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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/14/2000AGENDA MAPLEWOOD COMMUNITY DESIGN REVIEW BOARD November 14, 2000 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: 4. Approval of Agenda 5. Unfinished Business 6. Design Review September 19, 2000 and October 17, 2000 a. Curbing Waiver Request- U.S. Bank, Richard Schreier Applicant b. Affordable Auto Sales - 1940 Rice Street, Mike Whitelaw 7. Visitor Presentations 8. Board Presentations 9. Staff Presentations a. CDRB representatives needed for November 27 December 11, city council meetings. 10. Adjourn p:com-dvpt~cdrb.agd MINUTES OF THE MAPLEWOOD COMMUNITY DESIGN AND REVIEW BOARD 1830 COUNTY ROAD B EAST, MAPLEWOOD, MINNESOTA TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2000 II. III. IV. CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Ledvina called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. ROLL CALL Matt Ledvina Present Ananth Shankar Present Tim Johnson Present Jon LaCasse Present Craig Jorgenson Absent Staff Present: Recording Secretary: APPROVAL OF MINUTES Tom Ekstrand, Associate Planner Lori Hansen Minutes for September 19th, 2000: Chairperson Ledvina noted that the September 19th minutes were not included in the agenda packet and requested they be sent out with the next packet for review prior to approval. He also requested the meeting minutes include a format tailored towards a word for word transcript versus a summarization. Mr. Ekstrand explained the procedure for the minutes in the past has been to summarize the key issues and discussions. He and the recording secretary will see that the minutes include all pertinient discussion. Minutes for October 17th, 2000: Boardmember LaCasse moved that the minutes from the October 17th meeting be approved. Boardmember Johnson seconded. Ayes-All Motion carries. APPROVALOFAGENDA November 14th, 2000. Board member Jorgenson moved approval of the agenda for November 14th, 2000. Board member LaCasse seconded the motion. Ayes-All The motion passed. UNFINISHED BUSINESS There was no unfinished business. CDRB 11-14-00 -2- VI. DESIGN REVIEW A. Curbing Waiver Request-U.S. Bank, 1760 Beam Avenue, Richard Schreier, applicant. Tom Ekstrand, Associate Planner, presented the staff report. Richard Schreier is requesting that the community design review board (CDRB) waive the requirement for curbing along a section of driveway west of the new U.S. Bank site on Beam Avenue. The U.S. Bank site plan, approved by the CDRB on November 23, 1999, had shown a future driveway connection through the abutting westerly lot. It was not proposed to be built along with the bank construction. While the bank was under construction Mr. Schreier received a permit from the Maplewood Public Works office for the driveway connection. Staff required that Mr. Schreier pave and curb it according to city code. Mr. Schreier paved the driveway, but felt that curbing would be a waste of money and materials since he will be developing this parcel. City code states all parking lots shall have continuous concrete curbing surrounding the exterior perimeter of the parking lot and drives. The community design review board may waive the curbing requirement in instances where the city engineer has determined that sheet drainage over ground would improve storm-water quality. Assistant City Engineer, Chris Cavett, did not feel the waiver would impose any problems, therefore, the staff is recommending approval based on the following reasons: Though negligible, sheet drainage over ground would improve storm-water quality. The driveway in question is temporary. Requiring curbing would be a waste of money and materials because this site will be developed and a proper grading/drainage plan implemented. Mr. Schreier was not present. Mr. Ekstrand talked with him and explained the recommendation that he install posts to mark the curvature of the driveway to keep snowplows and drivers on it and off the grass after snowfall. He seemed satisfied with that requirement and appreciative of the recommendation. Mr. Ledvina felt there needed to be some type of time frame imposed so the approval would not be granted as an extended condition into the future. As a recommendation Mr. Ekstrand suggested a three year term be placed on the condition, similar to the three year bituminous curbing time frame for future development. Mr. Shankar was concerned with drainage issues if applying the bituminous code. Mr. Ekstrand noted that he was at the site after a rainfall and noticed only slight ponding. If it was curbed it would sheet right out onto Beam Avenue. Boardmember LaCasse moved the board to approve the motion to accept the recommendation to wave the curbing requirement for the driveway connection from the U.S. Bank site to Beam Avenue, based on the following conditions: Mr. Schreier shall install posts with reflectors to mark the driveway curb cut and driveway curvature to help keep cars and snowplows on the pavement and prevent damage to the grass. The number and placement of reflectorized posts shall be subject to staff approval. 2. These posts shall be installed by November 30, 2000. 3. This waiver shall end in three years. At that time, concrete curbing must be provided along both sides of the driveway. Boardmember Johnson seconded. Ayes-All Motion passed. CDRB -3- 11-14-00 B. Conditional Use Permit-Affordable Auto Sales, 1930 Rice Street. The applicant is requesting approval of a conditional use permit (CUP) to sell used cars from 1930 Rice Street. The applicant is proposing to stripe the site with 19 parking spaces-one would be a handicap-accessible space. The site is a little tight but it should be adequate for the applicants needs as laid out. The parking spaces, however, with the exception of the handicap space, should be no less than 9 ~ feet wide as code requires. The applicants have also started refurbishing the outside of the building. They added light grey horizontal-lap vinyl siding on the south and west elevations, replaced windows on the west elevation and eliminated windows on the south side. The east and north sides of the building would remain sided with the existing rectangular metal panels. They propose to place a red neon accent strip along the top edge of the building. The applicant began this work without applying for a building permit. The Maplewood Building Inspection Office stopped the work and told Mr. Whitelaw that he must get a permit to continue. In spite of starting this work before getting city council approval and a building permit, these changes are improvements over the former building appearance. Staff is recommending the landscaping planting beds have weed barrier, rock or wood chip mulch, and edging. There was not any outdoor trash storage proposed. If they do choose to add outdoor trash storage the code would require a screened enclosure. The staff is recommending approval subject to several conditions. The conditions include that the applicant must put up an escrow to cover the cost of installing the landscaping, installing stop signs, striping the parking lot, and building a trash enclosure (if one will be used) before receiving a building permit. Chairperson Ledvina asked if the south curb cut on Rice Street would be closed or left open and the number of pylon signs on the site. Mr. Ekstrand felt there would not be a substantial parking gain to close the cut. He also stated he thought there were two signs, but the code would allow a total of five signs. There could be a free standing sign along each street, two signs for each street frontage, and an additional sign allowed because the business is located on a corner. Identification signs have not been proposed but the applicant must comply with the city sign code. Staff noted the business at this address has been closed for some time and signs are not necessarily grandfathered in, therefore, some of the signs may need to be moved to comply with setbacks. Boardmember Shankar was concerned with the width of the stalls and if they complied with code. The stalls would meet code if there is 2 % foot wide non grassed bumper overhang area. In this case the site is limited so the depth of those spaces as shown are a deficiency without the non- grass strip. There is only so much space on the property, and staff feels they have done a reasonably good job of trying to keep the drive aisles clear. Eric Werner was present for the applicant. Mr. Werner is the manager of Affordable Auto Sales. Mr. Werner did have an opportunity to review the staff report and the conditions recommended. Mr. Werner clarified four to six of the parking stalls would be used for customer parking (to the south of the building), one for handicap parking and two employee stalls (to the north of the building). The remainder of the stalls would be for the "for sale" cars. The trash containers would be located on the northeast end of the property north of the building. All the windows on the building have been replaced, the parking area has been blacktopped, and shrubs will be added. The inside has been remodeled as well, with a customer service area equipped with a couch and television. CDRB 11-14-00 -4- Closing the south curb cut on Rice Street was suggested to Mr. Werner. This would include removing the hard surface, installing sod and planting more shrubs. This modification would add approximately three additional parking stalls for the site. He agreed that it could indeed increase the parking and would not inhibit accessibility. Mr. Werner will bring the suggestion to the applicants, Mr. Whitelaw and Mr. Godes. Mr. Ledvina was concerned with the pole sign on the east side of the property on Roselawn. It appears to have been hit by a vehicle and has sustained significant damage. The board feels the sign is a definite detraction to the site. Staff noted that any pylon signs that would be moved would need to comply with setback requirements. This site has not been used for over a year, therefore the signs would not be grandfathered in and would need to comply with ordinance. With that in mind, the sign on Roselawn would need to be removed. Mr. Ledvina brought to the applicants attention how blinding the can light on the corner of the canopy is as you drive in to the site. Mr. Werner will ensure this light is redirected onto the inventory cars parked in the lot. Mr. Ekstrand suggested a shoe box light may be more appropriate for this location so drivers are not blinded by a bulb. Staff was consulted as to whether or not the board could require curbing for the parking lot. Mr. Ekstrand explained when a site is remodeling the city has the opportunity to bring the site closer to code by requiring curbing if they would chose to. Mr. Ledvina suggested adding requirements that the approval include two conditions. The first being that lighting shall be modified to comply with code requirements. The second condition would state existing signs on the site are not grand fathered for code requirements. Mr. Shankar questioned if that meant they would be required to remove the signs that are not meeting code. Staff stated further discussion would be needed with the Community Development Director to get direction on that issue. The board felt strongly the sign on Roselawn needed to be removed, regardless, for it is esthetically detrimental to the site. The single tube red neon lighting will be around the top of garage doors, across the canopy, across the building and down the side of the building. Mr. Ledvina asked for input from the other board members with their opinon on the neon lighting. There is not a lot of neon in the area, and the car lot across the road has a residential type of building. Board member Shankar had no objection to the neon and felt the neon may add a little color to the all grey building. Mr. Werner's understanding was the the neon lighting would be on only during the hours of operation. He explained the neon would not be an obnoxious neon but a red rich neon just to add some contrast to the building and a touch of class to the site. Mr. Ekstrand agreed with Mr. Lednina's suggestion about adding a condition for lighting and supported closing the south curb cut on Rice Street. Mr. Ledvina wanted to ensure the hard surface would be removed, the opening closed by curbing and the hard surface replaced with sod. Staff will also add to the condition that the cost of closing and restoring the curb cut would be added to the escrow required. Mr. Shankar moved the board to approve the plans date-stamped October 19, 2000 for Affordable Auto Sales at 1930 Rice Street. Approval is based on the findings required by the code and subject to the applicant's complying with the following conditions: Repeat this review in two years if the city has not issued a building permit for this project. 2. Provide the following for staff approval before the city issues a building permit: Revise the site plan to show 9 %-foot-wide parking spaces and one eight-foot- wide handicap parking space. The handicap space shall also have an eight-foot- wide striped loading aisle. The applicant shall close the southerly curb cut on Rice Street and curb across the opening at the street edge. This driveway shall be restored with sod. The driveway closing shall meet with MnDOT specifications. The applicant shall obtain a MnDOT permit if one is required for this driveway closing. CDRB 11-14-00 -5- VII. VIII. Revise the landscape plan to show that the planting beds have edging, weed block fabric and rock or wood-chip mulch. Revise the building elevations showing the east and north sides of the building painted light grey to match the siding color. do A plan for a trash dumpster enclosure for outside trash containers if used (code requirement). This plan must show the placement and design of the enclosure. Trash enclosures must have a 100 percent opaque closeable gate. Enclosures must be of a material that matches or is compatible with the building. eo An escrow in the amount of 200 percent of the cost of installing the landscaping, installing stop signs, striping the parking lot, closing/restoring the southerly driveway on Rice Street and building a trash enclosure (if used) before obtaining a building permit. This is to guarantee the completion of this work. 3. Complete the following: Install a reflectorized stop sign at both Rice Street exits and a handicap-parking sign for the handicap-parking space. b. Construct a trash dumpster enclosure for any outside trash containers if used. Co Stripe the parking lot at 9%-foot-wide spaces with one eight-foot-wide handicap- accessible parking space with an adjacent eight-foot-wide loading space. d. Install the planting beds. e. Paint the north and east sides of the building to match the siding color. Adjusting the site light that is mounted on the canopy to aim downward toward the site, not outward into drivers' eyes. All work shall follow the approved plans. The director of community development may approve minor changes. Complying with the requirements of the sign ordinance. The two existing signs along Rice Street are not grand fathered in. The applicant shall remove these and comply with the city sign code. Mr. LaCasse seconded. Ayes-All Motion carries. VISITOR PRESENTATION No visitor presentations. BOARD PRESENTATIONS October 9th City Council Meeting: Chairperson Ledvina attended this meeting, and gave his report. Countryside Volkswagon's proposal was approved. Regarding the parking of inventory on the unpaved surface in the back of the lot, Ms. Melinda Coleman, Director of Community Development had reviewed previous City Council tapes and it was very evident that the council had enforced the paved surface requirement for parking vehicles in Countryside's initial approval. CDRB 11-14-00 -6- Emma's Place was also approved. Numerous neighbors attended the meeting and spoke in favor of the proposal. The council really liked the changes the Design and Review Board made in the plans and also included the addition of shutters to the garage on County Road B to dress it up. Staff explained that representatives from Emma's Place will be coming in on Friday to discuss other ways they can enhance the appearance of their project. IX. STAFF PRESENTATIONS Mr. Ekstrand noted that the AT & T monopole proposal was denied at the city council meeting. The property owner was not flexible in considering other sites recommended by the Design Review Board and Planning Commission. The sign variance request for Maplewood Covenant Church was approved as recommended. Board members are needed for the November 27th and December 11th City Council meetings. Mr. LaCasse will attend the November meeting, and Mr. Johnson will attend the December meeting. X. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 7:10 p.m.