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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-03-2021APPROVED PROCEEDINGS OF THE MOUNDS VIEW PLANNING COMMISSION CITY OF MOUNDS VIEW RAMSEY COUNTY, MINNESOTA Regular Meeting March 3, 2021 Mounds View City Hall 2401 Mounds View Boulevard, Mounds View, MN 55112 ______________________________________________________________________________ 1. Call to Order The meeting was called to order by Chair Rundle at 7:00 p.m. for March 3, 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic this meeting was held virtually. ______________________________________________________________________________ 2. Roll Call Members Present: Commissioners Farmer, French, Munson, Nelson, Rundle, and Stevenson. Absent and Excused: Commissioner Monn. Also Present: Community Development Director Jon Sevald and Council Member Gary Meehlhause. ______________________________________________________________________________ Index to Minutes Page Recommending Approval of a Preliminary Plat of Belden River View 2 Discussion – Signs 3 Discussion – Home Occupations 3 Approval of Minutes 5 3. Special Order of Business None. 4. Citizens Requests and Comments on Items Not on the Agenda None. ______________________________________________________________________________ Mounds View Planning Commission March 3, 2021 Regular Meeting Page 2 ________________________________________________________________________ 5. Planning Cases A. Resolution 1130-21, Recommending Approval of the Preliminary Plat of Belden River View (Planning Case MA2021-001) Community Development Director Sevald stated Belden River Properties, LLC, requests Preliminary Plat approval for four single-family lots (one existing home), located at 3032 County Road I. This is the southeast intersection of County Road I and Pleasant View Drive. It was noted Preliminary Plats are reviewed by the Planning Commission, and approved by the City Council. Final Plats may be approved by the City Council (Planning Commission does not review, unless there are significant changes from the Preliminary Plat). Currently, the existing house (Lot 1) has Mounds View sewer, and a private well. Lots 2, 3, and 4 will have sewer/water through Fridley. At some point, the City will reconstruct County Road I and Pleasant View Drive. At that time, Lot 1 will need to connect to city water. Staff commented further on the request and recommended the Planning Commission recommend approval of the Preliminary Plat as requested. Commissioner Stevenson asked if a park dedication fee would be paid. Community Development Director Sevald explained this was a condition for approval, noting $3,500 per unit would have to be paid for each of the three new lots. Staff reviewed each of the conditions for approval in full for the record. Commissioner Nelson questioned how the City would maintain the stormwater basin given the fact it would be difficult to access. Community Development Director Sevald reported the City would have sufficient access to the stormwater basin on a 20 foot easement. Commissioner Nelson inquired if Mounds View or Fridley would be responsible for the stormwater basin. Community Development Director Sevald commented Mounds View would be responsible for the basin. Commissioner French requested further information regarding the setbacks. Community Development Director Sevald discussed the minimum setbacks for homes and noted each of the proposed lots exceeded the City’s minimum dimensions. Community Development Director Sevald questioned if the applicant would also be the builders. Kelly Wilson, the applicant, reported she would be working with Capstone Builders on the three new homes. Community Development Director Sevald asked if homes would be built this summer. Ms. Wilson stated this was the plan. MOTION/SECOND: Commissioner Nelson/Commissioner Farmer. To approve Resolution 1130-21, a Resolution Recommending Approval of a Preliminary Plat for Belden River View (Planning Case MA2021-001). Mounds View Planning Commission March 3, 2021 Regular Meeting Page 3 ________________________________________________________________________ A roll call vote was taken. Ayes – 6 Nays – 0 Motion carried. 6. Other Planning Activity A. Discussion – Signs Community Development Director Sevald stated at a previous Planning Commission meeting, the Commission asked to discuss sign regulations. Sign regulations are complicated. Mounds View’s sign regulations are outdated, in terms of regulating dynamic (digital) signs, and perhaps other types of signs (e.g. drive-thru menu boards, and temporary signs). Staff reviewed a comparison of cities’ wall and ground sign regulations, specific to zoning districts along streets that are similar to Mounds View Boulevard. He requested feedback from the Commission on the likes and dislikes regarding the signs in Mounds View. Commissioner Nelson stated he wanted to see the City properly prepared for electronic/digital signs. He noted he also wanted the City to have better language in place to address temporary signs. Community Development Director Sevald reported dynamic display signs became a big topic in 2008 when digital billboards became popular. He commented further on the history of digital signs and colored digital signs in Mounds View. He indicated the City has not kept up to date with the changing technology when it comes to signs. Commissioner Farmer commented he would like to see how other communities are dealing with safety concerns with digital signs along highways. Commissioner French indicated he did not love the idea of blinking, flashing signs in residential areas. He explained he has always been unsure about that. Further discussion ensued regarding the use of temporary signs in the City. Community Development Director Sevald explained he would report back to the Commission with a comparison on what is allowed in Mounds View versus other cities B. Discussion – Home Occupations Community Development Director Sevald stated Home Occupations are an accessory use of a home for a non-residential purpose (e.g. working from home). The general intent (how Staff has interpreted this) is that a person standing outside a home, should not be able to tell that a business is operating out of the home. Home Businesses cannot have employees, exterior storage, on-street parking; or anything that is not typically found on a residential property. Mounds View Planning Commission March 3, 2021 Regular Meeting Page 4 ________________________________________________________________________ Complaints about Home Occupations are rare, and have mostly been in regards to parking, and nuisances (noise, fumes, etc.). Staff also receives the same complaints about homes without Home Occupations. Community Development Director Sevald explained recently, a resident has asked to build a commercial greenhouse in their backyard. A noncommercial greenhouse is permitted, but a commercial greenhouse is not. This raises the question; if they look the same, then what is the difference. If a resident can use their garage as an auto repair shop, would it be any more intrusive if the garage were used as a greenhouse (or any other type of business). Staff commented on the number of home occupations operating in the City currently. He requested feedback from the Commission on how to proceed. Kurtis Barbeau, 8375 Sunnyside Road, explained he wants to construct a greenhouse to grow mushrooms and microgreens. He reported he could not do this on the scale he would like within his home, but rather would need a greenhouse. He explained the greenhouse would not be generating any noise. Commissioner Nelson questioned how this request was any different than someone selling Etsy items from their home. He indicated there were residents selling volumes of items from their home but he understood home businesses were a touchy subject. Commissioner Stevenson supported the City limiting the construction to 1,800 square feet of storage. He stated this would meet the garage and the greenhouse could be no larger than 1,800 square feet. Mr. Barbeau explained he understood this was the City’s requirement. Commissioner Munson commented if this greenhouse would not impact the neighbors, she supported the greenhouse being constructed. Commissioner Nelson anticipated the greenhouse would be less disruptive than a chicken coop. He indicated he did not want to see the City impinging on property rights. Commissioner Farmer concurred and commented on the benefit of having more people working from home as this was minimizing the number of trips on the local highways. Community Development Director Sevald stated in general, the Commission supported a greenhouse. He noted Mr. Barbeau would have to apply for a CUP for an oversized garage and noted staff would prepare an Ordinance amendment that would remove the clause that prohibits non-commercial greenhouses, noting the key would be to have the business being subordinate to the use of the property as a residence. 7. Reports A. Upcoming Planning Cases & Activity Mounds View Planning Commission March 3, 2021 Regular Meeting Page 5 ________________________________________________________________________ Community Development Director Sevald reported he had no planning cases that were current. B. Staff Updates Community Development Director Sevald provided the Commission with an update from staff. He reported Tommy’s Car Wash opened on Monday. He noted Grey Stone Flats was offering tours at this time and had 16 leases in place. He discussed the plans for the Skyline property and noted staff has been working with Bio-Clean in order to subdivide a small portion of the Skyline parcel for an addition to Bio-Clean. He explained Blaine was working on a large townhome and apartment building project (250 units total) along County Road J and Airport Road. Staff would forward these plans onto the Commission for further review. C. Council Updates Council Member Meehlhause provided the Planning Commission with an update from the City Council. He noted the Council currently approved the hire of two new police officers. He discussed the changes that were made to the MME request noting the berm would be increased from four feet to 14 feet to assist with screening the business from the adjacent properties. He explained the City Council approved a snow emergency/parking policy. He indicated the Council had directed staff to sell a portion of land from the Skyline property to Bio-Clean for a future building expansion. He commented on the benefit of homeowners completing a home energy audit noting the City recently received an award for the number of participants from Mounds View in this program. He further discussed the City’s HOP Program and stated he recently had his residential sewer line inspected. D. Planning Commissioner Reports None. 8. Approval of Minutes February 3, 2021. MOTION/SECOND: Commissioner Stevenson/Commissioner Munson. To approve the Minutes of the February 3, 2021 regular Planning Commission meetings as slightly amended. A roll call vote was taken. Ayes – 6 Nays – 0 Motion carried. Mounds View Planning Commission March 3, 2021 Regular Meeting Page 6 ________________________________________________________________________ 9. Next Planning Commission Meeting: A. Wednesday, March 17, 2021 B. Wednesday, April 7, 2021 10. Adjournment There being no further business before the Planning Commission, Chair Rundle adjourned the meeting at 8:15 p.m. ______________________________________________________________________________ Respectfully submitted, Jon Sevald Community Development Director Transcribed by: Heidi Guenther Minute Maker Secretarial