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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes PC 06.15.1976CITY OF ST. ANTHONY PLANNING BOARD MINUTES June 15,1976 The meeting was called to order by Chairman Bowerman at 7:39 P.M. Present for roll call: Marks, Bowerman, Hiebel and Johnson. Absent: Cowan, Rymarchick, Letourneau Also present: Harry Lekson Motion by Mr. Johnson, seconded by Mr. Bowerman to approve the minutes of the May 18, 1976 Board meeting. Motion carried unanimously. Mr. Carl O. Lien, Land Increment Service, Inc., 739 Heinel Drive, presented the revised site plans and request of the Schroeder Milk Company for a building permit to construct a new Speedy Market and two self service gas pumps which will replace the Jiffy Market at the S.E. corner of Stinson Boulevard and 33rd Avenue N.E. All the setbacks of the proposal, with the exception of those on 33rd, complied with the existing as well as the proposed zoning ordinance, the developer said, and the signage will comply with the City sign ordinance as well. Mr. Johnson then discussed with him the state building code regulations regarding two toilets and the barrier free regulations in the building code. The roof top mechanics for heating and cooling will be shielded as will the trash disposal area and a redwood fence and planting of ash trees will buffer the building from the residence to the south. Mr. Lien agreed to increase the proposed height for this 5 foot fence at the request of that neighbor, Mr. Kenneth Otto, 3245 Stinson Boulevard. Mr. W.M. Claypool, Oskey Gas & Oil -Self Service Gas Inc., 2950 Metro Drive, presented the approval he had from the State Fire Marshal for the gas dispensing service. He and Mr. Dennis Minor, Zahl Equipment Company, 13002 Pierce St. N.E. said the plans presently call for twin 36 inch sodium vapor lights mounted on a 20 ft. pole which will be centered on the island built for the pumps. They explained that this type of light with shielded sides illuminates only the surface below and does not send out horizontal beams. Mr. Claypool said the venting of the pumps was designed to meet any objections from the neighbors and will comply with P.C.A. regulations. Mr. Lien told the Board that the Speedy Market will be approximately 12 feet above grade at the highest level and will be finished with a stacatto prefinished panel which is a masonite panel with stucco appearance and not a bakelite plastic. Page 2 Mr. James Glockzin, 1581 Rice Creek Road, manager of the Jiffy Market for the past 8 years, said he will now own the new Speedy Market for which he felt the gas dispensing operation will be necessary to increase his revenues enough to pay off the costs of the new building. He estimated these revenues will have to be increased by $3,000.00 a week and felt the new building itself would only bring in $1,000.00 per week. A petition signed by 32 neighbors protesting the gas dispensing aspects of the proposal was then presented by Mr. Otto and read by the Chairman. Reasons for opposition as cited in the petition included the possibility of a fire accident, increase of traffic on an already congested corner and the hazards to children and older people who will have to cross the gas pump area to reach the market. Mr. Otto also expressed his personal concerns about a gas dispensing operation next door, methods of trash disposal and street parking and snow removal which might block his driveway. He also questioned the ability of one attendant to handle both the sales of gas and groceries and still make certain that gas customers turned off their engines and did not smoke while filling their gas tanks. He also felt the sparks from souped up exhaust systems of many young drivers who would use the gas pumps provided a potential for an explosion. Mr. Claypool invited all present to check insurance underwriters statistics to verify his contention that fires are almost non existant at gas stations and said he had never had a fire at any of his 1,000 stations. Mr. John A. Bednarz, 3246 Stinson and Mr. Duane Fisher, 3329 Stinson Boulevard questioned the need for another gas station in that area where there are four such facilities within a few blocks distance. They wondered what market studies had indicated such a need. Mr. Bed- narz was concerned with the traffic tangle which would result if Mr. Glockzin should engage in a gas war with the cut rate station at 37th Avenue N.E. Mr. Fisher complained as did Mr. Otto about the debris from the present Jiffy Market which accumulates on his lawn. He also asked the Board whether an environmental impact study of the proposal had been made. Mr. Johnson said this had not been the normal practice where a proposed usage complies with the zoning of the property. Mr. Bednarz and Mr. Fisher were both concerned that the gas dispensing operation might change the environment of the neighborhood which is now a single family residential neighborhood. Mr. Fisher asked if the City had considered whether they would want another gas station at that corner twenty years from now. Mr. Bednarz wondered if another gas operation at that corner might not increase the number of robberies in the area. Mr. John Sroga who operates the union 76 on Kenzie Terrace wondered if the gas operation would prove to be that much of an economical. asset since his own gas allocations had been cut in half. Mr. Joe Sroga who has the Standard Station at 3201 Stinson Boulevard Presented the National Fire Code regulations which he said he felt required more than one attendant to handle both gas and market operations. Page 3 Mr. Joseph Sroga, Sr., 3207 Stinson Boulevard, also questioned whether the 9 parking spaces planned in front of the market would be sufficient for both operations and reiterated the potential to children who shop at the market. Mr. Glockzin replied to these objections by saying he had run the present Jiffy Market with only two robberies and had prevented his store being used as a hangout for gangs. He said all market studies bore out the feasibility of combining a grocery market with gas service saying most of the 7-11 and Tom Thumb markets were going that route. He said he had no intention of carrying on a gas war with any other station and never contemplated keeping his store or gas pumps open past 11:00 P.M. because of the threat of robberies. He was surprised at the complaints regarding trash from his present store saying they were the first that had been expressed to him. Mr. Roger Sax,310 Endicott Building, St. Paul, an attorney for the Schroeder Milk Company, said the proposal was in compliance with the City's zoning ordinance and represented a legally permitted usage. He said the owners had gone out of their way to meet any possible objections to the proposal from the neighbors and he and Mr. Claypool both contested the premise that only young hot rodders use self service stations. He said it was not possible for this proposal to solve all the problems which the neighbors have ex- perienced for years with the other two gas stations on that corner. Mr. Marks said he did not feel it was up to the Board to determine whether the proposal was economically feasible but did feel it was the responsibility of the Board to maintain the residential character of St. Anthony while at the same time allowing the necessary mix of commercial development. He said the services which are allowed do build the character of a community and believed the plans for the new market was a definite improvement of the old facility and would be an asset to the neighborhood. He commended the proponents for the excellent planning which had gone into the proposal. He was, however, concerned that the gas dispensing operation might eventually result in further blight of that corner. It was his contention that the _lark Station across 33rd Avenue was clearly a violation of the residential nature of that particular neighborhood and did not want the Board to endorse a perpetuation of that violation. Mr. Johnson agreed with him that the Board should not try to determine whether the proposal was economically viable and he was impressed with the improvements in the plans for curb cuts which he felt would provide better traffic control. However, though the proposal seemed to meet the letter of the law, he did not feel the Board should endorse a heavier commercial use for that predominately residential area. Mr. Hiebel said the proposal met all the marketing indications he had seen and said a mixture of residential and commercial are necessary to support any muncipality. He said the character of the neighborhood had been established a long time ago and problems experienced with commercial in the area were to a great extent the responsibility of another municipality. He also observed that there were approximately 19 of the signers of the petition who live on the west side of Stinson. Page 9 Mr. Hiebel said his approval of the proposal was based on its compliance with both the existing and proposed zoning ordinances which allow such dual usages throughout the community and cited the Clark and Fas Gas stations as examples. He had previously abstained on voting on the original concept for the proposal, Mr. Hiebel said, because of the lack of specific details, but now felt the plans represented a great improvement over the existing facilities. Mr. Bowerman agreed that the proposal was in compliance with the zoning ordinance and said his vote for approval was in part influenced by the fine reputation of the businessman who was going to continue to operate the business. Motion by Mr. Hiebel, seconded by Mr. Bowerman to recommend approval to the Council of the Schroeder Milk Company request for a building permit to construct a Speedy Market with two self service gas pumps on Lot 16, 17, Block 3, Clark & Kings Hennepin Gardens, subject to final approval of plans for signage and screening of the rooftop mechanics. Voting on the motion: Aye: Hiebel and Bowerman Nay: Marks and Johnson Motion not carried. Failure of the Board to give a recommendation regarding the reauest will be reported to the Council by Mr. Bowerman at the Council's meeting June 22, 1976. At 9:00 P.M. the motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Mr. Marks and seconded by Mr. Bowerman but the meeting continued until 9:30 P.M. to allow a discussion of plans for carrying out the Council's direction to make a study of the St. Anthony Shopping Center area and steps to be taken to attempt to revitalize its economy. There was a dicussion of the Nason Chapman Study of the center which had been made 10 years ago but the Board did not see the need for hiring a planner at this time. Mr. Johnson gave his ideas on how improving the traffic patterns for the center might make it a more viable and inviting shopping area. Mr. Hiebel said the center was essentially neighborhood oriented and felt it was necessary to upgrade the image and servicEability to draw more people to use it. Mr. Bowerman agreed saying the ugliest entrance to the City which is used by most shoppers is along Kenzie Terrace with a minimum of the residents approaching the shopping center from Highway 8. Mr. Lekson then pointed out the problem of having two distinct shopping areasin one which compete with each other rather than compliment each other's services. He told of the difficulty of attracting merchants to locate in the center who might in turn draw more customers to use the location as their regular shopping are; saying such customers find Rosedale and Apache more attractive. Page 5 It was agreed that the first step to solving the problem should be to have the staff set up a meeting of the Board and the Merchant's Association so that the Board members might have the benefit of the thinking of the tenants of the existing stores. Ideas gained from these meetings could then be conveyed to the owners and managers of the center, St. Anthony Shopping Center, Inc,, Red Owl and the Towle Company. The consensus was that condemnation proceedings would be a last resort. No one appeared to present the request for a building permit for 2625 Kenzie Terrace. Helen Crowe , Secy.