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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-10-20 PC Minutes MINUTES OF THE MAPLEWOOD PLANNING COMMISSION 1830 COUNTY ROAD BEAST, MAPLEWOOD, MINNESOTA TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20,2009 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: Present Absent Present Present Present Present Present Absent Present Tom Ekstrand. Citv Planner III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Commissioner Trippler moved to approve the agenda as presented. Commissioner Hess seconded The motion passed. IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. October 6, 2009 Ayes - all Commissioner Boeser moved to approve the minutes of October 6, 2009 as submitted. Commissioner Trippler seconded The motion passed. V. PUBLIC HEARING None VI. NEW BUSINESS Ayes - Boeser, Fischer, Hess, Martin, Trippler, Yarwood Abstentions - Pearson a. Ordinance Amendment: Planning Commission Ordinance-Election of Officers City planner Tom Ekstrand explained this ordinance amends the commission's time of election of officers from the second meeting in January to the date specified in the commission's Rules of Procedure. Planning Commission Minutes of 10-20-09 -2- The commission discussed the problem with not having a quorum at the end of commissioners' expired terms and if a commissioner's vote would be legal if the commissioner continued on and voted before they were officially reappointed. The commission discussed whether a commissioner's term could be continued by the council until either they are reappointed or a replacement is appointed, or if those seeking reappointment could be reappointed by the council before the expiration of the term. It was suggested by a commissioner that the council could make reappointments of current commissioner terms at the last meeting in December. The commission felt the policy should be stated in the ordinance as to what is permissible for reappointments in order to keep a full commission and asked staff to check the policy. Planner Ekstrand said he would check and report back to the commission. Councilmember John Nephew said that it should be a clear policy that when a commissioner's term has expired, the commissioner if possible should continue until a replacement is appointed. Councilmember Nephew commented that the end of the year is a busy time for council and staff with the annual budget process. The commission thought it would be more effective to have terms end at a more convenient time of the year and also, that it would be helpful to have the various board and commissions terms end at different times. Commissioner Boeser moved to approve the amendment of the planning commission ordinance to specify that the election of the chairperson and vice chairperson shall be held once a year in accordance with the planning commission's Rules of Procedure. Commissioner Yarwood seconded The motion passed. Ayes - all b. Rules of Procedure Amendment: Parliamentary Procedure for Meetings Planner Ekstrand explained that this amendment proposes that the governing parliamentary practice to be followed by the commission shall be Rosenberg's Rules of Order and not Robert's Rules of Order. In response to a commissioner's question on why this is changing, Councilmember John Nephew responded that Rosenberg's Rules of Order is simpler and more accessible. Commissioner Trippler moved approval of the amendment of the planning commission Rules of Procedure to specify that the parliamentary procedure to be followed shall be Rosenberg's Rules of Order. Commissioner Hess seconded The motion passed. Ayes - all c. Sign Ordinance Amendment Discussion: Recommendation to the Community Design Review Board Planner Ekstrand explained that at a previous meeting Commission Martin volunteered to review the entire sign ordinance amendment. Planner Ekstrand said he has included with the staff report a copy of Mr. Martin's sign review comments, along with a summary from Planner Shann Finwall of the major changes proposed to this amendment by the community design review board. Planning Commission Minutes of 10-20-09 -3- The commission discussed the difficulty in enforcing parts of the sign code without having the staff time required. The commission felt the commercial window sign coverage change from 75 percent maximum coverage to 30 percent maximum coverage might be particularly difficult to enforce. Some commissioners felt that if the code was not going to be enforced, it may be better not to include these items in the ordinance. Other commissioners felt it was still a better option to have these requirements included in the code, even without 100 percent compliance. A commissioner suggested that a legal opinion be obtained on what would be a reasonable set of restrictions to regulate opinion signs without limiting free speech. A commissioner suggested a clause be added to the code to allow city staff to determine whether there has been a violation of the sign ordinance and then to allow the violator the option to come before the city council if they feel they have been wronged by staff. The commission requested that staff assemble the commission's comments and forward them to the community design review board. VII. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None VIII. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS None IX. COMMISSION PRESENTATIONS a. City Council Meeting of October 12, 2009: There were no planning commission items. b. City Council Meeting of October 26, 2009: Commissioner Hess is scheduled to attend if needed. X. STAFF PRESENTATIONS Planner Ekstrand updated the commission on the T-Mobile proposal, saying that it will be on the next agenda. Commissioner Boeser requested that a representative of the school district be present for discussion. XI. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 8:07 p.m.