HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-12-12 CPC MIN
Others Steve Russell, community development director; Ann
Terwedo, planning
Chairman Fontaine called the meeting to order a? 7:05 p.m.
Mayor Hooley appeared before the Commission) and thanked members for
their support and for the gift.
PLANNING COMMISSION
Dec. 12, 1994
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Present: Jerry Fontaine, chairman
Glenna Bealka, Duane Elliott, Rob Hakmlin,
Kirk Roetman, and Don Valsvik
Absent: Dorothy Foster, Jay Kimble and Darwin Wald
Case No. SUP/94-64. A special use permit to conduct an office use out of a
40 residential structure at 102 S. Sherburne in the RIB, Two Family
Residential District. Ted Harms, applicant.
Mr. Harms appeared on his own behalf. He saiO he owns a company which
produces educational materials and wants to relocate from the west coast
to an office here. He said the business does not have any customer traffic
and would not create any traffic congestion. He said he understood the
area was zoned residential, but said he thought the business would be a
credit to the neighborhood.
Ted Gillen, 1011 W. Myrtle St., said he thought )operating an office out of a
residence would be OK only if there were no other commercial places
available. He said he would prefer the house to I remain residential and said
an office use would not do any good to the neighboring properties.
Herb Kaplan, 106 S. Sherburne, said a house/office would be acceptable,
but said he and his wife would object if the existing residence were to be
used only for commercial/office use.
Mr. Harms said the house would not be changed lin any way. There would be
• no sign, he said, and no on-street parking. The most traffic the business
would generate would be UPS deliveries, he said. He had the opportunity to
• purchase the house and it looked like it could have met his needs. He also
said he would be happy to supply neighbors with character references.
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Mr. Hamlin said he supports cottage-type h
proposal sounds like it should be located in an
said he did not see any hardship in findinc
business. Mr. Roetman agreed that the propos
the neighborhood. He also suggested that grantii
not rezoning would be doing an injustice tc
commercial property taxes.
Duane Elliott, seconded by Don Valsvik, moved
favor. Mr. Fontaine reminded Mr. Harms that
appealing the denial within 10 days.
Case No. SUP/94-65. The case was continued.
idustry. But he said this
rea zoned for business and
another location for the
al was not consistent with
ig a special use permit and
other businesses paying
to deny the request; all in
he did have the option of
Case No. V/94-61A variance to the front yard setback requirement (30
feet required, 4.5 feet requested) for a porch and second floor addition at
1656 S. Greeley St. in the RA, Single Family Residential District. Richard
Ritzer, applicant.
Mr. Ritzer appeared on his own behalf. He said there was some
misunderstanding regarding the setback requirements. He said he was told
it was 20 feet, not 30, and he was requesting 6.6 feet, rather than 4.
There was discussion about the zoning in the area and variance previously
issued to the Ritzers for construction of a large garage/storage building.
The garage was connected to the residence, which was not part of the
variance initially approved.
Staff had recommended denial of the request. Mr. Russell referred to the
issue of fire protection in having the buildings connected and said there
was a way of accomplishing the requested addition by keeping the
buildings separate.
Mr. Hamlin moved approval with the condition that a fire barrier, approved
by the fire department, be installed. Mr. Valsvik suggested adding the
condition that the existing structures be brought up to code. Mr. Hamlin
accepted the amendment to his motion; Mr. Valsvik seconded the motion.
Vote was 5-1, with Mr. Elliott voting no.
Mr. Elliott expressed his frustration with trying to correct something that
wasn't done properly after the original variance was granted. Mr. Valsvik
agreed that there should be some follow-up when variances are granted to
make sure the conditions of approval are followed; he wondered if that
was the Planning Commission's or city staff's responsibility.
Mr. Valsvik suggested that Mr. Russell prepare some possible
recommendations regarding follow-up on variances/conditions of approval
for consideration at the next meeting.
Case No. SUP/V/94-67. A special use permit to conduct a take-out
business at 210 N. Main St. in the CBD, Central Business District, with a
variance to the sign ordinance for construction of a 6-foot tall free-
standing sign, three feet from the front property line (15 feet required).
Mohanmmand-Ali-Salehi-Mischei, applicant.
Don Broman appeared representing the applicant. Gary Bressler, project
architect, also was present.
Ann Terwedo told the commission one issue that wasn't resolved in the
Heritage Preservation Commission review was that of the sign material.
Mr. Broman said the applicant would like to take the traditional Domino's
sign and encase it in wood.
• Jay Michels, a member of the Heritage Preservation Commission, said that
group would prefer to have a wood sign, but the issue was left up in the
air, depending on what Domino's would or would not allow regarding
signage. Mr. Michels, who lives at 118 1/2 N. Main St., later expressed his
concern regarding curb cuts and planned parking. He said curb cuts as
planned would not large enough for parking and drive-through traffic. He
suggested that traffic flow might be directed to Commercial/Second
Street.
Mr. Broman said the developers think the traffic flow should come off Main
Street. He also said MnDOT had been contacted regarding curb cuts and a
30 foot curb cut is preferred. But he said it is an issue the applicant
would be willing to take a look at.
Mr. Roetman noted that traffic coming off Main would be the same
situation as currently exists with the Fina station.
Mr. Fontaine said he would be reluctant to approve the request if using a
• plastic sign
Pre
r
ti in a wooden frame was
C
i
i not acceptable to the Heritage
se
va
on omm
ss
on. Roger Tomten, an HPC member, said according
to the Downtown design guidelines, the sign should be of metal or wood.
Mr. Tomten also noted that corporations are beginning to recognize the
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value of historic districts in allowing exceptions to corporate policies,
such as signage standards.
Mr. Valsvik made a motion to add a condition that there be right hand
traffic only off Main, exiting on Commercial; Mr. Roetman seconded the
motion. Mr. Elliott suggested that traffic engineers review the situation
instead of the Planning Commission determining the traffic flow issue.
The original motion was amended to have traffic engineers review the
situation.
Staff condition of approval No. 8 was amended to require that the final
sign/lighting plan go back to the Heritage Preservation Commission for its
review and that staff review the external lighting plan.
Mr. Elliott, seconded by Mr. Roetman, moved approval with the
amended/added conditions. All in favor.
Comte plan update
40 Hans Hagen gave a presentation regarding development plans for the
Staloch farm. Large-lot single-family homes are proposed adjacent to
• Long Lake; small-lot, single-family homes would be located west off the
main road. All existing trees would be saved, and the northeast portion of
the area would be left as open space.
There are about 76 acres in the proposed development, 10 acres of park.
Seventy-nine large-lot homes are proposed, with 85 small-lot homes,
resulting in a density of about 2.2 units per acre.
Mr. Hagen also gave a brief presentation about a commercial area like
Season's Market which could be located somewhere in the URTPA. He said
it it possible to have a shopping center in a residential development with
the proper design; he is not proposing one on his site.
Marc Putnam, representing the Charles Cudd Co., gave a presentation
regarding a proposal for the Kroening property, 180 acres north of the
Staloch property. The design proposal includes a large village green
connected with a number of smaller greens. A school/commercial
alternative is built into the plan. The proposed lot sizes may change
depending on the market, he said. The current proposal has about 220
homes on the 180 acres, he said.
A member of the audience asked why a one unit per 2 1/2 acre density
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wouldn't work. Mr. Russell asked whether the concept of cluster housing
had been considered. Mr. Putnam said it won't work because it is
inefficient and the cost will drive producers elsewhere. Mr. Hagen agreed
that competition drives what developers can do.
Larry Frank appeared representing Arcon Land Development Co. Arcon does
not build homes, it develops lots with utilities/street and generally
markets the lots to individual builders. Arcon is proposing to develop 131
acres of the Abramowitz property, between the Zephyr railroad tracks and
Boutwell Road. A variety of housing is planned -- 133 single-family
homes, 87 small single-family lots and 29 townhouse units. There would
be 42 acres of open space/wetlands, with one main entrance off Boutwell.
Miles Lindberg outlined possible development plans for the Palmer
property, 173 acres located at Manning Avenue and Highway 96. The
proposal calls for the same three housing types as the Arcon proposal,
with 282 units on the 173 acres -- 2.1 units per acre. There is a 6.5 acre
site for possible commercial development at the Manning/96 intersection.
Other business
• The Ward Network has asked for a written response to their
report/presentation. Members were asked to get any comments to Mr.
Russell for inclusion in the Commission's response. There also was a brief
discussion regarding a letter members had received from Ward Network
representatives.
Mr Hamlin, seconded by Mr. Valsvik, moved to set a public hearing on the
sign ordinance and design guidelines for the West Industrial Park. All in
favor.
Glenna Bealka, seconded by Duane Elliott, moved approval of the minutes
of the special meeting of Nov. 30, 1994.
Mr. Hamlin agreed to reappointment to another term on the Planning
Commission. Mr. Wald will be contacted regarding his interest in
reappointment.
Don Valsvik, seconded by Duane Elliott, moved to adjourn the meeting at
10:50 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Sharon Baker