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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/02/2007 MINUTES OF THE MAPLEWOOD PLANNING COMMISSION 1830 COUNTY ROAD BEAST, MAPLEWOOD, MINNESOTA TUESDA Y, OCTOBER 2, 2007 I. CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Fischer called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. II. ROLL CALL Vice-Chairperson Tushar Desai Chairperson Lorraine Fischer Commissioner Harland Hess Commissioner Gary Pearson Commissioner Dale Trippler Commissioner Joe Walton Commissioner Jeremy Yarwood Commissioner Robert Martin Commissioner Joseph Boeser Absent Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Staff Present:Tom Ekstrand, Senior Planner Ken Roberts. Planner III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Commissioner Trippler moved to approve the agenda as submitted. Commissioner Boeser seconded. The motion passed. IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. September 4,2007 Ayes - all Commissioner Trippler moved approval of the amended minutes, correcting the word "reserve" to "preserve" on the middle of page four. Commissioner Yarwood seconded The motion passed. b. September 18, 2007 Ayes - Hess, Pearson, Trippler, Yarwood, Martin, Boeser Abstentions - Fischer, Walton Commissioner Trippler moved approval of the amended minutes, deleting a "t" typo on page four. Commissioner Yarwood seconded The motion passed. V. PUBLIC HEARING Ayes - all Planning Commission Minutes of 10-2-07 -2- 7:05 p.m. - Conditional Use Permit Revision - Salvation Army (2080 Woodlynn Avenue) Planner Ekstrand presented the staff report. Mr. Ekstrand said the Salvation Army has not had any city violations or negative issues reported. He also explained the Salvation Army plans to stagger day care activities and that parents will go inside the building to retrieve their children. Major Don Tekautz, representing the Salvation Army, explained that the main focus of this child day care center is educational support for children, mainly tutoring in math and reading. The public hearing was opened to the public; there were no comments from the public. The public hearing was closed. Commissioner Pearson moved adoption of the resolution approving a revision to the conditional use permit for the Salvation Army Church, located at 2080 Woodlynn Avenue, to expand their adult day care facility to include child day care. Approval of this CUP revision is based on the findings required by the ordinance and subject to the following conditions (additions are underlined and deletions are crossed out): 1. All construction shall follow the site plan approved by the city. Citv Staff The director of community development may approve minor changes. 2. The proposed addition of child dav care shall be started within one vear as required bv ordinance. The proposed condruction mud be substantially darted 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 citv council shall review this permit revision in one vear. Commissioner Yarwood seconded The motion passed. Ayes - all 7:23 p.m. - Lot Area Variances and Lot Division (388 Viking Drive) Planner Roberts presented the staff report and answered questions from the commission. The commission discussed possible grading and drainage problems with development on this site. In response to a commissioner's question, staff responded that if the applicant wishes, after a one-year wait, he could apply to the city again with another plan. The applicant, Jason MacDonald, addressed the commission and displayed a drawing of the lots. Mr. MacDonald also referred to a lot area variance approved previously for a neighboring property. The commission discussed with Mr. MacDonald the reasonable use of the property under city ordinances and other lot sizes in the neighborhood. A commissioner explained to Mr. MacDonald that by state statute an economic hardship is not a sufficient finding to grant a lot area variance. The public hearing was opened to the public; there were no comments from the public. The public hearing was closed. Planning Commission Minutes of 10-2-07 -3- Planner Roberts explained the subdivision code requirements referring to double-fronting lots in response to a commissioner's question. Commissioner Yarwood moved the planning commission recommend denial of the request for two variances for the creation of the new lot for a single dwelling south of the house at 388 Viking Drive. These would have included having a lot with 8,814 square feet of lot area and another lot with 9,502 square feet of area. The city is making this denial because: . There are no circumstances that are unique to this property that justify the proposed variances. . Of the inability of the applicant to prove a specific hardship for this variance request that meets state law requirements. . The creation of two lots from this property would make lots that are not in character with the size of the existing lots in the neighborhood. There are other small lots, but there are many more lots in the area that are larger than 10,000 square feet. . The proposal to construct a new house on the vacant part of the parcel has a significant possibility to create or to add to known storm water drainage problems in the area. The back (south part) of 388 Viking Drive is low and would require substantial fill for a new home site. Filling for one additional home site on the property could compromise the existing storm water runoff and drainage that occurs on this lot. Commissioner Trippler seconded. Ayes: Fischer, Hess, Trippler, Walton, Yarwood, Boeser Nay: Martin Abstention: Pearson The motion passed. VI. NEW BUSINESS a. South Maplewood Study - Rose Lorsung - Schoell Madson (South of Carver Avenue) Rose Lorsung presented the report. Ms. Lorsung reported she met previously with the environmental and natural resources commission and they responded favorably to the commission's recommendations. Ms. Lorsung asked that the city council be requested to extend the moratorium an additional 120 days to allow further time to study the issues, with a public hearing to be scheduled at some point after that. Ms. Lorsung said that keeping in mind the protection of natural resources in the area, the items to now focus on are zoning districts and land use designations that specifically refer to the design of a site in relationship to those natural resources. Ms. Lorsung answered questions from the commission and discussed densities and land use designations. Commissioner Trippler asked why the residential cluster designation is being considered in the proposed land use changes. Ms. Lorsung responded that the residential cluster designation is a middle approach between the liberal and conservative density visions. Planning Commission Minutes of 10-2-07 -4- Ms. Lorsung said she will get copies of ordinances that other cities have adopted and other specific ideas for the commission in order to move forward with this study. Commissioner Pearson asked Ms. Lorsung if possible to also get examples of development in the residential cluster designation in land areas similar to south Maplewood VII. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None VIII. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS . Jennifer Haskamp of Schoell Madson introduced herself and said she is working on the update of the Comprehensive Plan and specifically, the parks, trails and open space part of that plan. Ms. Haskamp said she is creating a parks, trails and open space task force to work with her and asked for two or three planning commissioner volunteers to serve on this task force. She said the task force will hold approximately six meetings and will start as soon as possible. Commissioners Walton, Yarwood and Martin volunteered to serve on the task force. All commissioners were invited to attend any of the task force meetings. . Ron Cockriel reported that a booya and blue grass event will be held on Saturday, October 6, at the Bruentrup Farm. IX. COMMISSION PRESENTATIONS a. September 24 Council meeting: Commissioner Walton reported. b. October 8 Council meeting: Commissioner Trippler-not needed. c. October 22 Council meeting: Commissioner Martin will attend. d. November 12 Council meeting: Cancelled due to Veterans Day holiday. e. Commissioner Boeser volunteered as representative for the next Council meeting. X. STAFF PRESENTATIONS a. Planner Roberts reported lengthy items are scheduled to be reviewed at the next planning commission meeting; the commission revised the start time to 6:00 p.m. b. November's first planning commission meeting is tentatively rescheduled to Monday, November 5, due to election night on the 6th c. Planner Roberts reported on the senior housing study update. XI. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 10:07 p.m.