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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-07-2021APPROVED PROCEEDINGS OF THE MOUNDS VIEW PLANNING COMMISSION CITY OF MOUNDS VIEW RAMSEY COUNTY, MINNESOTA Regular Meeting July 7, 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 July 7, 2021. ______________________________________________________________________________ 2. Roll Call Members Present: Commissioners Farmer, French, Monn, Munson, Nelson, Rundle, and Stevenson. Absent and Excused: None. Also Present: Community Development Director Jon Sevald and Council Member Gary Meehlhause. ______________________________________________________________________________ Index to Minutes Page Resolution 1135-21, Recommending Approval of a Preliminary Plat of 2 Anthony Properties, Second Addition; Amending the PUD Narrative for the O’Neil Property; and Approving a Development Review for Caribou Cabin; 24XX Mounds View Boulevard 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 July 7, 2021 Regular Meeting Page 2 ________________________________________________________________________ 5. Planning Cases A. Resolution 1135-21, Recommending Approval of the Preliminary Plat of Anthony Properties, Second Addition; Amending the PUD Narrative for the O’Neil Property; and Approving a Development Review for Caribou Cabin; 24XX Mounds View Boulevard Community Development Director Sevald explained Java Companies (developer) is proposing to construct a Caribou Cabin drive-thru coffee shop in the parking lot of the New Vision Theater. In 2019, Caribou began constructing “Caribou Cabins” a drive-thru only coffee shop. Caribou operates 291 coffee shops in Minnesota, of which, nine are Caribou Cabins, the nearest being in Fridley and Coon Rapids. Anthony Properties was approved as a Planned Unit Development (PUD) in 1998, and subdivided in 1999. As a PUD, lot sizes and setbacks are customized to the project. Most City Code requirements are considered a guideline, unless specified in the PUD Narrative. This project requires approvals of; (1) Subdivision; (2) Amendment to the PUD Narrative; and (3) Development Review of the coffee shop. Community Development Director Sevald explained the proposed Caribou Cabin will reduce the Theater’s parking lot by 34 parking stalls. The theater closed in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic closure of public venues. New Vision Theaters went into bankruptcy in July, 2020. AMC Theaters has taken over the lease, and intends to re-brand, and re-open in summer 2021, as AMC Classic Mounds View 15. Whereas New Vision had planned on remodeling the theater to include stadium seating, thereby reducing seating and parking by 50%, AMC has not communicated any plans for improvements. It is Staff’s opinion that the parking lot is more than adequate to serve the theater as-is, with the reduction of 34 parking stalls for the Caribou Cabin. Staff recommended the Planning Commission recommend approval of the Preliminary Plat, PUD Amendment and Development Review as requested. Commissioner Monn thanked staff for the detailed presentation. She discussed the proposed lot split and asked if there was a daycare on the property. Community Development Director Sevald explained the Bridge’s School was on a separate lot and had shared parking with the movie theater. He indicated Caribou Coffee and Bridge’s School were not competing uses and reiterated that staff did not see a concern with the parking on this site. Commissioner Stevenson agreed there were plenty of parking stalls for the movie theater on this site. Further discussion ensued regarding the parking stalls that would be given to Moe’s and Caribou Cabin, along with how the parking needs for the movie theater would change if it were to move to stadium seating. Commissioner Farmer commented he lives near the movie theater and he has never seen the parking lot full. He explained if the parking lot requirements were made decades ago, the requirements may be overly restrictive. He was of the opinion the parking lot was too big for the theater, and the Caribou Cabin was a good use for the space. Mounds View Planning Commission July 7, 2021 Regular Meeting Page 3 ________________________________________________________________________ Commissioner Monn indicated she believed this was a good plan for the area but she wanted to make sure the City was getting it right. She questioned where employees would be parking for the Caribou Cabin. Mark Krogh, representative for the applicant, estimated there would be three or four employees working at any given time and noted the coffee shop had 10 shared parking stalls that would be used by employees. He stated 90% of the coffee shop’s business would occur from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. He indicated the coffee shop was an offsetting use to Moe’s and the movie theater. Commissioner Nelson stated this would be a great addition to Mounds View Boulevard and he agreed the hours of operation would not interfere with the movie theater. He asked how the Caribou Cabin would receive sewer and water lines. Community Development Director Sevald described the location of the water and sewer lines under the parking lot and noted both would be brought to the new lot. Commissioner Monn inquired how the existing Caribou Coffee in Mounds View would be impacted. Mr. Krogh explained this would be a decision made by Caribou corporate. He reported nothing has been said to him about closing the existing location. He noted each location has different traffic patterns. Commissioner Monn commented on the outdoor seating. Mr. Krogh stated if there appears to be a demand for more outdoor seating it could be added. Community Development Director Sevald indicated this was a great location along the Mounds View Boulevard corridor for outdoor seating noting the applicant would have to take into consideration the stormwater pond. Commissioner Nelson stated he supported the outdoor seating. Commissioner Monn questioned where the signage would be located. Mr. Krogh reviewed the site plan with the Commission noting the location of the sign. Community Development Director Sevald commented further on the uniform sign plan that was in place for the whole site noting the signs were supposed to be similar in nature. He explained Caribou was proposing to install a pylon sign. The Commission supported the proposed sign as is. Commissioner Monn asked how much traffic would increase on this site. Mr. Krogh reported Caribou completed their own internal traffic study and Caribou does not have any worries about how this intersection would manage traffic. He stated he does not have the actual traffic numbers in front of him. Commissioner Monn requested Caribou preserve as many trees as possible on the lot. Mr. Krogh explained he met with both the City and County arborist and the old growth trees will be trimmed and the scrub or overgrowth will be removed. Community Development Director Sevald commented there were a number of ash trees along the corridor that may have to be removed. Mounds View Planning Commission July 7, 2021 Regular Meeting Page 4 ________________________________________________________________________ Commissioner Nelson recommended the native grasses remain in place along the corridor. Commissioner Monn requested the applicant consider planting one more tree on the site, due to the number of trees that would be lost. Mr. Krogh commented he would be willing to work with the City on this. He then discussed how the stormwater pond would be maintained. Commissioner Farmer asked staff for further information regarding the trail easement. Community Development Director Sevald discussed the trail easement in further detail with the Commission noting the stormwater pond would be within the trail easement. Commissioner Nelson questioned how Lot 3 would be used by Moe’s. Cheng Lor, Infinity Properties, explained he was the owner of the Moe’s property. He discussed how Lot 3 would be combined to Moe’s property and would be used to provide additional outdoor/patio seating. Community Development Director Sevald questioned when construction would begin on the Caribou Cabin. Mr. Krogh explained construction was slated to begin in August 2021 and would be open by Thanksgiving. Commissioner Monn inquired how the movie theater would manage its snow storage without these parking spaces. Community Development Director Sevald reported the movie theater would have to find a new place to push its snow. MOTION/SECOND: Commissioner Nelson/Commissioner Stevenson. To approve Resolution 1135-21, a Resolution Recommending Approval of the Preliminary Plat, PUD Amendment and Development Review for the property at 24XX Mounds View Boulevard. Ayes – 7 Nays – 0 Motion carried. 6. Reports A. Upcoming Planning Cases & Activity Community Development Director Sevald stated he had no upcoming Planning Cases. B. Staff Updates Community Development Director Sevald provided the Commission with an update from staff. He discussed the progress that was being made on the Skyline Motel property noting an affordable housing project was being considered from MWF Properties. He indicated this project would require public funding from both the City and the State. He stated this project was not funded by the State in 2021, but was a priority for the State in 2022. He explained Fedor’s was sold and the building would be divided into separate spaces for new tenants. He updated the Mounds View Planning Commission July 7, 2021 Regular Meeting Page 5 ________________________________________________________________________ Commission on the updates that have been made to the Donnely Stucco property by the new owner. He explained there was a shortage on fence parts but the fence would be completed. C. Council Updates Council Member Meehlhause provided the Planning Commission with an update from the City Council. He explained AMC was supposed to be taking over the movie theater in Mounds View this summer. He stated the City Council approved the final payments for the HVAC improvements that were completed at City Hall, the Community Center and the Public Works buildings. He reported the Council discussed the maintenance of the City’s stormwater ponds at its recent worksession meeting. D. Planning Commissioner Reports None. 7. Approval of Minutes June 16, 2021. MOTION/SECOND: Commissioner Monn/Commissioner Munson. To approve the Minutes of the June 16, 2021 regular Planning Commission meetings as presented. Ayes – 7 Nays – 0 Motion carried. 8. Next Planning Commission Meeting: A. Wednesday, July 21, 2021 B. Wednesday, August 4, 2021 9. Adjournment There being no further business before the Planning Commission, Chair Rundle adjourned the meeting at 8:18 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Jon Sevald Community Development Director Mounds View Planning Commission July 7, 2021 Regular Meeting Page 6 ________________________________________________________________________ Transcribed by: Heidi Guenther Minute Maker Secretarial