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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPL MINUTES 08191980 Meeting Sheet IIIIIIVIIIVIIIVIIIVIIIVIIIIIIIIIII iozisa Box: 21 Folder:,PL MINUTES AND AGENDAS 1980 Document: PL MINUTES 08191980 CITY OF ST. ANTHONY • PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES August 19 , 1980 The meeting was called to order by Chairman Bjorklund at 7 :30 P.M. Present for roll call: Peterson, Bjorklund, Sopcinski, Enrooth and Makowske. Absent: Bowerman and Jones (Jones arrived at 7 :34 P.M. ) Also present: Ron Berg, Administrative Assistant. The spelling of "southerly" in- the fifth paragraph, Page 6 of the Commission minutes of July 15th was corrected. Motion by Mrs. Makowske and seconded by Mr. Sopcinski to approve as corrected the minutes for the Planning Commission meeting held July 15, 1980. - Motion carried unanimously. Mrs. Makowske will represent the Commission at the next meeting of the Council which is scheduled for August 26 , 1980 . She and all petitioners appearing that evening were encouraged to check with staff to ascertain whether a. quorum of the Council will be present • or whether the meeting is to be rescheduled. At 7: 3.4 P.M. Chairman Bjorklund opened the public. hearing on the variance petition for an addition to the existing residence at 3121 39th Avenue N.E. , by reading the notice of the hearing which had been sent, in conformance with ordinance requirements , to neighbor- ing property owners. One of. these, Barbara G. Nelson, 3125 39th Avenue N.E. reported failure to receive the notice but her affidavit of 'support of. the requested addition had been included in the agenda along with others from Mr. and Mrs . William Scalise, 3900 Shamrock Drive and Mr. and Mrs.. Alan Kaeding , 3909 . Shamrock Drive. No one present objected to the content of the notice, which, according to Mr. Berg, is not required by ordinance to be published. Susan Tobias was present to discuss her request for a. 5 foot 8 inch front yard setback variance -as -well as a .variance of 2 feet 6 inches to the required side yard setback which will allow her to build on, to the side and to the front of the existing .residence, a double garage with a bedroom and a bathroom on top, as well as a deck which will be built around an existing oak. tree. The petitioner told the Commission, as she had detailed- in her listing of . j.ustifications for the variances attached to the petition, if the variances are granted, she will be able to eliminate the existing garage to the rear of the house which ended up one footfrom the lot line when the property was subdivided around 1971. Ms. Tobias plans to change the exterior of the house from stucco to rough cedar and thereby create an appearance -2- which will more closely match the new homes. in..that neighborhood. • Ms. Tobias . also .said the existing home was built prior to the adoption of. a City Zoning ordinance. She sees it as a better investment to build the new addition and do -the necessary remodelling of the interior than to expend- the same funds to. remodel anon-conforming garage which uses. valuable backyard space. Ms. Tobias concluded by saying she had secured the: approval. of her .neighbors to .the north, east and west to her improvement plans. No one appeared to- speak in opposi- tion to. the proposal. Before closing the public hearing at 7 : 56 P.M. , the .Chairman cautioned Ms. Tobias to . confirm with the City building inspector that the plans for the spiral staircase included in the changes in the interior meet all the applicable codes and standards . Noting the City had allowed this property to be .subdivided in such a manner as to leave the existing- garage -within a foot of the lot line, Mr. Sopcinski suggested the Commission see this as an example of action taken in the past proving to. be a. prob.lem .for .the City at a later date. He then complimented the petitioner for her excellent presentation of the proposal and securing approval.. of her. .neighbors prior to the hearing. Mr. Jones said he was going to move- for a recommendation of approval for the variance request because he did not. see. thirty foot set- backs as always necessary for front yards leaving so. much land which is not usable while most family activities are carried out in the back yards where there* is more privacy. He saw the- proposal, as presented, as excellent in that it will provide a dwelling which will be more • compatible to the rest of the neighborhood. Motion by Mr. Jones and seconded by Mr._ Peterson .to .recommend Council approval of a 5 feet 8 inch front yard setback variance as well as a side yard setback variance of 2 feet 6 inches which will allow Susan Tobias to construct the additions to thehome at 3121. 39th Avenue N.E. as proposed. in Exhibit I , Site Plan No. 1, on the con- dition that the existing .garage on the property is removed--upon completion. of construction, .finding that granting these variances; (.1) would result in an overall improvement of the lot and the existing non-conforming garage can be removed; (2)_ would aid. in saving the existing aethestics, of. the property by allowing the preservation of the existing (.stately) . oak tree, and (3) would relieve a hardship and correct extraordinary circumstances applicable to this property-,but not applicable. to .other property in the vicinity or zoning district, as it was .caused by the City ordinance which was adopted after the existing structure was built. The Commission also takes into consideration; (.a) the irregular setbacks of the adjacent properties , (b) adequate on site parking which will now be available, (c) support of seventy-five percent . of the adjacent property owners for the request, and (d) that better blending of this older home with the newer homes in theneighborhood can be expected from this improvement. Motion carried unanimously. c -3- • Harry Schroeder:.of Horizon Development Company, .architect..for the new office building, Anthony Place. at 28,55 Anthony Lane. South in the St. Anthony Office Park, .appeared to present the ,petition for a--free standing sign variance for a 60 square foot identification sign for the building. The proposed sign will be five feet tall, non- illuminated and in six inch white enamel letters will identify the building only as "Anthony Place, 28.55" . The architect said he had planned a small unobtrusive sign which relates to ,the materials in the building and doesn't compete with the building itself. He saw this type of signage as more aethestically pleasing than a sign on the building proper. All tenant identification will be within the building. Following a discussion of the City.'s preference for signage which meets its definition of a "monument, type" sign, Mr.. Schroeder agreed. to modify the-sign-plans to- provide. a foot tall timber .base into- which deciduous. plantings can. be made to fill the space between- the base -and bottom of the sign. Motion by Mr. Peterson and seconded- by. .Mr. Sopcinski to recommend Council. approval of- the variance for the free .standing •sign proposed for the �Anthony. Place building,. 2855 Anthony Lane South, with modi- fications agreed to .by Mr. Schroeder to--bring the -sign within the definition of a monument type sign and with no tenant identification on the sign or the building, finding that. the .sign, as modified, falls well. within the proposed guidelines set for signage in a Light Industrial district. • Motion carried unanimously. Mr. Bjorklund turned .the chair;,over to Mr. Jones..while, the Commission reconsidered the request for a' sign variance for .280 square feet of additional signage on the south side of- the Country Store, 2508 38th Avenue N..E. , which they had recommended the . Council deny, - May 20.th... The Council had tabled the matter May 27th., for further information from staff as to- how the proposed Red Owl. .signage would fit into - the signage proposed for the Sibley Catalog Showrooms in the same building. Mr. Berg confirmed that the Red Owl signage request had remained basically as it had been originally proposed except„for° a willingness on Red Owl' s part to coordinate the coloring- and- .striping planned by Sibley. In his August 15th .memorandum, the Administrative Assistant had told the Commission- of his. inability to get a commitment from. Sibley as to when the 450 total square footage of signage they had been granted by the City would be placed on the building and now that the company is- in bankruptcy proceedings, the President of the company had told him no -commitment could be made until November 1 at the earliest. He said their proposed sign. for the south -- side of the building was 5 feet X 18 feet, with striping. Bruce McKeever who is in the construction .department of Red Owl con- firmed his firm had experienced the same difficulty coordinating its signate with Sibley because of that company's bankruptcy proceedings . -4- Mr.. Berg- replied to questions from the Commission members .by telling them. th'at, with the additional . signage, the Country Store will have 584 square feet of signage for the .38 ,000 square feet of space they occupy in the same building with Sibley who will have .450 square feet of signage for 50,000 square feet of space -to replace the temporary use of existing signage on the building. The Red Owl official wanted it noted that he had never .said "business is hurting" but . rather 'it is his- firm' s position_ that.,•. w th Montgomery Ward leaving the same shopping complex and now . the possibility of Sibley going out as well, the .Country Store . "does need .a sign *on the south side of the building just to let peopl.e .know .we .are there" . He believed the economic decline of „Apache,- since a former Red Owl official had told the City no further signage- would. be required for the Country Store, justified. a, reconsideration. However, he said he had no financial figures to support Red Owl's need for signage but was only following the "retail people' s” directions in seeking the sign variance. He said he "felt bad that Mr.:- Bjorklund had seen fit to' step down as chairman during the consideration" . Mr. Jonesexpressed the Commission' s desire to cooperate with Red Owl to maintairi .a viable economic operation at Apache but also his disbelief that not having..signage �on. the south ,had hurt business since the store- "is packed every time it 's open" . . He .said he would • personally prefer seeing signage on the west side .of. the building because "anyone driving west on 37th Avenue will be past the entrance to Apache before they see the sign on the south wall" . Mr. Enrooth wanted more specific data as to what. the. requested signage will mean economically to .Red Owl. Mrs. Makowske pointed out how the tastefully improved Red Owl store in St. Anthony shopping centerhad proved- to be- an. asset. to the . center but did not see how the proposed signage for., the .Country .Store "will enhance -the appearance of the . Country Store building or the business area" . She saw no substantial changes in. Red Owl 's request, except coordination of the striping and color, from- that which the Commission had recommended. be denied and believed. the City would set a bad precedent by permitting that much signage for-the space utilized .by Country Store.- Mr. Bjorklund said he opposes any. further signage for the Country Store since generous variances- have already been granted by the City for .the store, after long and thorough consideration. of its "landlocked siting" . He also. saw. a bad precedent being set for "giving in to harassment for more and .more signage" . He pointed out that sigriage' already agreed .to. for- that building is excessive as compared to the amount allowed by .ordinance and for other buildings that size and a- comprehensive signage plan should be developed for the whole building before consideration is given to any additional signage.. He saw the signage proposed as "only accentu- ating the loading dock area with its clutter" and agreed the big . loading semi 's would block the sign most of. the time. The Commission chairman lives within two. blocks of the Country Store and cited many -5- instances where buildings -on 37th Avenue will obstruct the vision of drivers from the sign-, thereby. eliminating most .of the sign' s effectiveness for drawing 'in customers anticipated. by. Mr. McKeever, Mr. Bjorklund. did not believe the variance will "save or destroy the business" or that the Planning Commission should be held responsible for its viability. . Mr. Peterson disagreed with the other Commission. members ' assumptions about the need for the sign saying he saw "a real need -for a sign on the south side of the building because you can't read the sign on the north side from- 37th Avenue if you-.'re going west" . He suggested a more positive view be taken of the request rather than a "preoccupa- tion with the aethestics" . However, when Mr.. Sopcinski pointed out that the variance petition had not satisfied ,him. regarding the conditions set for granting such a variance , Mr. Peterson- agreed that this had not been done. At first, Mr. Enrooth and Mr. Bjorklund moved .that no recommendation be made to the Council regarding the request. because _circumstances had not changed enough to justify withdrawing their- denial recom- mendation, but at the urging of Mrs . Makowske, amended their motion as follows: Motion by Mr. Enrooth. and seconded by Mr. .Bjorklund. to recommend denial by the Council of the- request for a variance to the City ordinance requirements for 280 square feet of additional signage for • the Country Store. because..conditions Nos. 2 and. 3 ..for such a vari- ance have not been satisfactorily met in the opinion .of the Commission. Motion carried unanimously. Mr. Bjorklund assumed the chair for- the consideration .of. the petition for a free standing sign variance for the proposed Kiwanis community bulletin board. Hobie Swan, 2.50.1 Lowry. Avenue N..E. , presented the Kiwanis Club proposal, that the site identified. as 2.9.10 Kenzie Terrace be acquired by the Kiwanis Club- for construction of a community bulletin board which will be dedicated to the City. of. St. Anthony and its residents on. behalf o f 'the Club. With the petition for, the sign variance, Mr. Swan had submitted. a statement describing the sign and outlining its purpose and the .extent of the .City' s participation once it is constructed by the - club.. According to. the proposal , the City will assume the administration and maintenance of the sign and will, . by an adopted policy, review beforehand, the messages to be put on the 64 square foot, double faced lexon panels ., . The Kiwanis representative gave' .the reasons the club had decided on this site which is at the intersection of Silver Lake Road, Kenzie Terrace and St. Anthony Boulevard rather than near Park View school or the "posey park" on Highway 88. He gave the history of the site which had been acquired by the State for an intersection plan which never materialized and the Department. of .Transportation had now • indicated a willingness to deed the land back to the City. 1 • -6- Mr.. Swan foresaw no. problems for-. constructing the.'.sign. to meet the definition of a "monument- type" sign. He said. his own experience had been that the sign identifying his "Lowry Grove Manor" had turned out Ynuch better" after he had modified it to .bring it into compliance with the definition and he showed a picture of the sign after it was constructed. Mr.. Berg said he felt the City would have no objections to the sign as. long as it does not . obstruct traffic visibility. Motion by Mr. Jones- and seconded by Mrs . Makowske to recommend to the Council that the application fee. of $25 paid.:by. the St. Anthony Kiwanis Club be refunded them because they are a.-service organization and the purpose of the sign is. to serve the community. Motion carried unanimously. Motion by Mr. Jones and seconded by- Mr. Sopcinski . to recommend Council approval of the variance for a free standing sign to permit the St. Anthony Kiwanis Club to construct a. monument.-, type community bulletin board.; as agreed to-. by .the club' s representative, Hobie Swan, on that portion.- of - land lying- N.-E. of parcel 94-63507-6805M- 282 (excluding -the right-of-way) , with City staff. to determine the exact siting for the sign at that location, finding that the conditions set -for such variances - are met as follows : (1) The granting of this . variance .for a free standing .sign will not be detrimental to .the public welfare or injurious to other property as it is intended to promote the civic- well being of the community, encourage citizenship and participation in community events, and be designed in a, way as_ to emphasize positive aesthetics- and not endanger - traffic.. On the contrary, the sign will be an asset . to the public. welfare. The only affected property is the municipal liquor-operation- parking lot and.' the lost parking area- will be nominal. (=21 The sign is by nature designed for the community and as such there is no building to, which the sign .can be affixed to .avoid being free standing. It needs high visibility to promote its purpose: community spirit and involvement. (3) Due .to.. the need for a free standing sign and the fact that there are no structures on the parcel in question, the conditions upon which the application for the variance is based is unique. Mr. Enrooth called the question and this motion, as well as the motion- itself, passed unanimously. In the agenda had been provided. a copy of the City of Fridley' s ordinances dealing with community bulletin boards.. Applicable portions will be incorporated by Mr. Berg into the City' s proposed sign ordinance for Commission consideration. v ' 7 The Commission next consideredpossible attendance. by its. members at the. r.egional conferences on-financing-city projects to be in November and .the extent to..which, such. attendance, expenses can be expected to paid by '.the. City. Mr- Berg will provide further clarification of these points. at. a- later date. Motion by Mr: Enrooth and seconded. by Mr.. Sopcinski. to adjourn the meeting at-_ 10 : 10 P.M. Motion carried unanimously. Respectuf lly submitted Helen Crowe