HomeMy WebLinkAboutPL MINUTES 11201984 Meeting Sheet
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Folder: PL MINUTES AND AGENDAS 1984
Document:.PL MINUTES 11201984
• CITY OF ST. ANTHONY
PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES
November 20, 1984
1 The meeting was called to order by Chair Zawislak at 7:36 P.M.
2
3 Present for roll call : Zawislak, Franzese, Bjorklund, and Hansen.
4
5 Absent: Jones, Wagner, and Bowerman.
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7 Also present: David Childs, City Manager.
8
9 Motion by Commissioner Hansen and seconded by Commissioner Franzese to approve as
10 submitted the minutes of the Planning .Commission meeting held October 16, 1984.
11
12 Motion carried unanimously.
13
14 Chair Zawislak indicated he would report the Commission meeting at the next Council
15 meeting which had been rescheduled to be held December 4th.
16
17 - At 7:37 P.M. , the Chair read the notice of the hearing to consider a request from
18 St. Anthony Health Center, 3700 Foss Road N.E. , for a density variance which would
19 allow construction of an additional 32 units to the 84 which were approved July 24,
20 1984 for the proposed senior rental housing structure to be constructed on the
21 existin.g vacant parcel directly west of and .in conjunction with the 65 unit
22 St. Anthony Health Center nursing home. The notice had been published in the
23 Bulletin November 6th, and mailed to all property owners of record within 350 feet
24 Of-�ie subject property. No one present reported failure to receive the notice
25 or objected to its content and the Manager reported receiving no calls related
26 to the proposed addition.
27
28 Michael Miller, Assistant Administrator of the Health Center and Craig Hinrichs
29 of Smiley,. Glotter Associates, 1021 LaSalle Avenue South, Minneapolis, architect
30 for the project, were present to answer questions related to the requested increase
31 to 116 units and the revised site and floor plans for the Chandler residence,
32 which would provide the same type of supervised living for elderly residents as
33 had been approved by the City for the original 84 units. Mr. Miller indicated the
34decision to increase the number of units in the project had been made after a
35 meeting of the Health Center managing partners with Kraus-Anderson of St. Paul , the
--- ---36—contractors-who-wou-1-d-be-he--1 pi-ng-design the-bui 1-ding;the-fi-nance-peopl-e;—and- - -
3 7 the new architects who had been selected because of their expertise in building
38 senior housing, where a revised design -for the interior of the building was
39 developed which would utilize every bit of revenue producing space possible and
40 thus result in a project which would be more cost effective than the 84 unit project.
41
42 The new design would provide a total of 181 housing units on the parcel between
43 Foss and Chandler Roads, of which half had already been taken up for the existing
4 4 nursing home. $0 -one narking spaces, _ including 39 underground for .reside-nts
• 45 of the new building, would be- added to the 68 stalls next to the nursing facilities,
46 the Assistant Administrator indicated, and he said an improved traffic flow pattern
47 would be developed between the. two buildings to avoid the use of 37th Avenue to get
48 from one building or unit to the next. The Manager observed that, even with the
49 addition of 32 units in the new structure, the' parking for the whole project would
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• 1 far exceed the City's requirement for one parking 'space for every three units
2 of elderly housing.
3
4 Mr. Miller said planning input had. been sought- from about a dozen representatives
5 from four different senior organizations in St. Anthony-as well as from nine
6 affiliated churches who provide vol.unteer services for- the nursing home and many
7 of their suggestions had .been incorporated- into the policy developed for the new
8 building. The Health Center representative later told the Commissioners that none
9 of these had indicated they had any -probl,em with the rate structure suggested for
10 the new project.
11
12 Commissioner Jones arrived at 7:50 .P.M: , in time to participate in the discussion
13 with the project architect. Mr. Hinrichs distributed revised site plans and
14 demonstrated on' the colored sketches of'-the project how- the four story height
15 would be retained along 37th where .the 'building would have the greatest visual '
16 impact on the neighbors, with- a -sunken parking floor on the north where the grade
17 sloped away from .the street. The open community areas, the glassed-in linkage
18 way between the. nursing home and the apartment building; and the greenhouse/atrium
19 on the southwest corner where a gift and card shop might be located, would all be
20 located along .the street ,side of the-.bui'lding,. according to the-architect, who
21 said the parking area plans and those for a -walkway around the retaining pond to
22 the rear would, of course, have to be worked out with the Rice Creek Watershed
23 District. He also reported the plans for the service area off 37th Avenue had
24 been approved by the Ramsey County Engineer.
25
26 The architect said hi.s firm would be ,involved in most facets of'the building plan-
27
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27 ning and would be attempting- to fulfill Mrs. Post's desire that the overall
28 impression of the new building should be one of ' "quiet elegance". He indicated the
29 building would be. very sturdy and constructed with optimum of sound control . The
30 exterior walls would be aesthetically handled with some brick to match the nursing
31 home facade. All materials would be low maintenance with no stucco on the bottom
32 level . Even though some land would be' lost across the front with the reconstruc-
33 tion of 37th, the architect indicated thirty foot setbacks would be retained and
34 the final landscaping plans would probably include low bushes and perhaps, bus
35 seats, along the street, designed to not interfere with the visual sighting of
36 drivers along that roadway.
37
38 The interi,or halls would be either seven or eight feet wide and jogged to prevent
39 the perception of long uninteresting expanses of'wall . The new rental units would
40 be strictly market rate and not subsidized, Mr. Hinrichs said, and their anticipated
41 size and rent per month would be: . 91 one bedroom units, 606 square feet in size,
42 which would rent for around -$850 a month; 22 two bedroom, 874 square foot units
43 for .which around $1 ,050 would be asked; three 535 square foot efficiencies (junior
44 one bedroom, with bedroom alcoves) at $750; and perhaps, four deluxe two bedroom
45 units., 'well over 1 ,000 square feet in size, which would rent for about $1 ,200. All
46 these could be provided. in almost the same size building shell as had been approved
47 in July, he. added.
48
49 Even witha $1 ,000 deposit fee, Mr. Hinrichs told Commissioner Jones, he did not
50 consider. these rents to be excessive considering the health and security services
51 which would be offered the residents, most of whom would be in their 80's, live
52 alone,. and might require housekeeping and nursing services as well as congregate
53 meals, none of which are normally provided in the usual apartment complex. Con-
54 sideration is .also being given to providing a guest room for families of residents
55 - of either facility from out of town.
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• 1 Signage for the Chandler Homes, Mr. Hinrichs said, would be similar, but probably
2 smaller than that permitted for the nursing home, and would be designed to meet all
3 the requirements of the City Sign Ordinance.
4
5 Commissioner Bjorklund indicated he. would certainly be in favor of the proposed unit
6 addition, but said he would also:.like some concrete. confirmation that the proposed
7 density was •not unusual for the same type of'projects in other -metropolitan com-
8 munities. He said according to his .estimates, the revised plan would provide 44
9 dwelling units per acre which he .saw as even surpassing the -R-5 zoning for the City.
10 Mr. Childs told him there, would be 60 units per acre in the first phase of the
11 Kenzington project. Mr. Hinrichs said he perceived the density for this building
12 to be only mid-range or even lower. as..compared. to similar suburban projects he
13 had worked on in Columbia Heights, New- Hope .and Osseo, where four or five story
14 buildings are acceptable. The architect also- told the Commissioner that, if the
15 state permitted the nursing home operation to be expanded on the same parcel , there
16 could be 450 patients housed in another three story building.
17
18 Mr. Hinrichs commented that he perceived the City must have recognized there would
19 not be a lot of interior traffic for a -project- like this when they adopted reduced
20 parking requirements for elderly housing. He .then reminded the Commissioners
21 that a. great deal of land would have to be retained for drainage. Mr. Miller
22 added that he knew of other communities which had adopted special ordinances
23 dealing with shared services for senior housing.
24
25 No one else appeared to speak either for or against the proposed revision of the
26 project density and the Chairclosedthe hearing at 8:30 P.M. for a Commission
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27 recommendation to the Council .
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29 Commissioner Bjorklund observed that the request .represented a decrease in building
30 height from 42 to 36 feet. He said -he was very happy with how the traffic flows
31 had been tied in with the nursing..home and considered the whole complex would be
32 an asset to the community.. The Commissioner indicated he perceived that linking
33 the two facilities and- sharing services would probably prevent another contractor
34 from seeking a similar variance for "just a fancy apartment building". He said
35 he was happy to see the .handicapped access had been dealt with and Commissioner
36 Bjorklund indicated he perceived that, with the amount of floor area devoted to
37 congregate -and- shared facilities, the .living density was not really excessive,
38 especially since he had personally observed a similar project in St. Louis Park'
39 which far exceeded the density of this project.
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41 Mr. Childs indicated he would contact several other city administrators for con-
42 trete examples of higher density which could 'be incorporated into the final motion
43 of approval by the Council .
44
45 Motion by Commissioner Bjorklund and seconded by Commissioner Franzese to recommend
46 Council approval of the variance to the City Ordinance which would permit the
47 St. Anthony Health Center, 3700 Foss Road N.E. , to construct - as per the site plans
48 presented by the project architect November 20th, the 116 unit elderly rental
49 apartment project on- the vacant parcel immediately west of, and in conjunction. with,
50 the 65 unit nursing home facility on the corner of 37th Avenue N.E. and Foss Road,
51 - which-would result in 184 units for the whole complex where 119 are allowed by the
52 City Zoning Ordinance., and a four ;story structure along 37th Avenue N.E. , where
53 only three stories would be permitted by the Zoning Ordinance, finding, as had the
54 Council in their July 25, 1984 approval of 84 units for the same building, that :
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1 1 . The three statements required to. be answered affirmatively for granting a
2 variance had been done so with this proposal ;
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4 2. There had been- no neighbor opposition demonstrated -at any of the hearings on
5 the new project;
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7 3. The. proposal is for market rental semi-independent living apartments which
8 would be unique because of their shared supervised living facilities with the
9 existing -nursing home;
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11 4. The applicants had. again addressed the following in their most recent request:
12
13 a. a good mix of .unit sizes ranging from 535 square -feet for efficiencies
14 to over 1 ,000. square feet for deluxe two bedroom apartments;
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16 b. street access - service access and turnaround;
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18 c. parking areas for the two buildings tied in such a manner as to improve
19 the traffic flow' on the property;
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21 d. health .and, safety provisions, -including fire protection;
22
23 e. handicapped access and seven.or eight foot wide halls;
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25 f. building height not to exceed 36 •feet above grade;
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27 g. - 'building appearance --matching aesthetics of the existing structure;
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29 h. landscaping; and
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31 i . floor area ratio and open space;
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33 5. The diminished building height would allow more open space and the siting of the
34 structure still addresses -the unique soil -and drainage problems on that parcel .
35
36 The Planning Commission further recommends the. Council grant a variance for a free
37 standing identification sign which would meet a-11 the requirements of the Sign -
38 Ordinance and for a smaller sign which would direct trucks to the service court.
39
40 Motion. carried unanimously.
41
42 Commissioner Wagner -arrived at 8.:38 P.M. , during the discussion of the above, but
43 did ,not vote on the motion.
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45 At 8:45 P.M. , the Chair read. the notice of the. hearing to consider the request
46 from John Hertog, 2521 St. Anthony Road,. for preliminary plat approval for a seven
47 lot' subdivision- of..Hertog Gardens,, located on-the. east side of Edward Street N.E. ,
48 between 32nd and 33rd Avenues N.-'E.
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50 The notice had been published in the Bulletin November 6th and mailed.to .all property
51 owners of record within 350 feet of the subject property.
i52
53 No one present reported failure to .receive the notice or objected to its content
54 and the Manager reported receiving no calls either for or against the proposal .
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• 1 In his November 16th memorandumrecommending approval of. the plat, Mr. Childs had
2 indicated that, although the Interior .lots. would be-between..70 and 73 feet in
3 width, where th.e. Ordinance' requi`res 75, and the corner lot would be a little under
4 the required 11 ,000 square -feet, he perceived the variance would be a good com-
5 promise with the underlying lots, most of which would be buildable under the City
6 Zoning Ordinance even though they are only 50' feet wide. If the number of lots
7 were cut downto six, the resulting lots would average 12,000 square feet, which
8 would exceed the 9,000 square feet ordinance requirement and nearly double the
9 recommendation of the Metro Council for the provision of affordable housing, the
10 Manager said.
11
12 John Hertog, as well as his two brothers; Leo. and Ronald, who live in the same
13 area, were present to. discuss their plans for redeveloping the tract of land on
14 which the family had operated Hertog Floral , Inc. until it had been severely
15 damaged by the tornado in April . John. Hertog told the Commissioners his family
16 plans to tear down all the existing structures on ,that parcel , including the
17 octoganal store building on the southeast corner of 33rd and Edward, but would
18 continue to operate the floral sales business-out of the seasonal structure on
19 the west side for at least- one -more growing' season. This non-conforming building
20 would, of course,.. be removed just. as soon as- the homes across the street are
21 built, the petitioner- said, and he added that the plans at this time are for the
22 family to sell the seven -lots individually.
23
24 Commissioner-..Bjorklund observed that most communities now require drainage ease-
25 ments be dedicated across new devel.opments and he recommended five foot easements
26 be retained across the seven lots so -underground utilities could be put in or
27 drainage problems corrected -without neighbor objections. He said the easements
28 would be 'invisi-ble to the lot owners who could plant ,or put up fences over them
29' the same as the rest of their property.
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31 No neighbors were present for the discussion and the hearing was closed at 9:00 P.M.
32
33 Motion by. Commissioner Bjorklund and seconded by Commissioner Wagner to recommend
34 Council approval: of the preliminary platting of the seven lot subdivision of
. 35 Hertog Gardens. between 32nd and 33rd Avenues -N.E. on Edward Street N.E. , as pre-
36 sented i.n .the sketch plan drawn up by Lot Surveys Company, Inc. , contingent upon
37 the provision of a five foot, preimeter 'drainage/utility easement acrossthe project,
38 finding that:
39
40 1 . Many similar lots with smaller frontages, depth, and land area have been
41 platted and developed in the same neighborhood;
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43 2. The proposed plat would eliminate 50 foot lots which conform to the City Zoning
44 Ordinance in an even lesser degree;
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46 3. The plat would to a large extent eliminate a legal , but non-conforming use in
47 this residential area;
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49 4. No objections to the proposed platting were raised either before or during the
50 hearing by any of the neighbors who had been notified about the hearing.
51
52 Before the vote on the motion was taken-, Commissioner Jones made a friendly amend-
53 ment to the-motion to include the condition that future utility lines for the project
54 must be installed underground.
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1 Commissioner Hansen, -who lives directly behind the Hertog property, indicated he
2 could -see no advantage to, this since most of the utility lines are already in place
3 between the properties in' that area. Leo .Hertog was concerned -with the costs
4 involved.
5
6 Commissioner Bjorklund said he had always favored underground utility lines, but
7 was concerned that stipulation might cause problems for the neighbors east of the
8 project. He also indicated . he perceived the Hertogs had already made large con-
9 cessions to the .City when they had decided to develop seven rather than ten lots
10 on that parcel and said.-he wouldn't want to -increase the costs of the lots anymore
11 than necessary.
12
13 Commissioner Jones indicated he beIieved thecosts would be only nominal and he
14 perceived these improvements would add to the value of the properties. The Com-
15 missioner then modified his amendment to indicate that only "the utility lines
16' which would- provide service to the new- structures themselves would be installed
17 underground".
18
19 Commissioner Bjorklund seconded the motion.
20
21 Commissioner Hansen persisted- in his opposition to the condition until at least
22 he could see -the plans for the installation. Mr. Childs said he would check with
23 NSP before the final action by the Council .
24
25 The question was called.
26
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27 Voting on the motion to amend:
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29 Aye: Jones, Bjorklund, Zawislak, and Franzese.
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31 .Nay: Hansen.
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33 Motion to amend carried.
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35 The amended motion was carried unanimously.
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37 At 9:15 P.M. , Chair Zawislak read the notice of the hearing to consider a petition
38 from the Hair Station, 3909 Silver .-Lake Road, for the installation of a free standing
39 sign, with no more than 25 square feet of. sign surface on each side, to identify
40 the business. The notice had been published in the Bulletin, November 6th, and
41 mailed to all property owners of record within 200-feet of the subject property.
42 No one present reported failure to receive the notice or objected to its content
43 and the Manager reported receiving no calls about the:.-proposal .
44
45 The reproduction of a picture of a similar sign to the one -requested which hangs
46 in front of another Hair Station at 970 Osborne Road in Fridley had been included
47 in the agenda packet and Mr. .Childs, in his November 1.6th memorandum related to the
48 sign request, ' had indicated the shop- owner -had told him the proposed sign' for the
49 St. Anthony facility would be modified to one .that was ground mounted and wider
50 than it was high.
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52 Daniel Jaeger, 9418 East River Road, the petitioner and renter/owner of the shop,
53 was present to get the Commissioners ' 'input as to just what type of signage would
54 be likely to be approved to replace the sign for the building 's previous occupant
55 which had been destroyed by' the tornado. That signage had been perceived by the
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• 1 City to be not in conformance with the* City Sign Ordinance and, because of the
2 controversy surrounding that sign,, the Manager had suggested Mr. Jaeger first
_3 discuss his plans with .the Commissioners in an attempt to develop a sign which
4 would be acceptable to them.
5
6 Mr. Childs told Commissioner"Franzese it was, his understanding that the signage
7 would no longer .be restricted by the Hedlund P.U.D. because the general consensus
8 of all concerned seemed to be that any business which replaced Craig & Company
9 in that, buildi.ng .would have' to have identification.
10
11 Mr. Jaeger reported that -on October 24th, Gordy Hedlund had called him to indicate
12 the property .was for sale and. when he had made the decision to open his shop at
13 that location, he had anticipated using the same signage which he has on his other
14 three ,shops in Fridley, Blaine and Coon .Rapids. When Commissioner Jones told the
15 applicant he found the sign depicted in the agenda packets, . "offensiv.e and not the
16 quality desired for the City., Mr. Jaeger responded by saying that sign was- inferior
17 to the one identifying his Blaine shop which had been -reproduced, in what he per-
18 ceived to be an attractive manner, . in a stain glass window on that facility. He
19 said he .had already paid a large sum for the graphics and had hoped to utilize
20 them again for this shop.
21
22 Commissioner Bjorklund told .the shop proprietor he hoped Mr. Jaeger realized the
23 only reason' he was being considered for a free standing sign was because that type
24 of sign. had been grandfathered in by the sign which originally stood in that
25 same location, which the Commissioner added, had offended many in the community
26 because it. had been lit all night and was -perceived' to be too large after it was
• 27 once built. Commissioner Jones suggested.Mr. Jaeger might get more community
28 support for his business by putting'.,up a sign which more closely resembled some
29 of the more tastefully .designed, , substantially constructed monumental type signs
30 in that same area, and make sure his signage is turned off whenever the shop is
31 closed for business.
32
33 Mr'. Jaeger was told the only reason Twin City Federal 's sign can be lit all night
34 is because they have a 24 hour banking service out of that building.
35
36 Although his shop is -located across from -Apache, Commissioner Franzese reminded
37 the beautician.that he is also'.surrounded by residential dwellings and the type of
38 signage which had .been developed -for the townhomes just north of him as well as
39 the signs for the real estate office and Goodyear Tire and Rubber in the same
40 vicinity were suggested as models for his sign. Although there appeared to be a
41 general: feeling of, dislike for-the faces depicted on the sign in the agenda packet,
42 it was agreed .the City could, not control the signage 'to that extent.
43
44 Mr. Jaeger was asked to work with the -City staff in designing the sign which could
45 be brought back .to the Commission for final consideration during their next meet-
46 ing December 11th. Commissioner Bjorklund suggested it might be advantageous
47 for staff to photograph some of the more acceptable free standing signs around
48 the community and put them in a brochure which could be presented to future sign
49 applicants.
. 50
51 Motion by Commissioner Jones and seconded- by Commissioner Hansen to table the
52 application for signage for the Hair Station at 3909 Silver Lake Road until the
53 applicant -is ready to present a firm proposal for that signage.
54
55. Motion carried unanimously.
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• 1 The Commission then considered' the final. building design for the 202 senior housing
2 project recently approved by- H. U.D. to be constructed on Kenzie Terrace on the
3 site now occupied by. the Mimosa Restaurant.
4
5 Joseph Ramnarine, staff member. , and Bruce Rice, Chairman of the Board of Walker
6 Senior Housing Corpor.ation, .3737 Bryant -Avenue South,. sponsors of the 202 project,
7 and Gary .Tushie of Saunders-Thalden and Associates, Inc. , the Kenzie Terrace
8 Redevelopment Project architect, . were,present to discuss changes which had been
9 made .in the plan which had been approved,by H.U.D. , primarily to the building
10 exterior where wood and brick facades .would.be added to the building to bring it
11 closer in appearance to the Kenzington condominiums across Kenzie Terrace, all
12 of which would be paid for by Walker.
13
14 Mr. Childs informed-.the Commis.s.ioners that .CDBG funds could not be used for these
15 exterior changes but. would. b.e -utilized for buildi.ng'.site amenities such as the
16 roadway, landscaping, and perhaps .handicapped access.
17
18 Commissioner Hansen indicated he certainly preferred the new exterior over the
square box H: U.D. .would- fund. Commissioner.Wagner reported he-perceived Walker
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20 had gone out of its way-to produce a. building-with a more aesthetic appearance,
21 even spending. $85,000 of. its .own 'funds to provide amenities. for the building.
22
23 During the discussion of the type of. housing which would be provided in the
24 building, 'Mr. Tushie reported H.U.D.. would approve only shower stalls for the
25 units, although a. common non=therapeutic .tub' would be available for the residents
2.6 in the building.
27
28 Mr. Miller was still- present and commented that in-the new senior housing his
29 organization is proposing, only- showers woul-d be provided for-the elderly who
30 find it easier to bathe this way than in tubs.
31
32 The architect told those present H.U.D.- would not approve air conditioning for the
33 building although they would. permit sleeves for air conditioning to be installed.
34
35 Commissioner Jones expressed his disappointment that only 'al-uminum windows had
36 been permitted for the building but. Mr..' Tushie told him he ,perceived that,
37 because of the improved weather stripping on the newest type of aluminum windows,
38 they were now superior to wooden windows of the same quality.
39
40 Mr. Rice indicated he and Mr. Ramnarine appreciated the opportunity of discussing
41 the project with the Commissioners and promised to keep them closely informed as
42 to when. the final approval ,from H. U.D. could be expected. The Chairman agreed
43 with. Mr.- Tushie that the project would probably not be under construction much
44 before the following summer.
45.
46 Motion by Commissioner Bjorklund and seconded by Commissioner Wagner to express
47 the Planning Commission 's satisfaction in all respects with the plan proposed
48 by Walker. Senior Housing Corporation for the 202 senior project to be erected
49 at 2626 Kenzie Terrace, with special appreciation for the improvements in the
50 building facade which would be provided by Walker.
51
• 52 Motion carried unanimously.
53
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1
9_1 Motion by Commissioner-Wagner and seconded by Commissioner Jones to adjourn the
2 meeting at 10:01 P.M.
3
4 Motion carried unanimously.
5
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8
9 Respectfully submitted,
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12 Helen Crowe, Secretary
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