Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/19/20031. Call to Order MAPLEWOOD PLANNING COMMISSION Wednesday, February 19, 2003, 7:00 PM City Hall Council Chambers 1830 County Road B East 2. Roll Call 3. Approval of Agenda 4. Approval of Minutes a. February 3, 2003 5. Public Headngs 7:00 a. Saint Paul Soccer Center (County Road B) 1. Land Use Plan Change (OS (open space) to P (park)) 2. Conditional Use Permit 7:15 b. Sibley Cove Apartment Building (County Road D) 1. Land Use Plan Change (BC to R-3(H)) 2. Conditional Use Permit for Planned Unit Development 7:30 c. Larpenteur Avenue Redevelopment Site (City of Maplewood) 1. Land Use Plan Change (R-1 to R-3(M)) 2. Zoning Map Change (R-1 to R-3) 6. New Business 7. Unfinished Business None 8. Visitor Presentations 9. Commission Presentations a. February 10 Council Meeting: Ms. Fischer b. February 24 Council Meeting: Mr. Pearson c. March 10 Council Meeting: Ms. Monahan-Junek 10. Staff Presentations 11. Adjournment MINUTES OF THE MAPLEWOOD PLANNING COMMISSION 1830 COUNTY ROAD B EAST, MAPLEWOOD, MINNESOTA WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2003 I. CALLTO ORDER Chairperson Fischer called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. I1. ROLL CALL Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Tushar Desai Mary Dierich Lorraine Fischer Matt Ledvina Jackie Monahan-Junek Paul Mueller Commissioner Gary Pearson Commissioner William Rossbach Commissioner Dale Trippler Absent Absent Present Absent Present Present Present Present Present Staff Present: Tom Ekstrand, Assistant Community Development Director Ken Roberts, Associate Planner Melinda Coleman, Assistant City Manager Bruce Anderson, Parks & Recreation Director Chris Cavett, Assistant City Engineer Lisa Kroll, Recording Secretary II1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Commissioner Rossbach added item d. Van Dyke Village under Commission Presentations. Commissioner Pearson moved to approve the agenda as amended. Commissioner Rossbach seconded. Ayes- Fischer, Monahan-Junek, Mueller, Pearson, Rossbach, Trippler The motion passed. IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Approval of the planning commission minutes for February 3, 2003. In the absence of chairperson Fischer the chairperson was Will Rossbach. Change the wording co-chair Rossbach to chairperson Rossbach in the minutes. Commissioner Rossbach moved to approve the planning commission minutes for February 3, 2003 with changes. Planning Commission Minutes of 02-19-03 -2- Commissioner Pearson seconded. Ayes- Monahan-Junek, Pearson, Rossbach, Trippler Abstentions- Fischer, Mueller V. PUBLIC HEARING a. Saint Paul Soccer Center (County Road B) Mr. Ekstrand said the City of St. Paul's Department of Parks and Recreation is proposing to develop a six-field outdoor soccer park on the northerly portion of the St. Paul Water Utility property south of County Road B. This property is part of the Sandy Lake lime disposal area for the St. Paul Water Utility. The applicant is proposing these soccer fields for use during daylight periods as there would not be lights for night play. There would be 235 parking spaces plus a lavatory building. The applicant proposes to buffer the playing fields by planting a 309-foot-wide wooded area along the south side of the fields. There are areas of existing trees for screening on the north/northeast. This soccer complex would fill a need for additional soccer fields needed by the City of St. Paul for their soccer programs. This facility would be used for regular game scheduling as well as for tournaments. Mr. Ekstrand said that from a land-use standpoint, the proposal would provide an attractive, Iow- density use for this barren, unappealing land. If the city council were to approve this proposal, the applicant must provide the detailed plans as outlined in the staff report for a more thorough review. Commissioner Trippler asked Mr. Cavett to respond to a letter from a concerned resident regarding the stability of the land after it will be filled in do to the large amount of lime. Mr. Cavett, Assistant City Engineer, said this type of project is actually a good use for this land. When soil is loaded on something that is water bearing like lime it will actually get surcharged and settle out. He said since you are not building facilities on the land, what minimal settlement that will occur will be easy to deal with. He does not see the settling as an issue as long as it is filled in over time. He is sure the applicant will be dealing with soil experts. Commissioner Trippler asked what the long range costs would be on an annual basis for the City of Maplewood? His understanding was the city and the county will actually be maintaining the site. Mr. Ekstrand said this proposal will be developed and maintained by the City of Saint Paul. There should be no operational costs for the City of Maplewood. He said any police and fire calls at the park would be handled by the City of Maplewood. Commissioner Trippler said there was discussion about having access to the south of Skillman Avenue and Adolphus Street. He said there's a huge drop-off in that area and he wondered if that area would be filled-in in order to gain access? Mr. Ekstrand said that was not proposed by the applicant. It is not something that the neighborhood wants but from a park design standpoint and an access standpoint they felt that there should be a trail connection. Staff felt it would be wise to connect to the neighborhood to the newly developed park. Planning Commission Minutes of 02-19-03 -3- Commissioner Mueller asked staff if they knew how the applicant would grow the large trees that are depicted on the plans so quickly? Mr. Ekstrand said staff does not have those details yet. The applicant submitted a tree plan but it does not give details of the size of the trees to be planted. Commissioner Mueller said he thought he read that St. Paul had first rights to the soccer park and if the park wasn't being used, Maplewood's soccer teams could use it. Mr. Ekstrand said he thought that was correct, however he is hearing that is incorrect from the applicant in the audience. He said he would let the applicant answer that question. Commissioner Mueller asked if there have been other proposals for this piece of land? And if this space remains open space what would it look like? Mr. Ekstrand said no there have not been other proposals for this land. He said if it remained an open space it would look unattractive and almost desert like. Because of all the lime he does not believe it would support much growth. Commissioner Mueller asked about the 235 proposed parking spaces. He said he did a calculation and when he includes people coming early, games overlapping, and additional family members coming to the games he finds a shortage of parking spaces. Commissioner Rossbach said he was curious if Sandy Lake is covered under Maplewood's mining and extraction ordinance? Mr. Ekstrand said he would have to do some research into that. Commissioner Rossbach said he thought that came into play during the process. In that mining and extraction ordinance there are some restoration specifications having to do with sights. That would relate to Mr. Mueller's question regarding what this site would look like if it remained an open space. Mr. Ekstrand said staff will look into that further. Chairperson Fischer said she noticed in attachment #19 the reference to the phantom soccer leagues, is this common or uncommon? Mr. Bruce Anderson, Maplewood Parks & Recreation Director, said phantom soccer leagues are very common. He said Maplewood has a number of large organizations that participate on Maplewood's soccer fields after the organized play on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. He said from Memorial Day to Labor Day, 9 out of 10 weekends are going to have active organized play which is not scheduled through Maplewood's Park & Recreation Department. Commissioner Rossbach asked Mr. Anderson what problems would that cause for the City of Maplewood and the parks? Planning Commission Minutes of 02-19-03 -4- Mr. Anderson said the problem is the extensive use of the soccer fields because the soccer fields get beat up and destroyed. The fields are used seven days a week for several hours a day. The fields are designed for the residents and for youth play. During the adult play they often play during the rain and inclement weather and this is when the fields can get destroyed. The parks department has resodded these fields three times in the last seven years. Trying to keep these fields in game ready condition is very difficult. With additional soccer fields, this would hopefully alleviate the problem of the soccer fields being over used in Maplewood. Commissioner Mueller said regarding the soccer fields in Maplewood, can anyone in Maplewood use the fields and are specific organized leagues using the fields from other communities? Mr. Anderson said there have been groups from the outside using the fields and it is very difficult to regulate the use of public fields. He said the Park & Recreation department has posted signs at the sites with "organized play by permit only" signs, but it is very difficult to manage the field or remove players from the field complexes. He said it continues to be a challenge to keep the soccer fields in good playing condition after adult soccer has been played. Commissioner Mueller asked Mr. Anderson if the hope was that if six more soccer fields were built this would help address the overuse of soccer fields? Mr. Anderson said yes. Commissioner Pearson asked Mr. Anderson if the issue of phantom soccer leagues wasn't more of a police enforcement issue rather then the need for additional soccer fields? Mr. Anderson said it's a difficult public policy issue. He said the police department doesn't enjoy having to go to a park and ask people playing soccer to leave a public park. He said it isn't that the people are doing anything wrong at the park it's just that the soccer fields are getting abused because of overuse. Commissioner Pearson said his point is he believes the problem will still exist even if there are six more soccer fields built. Mr. Anderson said having six more soccer fields would still alleviate the problem. Chairperson Fischer asked the applicant to address the commission. Mr. Bob Bierscheid, the Director of Parks & Recreation for the City of St. Paul, 25 West Fourth Street in St. Paul, addressed the commission. Mr. Bierscheid said this proposal has been brought before the City of Maplewood before. He said the issues that were brought up by the residents in the past have been addressed this time. He said there is a desperate need for soccer fields throughout this entire area. They have been participating with Ramsey County and the Soccer Partners program whereby they give additional funding to municipalities to develop soccer fields. This development would be supervised, enclosed by a fence, be locked and not open to the public to use except by a permit. The proposal is recognizing that the soccer fields are in the City of Maplewood and that by agreement specified use could be given to the City of Maplewood when and how many soccer fields could be used by residents. Planning Commission Minutes of 02-19-03 -5- Mr. Bierscheid said the soccer fields will be maintained by the City of St. Paul, there would be specified hours of operation, be no festivals, there is no lighting proposed, and there would be a specified limited number of youth tournaments by agreement. Another reason there is a need for the security of the fencing, locked gates, single access and the supervision on site is to control the overuse of the soccer fields. Mr. Tim Agness, the Principal Designer for the Parks & Recreation department for the City of St. Paul, addressed the commission. He said when this proposal was presented to the neighbors in 2001, the residents said they did not want a trail connection or play area. Those items have been removed from this proposal. He said there are alternatives that have been offered by the water utility for additional parking. At this point and time, the research they have done across the country show this number of parking spaces would exceed the number of spaces necessary for these six soccer fields. When parking problem's occur it's usually because of a scheduling problem. They hired a geo-technical firm called American Engineering and Testing to do soil borings in 2001 to see how these lime pits would be managed. Currently, the water utility is driving on areas that were once lime. The water is compressed and eventually it ends up stable. He said they were told the land would never be perfectly stable and there would be some continuous differential settlement unless the drainage as it is on a really good athletic field. There was a study done by the water utility in 1995, which covered case histories and abandoned lime pits. They would try to plant trees that are 2 to 2 1/2 inch caliber like those planted on boulevards. The trees have to be lime tolerant and would have to have enough fill to be able to care for the root system. Commissioner Monahan-Junek said she read a residents concern regarding what other areas the applicant has checked into to build these six soccer fields. She said maybe there aren't any areas large enough? Mr. Bierscheid said they have checked extensively throughout St. Paul and there are no other areas to build this proposal. He said the land is owned by the water utility and when the land became available they proposed to build this soccer complex there. In St. Paul, four soccer fields is the most that could be built. Commissioner Trippler asked Mr. Bierscheid what the City of St. Paul was going to do with the land at the Pig's Eye site? Mr. Bierscheid said the Pig's Eye site is part of the regional park plan and for the most part that is to remain a large open space area. He said there is a slightly different environment at Pig's Eye then there is at Sandy Lake. Commissioner Trippler said he was the project manager for the Pig's Eye area five or six years ago. He knows there were plans to put soccer fields in there but District One was opposed to the soccer fields being pUt there for various reasons. He said one reason was because it obstructed District Ones view of the river. He believes that sight would be perfect for soccer fields. He does not understand why the City of St. Paul does not pursue that area further. This is where the population lives that needs these soccer fields. Mr. Bierscheid said they won't put soccer fields there because of the environmental concerns and native species. The primary reason is they do not want to disturb the land. Planning Commission -6- Minutes of 02-19-03 Commissioner Trippler said he vehemently disagrees. There are no native species left them. He said the land isn't virgin, it's an old dumpsite. The Pollution Control Agency along with the help of the EPA is removing all of the toxic materials off the site and when they are done it won't be the problem it was five years ago. Mr. Bierscheid said the intention of this proposal is for the soccer youth. They are desperately trying to find soccer fields for youth organizations to use. Commissioner Mueller said the applicant stated a St. Paul Park & Recreation person would supervise this complex and it is funded by the City of St. Paul. He asked if there has been conversation regarding the residents of Maplewood and St. Paul sharing the use of this complex? Mr. Bierscheid said yes, St. Paul will be supervising this complex and it is funded by St. Paul. He hopes the two cities could reach an agreement about the use of this complex either for a specified time or for a certain number of days. Commissioner Mueller stated the residents are afraid their homes will go down in value if this soccer complex is built. Mr. Bierscheid said in his 35 years of experience, he has seen property values not only maintained but they have gone up when next to a park. Commissioner Mueller asked Mr. Bierscheid if the City of St. Paul was bearing this cost and what would this project cost? Mr. Bierscheid said the project would cost $7 million dollars. The cost would be covered by the City of St. Paul and by Ramsey County in terms of development costs. Commissioner Mueller asked if this soccer complex is completely fenced, and his backyard backs up to this area would he be able to go play on these fields, or is that not a possibility? Mr. Bierscheid said that depends on whatever the City of Maplewood sets for conditions and access to the property for the residents. Commissioner Mueller asked what if one of the conditions was to eliminate one of the soccer fields in order to put in a picnic area and tot lot? Mr. Bierscheid said they would like to have as many soccer fields as possible. He said they would be willing to discuss having only five soccer fields and before it's finalized they would hope to come to some kind of agreement. Chairperson Fischer asked audience members to sign in on the sign up sheet if they would like to speak. They would be called up to speak in the order they sign up. She asked speakers to keep their comments to five minutes or less in length. She also said neighbors should have respect for others and their opinions. The following people gave their comments: Planning Commission Minutes of 02-19-03 -7- 1. Travis Gaueberg at 16'7 East Skillman Avenue, Maplewood He said he has a young son and plans on having more children. He does not believe this plan can handle the parking for this proposal. There is not a direct connection to this area and people will drive through neighborhoods looking for shortcuts. He said the community is very quiet and they would like to keep it that way. People would be driving fast and he is concerned about the safety of children. He believes that the restrooms are too far from the soccer fields. Because of this he is concerned that adults who have been drinking beverages all afternoon will not walk to the bathroom but will urinate on his property. When he bought his property four years ago Sandy Lake was considered open space. He was told it wasn't going to be developed into anything and that is why he liked this area. The park nearest to him is a few blocks away and it attracts some shady characters. Because of this he will never take his family there again. He believes developing this soccer complex will attract trouble and he doesn't want it in his backyard. He wants the planning commission to vote no on this proposal. 2. John Chapman at 160 County Road B East, Maplewood He is not in complete opposition of this proposal. Many of the changes that were made in earlier plans appear to be made to benefit the residents south of the project. He does not want the concerns of the people north of the project ignored. He has concerns about the screening of the area to the north as well as the increased traffic on County Road B East. Between the two schools, St. Jude Medical and the new Joe's Sporting Goods being built there, is a lot of traffic throughout certain times of the day on County Road B. 3. John Hackman at 2011 Jackson Street, Maplewood He has lived here for 17 years. His neighborhood has put up with a lot from the water utility as far as building the dikes, and repositioning the ponds to the west of him. He's had to live through troubles with Sandy Lake. Sandy Lake had to be pumped out and there were generators running all night. When they were building the dikes he lived with constant noise and he had nails popping out of the walls in his house, which he had to repair. When he comes home he finally has peace and quiet and he enjoys this. The Business Centers by the highway buffer the highway noise. Because of everything he has put up he would like to leave it open space so he can continue to enjoy his peace and quiet. He is against this proposal. 4. Joe Plumbo at 176 East Skillman Avenue, Maplewood He comes before the planning commission to ask that they vote no for this proposal. He sent a letter to the city with his concerns and comments. Because of the problems over the decades that this neighborhood has had to endure, it is time to give some consideration to this neighborhood to finally enjoy some peace and quiet and be left alone. The soccer fields will not provide peace and quiet but will cause problems and bring increased traffic down County Road B East. The neighborhood went before the parks commission last year and they decided to take no action, which he believes was a good decision. The neighborhood wants Sandy Lake to be capped and left as open space. 5. Shelly Strauss at 2153 Arkwright Street, Maplewood She said her neighborhood wasn't notified or surveyed for this proposal. The traffic would come through her neighborhood and this concerns her. This is a proposal for a regional center for the residents of St. Paul and secondly for the residents of Maplewood. She believes the parking is not ample enough for this proposal. 235 spaces is not enough for six soccer fields, the home team, visiting team, and other spectators besides the overlapping of soccer games. Planning Commission Minutes of 02-19-03 -8- Ms. Strauss said once the parking spaces are full people are going to park in the closest neighborhood. Eventually someone will cut a whole in the fence so people can gain access and get in faster. She believes that even though there are no plans for lighting at this time in Phase I, the games are 11/2 hour long and eventually the applicant will come back and ask for lighting to be added. She is against this proposal. 6. Dorothy Haas at 129 Bellwood Avenue, Maplewood She is concerned about the screening along the fenced area. In St. Paul, 30 years ago, there was a rape that occurred at a park off of Maryland Avenue and Rice Street where there was also screening. That screening has since been removed due to the rape occurring. She said the problems associated with screening is just something to think about regarding this proposal. She is concerned about the wildlife that will be disturbed in the area. When they moved here 30 years ago they had deer go through their property and she is concerned the wildlife will disappear. She is against this proposal. 7. Pete Frank at 1921 Price Avenue, Maplewood He said he is speaking in favor of this proposal. He's dealt with traveling soccer and the fall soccer program a great deal. Parking is basically not a problem but there have been a handful of problems on the weekends. When parking is a problem it is usually because of poor scheduling. Kids games are usually 1 hour long, in the fall the games start at 6:00 p.m. and the second game starts at 7:00 p.m. so the kids are usually done playing around 8:00 p.m. The older kids will need fields that are lit for their games. Most fields do not have lights, basically because of the added cost and to keep the use of the fields down. Hazelwood Park is one of the few parks that have lit fields. Soccer games are quieter than baseball games or other sports that are being played. Six soccer fields is the ideal number as shown on this proposal. Property values do not decrease and if anything, they increase. Although he said he is not an expert, he has heard that living by a school or by a park will increase the value of your property. 8. Larry Peterson at 351 O'Day Street South, Maplewood He is speaking in favor of this proposal. He has two daughters and they have been involved in playing soccer for District 622 and the Northeast Soccer Association. He credits the self- confidence and good grades of his children because of their involvement in youth activities. He does not live near this location but does live in south Maplewood. He lives by the Ramsey County Workhouse. There is a nine-hole golf course being built there, which will be run by the Ramsey County Workhouse inmates. His neighborhood supported that project for the better of the neighborhood and he believes the residents should support this project for their neighborhood as well. 9. Rob McHattie at 1412 Almond Avenue, St. Paul He is the Chairman for SoccerSpaces. He has been involved in finding places for kids to play soccer for about five years now and his kids have played soccer for about fifteen years. Sandy Lake is the ideal site because the land is inexpensive, it really can't be Used for anything else, the soccer fields can be shared by multiple communities and it does not effect a huge amount of homes. He said if this space is left as open space there is only a small amount of people that would enjoy this open space. Planning Commission Minutes of 02-19-03 -9- Mr. McHattie said if the soccer complex is built, there could be 600 people enjoying this space daily. There could be parking problems on the weekend but it is possible to have overflow parking at a nearby school or at the industrial area. They like this site because there is space for six soccer fields, which is critical for getting teams from neighboring cities to compete there. They have looked at other sites as well as the Pig's Eye site but there is not enough space to have six soccer fields at any other location. 10. Sean Nicholson at 2381 Chippewa Circle, Maplewood He supports the soccer proposal. He grew up playing soccer for a great coach Buzz Lagos and as a result he has been involved in soccer his whole life. He is the past president of the Northeast Soccer Association, which is the home team for the Maplewood community. They are probably the ones that use the Hazelwood Park soccer field the most. He is here representing a few soccer clubs. Twin City Fire has about 200 youth players, St. Paul Black Hawks have about 500 players and there is another club that has 400 players. They all play against each other. They have a hard time finding soccer fields to play at and many times they have to travel to Blaine to find available soccer fields. There is usually one tournament a year. He said Soccer is the fastest growing sport in America. This is an opportunity to get a $7 million park in their backyard. There is not a lot of noise from soccer. The kids are running and don't have the energy to yell and scream. He would love to have this beautiful park in his backyard for the kids and the community to use. 11. Don Lubke at 1825 Hyacinth Avenue, St. Paul He is the president of the Northeast Soccer Association. The number of soccer fields do not correspond with the number of kids playing soccer. The kids don't have enough places to play soccer at. If you are a young family with children buying a home by parks and schools would draw families to those neighborhoods. The wildlife will stay and will continue to grow with the trees and ponds. He is in favor of this proposal. 12. Sharell Babin at 150 East County Road B, Maplewood They bought their house many years ago when before Cub Foods was there it was a riding stable. Sandy Lake was Iow enough that they could look out their house and see onto Skillman Avenue. They would call the water utility and ask what was going on only to be told not to worry that nothing was going on and her family was strung along for years. Then the dikes were built and Sandy Lake became so high that you cannot see across to the other side anymore. They have lost a lot since they moved there. St. Jude's built and their road comes out directly onto hers and they get the traffic from St. Jude's along with the shift changes, traffic from Cub, traffic from the two schools and now they want to add the traffic for the soccer fields. The entrance to the soccer complex is proposed to be only two doors down from her house and it will bring problems and elements to their neighborhood that they don't want. They want to come home to peace and quiet and enjoy their neighborhood and not to deal with traffic and noise. She wants the planning commission to vote no for this proposal. 13. Milo Thompson at 1794 Onacrest Avenue, Maplewood His sources state that Sandy Lake has to be capped. The water utility would like financial help in covering the cost. There is a conditional use permit mentioned here. This CUP comes up for an annual review and the residents could come back to the city with their protests through the year and get the problems resolved if any were to occur. The residents still have avenues to be in control of their neighborhoods. Planning Commission Minutes of 02-19-03 -10- 14. Manuel (Buzz) Lagos at 1889 Lincoln Avenue, St. Paul He is the coach of the Minnesota Thunder Soccer team. He does soccer clinics in Maplewood and works with soccer clubs and the schools. Living in St. Paul he recognizes the need for soccer fields for the youth of today to play soccer. Being a homeowner, he knows that people have the right to be concerned about their property if a soccer complex was proposed to be built. This would a very nice complex, it would keep the wildlife, it would be maintained very nice and be aesthetically pleasing and it would overall enhance property values. The parking and traffic problems can be addressed and can be minimized. The fields will be managed properly and the use of the six soccer fields could be rotated to help save the fields. 15. Aaron Tilsen at 6097 Courtly Alcove, Woodbury He coaches soccer for about 150 to 200 kids and 10 to 20 of those kids are from Maplewood. They run into this issue of using soccer fields and how many kids do you have to have on a team in order to use their city's soccer fields. For the last four years he worked at the indoor soccer facility on Cope Avenue. At Harvest Park they put a soccer field in at the park. They ran soccer camps there but now it has been rented out to Hispanics and the soccer field has been destroyed. That is what will happen to Hazelwood Park because there is no place to go to practice soccer. In St. Paul almost all the parks are set up for baseball and softball and there are very few soccer parks. If Maplewood does not allow St. Paul to put in these soccer fields, Maplewood's parks will be over used and destroyed. Every year the Park and Recreation Department spends a lot of money fixing the soccer fields up. Building these soccer fields would take some use off of Maplewood's parks. He is for this proposal. 16. Joel Hollenkamp at 1984 Adolphus Street, Maplewood His concern is the traffic flow. He feels with only one entrance/exit people will use County Road B East and any other street people can gain the quickest access they will use. There will be a lot of congestion no matter how much time you put in between the game times. He is also concerned about the noise level. Since the concrete wall was put up by the freeway the noise does not bother him. He appreciates the opinions of the people who are for the soccer park but none of them live in this area so it is easy for them to be in favor of it. 17. Joanne Ronning at 144 East Skillman Avenue, Maplewood She is confused because they were told the soccer fields would be used for adult soccer games and for tournament plan and now she hears the kids have no place to play and the fields would be used for youth soccer. Their neighborhood signed a petition with over 100 names on it stating that they don't want this soccer complex here. She wants Sandy Lake to be capped and then left as open space. She read St. Paul does not want anything less than six soccer fields so you are not going to get them to go down to five soccer fields. Hazelwood Park originally did not have lighting on it but it was installed. She thinks the same thing would happen at this complex, it is just a matter of time. At a meeting in the fall of 2001 at the Parkside Fire Department, there was a Maplewood Policeman there and he said there would not be extra police patrol if this Sandy Lake soccer field were built. There is increased concern for kids to congregate there with or without a fence. Property values are another concern of hers. Having a park in someone's neighborhood with a picnic area and swings is far more desirable then having six soccer fields in their neighborhood with soccer tournaments being played all the time. Planning Commission Minutes of 02-19-03 -11- Ms. Ronning said it also seems ridiculous to have only one bathroom for this proposal with 600 people there at one time. If someone from the city council lived in this neighborhood she does not believe this proposal would even be heard. She is not in favor of this proposal and urges the planning commission to vote no. 17. Charles Gershner at 176 Mount Vernon, Maplewood He understands that St. Paul Regional Water owns the land right now and wondered who would be responsible for capping Sandy Lake once the contaminants were covered over with fill and grass? Mr. Anderson said St. Paul Regional Water would still own the land and the City of St. Paul would be responsible for the property. 18. Brett Looney at 1985 Jackson Street, Maplewood A lot of people walk through his neighborhood and he has concerns about the traffic especially with children around. He is concerned about kids sitting in the parking lot causing trouble and a police patrol comes and the kids run over the fence and into their neighborhoods. People will be in a hurry and may drive through the neighborhoods fast trying to get to the kids soccer games. Say people are lost, they will drive fast through the neighborhoods looking for the entrance to the soccer complex because they are late. There are kids playing in the streets all year round. He is against this proposal. If this happens to get passed he wants to make sure the city considers the neighborhoods surrounding it. 18. Steven Condiff at 133 Skillman Avenue, Maplewood. He was one of the spearheads on the last rejection for this proposal last time. He thinks this will turn into a money making proposition. He has watched his community grow and the neighborhood enjoys the peace quiet despite the noise of the freeway. The vegetation and the buildings help drown out the noise of the freeway. He has heard the pros and cons of this proposal but these people don't live in this area. The MPCA told people that Sandy Lake has to be capped no matter what and eventually something will grow on the land once it is made into an open space. Soccer is a great sport but not in his backyard. He is against this proposal and he would like to keep it quiet. 19. Peter Fischer at 2443 Standridge Avenue, Maplewood. He is in support of this proposal. He believes the City of St. Paul has taken into consideration a lot of the concerns from the neighborhood and the citizens, which are now reflected in the plans. He knows there is a shortage of soccer fields in the community. There are many programs that are offered by St. Paul that Maplewood take advantage of. This proposal is not only a benefit for St. Paul but surrounding communities as well. The applicant seems very open to suggestions and has concerns about the needs of the neighbors. Many times there are developments that are built and the developers only have concerns for themselves and not for the residents. Commissioner Rossbach asked staff if they had a chance to get an answer to his question earlier regarding the mining ordinance? Mr. Ekstrand said the city did approve a conditional use permit (CUP) for the removal of lime from the lime pits in the late 80's, which expired 12-1-01. In 1997 the city council did approve a landscape plan for the southerly part of the property. Planning Commission Minutes of 02-19-03 -12- Commissioner Rossbach said the St. Paul Water Utility has an obligation to restore the site in its entirety whether there is a soccer field built or not. He said there must be some criteria that the restoration is defined in one-way or another. Mr. Ekstrand said he would continue to study this. Commissioner Trippler said in most of the capping regulations it rarely limits it to just capping. There are engineering and aesthetic considerations in any capping order that is put out. He can't imagine that the MPCA would say to pave over it. It will have to have a certain amount of growth material, clay for imperviousness and possibly an 18-inch zone of rooting soils. He asked staff if the city will see any tax revenues from this proposal as opposed to an open space proposal? Melinda Coleman said the city will not see any tax revenue from the St. Paul Water Utility. County Government is tax-exempt whether it is left open space or not. Commissioner Pearson asked where the closest playground is in that neighborhood? Mr. Anderson said Western Hills Park is the closest playground, which is about 3 blocks away. Commissioner Rossbach said the commission does not get a regular audience and he said he usually sticks his foot in his mouth once during a meeting. He would vote no on this proposal because the people say they don't want the complex built. One of his main driving criteria is the planning commission should listen to the voices of the residents whenever it is possible. The planning commission is limited in many developments because they don't have a lot of choices. He would further say that he thinks the residents are "blowing it". This would be a great use. From his own experience from living across the street from Hazelwood Park, there are the largest baseball and soccer fields there, he lives on the county road that carries way more traffic then the area for this proposal and the biggest problem is listening to softballs being hit against steel bats. None of this is really a "problem". He never hears the soccer field noise. Only on occasion is there a parking problem. The biggest parking problem is for the 4th of July celebration when there are 10,000 plus people there. He thinks the residents are making a big mountain out of a tiny molehill. This is a very minimal use and the residents are turning it down. The residents would rather have an area that is going to get capped, filled in and sod put on top to look at rather than an area of 400 feet of trees blocking the neighborhood from seeing six soccer fields. He thinks by the time the residents go to the public hearing for the city council on March 10th the residents should reconsider this proposal. Commissioner Mueller said personally he would vote yes for this proposal. When there is a 310- foot sound barrier of trees around this area he would take it. The freeway is his backyard and he hears the freeway noise. Someone wrote a letter to the planning commission asking if this proposal was in your backyard would you want it there? He said he sure would want that proposal in his backyard. It's a great proposal and the value of his home would skyrocket. It is a value to the community as well not only for Maplewood but other surrounding communities. Chairperson Fischer asked staff what kind of screening is around the parks in Maplewood such as Goodrich Park? Mr. Anderson said the screening is minimal at Goodrich Park. Some parks are surrounded by residential homes. Planning Commission Minutes of 02-19-03 -13- Commissioner Monahan-Junek said when she saw this proposal with a 310-foot buffer of trees she said she thought it was fabulous. She said go to other communities and many people don't get that kind of a buffer. It bothers her that most of the dialogue is that we haven't gone beyond "your own" interest and started thinking about the "communities interest". Her child takes swimming lessons at Skyview School in Oakdale but she lives in Maplewood, should she not be going there because she doesn't live in Oakdale? A lot of people have asked, "would you want this proposal built in your backyard"? She said yes, she lives on Larpenteur Avenue between Century Avenue and McKnight Road. She said there is traffic from Hill Murray School, from 3M and the road is very busy. She made the decision to not let her child play on the road because it is not safe. She made the decision that her child only plays in her yard. She is careful driving and she watches the traffic. She empathizes with the residents. The fact is that times have changed and if she had a choice to have soccer fields across the street from her house instead of the Maplewood Apartments she would rather have the soccer fields. She feels this is a fabulous opportunity for the community. She said everyone would like peace and quiet but the community is changing. She said if it wasn't for places like 3M, Maplewood Mall, and recreation areas, it would not be a thriving community. She supports this plan. Commissioner Trippler moved to adopt the resolution on page 45 approving a comprehensive land use plan amendment from OS (open space) to P (park) for the City of St. Paul's proposed Sandy Lake Soccer Complex. Approval is based on the following reasons: The proposed soccer complex would conform with Maplewood's mission to provide a comprehensive, balanced and sustainable system of parks, open spaces/natural areas, trails and leisure-oriented activities/programs for city residents to use and enjoy in as cost-effective manner as possible. It would provide city residents with parks and natural areas for recreational uses as visual/physical diversions from the hard surfacing a urban development and as a means to maintain the character, ambience, appearance and a sense of open space. It would maximize the recreational opportunities available to city residents through the development of fair and equitable working partnerships between the city and the local school district, adjacent cities, county, churches and civic organizations. It would provide city residents with an interconnected trail system for transportation and recreation purposes and as a means to tie divergent parks and open space with the broader community. 5. It would convert an unattractive and unusable lime pit to an attractive and useable park. 6. It would provide relief for existing soccer fields that are heavily used. 7. It would create and foster a cooperative working relationship with the City of St. Paul and Ramsey County. 8. It would serve as a regional recreational facility that would serve many communities. Planning Commission Minutes of 02-19-03 -14- Commissioner Trippler moved to adopt the resolution on pages 46-48 approving a conditional use permit for the Sandy Lake Soccer Complex. Approval is based on the findings required by code and subject to the following conditions: 1. A detailed site plan shall be submitted to the city for approval. All construction shall follow the approved site plan. The director of community development may approve minor changes. 2. The proposed construction must be substantially started within one year of council approval or the permit shall become null and void. 3. The city council shall review this permit in one year. 4. The applicant shall submit detailed plans that include, but are not limited to, the following: · A detailed landscape and tree-buffer plan with quantities, sizes, species and locations. · A detailed grading, drainage, erosion control and utility plan. The utility plan must show how sanitary waste would be removed from the restroom building. · Storm run-off calculations. · A site plan that provides setback dimensions, the location of trails, parking-lot dimensions and the location of any fences. · A trail connection to the corner of Adolphus Street and Skillman Avenue. · A right-turn lane into the proposed site. · Showing an area for "proof-of-parking" should the proposed 235 spaces be insufficient. · Post "no parking" signs within the main driveway. · Revise the plans to show a five-field soccer complex with the field space closest to the restroom building reserved for development as a neighborhood park with picnic facilities, tot lot, swing sets, etc. · The revised site plan should include a paved bike path around the perimeter of the site. · Widening the driveway entrance to 26-32 feet. · Provision of a gate at the driveway entrance. 5. Site lighting shall not be allowed for night play. Staff may approve security lighting if it is found to be needed by the police chief for security reasons. 6. Park maintenance shall be provided by the City of St. Paul. 7. No festivals shall be held at this soccer park. Youth tournaments are allowed. 8. The applicant shall be responsible for locking the gate each evening. The applicant shall also submit a program identifying the hours of use, the teams or groups using this facility and their ages. They shall also submit the management plan for the facility as well as a plan for enforcement should there be any problems. Commissioner Mueller seconded. Planning Commission Minutes of 02-19-03 -15- Chairperson Fischer took a vote on the Comprehensive Land Use Amendment with the conditions outlined on page 6 of the staff report. Ayes- Fischer, Monahan-Junek, Mueller, Trippler Nays - Pearson, Rossbach The motion passed 4-2. Chairperson Fischer took a vote on the Conditional Use Permit with the conditions outlined on pages 6 and 7 of the staff report. Ayes- Fischer, Monahan-Junek, Mueller, Trippler Nays - Pearson, Rossbach The motion passed 4-2. This item goes to the city council March 10, 2003. b. Sibley Cove Apartment Building (County Road D) Mr. Roberts said Mr. David Steele, representing MWF Properties, is proposing to build a 100-unit apartment building. He is proposing this project on a 7.1-acre site on the south side of County Road D between White Bear Avenue and Ariel Street. The project would be a 3-story apartment building with underground parking for 100 cars. In addition, the plans show 100 surface parking spaces and 18 future parking spaces on the site. The building would have a mix of 86 two- bedroom units and 14 three-bedroom units and a storm shelter in the garage area of the building. Mr. Roberts said to build the proposed apartment building Mr. Steele wants the city to change the land use plan for the site. This change would be from BC (business commercial) to R-3 (H) (residential high density). The city intends R-3 (H) areas for a variety of housing including double dwellings, town houses or apartments of up to 16.3 units per gross acre. For BC (business commercial) areas, the city plans for offices, clinics, restaurants, day care centers and retail businesses. Mr. Roberts said the applicant has applied for a conditional use permit (CUP) for a planned unit development (PUD) for the 100-unit apartment development. They are requesting the CUP because the BC (business commercial) and LBC (limited business commercial) zoning districts limits the uses on the site to commercial, office and retail uses and requires a CUP for multiple- dwellings. Commissioner Trippler asked if the sidewalk that was just put in on the north side is going to be part of this development? Mr. Roberts said yes. Planning Commission Minutes of 02-19-03 -16- Commissioner Trippler said he had a complaint regarding the Birch Glen Apartment site. When he went to the site, at the end of the building on the south side, there were two large BFI dumpsters with garbage spilling out of them. He asked why are the dumpsters are sitting there and if they are permitted? When he got to the end of the development that goes behind the building in the area of 2029 and 1985 Woodlynn Avenue, he saw one dumpster after another. He said there are at least 2 metal storage containers that look like they have been there forever. He thinks it looks really bad there and if this proposal is going to be developed he believes it is going to be a real eye sore. He wondered who is responsible for getting this area cleaned up? Mr. Roberts said one of the developers of Birch Glen Apartments is in the audience and maybe he can speak regarding this situation. He said this development is just finishing up and if it doesn't get cleaned up the city will be making a phone call to the developer. He said it sounds like a planner and the Environmental Health Officer need to visit the site. Chairperson Fischer asked the applicant to address the planning commission. The applicant Mr. David Steele, representing MWF Properties, residing at 4807 Slater Court in Eagan, addressed the commission. He handed a booklet out to the planning commission. He discussed some issues but they will be dealt with at the CDRB meeting on February 25, 2002. Commissioner Mueller said he noticed in the booklet that was handed out it says future addition and wondered what that meant? Mr. Steele said that future addition refers to the 80 units that will be done in Phase I and the 20 units done in Phase II, which total 100 units. Mr. Roberts said the staff recommendation is for all 100 units so this does not have to come back to the planning commission again for approval. He said it is fine if the developer chooses to build it in two phases. Chairperson Fischer asked if anybody else would like to speak regarding this development. Mr. Pat Flaherty with Birch Glen Apartments addressed the planning commission. He said the garbage dumpsters are rolled out for 1 hour on Tuesday mornings and 1 hour on Friday mornings for pick up, otherwise they are stored in the trash area in the building until pick up day. Commissioner Trippler said he was at the site on Monday February 17, which was President's Day and he questioned why the garbage was out if the dumpsters aren't rolled out until Tuesday morning for one hour? Mr. Flaherty said he did not know why it was out then. Mr. Flaherty said he is opposed to this development being built. He is concerned do they need more apartments in this general idea? Birch Glen Apartments is only at 50% full now. When he came before the commission two years ago he thought he had a nice building to be built. Planning Commission Minutes of 02-19-03 -17- Mr. Flaherty said the planning commission said his building was a very unimaginative building proposed and he disagreed with the planning commission. In his opinion, the proposal for Sibley Cove is very unimaginative. He said there are no decks, it is very plain and it looks like a warehouse. He feels it will be detrimental to the housing stock in the area. He was not allowed to build this building two years ago so why should this developer be allowed to? He spent several hundred thousand dollars adding dormers and other features to his building for approval. He wondered what work-force housing means? Mr. Flaherty asked if that is a politically correct term for Iow-income housing or subsidized housing? He said if it is Iow-income housing, he does not want it across the street from his development. He said he has a very nice building and does not want subsidized housing there. He was told this was going to be business commercial and that is what he would like to see there. He does not think there needs to be more apartments in this area especially since his building is only 50% rented. He thinks this developer should be held to the same or better standards that he was for Birch Glen Apartments. Commissioner Rossbach said it was the CDRB that required Birch Glen Apartments to have dormers and other features added to the building. He thought Birch Glen Apartments was too large of a building for the footprint of land and he still thinks that. He believes the CDRB will require $ibley Cove Apartments to add similar features to their building as well. Commissioner Mueller stated Birch Glen Apartments is only 50% rented. Either this developer is stupid for wanting to build when the rental market is not renting to full capacity or the developer of Birch Glen Apartments has too small of a vision for competition to be out there. Mr. Flaherty said there were three new apartment complexes built recently in the surrounding areas. They are all at 50% capacity. The market for rental housing has slowed in the last couple of years. The interest rates have been Iow so people that were renting are now getting into housing that they could not get into before. It has affected the rental market. The last thing he needs is to have a building that is a much lesser quality than he was allowed to build to be in direct competition with his building. The building he was allowed to build cost more. If this developer is allowed to build a cheaper building the rent will be lower than Birch Glen's is. He said he wants a level playing field. Commissioner Trippler asked Mr. Flaherty if he has heard of the Hajicek property that is going to be developed on the other side of Maplewood Mall? Mr. Flaherty said yes. Commissioner Trippler said once those buildings are built Birch Glen Apartments will be fully rented. If the Sibley Cove Apartments are not as nice as the Birch Glen Apartments then his building will look nicer then the Sibley Cove Apartments. Mr. Flaherty said he just wants this developer to be held to the same criteria and standards as he was. Chairperson Fischer clarified work force housing used to be called affordable housing. It was housing within certain rental cost factors that were determined by Metropolitan Council or HUD and is based on median income in the area. Planning Commission Minutes of 02-19-03 -18- Mr. Roberts said the term "work force housing" is for young professionals trying to get into their first or second rental property. The renters are typically entry-level workers starting out at a lower income not making a lot of money. An example would be a police officer, teacher etc. just starting out. Mr. Roberts said Mr. Flaherty's associate called him today with comments regarding this proposal but he did not have time to get the comments ready for the meeting. He will provide comments for the CDRB meeting on Tuesday, February 25, 2003. Commissioner Mueller moved to approve the resolution on page 38 of the staff report. This resolution changes the land use plan from BC (business commercial) to R-3 (H) (residential high density) for the 7.1-acre site of the Sibley Cove housing development. The city bases these changes on the following findings: 1. This site is proper for and consistent with the city's goals, objectives and policies for high- density residential land use in the comprehensive plan. This includes: a. Creating a transitional land use between the existing residential and commercial land uses. b. Being near a collector street, between two arterial streets and would be near open space and shopping and services. 2. This development will minimize any adverse effects on surrounding properties because: a. The on-site pond and large setback from Woodlyn Avenue will separate the apartment building from the properties to the south. There should be no significant traffic increase from this development on existing local residential streets. The existing street pattern keeps the apartment traffic separate from the existing single dwellings and other residences. c. There should be less traffic from this development than from a commercial development on the same site. Commissioner Mueller moved to approve the resolution starting on page 39 of the staff report. This resolution approves a conditional use permit for a planned unit development for the Sibley Cove apartment development on County Road D, west of Ariel Street. The city bases this approval on the findings required by code. (Refer to the resolution for the specific findings.) Approval is subject to the following conditions: All construction shall follow the plans date-stamped January 24, 2003. The city council may approve major changes. The director of community development may approve minor changes. 2. 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. *Have the city engineer approve final construction and engineering plans. These plans shall include: grading utility, drainage, erosion control, streets, sidewalks, tree and driveway and parking lot plans. In addition, the applicant shall include: Planning Commission Minutes of 02-19-03 -19- a. Changes to the plans to minimize the loss or removal of natural vegetation including keeping and protecting as many of the large trees along the north and east property lines (near the daycare center) as possible. Revised plans for storm water pond locations and designs as suggested or required by the watershed district or city engineer. The ponds shall meet the city's design standards and shall include best management practices and rainwater gardens wherever practical. c. A storm water management plan for the proposal. d. All the changes and meet all the conditions noted by the city engineer in the memo dated February 10, 2003. The design of the pond shall be subject to the approval of the city engineer. The developer shall provide the city a 20-foot-wide drainage and utility easement over the storm sewer pipe between the pond and the Ariel Street right-of-way. 5. The developer or contractor shall: a. Complete all grading for the site drainage and the pond, complete all public improvements and meet all city requirements. b. *Place temporary orange safety fencing and signs at the grading limits. c. Remove any debris, junk and garbage from the site. d. Install a 6-foot-wide concrete sidewalk along the west side of Ariel Street between he south property line of the daycare center and the sidewalk north of Woodlynn Avenue. Provide the city with verification that the apartment building will meet the state's noise standards. This shall be with a study, testing or other documentation. If the noise on this site is a factor, then the contractor will have to build the apartment building so that it can meet the noise standards. This may be done with thicker walls, heavier windows, requiring air conditioning or other sound-deadening construction methods. The developer shall provide the city with this documentation before the city will issue a building permit for the apartment building. 6. There shall be no outdoor storage of recreational vehicles, boats or trailers. Residents shall not park trailers and vehicles that they do not need for day-to-day transportation on site. If the city decides there are excess parking spaces available on site, then the city may allow the parking of these on site. o The developer shall provide an on-site storm shelter in the apartment building. This shelter shall be subject to the approval of the director of emergency preparedness. It shall have a minimum of three square feet per person for 80% of the planned population. 9. The city council shall review this permit in one year. Planning Commission Minutes of 02-19-03 -20- *The developer must complete these conditions before the city issues a grading permit or a building permit. Commissioner Trippler seconded. Ayes- Fischer, Monahan-Junek, Mueller, Pearson, Rossbach, Trippler Commissioner Rossbach made a recommendation to the CDRB and City Council that the applicant should be held to the same or similar design standards as the Birch Glen Development at 3100 Ariel Street. Commissioner Mueller seconded. Ayes - Fischer, Monahan-Junek, Mueller, Pearson, Rossbach, Trippler The motion passed. This item will go to the CDRB on Tuesday, February 25, 2003, and to the city council meeting on Monday March 10, 2003. c. Larpenteur Avenue Redevelopment Site (City of Maplewood) Mr. Roberts said the city has acquired five single-family houses located on the northwest corner of Larpenteur Avenue and Adolphus Street with the city's Housing Replacement Program funds. The City of Maplewood originally purchased three of these houses after they were flooded during a rainstorm in April 2001. The two adjacent older houses, which were not flooded, were purchased by the city last year in order to combine all five properties to create a more comprehensive land use plan. Mr. Roberts said the city is proposing to rezone and change the comprehensive land use plan for the five city-owned properties (189,209, 211 and 215 Larpenteur Avenue and 1701 Adolphus Street). The city is proposing this change to accommodate the development of up to 11 townhouse units in the future. The development of the townhouse units will require a separate review and is not being considered at this time. Mr. Roberts said the combined land area of all five lots is 79,992 square feet, or 1.84 acres. Approximately two-thirds of this area is considered developable because of the pond and required setbacks from the pond, as well as a future storm sewer to be placed in the center of the property. The city council reviewed two redevelopment proposals for the Larpenteur Avenue properties last December. Proposal One in the staff report shows the five lots rezoned to double-dwelling residential (R-2) for a total of six units, and Proposal Two shows them rezoned to medium multiple-dwelling residential (R-3M) for a total of 11 units. Mr. Roberts said in the newly created single-family Gladstone Park plat, the city was successful in acting as the developer in platting and selling the land. Staff foresees the same development scenario with the Larpenteur Avenue properties. Planning Commission Minutes of 02-19-03 -21 - Mr. Roberts said the city should change the zoning and comprehensive land use plan to reflect the desired number of units. Once this is complete and all houses are removed from the site, the city's public works department should prepare the site for development including installing storm sewer and rough grading. Unlike the single-family Gladstone Park plat, however, platting of a townhouse development is not possible until a development plan is approved. This proposal would be finalized after the sale of the land to a builder. Commissioner Trippler stated he thought when the planning commission looked at this before it was decided that the exit should not be onto Larpenteur Avenue because of traffic concerns. He asked staff if that had changed? Mr. Roberts said traffic is still a concern of the city. He said the plan that is included in the staff report is a conceptual plan done by staff. If there is a creative or innovative developer they would like to have the exit onto Adolphus Street. The factors that come into play are the storm sewer, the pond and the number of units and the way it lays out. Commissioner Rossbach said he thinks it is critical that the city has the same standards that the city asks the developer to have. He thinks the city should stay with the same density that was there already. The Metropolitan Council has already accepted the density standards. In the one plan that shows the six units that violates the front yard setback ordinances. There are homes on the street already. He believes the city should not exceed the density that is currently in place with the R-1 lots. Chairperson Fischer asked if anybody in the audience wanted to speak on this proposal. Ms. Shirley Taugner at 1730 Agate Street N., Maplewood, addressed the commission. She thinks it should remain five residential single-family homes. Having more homes in there mean more cars coming and going onto Larpenteur Avenue. When Champp's restaurant has holiday parties it is very busy and very difficult to get out onto Larpenteur Avenue. She asked if the residents would have to pay for the sewer? She said the pond in the back of that area is filled with tires, refrigerators, bikes, etc. from people throwing things in that pond for over forty years. It is going to be a big job. Mr. Roberts said no, the city or the developer would be responsible for that. The city is not going to completely drain the pond but just put a pipe in the pond so if it gets to a certain level it will empty out. Ms. Taugner asked staff if these townhomes will be rental or will people own them? Mr. Roberts said that has not been decided yet. This is just a preliminary meeting. Ms. Taugner said I guess you don't know too much at this point then. Ms. Barb Bettinger at 1714 Agate Street N., Maplewood, addressed the commission. She asked with the 11 proposed housing units, how tall are they going to be and how many levels are they going to be? Planning Commission Minutes of 02-19-03 -22- Mr. Roberts said at this point the city does not have any design details yet. It could be designed in a number of different ways. This is simply to determine the number of units to have on the property. Ms. Bettinger said she would like to keep the neighborhood as single-family housing. She doesn't want the traffic to increase anymore on Larpenteur Avenue. There is also a bus stop on Larpenteur Avenue, which adds to traffic. She asked if it would be Iow rent or subsidized housing? Mr. Roberts said based on the amount of money the city has invested in this project from buying these homes it would not support Iow-income housing. None of this has been determined yet though. Commissioner Pearson asked staff if the sewer problems have been corrected or will it be a continuing problem? Mr. Cavett said the sewer problem was a problem in the main itself. When this gets proposed the city will bring in a private sewer main off of Adolphus will completely eliminate the sewer problem. The previous homes sat so Iow below the road. When this is redeveloped and re-graded this area would be raised quite a lot higher then the homes that were located there. Commissioner Rossbach moved to adopt the zoning map change resolution on page 13 of the staff report. This resolution changes the zoning map for five city-owned properties (189,209, 211 and 215 Larpenteur Avenue and 1701 Adolphus Street) from single dwelling residential (R-l) to multiple dwelling residential (R-3). The city is making this change because: a. The proposed change is consistent with the spirit, purpose and intent of the zoning code. The proposed change will not substantially injure or detract from the use of neighboring property or from the character of the neighborhood, and that the use of the property adjacent to the area included in the proposed change or plan is adequately safeguarded. c. The proposed change will serve the best interests and conveniences of the community, where applicable, and the public welfare. The proposed change would have no negative effect upon the logical, efficient, and economical extension of public services and facilities, such as public water, sewers, police and fire protection and schools. Commissioner Rossbach moved to adopt the land use plan change resolution on page 14 of the staff report. This resolution changes the comprehensive land use plan map for five city-owned properties (189,209, 211 and 215 Larpenteur Avenue and 1701 Adolphus Street) from single- dwelling residential (R-l) to medium multiple-dwelling residential (R-3M). The city is making this change because: The site serves well as a transition between the double-dwelling property to the west and the commercial property to the east. b. The site meets the city's policies for medium multiple-dwelling residential uses since it: VI. Planning Commission Minutes of 02-19-03 -23- 1) Includes a variety of housing types for all types of residents. 2) Supports innovative subdivision and housing design. c. The site meets the city's goals for medium multiple-dwelling residential uses since it: 1) Provides for orderly development. 2) Protects and strengthens neighborhoods. 3) Preserves significant natural features where practical. 4) Minimizes the land planned for streets. 5) Minimizes conflicts between land uses. 6) Provides a wide variety of housing types. 7) Integrates developments with open space areas, community facilities and significant natural features. Commissioner Rossbach made a motion to allow no more than 8 units on the property for this proposal. Also that the city should be held to the same standards that the city requires other developers to be held to. Commissioner Trippler seconded. Ayes - Monahan-Junek, Pearson, Rossbach, Trippler Nays - Fischer, Mueller Chairperson Fischer and Commissioner Mueller both voted nay based on the agreement for the lower density that was recommended in the staff report The motion passed. This item will go to the CDRB on Tuesday, February 25, 2003. This will go to the city council on either Monday, March 10 or March 24, 2003. NEW BUSINESS None. VII. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None. Planning Commission Minutes of 02-19-03 -24- VIII. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS None. IX. COMMISSION PRESENTATIONS a. Ms. Fischer was the planning commission representative at the February 10, 2003, city council meeting. Items that were discussed were the Highwood Farm development and it was approved to put in 18 townhomes. The Tillges Medical Office sign setback variance was approved. b. Mr. Pearson will be the planning commission representative at the February 24, 2003, city council meeting. Ohlson Landscaping will be discussed. c. Ms. Monahan-Junek will be the planning commission representative at the March 10, 2003, city council meeting. Items to be discussed will be the Sibley Cove apartments, and the Sandy Lake Soccer complex. Possibly the Larpenteur redevelopment proposal or it could be scheduled March 24, 2003. d. Van Dyke Village Commissioner Rossbach said the density is allowing 21 units and Mr. Bruce Mogren is quoted as saying, "he did not think the three additional units would make a difference in the neighborhood". He said if the city keeps exceeding the density on every site the city may as well as make the density different. The city should stick with the density they agreed to. He said he is always happy to reduce the density. He is specifically bringing this up because of the proposed Hajicek property and the density. Other planning commissioners agreed that it seems the footprints are getting larger and smaller green space or areas around the development. Commissioner Pearson said as an example the City of Eagan went into a lot of high density and they wish they did not go into such high density. X. STAFF PRESENTATIONS Mr. Roberts said the developers for the Hajicek property want to be all approved by June 1,2003. He said he has been told the developers are on a very aggressive schedule. The developer is asking for higher densities then what is allowed in the comprehensive plan. Mr. Roberts said Mr. Chuck Ahl will be discussing the AUAR and EAW for the County Road D road extension will be reviewed at the next planning commission. Xl. ADJOURNMENT Planning Commission Minutes of 02-19-03 -25- The meeting was adjourned at 11:03 p.m.