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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-04-2014 PROCEEDINGS OF THE MOUNDS VIEW PLANNING COMMISSION CITY OF MOUNDS VIEW RAMSEY COUNTY, MINNESOTA Regular Meeting June 4, 2014 Mounds View City Hall 2401 Highway 10, Mounds View, MN 55112 ______________________________________________________________________________ 1. Call to Order The meeting was called to order by Chair Stevenson at 7:00 p.m. for June 4, 2014. ______________________________________________________________________________ 2. Roll Call Members Present: Commissioners Birken, Carvelli-Yu, Elofson, Love, Rundle, Schiltgen, and Stevenson. Absent and Excused: None. Also Present: Planning Associate Heidi Heller. ______________________________________________________________________________ Index to Minutes Page Approval of Minutes 1 VR2014-004 Consideration of Variance for a Second Curb Cut - Revote 2 VR2011-002 Consideration of Variance Extension for Reduced 3 Driveway Setbacks VR2014-005 Consideration of Variance for a 6 foot Fence in Second 4 Front Yard of a Corner Lot _____________________________________________________________________________ 3. Approval of Minutes July 24, 2014. MOTION/SECOND: Commissioner Carvelli-Yu/Commissioner Elofson. To approve the Minutes of the May 7, 2014 regular Planning Commission meeting as presented. Ayes – 7 Nays – 0 Motion carried. Mounds View Planning Commission June 4, 2014 Regular Meeting Page 2 ________________________________________________________________________ 4. Citizens Requests and Comments on Items Not on the Agenda None. ______________________________________________________________________________ 5. Planning Cases A. VR2014-004 Consideration of Variance for a Second Curb Cut - Revote Applicant: Frands Jensen Address: 7800 Groveland Road Planning Associate Heller indicated the applicant, Frands Jensen, property owner of 7800 Groveland Road, is requesting a variance to allow a second curb cut and driveway on his property. The City Code allows one curb cut on each R-1, Single Family Residential zoned property without a variance. Associate Heller explained this case was discussed at the May 21, 2014 Planning Commission meeting and a vote was taken to act on a resolution which denied the variance. There were six Commissioners in attendance and the vote was 3-3, so the motion to deny the variance did not pass. The case was tabled until the June 4, 2014 meeting for another vote. For any variance to be approved there must be a majority 2/3 vote (at least 5 of 7 votes are needed to approve a variance). Staff did not recommend approval of the case as the City does not agree with adding second curb cuts to residential lots. Chair Stevenson indicated he reviewed the information from staff and the minutes from the previous meeting noting he was prepared to take a vote. He reported that if the Commission does not approve the second curb cut, the applicant can appeal this decision to the City Council. MOTION/SECOND: Commissioner Rundle/Commissioner Birken. To approve Resolution 1005-14, a Resolution Recommending Denial of a Variance for a Second Curb Cut; Planning Case No. VR2014-004. Commissioner Love commented she has given this request some consideration and after reviewing the variance criteria, she believed the variance was consistent with the Comprehensive Plan, as the resident preserved three mature trees through the placement of their new garage. In addition, the City had an urban design goal to improve the appearance of the community. She believed that the applicant’s second garage improved the curb appeal of the neighborhood. It was her opinion that the current code was behind the times. Commissioner Love further discussed the actions of the applicant noting that Mr. Jensen was made aware that a second curb cut was not allowed. However, she proposed that the Commission consider that trees had been saved and therefore, the variance should be allowed. Mounds View Planning Commission June 4, 2014 Regular Meeting Page 3 ________________________________________________________________________ Chair Stevenson reviewed the variance criteria as well noting he did not believe the application met the criteria listed. Commissioner Schiltgen noted this was a corner lot and did not believe it was unreasonable for the applicant to request a second curb cut. However, he understood that the request did not meet each of the variance criteria. Judith Jensen, 7800 Groveland Road, stated if she had been told she would not receive a second curb cut she would not have placed the garage where she had. She recalled being told that in order to receive a second curb cut, she had to go through the variance process. Frands Jensen, 7800 Groveland Road, commented he would not have purchased the property if he had known the variance would not be approved. He stated he built the garage where he had space and did not have to lose mature trees. Commissioner Birken believed this was an unfortunate case of putting the cart before the horse. She stated the applicants were clearly informed that a second curb cut was not allowed and noted residents have created their own hardship. She recommended the Commission vote on this request. Ayes – 6 Nays – 1 (Love) Motion carried. _____________________________________________________________________________ B. VR2011-002 & VR2011-005 Consideration of Variance Extension for Reduced Driveway Setbacks Applicant: Mike Kinyon, property owner Address: 5338-5340 Raymond Avenue & 5380-5382 Raymond Avenue Planning Associate Heller stated in June 2011, property owner, Michael Kinyon, was granted variances to permit the new driveways at five of his side-by-side duplexes to have one and three foot setbacks from the north and south property lines. Mr. Kinyon will be adding attached garages to the rest of his duplexes, one on each end of the building, along with new driveways to replace the existing gravel. The lots are all 100 feet wide so only a single car garage will fit, but the owner is installing new driveways that are wide enough for two cars to park next to each other. Many of the tenants have more than one vehicle, and with the current narrow driveways, they either park or drive off the driveway, or they have to move cars around when someone is leaving. Since there is no overnight parking on the streets in Mounds View, all vehicles must be in the driveways. Associate Heller indicated the east side of Raymond Avenue has 14 side-by-side duplexes on identical 100 foot wide lots which causes issues when owners want to add additional space or more than a one car wide driveway to these properties. Mr. Kinyon owns ten of the duplexes on Raymond Avenue and received variances in 1995 and 2008 for reduced driveway setbacks when he added garages to those duplexes on the same block. Mounds View Planning Commission June 4, 2014 Regular Meeting Page 4 ________________________________________________________________________ MOTION/SECOND: Commissioner Rundle/Commissioner Schiltgen. To approve Resolution 1006-14, Resolutions Recommending Approval of a Variance Extension for Reduced Driveway Setbacks; Planning Case No. VR2011-002. Ayes – 7 Nays – 0 Motion carried. MOTION/SECOND: Commissioner Rundle/Commissioner Schiltgen. To approve Resolution 1007-14, Resolutions Recommending Approval of a Variance Extension for Reduced Driveway Setbacks; Planning Case No. VR2011-005. Ayes – 7 Nays – 0 Motion carried. _____________________________________________________________________________ C. VR2014-005 Consideration of Variance for 6 foot Fence in Second Front Yard of a Corner Lot Applicant: Ron O’Connell Address: 2296 Terrace Drive Planning Associate Heller indicated the applicant, Ron O’Connell, is requesting a variance to install a 6-foot tall fence in the “second front yard” of his corner lot located at 2296 Terrace Drive. The property is located at the southeast corner of Terrace Drive and Jackson Drive. Since two streets border corner lots, they have two front yards. As such, the City Code requirement for front yard applies to two sides of the property, which means that corner lots have additional limitations. The Zoning Code indicates that no fence in front of the front line of a building in a residential district may exceed four feet in height. The applicant was issued a permit for a 6-foot tall privacy fence in his second front yard in 1992 when he also installed a swimming pool. The fence is now damaged and needs to be replaced. The applicant has a swimming pool and his insurance company requires a 6-foot fence, thus a variance has been requested. Chair Stevenson opened the public hearing at 7:32 p.m. James Norton, 5550 St. Stephen, requested further information on the request from Mr. O’Connell. Associate Heller explained that Mr. O’Connell was requesting to replace the 6-foot fence that was already in place. Ron O’Connell, 2296 Terrace Drive, commented his existing fence was damaged by the plow this past winter and he was simply requesting to replace this existing fence in the same location. He indicated he would be installing a maintenance free vinyl fence. Chair Stevenson closed the public hearing at 7:39 p.m. Mounds View Planning Commission June 4, 2014 Regular Meeting Page 5 ________________________________________________________________________ MOTION/SECOND: Commissioner Carvelli-Yu/Commissioner Rundle. To approve Resolution 1008-14, a Resolution Recommending Approval of a Variance for a 6 foot Fence in Second Front Yard of a Corner Lot; Planning Case No. VR2014-005 Ayes – 7 Nays – 0 Motion carried. _____________________________________________________________________________ 6. Other Planning Activity None. ______________________________________________________________________________ 7. Next Planning Commission Meeting: A. June 18, 2014 B. July 2, 2014 ______________________________________________________________________________ 8. Review Minutes: A. May 21, 2014 The Commission discussed the May 21, 2014 meeting minutes. 9. Staff Updates A. Upcoming Planning Cases Planning Associate Heller discussed upcoming planning cases. She explained the Abiding Savior subdivision would be reviewed by the Planning Commission on June 18th. It was noted the overlay district language would also be discussed. She provided comment on the recent joint worksession meeting held with the City Council. She commented Apple Tree Dental would be open for business on Friday. 10. Chairperson and Planning Commissioners Reports None. 11. Adjournment There being no further business before the Planning Commission, Chair Stevenson adjourned the meeting at 7:54 p.m. Mounds View Planning Commission June 4, 2014 Regular Meeting Page 6 ________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Respectfully submitted, Heidi Heller Planning Associate Transcribed by: Heidi Guenther TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc.