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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/14/2001AGENDA MAPLEWOOD COMMUNITY DESIGN REVIEW BOARD August 14 2001 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 July 24, 2001 a. Comfort Bus - 1870 Rice Street 6. Design Review 7. Visitor Presentations 8. Board Presentations 9. Staff Presentations a. CDRB representation needed for the September 10 city council meeting. Reminder: Matt is scheduled for August 27 city council meeting. b. Discussion Item: 2001 Tour Recap 10. Adjourn p:com-dvpt~cdrb.agd II. III. IV, MINUTES OF THE MAPLEWOOD COMMUNITY DESIGN REVIEW BOARD 1830 COUNTY ROAD B EAST, MAPLEWOOD, MINNESOTA AUGUST 14, 2001 CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Ledvina called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m. ROLL CALL Matt Ledvina Tim Johnson Craig Jorgenson Linda Olson Ananth Shankar Staff Present: Present Present Absent Present Present Tom Ekstrand, Assistant Community Development Director Recording Secretary: Lisa Kroll APPROVAL OF MINUTES July 24, 2001 Chairperson Ledvina had some changes to the minutes for the July 24, 2001 minutes. On page 3 number 4. should be number 3. On page 5 in the third paragraph it should be Board member Olson. On page 6 in the fifth paragraph it should read a 24-foot tall building. On page 7 in the eleventh paragraph it should read support structure out of. Board member Olson moved approval of the minutes of July 10, 2001. Board member Johnson seconded. Ayes ---Ledvina, Johnson, Olson Abstention -- Shankar The motion passed. APPROVAL OFAGENDA Chairperson Ledvina asked that we move Unfinished Business to come after staff presentations because the applicant was not present when the meeting began. The motion passed. Ayes- All Community Design Review Board Minutes 8-14-2001 VI. VII. VIII. DESIGN REVIEW No new items to present. Visitor Presentations No visitors present. Board Presentations There was a City Council meeting August 13, 2001, but no board representation was needed. No board issues. One item that was reviewed was Schroeder Milk had asked for some TIF money and they are proceeding with their three-stage development proposal that they had approved in 1999. It's a large addition on the back of their building that they are continuing to expand. Staff Presentations a. CDRB Representation: As a reminder, Matt Ledvina is scheduled for the August 27, 2001, City Council meeting. Staff is looking for a representative for the September 10th meeting. Ananth Shankar replied he would be available for the September 10, 2001, meeting. Matt Ledvina added that he would attend the September 10th meeting if The Comfort Bus would be discussed. b. 2001 Tour Recap: Board member Olson said she received a tremendous amount of information on the tour. She enjoyed the opportunity to speak with other members of the City Council and Planning Commission during the tour. She felt that it was beneficial to have the Historical Society represented, the Police Chief and the Fire Station. The only complaint was the audio system problem that would be corrected at the next city tour. Chairperson Ledvina endorsed board member Olson's comments. Who felt it is a valuable tool for everyone and did not think it should be discontinued. Mr. Ekstrand stated he thought Mr. Roberts did a great job putting the City Tour together as he had every year and everyone enjoyed the sites and stops this year. Mr. Ekstrand thought it was beneficial that he could see all the sites, grading, and different areas that are changing. Community Design Review Board Minutes 8-14-2001 Chairperson Ledvina asked secretary Ekstrand about the new August 1, 2001, residential parking ordinance and how it was being enforced. Secretary Ekstrand mentioned that several people had been involved with that and he would bring it up at the Community Development staff meeting August 15. The Police department, Bob Wenger and he, himself, had been receiving calls and it really should be addressed as to who exactly should be involved in screening and receiving these complaint calls. Originally Bob Wenger, the Environmental Health Officer, was designated to receive those calls, but Mr. Ekstrand knows that other people are receiving parking ordinance calls as well. IX. UNFINISHED BUSINESS The Comfort Bus Company at 1870 Rice Street Secretary Ekstrand addressed members with the staff report. On July 24, 2001, the community design review board tabled action on the proposed Comfort Bus proposal. They tabled this review so they could see the applicant make the following changes: Redesign the exterior of the shop building. The board recommended that the applicant enhance the exterior of the building to make it more compatible in materials, color and design with the proposed office building. They felt because of the size of the building it would be very noticeable from both streets, therefore, warranting a more decorative exterior. Revise the landscape plan with the proposed changes recommended by staff in the previous memorandum. 3. Provide scaled, detailed plans for the proposed fuel canopy. Revised shop and canopy design The revised plans show the addition of a triple set of reveal lines at the top of the building on all four sides. These reveal lines would go into the wall surface % of an inch and would be three and six inches wide. (The lower two would be three inches wide and the top one six inches wide.) The plans do not indicate a color scheme for the building. The applicant had also added several pre-cast concrete planters on the south and north sides of the building adjacent to the garage doors. These would protect the garage door openings as well as provide an area for plantings. Community Design Review Board Minutes 8-14-2001 4 The canopy design is shown on Sheet One of the revised plans. The applicant had also added planters at the ends of each fuel island. Landscaping The applicant had shown plantings on the revised landscape plan are as requested by the board, depicting recommendations made in the last staff report Summary As with the Menard's building on Highway 61 where we required an accent stripe on the building and additional landscaping, staff is taking the same position here. With all the additional landscaping the applicant has shown and the detailing of the three reveal lines at the top of the building, staff agrees with the proposed plans for the shop building. The shop building is 300 feet back from Roselawn Avenue and staff felt that the landscaping would soften the appearance of the building. The front (west) view of the shop building would be partially hidden from view by the proposed office building and there would be landscaping directly in front in a courtyard area and on the street side to help soften the view of the building. Regarding the color scheme, staff would like to see the two buildings be compatible with each other. The applicant should submit a color scheme for the shop, which indicates the color of the pre-cast panels, the reveal lines, the flashing and the window frames. The fuel canopy design and landscape plan meet the recommendations of the board, although colors have not been specified for the canopy. The board should require that the applicant submit a color scheme for the buildings for staff approval before getting the building permit. Secretary Ekstrand anticipated that the building design was not changed to the level the board was hoping to see based on the last discussion. Staff would like to see more, but based on the use of the building, its placement, and the setback of the road, staff finds it acceptable. Staff is recommending approval with the recommendations made on pages 2,3, and 4. Chairperson Ledvina asked members if they had any questions for the staff. Chairperson Ledvina asked the applicant to come forward and address the board. Community Design Review Board Minutes 8-14-2001 Mr. Lee Rossow of Afton introduced himself and represents The Comfort Bus Company at 1870 Rice Street. Chairperson Ledvina asked Mr. Rossow to go over the design changes made from the original plan, and if he had any comments regarding the last staff report. Mr. Rossow stated he would like to comment on the staff report first. Referring to 2. a. (2.) in the staff report which states to resolve all public utility concerns including water and sewer. This Includes coordinating with the city for replacement or repair of the public sanitary sewer line that runs through the property. The owner shall provide the city with the necessary easements if the city or the applicants move the sewer line. Mr. Rossow stated that it had been his policy all along that he didn't want to agree to any easements that the cities engineering department would come up with. He would have some objections if the engineering department designs an easement and it goes to the corner of their shop and they have to redesign there plans. He understands that there are sewer main problems and has no problem with that being repaired. Mr. Rossow sent Mr. Ekstrand a fax that he was in favor of getting the problem solved and that he really did not want it to be part of this approval. Regarding the fuel canopy, Mr. Rossow asked his architect to draw up some plans that are not normally included, like planters, so the board could see the intentions for protection from the tail swing of the busses and the parking of the busses hitting the canopy. The landscaping plan was improved according to the board, and he certainly doesn't have any problems with those recommendations. Mr. Rossow asked his building manufacturer, Spancrete, to come up with a plan for the main garage to enhance the outside of the building without increasing the cost of the plan. Spancrete designed a plan to create an optical illusion with the spacing of the reveal lines on the building, and the cost factor was within the budget. The line spacing was proposed in place of the coving to make the office building and the shop look more compatible. Board member Shankar asked if the colors of the shop and office building are going to match, and what is the texture and color of the buildings. Mr. Rossow stated he had the sample of the pre-cast concrete with him at the last meeting (which Mr. Shankar was absent from) and he did not bring it with him tonight. The color is a cream color and the texture is a stucco effect. Board member Shankar asked Mr. Rossow if the six and three inch reveal lines will be the same color. Community Design Review Board Minutes 8-14-2001 Mr. Rossow replied that it his intention to leave those the same color. He would like to keep the building as maintenance free as possible. There is a shadowing effect in the reveal lines and if Spancrete were to mix two colors together a bleeding effect would take place. Board member Olson asked what the color would be for the pre-cast concrete planters. Mr. Rossow stated they would be gray and that was the only color they came in. The planters will be complimented with colorful annuals and perennials. Board member Olson stated that she remembered the applicant stating that anything a bus could hit, it would. Is the height of these planters a defense mechanism to keep the buses from hitting the building? Mr. Rossow said yes, it was a defense mechanism and the height of the planters would be 4 feet because the bumpers on a bus are 32 to 36 inches tall to keep the building from getting damaged. The canopy is not capable of withstanding being hit by a bus even with the 6 legs. Board member Shankar asked the applicant what color the metal panels of the fuel canopy are. Mr. Rossow said his intentions are just the standard white. No striping or anything on it. The white color keeps the area well lit for safety. There is not a large selection of colors and he would like to keep from painting the canopy to keep it maintenance free. Board member Shankar asked what color the garage doors will be. Mr. Rossow said he wasn't sure that had been decided yet. It will probably be some sort of an earth tone color that matches. Board member Shankar said he would like the garage doors to match the color of the pre-cast concrete. So a shade of cream would match well. Mr. Rossow replied that is the color it will be then. Chairperson Ledvina asked the applicant about the easements on the property again and could he describe what his concern was again with the wording. Secretary Ekstrand stated he spoke on the telephone with Mr. Rossow today regarding his concerns. It will be best if Mr. Rossow discusses this with the assistant city engineer to determine what easements may be required. If Mr. Community Design Review Board Minutes 8-14-2001 Rossow doesn't want to go through with that plan and it seems objectionable, this issue can be appealed to the city council within a 15-day appeal period. Chairperson Ledvina asked if the applicant would be agreeable to language such as "if a new easement was required, the easement shall not effect the positions of the buildings on the site plan". Mr. Rossow stated yes he would be agreeable to that language. Chairperson Ledvina stated at the last meeting the board asked about the curved element over the windows in the office building and adding that to the shop building. Did you check into that. Mr. Rossow replied yes, it was investigated. If they started putting in arched topped windows, it significantly would change the budget and the cost of the windows would go up as well. These changes become very difficult, not impossible, but difficult and expensive for the builder and Mr. Rossow. Mr. Rossow objected to those plans. It was not what he wanted. It is very expensive and he thought it would not be that noticeable from the road. Chairperson Ledvina asked if the window frames in the shop building are the same color as the office building, and what is the color selected for the frames. Mr. Rossow stated yes they are the same. However, the office building frames are vinyl clad, non-tinted, maintenance free and made by Andersen windows. The shop building windows are from a window supply company, have metal frames and have a smoky colored tint. All the windows are terra-tone colored. The Andersen window company does not have tinting as an option, as the window supplier did for the shop building, in the past we tried drapes in the shop building and they did not work, so we opted for a smoky tint to the windows to help with the late afternoon glare of the sun. Drapes will be used for the office building since tinting was not available. Board member Olson stated that she was very pleased with the revised landscaping plans that were made. Board member Shankar asked about the appearance of the down spouts and the flashing, and will they both match the appearance of the building. Mr. Rossow said he had no problem with the board putting a stipulation in to assure that the down spouts and flashing match with the building. Board member Shankar was not satisfied with the reveal lines as they pertained to the office and shop buildings and the garage dimensions. Community Design Review Board Minutes 8-14-2001 8 Mr. Rossow stated that he could add another reveal line on the shop building to tie in with the office building and it would make a more compatible appearance with the buildings. Board member Shankar moved that the Community Design Review Board approve the site and office design plans date stamped June 15, 2001, the plans date stamped June 29, 2001, and the landscape, fuel canopy, office and shop plans date stamped August 3, 2001 for the Comfort Bus Company at 1870 Rice Street. Approval is based on the findings required by city code and subject to the following conditions: 4. a. Restore and sod damaged boulevards. b. Install reflectorized stop signs at all exits and a handicap-parking sign for each handicap-parking space. c. Provide continuous concrete curb and gutter all around the parking lot and driveways. Paint all rooftop mechanical equipment, stacks and vents to match the uppermost part of the building. The owner of contractor shall screen any new roof-mounted equipment that is visible to residential property. (code requirement) e. Install and maintain an in-ground irrigation system for all landscaped areas. (code requirement) Construct the trash dumpster enclosure (unless waived by the CDRB) using the same materials and color as the building. This enclosure shall have a 100 percent opaque gate. g. Stripe all customer and visitor parking spaces at a width of 9 feet and the employee vehicle spaces at a width of nine feet. Install site lighting according to ordinance. The lenses and bulbs of lighting fixtures shall be recessed so not to shine into driver's eyes. i. Both the pm-cast panels and garage doors should be cream color and shall match each other. j. Down spouts and flashing on the east elevations shall match the color of the pre-cast panels. Community Design Review Board Minutes 8-14-2001 The elevations shall incorporate an additional reveal band or line 3 inches in height and shall match the top of the garage doors and wrap around all four sides of the building. I. Clarify that the color of the fuel canopy shall be white in color. m. The color of the window frames for the office and shop buildings shall match. Chairperson Ledvina suggested modifying the amendment to item 2. a. (2.) which related to the public utility concerns for sewer and water to add a sentence to read "if a new easement is required the easement shall not effect the positions of the building on the site". Board member Johnson moved to second the motion. Ayes - All The motion passed. X. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 7:15 p.m.