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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/07/20021. Call to Order MAPLEWOOD PLANNING COMMISSION Monday, October 7, 2002, 7:00 PM City Hall Council Chambers 1830 County Road B East 2. Roll Call 3. Approval of Agenda 4. Approval of Minutes a. September 4, 2002 5. Public Heating None 6. New Business a. Conditional Use Permit Revision - Quality Restoration Services (1160 Frost Avenue) b. Conditional Use Permit- Jiffy Lube (Maplewood Mall Ring Road) c. Conditional Use Permit - Maplewood Imports (Gervais Avenue, west of English Street) 7. Unfinished Business None 8. Visitor Presentations 9. Commission Presentations a. September 9 Council Meeting: Ms. Dierich b. September 23 Council Meeting: Mr. Rossbach c. October 14 Council Meeting: Ms. Fischer d. October 28 Council Meeting: Mr. Pearson 10. Staff Presentations 11. Adjournment MINUTES OF THE MAPLEWOOD PLANNING COMMISSION 1830 COUNTY ROAD B EAST, MAPLEWOOD, MINNESOTA MONDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2002 I. CALLTO ORDER Chairperson Fischer called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. I1. ROLL CALL Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Mary Dierich Lorraine Fischer Matt Ledvina Jackie Monahan-Junek Paul Mueller Gary Pearson William Rossbach Dale Trippler Tushar Desai Present Present Absent Present Absent Present Present Absent Present Staff Present: Ken Roberts, Associate Planner Chris Cavett, Assistant City Engineer Lisa Kroll, Recording Secretary II1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Commissioner Rossbach moved to approve the agenda. Commissioner Pearson seconded. The motion passed. Ayes- Dierich, Fischer, Ledvina, Monahan-Junek, Pearson, Rossbach, Desai IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Approval of the planning commission minutes for September 4, 2002. Chairperson Fischer said she thought the address for Budget Towing was incorrect. Staff checked further and found the address should be 846 Earl Street instead of 905 East Seventh Street. Commissioner Dierich had a correction on page 9 in the sixth paragraph, the last line should say affect rather than effect. Commissioner Pearson moved to approve the planning commission minutes for September 4, 2002 as amended. Planning Commission Minutes of 10-7-02 -2- Commissioner Dierich seconded. V. PUBLIC HEARING Ayes- Dierich, Ledvina, Monahan-Junek, Pearson, Rossbach, Desai Abstention - Fischer None. VI. NEW BUSINESS a. Conditional Use Permit Revision - Quality Restoration Services (1160 Frost Avenue) Mr. Roberts said Roger McGuire of Quality Restoration Services is requesting a conditional use permit (CUP) revision for an existing outside storage yard. This site is on the south side of Frost Avenue across from Flicek Park. Quality Restoration uses this storage facility for storing their ground restoration equipment such as trucks, trailers and earth-moving machinery. They also keep signs, sandbags and barricades on the site. In addition, there are dirt piles and miscellaneous materials, like cable spools, brought back from a site that Quality Restoration keeps on the property for disposal at a later date. The site is neater than it was when Maplewood Auto Clinic was in operation. There is a need for more cleanup, restoration and landscaping here. Mr. Roberts said he and Ginny Gaynor, the Maplewood open space coordinator, visited the site. It is staff's opinion that Quality Restoration needs to improve the appearance and condition of the property, especially when the site is viewed from Frost Avenue. Those improvements were listed as items 1-5 in the staff report. Mr. Doug Yetzer, 3225 Neal Armstrong Boulevard, Eagan, addressed the commission. He is a partner with Roger McGuire of Quality Restoration representing the applicant. Mr. Yetzer said he has no problems with any of the items outlined in the staff report. He said they are trying to keep the trees down along the fence and they will fix that this fall. Mr. Yetzer said they have had smaller dumpsters on the site from time to time. Mr. Yetzer said Quality Restoration does bring things onto the site quite often and realizes it needs to be cleaned up. He said they could fix up the driveway better. He said the fence was replaced and put where the old fence was. At one time Quality Restoration had talked about screening the fence, but the police department said because of security reasons they want the property to be visible. When he was asked if they thought a building would ever be built by Quality Restoration he said he was not sure, it may just be sold as is down the road. Commissioner Pearson moved to approve the resolution on pages 13 and 14 of the staff report. This resolution approves a conditional use permit revision to allow an outdoor storage yard south of Frost Avenue, east of Edward Street (formerly 1160 Frost Avenue). The city is approving this permit revision based on the findings required by code, subject to the following conditions (I have underlined the additions and struck-out the deletions, changes are in bold): All construction shall follow the site plan date-stamped June 11, 1997. The director of community development may approve minor changes. Planning Commission -3- Minutes of 10-7-02 The city council shall review this permit revision in one year. T~,,, ,.. .... ...., ,..,,.,..,'~;*;'"" ~,,,~., ...... ........ ~'"',, ,,.;* The property owner shall submit a plan for staff approval showing the following site improvements: a. Restore the ground area north of the north fence with a ground cover. Plant screeninq trees to help hide the storage yard from Frost Avenue. The screening should include 8-foot-tall Black Hills spruce and white cedar in staggered rows. These plantings should cover the area from the east edge of the gate to a point about 60 feet to the east. Quality Restoration may place the screening rows near their fence or on top of the hill closer to Frost Avenue. Restore the areas of gravel and bare qround near Frost Avenue. This restoration will involve removing the gravel and weeds within about 50 feet of Frost Avenue and restoring the areas with turfI ground cover and landscaping. d. Remove all the Siberian elm trees from the property. When the city restores the open space site to the east, Quality Restoration shall remove and eradicate the knapweed and sweet clover from their property and then restore the hillside with ground cover, landscaping and trees. The applicant or owner shall complete these improvements by June 1,2003. The temporary storage of work-related materials, such as dirt piles and cable spools, for example, may be permitted. These materials may be kept on site for no more than one month. No more than 25 percent of the site shall be used for the storage of such materials, Normal hours of operation shall be 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Exceptions will be allowed to provide emergency service to customers. The city council will need to approve a revision to this permit if the owner wants to put a permanent building on the site. Commissioner Rossbach seconded. Ayes- Dierich, Fischer, Ledvina, Monahan-Junek, Pearson, Rossbach, Desai Commissioner Dierich made a motion adding condition number 7 a -d. 7. a. The applicant shall provide a permanent trash container or dumpster on the site. Planning Commission Minutes of 10-7-02 -4- b. Provide screening along the south side of the site with either slats in the fence or live shrubbery as determined by staff. c. Provide a permanent surface on the entry drive to the gate in the fence. d. The CUP will be renewed for another five years expiring on November 1, 2007. Commissioner Rossbach seconded The motion passed. Ayes- Dierich, Fischer, Ledvina, Monahan-Junek, Pearson, Rossbach, Desai This goes to the city council on October 28, 2002. b. Conditional Use Permit- Jiffy Lube (Maplewood Mall Ring Road) Mr. Roberts said Mr. Jim Lee, of RJ Marco Construction is proposing to build a 3-stall Jiffy Lube auto service facility on the ring road northeast of Maplewood Mall. There is now a vacant Pizza Hut restaurant on the proposed site. If the city approves this proposal, the applicant would tear down the existing restaurant on the site and construct the new facility. Mr. Roberts said the proposed Jiffy Lube shop meets the criteria for a CUP. There is commercial development on all sides of the site. There were no neighboring property owners that objected to this proposal. Mr. Reg Plowman of RJ Marco, 75 West Viking Drive, Little Canada addressed the commission. He is the developer representing the applicant. Mr. Plowman said the applicant has a problem with two of the staff report conditions including the requirement that the sidewalk be installed and the parking signs in the parking lot. Commissioner Rossbach said he would like the applicant to comment on the issue of the sidewalk. Mr. Plowman deferred to the applicant for Jiffy Lube, Mr. Tom Schuette of Azure Properties. Mr. Tom Schuette of Azure Properties, P.O. Box 17830, St. Paul, addressed the commission. He said they object to the requirement of the sidewalk. He said there are no sidewalks in that vicinity and it would not lead anywhere. Mr. Schuette said they would be dealing with skateboarders and ice and snow with sidewalks installed for little benefit in return. He does not know who would use the sidewalk and in his opinion the negatives outweigh the positives. Commissioner Rossbach said Maplewood would like to have more sidewalks in the city and they have to start somewhere with developing a network of sidewalks. Mr. Rossbach said it would be very difficult for the city council not to require this property to have sidewalks when there are other properties that have been required to put in sidewalks far more difficult to install than in this location. Mr. Schuette said he wonders if it would make a difference if the sidewalk were on a boulevard in a public area verses having a sidewalk on private grounds as it is here. Planning Commission Minutes of 10-7-02 -5- Commissioner Rossbach said he doesn't see the difference, if people need to get from one area to another they would use sidewalks. The City of Maplewood is trying to encourage more bicycle and pedestrian traffic. Mr. Schuette said there is still a problem with skateboarders and he thinks putting in the sidewalk will only make it worse. Commissioner Rossbach said Mr. Schuette may not think putting the sidewalks in at this time is the greatest idea but ten to fifteen years from now the businesses will benefit from having them. Mr. Schuette said he doesn't see the need for having customer and employee parking signs in the parking lot but it was a requirement by staff. Mr. Roberts said this is to distinguish the parking spots for Jiffy Lube customers' verses their employees. Commissioner Dierich asked Mr. Cavett where the rainwater garden and sidewalk would go. Mr. Roberts showed planning commission members where the rainwater garden would be placed on the small grassy area and where the sidewalk would be located. Commissioner Desai asked staff if Jiffy Lube is responsible for installing the entire sidewalk along the area. Mr. Roberts said because this property is treated as one property the sidewalk should be installed along the property. It is owned by Azure Properties and the space is leased to the Acapulco restaurant and would be leased to Jiffy Lube. Commissioner Rossbach moved to approve the resolution on pages 19 and 20 of the staff report. This resolution is for a conditional use permit for a maintenance garage for the proposed Jiffy Lube along the ring road northeast of Maplewood Mall. The city is basing its approval on the findings required by code. This approval shall be subject to the following conditions: 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. The city council shall review this permit in one year. Commissioner Desai seconded. The motion passed. Ayes- Dierich, Fischer, Ledvina, Monahan-Junek, Pearson, Rossbach, Desai This goes to the city council on October 28, 2002. Planning Commission Minutes of 10-7-02 -6- c. Conditional Use Permit- Maplewood Imports (Gervais Avenue, west of English Street) Mr. Roberts said Maplewood Imports of 2780 Highway 61 North is proposing to construct a new vehicle storage lot on a 2.36-acre parcel located on the north side of Gervais Avenue, east of S.P. Richards and west of English Street. Maplewood Imports will use the parking lot for temporary storage of new vehicles in order to alleviate the frequent excess of vehicles at their Highway 61 dealership. There is no building proposed for the site and the storage lot will be able to store 278 vehicles. On February 11,2002, the city approved a minor subdivision to create three parcels from an 8.3- acre lot located on the north side of Gervais Avenue, west of English Street. S.P. Richards at 2416 Highway 61 purchased Parcel C for an addition to their building. Maplewood Imports will purchase Parcel B for their proposed motor vehicle storage lot. Parcel A has a Class 1 wetland located within its boundaries. A condition of the minor subdivision was delineation of this wetland. Maplewood Imports has depicted the wetland and the 100-foot-wetland buffer on their plans, which shows that the wetland does not affect their parcel (Parcel B). Maplewood Import's motor vehicle dealership is located on a 6-acre site at 2780 Highway 61 North, approximately 1 Y2 miles to the north of the proposed storage lot. The applicants state that they have reached their maximum capacity on their existing lot. They propose the overflow storage lot on the parcel on Gervais Avenue in order to alleviate the frequent excess of vehicles at their Highway 61 dealership that results in overflow parking onto the green space and adjacent roads. The applicants state they will use the storage lot for temporary storage of motor vehicles, will relocation to their Highway 61 dealership for the sale of the vehicles. No motor vehicle sales will take place on the storage lot. The property is zoned light manufacturing (M-l). City code allows the storage of motor vehicles within this zoning district with a CLIP, if the property is located at least 350 feet from residential property. In this case, the property is 1,800 feet from the closest residential property to the north. Therefore, the proposed use meets the city code and CUP standards. City code allows for the storage of motor vehicles to ensure that dealers have adequate parking for their new inventory before display. Staff believes that the intent of the code is allow for storage lots on contiguous sites to a dealership, not on a freestanding lot located miles from the dealership. An example of this is the Maplewood Toyota storage lot approved by the city council last year. The storage lot is located directly across Beam Avenue from the Toyota dealership at 2873 Highway 61. Mr. Roberts said Maplewood Imports submitted a revised grading and drainage plan on September 26, 2002. Because of the insufficient time in which to review the new data, as well as Maplewood Import's request to expedite the proposal, Chris Cavett, Assistant City Engineer, states in his preliminary review of the revised plans that a complete grading and drainage review will be conducted prior to the planning commission and community design review board meetings. Planning Commission Minutes of 10-7-02 -7- Mr. Roberts said Mr. Cavett will briefly outline some areas of concern in his report including the drainage and pond design, 10-foot high retaining wall, and grading off-site. The applicants are proposing to grade both their parcel (Parcel B) and the parcel to the east (Parcel A) due to an excess of soil. A temporary grading easement will be required to grade onto Parcel A. The applicants should be required to sod or hydroseed Parcel A within 14 days of completion of the grading. Mr. Roberts asked Chris Cavett to comment on some of the engineering details. Mr. Chris Cavett, Assistant City Engineer, said the engineering department did not have much time for review to comment on this report due to receiving the revised set of plans so late. The engineering department does have some significant concerns regarding the pond design. Some of the details of the pond design have not been received by the city from the engineer in terms of treatment calculations. Mr. Cavett said his biggest concern is the design of the retaining wall at the edge of the parking lot. The design detail is shown on the plan will not be recommended for approval by the city. The wall will require a building permit but there is significant design details that would be required because of the way the retaining wall would act as a barrier. Mr. Cavett said there are no barriers provided between the parking lot and the drop off of the wall and there needs to be significant thought and detail put into what kind of barriers there would be. A visual barrier should be required such as a structural wall, fencing or boulevard with landscaping. Mr. Cavett said there are a number of issues that need to be worked out before issuance of a grading permit. Commissioner Dierich asked staff if they knew what was going to be put in on Parcel A. Mr. Roberts said no. Commissioner Desai asked staff if there was design consideration given for the trucks delivering vehicles. He asked if the trucks would have enough room to maneuver around in the parking lot. Mr. Roberts said the plans for the parking lot have arrows showing the turning radius for the trucks. He said whether that's how it will happen or not he's not sure but it appears that there will be enough room. Commissioner Dierich asked staff if there was some idea of where the parking islands would be placed. Mr. Roberts said no. Mr. Jim Kellison of Kellison Company, 7300 Hudson Boulevard, Suite 200, Oakdale, addressed the commission. Mr. Kellison is the developer and is representing Maplewood Imports. He said with respect to the engineering report and the comments from Mr. Cavett, Kellison Company waited for a considerable period of time to get the wetland report and watershed district report back, that is why their engineering report changed midstream. Planning Commission Minutes of 10-7-02 -8- Kellison Company had submitted plans based on what they thought would be the proper calculations to meet the requirements. The requirements were changed and they had to modify their drawings and submitted them at somewhat of a late date. They appreciate the work the staff has done to review the plans in an timely way. They realize the wall will have to be engineered and the work that will have to be done for the retaining wall. They are intending to fence the top of the lot so nobody would fall into the detention pond. Even if they proposed not to put a fence around the lot they would still be required by code to have a 42-inch-high fence of some kind. They do agree with staff to put more landscaping in along the front of the property. Commissioner Rossbach said the police commented that they think a fence should be used with a barbwire fence on the top. Does the city allow barbwire fences to be used? Mr. Roberts said yes it is allowed. Mr. Kellison said having the barbwire on the top of the fence will not detour people from climbing the fence to steal cars. Many dealerships have no fencing and he feels like the applicants are being made an example of having the request to install fencing. Mr. Doug Molder, 2780 Highway 61, Maplewood, addressed the commission. He is the general manager of Maplewood Imports. Commissioner Dierich asked how much traffic does the applicant anticipate having on this site? Mr. Molder said there would be no client traffic. He said the cars would be moved back and forth but no customers would be on the site. He said it would not even be as many as 10 cars a day. Commissioner Rossbach moved to approve the resolution on pages 19 and 20 of the staff report. This resolution approves a conditional use permit for a motor vehicle storage lot on a lot located on the north side of Gervais Avenue, west of English Street (Legal Description: Lot B, W.H. Howards Garden Lots). Approval is based on the findings required by the code and subject to the following conditions: 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 end. The council may extend this deadline for one year. c. Motor vehicle sales or displays are not permitted on the site. d. Loading or unloading of motor vehicles on the public right-of-way is prohibited. e. Motor vehicles can only be parked on designated paved surfaces. f. The city council shall review this permit in one year. Commissioner Pearson seconded. Ayes - All Planning Commission Minutes of 10-7-02 -9- VII. VIII. IX. The motion passed. This goes to the city council on October 28, 2002. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS None. COMMISSION PRESENTATIONS Commissioner Dierich was the planning commission representative at the September 9, 2002, city council meeting. Ms. Dierich said items that were discussed were the house moving for Shelley Schlomka that passed ayes all, Bart Crockett house moving that passed ayes all, and the Anderson Hill Oaks zoning change and plat was approved. Maplewood Manufactured Home Park Closing Ordinance was discussed and the city council agreed with the HRA not to take any action until a park closing took place in the City of Maplewood. Commissioner Rossbach was the planning commission representative at the September 23, 2002, city council meeting. Commissioner Rossbach said items that were discussed were the CUP for Budget Towing that passed ayes all, and the Highwood Farm preliminary plat that was tabled for more discussion to take place in one month. Commissioner Fischer was to be the planning commission representative at the October 14, 2002, city council meeting. Mr. Roberts said there was no planning commission representation needed. Commissioner Pearson will be the planning commission representative at the October 28, 2002, city council meeting. Mr. Roberts said items to be discussed are Jiffy Lube, Quality Restoration, and Maplewood Imports. STAFF PRESENTATIONS Mr. Roberts had a number of items to discuss with planning commission members for staff presentations. Planning Commission Minutes of 10-7-02 -10- Mr. Roberts said if planning commission members needed a new zoning code to let him know. Mr. Roberts said the city keeps a list of all planning commission member's names, addresses and telephone numbers. Please let him know if anything should be put on the city use only list, as opposed to the public list. o Mr. Roberts asked for a point of clarification regarding the meeting last year with Barbara Strandell and the discussion of refreshments. Mr. Roberts asked for feedback regarding ideas for in-services for planning commission members. Some ideas included visiting Maple Grove's new commercial development, discussion of group homes in the City of Maplewood, Rainwater Garden discussion with Chris Cavett as the speaker, trails and sidewalks in the City of Maplewood, and having neighborhood meetings with Maplewood residents. o Mr. Roberts said as of October 7, 2002, there were no new applications to discuss for the next planning commission meeting. There may be an in-service for members at the next planning commission meeting October 21, 2002. Xl. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 8:53 p.m.