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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-03-2022DRAFT PROCEEDINGS OF THE MOUNDS VIEW PLANNING COMMISSION CITY OF MOUNDS VIEW RAMSEY COUNTY, MINNESOTA Regular Meeting August 3, 2022 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 6:30 p.m. for August 3, 2022. ______________________________________________________________________________ 2. Roll Call Members Present: Commissioners Curtis, Farmer, Munson, Nelson, Rundle, and Stevenson. Absent and Excused: Commissioner French. Also Present: Community Development Director Jon Sevald, Mayor Carol Mueller, Council Member Gary Meehlhause, Council Member Al Hull, City Administrator Nyle Zikmund, and Assistant City Administrator Brian Beeman. Index to Minutes Page Long Lake Cove Discussion 2 YardHomes Discussion 3 Multi-Family Residential Zoning Discussion 4 Approval of Minutes 5 3. Special Order of Business None. Mounds View Planning Commission August 3, 2022 Regular Meeting Page 2 ________________________________________________________________________ 4. Citizens Requests and Comments on Items Not on the Agenda None. Mounds View Planning Commission August 3, 2022 Regular Meeting Page 3 ________________________________________________________________________ 5. Planning Cases A. Long Lake Cove Discussion Community Development Director Sevald stated a plat application has been submitted for Long Lake Cove; 7700 Long Lake Road (NW corner of Long Lake Road & County Road I), to include eight townhome units (two 2-unit buildings, and one 4-unit building). A Sketch Plan (7 units) was reviewed by the City Council at its March 7, 2022 Work Session. The Council’s consensus was to proceed with the development application, and to amend the City Code as necessary to maximize the number of units that could fit on the lot. The plans are not ready for action by the Planning Commission. However, since the Commission is meeting, this is an opportunity to provide preliminary comments/recommendations for the developer’s benefit. Ford Wagner, 610 Larpenteur Avenue East in St. Paul, introduced himself to the Commission and explained he was available for comments or questions regarding Long Lake Cove. Commissioner Farmer asked if this project had to be a PUD in order to move forward. Community Development Director Sevald reported this was the case, in order to get the requested number of units. Commissioner Farmer questioned why the City had a three acre minimum for PUD’s. Community Development Director Sevald commented it was originally five acres and the standard was reduced to three acres. He explained the City should consider reducing it to one acre or zero-acres. Commissioner Stevenson suggested the City set the minimum for PUD’s to one acre. The consensus of the Commission is to support setting the minimum lot size for PUD’s to one acre. Commissioner Nelson suggested the density per acre for this project be no higher than eight units per acre. Commissioner Stevenson stated he could support up to ten units per acre. The consensus of the Commission was to support up to ten units per acre for the single-family attached zoning district. Commissioner Munson requested the trees on this lot be protected as much as possible. Mr. Wagner stated this would be his intention. He commented further on how he would be working to create a development that blended in with the surrounding neighborhood. Commissioner Curtis questioned if the townhouses would have decks or patio areas. Community Development Director Sevald reported the Commission would have to further consider this because decks would encroach into an easement. Mounds View Planning Commission August 3, 2022 Regular Meeting Page 4 ________________________________________________________________________ Commissioner Munson stated she appreciated how the end units were being maximized. She anticipated these would be very desirable units for future tenants. Further discussion ensued regarding the size of the yards for the proposed townhomes. Community Development Director Sevald thanked the Commission for their input and noted these plans would come back to the Planning Commission at a future meeting. 6. Other Planning Activity A. Yard Homes Discussion Community Development Director Sevald stated YardHomes is a manufacturer of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU), based in New Brighton. YardHomes requested to provide a presentation to the City Council, who redirected them to the Planning Commission with the intent of a joint- discussion. Nicole Deemer, YardHomes representative, introduced herself and her company’s product to the Commission. She explained YardHomes creates accessory dwelling units (ADU’s) also known as granny flats or tiny homes. She reviewed a PowerPoint presentation with the Commission and commented on the number of communities that allowed ADU’s. She explained YardHomes had a display room in New Brighton. She commented on the solar panels that can be installed on the ADU’s noting the units were very energy efficient. She discussed several different villages that YardHomes was working on for seniors and vets and described how intergenerational living was becoming more common in Minnesota. She invited the Commission to visit the YardHomes showroom and to further consider adopting an ADU ordinance. Commissioner Farmer asked how expense it was to hook an ADU up to City sewer. Ms. Deemer explained her units were typically $160,000 and this included the cost of the sewer hookup. Commissioner Curtis requested further information regarding the communities that are being built in Minnesota. Ms. Deemer discussed the senior ADU community that was being constructed in Zumbrota and Faribault. She noted she was also working on a veterans village in St. Paul. She explained how the ADU’s have been a positive transition space for veterans struggling with PTSD. Commissioner Nelson questioned if a common space or community room would be included in each of the ADU communities. Ms. Deemer stated this was being proposed. Commissioner Nelson believed the proposed ADU’s provided the City with a number of unique opportunities for additional housing in the community. Mounds View Planning Commission August 3, 2022 Regular Meeting Page 5 ________________________________________________________________________ Commissioner Farmer commented on how valuable the school district is to Mounds View and he appreciated how ADU’s would provide more vitality to the community. He stated it will be very interesting to see how ADU’s impact property values over time. Commissioner Curtis discussed how his block was turning over from elderly to young families. He anticipated that there was a need for additional housing options for aging seniors. The consensus of the Commission was to direct staff to draft an ADU ordinance. In addition, the Commission agreed to visit YardHomes on Wednesday, August 17 at 6:30 p.m. B. Multi-Family Residential Zoning Discussion Community Development Director Sevald asked the Commission if twin homes and/or townhomes should be permitted in Single Family neighborhoods. If yes, options are to rezone from R-1 to R-2 (standard practice), or allow two family or multi-family dwellings in the R-1 district as a permitted use (e.g. Minneapolis permits three-unit homes anywhere single-family homes are permitted). There are a number of lots in the R-1 district that are vacant, or double lots, or large but not large enough to subdivide. Periodically, staff receive inquiries if these lots can have a twinhome (duplex) or townhome, or apartment. However, there are several examples where lots are zoned for two-family homes fronting streets in single-family neighborhoods. The general intent of zoning is to separate non-compatible land uses. This separation of zones serves “to protect the public health, safety, and welfare”, but arguably segregates different types of families and households. Commissioner Nelson stated this was an interesting concept noting the Commission was being asked what to allow people to build on their property. Chair Rundle commented on how developers would not propose to build units that were not going to sell. Further discussion ensued regarding the rising price of homes in the metro area and how there was a growing need for single level homes. Commissioner Farmer questioned if it was common to rezone from R-1 to R-2. Community Development Director Sevald stated this has occurred in the past but was not very common. He stated if a rezoning were to occur each project would be considered on a case by case basis. Commissioner Stevenson reported the last R-2 property in Mounds View was the Johnson property and this property had been developed [into Boulevard Apartments]. Chair Rundle stated he would support twinhomes in the R-1 zoning district. Mounds View Planning Commission August 3, 2022 Regular Meeting Page 6 ________________________________________________________________________ 7. Approval of Minutes April 20, 2022. MOTION/SECOND: Commissioner Curtis/Commissioner Munson. To approve the Minutes of the April 20, 2022 regular Planning Commission meetings as presented. Ayes – 6 Nays – 0 Motion carried. 8. Reports A. Upcoming Planning Cases & Activity Community Development Director Sevald discussed upcoming planning cases with the Commission. B. Staff Updates Community Development Director Sevald provided the Commission with an update from staff. C. Council Updates Council Member Meehlhause provided the Planning Commission with an update from the City Council. He explained the Council had discussed the Town Hall meeting and due to poor attendance and the amount of staff time involved in planning this event, the Council would be discontinuing this event for the time being. He reported the City received the potential Community Center analysis from CSL and noted the Council would be discussing the study further at the September worksession meeting. He indicated the Council was in the midst of discussing the 2023 budget. He commented further on a report the Council had received from the SBM Interim Fire Chief. It was noted the Council closed on the sale of the Skyline Motel property and work had begun on the new MWF development. The themes for the Council’s strategic plan through 2025 was discussed. D. Planning Commissioner Reports None. 9. Next Planning Commission Meeting: A. Wednesday, August 17, 2022 – Tour of YardHomes B. Wednesday, September 7, 2022 Mounds View Planning Commission August 3, 2022 Regular Meeting Page 7 ________________________________________________________________________ 10. Adjournment There being no further business before the Planning Commission, Chair Rundle adjourned the meeting at 8:26 p.m. ______________________________________________________________________________ Respectfully submitted, Jon Sevald Community Development Director Transcribed by: Heidi Guenther Minute Maker Secretarial