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AGENDA
MAPLEWOOD COMMUNITY DESIGN REVIEW BOARD
May 23, 2000
6:00 P.M.
City Council Chambers
Maplewood City Hall
1830 East County Road B
Call to Order
Roll Call
Approval of Minutes: May 9, 2000
Approval of Agenda
Unfinished Business
Design Review
a. Woodland Hills Church, 1740 Van Dyke Street
b. New Century Town Homes, Highwood Avenue and Century Avenue
c. Dearborn Meadow Double Dwellings, Castle Avenue
d. White Bear Avenue Corridor Study Discussion
Visitor Presentations
Board Presentations
Staff Presentations
a. Reminder: CDRB Volunteer for June 12 City Council Meeting is Ananth.
10. Adjourn
p:com-dvpt~cdrb.agd
MINUTES OF THE MAPLEWOOD COMMUNITY DESIGN REVIEW BOARD
1830 COUNTY ROAD B EAST, MAPLEWOOD, MINNESOTA
MAY 23, 2000
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 Absent
Jon LaCasse Present
Craig Jorgenson Present
III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
May 9, 2000
Boardmember LaCasse moved approval of the minutes of May 9, 2000, as submitted.
Boardmember Shankar seconded.
Ayes--all
The motion passed.
IV. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Boardmember Shankar moved approval of the agenda, amended to move the existing Item 6.a. to
the existing Item 6.c., moving New Century Town Homes up to Item 6.a., followed by Dearborn
Meadow Double Dwellings.
Boardmember LaCasse seconded.
Ayes--all
The motion passed.
V. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
There was no unfinished business.
VI. DESIGN REVIEW
A. New Century Town Homes, Highwood Avenue and Century Avenue
Secretary Tom Ekstrand presented the staff report. Staff had recommended that the front
setback meet the code requirement of 30 feet but found that the city council had approved a
20 foot setback from street right-of-ways for the PUD, therefore, staff changed their
recommendation to meet the directive required by the city council regarding setbacks. Staff
said that there were other issues: the size for shade trees should be increased from 1½ to 2½
inches in caliper and that additional visitor parking be provided.
Community Design Review Board
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Robert Engstrom of Robert Engstrom Companies was present. Chairperson Ledvina had a
question about the road that connects to Century Avenue. He wondered if there was any
reason why it was not being proposed for development now and what the applicant's plans
were for it. Mr. Engstrom said that they had just acquired the property and that this property
would be for future consideration and not part of the present plan.
Ross Feffercorn, the owner of Country Home Builders, and Scott Hintermeister, the project
manager, were present at the meeting. Mr. Feffercorn showed the boardmembers a revised
plan demonstrating that they had picked up 20-foot setbacks where they previously didn't
have any. He also showed on the plan where they had picked up several additional parallel
parking spaces. He said some of the stalls are 9½ feet by 18 feet and others are 9½ feet by
20 feet. Mr. Feffercorn then discussed the elevations of the units, materials used, etc.
Boardmember Shankar asked if there was a rec room or community room. Mr. Feffercorn
said there was not going to be one as any type of community room tends to drive association
fees up pretty high and they don't tend to get used very often.
Boardmember Shankar moved the Community Design Review Board approve the site,
building and landscaping plans (date-stamped April 24, 2000 and May 16, 2000) for the
proposed New Century Town Homes. Approval is based on the findings required by code
and subject to the property owner doing the following:
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 for the town homes, the property owner shall:
a. Revise the site and landscape plans for staff approval showing that:
(1) The town homes are set back to comply with the city council's direction in the
PUD approval.
(2) Visitor-parking areas have been added around the town house development.
Parking stalls must be at least 9 ½ by 18 feet in size.
(3) The deciduous, over-story trees must be 2 ¼ inches in caliper, balled and
burlapped.
Submit the grading, drainage, utility and erosion control plans to the city engineer for
approval.
Obtain approval of the water main layout by the St. Paul Regional Water Board. The
applicant also provide any utility easements that may be required.
Provide any fire hydrants on the plans as may be required by the Maplewood Fire
Marshal.
3. All parking areas and drives must have continuous concrete curbing.
4. All landscaped areas shall be sodded, except for areas that would have landscape mulch.
All damaged boulevards must be sodded.
Community Design Review Board
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5. All landscaped areas shall have an automatic in-ground irrigation system.
6. The future multi-family area east of the Pinkspire Lane looped street is not included in this
approval. The applicant must submit site, landscaping and architectural plans for this
area.
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.
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.
8. All work shall follow the approved plans. The director of community development may
approve minor changes.
Boardmember LaCasse seconded.
Ayes--all
The motion passed.
B. Dearborn Meadow Double Dwellings, Castle Avenue
Secretary Tom Ekstrand presented the staff report. Staff said the board would be looking at
the design plans for the site, landscaping and buildings. Staff said the proposed buildings
would be attractive and would fit in with the design of the existing homes. Staff recommended
that the applicant revise the landscaping plan to be consistent with the Maplewood ordinance.
The maple trees must be at least 2¼ inches in caliper, balled and burlapped. The plantings
proposed around the foundations of the units should remain on the plan. In addition, all yard
areas should be sodded except for those areas mulched and edged as planting beds. Staff
recommended approval of the applicant's proposal for a six foot high wood privacy fence
along the entire south property line subject to the conditions on Page 7, Item E, of the staff
report.
Boardmember Shankar said it appeared that the units were 15 feet from each other and
asked if that met the code requirements. Staff said they would have to get back to the board
on what the code requirements are for this type of development.
Mike Ackerman, the applicant, was present at the meeting. Mr. Ackerman said that there
were quite a few decent trees on the property. He pointed out the grading limit on the
proposed preliminary plat and said that nothing would be graded outside of that line.
Mr. Ackerman also talked about the building materials that would be used on the units.
He said the reason he had proposed the privacy fencing was to keep headlights from shining
into the houses to the south.
Boardmember Shankar asked if Lots 1 and 2 would be accessed directly from Castle Avenue.
Mr. Ackerman said yes. He said the site has the wetland and an easement and you can't
build anything over that easement, so the only use for the easement is some sort of private
drive.
Community Design Review Board
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Chairperson Ledvina said that one of the concerns, relating specifically to Units 1 and 2, was
the possibility of adding a turnaround, and he asked the applicant how he viewed that
concept. Mr. Ackerman said it would be more safe than not having it but felt that because of
wetland restrictions and the fact that the single family houses to the east don't have
turnarounds it would not happen.
Boardmember Jorgenson asked about the fence line on the south and the two neighbors in
homes that are listed on the preliminary plat who had concerns about maybe putting trees in
there. Mr. Ackerman said that the two homes shown on the preliminary plat are rental
property and the person who owns them is a real estate agent who has not made any
comment. Mr. Ackerman said it was actually people farther west than these houses that were
concerned about it and it doesn't even affect them but that they were more concerned for the
sake of the person who lives to the east.
Boardmember Shankar asked if the applicant was encroaching on the 30-foot setback
anyplace. Mr. Ackerman said no they weren't.
Boardmember Jorgenson mentioned that there were several good sized trees that the
applicant would be taking out and wanted to know if there was any way the applicant could try
and salvage some of those trees. Mr. Ackerman said that in the north part of the project,
because Castle Avenue is so high and it comes down so fast, there really wasn't much that
could be done for trees in that area. He said that on the plan the grouping of the best trees
was being saved by the wetland.
Boardmember Shankar said he felt that the north elevation of Unit 3 should have a base of
brick. Chairperson Ledvina thought that it would be a reasonable addition to continue the
brick along the north elevation at that height.
Chairperson Ledvina said he was not in favor of the site plan in that he felt the buildings fit in
the area too tightly, and he wasn't comfortable with the special arrangement as it affected the
existing homes and the orientation of the two southerly units. Chairperson Ledvina said he
didn't have any problems with the landscaping, grading or drainage plans and felt that the
building elevations were reasonable. There was further discussion among the boardmembers
and staff regarding the site plan.
Mr. Ackerman said that the units on the southwest corner facing the tax land are a good
situation for them. He said if that unit was turned like the board was suggesting, it would have
to have a road in front of it to service the driveway and there would be hardly any backyard.
Mr. Ackerman said it would be impossible to turn and still maintain the 30 foot side setback
from the other property, because of the easement, and still get two units. Mr. Ackerman felt
that, in terms of orientating units, it was the best use for the site.
Boardmember Shankar moved the Community Design Review Board deny approval of the
plans date-stamped March 31, 2000 (site plan, landscape plan, grading and drainage plans
and building elevations) for Dearborn Meadow on the basis that the layout on this site
appears to be too congested.
Boardmember Jorgenson seconded.
Ayes--Ledvina, Shankar, Jorgenson
Nays--LaCasse
The motion passed.
Community Design Review Board
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C. Woodland Hills Church, 1740 Van Dyke Street
Secretary Tom Ekstrand presented the staff report. Staff feels that the applicant's proposal is
going to be an asset and is attractive, and the landscaping would be very nice. Staff is
recommending approval of the plans with the three conditions shown on Page 2 of the staff
report.
Chairperson Ledvina had a question about what represented the vestibule, because there are
two vestibules, and he wanted some more detail. Philip Sherwood, representing Woodland
Hills Church, and Tod Elkins, of Genesis Architecture, were present.
Mr. Sherwood said they were planning on repaving and redoing the west part of the parking
lot; patching and sealing and striping the back part; and then redoing the front part of the
parking lot in the second phase. He said that in Phase 2 they plan to build a two-story
sanctuary, about a 25 foot construction, and in this phase they would grass and landscape it,
and remove the asphalt pavement. Mr. Elkins showed where the two diagonal vestibules
were on the plan, breaking into the sort of existing facade.
Chairperson Ledvina asked if these were projections from the building. Mr. Elkins said they
were part projections and part going back into the space. Mr. Elkins said that from an
aesthetic standpoint, they were fairly minor incursions to the facade, just a thin windwall to
one side and then it's basically glass storefront to allow adequate entry and exiting into the
space or out of the space. Chairperson Ledvina wanted to know what would happen to the
canopy or overhang on the west facade. Mr. Elkins said that they would keep most of the
original canopy and they would remove it at the entries so they would be able to put in a new
simple roof structure.
Chairperson Ledvina asked if the canopy was going to be painted and asked the applicant to
go over the materials as they exist now. Mr. Elkins said it was a metal paneled canopy and
will be painted in natural earth tones even though they haven't selected the final colors yet.
There was discussion about the proposed Phase 1 changes regarding the parking lot
improvements and perimeter site landscaping. There was also some discussion on the
Phase 2 site plan changes. Boardmember Shankar had some concerns about the distance
from the face of the Phase 2 addition to the face of the concrete islands in the pilot. Mr.
Elkins said they could work on this to make it deeper if that is what is needed.
Boardmember Shankar moved the Community Design Review Board approve the plans (date
stamped April 24, 2000) for the proposed landscaping plan, Phase 1 building exterior changes
and site plan revisions at Woodland Hills Church, 1740 Van Dyke Street. Approval is based
on the findings required by the code and subject to the property owner doing the following:
1. Repeat this review in two years if the city has not issued a building permit for this project.
The large addition on the front of the building proposed in Phase 2 is not approved at this
time. The applicant shall submit plans for this addition to the community design review
board for their approval.
All work shall follow the approved plans. The director of community development may
approve minor changes.
The applicant shall maintain a distance of 39 feet from the face of the Phase 2 addition to
the face of the concrete island in the parking lot.
Community Design Review Board
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Boardmember LaCasse seconded.
Ayes--all
D. White Bear Avenue Corridor Study Discussion
Secretary Tom Ekstrand presented the staff report. Mr. Ekstrand said that this item was the
consultant's report for the White Bear Avenue Corridor Study. Mr. Ekstrand said most of it
involved the City of St. Paul because they had a lot more and a lot older issues to deal with.
Maplewood's portion is substantially newer by comparison. Mr. Ekstrand said that the study
has set some goals and principles. He summarized some of the key areas. The study
identified and discussed some design elements (i.e. lighting, fences, paving, trees and
landscaping, transit stops and signage) that they feel should be applied throughout both
cities.
The Maplewood portion of the study focused on two sites: the Builder's Square building on
VanDyke Street and the Hajicek 80-acre piece of land west of the Maplewood Mall and north
of Birch Run Station. Recommendations were provided for both of these areas.
Mr. Ekstrand said substantial ideas were presented for signage in the White Bear Avenue
corridor. The study offered some information on establishing some corridor-wide guidelines
and some ideas for sign placement guidelines for individual businesses.
Mr. Ekstrand said this study was offered to the board as an information item. He asked the
board for their reaction and if there were any thoughts from this study that they could use.
Chairperson Ledvina asked how the recommendations in this document compared to the
city's ordinances, particularly in regard to signs. Mr. Ekstrand said the consultants looked at
Maplewood's sign code and much of the information contained in the study came from the
city's code.
VII. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
There were no visitor presentations.
VIII.
IX.
BOARD PRESENTATIONS
Boardmember LaCasse reported on the May 22, 2000, City Council meeting.
A. CDRB Volunteer for June 12 City Council Meeting: Mr. Shankar will attend this meeting.
STAFF PRESENTATIONS
Secretary Tom Ekstrand said the article on "snout houses" (given to him by Chairperson Ledvina)
would be included with the next CDRB agenda packet.
X. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 7:55 p.m.