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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025 04-15 PC Meeting MinutesApril 15, 2025 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes 1 MINUTES MAPLEWOOD PLANNING COMMISSION 7:00 P.M. Tuesday, April 15, 2025 City Hall, Council Chambers 1830 County Road B East A. CALL TO ORDER A meeting of the Commission was held and called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Chairperson Desai B. ROLL CALL Tushar Desai, Chairperson Present Lue Yang, Vice Chairperson Present Paul Arbuckle, Commissioner Present John Eads, Commissioner Present Allan Ige, Commissioner Present Tom Oszman, Commissioner Present Scott Wullschleger, Commissioner Present Staff Present: Elizabeth Hammond, Planner C. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Commissioner Ige moved to approve the agenda as presented. Seconded by Commissioner Oszman Ayes – All The motion passed. D. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. March 18, 2025 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes Commissioner Oszman moved to approve the March 18, 2025 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes as submitted. Seconded by Commissioner Wullschleger Ayes – All The motion passed. E. PUBLIC HEARING 1. Saint Paul Police Training Facility, 2621 Linwood Avenue East a. Conditional Use Permit Resolution b. Wetland Buffer Variance Resolution Elizabeth Hammond, Planner, gave the presentation and answered questions from the Commission. Chairperson Desai opened the public hearing. April 15, 2025 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes 2 The following individuals addressed the commission regarding the project: Commander Eric Kammerer, St. Paul Police Department, 367 Grove Street, St. Paul Deb Brandwick, Oertel Architects, 1795 St. Claire Ave, St. Paul Marlys Howells, 566 Deer Ridge Ln S, Maplewood Jan Rydel, 2596 Linwood Ave E, Maplewood Mark Amon, 2570 Hillwood Dr E, Maplewood Bill Dorgan, 590 Deer Ridge Ln, Maplewood Sharon M Werner, 2552 Hillwood Dr E, Maplewood Jean Schuster, 557 Deer Ridge Ln S, Maplewood Chairperson Desai closed the public hearing. Commissioner Ige moved to approve a conditional use permit resolution for the Saint Paul Police Department’s Training Facility at 2621 Linwood Avenue East, subject to certain conditions of approval. CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT RESOLUTION BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Maplewood, Minnesota, as follows: Section 1. Background. 1.01 The City of Saint Paul Police Department has requested a Conditional Use Permit to build a new training facility on the property at 2621 Linwood Avenue East. 1.02 The property located at 2621 Linwood Avenue East is legally described as: The west 600 feet of the South 525 feet of the Southeast Quarter of the Southeast Quarter of Section 12, Township 28, Range 22, according to the plat thereof on file and of record in the office of the Register of Deeds in and for Ramsey County, Minnesota. PIN: 122822440002 Section 2. Standards. 2.01 General Conditional Use Permit Standards. The City Ordinance states that the City Council must base approval of a Conditional Use Permit on the following nine standards for approval. 1. The use would be located, designed, maintained, constructed, and operated to be in conformity with the City’s Comprehensive Plan and Code of Ordinances. 2. The use would not change the existing or planned character of the surrounding area. 3. The use would not depreciate property values. 4. The use would not involve any activity, process, materials, equipment or methods of operation that would be dangerous, hazardous, detrimental, disturbing or cause a nuisance to any person or property, because of excessive noise, glare, smoke, dust, odor, fumes, water or air pollution, drainage, water run-off, vibration, general unsightliness, electrical interference or other nuisances. 5. The use would not exceed the design standards of any affected street. April 15, 2025 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes 3 6. The use would be served by adequate public facilities and services, including streets, police and fire protection, drainage structures, water and sewer systems, schools and parks. 7. The use would not create excessive additional costs for public facilities or services. 8. The use would maximize the preservation of and incorporate the site’s natural and scenic features into the development design. 9. The use would cause minimal adverse environmental effects. Section 3. Findings. 3.01 The proposal meets the specific Conditional Use Permit standards. Section 4. City Review Process 4.01 The City conducted the following review when considering this conditional use permit request. 1. On April 15, 2025, the Planning Commission held a public hearing. City staff published a hearing notice in the Pioneer Press and sent notices to the surrounding property owners. The Planning Commission allowed everyone to speak and present written statements at the hearing. The Planning Commission recommended that the City Council approve this resolution. 2. On May 12, 2025, the City Council discussed this resolution. They considered reports and recommendations from the planning commission and City staff. Section 5. City Council 5.01 The City Council hereby _______ the resolution. Approval is based on the findings outlined in section 3 of this resolution. Approval is subject to the following conditions: 1. All ground-mounted and roof-mounted mechanical equipment and trash receptacles shall be screened according to the ordinance. 2. Adequate separation, buffering, and screening must be provided around the training facility and exterior training areas. If the city determines additional screening or buffering is required, the applicant shall ensure this is completed as notified by the city. 3. All construction shall follow the approved plans. The director of community development may approve minor changes. 4. The proposed construction must be substantially started within one year of council approval, or the permit shall become null and void. 5. The city council shall review this permit in one year. 6. The applicant shall meet the conditions outlined in the design review resolution. Seconded by Commissioner Yang Ayes – All April 15, 2025 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes 4 The motion passed. Commissioner Ige moved to approve a wetland buffer variance resolution for a new training facility to be constructed at 2621 Linwood Avenue East. WETLAND BUFFER VARIANCE RESOLUTION BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Maplewood, Minnesota, as follows: Section 1. Background. 1.01 The City of Saint Paul Police Department has requested a wetland buffer variance to build a new training facility on the property at 2621 Linwood Avenue East. 1.02 The property located at 2621 Linwood Avenue East is legally described as: The west 600 feet of the South 525 feet of the Southeast Quarter of the Southeast Quarter of Section 12, Township 28, Range 22, according to the plat thereof on file and of record in the office of the Register of Deeds in and for Ramsey County, Minnesota. PIN: 122822440002 1.03 The site was originally developed and graded in approximately 1975, prior to the City’s wetland ordinance and wetland buffer requirements. The drive lane, tactical training buildings, storage building, and gravel pad extend into the 100-foot wetland buffers and are considered pre-existing nonconforming structures and encroachments. 1.04 The new development requires a 41-foot wetland buffer variance, wetland buffer averaging, and wetland buffer mitigation as required by the wetland ordinance. The new development will have grading to within approximately 53 feet of the eastern Manage A wetland for the extension of a utility line, parking stall, and septic system. Grading will come to within approximately 59 feet of the western Manage A wetland for building earthwork. Other portions of the new development will be located within the 75-foot minimum buffer. Section 2. Standards. 2.01 Wetland Buffer Variance Standards. The City Ordinance states that the City Council must base approval of a variance on the following standards for approval. 1. Before the city council acts on a wetland ordinance variance, the Environmental and Natural Resources Commission and the Planning Commission will make a recommendation to the city council. The city shall hold a public hearing for the variance. The city shall notify property owners within 500 feet of the property for which the variance is being requested at least ten days before the hearing. 2. The city may require the applicant to mitigate any wetland, stream, or buffer alteration impacts with the approval of a variance, including, but not limited to, implementing one or more of the strategies listed in subsection 18-221(e)(4) (mitigation). 3. To approve a variance, the city council shall apply the findings for variance approval as required in Minnesota Statutes. 4. The applicant for a variance shall submit, with the variance application and any other required materials, a statement showing how the proposal would meet the findings for variance approval. April 15, 2025 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes 5 Section 3. Findings. 3.01 The proposal meets the specific wetland buffer variance standards. Section 4. City Review Process 4.01 The City conducted the following review when considering this wetland buffer variance request. 1. On April 15, 2025, the Planning Commission held a public hearing. City staff published a hearing notice in the Pioneer Press and sent notices to the surrounding property owners. The Planning Commission allowed everyone to speak and present written statements at the hearing. The Planning Commission recommended that the City Council approve this resolution. 2. On April 21, 2025, the Environmental and Natural Resources Commission held a public meeting to discuss the proposal. The ENR recommended that the City Council _______ this resolution. 3. On May 12, 2025, the City Council discussed this resolution. They considered reports and recommendations from the planning commission and City staff. Section 5. City Council 5.01 The City Council hereby _______ the resolution. Approval is based on the findings outlined in section 3 of this resolution. Approval is subject to the following conditions: 1. All construction shall follow the approved plans. The director of community development may approve minor changes. 2. The applicant shall meet the conditions outlined in the design review resolution. Seconded by Commissioner Yang Ayes – All This item will go to the city council on May 12, 2025. F. NEW BUSINESS None G. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None H. COMMISSION PRESENTATIONS None I. STAFF PRESENTATIONS None J. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS None K. ADJOURNMENT April 15, 2025 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes 6 Chairperson Desai adjourned the meeting at 7:57 p.m.