HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-05-06 PC Minutes
May 6, 2014 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes 1 MINUTES OF THE MAPLEWOOD PLANNING COMMISSION 1830 COUNTY ROAD B EAST, MAPLEWOOD, MINNESOTA TUESDAY, MAY 6, 2014 1. CALL
TO ORDER A meeting of the Commission was held in the City Hall Council Chambers and was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Acting Chairperson Arbuckle. 2. ROLL CALL Paul Arbuckle,
Commissioner Present Al Bierbaum, Commissioner Absent Tushar Desai, Chairperson Absent Yaya Diatta, Commissioner Absent John Donofrio, Commissioner Present
Allan Ige, Commissioner Present Bill Kempe, Commissioner Present Donn Lindstrom, Commissioner Present Dale Trippler, Commissioner Present Staff Present: Tom
Ekstrand, Senior Planner 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Commissioner Trippler would like to add 9.e. Site maps discussion. Commissioner Trippler moved to approve the agenda as amended.
Seconded by Commissioner Kempe. Ayes – All The motion passed. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Trippler moved to approve the April 15, 2014, PC minutes as submitted.
Seconded by Commissioner Kempe. Ayes – All The motion passed. 5. PUBLIC HEARING a. 7:00 p.m. or later: Approval of a Shoreland Setback Variance Resolution for the Construction
of a Home Addition, 2843 Meadowlark Lane. i. Senior Planner, Tom Ekstrand gave the presentation and answered questions of the commission. ii. The applicant, David Gabel, addressed
and answered questions of the commission. Acting Chairperson Arbuckle opened the public hearing. Nobody came forward to address the commission.
May 6, 2014 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes 2 Acting Chairperson Arbuckle closed the public hearing. Commissioner Trippler moved to approve the resolution approving a shoreland
setback variance from Kohlman Lake – a Class 4 Public Water. Approval is based on the following reasons: A. Strict enforcement of the ordinance would cause the applicant practical
difficulties because complying with the shoreland setback requirement stipulated by the ordinance would prohibit the building of any permanent structures, substantially diminishing
the potential of this lot. B. Approval of the requested shoreland setback variance would benefit the adjacent lake because the site will have its impervious surface area reduced.
C. Approval would meet the spirit and intent of the ordinance since the proposed addition would be built in an area that is already maintained as lawn, which is also allowed by ordinance.
D. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has reviewed the applicant’s plans and does not require a permit or have any state statutes that prevent the addition from being
built. Approval of the shoreland setback variance shall be subject to complying with all of the conditions of approval in Shann Finwall and Virginia Gaynor’s Environmental Review.
Seconded by Commissioner Ige. Ayes - All The motion passed. This item goes to the city council on May 12, 2014. b. 7:00 p.m. or later: Approval of a Variance Resolution
for the Construction of a New Garage, 798 McKnight Road. i. Senior Planner, Tom Ekstrand gave the presentation and answered questions of the commission. ii. The applicant, Stephen
Mosner, addressed and answered questions of the commission. The commission questioned where the property line was and whether a survey should be done to be certain there is no additional
encroachment or overlap onto the neighbors’ lot line. Acting Chairperson Arbuckle opened the public hearing. Nobody came forward to address the commission. Acting Chairperson
Arbuckle closed the public hearing. Commissioner Trippler moved to approve the resolution approving a side yard setback variance. Approval is based on the following reasons:
A. Strict enforcement of the ordinance would cause the applicant practical difficulties because complying with the side yard setback requirement stipulated by the ordinance would prohibit
the building of a new garage because of the existing locations of the driveway and house. B. Approval of the requested side yard setback variance would benefit the adjacent properties
because the site will be improved. C. Approval would meet the spirit and intent of the ordinance since the proposed garage would be built in an area that is already maintained as
a garage.
May 6, 2014 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes 3 D. The applicant shall plant a tree per the city code. Approval of the side yard setback variance shall be subject to complying
with all zoning and building code regulations regarding the building of garages. Commissioner Ige made a friendly amendment to require the applicant to plant a tree per city code.
Commissioner Trippler accepted the friendly amendment. Seconded by Commissioner Kempe. Ayes - All The motion passed. This item goes to the city council May 12, 2014.
c. 7:00 p.m. or later: Approval of a Conditional Use Permit and Design Plans for a Building Addition to Beaver Lake Elementary School. i. Senior Planner, Tom Ekstrand gave the presentation
and answered questions of the commission. ii. Mike Boland, ISD 622 addressed and answered questions of the commission. iii. Raj Dhital, MLA Architects addressed and answered questions
of the commission. Acting Chairperson Arbuckle opened the public hearing. Karen Sturdevant, 1034 Sterling Street, Maplewood addressed the commission. She stated she would like
a sign added with a speed control. She asked about the new bus drop off plan. Acting Chairperson Arbuckle closed the public hearing. Commissioner Trippler moved to approve the
conditional use permit resolution approving the plans for the addition to Beaver Lake Elementary, located at 1060 Sterling Street North. Approval is subject to the following conditions:
1. All construction shall follow the site plan approved by the city date-stamped April 15, 2014. Staff may approve minor changes. 2. The proposed construction shall be substantially
started within one year of council approval or this permit shall be null and void. The council may extend this deadline for one year. 3. The city council shall review this permit
in one year. 4. The applicant shall plant four trees to replace the four that are to be removed. Replacement trees shall be at least two inches in caliper if they are deciduous
or at least six feet tall if they are evergreens. The applicant shall work with staff on this landscaping plan. 5. The applicant shall repair the pot holes in the parking lots and
drive way from Stillwater Road. The graveled area on the north side of the building shall be paved within one year. 6. The applicant shall work with staff on the construction of
a trash enclosure for the north side of the building to contain the two trash dumpsters. The trash enclosure shall be a material compatible with the building and have closeable gates.
The trash enclosure shall be completed along with the construction of the proposed addition.
May 6, 2014 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes 4 7. The applicant shall comply with all requirements of the city’s engineering department report dated April 15, 2014. Seconded
by Commissioner Kempe. Ayes - All The motion passed. This item goes to the city council May 12, 2014. d. 7:00 p.m. or later: Approval of Conditional Use Permit to Reduce
the Parking Lot Setback for the Hobby Lobby Dock Addition at the Plaza 3000 Shopping Center, 3000 White Bear Avenue i. Senior Planner, Tom Ekstrand gave the presentation and answered
questions of the commission. ii. Len Schreier, Azure Properties addressed and answered questions of the commission. Acting Chairperson Arbuckle opened the public hearing. Nobody
came forward to address the commission. Acting Chairperson Arbuckle closed the public hearing. Commissioner Kempe moved to approve the conditional use permit resolution approving
the plans for the widening of the Plaza 3000 Shopping Center parking lot on the south side of the building. This approval allows a parking lot setback reduction from 11.5 feet to
six feet 10 inches. Approval is based on the findings required by ordinance and subject to the following conditions: 1. All construction shall follow the site plan approved by
the city date-stamped March 27, 2014. Staff may approve minor changes. 2. The proposed parking lot widening shall be substantially started within one year of council approval of
this permit shall be null and void. The council may extend this deadline for one year. 3. The city council shall review this permit in one year. 4. The property owner shall replace
the six trees that would be removed due to this parking lot widening. They shall plant shrub varieties that grow tall enough to provide some screening, but not massive enough to have
a substantial root spread that would interfere with nearby buried cables in the street boulevard. The property owner shall plant six planting groupings of three shrubs each (18 shrubs
total) to replace the six trees to be removed. The planting plan shall be subject to staff approval. Seconded by Commissioner Ige. Ayes - All The motion passed. This item
goes to the city council on May 12, 2014. e. 7:00 p.m. or later: Approval of Home Occupation License for Just Rita’s a Hair Salon located at 2139 Edgerton Street. i. Senior
Planner, Tom Ekstrand gave the report and answered questions of the commission.
May 6, 2014 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes 5 ii. The applicants, Rita and Tom Johnson, addressed and answered questions of the commission. Acting Chairperson Arbuckle opened
the public hearing. Nobody came forward to address the commission. Acting Chairperson Arbuckle closed the public hearing. Commissioner Trippler moved to approve the home occupation
license for Just Rita’s, a hair salon to be operated from 2139 Edgerton Street by Rita Johnson. Approval is subject to the following conditions: 1. The applicant shall always
comply with the requirements of the Home Occupation License requirements of the city ordinances. 2. The applicant shall obtain building permits for work she may do on her house for
this home occupation, for example, building, plumbing, electrical or mechanical work. 3. The city council may review this approval, as needed, if there are any complaints received
due to neighborhood impact. 4. The applicant may install one home-occupation sign up to two-square feet in area (code requirement). Seconded by Commissioner Ige. Ayes - All
The motion passed. This item goes to the city council on June 9, 2014. 6. NEW BUSINESS None. 7. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None. 8. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS None. 9.
COMMISSION PRESENTATIONS a. Commission presentation for the April 28, 2014, city council meeting. Commissioner Trippler was scheduled to attend. There were no items requiring planning
commission representation. b. Commission representation for the May 12, 2014, city council meeting. Commissioner Desai is scheduled to attend but staff will represent the commission.
The anticipated items for review are the Verizon Wireless CUP, the Plaza 3000 parking lot setback reduction CUP, the Beaver Lake Elementary School CUP, the shoreland setback variance
for 2843 Meadowlark Lane and the garage setback variance for 798 McKnight Road.
May 6, 2014 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes 6 c. Commission representation for the May 26, 2014, city council meeting. Commissioner Arbuckle is scheduled to attend. This meeting
falls on Memorial Day and is cancelled. d. Commission representation for the June 9, 2014, city council meeting. Commissioner Diatta is scheduled to attend. Items to be reviewed
are the Just Rita’s Home Occupation request at 2139 Edgerton Street and the reconsideration of an ordinance amendment requested by U- Haul to allow indoor warehousing in a BC district.
e. Site map discussion – Commissioner Trippler discussed having better site maps in the packets. Staff will make sure to have sufficiently detailed maps in the reports in the future.
10. STAFF PRESENTATIONS None. 11. ADJOURNMENT Acting Chairperson Arbuckle adjourned the meeting at 8:32 p.m.