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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006.04.13 PC MinutesMINUTES HUGO PLANNING COMMISSION APRIL 13, 2006 Call to Order Chairman Schumann called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. PRESENT: Bailly, Rosenquist, Schumann, Weidt Hoffbeck arrived after roll call. ABSENT: Kleissler, McRoberts ALSO PRESENT: Bryan Bear, Community Development Director (CDD) Michele Lindau, Community Development Assistant Rachel Simone, Community Development Intern Minutes of March 23, 2006 Weidt made motion, Bailly seconded, to approve the Planning Commission minutes of March 23, 2006 as submitted. All Ayes. Motion carried. Wilderness View 3rd Addition Preliminary Plat A public hearing was scheduled to consider the application of Hub Management, 3050 Echo Lake Avenue, Mahtomedi, for a preliminary plat to be known as Wilderness View 3rd Addition. The plat would consist of 61 single family lots on 27.14 acres located south of the Beaver Ponds South development. The applicant had contacted staff and requested the item be tabled. Because a public hearing had been scheduled, Schumann opened the public hearing. There were no comments and Schumann recessed the public hearing until April 27, 2006. Bailly made motion, Hoffbeck seconded, to table the application. Schumann asked the audience to contact City Hall prior to April 27th to confirm the item was on the agenda. Victor Gardens 5t—h Addition PUD Amendment and Preliminary Plat A public hearing was scheduled to consider the application of CPDC and POA Scherer, 3030 Center Pointe Drive, Roseville, for preliminary plat and a PUD amendment for Victor Gardens 5th Addition to include 7 townhome units on a portion of the lot that was platted as Outlot B, Victor Gardens 2nd Addition. The plat would also include the creation of a lot to accommodate the existing pool and activity center and the replatting of the existing outlot as Outlot A. The applicant had contacted staff and requested the item be tabled. A neighborhood meeting had been Planning Commission Minutes — April 13, 2006 Page 2 held and the developers were working on revisions to the plan. Because a public hearing had been scheduled, Schumann opened the public hearing. There were no comments and Schumann recessed the public hearing until April 27, 2006. Rosenquist made motion, Weidt seconded, to table the application. Schumann asked the audience to contact City Hall prior to April 27t' to confirm the item was on the agenda. Victor Gardens North 3rd Addition PUD General Plan and Preliminary Plat The Commission held a public hearing to consider the application of CPDC & POA -Scherer, LLC, 3030 Center Pointe Drive, Roseville, for a Preliminary Plat and PUD General Plan for Victor Gardens North 3rd Addition to be located north of County Road 8 and east of Elmcrest Avenue. The project would include a Kwik Trip gas station with a car wash and one commercial outlot on the 7.84 -acre site. The Planner presented the plat to the Commission and audience. Schumann asked about their plan for ensuring the sidewalks were kept user-friendly. He said he was uncomfortable with less than the required number of trees be planted in the parking lot for shade and questioned whether they could require the trees planted elsewhere. Rosenquist had questions on the lighting. Hoffbeck asked if it was to be a manned 24-hour operation or if there would be credit card purchases after hours. Schumann opened the public hearing. There were no comments and Schumann closed the public hearing. Dave Hempel, CPDC introduced Scott Teigen, Chief Financial Officer from Kwik Trip, and Jason McCarty, Project Engineer from Westwood Professional Services. He said the HOA would require the shoveling of the sidewalks. He showed where the sidewalks and traffic signal would be located and said he would continue to work with staff on the pedestrian access to the site. The sign would be a replica of what Festival Foods had, and they would work with the landscape committee that was working on the landscape plan for the County road to obtain the required amount of trees for the 25% shade required. He said visibility from C.S.A.H. 8 was important to the business. Sam VanTassel, Real Estate Manager from Kwik Trip, provided background on Kwik Trip stores saying it was a family owned business from Lacrosse, WI. There were 320 convenience stores and they concentrated on food more than gasoline. He showed where the signs would be located, three on the roofline, one on the gas canopy and one on the carwash. The lights would be mounted recessed into the canopy by the pumps and the lighting would stay on their lot. It was his understanding they complied with the ordinance. Hempel said their store in Stillwater had homes located across the street from the Kwik Trip located in that development, and there were no complaints. The Planner explained that the sign was 122 feet in height, same as Festival Foods; however, the sign face would be 32 feet larger to accommodate gas prices. Planning Commission Minutes — April 13, 2006 Page 3 Teigen said it was necessary they post the prices of gasoline, and there was no place on the canopy to put them. Weidt suggested the letters be shrunk; the sign was extremely high. Hempel pointed out that it was the same height as Festival Foods just with less stone. They did not want to shrink the letters because they wanted it to be readable. Hoffbeck asked if the sign would be manually changed and Hempel said it would not. Rosenquist asked about the hours of operation. Since it was close to the freeway, it would snake sense to be open 24 hours. The Planner explained there was nothing in the ordinance that addressed the hours of operation for convenience stores. Rosenquist said he liked the idea of planting the required trees elsewhere on the site. Bailly said the south side of the site fronting C.S.A.H. 8 could use additional trees. Hempel said they could add some shrubs between the trees. Hoffbeck questioned where a possible pedestrian access could be located. Hempel said there could be curb cuts on the west side but the townhomes are located to the north. They would continue to work with staff on the sidewalks. Bailly was okay with the hours, agreed the sign should be lit, and felt the building was architecturally nice. Rosenquist made motion, Bailly seconded, to approve the preliminary plat and PUD general plan. All Ayes. Motion carried. Enchanted Waters Preliminary Plat and Conditional Use Permit for Rural Preservation The Commission held a public hearing to consider the request of Stoney River Development, 4455 White Bear Parkway, White Bear Lake, for Preliminary Plat and a Conditional Use Permit to develop 39.86 acres into 12 single family home lots to be known as Enchanted Waters. The property, zoned Rural Residential, would be developed under Section 1195-150.1 RURAL PRESERVATION PROGRAM. The property is located to the north and south of 132nd Street and generally east of Goodview Avenue. The Planner presented the plat to the Commission explaining one home existed on the property and there would be 11 new home sites. Lots would be .75 -acre to 1.25 -acres in size and located south of 132nd Street. The portion to the north would be permanently protected open space and the community septic would be located there. The Commission had considered the concept plan for this site in November, 2005, consisting of 13 homes. The applicant had since revised the plan. The Planner Planning Commission Minutes — April 13, 2006 Page 4 explained staff's concerns about the limited access to the open space to the north. The developers had indicated they could access it by canoe or by crossing the wetland in the winter for maintenance. The Planning Commission had asked if they could obtain an easement from an adjacent property owner for access. Rosenquist had concerns regarding accessing the open space in emergency situations. Hoffbeck asked about the septic system. The Planner explained that septic systems are permitted by the state and reviewed by the MPCA and staff. The shared system would be contracted for maintenance. Each home would have two septic holding tanks. The Planner reviewed the requirements for bonus densities. The Commission would need to determine if the project was consistent with the purpose and intent of the Rural Preservation Program. Schumann opened the public hearing. There were two letters from residents: Joel and Debra Sivula in their letter asked that 12 homes not be built on the south side of 132nd Street and no homes be constructed on the north parcel of land. They also asked the entrance be placed as far to the west as possible. Floyd and Cindy Petty in their letter stated concerns about the septic system being placed in the open preserved space and the environmental impact of the system next to the water. Ed Semrud, 6986 132nd Street North, said they were expecting four lots on 40 acres and wondered how the land could be buildable if not accessible. He questioned the design of the septic system. He said it would be an eyesore and increase traffic. It did not comply with the surrounding lot sizes. The road had been recently paved and he asked if the developer was assessed for 12 units. Molly Seidl, 7040 132nd Street North, said the speed limit was a concern (on 132nd Street) and said she would like to see it reduced to 35 mph. Her opinion was that it would no longer be agriculture with 12 house built there. Schumann said it would require application to the state to change the speed limit and usually rural section roads do not meet the state's criteria. Steve Seidl, 7040 132nd Street North, said the septic system would be located right out from his walkout. His individual septic is one-half acre in size. Twelve homes would be on the system next to the pond. He asked that an agreement be made to require the developer to make the location of the gun club be known to potential buyers. He said no one had contacted him regarding obtaining an easement on his property, and he wanted assurance the rural character of the area would remain Nancy Semrud, 6986 132nd Street North, asked why the developer would receive a ten percent density bonus for removing the non -conforming business on the property, and she had concerns about the street lights. Planning Commission Minutes — April 13, 2006 Page 5 Schumann explained that it was a legal non -conforming business and the City would like to see it removed. Rennae Glidden, 7215 137th Street, said she owned 21 t/z acres and moved there 12 years ago for the land and space. She said under the normal zoning, they would only be able to get three houses on the property because they could not meet the 300 feet lot width requirement. She questioned whether it was 40 contiguous acres since it was divided by the road and the pond further divided it. She felt they should not be given credit for preserving the environment since the septic system was so close to the pond. John Southward, 7307 132nd Street North, said the lots should have a ten -acre minimum and the septic system should not be next to the pond. Schumann pointed out that the properties met at in the center of the road so they actually did connect, and 50 percent or more of the site being left as open space would ensure it would never develop. There were no other comments and Schumann closed the public hearing. Rosenquist said he had a hard time granting bonuses for an open space that was not usable, and with the outlot being on the other side of the road than the homes, it could become an attractive nuisance. He also wanted to see the design of the septic system. Hoffbeck had issues with the plan meeting the general intent of the ordinance. It did not fit the area. and the open space did not connect to the community and was unusable. She had concerns about an HOA for a small group being properly managed, and said street lights did not belong in a rural area. Weidt agreed that Outlot A would not be a worthwhile piece of land. Bailly said she believed that more homes it what should be expected with the rural preservation program, but it did not look like they met the density bonus. The septic system could ruin what is there right now. Brent Thompson, Stoney River Development, said they made many revisions to the concept plan the Commission had reviewed, and the property to the north perked nicely for the septic, which would be managed by Connexus Energy. He said the purpose of the plan was to preserve everything to the north. They could mitigate the wetlands and get homes back there but instead were preserving the features. Bird houses and other features on the open space would discourage snowmobilers and ATV riders. The location of the septic system exceeded the required setback and under the current ordinance, two homes with two septic systems could be located there. The open space could potentially be accessed in the future for homes should neighboring parcels develop. Greg Priest, Stoney River Development, said firefighters do not take apparatuses off paved surfaces, and the area could be accessed by crossing the pond in winter months and by boat in the summer. Hoffbeck said that even construction of two homes on the north and a few on the south would not be as much impact as 12 homes. There were too many homes in the wrong area. Thompson said they did not want street lights on the road. The lots would be 1 t/4 - 3/4 acre in size and architectural controls would provide for homes of the same value as existing homes in the area. Planning Commission Minutes — April 13, 2006 Page 6 Hoffbeck said large home on small lots make it a very tight community. Rosenquist said smaller lots would make more sense if you were isolating them with open space such as putting them in the middle of a 40 acre parcel. Schumann asked about the upcoming workshop for the Council to discuss the ordinance. The CDD explained that a workshop was scheduled tentatively for April 18, but would be confirmed at the Council meeting on April 17. Schumann said the item should be tabled to get more information on what was considered contiguous property, if HOA's were mandatory, criteria for density bonuses, and whether open space had to be accessible. He asked the applicant if they would be willing to grant an extension because the application was nearing the mandatory time deadline for action by the City. Priest said they would not grant the extension. Schumann made motion, Weidt seconded, to table the item until the April 27, 2006 meeting. All Ayes. Motion carried. Multi Feeder Concept Plan The Commission considered the application of Bruce Schwartzman, AIA Architect, for concept plan review for Multifeeder Technologhy, 4821 White Bear Parkway, for development of Lot 3 Block 1, Bald Eagle Industrial Park 4th addition The Community Development Intern presented the plan to the Commission. The development would consist of three buildings totaling 55,400 square feet including associated parking lots on Fenway Boulevard. A public road way would be constructed to allow for buildings 1 and 2 to be constructed with frontage along the new roadway. Building 3 would be the Multifeeder Technology facility that would employ 40-50 workers and involved high tech design and manufacturing of processing equipment. The other two buildings would be for future site build out. The applicant requested concept plan review to allow them to get informal comments from the City on their proposed plan before filing a formal application for site plan approval. The plan met the front and year yard building setbacks but not the required 40 foot side yard setback. The applicant would need a variance to locate the building 10 feet from the side yard as shown on the concept plan. Also, the proposed plan did not meet the minimum corner lot width; however, staff felt a variance would be appropriate because it allowed for the alignment of 134th Street. Schumann asked if the Fire Department had received the plans. The CDD said they had not received any comments from the fire department. Bruce Schwartzman was present as well as Neal Nordling, the president and CEO of Multifeeder Technology. Nordling explained Multifeeder Technology built equipment for automatic packing industries and also worked with printing and collating equipment. They operate internationally and were currently located near Highway 96 and Interstate 35E. Planning Commission Minutes — April 13, 2006 Page 7 Because it was a concept plan, no action was taken. Discussion on Expansion of Non -Conforming Businesses The CDD informed the Commission of a meeting that was being held on May 3, 2006 at 9a.m. to discuss the properties on the east side of north Highway 61 where the properties were zoned General Business. The zoning allowed for retail uses in this area but did not permit industrial uses. There was some interest among property owners to change the zoning of all these properties to General Industrial where industrial uses would be permitted and retail uses would not. The Council directed staff to hold a meeting between property owners, the Economic Development Authority, two Council members and two Planning Commission members to find out the intentions of the property owners. Rosenquist and Schumann volunteered to represent the Planning Commission at this meeting. Joint Workshop with Council on Code Enforcement The CDD reminded the Commission of a joint workshop with the City Council on Thrusday, June 1 at 7:00 p.m. to discuss code enforcement. City Wide Bus Tour The CDD reminded the Commission of the City-wide bus tour to be held on Thursday, May 4. The tour would begin at the new Oneka Elementary school at 3:30 p.m. with the bus departing at 4:45. Box dinners would be served at the Rice Lake Park Centre. Adiournment Rosenquist made motion, Bailly seconded, to adjourn at 10:11p.m. All Ayes. Motion carried. Michele Lindau, Secretary Planning Commission