HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Commission Minutes 04-01-2009Approved Minutes
City of Plymouth
Planning Commission Meeting
April 1, 2009
MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair James Davis, Commissioners Dick Kobussen, Terry Jaffoni,
Gordon Petrash, Scott Nelson, Erik Aamoth and Marc Anderson
MEMBERS ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: Planning Manager Barbara Senness, 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 Anderson, seconded by Commissioner Kobussen, to approve the
April 1, 2009 Planning Commission Agenda. Vote. 7 Ayes. MOTION approved.
5. CONSENT AGENDA
A. APPROVAL OF THE MARCH 18, 2009 PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES
MOTION by Commissioner Petrash, seconded by Commissioner Kobussen, to approve the
March 18, 2009 Planning Commission Minutes. Vote. 7 Ayes. MOTION approved.
B. COLUMBUS HOME ASSOCIATION (2009008)
MOTION by Commissioner Petrash, seconded by Commissioner Kobussen, to approve the
request by Columbus Home Association for a variance to maintain an existing non -conforming
sign located at 10904 South Shore Drive. Vote. 7 Ayes. MOTION approved.
6. PUBLIC HEARINGS
A. JOE SENSER'S RESTAURANT (2009005)
Chair Davis introduced the request by Joe Senser's Restaurant for a planned unit development
amendment to construct a 40 -foot by 80 -foot volleyball court west of Joe Senser's located at
16605 County Road 24.
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Planning Commission Minutes
April 1, 2009
Page 2
Chair Davis said that the applicant has requested that this item be continued to the April 15, 2009
meeting.
MOTION by Chair Davis to continue the public hearing to April 15, 2009 regarding the request
by Joe Senser's Restaurant for a planned unit development amendment to construct a 40 -foot by
80 -foot volleyball court west of Joe Senser's located at 16605 County Road 24. Vote. 7 Ayes.
MOTION approved.
B. PROVIDENT/WATERFORD, LLC (2009007)
Chair Davis introduced the request by Provident/Waterford, LLC for a site plan amendment,
conditional use permit and variance to allow installation of a drive-through service window
located at 10200 6th Avenue North.
Senior Planner Drill gave an overview of the staff report.
Commissioner Nelson asked if there would be a barrier between the drive-through pick-up area
and the outdoor dining patio located to the south. Senior Planner Drill said the only barrier
would be curbing. Commissioner Nelson asked if there were any restrictions for outdoor seating
near a drive-through. Planning Manager Senness said that there are no such restrictions.
Commissioner Petrash said that on the alternative sketch, there would be a curb continuing
between the two islands. He asked why this was not the final proposal as it would not appear to
interrupt traffic circulation. Senior Planner Drill said that because of the nature of the business,
stacking would occur in the early morning hours. He said that the applicant's idea was to allow
traffic to continue to flow as it currently does during the times of day that vehicles would not be
stacked.
Commissioner Petrash asked if other vehicles would be able to negotiate through stacked
vehicles or if they would have to go through the parking lot to get around. Senior Planner Drill
said that if stacked vehicles block the drive aisle, other vehicles would need to go around them.
He said that there could be some on-site congestion during the morning hours in the area of the
drive-through.
Commissioner Anderson asked if there were any other tenants in this building. Senior Planner
Drill said that there are three additional tenants in the building; a submarine sandwich shop, a
hamburger and malt shop and a vacant space available for one other tenant.
Commissioner Anderson asked if there would be striping on the parking lot to indicate where the
drive-through lane would be located. Senior Planner Drill said that there would be thick, white -
striped lines and other pavement markings indicating the stacking lane so drivers would know
how to get into the stacking lane.
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Planning Commission Minutes
April 1, 2009
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Commissioner Petrash asked if there had been any consideration to have the stacked vehicles
back up into the parking spaces of the main parking lot to the north instead of stacking them into
this drive aisle. Senior Planner Drill deferred this question to the applicant but noted that as
vehicles come into the main site entrance to the east, the main traffic flow heads north toward
Rainbow Foods.
Commissioner Petrash asked what would happen if coffee drinking habits were to change in five
years. Senior Planner Drill said that a conditional use permit allows for revocation under
extreme conditions but that staff would work with the landowner to remedy any issues that may
arise in the future.
Commissioner Jaffoni asked how a dead end would occur on the alternative sketch. Senior
Planner Drill said that the islands and curbing would create a dead end in the front of the
building. Commissioner Jaffoni asked why this would be a concern if it is not a heavily traveled
area. Senior Planner Drill said that adding curbing would cut off the traffic flow for the balance
of the day when cars are not stacked. He said that in other commercial situations, that type of
layout has created driver confusion and congestion.
Chair Davis said that he was concerned about the building's handicap parking spaces being
located near the stacking lane and asked if they would become inaccessible. Senior Planner Drill
said that there would be enough room because of the striping between the handicap spaces and
the new curbing that would be added.
Chair Davis introduced Kathy Anderson, President of Architectural Consortium, LLC. Ms.
Anderson introduced Phillip Jaffe, owner of Waterford Plaza. Ms. Anderson said that the project
would include an interior remodel that would make the existing patio in the southwest area
inaccessible. She said that the new patio would alleviate the concerns for vehicles to drive onto
the existing patio.
Mr. Jaffe said that the tenants of the building today include Caribou Coffee, Uncle Franky's,
Erbert and Gerberts and a 1,500 square foot vacant space. He said that they are located far off of
State Highway 55 and it is difficult for traffic to see what businesses are located there and that
creates a leasing challenge for them. He said that their single purpose was to get a coffee retailer
located there so that morning customers would see what other tenants were available to them to
build shopping patterns. He said that as the coffee business has changed over the years, they had
received notice from the tenant that they would have to look at closing their business there
because there was not a drive-through. He said that prompted their request to see if a conditional
use permit would provide that tenant with what they need.
Commissioner Jaffoni asked if the Planning Commission would be able to add a condition that
the existing outdoor dining patio near the southwest corner of the building would not be able to
be used. Planning Manager Senness said that if there is a concern about the drive aisle and that
existing patio, it would be appropriate to add that condition.
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April 1, 2009
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Commissioner Jaffoni asked if there would be any other alternative that would bring a loop
around the south side of the building. Ms. Anderson said that they did look at many alternatives
but that with the building being right on the setback and with the landscaping, there really wasn't
room to go around the building. She said that coffee patterns are very different from fast food
and that you would not see ten vehicles stacked during peak hours. She said that you would see
two or three vehicles stacking.
Ms. Anderson responded to Commissioner Petrash that because of the morning traffic pattern
and the need for convenience, to stack through the center into the main parking lot seems
difficult and would not resolve all the issues.
Commissioner Anderson asked if the handicap parking spaces would be able to be located
elsewhere in front of the building. Ms. Anderson said that they did not look into that because
access to the handicap spaces would not be impacted. She said that there would be a full lane
between the parking spaces and the drive-through lane to back out. She said that handicap
parking spaces are to be grouped to save on number of parking spaces. She said that relocating
the spaces could prevent the attraction of leasing a new tenant to the vacant space.
Chair Davis opened and closed the public hearing as there was no one present to speak on the
item.
Commissioner Nelson said that this was a good proposal for the hours that would be busy and
that he would not foresee any issues. He said that the extended curbing in the alternative sketch
would create a disturbance. He said that he would vote in support of this request.
Commissioner Jaffoni said that she would also vote in support of this request as well, as long as
there was a condition included to restrict the use of the existing outdoor dining patio in the
southwest corner.
Commissioner Aamoth said that this was a good proposal but that he was still a little concerned
about the handicap parking spaces. He said that if staff felt it was okay and with the inability to
predict the exact number of vehicles stacking, it would not likely be an issue and that he would
also support this request.
MOTION by Commissioner Nelson, seconded by Commissioner Anderson, to approve the
request by Provident/Waterford, LLC for a site plan amendment, conditional use permit and
variance to allow installation of a drive-through service window located at 10200 6th Avenue
North.
Commissioner Jaffoni offered a friendly amendment, accepted by both the motion -maker and the
seconder, to add a condition prohibiting the use of the outdoor dining patio south of the drive-
through pick-up lane.
Roll Call Vote on Main Motion and Amendment. 7 Ayes. MOTION approved unanimously.
Approved
Planning Commission Minutes
April 1, 2009
Page 5
7. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION by Chair Davis, without objection, to adjourn the meeting at 7:36 p.m.