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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/19/19991. Call to Order MAPLEWOOD PLANNING COMMISSION Monday, April 19, 1999 7:00 PM City Hall Council Chambers 1830 County Road B East 2. Roll Call 3. Approval of Minutes a. March 15, 1999 b. April 5, 1999 4. Approval of Agenda 5. New Business a. Pep Boys Store (White Bear Avenue) 1. Wetland Setback Variance 2. Conditional Use Permit b. New Century Planned Unit Development Presentation (Highwood and Century Avenues) 6. Visitor Presentations 7. Commission Presentations a. April 12 Council Meeting: Mr. Mueller b. April 26 Council Meeting: Mr. Ledvina c. May 10 Council Meeting: Mr. Thompson 8. Staff Presentations 9. Adjournment MINUTES OF THE MAPLEWOOD PLANNING COMMISSION 1830 COUNTY ROAD B EAST, MAPLEWOOD, MINNESOTA APRIL 19, 1999 I. CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Fischer called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. II. ROLL CALL III. IV. 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 Absent Absent Present Absent APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. March 15, 1999 Commissioner Frost moved approval of the minutes of March 15, 1999, as submitted. Commissioner Ledvina seconded. Ayes--all The motion passed. B. April 5, 1999 Commissioner Frost moved approval of the minutes of April 5, 1999, as submitted. Ayesmall Commissioner Pearson seconded. The motion passed. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Commissioner Frost moved approval of the agenda as submitted. Commissioner Pearson seconded. The motion passed. NEW BUSINESS A. Ayes--all Pep Boys Store (White Bear Avenue): Wetland Setback Variance and Conditional Use Permit Ken Roberts, associate planner, presented the staff report. Commissioner Ledvina thought it was more accurate to say that Pep Boys was requesting a 60.5 foot wetland buffer variance because Planning Commission Minutes of 04-19-97 -2- grass cutting, snow storage, etc. would be occurring on the five feet east of the rear line of the parking lot curbing. This activity is prohibited in a buffer area. Mr. Ledvina wanted to" make sure that what we call the buffer is really going to be the buffer." He also noted conflict in the report submitted by the applicant in regard to the capacity of the stormwater pond. In one instance the report mentioned a ten-year design and then it referred to treating runoff from a one-year storm. Ken Haider, city engineer, wasn't sure if this was intended to be a technical report. He said the facts, as he understood them, were that this was a water-quality basin with a wet bottom that stores a one-year storm entirely within the pond without outlet. Mr. Haider said this is the criteria that both the City of Maplewood and the Ramsey-Washington Watershed Board use for a water- quality measure. He said the ten-year storm is how high the water can get without overflowing an emergency overflow Mr. Haider said the one-year storm event is very critical because if all storms less than a one-year storm are treated, then the vast majority of runoff from the site (approximately 80 to 90 percent of the volume of water that will annually discharge from that site) is being treated. Commissioner Thompson pointed out that handicap parking was "conspicuously absent from the latest memorandum." Mr. Roberts replied that handicap parking is correctly shown directly in front of the store on the plans so there would be no need to mention them. Chairperson Fischer gave an example of a different instance and emphasized that just because something is approved on a plan doesn't mean that it will stay where the plan shows. Commissioner Thompson noted that the neighboring tire and battery store has a parking lot that is underutilized. He suggested an option for fewer parking spaces at this site with a plan for additional spaces if need. Mr. Roberts agreed and thought it could be a condition for approval. Commissioner Frost said Pep Boys are providing more spaces than required by Maplewood. Commissioner Ledvina wondered how the area in the southeast quadrant of the site that is outside the 100-foot buffer compared with the buffer area that is being lost as part of this variance. Mr. Roberts answered that these areas were very similar in total square feet. Mr. Haider said that although the actual acreage might be similar, the quality of the land from a wetland perspective in the middle was much higher than the disturbed buffer on the west side. Linda Fisher of Larkin, Hoffman, Daly & Lindgren, Ltd. was present representing the applicant. Nick Aspras, a principal of Pep Boys, and Jennifer Posma, a civil engineer with Hansen Thorp Pellinen Olson, were also at the meeting. Ms. Fisher gave a brief overview of Pep Boys, a nationwide company that has been in business over 75 years. She said they expect to have thirty to forty employees at the store. According to Ms. Fisher, Pep Boys will do only minor automotive repair will be done and will not have overnight, outdoor storage of vehicles. Ms. Fisher showed color elevations of the site and described the proposed building. She said that changes suggested by staff have been incorporated in the design of the building. Ms. Fisher also showed a colored version of the site and landscape plan that was included in the report. She said the applicant felt the staff report was accurate in measuring the variance because native planting that does not need to be mowed will be used. Ms. Fisher said there would not be snow storage in this area and the area would remain natural. She said they were able to increase the south buffer by about five feet and would plant a number of additional trees. Nick Aspras explained that some of the spaces in the southeast corner were placed there because they would be convenient to the front door as opposed to the rear spaces. He explained that the bump out with a canopy in the northeast corner of the building is a scissor lift which eliminates the need for a dock. Planning Commission Minutes of 04-19-97 -3- Jennifer Posma said the trash enclosure was moved so that runoff from the site would not flow to the enclosure. This move also provided easier truck access to the dock. Ms. Posma said the enclosure is on a concrete slab that would drain to the west and be routed into a catch basin. Commissioner Frost moved the Planning Commission recommended: Ao Adoption of the resolution which approves up to a 55.5-foot wetland buffer variance for the proposed Pep Boys Automotive Center south of 2570 White Bear Avenue. Approval is based on the following findings: Strict enforcement of the code would cause undue hardship because of circumstances unique to the property and not created by the property owner. The 100-foot-wide wetland buffer requirement would make development of this site difficult. The difficulty was created by the new ordinance. The variance would be in keeping with the spirit and intent of the ordinance, since the applicant would improve the quality of the wetland buffer substantially over its present state. 3. The Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District has accepted the applicant's grading and drainage plan and the wetland-buffer encroachment. 4. The city council approved a similar variance for National Tire and Battery for the lot to the north in 1997. Approval is subject to the applicant dedicating a wetland-buffer easement. This easement shall describe the boundary of the buffer and prohibit any building, mowing, cutting, filling or dumping within the buffer. The applicant shall record the deed for this easement before the city will issue a building permit. The wetland-buffer easement shall cover all of the site east of the parking lot curbing. Adopt the resolution on pages 24 and 25. This resolution approves a conditional use permit for a maintenance garage at the proposed Pep Boys Automotive Center south of 2570 White Bear Avenue. Approval is based on the findings required by the code and subject to: 1. All construction shall follow the site plan approved by the city. The director of community development may approve minor changes. The proposed construction must be substantially started within one year of council approval or the permit shall become null and void. 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 outdoor storage of materials or discarded tires, parts or refuse. There shall not be any over-night outdoor storage of vehicles. Commissioner Pearson seconded. Commissioner Ledvina asked if the wetland buffer area requested in the variance should be increased to 60.5 feet to make it consistent with the last paragraph of Item A. in the recommendation. Commissioner Frost said, based on what the applicant stated about restoring Planning Commission Minutes of 04-19-97 -4- this additional five feet to native vegetation and not using it for snow storage, he thought that met the intent of the buffer requirement. Mr. Ledvina then questioned if it should say the "line east of the rear line of the parking lot curbing." Mr. Frost replied that the applicant is not required to dedicate an easement for all buffers. Chairperson Fischer felt that the one case referred to the actual buffer and the other to the easement. Mr. Ledvina was agreeable to this. Commissioner Ledvina said the proposal indicated that the restoration should include natural plantings in this buffer area. He thought it would be appropriate for the applicant to develop a specific plan for restoration and revegetation of the wetland buffer that would be subject to staff approval. Commissioner Ledvina made a friendly amendment to add the following to Recommendation B.: The applicant shall develop a specific plan for restoration and revegetation of the wetland buffer subject to staff approval. Commissioner Frost accepted the amendment. Commissioner Ledvina proposed to amend Recommendation B. 4. as follows: There shall not be any outdoor storage of materials or discarded tires, parts or refuse. There shall also be no overnight, outdoor storage of vehicles. Commissioner Frost accepted this amendment. Ayes--Fischer, Pearson, Frost, Thompson, Mueller Nays--Ledvina The motion passed. B. New Century Planned Unit Development Presentation (Highwood and Century Avenues) Ken Roberts summarized the staff report. This item was presented as a preview and introduction of the proposed project. Mr. Roberts explained that the planned unit development allowed for a mix of housing and certain flexibility in setbacks, lot sizes and unit types throughout the project. Chairperson Fisher pointed out that mother-in-law apartments are requested in this PUD. The requirement for this classification is that they be occupied by a family member. If a nonrelated person occupies the unit, the dwelling must zoned as a duplex. Commissioner Frost commented that, with the demographics of the population, he felt the mother-in-law apartment will become more prevalent in the future. Bob Engstrom stated that this development was comprised of approximately nine parcels that have been acquired over the last four or five years. He felt the land plan worked well with the terrain and the neighborhood. Mr. Engstrom described this proposal as "an enhanced streetscape." Jack Buxell, the architect for New Century, said they were trying to create a "lifestyle community." Mr. Buxell described Summit Place which is a development of 98 units on 2-1/2 blocks in St. Paul. Mr. Buxell said they are asking to have the park access charges waived because they are proposing to spend much more than this amount for facilities that would mostly be available to the general public. Chairperson Fischer noted an error in the book presented by the applicant. VI. VII. Planning Commission -5- Minutes of 04-19-97 Mr. Buxell explained the concept of New Century and described the proposed development. He spoke of the neighborhood meetings and the response from the residents. He then asked the commission to read the booklets and prepare questions. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS There were no visitor presentations. COMMISSION PRESENTATIONS A. April 12 Council Meeting: Mr. Ledvina reported on this meeting. B. April 26 Council Meeting: Mr. Mueller will attend this meeting. C. May 10 Council Meeting: Mr. Thompson will attend this meeting. VIII. STAFF PRESENTATIONS There were no staff presentations. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 9:28 p.m.