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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-07-2015 PROCEEDINGS OF THE MOUNDS VIEW PLANNING COMMISSION CITY OF MOUNDS VIEW RAMSEY COUNTY, MINNESOTA Regular Meeting October 7, 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 October 7, 2015. ______________________________________________________________________________ 2. Roll Call Members Present: Commissioners Klander, Love, Rundle, Schiltgen, and Stevenson. Absent and Excused: Commissioners Elofson and Kieffer. Also Present: Planning Associate Heidi Heller and Council Member Gary Meehlhause. ______________________________________________________________________________ Index to Minutes Page Approval of Minutes 1 VR2015-008 Variance to Allow a Reduced Side Yard Setback for Living 2 Space and to Allow an Addition and Garage to Expand on the Non-Conforming Front Setback Discuss Proposed Code Amendment to Allow Fences Taller than 3 4-Feet in Front Yards of Corner Lots _____________________________________________________________________________ 3. Approval of Minutes August 19, 2015. MOTION/SECOND: Commissioner Love/Commissioner Rundle. To approve the Minutes of the August 19, 2015 regular Planning Commission meeting as slightly amended. Ayes – 5 Nays – 0 Motion carried. Mounds View Planning Commission October 7, 2015 Regular Meeting Page 2 ________________________________________________________________________ 4. Citizens Requests and Comments on Items Not on the Agenda None. ______________________________________________________________________________ 5. Planning Cases A. VR2015-008 Variance to Allow a Reduced Side Yard Setback for Living Space and to Allow an Addition and Garage to Expand on the Non- Conforming Front Setback Applicant: Jason and Sarah French Address: 2474 County Road H2 Planning Associate Heller indicated the property owner, Jason French, is requesting a variance to permit a garage and living space addition to his house at 2474 County Road H2 to encroach five feet into the required ten-foot side yard setback. The variance is also requesting that the new garage be allowed to have the same front setback as the house, which is less than the minimum required. The owners want to build a new attached garage and expand the second floor of the house over the garage. The new garage and second floor would have a five-foot side yard setback, which is acceptable for the garage, but the living space setback requirement is ten feet. The addition area would also be brought forward slightly to match the existing front line of the house. Staff discussed the request further and recommended approval of the side and front yard setbacks. Chair Stevenson opened the public hearing at 7:05 p.m. Jason French, 2474 County Road H2, thanked the Commission for considering his request. Chair Stevenson asked how much space there was between the garage and the neighbor’s fence; and then from the fence to the neighbor’s house. Mr. French estimated there was six feet between the garage and the fence. He guessed that there was approximately 10 feet between the fence and the neighbor’s house. Commissioner Rundle and Commissioner Schiltgen supported the proposed improvements. Commissioner Love questioned if the applicant had discussed his plans with the neighbor. Mr. French commented that he had not spoken to his neighbor. Chair Stevenson closed the public hearing at 7:09 p.m. Chair Stevenson thanked the applicant for providing the Commission with detailed plans of the site. Mounds View Planning Commission October 7, 2015 Regular Meeting Page 3 ________________________________________________________________________ MOTION/SECOND: Commissioner Schiltgen/Commissioner Rundle. To approve Resolution 1036-15, a Resolution Recommending Approval of a Variance to allow a Five-Foot Side Yard Setback for Living Space and Allow an Addition and Garage to Match the Existing House 19.8 Front Foot Setback at 2474 County Road H2; Planning Case No. VR2015-008. Ayes – 5 Nays – 0 Motion carried. _____________________________________________________________________________ 6. Other Planning Activity A. Discuss Proposed Code Amendment to Allow Fences Taller Than 4-Feet in Front Yards of Corner Lots Planning Associate Heller informed the Commission that at the September 2, 2015 Planning Commission meeting, the Commission discussed allowing 6-foot or 8-foot fences in the second front yard of corner lots. The Zoning Code currently 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 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. Commissioners have suggested that the zoning code should be amended to allow for these taller fences since there have been several variance requests for taller fences and they are always approved. Associate Heller explained the Planning Commission agreed that it’s time to amend the zoning code to allow for over 4-foot tall fences on corner lots. The Commission suggested allowing up to a 6-foot fence in the second front yard of a corner lot with at least a 1-foot setback on the street frontage side. A fence taller than six feet on a corner lot would still need to go through the variance process. Staff reviewed the proposed code amendment further and requested feedback from the Commission. Commissioner Schiltgen questioned how tall hedges would be handled by the City. Associate Heller explained that staff regularly drives around the City and when hedges were too high at intersections, property owners were asked to trim them down to improve visibility at intersections. Commissioner Love asked how residents would able to locate their property line. Associate Heller stated City staff assist as much as possible with this and can give homeowners their property dimensions. She stated if the homeowner could not find the property marker pins on their own, a surveyor would need to be hired. Mounds View Planning Commission October 7, 2015 Regular Meeting Page 4 ________________________________________________________________________ MOTION/SECOND: Commissioner Rundle/Commissioner Klander. To approve Resolution 1037-15, a Resolution Recommending Approval of an Amendment to Chapter 1103 of the Mounds View City Code Pertaining to Fencing; Special Planning Case SP-198-15. Commissioner Klander recommended that staff review City Code to see if there are any other front yard fence references that should be amended. Associate Heller stated she would examine this. Commissioner Love questioned why six-foot fences had to be further off the property line. She explained that this requirement would have homeowners losing a great deal of useable square footage in their yards. Associate Heller stated in this case, the recommendation was being made to ensure fences were placed out of the right of way. Commissioner Love suggested that all corner lot fences that abut a street be at least one foot off the property line to keep this requirement consistent. The Commission requested that staff require all fencing on corner lots have one-foot minimum setback from the property line. Associate Heller added this language to the Resolution as Item D. Ayes – 5 Nays – 0 Motion carried. ______________________________________________________________________________ 7. Review Minutes: A. September 2, 2015 The Commission discussed the September 2, 2015 meeting minutes. No changes were made. 8. 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 noted the Council will start talking to a developer about the redevelopment of the Crossroads Pointe site. Mounds View Planning Commission October 7, 2015 Regular Meeting Page 5 ________________________________________________________________________ C. Council Updates Councilmember Meehlhause provided the Planning Commission with an update from the City Council. He explained the Council was working on a space needs study for a new public works facility. In addition, the Council accepted a second annual donation from Bethlehem Baptist Church. He provided further comment on the recently approved preliminary tax levy. D. Planning Commissioner Reports None. 9. Next Planning Commission Meeting: A. Wednesday, October 21, 2015 B. Wednesday, November 4, 2015 ______________________________________________________________________________ 10. Adjournment There being no further business before the Planning Commission, Chair Stevenson adjourned the meeting at 7:57 p.m. ______________________________________________________________________________ Respectfully submitted, Heidi Heller Planning Associate Transcribed by: Heidi Guenther TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc.