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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 2025/05/21 PROCEEDINGS OF THE MOUNDS VIEW PLANNING COMMISSION CITY OF MOUNDS VIEW RAMSEY COUNTY, MINNESOTA APPROVED Regular Meeting May 21, 2025 Mounds View City Hall 2401 Mounds View Boulevard, Mounds View, MN 55112 ______________________________________________________________________________ 1. Call to Order The meeting was called to order by Chair Farmer at 6:00 p.m. for May 21, 2025. ______________________________________________________________________________ 2. Roll Call Members Present: Commissioners Farmer, Nelson, Rundle, Stevenson and Urlacher. Absent and Excused: Commissioners Larson and Munson. Also Present: Assistant City Administrator Brian Beeman and Council Member Sherry Gunn. ______________________________________________________________________________ 3. Approval of Agenda MOTION/SECOND: Commissioner Stevenson/Commissioner Nelson. To approve the agenda as presented. Ayes – 5 Nays – 0 Motion carried. 4. Consent Agenda A. Approval of Minutes: May 7, 2025 Chair Farmer explained the statement on Page 4 under Item C regarding the transportation conference was made by Commission Larson and not Commissioner Nelson. Commissioner Nelson requested a change to his comment under Item 7A, noting Abiding Savior Church should be changed to ___________ Church. MOTION/SECOND: Commissioner Nelson/Commissioner Rundle. To approve the Minutes of the May 7, 2025 regular Planning Commission meetings as amended. Mounds View Planning Commission May 21, 2025 Regular Meeting Page 2 ________________________________________________________________________ Ayes – 5 Nays – 0 Motion carried. 5. Special Order of Business None. 6. Public Comment None. ______________________________________________________________________________ 7. Planning Cases A. Resolution 1183-25 Recommending Approval of an Ordinance Amending the Zoning Code Relating to Public Hearing Process in Mounds View Code Phil Carlson, Stantec, stated the City Council has directed staff to prepare amendments to the City Code so that public hearings for zoning and subdivision requests are heard in front of the Planning Commission vs. the City Council. It was noted the City Attorney has prepared the proposed ordinance to accomplish this, amending several individual sections of the zoning code. He commented further on the proposed ordinance amendment and recommended the Planning Commission approve the Resolution as presented. Commissioner Stevenson stated he had a concern regarding Section 151. He did not believe the Planning Commission should hear the public hearing for displaced residents. He recommended the City Council should oversee this matter and hold the public hearing. Mr. Carlson indicated he could delete this section of the draft ordinance to allow this matter to be reviewed by the City Council. The Commission supported this recommendation. Council Member Gunn stated the City Council has yet to review this ordinance. Commissioner Stevenson supported action on this item being tabled in order to allow the City Council to review this ordinance. Mr. Carlson stated this would be an appropriate action. MOTION/SECOND: Commissioner Stevenson/Commissioner Nelson. To table action on Resolution 1183-25 to allow the City Council to review the ordinance amendments. Ayes – 5 Nays – 0 Motion carried. Mounds View Planning Commission May 21, 2025 Regular Meeting Page 3 ________________________________________________________________________ B. Resolution 1184-25 Recommending Approval of an Ordinance Amending the Zoning Code Relating to Off-Street Requirements Phil Carlson, Stantec, stated the City Council has asked that the Planning Commission review the parking regulations in the Zoning Code for commercial uses. These issues were reviewed at the May 7 Planning Commission meeting where the Commission directed staff to prepare Zoning Code amendments to accomplish the changes in various standards. The parking ratios are in a table in the Zoning Code in § 160.342 SCHEDULE OF OFF-STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS. That table is recommended to be revised as in the proposed draft ordinance with strikeout and underlined text. Staff commented further on the request and recommended the Planning Commission approve the Resolution as presented. Chair Farmer appreciated how this ordinance amendment would bring the City in alignment with other communities when it comes to parking. Commissioner Stevenson stated he supported the proposed changes. MOTION/SECOND: Commissioner Stevenson/Commissioner Urlacher. To approve Resolution 1184-25, A Resolution Recommending Approval of an Ordinance Amending the Zoning Code Relating to Off-Street Requirements. Ayes – 5 Nays – 0 Motion carried. C. Land Use Table Discussion Phil Carlson, Stantec, stated one of the key features of the Zoning Code is the list of permitted, conditional and accessory uses in each zoning district. In the Mounds View code these are listed as text in the sections on each zoning district. For example, the lists of uses in the R-1 district are in Sections 160.086, 160.087, and 160.088; for the R-2 district they are in Sections 160.102, 160.103, and 160.104. Many cities summarize the uses in a table, either instead of the text or in addition to the text – it is a much easier and more convenient way to find the various uses. There has been discussion in Mounds View about including such a table in the Zoning Code. This memo introduces that idea for the Planning Commission. Mr. Carlson explained transferring the various uses in the Mounds View Zoning Code text to a table may seem like a simple exercise, but it quickly became complicated. The reason is that many of the uses have descriptions or standards listed under them. Including all this extra information in the table would be cumbersome. For example, the list of permitted uses in the R-1 district is included on the next page – most of the uses have some kind of explanation or standard associated with the use. The same is true for many of the other districts. If the standards are listed within each cell of the table, the table would be very long, perhaps 20 pages. If the standards are referenced in footnotes at the bottom of the table, that list too would be very long. Mounds View Planning Commission May 21, 2025 Regular Meeting Page 4 ________________________________________________________________________ Mr. Carlson suggested therefore that the table not try to include all this information in the table itself, but rather list the basic uses in the cells of the table and have a column on the right side of the table that indicates there are standards in the Zoning Code text that should be consulted. The table would be a convenient tool, but not a substitute for the full text of the ordinance. We have also grouped the uses by general category, such as Residential, Logding, Commercial and Retail, etc. There are two places, highlighted in yellow in the table, where there is more to do to clearly understand and convey the information – this is a work in progress. This is a discussion item only, and we welcome the Commission’s comments and suggestions. If there is consensus on how to handle such a table we will come back with an ordinance amending the Zoning Code to include the table for the Commission’s consideration and ultimate adoption by the City Council. Staff commented further on the Land Use Table and requested feedback from the Planning Commission. Commissioner Nelson stated his only concern with the table was the last column on the right because the answer for every line was yes. Mr. Carlson explained this column was not in final form just yet. Commissioner Nelson thanked staff for all of their efforts on this table. He encouraged staff to double and triple check the information on this table before coming to the Commission and City Council for approval. Mr. Carlson indicated he would review the information, along with staff and the City Attorney. Further discussion ensued regarding what would happen if the table had a misrepresentation of City Code. Chair Farmer stated he supported the City having a table of convenience rather than an adopted table. Mr. Carlson indicated this would mean an ordinance would not be required and staff could create the table as a tool for staff. The Commission supported moving in this direction having the Land Use Table serve as a tool. 8. Reports A. Reports of Staff Assistant City Administrator Beeman reported the City Council would be discussing detached ADU’s at their Monday, June 2 worksession meeting and the Planning Commission was invited to attend this meeting. B. Reports of Council Council Member Gunn provided the Planning Commission with an update from the City Council. She explained the Council approved three new chicken-keeping licenses. She reported the Council received an update from the Police Chief on Quarter 1 and noted the Flock cameras Mounds View Planning Commission May 21, 2025 Regular Meeting Page 5 ________________________________________________________________________ were doing great things in the community. She was pleased to report the police department was back on Facebook. She indicated the splash pad should be opening on Friday, May 23. She explained a Juneteenth community picnic and celebration would be held at Silver View Park on Friday, June 20 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. She reported the city-wide garage sales would be held June 5 through June 8. She noted Movies in the Park at City Hall Park would be held in August and an ice cream social would be held in July. C. Reports of Planning Commissioners None. 9. Next Planning Commission Meeting: A. Wednesday, June 4, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. B. Wednesday, June 18, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. ______________________________________________________________________________ 10. Adjournment There being no further business before the Planning Commission, Chair Farmer adjourned the meeting at 6:36 p.m. ______________________________________________________________________________ Respectfully submitted, Brian Beeman Assistant City Administrator Transcribed by: Heidi Guenther Minute Maker Secretarial