HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005.02.10 PC MinutesMINUTES
HUGO PLANNING COMMISSION
February 10, 2005
Call to Order
Chairman Schumann called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
PRESENT: Bailly, Hoffbeck, Kleissler, Malaski, McRoberts, Rosenquist, Schumann
ABSENT: None
ALSO PRESENT: Bryan Bear, Community Development Director (CDD)
Kendra Lindahl, Planner
Minutes of January 27, 2005
Kleissler made motion, Bailly seconded, to approve the minutes of January 27, 2004 as submitted.
Ayes: Bailly, Hoffbeck, Kleissler, McRoberts, Rosenquist, Schumann
Abstain: Malaski
All Ayes. Motion carried.
Victor Gardens North PUD and Preliminary Plat (Continued)
The Commission continued the public hearing to consider the request for approval of a
preliminary plat and PUD general plan for "Victor Gardens North" consisting of 198 townhome
units and approximately 69,900 square feet of neighborhood office/retail on 46.43 -acres located
north of Frenchmen Road (CSAH 8) and east of Elmcrest Avenue North.
The Planner discussed some of the issues raised at the previous Commission meeting on January
13, and the revisions that were made to the plan. Issues were the lack of senior housing,
emergency vehicle turnarounds, access into the commercial areas, and the residential building
architecture. The applicant had revised the plans to try to address issues that were raised by the
Planning Commission.
Schumann opened the public hearing.
McRoberts questioned whether the public hearing had been noticed. The CDD explained that it
is not the City's practice to renotice the public on items that have been tabled.
Len Pratt, Pratt Homes, introduced the members of the Knowlans grocery store chain, and
explained that there were seven locations with their most recent store in the Andover area. Pratt
Planning Commission Minutes — February 10, 2005
explained that they had been included all along in the shaping of the proposed store. Cathy
Anderson, who worked on the architecture, did the project "Village of Blaine" and the
redevelopment of Apache Plaza. Also members of Westwood Planning Engineering, United
Property Group, and Rottlund Homes were in attendance. United Properties group would own
the building and lease it to Festival Foods.
Pratt talked about the loading dock, wing walls and screening, saying an eight -foot high berm
would accomplish the screening while wing walls are subject to damage. They would rather
screen with the berm instead of the wing wall. He explained that he would like to leave the
upland area to the east berm free until the property develops. Schumann pointed out that the
development is located along the corridor into Hugo.
Pratt addressed the issue of trash enclosures saying the owners agreed not to have dumpsters
located outside. The dumpster enclosures would be made of the same block that the building is
made of and would be enlarged. Because of wetlands, it was necessary to place the trash
enclosure where they did.
Bruce Carlson, Vice President of Retail Development, Untied Properties, said the company
currently manages 22 million square feet of commercial property. The compactors would be
screened by the berm and putting up a wall would be a redundant and unnecessary expense. It
would be a service area only. The compactors would be self-contained.
Director of Operations of Knowlans Supermarkets explained that the compactors would be self-
contained and accessed from inside the store with no external parts or trash.
Pratt discussed landscaping issues, explaining shade trees only offer shade for certain months of
the year so they instead put their efforts into designing the exterior of the building where it would
look nice all year; they did not want to hide it or screen it with landscaping. The landscaping in
the center island would parallel what was in the split entry island and the aesthetics of the
landscaping would be balanced. There would also be landscaping in the parkway as you come in
from the back of the building. They also committed to planting four -inch caliper trees within the
parking lots and along the public streets.
McRoberts was concerned that it was not a good idea to put all the same kinds of trees,
specifically Honey Locust in the parking area. He strongly encouraged a mix of species.
Cathy Anderson, Architectural Consortium, said she had designed many shopping centers over
the years. She said she felt the beauty of the centers in the past years has risen and they have
found that to have a balance, it was necessary to keep up the parking lot areas. The Honey
Locust trees allowed the center to be seen, which would benefit the retailers. Islands would be
bermed with low shrubs and they have studied species of plants that would not be bothered by
the salt from snow removal.
Pratt discussed the location of the identifying sign and said that he wanted it to be set closer to
C.S.A.H 8. Dave Hemple, Contractor Property Development Company, said their intent was to
Planning Commission Minutes — February 10, 2005
duplicate what was on the south side of C.S.A.H 8.
The Commission asked about the variety of architecture of the townhomes. Bruce Pankenon, with
David Bernard & Rottlund Homes Company, explained that they had been working with the City to
change the elevation of the townhomes facing Elmcrest Avenue and the ends of the buildings. Three
different concepts were presented for consideration and he explained that they intended to wrap the
entire bottoms of the buildings and the end of the buildings with a cultured stone product and finish
the buildings with different sidings. He showed the locations of the mechanical components of the
units. All three elevations would be included in the development and would be mixed with four to
six different exterior colors for plenty of variety. Staff would work with developers to identify where
each type of building would be.
There were no comments from the public so Schumann closed the public hearing.
Commission McRoberts recalled a condition was to be included regarding the adjacent agricultural
uses. Parties considering the purchase of homes in the development that were adjacent to the
properties to the north were to be made aware that the north properties are agricultural and what the
permitted use of agricultural property is.
The Planner explained that she recalled in the previous discussion that if that condition was included,
it may cause buyers to assume that property to the north would always be agricultural. The
Commission agreed it should be included in the conditions of approval but be worded to not imply
that the use would never change.
Commission members agreed they liked the revisions to the outside design of the townhomes.
Rosenquist said he has seen snowplowing equipment do more damage to wing walls than semi trucks
and he has seen wing walls and berms work well together. He felt that walls on top of the berm
would reduce the noise level of trucks.
The CDD discouraged the use of the wall on top of the berm for aesthetics reason and felt the berm
and screening the wall next to the truck dock would provide adequate screening.
Rosenquist asked if it could be a condition of approval that some screening is done on the adjacent
property when it develops. Pratt committed work to provide screening on the adjacent development.
Hoffbeck asked Anderson her opinion of the wall. Anderson explained that it didn't make sense, for
aesthetic and financial reasons, to construct the wall when there was the ability to construct a berm.
Commissioner McRoberts asked about the site line for the townhomes off the back of the building
and felt the berm was preferable to the wall. McRoberts discussed the hours of operation saying 11
p.m. was very late for deliveries. Rosenquist pointed out that plow trucks could be an issue too.
Kleissler asked how much additional space would be needed to add more berm if the building could
be moved forward.
Planning Commission Minutes — February 10, 2005
Hoffebeck could not see any additional benefit with the wall and the owners of townhomes adjacent
to the loading area would be aware of what they were purchasing.
Bailly talked about putting all conifer trees on the berm.
The Commission discussed the hours of operations. A representative of Knowlans Supermarkets
explained that their typical receiving hours were from lam to 1pm for the vast majority of the
receiving, and perhaps one or two deliveries in the evenings.
The Commission had no issue with the sign setback.
The Commission approved of the revisions to the building mix and architecture, and moving the sign
up to a zero foot setback. The Commission also agreed the trash enclosures and loading area should
have conifer trees in the berm and the conditions requiring the wing wall and berming on the east be
deleted. The Commission approved of granting PUD flexibility for the parking lot landscape to
allow four -inch overstory trees in the parking lot islands. The Commission requested there be
language in the resolution to notify townhome buyers that there is agricultural zoning to the north
and what that zoning allows. Also to be a condition of approval was to have ongoing maintenance
for screening trees.
McRoberts said he appreciated the single level homes on the north boundary of the site.
McRoberts made motion, Hoffbeck seconded, to recommend approval of the PUD general plan and
the plat subject to the comments by the Planning Commission.
All Ayes. Motion carried.
Adjournment
The Commission adjourned at 8:30 p.m.
Michele Lindau, Secretary
Planning Commission