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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/22/2008 MINUTES OF THE MAPLEWOOD COMMUNITY DESIGN REVIEW BOARD 1830 COUNTY ROAD BEAST, MAPLEWOOD, MINNESOTA TUESDAY, JULY 22,2008 I. CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Olson called the meeting to order at 6:04 p.m. II. ROLL CALL Boardmember John Demko Vice-Chairperson Matt Ledvina Chairperson Linda Olson Boardmember Ananth Shankar Boardmember Matt Wise Present Absent Present Present Present Staff Present: Tom Ekstrand, Senior Planner III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Boardmember Wise moved to approve the agenda as presented. Boardmember Demko seconded Ayes - all The motion passed. IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. July 8, 2008 Boardmember Demko moved approval of the minutes of July 8, 2008, as presented. Boardmember Olson seconded Ayes - Demko, Olson Abstentions - Shankar, Wise The motion passed. V. DESIGN REVIEW a. Sl. John's Hospital Expansion (1575 Beam Avenue) Senior Planner Tom Ekstrand presented the staff report explaining the request for approval of plans to enlarge Sl. John's Hospital campus. Mr. Ekstrand noted the new expansion area will be primarily done in metal and glass to give the exterior a lighter appearance. Commissioner Shankar asked if the city has requirements for medical and hospital parking spaces. Mr. Ekstrand responded the city has parking requirements for medical facilities, the same requirements as for office parking, but the city does not have a per-bed requirement for hospitals. Mr. Ekstrand explained hospitals are required to provide data showing they are meeting their parking needs. Tony Thomas, architect and System Director for Corporate Real Estate Services at HealthEast, explained he is present representing Sl. John's Hospital. Mr. Thomas introduced architects Dennis Vonasek and Dan Rectenwald of HGA. Mr. Thomas gave a presentation explaining the proposed req uesl. Community Design Review Board 2 Minutes 07-22-2008 Dennis Vonasek of HGA was introduced and he explained the proposed plans for the building expansion projecl. Boardmember Olson asked if the structural element was designed to allow for future expansion. Mr. Vonasek responded it probably would be cost prohibitive and this design was used to allow construction of the patient rooms above the module that is not typically where rooms would be buill. Boardmember Olson asked whether the large, glass-window waiting area on the Beam and Hazelwood corner of the building would be energy efficient and also if light emissions were considered. Ms. Olson said the city has a Dark Skies initiative and light creep is an issue. Mr. Vonasek responded they are working with company engineers who have done an energy analysis to make sure the glass is acceptable. Mr. Vonasek said they will be using a very good- quality glass to ensure they have minimal ventilation escape. Mr. Thomas responded to the question on light emissions saying they have not looked at that issue regarding the emergency waiting area, but that Sl. John's is very conscious of using subdued over lighting because they want these areas to be calm places for patients their families. Boardmember Shankar mentioned he likes the prominent location of the emergency entrance, but was concerned the emergency room entrance was so close to the Hazelwood entrance. Mr. Vonasek responded the Hazelwood entrance drive will remain in the same place with patients either driving into the lower level of the parking ramp or they will be dropped off under the canopy. Mr. Vonasek said there may be a gate installed for the right turn area to discourage the public from parking there. Mr. Shankar asked if there is adequate signage planned for this drive area. Mr. Vonasek said there will be adequate signage. Mr. Thomas explained the signage planned for this drive area and said they typically use a signage consultant to plan all of the signage throughout the entire system. Mr. Thomas said they may use a subtle red stripe or visual cue for the Hazelwood tower emergency area, along with monument and directional signage. Mr. Thomas said he does not know if the fire department will allow a gate installed on the emergency area drive. Boardmember Demko asked the significance of using partial frosted glass in the emergency tower. Mr. Vonasek responded that there is a desk work surface planned for use by family members in that area and the frosted glass will be used there to reduce glare. Dan Rectenwald, an architect with HGA, introduced himself to the board. Mr. Thomas said he did not have a problem with planting trees on the berm, but would prefer to plant them on the street side so the trees would not have to be moved in the future. Mr. Thomas said they are open to planting whatever grasses the city requires on the berm. Mr. Thomas explained he would prefer not to plant trees on the north side of the berm, since only the upper level gable ends of the homes to the north are seen. Mr. Thomas said he would rather do some plantings on the west end of the campus where the homes are oriented parallel to the berm and where development will occur. Boardmember Wise mentioned a citizen comment from Legacy Village residents asking to increase the number of trash receptacles in the area. Mr. Thomas responded he would bring this to the Sl. John's engineering staff for consideration. Community Design Review Board 3 Minutes 07-22-2008 Robert Martin, a planning commissioner with the city, said the planning commission discussed this proposal at their last meeting and had similar discussions as the board regarding traffic flow and landscaping issues. Mr. Martin asked staff if the city has considered the increase in ambulance services the hospital addition will require. Planner Ekstrand responded this is a concern usually related with an increase in senior housing facilities, which generate an increase in ambulance services that the city is not always compensated for. Mr. Ekstrand explained any expansion of the hospital is always a benefit to the community in health and welfare. Boardmember Olson asked Mr. Martin if the planning commission had considered developing a parking structure or requirement for how many parking spaces a hospital might need. Mr. Martin said the commission did not develop parking requirements for a hospital, but he is concerned with the area becoming a bottleneck. Boardmember Olson responded she disagreed with Mr. Martin regarding the area becoming a bottleneck, since the expansion of Kennard Street was designed to handle the additional traffic. Boardmember Olson asked the applicant what the standard is for hospital parking. Mr. Vonasek responded the number varies from city to city and since Maplewood does not have a hospital parking requirement, they use the average of the Metropolitan area and Midwest area cities which is three stalls per patient bed. Mr. Rectenwald explained that their firm has health care as a major focus of the work that they do all over the country. He explained that parking is a major spatial problem and it is the biggest concern to resolve on a campus. Mr. Rectenwald said it is important to break down the parking into types to get the right parking in the right location. Boardmember Olson asked if there will be increased handicapped parking spaces. Mr. Rectenwald responded they have calculated the increased square footage for additional handicapped parking requirements and will now have 35 designated handicapped spaces on the campus. Boardmember Olson asked the applicant to address the landscaping, grading and drainage proposed for the site. Mr. Vonasek explained the landscaping and drainage plans. Mr. Vonasek said they will attempt to relocate all of the existing plantings to the new landscaping location. Mr. Vonasek said their civil engineers have been working with city engineering staff to incorporate all of the necessary changes into the project plans. Regarding planting trees on the north side of the site, Mr. Vonasek said he doesn't think it is fair to penalize the hospital with this requirement, since the hospital has been in the area for a long time. Mr. Vonasek said the tree plantings should have been required by the Legacy Village contractor when that more recent residential development was buill. Boardmember Wise said he agrees with the landscape on the west where there may be considerable expansion and development in the future. Mr. Wise said a balance of landscaping should be considered for the west and north sides of the site since some landscaping is needed on the north side, but should not penalize the hospital for something that was not caught earlier. Boardmember Olson asked the applicant how long they project the dirt pile berm will exist until future parking is needed. Mr. Thomas responded there is no timeline now for the additional parking so he did not want to speculate but if, in the future as an example, a medical office building were to be proposed for the site, this additional parking location would be looked al. Community Design Review Board 4 Minutes 07-22-2008 Mr. Vonasek noted after reviewing the plan that the berm north of the new parking lot would be 7 % feet from earth level with another approximate 30 inches of grass screening. Boardmember Wise said he is concerned with hearing future arguments from developers if screening would then be needed because it was not required from the hospital. Mr. Wise said he would leave that up to staff to reevaluate it considering future developmenl. Boardmember Shankar said he agrees with staff that there is sufficient setback and vegetation screening on the Hazelwood side of the site and additional landscaping is not needed there. Boardmember Demko suggested the applicant consider taking dirt from the west site and adding it to the berm on the north side, which would raise that berm in line with the west end and also eliminate some of the dirt storage pile. Mr. Vonasek responded this has not been discussed, but it takes a lot of dirt to make a significant elevation difference and it is a considerable length of parking. Mr. Vonasek commented these homes look toward the Maplewood Professional Building, Beam Professional Building and those parking lots, all of which the hospital does not own. Boardmember Olson said screening the parking lot from these homes should not be required since there is sufficient vegetation, but she would favor increasing that berm heighl. Ms. Olson said she would like to see trees required along the boulevard next to the sidewalk on Kennard Streel. Ms. Olson said she feels trees on the berm would be unproductive and that prairie grasses would be sufficient, but trees would be productive for the sidewalk area. Boardmember Wise suggested staff review parking lot trash receptacles required for the site. Boardmember Shankar moved to approve the plans date-stamped June 11, 2008, for the proposed building parking ramp additions and surface parking expansion for Sl. John's Hospital, 1575 Beam Avenue. Approval is based on the findings for approved required by ordinance and subject to the developer doing the following: 1. Repeat this review in two years if the applicant has not obtained a building permit by that time. After two years this review must be repeated. 2. Obtain a conditional use permit from the city council for this expansion. 3. Obtain the vacation of the storm sewer, water main and ponding easements which would be in the location of the proposed MCC/ED addition before the city may issue a building permit for that addition. 4. Comply with the requirements of the engineering report by Steve Love dated July 8, 2008. 5. Parking spaces shall be at least 9 % feet wide. Employee parking spaces may be 9 feet wide and must be posted as such (code requirements). 6. Any retaining walls over four feet tall shall be designed by a structural engineer and have a protective guard rail or fence on top. 7. The applicant shall install in-ground lawn irrigation in formal landscaped areas. The earthwork- adjustment berm and the northerly hillside area are exempl. 8. Obtain any necessary permits from the Ramsey/Washington Metro Watershed Districl. Community Design Review Board 5 Minutes 07-22-2008 9. All work shall follow the approved plans. The city planner may approve minor changes. 10. All pole-mounted site lights shall comply with the 25-foot height maximum. 11. Submit a revised landscaping plan for staff approval showing trees at the northeast corner of the property and along Kennard Avenue extending down for a distance of 30 feet from the northeast corner of the property. 12. Before obtaining a building permit, the applicant shall provide an irrevocable letter of credit in the amount of 150 percent of the cost of completing landscaping and other site improvements. This irrevocable letter of credit shall include the following provisions: . The letter of credit must clearly indicate that it is an irrevocable letter of credit in the name of the City of Maplewood, payable on demand, to assure compliance with the terms of the developer's agreemenl. . The letter of credit must allow for partial withdrawals as needed to guarantee partial project payments covered under the terms of the letter of credil. . The letter of credit shall be for a one-year duration and must have a condition indicating automatic renewal, with notification to the city a minimum 60 days prior to its expiration. 13. The applicant shall submit revised building elevations of the west fayade of the ER addition showing the full elevation and the material of the base of the glass. 14. A friendly request that the applicant address the issue of trash collection in the surface parking areas. Boardmember Olson seconded. The board considered adding a friendly request that the applicant submit a lighting plan to staff for review showing the light outpul. Boardmember Shankar suggested a better way to handle this would be for the architect to submit to staff an image showing the light flow from the inside space to the outside space. The board also moved that an additional amendment #15 be added as follows: 15. The applicant shall submit a revised grading plan for staff approval showing the maximized expansion of the northerly berm height. Boardmember Olson asked staff if a sign plan will be required. Planner Ekstrand responded that since it is such a large site, the code requires the applicant submit a comprehensive sign plan showing proposed changes which will then be submitted to the board for approval. The board then voted: Ayes - all The motion passed. VI. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None VII. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS Community Design Review Board Minutes 07-22-2008 None 6 VIII. BOARD PRESENTATIONS Boardmember Demko reported on the past city council meeting. IX. STAFF PRESENTATIONS a. CDRB representative for the August 11 city council meeting: Mr. Shankar b. Upcoming Agendas: Legacy Shoppes Revisions Tentatively Scheduled for August 12 c. City News "Commissioner/Board" Chair Articles - Linda Olson, September Article X. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned by consensus at 7:37 p.m.