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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-07-2002 PROCEEDINGS OF THE MOUNDS VIEW PLANNING COMMISSION CITY OF MOUNDS VIEW RAMSEY COUNTY, MINNESOTA Regular Meeting August 7, 2002 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., August 7, 2002. ______________________________________________________________________________ 2. Roll Call Members Present: Commissioners Stevenson, Miller, Johnson, Hegland, Zwirn, and Song Members Absent: Scotch (excused). Also Present: Community Development Director Ericson and Planner Atkinson ________________________________________________________________________ Index to Minutes Page Planning Case VR02-002 2 Location: 4749 Old Highway 8 Applicant: Ace Supply Company Planning Case VR02-003 4 Location: 2400 County Highway 10 Applicant: Robert and Anthony Jacob ______________________________________________________________________________ 3. Citizens Requests and Comments on Items Not on the Agenda None. ______________________________________________________________________ 4. Approval of Minutes a. June 19, 2002 Mounds View Planning Commission August 7, 2002 Regular Meeting Page 2 ______________________________________________________________________ MOTION/SECOND: Miller/Zwirn. To Approve the Minutes of the June 19, 2002 Planning Commission Meeting. Ayes – 6 Nays – 0 Motion carried. _____________________________________________________________________________ 5. Planning Case VR02-002 Planner Atkinson indicated that the request is for a setback variance to replace an existing sign. He then explained that the applicant came in for a sign permit to replace a run down sign and it was determined that a variance would be needed to allow the sign to remain in its current location. Planner Atkinson explained that the property is larger as you go south and is 30 feet on the north and 40 feet toward the southern part and that is different from other properties on Old Highway 8. He then indicated there are three other buildings on Highway 8 in Mounds View and there are other signs along the road that look to be in the same location which are within the setback requirement. Planner Atkinson indicated that, in order to approve a variance, all the criteria must be satisfied. He then said that it is Staff’s recommendation that a variance be approved for the sign with the requirement that the sign be located one foot from the right-of-way. Commissioner Miller asked if the sign was the brown sign with three businesses listed on it. The Applicant indicated that the sign would be roughly the same size but more substantial and nicer looking. Chair Stevenson opened the public hearing at 7:05 p.m. Chair Stevenson asked how far the sign would be moved from its current location. Planner Atkinson indicated that it is not certain exactly where the sign is located, either on the property line or in the right-of-way. He then said that Staff recommends setting the sign back one foot from the property line to keep it out of the right-of-way. Chair Stevenson asked the applicant if the sign could be moved easily. The Applicant indicated that he would be able to move the sign fairly easily. Commissioner Johnson asked what would be wrong with moving it back 15 feet to make it a conforming sign. The Applicant explained that the sign would be 40 or 50 feet from the road greatly diminishing visibility. Mounds View Planning Commission August 7, 2002 Regular Meeting Page 3 ______________________________________________________________________ Chair Stevenson asked why the right-of-way is so wide there and not for his neighbors. Planner Atkinson indicated he was not sure but said the road was reconstructed and the building is not parallel with the roadway. Chair Stevenson asked if this was prior to when the road was widened and changes made with manufactured homes. Planner Atkinson commented that farther to the north it is a standard 30 feet of right-of-way and it gets larger the farther south you go. Planner Atkinson indicated that if the sign were to become conforming it would be located only 20 feet from the building. Commissioner Miller asked if the City could require MinnValco to remove its sign. Planner Atkinson indicated that Staff would ask that the sign be removed. Chair Stevenson indicated he would like that requirement added to the resolution. Commissioner Hegland asked what the closest sign to the right-of-way would be. Planner Atkinson said that Midway Industrial Company has talked to Staff and wants to do something similar to what is being done tonight. He then said they are willing to do something to make the property conform to improve their sign. Commissioner Hegland confirmed that the sign would be located approximately15 feet from the edge of the sidewalk. Planner Atkinson agreed that 15 feet was a good approximation of the location of the sign. Commissioner Miller asked if the sign would conform to the sign code. Planner Atkinson indicated that once the variance is approved Staff would issue the sign permit and make sure that the sign meets the City’s code requirements. Chair Stevenson closed the public hearing at 7:16 p.m. MOTION/SECOND: Miller/Song. To Approve Resolution 703-02, a Resolution Approving a Variance for a Reduced Front Yard Setback for a Business Identification Sign. Ayes – 6 Nays – 0 Motion carried. Mounds View Planning Commission August 7, 2002 Regular Meeting Page 4 ______________________________________________________________________ Community Development Director Ericson indicated that he had remembered that Commissioner Scotch had indicated at the last meeting that she would not be able to attend this meeting. ______________________________________________________________________________ 6. Planning Case VR02-003 Community Development Director Ericson indicated there was some discussion at the last meeting concerning the potential for a variance for this matter. He then indicated the site plan was redrafted to show parking in the 30-foot setback to the point where the mature trees start. He further indicated that the City Forester was on the site and indicated that the area where parking is shown contained no significant trees and had said it was his recommendation that the scrub growth could be taken out without hurting the integrity of the trees on the site. Director Ericson indicated that the request is for a 17- foot setback from County Road H2 for a distance of 90 feet. Director Ericson pointed out the additional parking on the site plan that would include an additional 58 stalls. He then indicated there would be one curb cut that would be moved to straddle property lines to serve the existing property. Chair Stevenson opened the public hearing at 7:18 p.m. Commissioner Miller asked why this would be considered a front yard. Director Ericson indicated that it abuts a City Street and per Code it is a front yard. Director Ericson indicated that in order to approve the variance hardship would need to be determined. He then said that the applicant is under parked and when H2 is reconstructed they would lose 13 stalls. The other issue is that as the site is currently configured they have a setback on Highway 10 of five feet and a setback of eight feet on H2. Director Ericson indicated that Staff feels that there is a hardship and that granting this variance would not confer upon this property owner any special privileges. Director Ericson commented that the applicant was not aware of the planned H2 reconstruction when the property was purchased. Director Ericson indicated that plans would be reviewed at the next meeting for site plan review depending on the action at this meeting. Commissioner Miller asked Mr. Ericson to point out where the spaces would be lost when H2 is reconstructed. Mounds View Planning Commission August 7, 2002 Regular Meeting Page 5 ______________________________________________________________________ Director Ericson clarified that this plan is a future site plan but he pointed out the area where the spots would be lost. He then confirmed that 13 stalls would be lost and explained that those 13 spots are striped into the City right-of-way. Chair Stevenson asked Staff to clarify the City Forester’s findings. Director Ericson indicated there are two issues. The first is that there are a large number of significant trees on the site. The second is that there is a fence located at the 50 foot setback established as a buffer for the PUD. Director Ericson indicated he and Mr. Atkinson had measured it out from the lot line to where the significant trees are and it is 85 or 90 feet to the Spanish Elm and 10 or 20 feet to the oaks that the Forester wants to save. He then commented that some small trees planted on the site would be lost but could be relocated on the site if the applicant desires. He further commented that the City Forester does not want to lose any trees but his primary goal is saving the mature trees. Chair Stevenson asked if in the next phase there would be a discussion of berms and fences for screening. Director Ericson indicated that as part of the site plan review fences and berms would be discussed. He then said that if there is direction the Commission wanted to provide to the applicant they should do so at this meeting. Commissioner Hegland commented that it would appear that if they went with angled parking in that area and give the 12 feet between the two rows of parking it would mean a six foot encroachment all the way along. Director Ericson clarified that the stalls are 18 feet deep and adding in the 12 foot aisle there would be 48 feet from the Centerline. Commissioner Johnson indicated the Forester would have to review the trees. Director Ericson indicated it was possible to do as suggested but it would mean the loss of more trees. Commissioner Hegland commented that it already shows 42 feet to the back of the parking that is not angled so it looks like a difference of four feet. Director Ericson indicated that it was measured out and discussed with the individual that drafted the plan and it looks as though if you did a second bank of stalls instead of the 90 degree stalls it would be a 23 foot setback all the way across and there would be some loss of trees. He then said that Staff looks at this option as a way to minimize any loss of trees. Chair Stevenson asked if it would hurt the parking to lose the 5 stalls. Mounds View Planning Commission August 7, 2002 Regular Meeting Page 6 ______________________________________________________________________ Director Ericson indicated that the concern is that if there is parking there you would need to have a sidewalk so that is another 5 feet and so now you are looking at 25 feet. Tony Jacob indicated they had presented a plan with two banks of diagonal parking and were told it was not feasible. Director Ericson indicated it is a matter of how many trees would be lost and how much of a variance would be needed. He then said that Staff could look at another plan that would show diagonal parking all the way along. Director Ericson indicated they would pick up another 10 stalls by doing diagonal parking all the way across. Commissioner Hegland commented that the plan does not show exiting the vehicle and that means you end up losing the space for a sidewalk. Director Ericson indicated that the parallel stalls get them the 13 stalls but they encroach into the setback area. Commissioner Miller commented that she did not feel that those parallel spots would be used very often if other spots are open. Commissioner Hegland commented that it seemed that the trees would be lost anyway. Chair Stevenson asked if 116 stalls instead of 121 stalls would be adequate. Tony Jacob indicated that the more stalls they could have the better it would be for their business. He then said that the banquet room is going to be remodeled to handle 110 people and they want to add a patio in the future. He further commented that he is attempting to work with the City to provide a plan that solves the parking issue while keeping residents happy and saving as many trees as possible. Commissioner Miller asked how much parking would be lost for outdoor seating. Mr. Jacob indicated that he had not finalized the plans yet but it is estimated that six stalls would be lost for the patio area. Mr. Jacob indicated he did not like the plan that includes the parallel spots and said if there is a way to do the diagonal all along the front it would work for him. Commissioner Hegland asked if anyone measured how many mature trees were lost if there was a full row of diagonal parking. Mounds View Planning Commission August 7, 2002 Regular Meeting Page 7 ______________________________________________________________________ Director Ericson indicated that Staff had not reviewed that but said there will be trees that would have to come out. He suggested tabling action on the matter for Staff to come back with a plan that shows diagonal parking all the way across. Commissioner Johnson said he would like to see a plan for diagonal parking with the forester’s comments on trees that would be lost. Commissioner Johnson said that it would be safer to change the parking at the expense of a few mature trees. Commissioner Miller asked if the spots on the end would be for employees. Mr. Jacob indicated that the employees would park in the farthest spots to allow customers the closest spots. Commissioner Miller said there may be trouble with those that want to spare every single shrub. Commissioner Hegland said that he would like to find out what trees would need to come down. Commissioner Johnson indicated that there would still be a fence to screen headlights. Commissioner Johnson said he did not think the five parallel spots would be useful at all. Chair Stevenson said he would like to locate the trees and see what would be lost. Chair Stevenson closed the public hearing at 7:49 p.m. MOTION/SECOND: Hegland/Zwirn. To Table the Variance Request for a Reduced Front Yard Setback to Expand a Parking Lot for Jake’s Sports Café to the Next Meeting to Allow Staff Time to Redraw the Plan and Conduct a Tree Inventory. Ayes – 6 Nays – 0 Motion carried. ______________________________________________________________________________ 7. Next Planning Commission Meeting: August 21, 2002 ______________________________________________________________________________ 8. Adjournment to Agenda Session There being no further business before the Planning Commission, Chair Stevenson adjourned the meeting at 7:50 p.m. (The meeting immediately adjourned to the Agenda Session) Mounds View Planning Commission August 7, 2002 Regular Meeting Page 8 ______________________________________________________________________ Respectfully submitted, Jim Ericson Community Development Director Transcribed by: Joan Lenzmeier TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc.