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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Commission Minutes 10-03-2007Approved Minutes City of Plymouth Planning Commission Meeting October 3, 2007 MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair James Holmes, Commissioners Frank Weir, Karl Neset, Terry Jaffoni, James Davis, Erik Aamoth and John Cooney. (Commissioner Cooney arrived at 7:12 p.m.) MEMBERS ABSENT: None. STAFF PRESENT: Planning Manager Barbara Senness, Senior Planner Marie Darling, Associate Planner Kip Berglund, Community Development Director Steve Juetten, Housing Program Manager James Barnes, 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 Weir, seconded by Commissioner Jaffoni, to approve the October 3, 2007 Planning Commission Agenda. Vote. 6 Ayes. MOTION approved. 5. CONSENT AGENDA A. APPROVAL OF THE SEPTEMBER 19, 2007 PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES MOTION by Commissioner Weir, seconded by Commissioner Davis, to approve the September 19, 2007 Planning Commission Minutes. Vote. 6 Ayes. MOTION approved. B. RODNEY AND LINDA BURANEN (2007082) MOTION by Commissioner Weir, seconded by Commissioner Davis, to approve the request by Rodney and Linda Buranen for variances to the allowed maximum impervious surface coverage for property located at 2640 E. Medicine Lake Boulevard. Vote. 6 Ayes. MOTION approved. C. LENNAR (2007091) MOTION by Commissioner Weir, seconded by Commissioner Davis, to approve the request by Lennar for a variance to increase the size of an area identification sign for Approved Planning Commission Minutes October 3, 2007 Page 2 Legacy Park, for property located at County Road 47 and Vicksburg Lane. Vote. 6 Ayes. MOTION approved. 6. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. KB & J'S ENTERPRISES, INC. (2007085) Chair Holmes introduced the request by KB & J's Enterprises, Inc. for a conditional use permit to allow accessory on -sale liquor at the planned Broadway Bar & Pizza located at 1370527 th Avenue North. Associate Planner Berglund gave an overview of the September 24, 2007 staff report. Chair Holmes said the applicant was present and in agreement with the conditions listed in the staff report. Chair Holmes opened and closed the public hearing as there was no one present to speak on the item. Commissioner Davis asked if there were any conditions with this request that were special or unusual. Associate Planner Berglund said there were not, and added the applicant has already started the process to meet the requirements for obtaining their liquor license. MOTION by Commissioner Weir, seconded by Commissioner Davis, to approve the request the request by KB & J's Enterprises, Inc. for a conditional use permit to allow accessory on -sale liquor at the planned Broadway Bar & Pizza located at 13705 27th Avenue North. Roll Call Vote. 6 Ayes. MOTION approved. 7. NEW BUSINESS A. CITY OF PLYMOUTH. Chair Holmes introduced the request by the City of Plymouth for a comprehensive plan update — preliminary housing plan. Housing Manager Barnes gave an overview of the September 24, 2007 staff report. Commissioner Weir said he is very supportive of affordable housing and asked if the number of affordable units we have been given is realistic based on builders stating the price of dirt makes it difficult to build affordable housing in the City of Plymouth. Approved Planning Commission Minutes October 3, 2007 Page 3 Housing Program Manager Barnes said it probably will be difficult for many municipalities to meet the new affordable housing goals. He said communities which are still developing have higher average house prices with less affordable housing. One criteria in determining a community's share of affordable units is the current number of affordable units. Housing Program Manager Barnes added that Plymouth has been very active in past years to find good projects that have affordable housing components. Planning Manager Senness added that the affordable housing unit goal of approximately 100 units per year exceeds the number of residential units built in a year. She said the City has not seen that much of an increase in the number of units built per year in the past few years. Vice Chair Neset asked how many units are forecast to be built between 2011 and 2020. Housing Manager Barnes said the 20 -year plan forecasts 3,393 to 6,405 units. Based on that, Housing Program Manager Barnes said approximately 1,600 to 3,200 units could be built in the ten year period. Vice Chair Neset said that is more than we establish for our current goals. He said the Met Council reviews proximity to low wage jobs, transportation, etc., as criteria for establishing the goals, but in his mind the area yet to be developed doesn't have proximity to those requirements. Housing Manager Barnes explained that the criteria that impact the decision are not solely contained in Plymouth. Housing Manager Barnes said other communities are also concerned about numbers they have been given. He said if financial resources from the state and federal government would increase, Plymouth would have a better chance of achieving the goals. Commissioner Neset said it is fine to have an aggressive goal, but asked about the downside of not achieving the goal. Planning Manager Senness said the Met Council in the past has looked at these goals as opportunities. She said an area guided for higher density housing which tends to be more affordable would provide more opportunity to achieve an affordable housing unit goal than an area that is guided for low density. Commissioner Neset asked what is considered affordable for owner -occupied units. Housing Manager Barnes said there is no differentiation between ownership and rental housing units in the new affordability goals assigned by the Met Council. He said a unit is considered to be affordable if the owner or tenant's income is 60% of area median income or below for rental or ownership. He noted that other programs may still have a benchmark for sales price for ownership. Approved Planning Commission Minutes October 3, 2007 Page 4 Commissioner Neset asked how the income limit is tested or reset. Housing Manager Barnes said HUD reviews and releases data on an annual basis. He added that there has not been much change in the last three years. Commissioner Jaffoni asked if the goals and policies Section Bl(f) could be more definitive and change "support efforts..." to "...assure equal access to housing in Plymouth". Housing Manager Barnes said he was unsure if the City has the ultimate control over all of the access to housing in such a broad manner where we would want to make that change. He said situations could occur where a person was denied access to housing, and the City would not be aware of. Housing Program Manager Barnes said the City would not have regulatory backing to enforce such a statement. He said that the City has the Human Rights Commission and other housing programs the City participates in regarding housing initiatives, but to emphasize equal access is a bit strong. Commissioner Jaffoni commented on the existing senior living facilities and the approved Trillium Woods project, and the range of services currently available. She said Plymouth has no skilled nursing facility. Commissioner Jaffoni said the demographics repeatedly show there will be a need not only for independent living, but skilled nursing facilities. Commissioner Jaffoni asked for comments specific to those needs be included. Housing Manager Barnes reviewed the existing facilities and the care components of each. He said nursing homes are State regulated and no new nursing homes are allowed at this time. He said the State is consolidating and revamping this system. Housing Manager Barnes said they are looking for the private sector to provide a broad range of senior housing options. Housing Manager Barnes said the baby boomer generation is healthier, wealthier and able to live in their homes longer and able to bring in care. He said the metro area is beginning to have campuses for seniors which include full services of medical on staff, convenience stores, barber, beauty shop, etc. and said this is a national trend. Planning Manager Senness concurred that there will be more opportunities or situations where people stay in their own homes, and any additional services would be contracted. Commissioner Jaffoni said she is unclear what the trend will be to meet the needs as there are so many of us (baby boomers). She said she gets the sense that there are long waiting lists for assisted living facilities, not only in Plymouth but everywhere. Housing Manager Barnes reiterated that a key part of the current draft is that it will allow us to be flexible as needs change and be able to adapt through other parts of the Comprehensive Plan. Approved Planning Commission Minutes October 3, 2007 Page 5 Commissioner Aamoth asked if specific language promoting or dealing with senior housing could be included. He said these goals are not emphasized as much as other issues, but senior housing presents a special challenge. Commissioner Aamoth asked for clarification of "reasonable progress" in relation to the housing goals, and how that affects our other housing goals in the next ten years. Housing Manager Barnes said the overall goal within this plan is to provide a broad range of housing options and to make sure Plymouth is a balanced community. He said local and national studies conclude that you need a broad range of housing choices and options, not only on the economic side, but also for life cycle choices. Housing Manager Barnes said Plymouth seems to be average in maintaining that balance and is on par with other similar communities. Commissioner Aamoth asked how these goals would be implemented. He asked about subsidies and if that is typical for affordable housing. Commissioner Aamoth asked if the City directs the subsidy and how it is used to make housing affordable. Housing Manager Barnes said if a development is a rental project or townhomes, it often requires a public subsidy of some kind to assist with the development costs if the project has an affordability component. He said the City ensures that the developer seeks out County, Federal and State resources in addition to the City. Housing Program Manager Barnes reviewed some of the funding for the recent Vicksburg Commons project. He said the City also uses Community Development Block Grant funds for first time homebuyers and helping homeowners rehabilitate their houses. Commissioner Aamoth said for Plymouth to meet or make substantial progress toward the goals, it is not only our resources, but County, and State funding sources are needed to get to that point. Housing Program Manager Barnes said for a development project in excess of $6,000,000, there might be 7-15 other public funding sources involved. Commissioner Jaffoni said she would support Commissioner Aamoth's suggestion to look at goals and policies and add a specific stand-alone line to provide a broad range of senior housing to address the needs of the aging population. Commissioner Davis questioned the inclusion of the 1986 Federal Income Tax Reform as one of the barriers to developing affordable housing. Housing Manager Barnes said that tax reform act, which had a massive impact on tax incentives for developers and investors in 1986, continues to affect developers who consider doing affordable rental housing. He said the only tax incentive now is Section 42 of the tax code (Low -Income Tax Credits). He said the low income tax credits are not nearly as plentiful as the tax incentives developers used to receive prior to the tax reforms. Approved Planning Commission Minutes October 3, 2007 Page 6 He stated each state receives a limited allocation of tax credits each year and the demand typically exceeds the amount of tax credits. He believes that the language should remain because of its continued impact on the development of affordable housing. Chair Homes introduced Kim Vohs, Housing Director for Interfaith Outreach and Community partners. Mr. Vohs thanked Plymouth for its incredible role in the Vicksburg Commons project. Mr. Vohs said the goals in this preliminary housing plan are high and he appreciates the determination the City of Plymouth has. Mr. Vohs noted that more people are coming to work in Plymouth. He said there would be less strain on the (metro) transit system if they were able to live in Plymouth than now live here. Mr. Vohs said Section B 1(c) actively encourages developers to include affordable housing. He said Vicksburg Commons is an example of how a City can make affordable housing happen and reviewed the process from purchasing the land, developing partners and providing seed money. Mr. Vohs discussed the population of the clients IOCP assists. He said 85% of the 1,500 people they assist are at or below 50% of the area median income. He said IOCP and other agencies have been inundated by persons impacted by foreclosures and in need of rental housing. Mr. Vohs said the trend is to develop affordable housing in "non - impacted" areas. These are areas that are not already minority or poverty impacted and he said he suspects all of Plymouth would be considered non -impacted. Mr. Vohs concluded that the goal of 1,045 units would help meet the challenge of that trend. MOTION by Commissioner Weir, seconded by Commissioner Cooney, to preliminarily approve the comprehensive plan update — preliminary housing plan and to forward the Commission's comments to the City Council. Roll Call Vote. 7 Ayes. MOTION approved. 8. ADJOURNMENT MOTION by Chair Holmes, without objection, to adjourn the meeting at 7:57 p.m.