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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004.04.27 PC MinutesMINUTES HUGO PLANNING COMMISSION APRIL 27, 2004 Call to Order Chairman Schumann called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. PRESENT: Bailly, Hoffbeck, Kleissler, Malaski, McRoberts, Rosenquist, Schumann ABSENT: None ALSO PRESENT: Kendra Lindahl, City Planner Michele Lindau, Secretary Minutes of March 11, 2004 Malaski made motion, Kleissler seconded, to approve the minutes of April 8, 2004 as submitted. All Ayes. Motion carried. POA Scherer -Crain, LLC - Victor Gardens 4L—h Addition The Commission continued the public hearing on the application of POAC-Crain, LLC, 3500 Willow Lake Blvd, Vadnais Heights, for a Comprehensive Plan Amendment, Rezoning to PUD, PUD Amendment, and Preliminary Plat approval for 92 townhome units and two future retail lots to be known as Victor Gardens 4th Addition. The property is generally located south of Frenchman Road (CSAH 8) and east of Elmcrest Avenue. The Planning Commission opened the public hearing on April 8, 2004, took comments, and recessed the public hearing to allow staff time to properly notice it. Arnie Triemert, 15220 Everton Avenue North, commented that apartments would not fit well in the Victor Gardens Development as were permitted in the original PUD, and townhomes were more appropriate. John Udsteun, 15190 Everton Avenue North, asked if approval of the project would affect anything on the north side of CSAH 8. Commissioner McRoberts also inquired if the developer would be requesting additional commercial on the north side since the proposed site was all currently guided for Commercial in the area planned for the Victor Gardens PUD north of CSAH 8 and the applicant was proposing to develop that portion of the PUD for commercial and residential development. McRoberts was concerned that future request may be to change what was sited as residential on the north of CSAH 8 to commercial. BE Planning Commission Minutes — April 27, 2004 Developer Len Pratt said that they had no plans at this time to request additional commercial on the north side but would like to remain flexible to match up with market conditions and the intent of the Victor Gardens concept plan. Pratt said they have always intended to have commercial and office retail as part of Victor Gardens. Marvin LaValle, Hugo property owner and former resident who now resides in Hinckley, had issues regarding public notice requirements. Staff had republished the public notice to meet the requirements of State Statue but did not resend amended notices to property owners. Staff acted on the advice of the City Attorney that remailing notices was not legally required. Commissioner Bailly commented that she likes the plan. Commissioner McRoberts asked that no request be made in the future for additional commercial. Commissioner Kleissler was concerned that proper notice was made. Commissioner Hoffbeck said she trusted the City Attorney's opinion regarding public notice. Hoffbeck felt the plat was well though out and approved of it. Commissioner Rosenquist said he thought the plat fit in well with the rest of Victor Gardens. Commissioner Malaski liked the plan and requested a condition be added to the resolution to require elimination of noxious plants and weeds. She thanked the developer for exceeding ordinance requirements by planting 5 -gallon shrubs where ordinance requires 3 -gallon. Malaski also questioned whether Victor Gardens would have sign standards for the commercial district. Pratt said they would. Chair Schumann said he felt the plan was consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and the rest of the Victor Gardens Development. Malaski made motion, Bailly seconded, to recommend approval with changes to the landscape plan. Ayes: Bailly, Hoffbeck, Malaski, Rosenquist, Schumann Nay: Kleissler Abstain: McRoberts Motion passed. POA Scherer — Victor Gardens HOA Community Pool The Hugo Commission continued the public hearing on the application of P.O.A. Scherer, 3030 Centre Pointe Drive, Roseville, for a PUD amendment for a HOA Community Pool facility. The location of the new facility would be centrally located -2- Planning Commission Minutes — April 27, 2004 within the 2nd addition of Victor Gardens. The Planning Commission opened the public hearing on April 8, 2004, took comments, and recessed the public hearing to allow staff time to properly notice it. Commissioner Hoftbeck had concerns about liability, maintenance, and safety issues related to the proposed swimming pool and questioned the fencing and the possibility of the fire pit being an attractive nuisance. Hoffbeck said she would like to see the facility put into the public/commercial venue, and questioned how they would keep the public out. Shelley Tompkins, representing the developer, told the Commission that there would be a fence around the pool with a locked gate for maintenance. The main access to the pool would be through the building. The fireplace would be gas with an outdoor rating and heat protection shields. The facility would be maintained by the Homeowners Association. Installation of the pool would be done by Community Development, Inc. who are experienced commercial pool contractors. The property management group would oversee the operation. Commissioner Rosenquist had no problems with the pool and the Homeowners Association overseeing it. Commissioner Malaski commended the developer on their landscaping plan. Commissioner McRoberts had concerns about keeping the general public out. Commissioner Kleissler said she felt the community needed a pool but had the same concerns about keeping the public out. Kleissler commented on the size of some parent/child changing rooms and recommended they be of adequate size. Kleissler made motion, Rosenquist seconded, to recommend approval of the Community Pool Facility for Victor Gardens. All Ayes. Motion carried. Pulte Homes of MN — Waters Edge South The Hugo Planning Commission continued the public hearing on the application of Pulte Homes of MN, 815 Northwest Parkway, Eagan, for rezoning to PUD, PUD General Plan, and Preliminary Plat approval for 534 townhomes to be known as Waters Edge South. The property is located east of Everton Avenue, south of the Waters Edge North Development, and consists of 119.57 acres. The Planning Commission opened the public hearing on April 8, 2004, took comments, and recessed the public hearing to allow staff time to properly notice it. Arnie Triemert, 15220 Everton Avenue North, said he would like to see transition and a buffer between the townhomes and agricultural properties. He presented a letter from Leroy and Mary Peltier, property owners along Elmcrest, saying they would like the -3- Planning Commission Minutes — April 27, 2004 same. Triemert said he felt the development to the north was well compensated by giving the land for the school in exchange for higher density, but Water's Edge South was offering nothing. John Udsteun, 15190 Everton Avenue North, recalled that there were to be no Certificates of Occupancy issued until Everton Avenue North was closed off to traffic. The Planner clarified that this was never the intention and was not required as a condition of approval for the Waters Edge North Development. All Ayes. Motion carried. Udsteun said that buffering should be more than ornamental trees and the plat should be denied because transition was needed. He said he felt the City would be setting precedent if we allow it to go through without transition; it was not consistent with what has been discussed for years. Mike Happ, owner of property on Everton, said the Everton Avenue process had gone on for years, and Everton Avenue was always to be isolated, and now it is being paved. He said that single family homes were always planned for Everton Avenue and requested that the plan be changed and single family homes be put in place of the townhomes. Chair Schumann replied that it was generally consistent with the overall plan. Laura Syring, 15149 Everton Avenue North, said they purchased the property last summer and moved in with dogs, horses and kids, and were not aware of any upcoming development. She said she attended several meetings but did not get notice of all meetings. She questioned how to keep the residents of the new development from using Everton Avenue North. Syring said they were promised a speed limit sign and construction traffic travels at 50-60 miles per hour. She said buffering was discussed at the meetings and felt townhomes behind their agricultural property was not a transition. She reaffirmed that the whole neighborhood felt the same way, and questioned the liability of owning livestock with no buffer between them and the children in the neighborhood; single family homes would reduce the number. She asked for the City's consideration. Chair Schumann said staff would investigate the speed limit issue and construction traffic concerns. He went on to explain that the vision of Hugo was established when the Forest Lake interceptor was install and in the 1993 Comprehensive Plan, it was affirmed that the east side of Hugo would be rural and the west side would be developed. This area of the City was slated for this sort of development 30 years ago. Syring invited the Commission to walk her property and look at what they were dealing with when asking the agricultural properties to cohabitate with new development. Triemert asked for consideration with transitions, and said that before the previous Community Development Director left, they met with Pulte who had promised them a buffer. -4- Planning Commission Minutes — April 27, 2004 Udsteun said there were violations on the agreement with the contractors regarding the hours of operations and the speed limit. Chair Schumann asked that he not segue into issues on other developments Marty Schwartz, 5980 Oneka Lake Boulevard, was there representing the Hugo Fire Department. He said the Department had issues with private drives, radius of curbs, parking and hydrant locations. The Planner replied that the roads and parking do comply with City Code and the location of the hydrants is being addressed as a condition of approval. Todd Baumgartner, Pulte Homes, said he will deal with the contractor issues if he is notified of them, and they do not intend any new residential traffic to travel on Everton. Commissioner Rosenquist suggested posting "Construction Only" traffic signs. Baumgartner said he had invited residents to a neighborhood meeting but only a few attended. He said he cannot substitute single family homes where the townhomes are or create a larger buffer due to the pipeline easement, wetland, and parkway. Commissioner Hoffbeck requested the developer prepare a plan showing the berming. This would give the landowners something to hold the developer accountable to. Baumgartner indicated that demographics show that there would be more children with single family development than with townhomes. He indicated that he could look at moving them a bit further to the east but he could not put single family homes in their place. Commissioner Malaski asked about the private drives and public roads. Mike Brandt, John Oliver and Associates, Inc., said he had been working with the Public Works Director and the City Engineer on the street plan. He explained that a large amount of ponding to the east was necessary for surrounding areas. Commissioner Malaski asked if they had spoken to Wagners Greenhouses, located south of the site, and she noted there was not a complete landscape plan. Brandt said they revised the grading to show they were not going through the Wagner property, and that they were working on the landscape plan. Brandt explained that there would be a variety of deciduous over story trees along the parkway and planting beds in the medians and at the intersections. Laura Syring, 15149 Everton Avenue North, corrected her prior statement regarding children and livestock by saying it was not specifically children being a problem, but higher density would increase the likelihood of there being issues with new residents. Mike Happ asked about the possibility of the main entrance ending up on Everton -5- Planning Commission Minutes — April 27, 2004 Avenue if the parkway never connected to CSAH 8. Chair Schumann said there would be an entrance at the south end of the development as shown on the plat, but not on the north end of Everton Avenue.. Baumgartner said they were working hard to see that the parkway went through. Commissioner Malaski asked if it would be a state aid road. The Planner said it was being designed as such so they may request state aid in the future. Commissioner Malaski expressed disappointment that the plan was not more unique; lots of townhomes in one area, and said she would have liked to see smaller units to accommodate the elderly. Commissioner Rosenquist questioned whether Pulte would consider installing a chain- link fence to prevent people from the development going on to the agricultural properties, and he asked the developers to work with staff on more creative berming. He requested the developers work with their contractors to see that speed limits were enforced. The Planner informed the Commission that the State sets the speed limits and cannot enforce limits set by others. Brandt said that in the contractor's document it specifies that construction can begin no earlier than 7 a.m. and no speeds in excess of 30 mph. Happ said that he spoke to MN DOT and was told by them that if the City takes care of the roads, the City can set the speed limits. The Planner disagreed, but said she'd check into it. Commissioner Hoffbeck said she felt the development was reasonable and complied with the Comprehensive Plan. She would only recommended approval of the development with the condition that, prior to the Council review, the residents get an agreement on the berm design and fencing that they could hold the developer to. Commissioner Kleissler asked if the well sites have been tested. The Planner told the Commission that there were three sites available and staff was confident that one would be good. Commissioner Kleissler said she'd like to see more variety in the homes and more landscaping. She agreed that berming and fencing issues needed to be resolved prior to the City Council meeting. Commissioner McRoberts had issues about the density and transitions and did not agree that they were generally in compliance. He recalled that during the Everton Avenue planning project, the point was well made that they needed to have transition. Commissioner Bailly said she liked the parkway and water feature, but would like to see the units moved further from the property line. -6- Planning Commission Minutes — April 27, 2004 Chair Schumann asked the developer to work with the City about shifting setbacks on the border and installing extra berming. Mike Brandt said they may be able to move only 10-15 feet due to the wetland feature and pipeline. He said they would work to provide larger trees and berming. Chair Schumann suggested they consider architecture to reduce impacts. Kleissler made motion, McRoberts seconded, to table the request to allow them time to address landscaping, berming and buffering issues and bring it back to the next Planning Commission meeting. Ayes: Kleissler, McRoberts Nay: Bailly, Hoffbeck, Malaski, Rosenquist, Schumann Motion failed. Hoffbeck made motion, Rosenquist seconded, to recommend approval with the condition that the neighborhood meeting be held prior to going to council on May 17, 2004. Ayes: Bailly, Hoffbeck, Malaski, Rosenquist, Schumann Nay: Kleissler, McRoberts Motion carried. The Commission took a short break. Centex Homes & Pratt Investment Company — Powers/Neeser The Hugo Planning Commission continued the public hearing on the application of Centex Homes, Minnetonka, and Pratt Investment Company, Vadnais Heights, for a rezoning to PUD, PUD General Plan, and Preliminary Plat approval for 126 single family homes and 207 townhome units. The Planning Commission opened the public hearing on April 8, 2004, took comments, and recessed the public hearing to allow staff time to properly notice it. Chair Schumann noted for the record a letter received from Randy and Roxanne Schriber, 15275 Elmcrest Avenue North. The Schriebers expressed their concern about the traffic, improvements to Elmcrest, and berming. The expressed approval of the townhomes verses single family home abutting their property. The Planner noted that based on information received from the City Engineer and the City Attorney, the State sets the speed limits, and to lower the limit the City can request that MN DOT do a speed study. Limits on rural section roads are set by State Statute and are based on the spacing of housing. Commissioner McRoberts made it known for the record that he lives on Elmcrest -7- Planning Commission Minutes — April 27, 2004 Avenue. Arnie Triemert, 15220 Everton Avenue North, said he likes the housing flexibility and would like to see more buffering to the east. John Udsteun, 15190 Everton Avenue North, said he appreciated the increase buffering they added to their plan. Lester Winter, 7473 24th Avenue, Lino Lakes, was concerned about the volume of water draining through his property. Lynn Stabner, 15135 Elmcrest Avenue North, said that increased traffic on the road with the current speed limit would be very dangerous. Chair Schumann said it was possible to make application to the state for the speed study. Commissioner Malaski wondered if signs could be installed warning about the driveways. A resident who leases property at 7393 24th Avenue, Lino Lakes, for an equestrian center was concerned about water runoff from the development and the safety of people riding horses with the increased traffic from the development. David Gratezer, 7306 24th Avenue, Lino Lakes h wanted the speed study done on Elmcrest and asked if Pratt would post construction traffic speed limits of 30 mph or less. Pratt indicated that there would be no way for him to enforce it. Gratezer requested turn lanes for residents and businesses along Elmcrest. The quality of the upgrade to Elmcrest Avenue was a concern of Gratezers because the Planner from Lino Lakes told him the west side of Elmcrest wasn't likely to develop within the next 8-10 years. Gratezer asked that the road be upgraded to last that long and questioned when the CSAH 8/14 and Victor Hugo Boulevard intersection would be improved because when the median is installed, there will only be right -in and right -out traffic on Elmcrest. Pratt said the road would be completed when the median is constructed. Gratezer said it was unfair to say there was no cost to taxpayers when Pratt is paying for the road now but in the future, the residents will be paying for it. Commissioner Hoffbeck thought the plan was well thought out and complied with the Comprehensive Plan. She said she liked the diversity within the development and the City needed to consider a speed study be done on Elmcrest Avenue. Commissioner Rosenquist said he liked the plan. Commissioner Malaski said the new school and parks proposed in the development would be an asset to the City. She liked the landscaping plan; nice variety of plants and the sizes were larger than required by ordinance. She appreciated the preservation of the barn, trees, and woodlands. Commissioner Bailly liked the transition from townhomes along Elmcrest to the single -8- Planning Commission Minutes — April 27, 2004 family homes near the school, approved of the trail and said it was well laid out with what is happening on adjacent sites. Commissioner McRoberts said he felt the biggest concern was the impact of traffic on Elmcrest Avenue and it needed to be closely monitored. He asked Pratt to strongly encourage contractors to exercise common sense. Commissioner Kleissler echoed the other's thoughts saying she had no concerns regarding the plan, but the MN DOT traffic study should be followed through. The preservation of the barn could be an asset to theater groups. Chair Schumann said the development underscored some of the best elements of the property. He complimented Pratt on it and the work he had done with the neighbors. Malaski made motion, Bailly seconded, to recommend approval of the development and recommended a speed study be done on Elmcrest. All Ayes. Motion carried. Miscellaneous Discussion The commission discussed the possibility of having a workable alternative night for an additional meeting during the month to avoid extending the regularly scheduled meetings past 10:00 p.m. Adiournment McRoberts made motion, Malaski seconded, to adjourn at 10:55 p.m. All Ayes. Motion carried. Michele Lindau, Secretary Planning Commission -9-