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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/16/2008 MINUTES OF THE MAPLEWOOD PLANNING COMMISSION 1830 COUNTY ROAD BEAST, MAPLEWOOD, MINNESOTA TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 I. CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Fischer called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. II. ROLL CALL Commissioner Joseph Boeser Vice-Chairperson Tushar Desai Chairperson Lorraine Fischer Commissioner Harland Hess Commissioner Robert Martin Commissioner Gary Pearson Commissioner Dale Trippler Commissioner Joe Walton Commissioner Jeremy Yarwood City Staff Present: Absent Present Present Present Present Present at 7:07 p.m. Present Present Present Tom Ekstrand. Citv Planner III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Commissioner Hess moved to approve the agenda as presented. Commissioner Desai seconded The motion passed. IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. September 2, 2008 Ayes - all Commissioner Trippler moved approval of the minutes of September 2, 2008 as submitted. Commissioner Yarwood seconded The motion passed. V. PUBLIC HEARING Ayes - all a. 7:01 p.m. - Legacy Shops, Legacy Village, County Road D . Planned Unit Development (PUD) Revision . The Special Assessments Escrow Agreement . The Release of Development Agreement Planner Tom Ekstrand presented the staff report for the request for approval of plan revisions for the Legacy Shops at Maplewood. Mr. Ekstrand explained this revision request is to relocate the proposed building to the middle of the site rather than placing it with the PU D required 15-foot maximum setback from the County Road D right-of-way. Commissioner Hess asked staff for the exact setback measurement from the property line that is proposed and also whether the tenants for this center are known. Staff responded showing the proposed plan for the building. Planning Commission Minutes of 09-16-08 -2- Commissioner Trippler asked staff if this plan is different from what the applicant's presented to the commission in February. Mr. Ekstrand responded the February meeting was informational for the applicant to receive input and comments from the commission and that tonight's request is a formal submittal. Mr. Trippler said he feels this plan was approved three years ago and everyone knew the design and if it was good enough when they first signed on it is good enough now. Chair Fischer asked for comments from the applicant. The applicant was not present. Commissioner Yarwood asked if a drive-through remains part of this proposal. Mr. Ekstrand responded that a drive-through is included in this plan. Mr. Ekstrand said the applicant hopes to have a coffee shop as a tenant. Mr. Ekstrand explained the driveway lane would follow across the back of the building to the drive-through window. Commissioner Yarwood said he does not have a problem with moving the building to the center of the site and that it might help to break up the area visually, but said he would like to table this request until the applicant can be at the meeting. Commissioner Martin agreed the applicant should be at the meeting to answer questions. The developer, Frank James of Hartford Group, arrived at the meeting. Mr. James explained plans to relocate the building on the site and said he would be happy to answer questions from the commission. Commissioner Hess followed up with his question requesting details of the floor plan. Mr. James explained the tenant spaces have not been finalized so the space sizes are still tentative. Mr. Hess asked the plans for lighting. Mr. James responded they are familiar with the lighting requirements in this situation and will work with the city so the type of lighting that is installed casts minimum light onto the street and across to the town homes. Commissioner Desai asked how the parking requirements will be affected by not knowing the tenants going into the building. Mr. James responded that there is a finite amount of parking that needs to be balanced with the uses. Mr. James said the business owner will want to know that there will be enough parking for the use and this is generally worked out between the tenant and the owner. Commissioner Hess asked where deliveries will be made. Mr. James responded that the deliveries will use the drive-through area after hours. Commissioner Yarwood asked for clarification on traffic moving through the drive-through lane. Mr. James explained the traffic will move counter clockwise through the drive-through area. Mr. Yarwood asked staff what restrictions will be in place for the drive-through area use. Mr. Ekstrand responded this has not yet been set but could be accomplished through the PUD. Mr. Ekstrand explained the main concern would be not to impact the residents to the south late at night or early morning. Commissioner Desai pointed out that in the past this kind of a use with a P.A. system taking orders has been a noise consideration for the neighbors and asked staff what will be required. Mr. Ekstrand responded that limiting the hours of operation and seeing the center is closed by an appropriate hour. Mr. Ekstrand said it would be customary to add a condition with language requiring that P.A. systems be set appropriately. Mr. James commented this topic has been discussed with the owner of the center and he is aware of this issue and wants to be a good neighbor and will cooperate to see that the neighbors are not disturbed. Mr. James said the proposed center's owner is familiar and used to dealing with these issues, since he does only retail developments. Mr. James said the owner wanted to be at the meeting tonight, but is sick and unable to be at the meeting. Planning Commission Minutes of 09-16-08 -3- The public hearing was opened for comments from the public. Jim Hinitz of the Ashley furniture stores said they are in agreement with moving this building back to the center of the site. Mr. Hinitz said that placing this building in the front would further hide the Ashley building and affect their identity and ability to be profitable in the community. There were no further public comments; the public hearing was closed. Commissioner Pearson questioned whether original plans for a roundabout in this area are still feasible. Mr. Ekstrand explained the roundabout was considered with the original planning, but was never made a part of the approved plan. Commissioner Martin asked staff to explain the original building and parking lot plan as opposed to the current plan. Mr. Ekstrand explained that after a consultant's study and the city council review, it was evident the city was looking for the reduced setback concept for the Legacy Village site. The reduced setbacks were reflected in the written conditions required. Commissioner Pearson said he does not have a problem with this plan or the increased setback. Mr. Pearson said this parcel is on the far northeast corner and all of the other developable pieces are in the interior area of Legacy Village and there is a greater importance to maintain style of the architecture. Mr. Pearson said moving the setback further back would give them more of an entrance and would be more attractive from County Road D. Commissioner Hess moved to adopt the resolution approving the revision of the planned unit development (PUD) for the Legacy Shops retail site at Legacy Village at Maplewood. This revision would allow the placement of the proposed retail shops building a specific distance from the County Road D right-of-way as shown on the site plan. Approval is subject to the findings required by ordinance and subject to the following conditions (additions are underlined and deletions are crossed out): Retail/Commercial (Outlot A): a. The retail/commercial site is planned in concept only within the PUD and will come in for design review and approval at a later date, but the use is allowed as long as the provisions of the BC zoning district and conditions outlined are met; b. The building(s) on the retail/commercial site shall be set back as shown on the site plan approved bv the citv council. approximatelv 83 feet. from the north lot line E:hellla Be E:itea en the nerth E:iae ef the l3arGel within 15' ef the Cellnty Reaa D ri!!ht ef way with alll3arkin!! te the E:ellth; c. The applicant shall submit a comprehensive sign plan. One criteria to be established, however, is that pylon signs shall not be allowed. Monument signs may be allowed, but shall not exceed 12 feet in height; d. The architectural character and exterior building materials must be in keeping with the adjacent town homes and other buildings if present; e. Access to the site shall be from the side streets; will Be elf the eaE:t Ie!! ef the eaE:t Ie!! ef the rellnaaBellt ana anether aGGeE:E: arive elf Street C Between the rellnaaBellt ana Cellnty Reaa D; ana te Cellnty Reaa D at a E:harea ariveway with the aajaGent fllrnitllre E:tere E:ite; f. All ground-mounted and roof-mounted mechanical equipment shall be screened according to ordinance; Planning Commission Minutes of 09-16-08 -4- g. Overstory trees must be planted along the south side of the extension of Street B at an average of 30'-40' on center. h. Adequate separation, buffering and screening must be provided for the multi-family residential units from the front i. Noise levels shall be kept to a minimum at the drive-through along with hours of operation and delivery times to be determined by staff working with the developer. Commissioner Pearson seconded Ayes - Desai, Fischer, Hess, Martin, Pearson, Walton, Yarwood Nay - Trippler The motion passed. VI. NEW BUSINESS None VII. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Comprehensive Plan Update Continued Discussion Planner Ekstrand presented the staff report for continuing discussion on the comprehensive plan update. Commissioner Yarwood commented the planning commission agrees that low density in south Maplewood is desired and that the current R1 land use designation is not appropriate. Mr. Yarwood assured residents the commission is in agreement with wanting low density in south Maplewood, but the question to resolve is how to achieve this. Rose Lorsung, the city's consultant from MFRA, explained background information discussed at previous meetings and explained the desire to keep this area rural and low density. Commissioner Hess asked Ms. Lorsung to comment on the Metropolitan Council's plans and recommendation for making sewer viable in south Maplewood. Ms. Lorsung responded the overall density calculation is what is important to the Metropolitan Council. Ms. Lorsung explained since the city has an overall net density of 6 units per acre and is over the 3 units per acre required by the Metropolitan Council, the Council has at this time encouraged Maplewood to pursue sewering one- to two-acre lots in south Maplewood. Ms. Lorsung noted the Metropolitan Council has not done an analysis of the area and is not aware that only 63% of guided land in south Maplewood is designated buildable land and developable. Commissioner Walton asked Ms. Lorsung to further explain how the zoning designation would work together with the land use designation in south Maplewood. Ms. Lorsung explained cluster developments and possible zoning districts that would work with the land use designation in that area. Commissioner Pearson said the city does not have an obligation to the Metropolitan Council on housing unit numbers, since the city is doing well with overall housing numbers and there remain a low number of required units to be met by 2030. Mr. Pearson said he does not support any change from the current .5 density per acre in south Maplewood. Mr. Pearson said even though the public hearing was previously closed, he would be interested in hearing comments from those people in the audience. The commission agreed to hear comments from the audience; the following people spoke: Michaele Bailey, 1615 South Sterling, encouraged the south Maplewood residents in the audience to take Planning Commission Minutes of 09-16-08 -5- this opportunity to come forward and make comment to the commission. Ms. Bailey said she agreed with Mr. Pearson regarding the differences in the existing land types in south Maplewood and that the rural feeling was not talked about. Fredrica Musgrave, 1949 Greenbriar Street, said she is a member of the environmental and natural resources commission and said she does not believe there is a consensus of what type of density development is desired in south Maplewood. Ms. Musgrave said the parks, trails and open space task force members were not asked what they wanted to do to save south Maplewood. Ms. Musgrave said it would have been less costly to include the public in this debate from the beginning and there seems to be a conspiracy or collusion to put the city in a financially awkward and embarrassing state. Commissioner Yarwood clarified his earlier comments explaining the planning commission consensus he mentioned referred to preserving the low density and rural character of south Maplewood, but how to get to there is not a matter of consensus and that is why they are meeting tonight. Commissioner Trippler asked staff to comment on the many open meetings that were held previously asking for comments from the public regarding the south Maplewood area. Mr. Ekstrand explained this has been a very public process with notifications of many public meetings asking for citizen comments and the implication that this has been a closed process is not true in any manner. Mr. Ekstrand reviewed the many open meetings where the public was invited to attend and give comments. Jim Carradin, 2620 Carver Avenue, said he feels the planning commission has listened and heard the concerns of the neighbors and they all agree they want to see a lower density. Mr. Carradin said his concern is that the city council may have a preconceived notion of what they want to see in this area and will disregard the planning commission's recommendation and the input by the residents. Mark Bonitz, 1635 South Sterling, said he has attended many meetings and after many comments by residents, city staff is now responding poorly saying that they do not support this since this density is unworkable. Mr. Bonitz said the biggest if with this plan is what the council wants and votes for. Mr. Bonitz asked the commission to take a stand and keep the density low. Keith Buttleman, 2503 Haller Lane, urged the commission not to compromise on the goal of maintaining rural character and not to make recommendations based on what the Metropolitan Council might do. Julie Binko, 1949 Greenbriar, said she is a member of the parks commission and encouraged the commission to keep the low density planning in south Maplewood. Roger Anderson, 2730 Carver Avenue, said he attended the first public meeting at the fire station and did not get any information from the meeting and left early. Mr. Anderson said there is only one inlet and outlet in the area and there will be serious traffic problems. Steve Menarchek, 1364 Dorland Road South, said his property backs up to the Copar property and according to their plan he will have ten town homes across from the back of his home. Mr. Menarchek thanked the commission for their work to keep the area looking like it does now. Mr. Menarchek questioned if Copar should default on this project or decide to sell the land, whether the comprehensive plan will revert back to where the Copar property is now. Ms. Lorsung responded that the current plan for the Copar site is in line with the approved density, but the planning commission could reguide the property to rural low density if Copar should default and the property were to go back on the market and the next property owner could develop the property on a net per acre basis between 2.6 and 6 units per acre. Planning Commission Minutes of 09-16-08 -6- Joe Bailey, 1615 South Sterling, said that as a citizen he feels he has been heard and appreciates that the city had many meetings to hear the neighbors' concerns. Mr. Bailey said he supports the idea that this neighborhood should remain rural and that the city take to heart what the citizens are saying. Ron Cockriel, 943 Century Avenue, spoke about the history of south Maplewood. Mr. Cockriel said there is a national park in Maplewood and this should be used a marketing tool for Maplewood. Mr. Cockriel said the south Maplewood area should be protected. Mr. Cockriel mentioned a neighborhood meeting planned for October 4 at the St. Paul Ski Jump land. Claire Jensen, 2533 Haller Lane, said she is concerned with the amount of traffic on Sterling and asked that their little bit of country in the city remain as it is. Carolyn Petersen, 1801 Gervais Avenue, said she was on the original open space task force that ranked 55 parcels of land for open space purchases. Ms. Petersen said the Copar land in south Maplewood was ranked seventh. Ms. Petersen asked if Ms. Lorsung's comments on the natural resources in south Maplewood could be included as part of the comprehensive plan. Ms. Lorsung responded that each part of the comprehensive plan was derived with natural resources in mind first and this information is intended to convey the importance of the preservation requirements and professionally she is not in favor of doing anything to negatively affect south Maplewood. George Gonzales, 2359 Heights Avenue, said his property is in the area to be developed by Copar, but that he is speaking to give his support to his neighbors and to the planning commission and requests the commission stand by its convictions for rural low density. There were no further comments from the public. Commissioner Trippler noted for the record that the only reason he has heard from the city councilor city that they could not justify .5 units per acre is that it is not economically feasible. Mr. Trippler said this is ludicrous, there is no basis for this and there are other local communities that have developed at .5 units per acre or less. Commissioner Pearson said his opinion has been and remains in support of .5 units per acre and he heard nothing tonight from the neighbors to change his opinion. Commissioner Trippler moved the commission designate the properties south of Carver Avenue previously designated R1 R (single dwelling rural residential) in the current comprehensive plan as Rural Low Density in the new comprehensive plan. Commissioner Yarwood seconded Ayes - Desai, Fischer, Hess, Pearson, Trippler, Walton, Yarwood Nays - Martin The motion passed. Commissioner Pearson moved the commission define Rural Low Density as .5 units per acre. The motion died for lack of a second. Commissioner Hess moved the commission designate the Rural Low Density as .5 to 1.5 units per net acre. Commissioner Yarwood seconded Ayes - Desai, Fischer, Hess, Martin, Trippler, Walton, Yarwood Nays - Pearson Planning Commission Minutes of 09-16-08 -7- The motion passed. Commissioner Trippler moved the commission define the Low Density Residential designation as 1.6 to 4 units per net acre. Commissioner Desai seconded The motion passed. Ayes - all Commissioner Trippler moved the commission send the comprehensive plan to the city council with the commission's recommendation, comments and changes for the council's approval and then to be forwarded to the Metropolitan Council. Commissioner Desai seconded The motion passed. Ayes - all VIII. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS Ron Cockriel, 943 Century Avenue, mentioned a neighborhood meeting concerning south Maplewood on October 4 at the St. Paul Ski Jump. Mayor Diana Longrie thanked the commissioners for their work on the comprehensive plan update. IX. COMMISSION PRESENTATIONS Upcoming Council Meetings and PC Representation: . September 22: St. John's Hospital PUD Revision and Vacations - Mr. Yarwood . October 13, 2008: Legacy Shops PUD Revision Tentatively Scheduled - Mr. Desai Commissioner Martin said his nay vote tonight concerning the comprehensive plan designation was due to the complexity of the motion. Commissioner Trippler said his nay vote regarding the Legacy Shops item was due to his continued support of the original approved plan. X. STAFF PRESENTATIONS None XI. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 10:30 p.m.