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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Commission Minutes 11-04-2009Approved Minutes City of Plymouth Planning Commission Meeting November 4, 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 Representative Janice Bergstrom 1. CALL TO ORDER - 7:00 P.M. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. PUBLIC FORUM 4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION by Commissioner Jaffoni, seconded by Commissioner Kobussen, to approve the November 4, 2009 Planning Commission Agenda. Vote. 7 Ayes. MOTION approved. 5. CONSENT AGENDA A. APPROVAL OF THE October 7, 2009 PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES MOTION by Commissioner Kobussen, seconded by Commissioner Jaffoni, to approve the October 7, 2009 Planning Commission Minutes. Vote. 7 Ayes. MOTION approved. 6. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. BKV GROUP (2009059) Chair Davis introduced the request by BKV Group for a site plan amendment, conditional use permit and variance to allow renovation of an existing industrial building located at 13010 County Road 6. Senior Planner Drill gave an overview of the staff report. Commissioner Anderson asked why a conditional use permit is necessary. Senior Planner Drill clarified that the applicant is requesting office uses exceeding 50% within the building. He added the existing number of parking spaces could accommodate up to 74% office use. Approved Planning Commission Minutes November 4, 2009 Page 2 Commissioner Kobussen asked about the rain garden location and if there would be any grading done in the parking lot area. Senior Planner Drill said this is an older site and the proposed renovation does not meet the threshold to require a NURP pond. He said there would be some work done to the parking lots to assist the water flow into the rain gardens. Senior Planner Drill said the site currently sheet drains as there is no storm sewer on site. Commissioner Kobussen asked about drainage on the northeast side if the down spouts are removed from the building. Senior Planner Drill asked the applicant to respond to that question. Commissioner Jaffoni asked why office space is limited to less than 50% in the I-2 zoning district, and how the parking is linked to the amount of office space. Senior Planner Drill said the city has historically allowed up to 50% office use in the industrial areas without a conditional use permit. He said in recent years there has been a shift from manufacturing to office use. Senior Planner Drill said parking space requirements are based on square footage for office, manufacturing, commercial or warehousing regardless of zoning. Commissioner Jaffoni asked how they ended up with the current 214 parking spaces. Senior Planner Drill said that previous uses from the 60's and 70's may have operated shifts. He said the most recent tenant, Cenveo Corporation, did not utilize all of these parking spaces. Commissioner Jaffoni asked how Dominium and two additional tenants might affect parking and traffic at Highway 55 and Co. Rd. 6. Senior Planner Drill said Dominium has 105 employees who work Monday — Friday, and there is no shift work. He said the two tenant spaces are smaller and are envisioned to be primarily warehouse with minor offices. Senior Planner Drill stated that Highway 55 and Co. Rd. 6 can accommodate the traffic for the site and no offsite improvements for traffic would be necessary. Commissioner Jaffoni asked if a developer has to make changes to comply with today's water treatment laws when redeveloping a site. Senior Planner Drill said it would if a site is completely redeveloped. He said the watershed allows a percentage of disturbance on a site before a pond is required and added that this proposed renovation would not trigger ponding requirements. Chair Davis introduced the applicant, Gary Vogel, BKV Group Architects. Mr. Vogel said Dominium is a large housing developer who has leased space in Plymouth for the last 20 years. He said they now want to own a building and this 1963 building needs some TLC. Mr. Vogel said there is no storm sewer on site and all water currently drains to the west. He said there is some proposed re -grading and the water runoff would be directed to the rain garden by gravity. Approved Planning Commission Minutes November 4, 2009 Page 3 Mr. Vogel discussed the roof drainage and downspouts. He explained that there is an expansion joint in the middle of the roof and drainage from the northeast half (over the Dominium office) will have roof drains piped to the southwest side. Commissioner Kobussen noted that would be an improvement to the current drainage flow. Chair Davis opened and closed the public hearing as there was no one present to speak on the item. Commissioner Nelson said he likes the proposed plan to take an old building and modernize it with lots of glass. He said it will fit in the area with other buildings and the applicant is dealing with runoff by adding rain gardens. Commissioner Nelson said this is a great plan and he would be voting in support. Commissioner Jaffoni seconded Commissioner Nelson's comments and said she is pleased to have Dominium stay and grow in the city. Commissioner Kobussen said this proposal is a good use of a building that looks vacant and deteriorating. He said this use is something the community can be proud of. MOTION by Commissioner Nelson, seconded by Commissioner Anderson, to approve the request the request by BKV Group for a site plan amendment, conditional use permit and variance to allow renovation of an existing industrial building located at 13010 County Road 6. Roll Call Vote. 7 Ayes. MOTION approved unanimously. Mr. Vogel said it has been a great pleasure working with Senior Planner Drill and the other staff. Mr. Vogel said Senior Planner Drill was helpful with a lot of good ideas and he stated his appreciation for that assistance. 7. NEW BUSINESS A. STONE SOURCE (2009058) Chair Davis introduced the request by Stone Source for a variance to allow two freestanding signs at Stone Source located at 15821 State Highway 55. Planning Manager Senness stated that the applicant has requested more time and asked that the item be continued to the November 18, 2009 meeting. MOTION by Commissioner Kobussen, seconded by Commissioner Nelson, to continue the request by Stone Source for a variance to allow two freestanding signs at Stone Source located at 15821 State Highway 55 to the November 18, 2009 meeting. Vote. 7 Ayes. MOTION approved. Approved Planning Commission Minutes November 4, 2009 Page 4 8. ADJOURNMENT MOTION by Chair Davis, without objection, to adjourn the meeting at 7:32 p.m.