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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-04-2001 PROCEEDINGS OF THE MOUNDS VIEW PLANNING COMMISSION CITY OF MOUNDS VIEW RAMSEY COUNTY, MINNESOTA Regular Meeting April 4, 2001 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., April 4, 2001. _______________________________________________________________________ 2. Roll Call Members Present: Commissioners Hegland, Stevenson, Kaden, Cerny and Johnson. Members Absent: Commissioner Miller (excused). Also Present: Community Development Director Ericson. ________________________________________________________________________ Index to Minutes Page Planning Case Nos. DE01-001, VR01-001 & CU01-001 2 Applicant: ISD #621 Location: 5500 Quincy Street Staff Reports/Items of Information 7 Chairperson and Planning Commission Reports 7 _______________________________________________________________________ 3. Approval of Minutes A. March 7, 2001 MOTION/SECOND: Johnson/Kaden. To Approve the March 7, 2001, Meeting Minutes as Presented. Ayes – 5 Nays – 0 Motion carried. ______________________________________________________________________ 4. Citizens Requests and Comments on Items Not on the Agenda Mounds View Planning Commission April 4, 2001 Regular Meeting Page 2 ________________________________________________________________________ There were no resident comments on items not on the agenda. ________________________________________________________________________ 5. Planning Case Nos. DE01-001, VR01-001 & CU01-001 Community Development Director Ericson noted this was a continued discussion of the Pinewood Elementary expansion. The school proposes to add 10,000 square feet to the building, part of which is for classrooms. The school will also be remodeled on the interior. There was a public hearing on March 7, 2001 and March 21, 2001 both of which were well attended by residents. Much of the discussion and concerns raised at the public hearings had to do with the parking issues, traffic on Quincy, and safety issues of the children walking along Quincy. The residents had indicated they would prefer the angled parking on Quincy not be expanded. Residents had also expressed concern that the expanding of the parking lot onto the playground area does not meet setback requirements. Director Ericson explained that he, Carl Colmark from the School District, and Ms. Gay from Perkins & Will, the architecture firm handling the expansion, met to determine if there was a way to reconfigure the parking so that a variance would not be necessary. He then explained they were able to reconfigure the parking so that there is not a need to expand the angled parking along Quincy. The School will also move the parking lot being added in the playground area up to meet the 30 foot minimum setback requirement. Director Ericson explained that all code requirements have been met and the site meets the parking requirements as reconfigured. He then noted he had handed out a letter to Commissioners before the meeting from Mr. Colmark which addressed resident concerns. Director Ericson noted there were three Resolutions in Commissioner Packets, two of which could be disregarded as a variance is no longer needed. He explained Resolution 649-01 recommends approval of the development review and conditional use permit with stipulations and conditions. Chair Stevenson asked that a plan with the proposed changes be posted for viewing. Ms. Gay showed the changes on the plan indicating the angled parking expansion had been eliminated and the parking expansion in the playground area had been moved up to meet the 30 foot setback. She then noted that the buses would be able to park along the Quincy side of the building without blocking parking. Ms. Gay then stated that with the first plan there had been 112 parking spaces and after the changes to the plan there are 110 spaces. Chair Stevenson asked how much closer to the school the bituminous area where the playground is located would be. Ms. Gay stated it would be 15 feet closer to the school. Mounds View Planning Commission April 4, 2001 Regular Meeting Page 3 ________________________________________________________________________ Chair Stevenson stated he had walked the site today and it looks like there will be a need to remove one tree for the parking lot expansion and possibly one large tree in the boulevard to accommodate the entrance/exit for the parking lot. Jack Lasota of 5467 Quincy asked if there would be room for cars to pass the buses when they were parked for pick up. Ms. Gay stated she thought there should be room for cars to pass the buses. Duane Nelson of 5459 Quincy stated he was not going to run through all of his various concerns at this meeting but asked that the Commission treat the residents on Quincy in the same manner as the residents on H2 were treated. He asked for a berm to screen the parking lot from the residents on Quincy. He then provided a picture of the parking on Quincy to show evidence of the problem. Mr. Nelson asked if an environmental impact study had been conducted for runoff from the parking lot as he believes there will be contaminants from the cars that park there that were not there when it was a playground. Director Ericson explained that Rice Creek Watershed has approved the site plan as presented. He further indicated there would be no additional runoff but there may be the possibility of contaminants from vehicles. He also explained the parking lot drains into the green space behind the parking lot to be filtered rather than draining directly into the sewer system. Ms. Gay stated there is a vegetative swale behind the parking lot to filter any contaminants. Chair Stevenson asked if the chain link fence would be removed. Ms. Gay indicated it would be removed. Director Ericson asked if it would be possible to provide a berm with the existing trees along Quincy to provide screening. Ms. Gay stated she would need to talk to the landscape architect but would look into it. Chair Stevenson stated it may be possible to berm between Quincy and the trees as there is some green space there. Dennis Hames of 5511 Quincy stated he was concerned for the children walking to and from school during the winter as they have to walk in the street. He then asked what the school intended to do about it. Chair Stevenson stated that with the buses parked parallel to the school and no additional parking along Quincy the problem should be lessened. Dave Mitchell of 5493 Quincy asked what the purpose behind expanding the parking was. Mounds View Planning Commission April 4, 2001 Regular Meeting Page 4 ________________________________________________________________________ Commissioner Kaden explained the hope is that the parking expansion would alleviate the parking along Quincy. Mr. Mitchell stated that the only way to eliminate parking on Quincy is not to allow parking on the west side of Quincy Street or allow parking by permit only. Vera Olson of 5499 Quincy asked if there would be a main entrance to the south to encourage staff to use that parking lot. Ms. Gay noted there would be an entrance on the south. Ms. Olson asked if the main door would be relocated to the north of the school to accommodate drop off and pick up traffic problems. Ms. Gay explained there will be a new driveway and new sidewalk to get the kids around to the Quincy side of the building which is the main entrance. Ms. Olson then asked if the school intended to enforce the new parking requirements. Mr. Hames asked how many spaces there would be to the north for drop off and pick up. Ms. Gay indicated there would be 36 spots designated for pick up and drop off. Ms. Olson explained that staff is currently parking in that location and asked if the school intended to make sure staff did not park there when the expansion is completed. Carl Colmark, Mounds View Independent School District 621, stated he had provided a letter to Commissioners addressing residents’ concerns. He then thanked the Commission for its patience with so many meetings and apologized that no one was available at previous meetings. Mr. Colmark explained the school district had moved the parking lot up to preserve green space and the playground area is being relocated to the north end of the grounds near the wooden play structure. Mr. Colmark explained that staff parking on residential streets is a longstanding issue the school has been attempting to address. He then explained the problem will now be handled from the district office. He explained staff will be asked not to park on the street if at all possible during the expansion. He also stated that once the expansion is completed staff would be told they are to park on school grounds only. Mr. Colmark stated that if parking enforcement does not work once the expansion is completed he would be open to City enforcement of the parking by whatever means necessary. Mr. Colmark explained he went to the school at drop off and pick up time and it was a terrible situation with buses, kids and cars everywhere. He then explained the School District is concerned with this site and is hopeful that the expansion will eliminate most of the problems. Mr. Colmark indicated he would like to form a committee of residents, staff, and District Administration to work together toward resolving the safety issues such as pedestrian traffic, buses, and drop off and pick up traffic to make it a safer environment for the kids. Mounds View Planning Commission April 4, 2001 Regular Meeting Page 5 ________________________________________________________________________ Mr. Colmark indicated he has spoken to the maintenance staff and explained that snow is not to be pushed out of the parking areas and onto the sidewalks along Quincy. Mr. Colmark explained the School District is open to adding a berm or fencing to screen the parking from residents on Quincy but noted it would need to be the most economical type of screening as the School District is operating with limited funds for the project. Mr. Colmark stated the District is concerned about the site as currently it is not a good situation and they are willing to work to remedy that. Chair Stevenson asked that the City Forester be brought into the discussion concerning berming and landscaping. Commissioner Kaden stated he liked the idea to form a committee with residents. He noted the school is in a tough spot as there is not a lot of room in that location. He then stated that it is difficult to enforce parking issues as no matter what type of sign is put up there will always be someone who violates it. He further stated he felt the committee would be a good idea to help people learn all sides of the issues rather than just their own side of it. Chair Stevenson clarified that it may not be necessary to eliminate the large tree on the boulevard and asked, if at all possible, the tree be saved. Commissioner Kaden indicated it may be possible to ban parking on the west side of Quincy during the winter and ask that it be strictly enforced so the children would be able to walk along the curb to go north on Quincy. Commissioner Johnson noted it might be possible to have a fundraiser at the school to raise funds for the berming. Director Ericson noted Resolution 649-01 recommends approval by Council of the development review and the conditional use permit. He then read through the conditions and requirements for approval of the site development review as contained in the Resolution. Chair Stevenson asked that another condition be added to the Resolution requiring that any and all landscaping and berming plans be submitted to the City Forester for approval. MOTION/SECOND: Kaden/Johnson. To Waive the Reading and Approve Resolution 649-01, a Resolution Recommending Approval of the Site Development Review and Conditional Use Permit for Pinewood Elementary School. Ayes – 5 Nays – 0 Motion carried. Director Ericson noted this matter would be before Council on April 23, 2001. _______________________________________________________________________ Mounds View Planning Commission April 4, 2001 Regular Meeting Page 6 ________________________________________________________________________ 6. Special Planning Case No. SP-082-00 Chair Stevenson opened the public hearing at 8:00 p.m. Community Development Director Ericson noted this was a public hearing to hear input concerning the proposed changes to the sign ordinance. He then indicated the Planning Commission had been working on the sign ordinance for the past five (5) months and had put a lot of time and effort into the proposed changes. Director Ericson gave a brief overview of the types of changes the Planning Commission had made indicating the major changes to the sign ordinance involved a general cleaning up of the format and language to make it more readable and user friendly for local businesses. Director Ericson indicated he had not received any correspondence indicating there were any concerns for the changes being proposed to the sign ordinance. Chair Stevenson asked if Staff had any idea how many nonconforming home occupation signs existed in the City. Director Ericson indicated he had not done an inventory but would guess there are a few out of compliance home occupation signs. Chair Stevenson questioned why Mylar balloons are prohibited in the ordinance. Director Ericson explained it was strictly a safety consideration as the City has overhead power lines and a Mylar balloon stuck in overhead power lines can cause arching and possibly short out transformers. He then stated he did not think it would be detrimental to the code to take that provision out if Commissioners felt it was not necessary. It was the consent of the Commission to leave the Mylar balloon restriction in the code. Chair Stevenson closed the public hearing at 8:10 p.m. Director Ericson noted he would have a resolution for consideration at the next meeting recommending approval by Council of the sign ordinance changes. ________________________________________________________________________ 7. Staff Reports a. Highway 10 Project Update Community Development Director Ericson reported Council had awarded the bid for the Highway 10 revitalization project to URS/BRW. He then noted he would be asking for participation in a steering committee at a future meeting. Mounds View Planning Commission April 4, 2001 Regular Meeting Page 7 ________________________________________________________________________ b. Upcoming Planning Cases Community Development Director Ericson noted he had handed out numerous applications for various matters that will be coming before the Planning Commission. He also noted that with the increased temperatures requests for building permits have increased. Director Ericson reported Council had appointed two new planning commissioners-- Mari Scotch and Herbert Zwirn--bringing the total number of Commissioners up to eight. He then noted there was still a vacant seat and the City would continue looking for an additional member. Commissioner Kaden questioned if the property located near Super America that was rezoned to R4 would revert to the previous zoning designation if the assisted living facility were not built on the site. Director Ericson explained Council could rezone the property but that it was not possible to put a clause in the agreement that the property would revert to previous zoning if not developed as planned. Commissioner Kaden asked Director Ericson to work with Mr. Colmark to ensure the committee gets up and running. Director Ericson reported Council had unanimously approved the site development review for Minnesota Institute of Public Health at the fifty (50) foot setback. ________________________________________________________________________ 8. Chairperson and Planning Commissioners’ Reports None. _______________________________________________________________________ 9. Adjournment to Agenda Session There being no further business before the Planning Commission, Chair Stevenson adjourned the meeting at 8:23 p.m. (The meeting immediately adjourned to the Agenda Session) Respectfully submitted, Jim Ericson Community Development Director Transcribed by: Joan Lenzmeier, TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc.