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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Commission Minutes 08-18-20211 Approved Minutes August 18, 2021 Approved Minutes Planning Commission Meeting August 18, 2021 Chair Anderson called a Meeting of the Plymouth Planning Commission to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 3400 Plymouth Boulevard, on August 18, 2021. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Marc Anderson, Commissioners Michael Boo, Julie Pointner, Donovan Saba, David Witte, and Bryan Oakley. COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Justin Markell STAFF PRESENT: Senior Planners Shawn Drill, Lori Sommers, and Kip Berglund and Graduate Engineer Griffin Dempsey, and Water Resources Supervisor Ben Scharenbroich. OTHERS PRESENT: Chair Anderson led the Pledge of Allegiance. Plymouth Forum Approval of Agenda Motion was made by Commissioner Oakley and seconded by Commissioner Boo to approve the agenda. With all Commissioners voting in favor, the motion carried. Consent Agenda A resident from the audience requested that item 4.3 be pulled from the consent agenda. (4.1) Planning Commission minutes from meeting held on August 4, 2021. (4.2) Request for a variance to allow construction of a 15-foot-high outdoor shrine in the front yard area at Providence Academy, for property located at 15100 Schmidt Lake Road (Studio 55 Architects – 2021054) Motion was made by Commissioner Witte and seconded by Commissioner Boo to approve the Consent Agenda and moving item 4.3 under general business as 6.1. With all Commissioners voting in favor, the motion carried. General Business (6.1) Request for site plan amendment for loading dock and parking lot changes and related site improvement, for property located at 14600 21st Avenue (Meritex Company – 2021043) 2 Approved Minutes August 18, 2021 Senior Planner Berglund provided an overview of the staff report. Commissioner Witte asked where the parking spaces located five feet from the building are shown. Senior Planner Berglund identified the area, noting there is an existing bump out on the southern wall of the building and roughly six of the parking spaces would not meet the required setback from the building. A condition in the resolution requires that the applicant revise the plans. Chair Anderson stated that this is a site plan amendment, and no rezoning is required. He stated that one of the areas the commission concentrates on is room for parking and it appears that based on the reduction of office space, the site would have adequate parking. Senior Planner Berglund responded that this does not include a rezoning or variance request. He stated that there are conditions in the resolution that states when the owner finds a tenant, they would need to show that adequate parking exists, or they would need to add the additional parking shown as proof of parking. Chair Anderson asked if there were a tenant that would require additional space and parking, that tenant would then not be allowed to go into the space. Senior Planner Berglund responded that is correct. He stated that the owner would then need to request a new site plan amendment to provide adequate parking. Commissioner Boo asked how that would work in terms of the future. He used the example of a tenant that would have a higher degree of office use in ten years and what would trigger the owner to come back into the city. Senior Planner Berglund responded that the owner would need to apply for a tenant improvement permit, which is reviewed by the city planners. He noted that if adequate parking is not provided, staff would require a site plan amendment prior to the issuance of a building permit. Commissioner Oakley stated that lighting is shown as noncompliant in the packet and asked if the lighting plan would need to be provided before this would be approved. Senior Planner Berglund responded that the applicant did provide a lighting plan, however, not all of the required conditions for exterior lighting have been shown. He confirmed that an updated lighting plan would need to be provided that meets the requirements prior to the issuance of any permits. Commissioner Oakley asked if there is a variance from the rules for parking or lighting requested. Senior Planner Berglund responded that there is not a variance requested. Chair Anderson introduced Matt Wager, The Meritex Company, 24 University Avenue NE, Minneapolis, who stated that he is present to answer any questions. 3 Approved Minutes August 18, 2021 Chair Anderson asked if the applicant has purchased the properties and plans to make these changes to the building without a specific tenant in mind. Mr. Wagner responded that they did acquire the buildings which had been vacant for some time. He noted that office space in that percentage is not desired in this market and therefore they plan to adjust the office percentage. Commissioner Witte asked for details on truck traffic and how that would enter and exit the site. Mr. Wagner responded that this is a front load operation, which means all traffic has to go through the truck court side. He stated that truck traffic patterns would be dependent on the tenant. He noted that he has seen trucks access the site from both sides and that he anticipates that trucks would continue to do so. He stated that there is no intent for large fleets of truck traffic coming in and out. Chair Anderson referenced the driveway slope of eight percent on the north and asked if that would drive more traffic to the south. Mr. Wagner responded that they did not have an intent to shift truck traffic but recognized the steep grade that was needed to direct stormwater. Chair Anderson introduced Jack Siedler, 2005 Juneau Lane N, Plymouth, who stated that he owns the unit almost directly across from the southern entrance. He stated that his concern was related to truck traffic and noise and thanked the commission for that question. He stated that the applicant resolved the questions he had related to potential noise and truck traffic. Chair Anderson stated that when he typed in the address, it brought him to the entrance from 23rd rather than 21st. He noted that the request meets all requirements. Motion was made by Commissioner Oakley, and seconded by Commissioner Pointner, recommend approval of the request for a site plan amendment for loading dock and parking lot changes and related site improvement, for property located at 14600 21st Avenue, subject to the supporting resolution (Meritex Company – 2021043). With all Commissioners voting in favor, the motion carried. Chair Anderson adjourned the meeting at 7:31 pm