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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003.04.10 PC MinutesMINUTES HUGO PLANNING COMMISSION April 10, 2003 Call to Order Chairperson Schumann called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. PRESENT: Bailly, Kleissler, Malaski, McRoberts, Peltier, Rosenquist, Schumann ABSENT: None ALSO PRESENT: John Rask, Community Development Director Michele Lindau, Planning Commission Secretary Minutes of March 27, 2003 Kleissler made motion, Malaski seconded, to approve of the minutes of March 27, 2003 as submitted. All Ayes. Motion carried All Wood Products — Amended CUP for Thommes & Thomas The Hugo Planning Commission held a public hearing to consider the application of All -Wood Products, 551 Barge Channel Rd., St. Paul, to amend Thommes and Thomas Land Clearing's special use permit to allow All -Wood Products to operate a wood processing business on the same site occupied by them. Thommes and Thomas operate on 50.31 acres of land adjoining 5728 165th St. N., legally described as part of the E 1/2 of the SW 1/4 of Section 8 The CD Director explained that the existing conditional use permit allows Thommes and Thomas to accept and process trees, brush, logs, and other yard waste at the site, and All -Wood Projects would accept and process the same material, but would not burn any of the wood waste. The wood waste would be chipped and sold for fuel or landscaping. All Wood Products would provide wood chips to District Energy in St. Paul for their new wood -burning energy facility. All - Wood had requested to be open from noon to 7:00 pm. Rosenquist inquired whether two separate companies were allowed to operate on one property and the CD Director said it was permitted. Planning Commission Meeting April 10, 2003 - page 2 Malaski commented that the road was very narrow and should be made wider to accommodate the increase in traffic. Steve Spaid, General Manager for All -Wood Products, explained that they were currently operating out of St. Paul and the site in Hugo would not be much different than the Thommes and Thomas's business. He explained that Thommes and Thomas currently burns in an air curtain burner, which they would no longer do because All Wood would use the wood to chip and make bulk mulches for sale to the public and other retail units. Spaid said that they process tree waste for landscape products and indicated that they work with Thommes and Thomas processing logs. Malaski asked if Thommes and Thomas would be selling product from the site or would it be All - Wood employees. Spaid said it would be All -Woods personnel. Malaski asked how customers would locate them on the site. Spaid said there would be a fence line separating them from Thommes and Thomas and they would have a small shed to sell out of. Spaid also said there would be a bobcat stored on the property. Rosenquist inquired on the Conditional Use Permit for their site in St. Paul. Spaid explained that the Conditional Use Permit was put on hold for 60 days to allow the West St. Paul Neighborhood Coalition to work with them to determine how to deal with the new development in the area. Malaski asked about quantities to be stockpiled. Spaid said the DNR has restricted Thommes and Thomas to a 50 X 125 X 12 foot pile on the site. After a certain amount was collected, they would begin chipping. Rosenquist asked how many trips are made to the St. Paul site and what was expected in Hugo. Spaid said there were approximately 30 loads hauled per quarter. He predicted approximately 20 trips per week in Hugo by residents, and a maximum of 17 trucks per day after processing. He said processing was done after enough logs were collected, approximately once per quarter. Rosenquist asked if they have experienced problems with rodents and Spaid said he has had problems with deer. Rosenquist asked if it was necessary to be open on Sundays and Spaid replied that it worked well with the residents to be able to drop off on Sundays but they could start out not being opened on Sundays if the City wished. Bailly asked if the wood chips would be standing for several months and if Thomas and Thomas would be removing the air curtain -burner. Spaid said that they wouldn't be storing piles of chips on the site and they had an agreement with Thommes and Thomas to chip the wood that they were currently burning in the air curtain burner. John Thommes was present at the meeting and McRoberts asked him if this was true. John Thommes said it was, but he did not want the use of the air -curtain burner removed from the Conditional Use Permit. Planning Commission Meeting April 10, 2003 - page 3 Schumann opened the public hearing. Kathy Suess, 5725 165th St. N., stated her concern about the rubbish falling from the trucks and the dust from the traffic that ends up in her home. She also said she disliked the idea of Sunday hours. Rick Suess, 2725 165th St. N. asked what the City would receive for allowing the business there. He said there would be no tax revenue or anything thing to enrich the City. Suess said the entrance to the site was approximately 1,200 feet from his property. He said he never had any problems with Thommes and Thomas but was concerned about the noise level and said he felt the property was not set up for retail sales. He noted that there was already a compost site on County Road 4. Pat Morin, 5490 159th St. N., said his patio door looks right at the property and often trucks come in late at night. Because there is no buffer to the south, he said he could often hear tailgates slam. Jerry and Diane Tonder, 15904 Finley Ave. N., stated their concern about the noise level and spontaneous combustion. Diane Tonder had visited All -Wood's St. Paul site and said the tree piles there were huge. The Tonders said they were concerned about rodents living under the piles, air pollution, and the possibility of fires. They said they felt the business did not belong in a residential area. John Brisch, 5716 159th Cir. N., said he feels Mr. Spaid is downplaying what he intends to do on the property and Brisch was concerned that animals would be living under the piles of brush and he did not want them in his yard. Beth Brisch, 5716 159th Cir. N., stated her concern about the vapors and the dust that can irritate those with asthma. Steve Leslie, 5710 159th Cir., N., expressed concern about the spread of tree disease from residents hauling diseased trees onto the property. Scott Hay, 15945 Finley Ave., said he was against allowing All -Wood to operate on the site. He said the piles of wood from Thommes and Thomas are an eyesore and he is concerned about rodents, dust, smoke, pollution, and the noise from the chipper. Pan Ochs, 5756 165th St. N., expressed concern about the traffic because she has small children and is a licensed foster care provider. She also said she was worried about stuff falling off the trucks and the dust and dirt. She said she did not approve of an eight -foot sign in front of her home. Mike Ricci, 5712 159th Cir., N., asked if there was going to be a building on the property, and Chairman Schumann said there was not one proposed yet but it could happen because it is in a light industrial area. Ricci asked is the piles of wood would be pushed further south and the CD Director informed him that they would have to be consistent with their site plan. Planning Commission Meeting April 10, 2003 - page 4 Jason Atkins, 5714 159th Cr. N., said that they would not be bringing any taxes into the City and he was concerned that waste being dumped would leech into the water table. Art Munger, 5311 165th St. N., said he agreed with the other comments and was concerned that the business would grow. Vicki Walsh, 5635 165th St., said she opposed it due mostly to traffic concerns because of larger trucks, safety of children using the bike path, and difficulty turning on to 165th St. from Hwy 61. There were no other comments and Schumann closed the public hearing. Steve Spaid explained that it would be a seasonal operation, opening in April and going until around November. Spaid said he was willing to work with the City on the requirements. Malaski asked about burning verses chipping, and Spaid said that the air curtain burner does emit fumes and smoke, and he would be able to process and haul immediately. He indicated that he could have a smaller sign if it was a concern, and there was no reason to worry about pollution to the water table. Rosenquist asked it the Hugo site would be advertised to the whole metro area. Spaid responded that it would be advertised in Hugo, White Bear Lake, and Forest Lake. He preferred people use their St. Paul site. Malaski asked if sprays or chemicals were used on the wood chips and Spaid said that there was no treatment to the wood and they only accepted natural wood, no green -treated. Schumann asked Spaid what he thought of blacktopping 165th St., and Spaid said that it would depend on the revenue and profitability, and he would want other business to participate in paying for it. Kleissler asked how many trips would be necessary for the business to be successful. Spaid said they would probably start of around 20 trucks per week. He indicated that there would be a charge for residents to drop off wood. Gary Kurth, owner of All Wood Products, said they could not operate on Sundays if the residents didn't want them to. He also indicated that they would direct people to the St. Paul site because it was closer to the plant. He said that they had been in town for three days grinding for Thommes and Thomas and there were no complaints. Rosenquist asked about the status of their Conditional Use Permit in the City of St. Paul, and Kurth explained that the City was requesting changes to their site plan and All Wood was in the process of complying. He stated that Hugo's Conditional Use Permit is more restrictive than St. Paul's. Malaski said she felt there was a lack of buffering to the south, the road needed improvements, and was against operating on Sunday. She continued to say she felt the site plan was inadequate Planning Commission Meeting April 10, 2003 - page 5 and landscaping would be required if they constructed a building. Malaski did not approve of the sign, was concerned about rodents, and asked how many trucks would be on the site. Spaid said they would only bring in the trucks as needed. Kleissler asked if they had addressed the fire issue and if there were any preventative plans. The CD Director explained that limits imposed by MN DNR fire specialists already existed. McRoberts noted that the existing Conditional Use Permit required screening to the south and asked if there was an issue of non-compliance. John Thommes explained that they planted a row of trees there that were only six to seven feet tall. McRoberts said he didn't see how the community would benefit from this. He said he felt the application and site plan were incomplete, and it would not be appropriate for the site. Bailly said dust from the road would need to be addressed, and felt the business would be an eyesore for the residents because of the lack of a buffer. Peltier agreed with the others' comments and wanted to see it tabled. Schumann asked if there were problems with having two businesses on one property in terms of code enforcement, and the CD Directed responded saying the landowner would be cited in any zoning violations. Malaski made motion, McRoberts seconded, to recommend denial of the amendment to the Conditional Use Permit. Ayes: Bailly, Kleissler, Malaski, McRoberts, Rosenquist, Schumann Nay: Peltier Motion carried. The Commission took a short break Amendment to Comprehensive Plan to Adiust MUSA Boundary The Planning Commission held a public hearing to consider adding to the MUSA parcels that are owned by Gary Markovich, Frank Puleo, and Beverly Aplikowski, which are legally described as a portion of the N %2 of the SE 1/4 of Section 8, consisting of approximately 84 acres. The CD Director explained that on June 21, 1999, the City of Hugo rezoned the properties from Agricultural to General Business and Urban Residential. Both the General Business and Urban Residential zoning districts required the properties to be within the MUSA, however, the MUSA line was never adjusted to include the parcels. He explained that, while water would be available to the parcels once the properties to the south are developed, sanitary sewer would not be available until Planning Commission Meeting April 10, 2003 - page 6 after 2020, at which time it will drain to 165th St. and gravity flow one mile to the west to the interceptor. The Creekview Preserve Development to the west was developed with a 12 -in sewer main and would not have adequate capacity to service the properties. Staff had recommend that the Planning Commission table action to provide the City Attorney an opportunity to review the matter and suggest options for dealing with the current inconsistency between the zoning map and the Comprehensive Plan. Chairman Schumann opened the public hearing. Bev Aplikowski explained that in 1997, she had submitted an application to have her property included in the MUSA. At that time, the Planning Commission deferred action on it at the request of the Council to allow time to consider legal ramifications and get input from the Metropolitan Council. Aplikowski participated in a drainage study under the assumption that her property would be included in the MUSA. She said she was working on a plan for a senior housing complex with some retail. Elizabeth Herrmann, 6189 165th St. N., said her and her neighbors had mound systems and do not want to be assessed for sewer. The CD Director explained that it was City policy to require developers pay for infrastructure themselves and not assess neighboring properties. Schumann recessed the public hearing. Schumann made motion, Malaski seconded, to table the request. All Ayes. Motion carried. CSAH 8/14 Meeting The CD Director invited the Commission to attend the meeting on April 28, 2003, for discussion on the County Road 8 project. Adjournment Peltier made motion, Malaski seconded, to adjourn at 9:13 pm. All ayes. Motion carried. Michele Lindau, Secretary Planning Commission