HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-06-2010PROCEEDINGS OF THE MOUNDS VIEW PLANNING COMMISSION
CITY OF MOUNDS VIEW
RAMSEY COUNTY, MINNESOTA
Regular Meeting
October 6, 2010
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. October 6, 2010.
2. Roll Call
Members Present: Commissioners Cramblit, Miller, Rundle, Schiltgen, and Smith.
Absent and Excused: Commissioner Meehlhause and Stevenson.
Also Present: Planning Associate Heidi Heller
Community Development Director Ken Roberts
Index to Minutes
Page
VR2008-005; Re -Approval of Variances for the Select Senior Living
Development; Applicant: Joel Larson, Select Senior Living 2
Discussion about Variances
3. Approval of Minutes
July 21, 2010
2
MOTION/SECOND: Commissioner Cramblit/Commissioner Schiltgen. To approve the
minutes of the July 21, 2010 regular Planning Commission meeting as slightly amended.
Ayes — 5 Nays — 0 Motion carried.
4. Citizens Requests and Comments on Items Not on the Agenda
None.
Mounds View Planning Commission October 6, 2010
Regular Meeting Page 2
5. Planning Cases
A. VR2008-005; Re -Approval of Variances for the Select Senior Living
Development Applicant: Joel Larson, Select Senior Living
Planning Associate Heller stated Select Senior Living received approval for variances for a 95 -
unit senior housing project in 2008, just about the time the banking industry collapsed. The
developer has now secured financing for the project. The variance approvals have become void
due to non-use after one year. Select Senior Living has requested that the Planning Commission
reapprove the variances for their senior housing development. The resolution in front of the
Planning Commission is the same as the one approved in 2008.
Vice Chair Miller questioned the financing using housing revenue bonds and asked for
clarification.
Planning Associate Heller stated the City is not funding the project but has allowed the developer
to go through the state bond pool for financing. Also, by doing this, the City will receive a fee in
the process.
MOTION/SECOND: Commissioner Cramblit/Commissioner Smith. Resolution 934-10, Re -
Approving Variances to Allow for Increased Site Density, Reduced Unit Sizes, Reduced Number
of Parking Spaces and to Allow Roof Overhang and Building Setback Encroachments at the
Select Senior Living Development to be Located at 2865 County Highway 10 and 7980 & 8020
Groveland Road.
Ayes — 5 Nays — 0 Motion carried.
6. Other Planning Activity
A. Discussion about Variances
Community Development Director Roberts stated the Supreme Court case ruling of July 21,
2010 has changed the way cities can handle variances. He provided a brief history of the court
case and clarified the new ruling. He stated the state statute is very restrictive and unless there is
no other use for the property then you cannot grant the variance. He stated Mounds View could
have difficulty with this new hardship interpretation, but added that a City can set their own
individual criteria for determining variance requests and continue with the process. There is
hope that when the legislature meets next year they may change the state law to let cities have
more control over granting variances. He felt the Planning Commission should take a harder look
at approving variances in the future.
Commissioner Schiltgen questioned the ramifications of the City approving a questionable
variance.
Mounds View Planning Commission October 6, 2010
Regular Meeting Page 3
Director Roberts stated if the approval was challenged, it would need to go through the court
process.
7. Next Planning Commission Meeting:
A. October 20, 2010
B. November 3, 2010
8. Adjournment to Agenda Session
There being no further business before the Planning Commission, Chair Stevenson adjourned the
meeting at 7:35 p.m.
(The meeting immediately adjourned to the Agenda Session)
Respectfully submitted,
Ken Roberts
Community Development Director
Transcribed by:
Barbara Suciu
TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc.