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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC MINUTES 08201974 Meeting Sheet IIIIIIVIIIVIIIVIIIVIIIVIIIIIIIIIII 105767 Box: 35 Folder: CC MINUTES AND AGENDAS 1974 Document: CC MINUTES 08201974 r CITY OF ST. ANTHONY • PLANNING BOARD MINUTES AUGUST 20,1974 The meeting was called to order by Chairman McGinn at 7:35 P.M. The following were present for roll call: Johnson, Kronk, McGinn, Hiebel and Bowerman. Absent: Marks & LeTourneau Also present: Harry Lekson & Carol Johnson The following amendments were made to the Planning Board minutes of July 16, 1974: Page 1-para. 2 & Page 2-para. 1: Strike "of approval" Page 2-para. 3: Add "of Municipalities to "Ramsey County League" and change "open spaces" to "land use planning" Motion by Mr. Kronk, seconded by Mr. Johnson to approve the minutes of July 16 as amended. Motion carried. • Carol Johnson administered the oath of office to the new Board members, Ken Hiebel and W.J. Bowerman. Mr. Gordon Hedlund was present to comment on the results of seeking funding of development of the land he owns across from Apache Plaza on Silver Lake Road which he identified as Lots 10 through 16. He stated that he had been unsuccess- ful in obtaining from any financial institutions funding for R1 or R2 purposes. He said HUD felt that no less than 50 townhouses would be feasible for the development. Mr. Hedlund said the Metro Council refused to give him a definite answer and suggested he consult the Economics Development Company who wanted $3,500 for an appraisal of the undeveloped land which he hesitated to pay with- out more encouragement from City officials. There had not been enough time to get a complete appraisal. from Midwest Federal. Mr. Hedlund then presented his plans for what he considered a "planned unit" development of the property including two condominium office buildings of two stories each which would house eight businesses each and between which he proposed a family type restauarant such as Country Kitchen could be positioned. He showed colored photos of the exterior and interior of a Country Kitchen restaurant. His proposal specified that all the lots on Penrod Lane would be developed as R-1 as presently zoned. He also identified Lot 9 as still belong- ing to the Frederick Herfurth Realty Company and felt the residence next to it could be developed into a home-like office. The Chairman thanked Mr. Hedlund for his presentation and said the Board would take his comments into consideration in their review of the zoning ordinance. Mr. Fornell arrived at 8 P.M. Mr. Roger Bernu and Mike Peterson of the Bernu Construction Company, 7420 Unity Avenue North, presented preliminary plans for a three story office building they proposed to build on Lots 11-12, Block 1 (New Plat) of the St. Anthony Office Park. Mr. Bernu said the 60 x 145 building which would be 26,000 sq. ft. would f -2- be identical to the Commers Park Building his company had constructed and . manage at 73rd and University Avenue N.E. The building would have a solar bronze glass exterior, two fire towers and an elevator and the plans called for 108 parking spaces. There would be 20,000 sq. ft of rental space for which Mr. Bernu reported he had letters of intent to rent 6,000 sq. ft. from a carpet company, a manufacturers representative and another construction company and he anticipated the remainder would be used by his own company as well as possibly a realtor, an insurance company, an optician or an attorney. There would be no facilities for a medical or dental office in the building. Tenant companies would be identified by plaques placed on each side of the entrance and the buildings name, Midland Professional Building, would be placed on a horiz- ontal sign placed in the landscaped area in front of the building. Mr. Johnson's concern that there might be more parking spaces blacktopped than would be needed immediately and that no provision had been made for large delivery or garbage trucks were answered by Mr. Bernu stating that the plans would be changed to provide for only the 90 parking spaces he felt would adequately serve the building at first and larger parking spaces for trucks. Mr. Bernu told the Board that their own company Statewide Managing Company would manage the building. Motion by Mr. Johnson, seconded by Mr. Bowerman to recommend to the Council that a building permit be granted the Bernu Construction Company for the proposed building in the St. Anthony Office Park as presented by Mr. Bernu, with the revised site plans showing the parking layout as well as landscaping and signing plans to be provided for the Board's approval at a later date. • Motion carried. Mr. LeTourneau arrived at 8:35 P.M. Chuck and Michael Donatele presented the preliminary plans for the machine shop for which the Council had given them conceptual approval November 27, 1973• They explained that they had received the plans too late to have them approved by the proper City staff members before their presentation but were seeking a building permit so work could be started on the building before the cold weather. They repeated the explanations of the kind of industry they were planning for the two new Board members as they had given them to the Board on November 20, 1973 and to the Council a week later. In answer as to whether the molding of the plastic might create an offensive odor they explained that the plastic was injected directly into the closed mold thereby eliminating the escape of odors. They reported their plans called for only one driveway on Chandler Drive and pointed out that the bathrooms had been designed to meet the code dealing with facilities for the handicapped. The brothers said they had designed the 4,400 ft. building for their own use but might rent out a small portion temporily to an associated business. Mr. Johnson commended them for developing the area to its maximum potential. Mr. Hiebel, however,stated that he had reservations about approving the project without knowing more about the type of tenant which might rent part of the proposed building and whether the parking spaces provided would be sufficient for that tenant's requirements. Motion by Mr. LeTourneau and seconded by Mr. Kronk to recommend granting of the building permit to the Donatelles for a machine shop at Chandler Drive and Foss Road subject to the approval of the Fire Marshal and Building Inspector with the understanding that the landscaping, signing and outside lighting plans would be presented to the Board for their approval at a later date. -3- Voting on the motion: Aye: Johnson, Kronk, McGinn and Bowerman Nay: Hiebel Motion carried. Mr. John Remes, 2901 Stinson Boulevard, representing Mr. & Mrs. Dale Michaelhoff, 906 W. Cty Rd. D, Apt 233, presented the dilemna he said his clients were in, having purchased the property at the southwest corner of 37th Avenue and Silver Lake Road, sold their own home, and been turned down on their request to the FHA for approval of their plan to build a $60,000, one family home on the site and asked the Board's suggestion regarding their next possible recourse. Mrs. Michaelhoff said that in refusing them approval the FHA had cited the flat terrain of the property and the danger of a car careening into the home from that busy intersection, the difficulty of entering or exiting from the property because of the traffic congestion, and the presence of commercial property, namely two gas stations, across the road to the north as well as the uninhabited old home across Silver Lake Road. Mr. Michaelhoff is a home builder and said they had selected the spot for their home and proposed to have it serve as a "model home" for his business because of the traffic exposure at their corner. Mrs. Michaelhoff said she understood the property actually contained two separate 60 ft. lots and they might be forced to request HRA funding for two low income houses they might build on the property in order that they might recover their investment. She was advised that she would have to obtain a lot • size variance for such action. Mrs. McGinn said one northeast banker had told her his bank did not take the proximity of commercial property into account in granting mortgage money and the couple was urged to talk to him. The Board agreed to write a letter assur- ing the FHA that the City of St. Anthony had no intention of changing the zoning on any property south of 37th Avenue N.F. and Mrs. McGinn was to contact the Council to ask their help in pursuading the FHA to reconsider their refusal to approve the Michaelhoff home. Mr. Lekson told the Board of the request by Mr. Rick Johnson, 2582 Long Lake Road, Roseville, to build a home in front of the greenhouse he owns on Lot 11, Block 11 Belden Terrace Addition, which had been disapproved of by the City Attorney and City Ergineer because the City has a storm sewer for which they have an "easement by prescription" on the spot where Mr. Johnson intended to erect his garage. Mr. Johnson intended to refer the refusal to the Planning Board in their capacity as Board of Appeals. Because the Board was not certain of their jurisdiction in cases involving easements, Mr. Bowerman was instructed to seek the Council's guidance when he appeared before them August 27th. , Mrs. McGinn will represent the City of St. Anthony at the national city seminar on urban renewal in Chicago next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Motion by Mr. Hiebel, seconded by Mr. Kronk to adjourn at 10:25 P.M. Motion carried. Helen Crowe, Secy.