HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/21/1999 AGENDA
MAPLEWOOD COMMUNITY DESIGN REVIEW BOARD
September 21, 1999
6:00 P.M.
City Council Chambers
Maplewood City Hall
1830 East County Road B
1. Call to Order
2. Roll Call
3. Approval of Minutes: July 27, 1999
4. Approval of Agenda
5. Unfinished Business
6. Design Review
a. US West Monopole - Presentation Church, 1725 Kennard Street
b. Kline Volvo - Highway 61, North of Lexus of Maplewood
c. Resolution of Appreciation for Marie Robinson
7. Visitor Presentations
8. Board Presentations
9. Staff Presentations
a. CDRB Volunteers for September 28 and October 11 City Council Meetings
10. Adjourn
p:com-dvpt~cdrb.agd
MINUTES OF THE MAPLEWOOD COMMUNITY DESIGN REVIEW BOARD
1830 COUNTY ROAD B EAST, MAPLEWOOD, MINNESOTA
SEPTEMBER 21, 1999
CALL TO ORDER
Chairperson Ledvina called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m.
I1. ROLL CALL
Matt Ledvina Present
Ananth Shankar Present
Tim Johnson Present
Jon LaCasse Present
Craig Jorgenson Present
III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
July 27, 19998
Boardmember Johnson moved approval of the minutes of July 27, 1999, as submitted.
Boardmember Shankar seconded.
Ayes--all
The motion passed.
IV. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
There was no motion for approval of the agenda.
V. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
There was no unfinished business.
VI. DESIGN REVIEW
A. U.S. West Monopole--Presentation Church, 1725 Kennard Street
Secretary Tom Ekstrand presented the staff report. Ken Nielsen was present representing
U.S. West. He said they were replacing a 25-foot light standard in the parking lot. They
chose this location because it is large parcel with mature vegetation and the church to block
the view from the east. Mr. Nielsen said the correct size of the equipment box is four feet wide
by 4 feet long by four feet tall. He said there will be a small cut into the hill so that the
concrete pad under the equipment box could be placed level. The existing lights would be
reattached to the pole at about 25 or 30 feet.
Secretary Ekstrand suggested that Item 3 of the recommendations be changed. He said this
is standard language and there will be no occupancy because this is a pole. Mr. Ekstrand did
say the main concern is that the landscaping be installed so he recommended that this
condition say, "If the landscaping is not installed by completion of the tower, the city shall
require a cash escrow or an irrevocable letter of credit for the required work in the amount of
150 percent of the cost of the plantings."
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Boardmember Ledvina observed that the proposed plantings would screen individuals that
park in this area. He said the visual impact will be on cars using the driveway on the west
side of where the tower is located. There was some discussion on whether this drive is one-
way going down. Mr. Nielsen confirmed that this was a one way drive coming from Kennard
Street. He commented that he had a difficult time seeing the existing 25-foot pole as he was
driving on the west side of the property on Prosperity Road.
Chairperson Ledvina felt the pole was not the issue. He was more concerned with the "site
visual impact" as it related to the equipment box. Mr. Nielsen asked to have the second
condition of the recommendations deleted. Secretary Ekstrand agreed because this project
did not warrant a grading plan. Mr. Ledvina felt that his comment about the visual impact was
"not necessarily valid" since he was accessing the site the wrong way.
Boardmember Shankar moved the Community Design Review Board:
Approve the site and design plans, date-stamped July 23, 1999 for a 73-foot-tall
telecommunications monopole and equipment in the parking lot at 1725 Kennard Street.
Approval is based on the findings required by code and subject to the applicant doing the
following:
1. Repeat this review in two years if the city has not issued permits for this project.
If any landscaping is not done by the time of completion of the tower, the city shall
receive a cash escrow or an irrevocable letter of credit for the required work. The
amount shall be 150% of the cost of the plantings.
3. All work shall follow the approved plants. The director of community development may
approve minor changes.
Boardmember Jorgenson seconded.
Ayes--all
The motion passed.
B. Kline Volvo--Highway 61, North of Lexus of Maplewood
Secretary Tom Ekstrand summarized the staff report. Chairperson Ledvina asked if the board
should act on the portion of the recommendation that referred to the wetland buffer variance.
Secretary Ekstrand replied that this was optional since the planning commission considered
that portion at its meeting. Chairperson Ledvina decided that the board would not act on
Recommendation A or B.
Secretary Ekstrand confirmed that the city engineer felt a couple areas of the site were not
adequate for semi-trailer movement. Mr. Ekstrand complimented the architect on "doing the
best he could with a difficult site." Chairperson Ledvina asked about the possibility of
unloading vehicles off-site and bring them to this location. Mr. Ekstrand said a recurring
problem with dealerships in Maplewood is that they unload on the right-of-way. Mr. Ledvina
suggested that the dealer be allowed to unload transports off-site as long as it was not on
public property.
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Secretary Ekstrand said the city does not consider parking bays as parking spaces when
determining the required number of spaces for a site. He confirmed that the plan
demonstrated the 88 parking spaces necessary with one exception. Mr. Ekstrand said they
could call one of the inventory stalls a parking space in order to meet the required number.
He also said it may be necessary to use inventory parking spaces for a trash enclosure. Mr.
Ledvina also questioned if the visible lathe for setback identification should be required only
during construction. Mr. Ekstrand agreed with this.
Jack Grotkin of R.J. Ryan Construction was present representing the applicant.
Mr. Grotkin said, "after the planning commission meeting last night," they are now going to
take the display area off the north end of the building which will allow the driveway to come
straight in. They are also going to take 5-feet off the back of the east building line which is the
service area. This will pull the building in and allow for approximately a 25-foot, two-way
drive. He said they thought the circulation around the front might be a little tight on the
southwest corner so that area will be pulled in a few feet as well. These changes will allow for
better truck access. Mr. Grotkin said they would also consider eliminating the three parking
stalls in the southwest corner to make truck maneuvering easier. It would then be necessary
to designate three inventory stalls as parking stalls. Mr. Grotkin clarified that the display area
being eliminated would be the outside area, not the showroom.
Boardmember Shankar asked why the applicant had chosen to go with such a "conservative
look on the elevations." Mr. Grotkin showed and described a design concept drawing from
Volvo on how they would like to see the dealership look.
Mr. Ekstrand said he anticipated that the fire chief would be satisfied with the revised plan
since it incorporated changes that the chief wanted. He said staff did not recommend any
changes to the plans based on the police department comments.
Chairperson Ledvina had a concern that the plan did not show the trash enclosure. He felt
that, because the site is so tight, the applicant should identify what his intentions are in this
regard. Mr. Ekstrand said it would be okay to move the trash dumpster outside on trash day
and then move it back when empty but it could not be moved out on a daily basis. Mr.
Ekstrand said, even if the enclosure is outside, the code has a provision to allow the board to
waive the screening requirement if the dumpster is hidden. Mr. Ledvina stated that was not
being recommended in this case.
Boardmember Shankar felt the wall to the right of the glass wall on the south elevation was
quite prominent. He thought it needed something to break it up so that it did not look so
massive. Mr. Grotkin offered that some scoring could be added. Mr. Shankar suggested that
the shadow line for the glass portion could be continued to break up the wall. Mr. Grotkin felt
a couple rows of single-score block might accomplish this. Mr. Shankar mentioned block
below and EIFS on top. It was agreed that the cornice should be carried through as well. Mr.
Grotkin said they would paint the block to match the EIFS so the building looks uniform.
Boardmember Johnson moved the Community Design Review Board:
Approve the civil drawings date-stamped August 27, 1999 and the site, landscaping and
building elevations date-stamped September 20, 1999 for the proposed Kline Volvo
automobile dealership north of 3000 N. Highway 61, based on the findings required by the
code. Approval is subject to the following conditions:
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1. Repeat this review in two years if the city has not issued a building permit for this
project.
2. Before getting a building permit, the applicant shall:
ao
Dedicate and record a 25-foot-wide wetland-buffer easement. This easement
shall describe the boundary of the buffer and prohibit any building, mowing,
cutting, filling or dumping within the buffer.
Submit a revised landscape plan for the restoration of the 25-foot-wide wetland-
protection buffer, subject to staff and watershed district approval. This plan must
also show sod in all areas other than in the wetland buffer. The right-of-way shall
also be sodded unless MnDOT requires something different. The right-of-way
shall have an in-ground lawn irrigation system unless prohibited by MnDOT.
c. Revise the site plan for staff approval showing the following revisions:
(1) A right-turn-lane into the site, subject to MnDOT's approval.
(2)
A trash enclosure that matches the building in material. This enclosure shall
not be place in required parking spaces. It must have a 100 percent opaque
closeable gate. If the trash dumpster is kept inside the building, an outdoor
enclosure is not required.
d. Have the site and wetland buffer staked with survey irons and visible lathe for
clear setback identification during construction.
3. The applicant shall complete the following before occupying the building:
a. Replace any property irons removed because of this construction.
b. Install a reflectorized stop sign at the exit and a handicap-parking sign for each
handicap parking space.
c. Construct a trash dumpster enclosure to meet code requirements.
Install an in-ground lawn irrigation system for the parking lot islands and the
sodded areas between the highway and the parking lot. Lawn irrigation in the
right-of-way may be waived if MnDOT will not allow it. It is also waived in the
wetland buffer area.
e. Post signs designating at least 88 customer and employee parking spaces.
Install signs at the edge of the wetland-protection buffer which prohibit any
building, mowing, cutting, filling or dumping within the buffer.
4. If any required work is not done, the city may allow temporary occupancy if:
a. The city determines that the work is not essential to the public health, safety or
welfare.
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The city receives a cash escrow or an irrevocable letter of credit for the required
work. The amount shall be 200 percent of the cost of the unfinished work. Any
unfinished landscaping shall be completed by June 1 if the building is occupied in
the fall or winter or within six weeks if the building is occupied in the spring or
summer.
5. This approval does not include the signs. Signage will be reviewed by staff through
the sign permit process.
6. All work shall follow the approved plans. The director of community development may
approve minor changes.
7. The window mullions shall be clear, anodized aluminum frames.
The south elevation shall be revised per staff approval to show that portion of the
southerly elevation from the windowed area back to the break in the building facade to
be EIFS to align with the EIFS shown above the glass and block down below. The
cornice shall also be continued across this fascia to the break in the elevation.
Boardmember Jorgenson seconded.
It was agreeable to both the motioner and seconder to indicate that the revised plans are
date-stamped September 20, 1999.
Ayes--all
The motion passed.
C. Resolution of Appreciation for Marie Robinson
Chairperson Ledvina thanked Marie Robinson for the capable and wonderful service she
provided to the community design review board for nine years.
Boardmember Johnson moved adoption of the resolution of appreciation for Marie Robinson.
Boardmember Shankar seconded.
Ayes--all
The motion passed.
VII. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
There were no visitor presentations.
VIII. BOARD PRESENTATIONS
Boardmember Shankar reported on the August 9 city council meeting.
Boardmember Johnson reported on the AUgust 23 city council meeting.
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IX. STAFF PRESENTATIONS
A. CDRB volunteer for the September 28 council meeting will be Boardmember Ledvina.
CDRB volunteer for the October 11 council meeting will be Boardmember Shankar.
Secretary Ekstrand said that the city code allows staff to review applications with a value of under
$150,000 that are considered minor construction, i.e. a small addition on a building. He then
sends a brief memo to the board and the city council. If there is any disagreement, the decision
may be appealed within fifteen days. Mr. Ekstrand is working on a code amendment to review the
dollar limit. The proposal is to allow staff review on valuations under $200,000 on buildings that
have previously been reviewed by the board. If the building is old and predates the CDRB, the
dollar figure would be $20,000.
Chairperson Ledvina welcomed the two new members of the board--Jon LaCasse and Craig
Jorgenson. Secretary Ekstrand gave the new members various materials and offered to give
some type of orientation for new and existing members. This will be discussed at a future
meeting. The members discussed the annual city tour that was held in August.
X. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 7:12 p.m.