HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/05/19991. Call to Order
MAPLEWOOD PLANNING COMMISSION
Monday, April 5, 1999, 7:00 PM
City Hall Council Chambers
1830 County Road B East
2. Roll Call
3. Approval of Agenda
4. Unfinished Business
a. Residential Parking Ordinance
5. New Business
a. Burr Street right-of-way vacation (south of Kingston Avenue)
b. Harvester Avenue right-of-way vacation (south of Stillwater Road)
c. Pep Boys Store (White Bear Avenue)
1. Wetland Setback Variance
2. Conditional Use Permit
d. Ameriguard Truck Bed Liner Business Conditional Use Permit (1420 County Road D)
6. Visitor Presentations
7. Commission Presentations
a. March 22 Council Meeting: Ms. Coleman
b. April 12 Council Meeting: Mr. Mueller
c. April 26 Council Meeting: Mr. Ledvina
8. Staff Presentations
9. Adjournment
MINUTES OF THE MAPLEWOOD PLANNING COMMISSION
1830 COUNTY ROAD B EAST, MAPLEWOOD, MINNESOTA
APRIL 5, 1999
I. CALL TO ORDER
Chairperson Fischer called the meeting to order at 7 p.m.
I1. ROLL CALL
Commissioner Lorraine Fischer
Commissioner Jack Frost
Commissioner Matt Ledvina
Commissioner Paul Mueller
Commissioner Gary Pearson
Commissioner William Rossbach
Commissioner Michael Seeber
Commissioner Milo Thompson
Commissioner Dale Trippler
Present
Present
Present
Present
Present
Present
Present
Present
Present
III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Chairperson Fischer asked if Item 4.a. could be considered after 5.d. because there were people in
the audience for the new business items. Ken Roberts, associate planner, said Item 5.d., Pep Boys,
notified staff today that they wished to be removed from this agenda and put on the agenda for the
next commission meeting in two weeks because they are making some changes.
Commissioner Ledvina moved approval of the agenda, amended to have Item 5. New Business come
ahead of Item 4. Unfinished Business. Item 5. c. is withdrawn and Item 5.d. becomes 5.c.
Commissioner Frost seconded.
Ayes--all
The motion passed.
IV. NEW BUSINESS
A. Burr Street Right-of-Way Vacation (south of Kingston Avenue)
Ken Roberts, associate planner, showed a map of the area and presented the staff report. He
did not think that any of this area was considered wetland. Ken Haider, city engineer, said most
of the area was on the side of a hill and did not lend itself to any utility installation so a drainage
easement was not necessary. Commissioner Trippler asked who gets the property if it is
vacated and where did it come from in the first place. Mr. Roberts said this right-of-way was
dedicated with the plat in 1887. The applicant's property was not included in the plat and they
did not dedicate any property to this right-of-way. Thus, the vacated land ends up going to two
properties, 500 Kingston and land which is owned by the applicant.
Mr. Roberts said the applicant's property is all one legal description and one identification
number. He said it all has frontage on DeSoto Street. Mr. Roberts thought it would be
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impossible to sell off the back lot because code requires that each lot have 75 feet of frontage
on an improved public street. This lot does not have this frontage now and wouldn't have it after
the vacation.
Wayne Hruby of 1720 DeSoto said his reasons for requesting the street vacation were contained
in a statement included with the staff report. He indicated that the new garage will be larger and
built in approximately the same location as the existing.
Commissioner Frost moved the Planning Commission recommend adoption of the resolution
which vacates the unused Burr Street right-of-way that is south of Kingston Avenue. The city
should vacate this street right-of-way because:
1. It is in the public interest.
2. The city and the adjacent property owners have no plans to build a street in this location.
3. The adjacent properties have street access.
Commissioner Rossbach seconded.
Ayes--all
The motion passed.
B. Harvester Avenue Right-of-Way Vacation (South of Stillwater Road)
Ken Roberts, associate planner, presented the staff report. He said the city of Maplewood, as
part of negotiations with the adjacent property owner, initiated this vacation in a trade for
acquiring permanently all the right-of-way for the new cul-de-sac at the west end of Harvester
Avenue. According to Mr. Roberts, the city will retain a utility and drainage easement over the
westerly 15 feet of the easterly 25 feet of the right-of-way.
Commissioner Rossbach commented that the driveway was in the easement and questioned if
the city would be responsible for the driveway if access was needed. He also wondered about
the timing of the vacation since the cul-de-sac is already completed. Ken Haider, city engineer,
said the city would have to remove driveway to dig a hole to access underground utilities.
Mr. Haider was not sure about the timing but said the project had a lot of support in the
neighborhood.
Commissioner Frost moved the Planning Commission recommend adoption of the resolution
which vacates part of the unused part of the Harvester Avenue right-of-way, south of Stillwater
Road. The city should vacate this street right-of-way because:
1. It is in the public interest.
2. The city and the adjacent property owners have no plans to build a street in this location.
3. The adjacent properties have street access.
This vacation is subject to the city keeping utility and drainage easement over the westerly 15
feet of the easterly 25 feet of the vacated street right-of-way.
Commissioner Pearson seconded.
Ayes--all
The motion passed.
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D. Ameraguard Truck Bed Liner Business Conditional Use Permit (1420 County Road D East)
Ken Roberts, associate planner, presented the staff report. There were no questions of the staff
report. Brendon Curtis and his son and partner, Craig Curtis, were present. Mike Winecki, the
landlord, was also at the meeting. Brendon Curtis had no questions about the staff report. He
said that they mostly do this type of work on new vehicles and there should be no outdoor
storage. There may be a shuttle truck. Mr. Curtis said they can store three vehicles inside the
building.
Commissioner Frost moved the Planning Commission recommend adoption of the resolution
which approves a conditional use permit to operate a spray-on truck-bed liner business at 1420
County Road D East. The city bases this permit on the standards required by ordinance.
Approval is subject to the following conditions:
1. All construction shall follow the plans approved by the city. The director of community
development may approve minor changes.
2. The business must be started within one year of council approval or the permit shall end.
The council may extend this deadline for one year.
3. The city council shall review this permit in one year.
4. There shall not be any outside display or storage of materials, parts or equipment.
5. The applicant shall obtain any necessary permits that may be required by the Minnesota
Pollution Control Agency.
Commissioner Pearson seconded.
Commissioner Trippler pointed out that there were two Item 9s on the conditional use permit
resolution. Mr. Roberts stated that this would be corrected before the resolution went to the city
council.
Ayes--all
The motion passed.
IV. Unfinished Business
A. Residential Parking Ordinance
Ken Roberts summarized the discussion on this proposed ordinance from the previous
commission meeting. As part of this staff report, he outlined, as he had noted, the main
planning commission interests if the city were to pursue this ordinance. Commissioner Frost
said he took a walking survey of his neighborhood and noted that there will be many residences
affected by this ordinance. He wondered if it would be better to "try to do a little bit at a time."
He suggested addressing one of the major issues now and see how it goes for a year. Then, if
enforcement was not effective, it could be reconsidered in a year.
Mr. Roberts agreed that "baby steps" would be the way to start this ordinance. He said the
choice on how to do this will be up to the city council. Mr. Frost said the big issue he saw was
people not parking on improved surfaces. He felt this problem has become worse over the
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years. Mr. Frost's main goal would be to require parking vehicles on an improved su~ace, in a
garage, screened in the backyard or stored off the premises.
Commissioner Rossbach preferred sending this to the city council now. The council could then
let the commission know what is acceptable in the council's point of view. Commissioner
Pearson thought a good starting point was to require bituminous driveways with new
construction. Mr. Roberts said an improved driveway could be a good Class 5 driveway that is
well maintained. Commissioner Trippler concurred with Mr. Rossbach about needing to get
input from the city council at this time. Commissioner Ledvina suggested using a survey to ask
Maplewood residents for their opinions.
Commissioner Thompson commented that some of the screening that exists is almost more
objectionable than that which is being concealed. He thought, with the screening requirement,
that an ordinance was being initiated that would be almost unenforceable. Chairperson Fischer
agreed that screening does pose some problems when defining how or from whom you are
screening the vehicle. Commissioner Mueller said that passing an ordinance may generate new
hard feelings but it does provide a law that will give people a recourse. He also was in favor of
taking the planning commission list of issues and priorities to the city council for their decision.
Commissioner Frost said that everyone he talked to about this ordinance thought it was a good
idea.
Commissioner Thompson advocated using a survey in the Maplewood in Motion to create
awareness and get response from Maplewood residents. Commissioner Trippler was interested
in the survey idea but cautioned that a survey does involve a great deal of work. He thought it
might be a better way to just have the council meeting open for public comment and make a
decision on this basis.
Commissioner Rossbach moved the Planning Commission forward the list of eight items
contained in the staff report of March 16, 1999 on the proposed residential parking ordinance to
the Maplewood City Council for their input and direction.
Commissioner Frost seconded.
Ayes--all
The motion passed.
VI. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
There were no visitor presentations.
VII. COMMISSION PRESENTATIONS
Ao
March 22 Council Meeting: Ms. Coleman reported on this meeting.
April 12 Council Meeting: Mr. Mueller will attend this meeting.
April 26 Council Meeting: Mr. Ledvina will attend this meeting.
VIII. STAFF PRESENTATIONS
There were no staff presentations.
IX. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 7:53 p.m.