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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Commission Minutes 07-18-2012Approved Minutes City of Plymouth Planning Commission Meeting July 18, 2012 MEMBERS PRESENT: Vice Chair Dick Kobussen, Commissioners Nathan Robinson, Gordon Petrash, Scott Nelson, Bryan Oakley and Marc Anderson MEMBERS ABSENT: Chair Jim Davis STAFF PRESENT: Planning Manager Barbara Thomson, Senior Planner Shawn Drill and Office Support Specialist Laurie Lokken 1. CALL TO ORDER - 7:00 P.M. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. PUBLIC FORUM 4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION by Commissioner Oakley, seconded by Commissioner Petrash, to approve the July 18, 2012 Planning Commission Agenda. Vote. 6 Ayes. MOTION approved. 5. CONSENT AGENDA A. APPROVAL OF THE JUNE 20, 2012 PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES MOTION by Commissioner Nelson, seconded by Commissioner Petrash, to approve the June 20, 2012 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes. Vote. 6 Ayes. MOTION approved. B. VIOLET -C, LLC (2012037) MOTION by Commissioner Nelson, seconded by Commissioner Petrash, to approve the request by Violet -C, LLC for a site plan and three variances for a new medical office building for the vacant parcel located at 15535 34th Avenue North. Vote. 6 Ayes. MOTION approved. 6. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. CORNERSTONE AUTO RESCOURCE (2011037) Vice Chair Kobussen introduced the request by Cornerstone Auto Resource for a planned unit development amendment to allow installation of an electronic sign near the southwest corner of County Road 9 and Vinewood Lane North for the property located at 3901 Vinewood Lane North. Approved Planning Commission Minutes July 18, 2012 Page 2 Senior Planner Drill gave an overview of the staff report. Commissioner Nelson stated the design size of the sign would be 32 square feet and asked if that fits within the allowable square footage. Senior Planner Drill responded affirmatively and added that they are not requesting to change the size of the sign that was originally approved, just its location. Commissioner Nelson asked if there is a difference between the monument sign that was originally approved and the electronic sign requested. Senior Planner Drill replied that it would be an electronic monument sign. Commissioner Anderson asked what could be displayed on this electronic sign. Senior Planner Drill responded that when a message is posted, that message has to be in place, without moving, for 15 minutes minimum and then it can be changed to a different message. He said that the message cannot be flashing, moving, scrolling, etc. Planning Manager Thomson added that the colors of the background and the letters are also regulated. Commissioner Oakley asked for a definition of temporary signage. Senior Planner Drill responded that temporary signage would be banner signage or anything that would be placed on the site for a short term event. He stated that when there is an electronic sign on a site, temporary signage is not allowed. Commissioner Oakley asked if window signage is considered temporary signage. Senior Planner Drill replied negatively and added that window signage would be deducted from the allowable wall signage. Commissioner Petrash asked if the city regulates signs that are on car windows on the lot. Senior Planner Drill responded that at this point, the city does not regulate that. Vice Chair Kobussen introduced the applicant, Stephen Rohlf. Mr. Rohlf stated that it was always their intent to have signage on the corner of County Road 9 and Vinewood Lane. He said that they have been working closely with the residential neighbors to the south and would like to get signage away from their houses. He said the reason for the electronic reader board is that they improved the parking lot with the intent of attracting a new car franchise. He said that they do not know which franchise it would be yet. He said the electronic changeable sign could announce oil change specials and then name whatever franchise comes in the future. He said the sign would be a great help to their business as car sales have been tough during construction. Vice Chair Kobussen opened the public hearing. Vice Chair Kobussen introduced Richard Cook, 13319 39th Avenue North. Mr. Cook stated that he is the president of the homeowner's association for the townhomes to the south. He said that it is the consensus of the board that they unanimously support the amendment to relocate the sign along County Road 9. He said they are totally in favor of this amendment and they are in support of Cornerstone Auto. Approved Planning Commission Minutes July 18, 2012 Page 3 Vice Chair Kobussen closed the public hearing. MOTION by Commissioner Nelson, seconded by Commissioner Anderson, to approve the request by Cornerstone Auto Resource for a planned unit development amendment to allow installation of an electronic sign near the southwest corner of County Road 9 and Vinewood Lane North for the property located at 3901 Vinewood Lane North. Roll Call Vote. 6 Ayes. MOTION approved unanimously. B. HENNEPIN COUNTY (2012036) Vice Chair Kobussen introduced the request by Hennepin County for a site plan, two conditional use permits and two variances for a new 59,550 square foot 911 emergency communications facility at the adult correctional facility site located at 1245 Shenandoah Lane North. Senior Planner Drill gave an overview of the staff report. Commissioner Nelson asked if the bioretention areas on the site plan would be natural areas. Senior Planner Drill responded that they would be constructed areas and would be similar to a rain garden with plantings. He said they are designed as a best management practice to provide water quality treatment. Planning Manager Thomson added that they are designed to be more attractive, too. She said they have gained a lot of popularity recently but they do the same job. Vice Chair Kobussen asked if there would be diesel storage on the site for the generators. Senior Planner Drill replied that there would be diesel storage and indicated the proposed locations for the back-up generators. Commissioner Anderson asked if the impervious surface calculation was based on the entire site. Senior Planner Drill responded affirmatively. He noted that most of the existing and proposed coverage is in the eastern portion of the site, as the golf driving range is in the western portion of the site. He said the proposed 26.1 percent coverage includes the 911 Emergency Communications Center requested at this time, as well as a small future expansion to the Men's Detention Center planned for next year. He said that expansion would not add any beds but would improve operations. Commissioner Anderson asked why the coverage for a future expansion of the Men's Detention Center would be approved now if they haven't applied for it yet. Senior Planner Drill responded that staff thought it wise rather than have them come back next year for a variance for what would be a small increase in impervious surface. Planning Manager Thomson added that staff suggested this because they could size the best management practices to address everything at once. She said the addition at the adult correctional facility would be quite small and staff met with them recently and their plans are coming together. She said that application will probably come before the Planning Commission this fall with construction the following year. She said the timing is quite close and it seemed to make more sense to look at it holistically in this case. Approved Planning Commission Minutes July 18, 2012 Page 4 Vice Chair Kobussen introduced the applicant, Rebekah Padilla. Ms. Padilla stated that they are very excited about this application and they see this development as being very positive on this campus, as well as being a good neighbor in the City of Plymouth. She introduced Joel Dunning from Wold Architects and Engineers, project architect, to address diesel storage. Mr. Dunning stated the underground diesel storage tank would be located at the back of the proposed building, close to the paved area for service access to the drive and very close to the boiler room. He said that diesel tank would be used as a back up fuel source for the boilers, meeting the code requirement for redundant heating and cooling systems, as well as providing a 72 -hour run time for the generators. He said there would also be small belly tanks under the generators located near the antenna tower so they would have an onboard source of power in case the pumps from the 10,000 gallon underground tank would fail. Commissioner Nelson asked if they would be doing auto repair on ambulances and squad cars at this location. Ms. Padilla introduced Major Darrell Huggett, Hennepin County Sherriff's office to answer that question. Major Huggett stated that this facility would not be an auto repair center. He said that the north portion of the building would be for radio installation and technical repair of radios and not for auto repair. Vice Chair Kobussen opened and closed the public hearing, as there was no one present to speak on the item. MOTION by Commissioner Petrash, seconded by Commissioner Robinson, to approve the request by Hennepin County for a site plan, two conditional use permits and two variances for a new 59,550 square foot 911 emergency communications facility at the adult correctional facility site located at 1245 Shenandoah Lane North. Roll Call Vote. 6 Ayes. MOTION approved unanimously. 7. NEW BUSINESS 8. ADJOURNMENT MOTION by Vice Chair Kobussen, with no objection, to adjourn the meeting at 7:38 p.m.