resolution Recommending Approval of a Three-Foot Setback Variance for a Driveway at 7930 Sunnyside Road; Planning Case No. VR2015-003. Ayes – 6 Nays – 0 Motion carried. _____________________________________________________________________________ C. VR2015-004 Variance Request to Allow a Garage with a 3-foot Setback Applicant: Michael and Andrea Shoup Address: 8330 Groveland Road Planning Associate Heller indicated the applicants, Michael and Andrea Shoup, are requesting approval of a variance for a reduced garage setback on their property at 8330 Groveland Road. The applicants purchased this property in August 2014 and a month later the detached garage burned down. The applicants are in the process of building a new detached garage, and would like to rebuild the garage next to the house instead of in the backyard where it was. The proposed detached garage is 24’ x 24’ with a 5-foot walkway between the house and garage. This proposal would put the garage about 3 feet from the side property line. The Zoning Code requires a 5 foot side and rear setback for accessory buildings, so the applicants have requested a variance for a Mounds View Planning Commission May 20, 2015 Regular Meeting Page 5 ________________________________________________________________________ reduced garage setback. Staff reviewed the matter further with the Commission and recommended approval of the variance request. Vice Chair Schiltgen opened the public hearing at 7:44 p.m. Andrea Shoup, 8330 Groveland Road, thanked the Commission for considering her variance request. Vice Chair Schiltgen closed the public hearing at 7:46 p.m. MOTION/SECOND: Commissioner Rundle/Commissioner Elofson. To approve Resolution 1029-15, a Resolution Recommending Approval of Two-Foot Setback Variance for a Garage at 8330 Groveland Road; Planning Case No. VR2015-004. Ayes – 6 Nays – 0 Motion carried. _____________________________________________________________________________ 6. Other Planning Activity None. 7. Review Minutes: A. May 6, 2015 The Commission discussed the January 21, 2015 meeting minutes. 8. Reports A. Upcoming Planning Cases Planning Associate Heller discussed upcoming planning cases, noting the case that would be discussed on June 3rd. She explained that a local church has requested that the recently passed ordinance be amended to allow brick on columbaria and requested feedback from the Commission on this matter. Commissioner Elofson supported this request. Commissioner Rundle feared that brick would not be properly maintained over time and for this reason, he recommended that the ordinance not be changed. Commissioner Birken discussed the tuck pointing that would be required on brick columbaria. Mounds View Planning Commission May 20, 2015 Regular Meeting Page 6 ________________________________________________________________________ Vice Chair Schiltgen thought that the brick matching the principle structure looked nice but he questioned how the Council felt about having brick on columbaria. Associate Heller explained that the Council had previously supported the Commission’s recommendation. The Commission was in favor of keeping the columbaria language as is. B. Staff Updates Planning Associate Heller provided the Commission with an update from staff. C. Council Updates Councilmember Meehlhause provided the Planning Commission with an update from the City Council. D. Planning Commissioner Reports None. 9. Next Planning Commission Meeting: A. Wednesday, June 3, 2015 B. Wednesday, June 17, 2015 ______________________________________________________________________________ 10. Adjournment There being no further business before the Planning Commission, Vice Chair Schiltgen adjourned the meeting at 8:03 p.m. ______________________________________________________________________________ Respectfully submitted, Heidi Heller Planning Associate Transcribed by: Heidi Guenther TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc.