PL MINUTES 10181983 - Laserfiche WebLink

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-2- At 7 : 45 P.M. , the hearing on the request for variances for an addition to the existing Donatelle Tool, Inc. building on Chandler Drive and Foss • Road was opened by the Chair, who. read .the notice of the hearing which had been published in the Bulletin and mailed to all adjacent property owners within 350 feet of the subject parcel. The five people present were asked whether they had been notified about the hearing and no one reported failure to receive the notice or objected to its content: Mr. Childs reported having received only one . call about the proposal and that from the owners of the St. Anthony Townhomes- across the street who were concerned that the addition might be planned for the vacant property to the south. They indicated they did not object to the proposal as made. The firm's owners , 1-like Donatelle , 1980 Haimes Street, New Brighton, and Charles Donatelle, 4008 Macalaster Drive, of Donatelle Properties , . were present to answer questions about their application. and the sketch and site plans for the two story addition they propose toconstruct on the southside of their existing manufacturing and warehouse building at 3824 Foss Road. Mike Donatelle reiterated many of the points made in the statement attached to the variance. application, including .the fact that.. the area on Foss Road, which is proposed to be landscaped, could be blacktopped to provide . the required .parking spaces if onsite parking should prove to be inadequate for the increase in business expected with the expan- sion. • Commissioner Franzese said she was puzzled .to see the City 's Compre- hensive Plan showing single family zoning for this area. Commissioner Bjorklund told her -the planner, had perceived there would be a conflict of land use in that district where industrial development had become . too dense for the surrounding residential. There had been a "perfect test case" of his recommendation, the Commissioner said, when the Blanske warehouse expansion had .been proposed and, "the determined effort of a few had been completely. overridden by the Council, who had set a significant precedent of allowing industrial expansion in a residential area which would be difficult not to follow in this case" . . Mr. Childs indicated the property in question is zoned light industrial and the addition would not conflict with that zoning. Mike Donatelle indicated his company proposes to purchase the single family residence , which was on the property when it was zoned light industrial, for the expansion and he perceives the City would eliminate with the removal of that house , the problems associated with having residential property sited between two industrial buildings , as well as devaluation of that property with the rezoning. The size of the proposed addition had been predicated on the need to offset the costs of purchasing and tearing down the existing residential structure, Mr. Donatelle added. As they stated in their application, Donatelle Tool , Inc. is a highly automated plastic injuction molder business which the owners expect to increase with the expansion to such a • degree that the present work force of six employees (excluding them- selves) could be increased to between 20 to 25 workers . However, Mr. Donatelle indicated he anticipates the 23 parking spaces provided with