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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996.04.24 PC MinutesMINUTES OF*.--rHE.-:' HUGO PLANNING COMMISSION.-MEE.1'ING --- APRIL 24. 1996 The regular meeting was called to order at 7:13PM by Chairman Peltier. PRESENT: Agness, Waller, Rubenzer, Malaski, Kellison, Schumann, Peltier, Ed Elliott, Carole LaBelle Motion made by Kellison, seconded by Agness to approve the minutes of March 27, 1996 as amended. AYE: Agness, Waller, Malaski, Kellison, Schumann, Peltier ABSTAIN: Rubenzer SPECIAL USE PERMIT - MC ELMURY Commissioner Kellison excused himself from the Planning Commission because of a conflict of interest on this issue. Mr. Elliott recommended that the McElmury request be tabled until May 22, 1996, in order for him to do a thorough review of the application. Also, the public hearing date in the paper stated the meeting was to be on April 27th. A correction was printed but Mr. Kellison felt this would be an illegal public hearing. Motion made by Agness to close the public hearing and reschedule this request and public hearing for May 22, 1996, and waive any fees which may be incurred because of the delay. All aye, motion passed. SPECIAL. USE PERMIT /,EXTERI(]JR STORAGE - LOWELL The applicant is requesting a Special Use Permit to allow exterior storage on his property at 5444 140th St. This SUP is being considered with a building permit/certificate of occupancy, an approved parking plan, a detailed site plan with appropriate provisions for the screening of exterior storage, and either a combined or separate SUP for commercial use of the property. Staff recommended that the special use permit for exterior storage at 5444 140th St., Hugo, be tabled due to an incomplete application. Motion made by Kellison, seconded by Peltier, to recess the public hearing until May 22, 1996. Motion made by Schumann, seconded by Malaski to table this request until May 22, 1996 and request that it be reviewed by the City Attorney. All aye, motion passed. P.C. Minutes - 4-24-96 Page 2 Ed Elliott stated that the applicants are requesting to renew their special use permit, originally approved in June of 1994, for the processing and storage of firewood, recycling of tree waste, chipping and burning. The SUP was granted for a 24 month period. The subject property is 50.31 acres in size, accessed from 165th Street and zoned and guided industrial. No violations have been reported to the city. The Hugo Fire Department has addressed three specific concerns: annual cleanup, plowed access and fees. The operation is periodically purged of debris and wood waste products. Due to winter operations the access to the property is kept open. Dave Newberg, attorney for Thommes and Thomas requested that the permit be extended to a three year permit and as a "house cleaning item", the easement be vacated as the applicant now owns the property to the southwest which the easement served. John Thommes agreed to increase the bond to $1,000 and to pay for each individual burning permit. There were no comments from the general public. Motion made by Rubenzer, seconded by Peltier to recommend approval of the special use permit for Thommes and Thomas to continue their wood processing business subject to the following conditions: 1. Increase the bond to $1,000.00. 2. Issue the special use permit for a three year period to expire June of 1999. 3. A burning permit must be obtained for each occurrence and the $10.00 fee paid. All aye, motion passed. The applicant is requesting to subdivide .63 acres from an approximately 70 acre parcel. Parcel A, .63 acres, is to be combined with the Gregory and Elizabeth Bernier .82 acre property adjacent to the west. The property is being sold to the Berniers for the purpose of constructing a 3600 square foot storage building on the combined (1.45 acres) property. Parcel A, if not combined with the Bernier property, has no public access. The subject property is currently zoned Agricultural and utilized for crop production. The land is guided for Agriculture. It is recommended that the minor subdivision be approved subject to special conditions. The public hearing was opened and closed with no comment from the general public. P.C. Minutes - 4-24-96 Page 3 Motion made by Kellison, seconded by Peltier minor subdivision request of Vern and Marie acre parcel being combined with the Bernier acre. All aye, motion passed. to recommend approval of the PeIoquin`Subject to the .63 parcel to the west of .82 The applicant is requesting a special use permit to construct a 3600 sq. foot accessory building on the .63 acre parcel being acquired from Vern and Marie Peloquin. The property is zoned agricultural and is the applicant's residence. The existing .82 acre property will become a 1.5 acre parcel when combined, which allows accessory structures not in excess of 3600 sq. feet. The two existing accessory structures presently on the original property total approximately 1.408 sq. feet. The combined square footage would total 5008 sq. feet. The proposed use of the new structure is for cold storage of personal property. Several Commissioners felt a building of this size would be excessive in an RR2 zone and that permits should not be granted arbitrarily for such large buildings. Mr. Bernier stated that Rice Creek Watershed District reviewed the location of the proposed building. Motion made by Schumann, seconded by Rubenzer to recommend approval of the special use permit for Gregory & Elizabeth Bernier to construct a 40' X 90' accessory storage building subject to the following conditions: 1. The SUP be granted contingent upon approval of the Vern and Marie Peloquin Minor Subdivision of .63 acres and combination with the Bernier's .82 acres. 2. The subject 40 X 90 accessory building be used only for personal property cold storage. AYE: Agness, Waller, Schumann, Rubenzer, Peltier NAY: Malaski, Kellison Motion passed. SPECIAL USE PERMIT -- MEEHAN/LAL.JZON The property owned by Patrick Meehan, 12611 Ingersoll Ave., is well maintained and in excellent condition. The home has an attached garage with an 1800 sq. ft. accessory building in the rear yard. The applicant is requesting a Special Use Permit to use a 36' X 50' pole building (1800 sq. ft.) for storage of lawn equipment and snow plowing equipment to operate his business. The application also includes exterior storage in an RR2 zoning district. The subject property is 2.45 acres in size. The applicant has indicated that the business employs two other persons and subcontractors. Equipment on site would consist of 1 dump truck, 2 pick up trucks, 10 lawn mowers, thatcher, 52" mower, vacuum trailer, and a flatbed trailer. The applicant stated that equipment would be loaded in the evening so as not to disturb the neighborhood in the early morning. P.C. Minutes - 4-24-96 Page 4 80% of the business equipment would be stored indoors. "A couple of trailers" are to be stored outside. The applicant's stated that all subcontractor contact is done on the phone. All employees will park on site. Surrounding neighbors Doug Kruse and Dave Strubb stated they have no objection to the business being located at this site. Motion made by Malaski, seconded by Kellison to recommend denial of the special use permit request on the basis that it is inconsistent with the surrounding area and that commercial businesses are not allowed in the RR2 zone. AYE: Agness, Waller, Malaski, Kellison, Schumann NAY: Peltier, Rubenzer Motion passed. The Planning Commission requests that the City Attorney review the legality of a business operating from an RR2 district. Motion made by Peltier, seconded by Schumann to move the Donlon application next on the agenda. All aye, motion passed. SITE PLAN/AMATEUR RADIO TOWER - PULEO/DONL.ON The applicant is requesting site plan approval to construct an 80 foot radio tower and a 10' X 10' building for an amateur radio transmitter. The proposed tower would be located on Frank and Jody Puleo's property, 15409 Forest Blvd., a 39 acre, agricultural parcel abutting T.H. 61. The subject property currently houses the Puleo's greenhouses and accessory structures, in addition to their roadside produce stand. Richard Donlon stated that the building would be constructed of wood and made to look similar to the "Old Town" style building on site. The radio club agrees to landscape the area around the building and install tower guards to prohibit anyone from climbing the tower. The radio club is responsible for alleviating any interference problem with surrounding residents due to the installation of the tower. There will also be a weather camera located on the tower. Motion made by Malaski, seconded by Rubenzer to recommend approval of the site plan for Richard Donlon for the construction of an 80' radio tower and 10' X 10' transmitter building at 15409 Forest Blvd. subject to the following conditions: 1. Tower guards be installed to prohibit access to the tower. 2. The radio club landscape the area around the building and tower. 3. That this remain a hobby club only and not for commercial gain and a copy of the bylaws be kept at city hall for review. All aye, motion passed. P.C. Minutes - 4-24-96 Page 5 Commissioner Kellison left the meeting. The City is requesting to rezone 42.43 acres west of T.H. 61 from agriculture and conservancy to commercial. The subject property is north of 147th St. and adjacent to T.H. 61. The applicant's request is to facilitate the construction of a new U.S. Post Office. The subject property is currently vacant and contains a large wetland and flood plain area on its western edge. The present comprehensive plan reflects the zoning of the property. The comprehensive plan currently under review guides the area for public use. The application has been proposed to allow construction of a new post office on Flay Ave. North. The initial concept is a cul-de-sac street with access from T.H. 61, functioning like a frontage street. The post office site would occupy part of a small commercial strip terminating in a cul-de-sac north of the residential homes adjacent to the south. Much of the 42 acres is wetland and undevelopable soils (Seelyeville muck, soil 540 in the Washington County Soil Survey). Therefore the majority of the property will not be able to accommodate development, commercial or otherwise. Rezoning the entire 42 acres would not be an accurate representation of available commercial land in the City. Rezoning of the actual area to be developed or the potential developable area would be more appropriate' There were no comments from the general public. Motion made by Agness, seconded by Rubenzer to table this application until all information has been provided. All aye, motion passed. STREET VACATION - RICE LAKE MEADOWS 4TH It was noted that the City Council referred this request to the Planning Commission. There was some confusion whether this was to schedule a public hearing or determine whether a hearing would be required. Jim Merila and Kent Roessler were present and stated that a recent discovery indicated that the roadway easement for the extension of Geneva Ave. had been deeded to Cary Weisner rather than the City and consequently required no vacation by the City. Mr. Merila stated they were present to give the Planning Commission an opportunity to review the plat and identify that all requests made by the Commission in the Fall of 1995 had been completed. P.C. Minutes - 4-24-96 page 6 Motion made by Schumann, seconded by Peltier to recommend that the City Council hold a public hearing for the vacation of the roadway easement of Geneva Ave. south of 145th St. at their next available meeting based on the opinion of the City Attorney whether or not the public hearing and vacation is required by the City. All aye, motion passed. Motion made by Agness, seconded by Malaski, to adjourn at 10:35. All aye, motion passed. Carole LaBelle, Secretary Hugo Planning Commission