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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/25/2005 AGENDA CITY OF MAPLEWOOD COMMUNITY DESIGN REVIEW BOARD Tuesday,October25,2005 6:00 P.M. Council Chambers - Maplewood City Hall 1830 County Road BEast 1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Approval of Agenda 4. Approval of Minutes: September 27, 2005 5. Unfinished Business: Ashley Furniture Neon Lighting 6. Design Review: Edgerton Manor - 2021 Edgerton Street 7. Visitor Presentations: 8. Board Presentations: 9. Staff Presentations: a. Sign Code Revision Update b. World Town Planning Day - November 8, 2005 c. Reminder - November 8 CDRB Meeting Rescheduled to November 9 Due to Elections d. Community Design Review Board Representation at the November 14, 2005, City Council Meeting 10. Adjourn MINUTES OF THE MAPLEWOOD COMMUNITY DESIGN REVIEW BOARD 1830 COUNTY ROAD BEAST, MAPLEWOOD, MINNESOTA TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25,2005 I. CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Longrie called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. II. ROLL CALL Board member John Hinzman Board member Matt Ledvina Chairperson Diana Longrie Vice chairperson Linda Olson Board member Ananth Shankar Present Present Present Present Present Staff Present: Shann Finwall, Planner Lisa Kroll, Recording Secretary III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Board member Olson moved to approve the agenda. Board member Hinzman seconded. Ayes - Hinzman, Ledvina, Longrie, Olson, Shankar The motion passed. IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Approval of the CDRB minutes for September 27, 2005. Board member Hinzman moved approval of the minutes of September 27, 2005. Board member Olson seconded. Ayes ---Hinzman, Ledvina, Longrie, Olson, Shankar The motion passed. V. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Ashley Furniture Neon Lighting Ms. Finwall said Ashley Furniture's design review was approved by the CDRB earlier this year. After approval by the CDRB neon lighting was added to the building exterior. City staff has been trying to reach a representative of Ashley Furniture to address this issue but has been unsuccessful. City staff would like the board to make a formal motion to indicate that the CDRB would like Ashley Furniture to come before the CDRB for an amendment to the design review if Ashley Furniture would like to maintain the neon lighting. Ashley Furniture has the option to appeal the board's decision to the city council. Community Design Review Board Minutes 10-25-2005 2 Chairperson Longrie asked what steps the city normally takes when changes are made to building designs that weren't approved by the board. Ms. Finwall said the staff member that worked on that project through the planning stage would follow up with the issuance of the building permit. We review the building plans and ensure all of the conditions are met that were approved by the city council. If the building did not meet the guidelines city staff would notify the appropriate person and they would be required to revise the plans or obtain an amendment from the board for the design. The director of community development can make minor changes to the plan administratively but anything other than that should come back before the CDRB. Chairperson Longrie asked if there were any provisions for fines or citations? Ms. Finwall said there are possibilities for issuing a citation for violation of the CDRB conditions in the city ordinance. Another situation would be for conditional use permit review. A CUP allows the city to have more control over a project and would allow the city council to review the design change with the possibility of shutting down the actual use if there was a violation. Board member Ledvina said this has been discussed in the past and the CDRB has indicated their concern regarding the neon lighting and the best thing to do is to make a motion and recommend moving forward. Board member Olson said she would like her comments reflected in the minutes. The neon is very bright and it can be seen from St. John's Hospital, Sam's Club parking lot which is on the other side of the freeway, and from the residential neighborhoods adjacent to Ashley Furniture. The CDRB didn't approve the neon lighting and she feels the neon light is too bright. She would like to see a light meter reading of this neon lighting because The Myth nightclub lighting is much dimmer than the lighting on Ashley Furniture which is an intrusive feature on the building and it affects the surrounding area. Board member Ledvina recommended that the CDRB direct city staff to place Ashley Furniture on notice that they must either make an amendment to the approved plan or remove the neon lighting. Board member Olson stated she would be satisfied if the neon lighting was turned off. The light shouldn't be on all night long. Board member Ledvina said the neon lighting was not part of the approved design and it should be removed or Ashley Furniture should apply to the board for an amendment. Board member Shankar seconded. Ayes - Hinzman, Ledvina, Longrie, Olson, Shankar The motion passed. Community Design Review Board Minutes 10-25-2005 3 Chairperson Longrie said if Ashley Furniture comes before the CDRB with an amendment to the design the CDRB can then discuss the conditions such as when the lights can be on or off or the intensity of the neon lighting. She would support Ashley Furniture coming before the CDRB with an amendment. She is disappointed that Ashley Furniture has not responded to city staff's calls to open up the dialogue. Board member Shankar asked if Ashley Furniture could go right to the city councilor did Ashley Furniture need to come before the CDRB? Board member Ledvina said that is a procedural issue that staff would work out. Ms. Finwall said Ashley Furniture could remove the neon lighting and the issue would be resolved or if Ashley Furniture applied for an amendment to the design for the neon lighting it would have to come before the board to make a recommendation on to the city council. The motion passed. VI. DESIGN REVIEW a. Edgerton Manor - 2021 Edgerton Street Mr. Alan Menning, Manager of the Edgerton Manor at 2021 Edgerton Street, is proposing to redesign the existing front door along Edgerton Street in order to allow entry at grade level and provide a covered building entrance. Ms. Finwall said the building was constructed in 1971, prior to state handicap accessibility requirements. The front entry along Edgerton Street currently consists of a looped driveway with a double stairwell leading up one flight of stairs to the uncovered front door. The existing stairway is in need of repair or replacement. The applicant proposes to remove the exterior stairway and front door and replace it with a small vestibule located on the ground level as well as a covered building entrance. Only the covered entrance will extend into the required 30-foot front yard setback by 20 feet, 4 inches. The exterior of the vestibule will be a white-colored stucco, and the covered entryway will have white columns with a brick base to match the building. In addition to the entryway, the applicant proposes landscaping improvements to include two small retaining walls constructed of brick to match the building. Within the retaining walls, the applicant proposes new plantings to include three ornamental trees, 12 evergreen bushes. 28 deciduous bushes, and 38 perennials. Board member Shankar asked if the handicapped entrance would take people to an elevator not shown on the plans? Ms. Finwall said yes. Board member Longrie asked the applicant to address the board. Community Design Review Board Minutes 10-25-2005 4 Mr. Alan Menning, Manager, Edgerton Manor 2021 Edgerton Street, Maplewood, addressed the board. He said there is an elevator at the ground level as you walk in and right now there is no access to get to an elevator for handicapped people. You need to go down the garage ramp, through the garage, and up a ramp to the elevator. This is very difficult for people in a wheelchair or for anyone with a walker. There are a number of predominately older residents that live in this building that have either a walker or a cane. Chairperson Longrie asked if the applicant had any materials to show the board? Mr. Menning said no but he brought photos of the existing building. They are going to match the existing building materials as closely as possible. Mr. Menning went through the photos one by one and described the building materials and colors for the board. Board member Olson asked if the applicant would be removing any trees on the site? Mr. Menning said no. Board member Shankar asked why the new doors are going to swing inward? Mr. David L. Harris, Project Architect, 17675 Hogan Avenue, Hastings, addressed the board. He said doors are a building issue. Whatever the building code states and what the building official says is required is what they will be doing. He would have to check the occupant load and he has not done that yet. Board member Shankar said the reason he asks the question is that the applicant is spending all this money to make this building entrance handicapped accessible and it appears on the plan that if a person in a wheelchair is going to go through the first set of doors there is hardly enough space before you get through the next set of doors. Mr. Harris said he is aware of the handicapped codes in the State of Minnesota and when they present the plan for a building permit that will be verified. Board member Shankar said it seems to him that the crux of what the applicant is trying to do is to make this handicapped accessible and you will need to give as much space as possible in the vestibule. Mr. Harris said yes and if the board is concerned about this that could be a condition of approval. Board member Hinzman said the shingle color of the entry area looks lighter than what currently exists? Mr. Harris said the colors represented on the plans are incorrect and the building materials will match as closely as possible. Board member Shankar said the colored canopy appears to be 13 feet 9 inches and he asked if they are confident that clearance is high enough? Community Design Review Board Minutes 10-25-2005 5 Mr. Harris said they designed the canopy to comply with the standards of the fire department which should exceed all reasonable standards. They could post the height; that might be prudent. Board member Shankar said he is concerned about the shingle color not matching. Board member Olson said there is a note on the plans that states all new materials are to match the existing building materials per David L. Harris, Architect, so she believed that would be covered. Board member Hinzman asked if the motion could be separated into two different motions? Chairperson Longrie said that would be fine. Board member Hinzman moved to adopt the front yard setback variance resolution attached in the staff report. This resolution approves a 20-foot, 4-inch front yard setback variance for the construction of a covered entryway for Edgerton Manor located at 2021 Edgerton Street. Approval is based on the following findings: a. Strict enforcement of the code would cause undue hardship because of circumstances unique to the property and not created by the current property owner. The building was constructed in 1971, prior to any handicap accessibility requirements. At that time the building was constructed 37 feet, 8 inches to the Edgerton Street right-of-way, limiting the buildable area for a handicap accessible entryway. b. Construction of the proposed handicap accessible entryway will better serve the tenants and meet the Minnesota Handicap Accessibility requirements. c. The right-of-way along Edgerton Street in this area is inconsistent and there is existing development on the west side of the street which is closer than that being requested for the handicap accessible entryway. Board member Ledvina seconded. Ayes - Hinzman, Ledvina, Longrie, Shankar, Olson The motion passed. Board member Shankar had additional questions regarding the building materials before the next motion is made. Board member Shankar asked if the existing windows on the building were painted white or vinyl clad? Mr. Harris said everything on the building is in good shape and doesn't require replacing. The photos he displayed earlier are an example of what actually exists on the building exterior. Board member Shankar said the new sketch shows a wood grain material on the windows so he was just trying to clarify that. Mr. Harris said the applicant wants maintenance free products so the products are either going to be maintenance free aluminum or vinyl clad but not wood. Community Design Review Board Minutes 10-25-2005 6 Board member Shankar asked what the new entry doors would be made of? Mr. Harris said they are not sure what material the doors are going to be or which particular door they will use. Mr. Menning went through the building material colors on the existing building and everything will match the existing structure. At this time he is not sure what color the entry door would be but possibly a hunter green with white trim. Using a white door would not look nice next to the stu ceo. Board member Shankar moved to approve the plans date-stamped September 20, 2005, for the proposed covered entryway at Edgerton Manor located at 2021 Edgerton Street. Approval is subject to the following conditions: (changes made by the CDRB if added are underlined.) a. Repeat this review in two years if the city has not issued a building permit for this project. b. Before getting a building permit, the applicant must submit to staff for approval the following: 1) A revised landscape plan showing all sizes of the proposed plant species. 2) Sample building materials to be approved by staff. The new entry door frame shall be hunter oreen to match the existino shutters. All other buildino materials shall match the existinq buildinq materials. c. The applicant shall complete the following before final inspection of the covered entryway: 1) Install all required landscaping. 2) Make all necessary repairs to the existing driveway due to damage by construction. d. All work shall follow the approved plans. The director of community development may approve minor changes. Chairperson Longrie seconded. Ayes - Hinzman, Ledvina, Longrie, Olson, Shankar The motion passed. This item goes to the city council on November 14, 2005. Board member Ledvina said this is going to be a nice addition for the residents and it will be a nice improvement to the site. He commended the applicant for a very extensive landscaping plan and thinks this is very well designed improvement to this building. Community Design Review Board Minutes 10-25-2005 7 Chairperson Longrie agreed. VII. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS No visitors present. VIII. BOARD PRESENTATIONS None. IX. STAFF PRESENTATIONS a. Sign Code Revision Update Ms. Finwall gave an update regarding the sign code revision. She said in September staff finalized the draft sign code and since then city staff has been working on making those updates and putting the sign code on the city's website with highlighted changes to the code. The city is also doing an advertisement campaign and a small article was included in the Maplewood City News. This article directs people to the city website. The article will also be printed in the Maplewood Review. City staff also sent notices to 200 random business owners in Maplewood asking for feedback on the highlighted changes of the sign code and directing people to the full sign code on the website. Staff is looking for feedback on the proposed sign code by November 25, 2005, at which time city staff will compile the information and bring it back to the CDRB for discussion with possible changes to the draft. City staff will then proceed to the city council with the new code. Board member Olson asked how many businesses are in Maplewood? Ms. Finwall said she didn't have the exact figures but estimates 700 businesses. b. World Town Planning Day - November 8, 2005 Ms. Finwall included in the board packet information regarding World Town Planning Day which is sponsored in the United States by the American Planning Association and its professional institute, the American Institute of Certified Planners. This is a special day to recognize the role of planning in creating livable communities by promoting an awareness, support and advocacy of community and regional planning among the general public and all levels of government. The 56th annual World town Planning Day will be celebrated this year in approximately 30 countries on November 8, 2005. Ms. Finwall said the city council adopted the proclamation at the Monday, October 25, 2005, city council meeting. The proclamation is attached. The city wanted to thank the members of the board for their planning efforts. c. Reminder - November 8, 2005, CDRB meeting has been rescheduled to Wednesday, November 9, 2005, due to elections. Community Design Review Board Minutes 10-25-2005 8 d. Community Design Review Board Representation at the November 14, 2005, city council meeting. The only item to discuss is the design review of the Edgerton Manor, 2021 Edgerton Street and Chairperson Longrie volunteered to be the representative at the city council meeting. x. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:45 p.m.