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Home My WebLink AboutPL MINUTES 11161976 Meeting sneer 100157 IIIIII VIII VIII VIII VIII VIII IIII IIII Box: ss Folder: Document: PL MINUTES 11161976 • CITY OF ST. ANTHONY PLANNING ' EOARD MINUTES November 16, 1976 The meeting was called to order by Chairman Bowerman at 7 :35 P.M. Present for roll call : I-arks, Letourneau, Hiebel, Bowerman and Johnson Absent: Rymarchick and Cowan Also Present: Jim Fornell , Administrative Assistant Motion by Mr. Hiebel and. seconded by Mr. Marks to approve the minutes of the October 26-, 1976 Board meeting. Motion carried unanimously. Dick Krier, Planning Director of the City of Richfield, illustrated through a slide presentation the manner in which Richfield has planned to redevelop the deteriorating Lyndale-Hub commercial and • residential neighborhood. He gave the steps taken to achieve a workable mix of commercial and residential development with adequate buffering between the two. The planner discussed with the Board similar problems to those the City has encountered in the upgrading of the St. Anthony Shopping Center which Richfield has overcome in the five years they have been working on the problem. It was his contention that such a redevelopment can only be achieved through the involvement of business and residents alike in the planning at all stages. He said the impetus for the redevelopment had come from the banking interests and senior citizens groups as well as owners of residential properties which were losing value with the deterioration of the commercial development. The nucleus of the development will be a promotional department store with an entertainment center as a drawing card and HRA financing. ff Nielsen of Gay Realty spoke of the plans of Trucker-Sheehy Con- struction to build a 26 ,200 square foot warehouse/office building on lots 3 and 4 , Block 3 , St. Anthony Office Park Addition. Mr; Nielsen said , however, that the only tenant who had been lined up, a John Deere, Inc. franchise, had failed to secure adequate financing, but because of the marketability of this type of building he still sought a building permit for its construction for speculative pur- poses. He said the Sheehy° s twin building next door already had 75% occupancy even though it is not yet completed. Several Board members questioned making the 50 parking spaces only 9 feet wide, a foot less than that required by the City ordinance. Mr. Hiebel and Mr. Johnson were concerned with the minimum of greenery I i� • allowed around the building wondering whether the park planners had abandoned their efforts to provide the landscaping originally agreed to. Petr. Hiebel said he saw "only a concrete building in a sea of blacktop" . Both agreed that the building was too tight a fit for the lot especially because of its central location' in the park where the project sould be more attractive. It was felt an overuse of the land could hinder development of adjacent properties. Mr. Hiebel also questioned whether the John Deere, Inc. business with a showroom fit into the office park concept of the development, say- ing he did not see the park as a high traffic area. Mr. Fornell said the proposal could be allowed with a liberal intrepretation of usages permitted under the zoning ordinance. Mr. Johnson said he liked the truck bay design and felt the backside of the building was more attractive than the front. Saying he would be very uncomfortable granting a building permit for a proposal with so few specifics, Mr. Hiebel said he would move for recommendation of disapproval of the building permit based on a need for more specific building, landscaping, elevation, lighting and signing plans as well as a desire for more relaxed parking plans . Before a second was obtained, Mr. Nielsen withdrew his request asking for more time to work the plans over in an effort to incorporate the Board's suggestions into a mroe acceptable proposal. r. Hiebel then withdrew his motion. Mr. Fornellf s memo of November 12th regarding Mr. Joe Sroga9 s plans to improve the appearance of his Standard Station at 3201 Stinson Boulevard was discussed with Por. Sroga after Mr. Hiebel explained how the Board' s reauest for such information had resulted from atten- tion which had been focused on that neia_hborhood when the Board was considering the proposal for rebuilding the Jiffy Market a block away. Mr. Sroga said he did not want to completely enclose the area in which the City's impounded or abandoned cars are stored because he wanted to be able to see that area from his home at 3204 Roosevelt Street N.E. for security reasons. He defended erecting an opaque slot cyclone fence rather than a wood fence comparing the maintenance costs of each and pointing out the successfuly use of such a fence for ten years by the Clark station down the street. He said he would be willing to donate the land to the south, which he has cleaned up, for use as a mini park if the City is willing to take over its maintenance. Mr. Sroga also said only the farthest east end of the City 's sewer easement would be affected by the erection of the fence. He also mentioned the good relations he enjoyed with his neighbors attributing (2) I• it in part to the fact that he closes the station at 7 :00 P.M. thus eliminating bright lighting and noisy operations . Poor economic conditions for small businessmen especially gas station operators were the basis for Mr. Sroga °s inability to make any more expensive improvements of the property. He said the small garage next to the �sta ion is used for hobby purposes by his father. Por. Marks will represent the Board at the next Council meeting. Motion by Por. Marks and seconded by Por. Johnson to adjourn the meet- ing at 9 :50 P.M. Motion carried unanimously. (3)