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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-02-2015 PROCEEDINGS OF THE MOUNDS VIEW PLANNING COMMISSION CITY OF MOUNDS VIEW RAMSEY COUNTY, MINNESOTA Regular Meeting September 2, 2015 Mounds View City Hall 2401 County Road 10, Mounds View, MN 55112 ______________________________________________________________________________ 1. Call to Order The meeting was called to order by Chair Stevenson at 7:00 p.m. for September 2, 2015. ______________________________________________________________________________ 2. Roll Call Members Present: Commissioners Elofson, Kieffer, Klander, Love, Rundle, Schiltgen, and Stevenson. Absent and Excused: None. Also Present: Planning Associate Heidi Heller and Council Member Gary Meehlhause. ______________________________________________________________________________ 3. Special Order of Business A. Oath of Office for Commissioner Justin Klander Planning Associate Heller administered the Oath of Office to newly appointed Planning Commission member Justin Klander. ______________________________________________________________________________ Index to Minutes Page Approval of Minutes 1 VR2015-007 Variance to Allow a 4-foot Encroachment into the Front 2 Yard Discuss a Code Amendment to Allow Fences Taller than 4-Feet in Front 4 Yards of Corner Lots _____________________________________________________________________________ 4. Approval of Minutes Mounds View Planning Commission September 2, 2015 Regular Meeting Page 2 ________________________________________________________________________ August 5, 2015. MOTION/SECOND: Commissioner Rundle/Commissioner Schiltgen. To approve the Minutes of the August 5, 2015 regular Planning Commission meeting as slightly amended. Ayes – 7 Nays – 0 Motion carried. 5. Citizens Requests and Comments on Items Not on the Agenda None. ______________________________________________________________________________ 6. Planning Cases A. VR2015-007 Variance to Allow a 4-foot Encroachment into the Front Yard Applicant: Jerome Buchanan Address: 5231 Irondale Road Planning Associate Heller indicated Jerome Buchanan, property owner of 5231 Irondale Road, has requested a variance to construct a roof extension off the front of his home four feet closer to the street than the existing building, to cover the front steps. All of the homes on this block of Irondale Road are set back the same distance—30 feet from the property line. The variance requested is to encroach four feet into the front setback. Associate Heller stated setback requirements are addressed in Section 1104.01 of the Zoning Code. Each zoning district is listed with the corresponding front, side and rear setbacks. In an R- 1, Single Family Residential district, the typical setbacks are as follows: Front, 30 feet; Side, 10 feet; and Rear, 30 feet. It is noted that sheds and garages, attached or detached, can have side and rear setbacks of 5 feet. Associate Heller explained the applicant wants to build a 12-foot wide by 4-feet deep roof to cover the front steps. A front stoop or deck is considered an allowable encroachment into a front setback, provided it does not extend above the height of the ground floor level of the principal structure. The steps extend four feet into the front yard. Awnings, eves and other roof extensions are also allowed as an encroachment, however they are limited to no more than a two-foot encroachment. Thus, the variance of an additional two feet is requested. Staff reviewed the request in further detail and recommended approval of the 4-foot encroachment into the front yard. Chair Stevenson opened the public hearing at 7:07 p.m. Tim Miller, 5225 Irondale Road, presented the Planning Commission with several photographs. He did not believe the proposed project would improve the site. He explained that the homeowner does not complete projects. He suggested that the homeowner consider placing Mounds View Planning Commission September 2, 2015 Regular Meeting Page 3 ________________________________________________________________________ gutters on the house as the water was running of the applicant’s roof and was flooding his property. He stated this property was an eyesore in the neighborhood and had a great deal of mold growing on the site, which was impacting his family’s well-being. Laura Miller, 5225 Irondale Road, recommended that the applicant consider placing gutters on his house to alleviate the water situation that was now taking place in her backyard and basement. She expressed a great deal of frustration with the poor condition of her neighbor’s home and believed the request should not be approved. Mark Matusovic, 5220 Skiba Drive, reported the applicant’s garage construction was a big jumbled mess and the construction took entirely way too long. He reported the garage still had no siding at this time. He believed the applicant had too many projects underway that were incomplete and another project should not be taken on. He recalled that this was the first summer in years that the applicant has mowed his lawn. Commissioner Elofson asked if one year would be enough time to complete the proposed project. Associate Heller believed a year should be plenty of time to complete the proposed project. Chair Stevenson questioned how the City would react if the project was not completed in a timely manner. Associate Heller stated that a fine would be first assessed against the property owner, and continued non-completion would lead to a court citation. Commissioner Schiltgen inquired what action the City was taking on the incomplete garage. Associate Heller reported that the contractor has now walked away from the project and the City was aware of the situation and monitoring it. Commissioner Schiltgen believed that the applicant’s property was in need of major improvement. Commissioner Klander asked if the applicant had any other code violations with the City. Associate Heller was uncertain and stated the site had no junk lying around at this time. Commissioner Klander questioned if the tar paper was sufficient covering for a building. Associate Heller understood that the site had been covered with tar paper since approximately late last fall. She commented that the City was trying to be reasonable and allow the homeowner enough time to complete the project since the contractor walked away. She indicated that the City was working with the homeowner to complete the project. Mounds View Planning Commission September 2, 2015 Regular Meeting Page 4 ________________________________________________________________________ Chair Stevenson was of the opinion that the City could not deny the request based on the applicant’s past. He was in favor of tabling action until the homeowner could be present to provide the Commission with additional information on the property. Chair Stevenson closed the public hearing at 7:25 p.m. MOTION/SECOND: Commissioner Love/Commissioner Klander. To table action on this item to the October 7, 2015 Planning Commission meeting. Ayes – 6 Nays – 1 (Elofson) Motion carried. _____________________________________________________________________________ 7. Other Planning Activity A. Discuss a Code Amendment to Allow Fences Taller than 4-Feet in Front Yards of Corner Lots Planning Associate Heller informed the Commission that the Planning Commission has received, and approved, several variances over the last few years allowing a 6-foot or 8-foot fence in the second front yard of corner lots. Commissioners have mentioned that maybe the zoning code should be amended to allow for these taller fences since they are always approved. Another variance request for a 6-foot fence was approved at the last Planning Commission meeting on August 19, 2015, and at that time, again it was mentioned that there should be discussion to amend the code. The Commissioners in attendance all agreed, and asked staff to add this code amendment discussion to the next meeting agenda. Associate Heller explained the Zoning Code allows fences up to 4-feet tall in any part of a property. Fences that are taller than 4-feet are only allowed behind the front line of the house (the Zoning Code allows fences up to 8-feet tall). Properties that are on corners have two front yards and therefore are much more limited in where they can put a taller fence. Property owners want the taller fences for privacy and safety, and the Planning Commission has been very understanding of this and approved every fence height variance request. Staff recommends that the Planning Commission review and discuss the information, and provide staff with direction about the proposed amendment. Chair Stevenson believed it was time that the City amended it code. He supported the City allowing up to a six foot fence for a second front yard with requests for taller than six feet still requiring a variance review by the Planning Commission. Commissioner Schiltgen questioned how many requests the City has had for an eight foot fence on corner lots. Associate Heller recalled only three requests in the past ten years. Mounds View Planning Commission September 2, 2015 Regular Meeting Page 5 ________________________________________________________________________ Commissioner Kieffer expressed confusion with City Code Section 1102 and asked which lot line was considered to be the designated front yard. Associate Heller discussed this with the Commission and explained how the City interpreted front yards. Chair Stevenson was in favor of staff revising the Code Amendment with the front yard definition being more clearly defined to be discussed at a future Planning Commission meeting. In addition, he supported fence heights being 6-feet or less in second front yards of corner lots with at least a one-foot setback from the property line on the second street frontage side. The Commissioners all agreed with this recommendation. Staff will bring a resolution with language for this code amendment to the next meeting. ______________________________________________________________________________ 8. Review Minutes: A. August 19, 2015 The Commission discussed the August 19, 2015 meeting minutes. No changes were made. 9. Reports A. Upcoming Planning Cases Planning Associate Heller discussed upcoming planning cases. B. Staff Updates Planning Associate Heller provided the Commission with an update from staff. She was pleased to report that the City has eight new homes being built so far this year. C. Council Updates Councilmember Meehlhause provided the Planning Commission with an update from the City Council. He noted that the Council approved the first reading of an Ordinance that would allow beekeeping in the City of Mounds View. He discussed the Council’s upcoming worksession agenda and noted the 2016 budget was in the works. D. Planning Commissioner Reports Commissioner Love recommended that the Commission approve minutes in a more timely manner. She suggested that a copy of the minutes be provided to the Chair at the meeting in order for the changes to be discussed. Mounds View Planning Commission September 2, 2015 Regular Meeting Page 6 ________________________________________________________________________ Further discussion ensued regarding the minute approval process. 10. Next Planning Commission Meeting: A. Wednesday, September 16, 2015 B. Wednesday, October 7, 2015 ______________________________________________________________________________ 11. Adjournment There being no further business before the Planning Commission, Chair Stevenson adjourned the meeting at 8:16 p.m. ______________________________________________________________________________ Respectfully submitted, Heidi Heller Planning Associate Transcribed by: Heidi Guenther TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc.