HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Commission Minutes 08-16-2006Approved Minutes
City of Plymouth
Planning Commission Meeting
August 16, 2006
MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair James Holmes, Commissioners E. J. Clyman, Melissa
Musliner, Karl Neset, Kathleen Murdock, Frank Weir and Sarah Anderson
MEMBERS ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: Senior Planner Shawn Drill, Senior Planner Marie Darling 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
Chair Holmes said item 5C is to be removed from the Consent Agenda and placed as 6D
under Public Hearings.
MOTION by Commissioner Weir, seconded by Commissioner Clyman, to approve the
amended August 16, 2006 Planning Commission Agenda. Vote. 7 Ayes. MOTION
approved.
5. CONSENT AGENDA
A. APPROVAL OF THE AUGUST 2, 2006 PLANNING COMMISSION
MINUTES
MOTION by Commissioner Weir, seconded by Commissioner Clyman, to approve the
August 2, 2006 Planning Commission Minutes. Vote. 6 Ayes. MOTION approved with
Commissioner Weir abstaining from the vote.
B. SKYLINE DESIGN, INC. (2006064)
MOTION by Commissioner Weir, seconded by Commissioner Clyman, to approve the
request by Skyline Design, Inc. for a shoreland variance to increase impervious surface
area coverage from 49 percent to 51 percent for a 14 -foot by 22 -foot room addition for
property located at 1034 Yuma Lane North. Vote. 7 Ayes. MOTION approved.
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6. PUBLIC HEARINGS
A. OPUS NORTHWEST, LLC (2006056)
Chair Holmes introduced the request by Opus Northwest, LLC for a site plan and
conditional use permit to allow construction of a 167,486 square foot new corporate
headquarters for Select Comfort for property located at the northwest corner of State
Highway 169 and Bass Lake Road.
Senior Planner Drill gave an overview of the August 8, 2006 staff report.
Commissioner Clyman asked what a dry standpipe system is that is required in the parking
ramp. Senior Planner Drill said that it is a pipe that remains dry unless there's a fire, then
they pump water into it. He said this leads to sprinkler heads that would then sprinkle the
parking deck. Commissioner Clyman asked if the water comes from a fire hydrant or
truck. Senior Planner Drill said they would connect from a hydrant.
Commissioner Clyman said that the applicant's narrative states they want to start
construction on September 1St and asked if September 1St gives enough time for public
input. Senior Planner Drill said the item is tentatively scheduled to go to City Council on
August 22"d. He said because this site has been platted for many years, they have begun
some of the soil correction work now. Senior Planner Drill said that applicants often
provide dates that they want to start construction, but that doesn't mean they will have their
building permit by September 1St
Commissioner Clyman asked for a history of the buildings in the area and if there have
been heights over 45 feet. Senior Planner Drill said that the building to the west and the
building to the north had the same type of conditional use permit granted for increased
height.
Chair Holmes introduced the applicant, Tom Shaver, representing Opus Northwest LLC,
10350 Bren Road West, Minnetonka. Mr. Shaver said that Select Comfort is already in the
neighborhood, and they are happy that they decided to stay within the Bass Creek campus.
He said they operate an office/manufacturing facility in that park, which they committed to
keep in production, maintaining an employee balance in Bass Creek.
Commissioner Clyman said that he is glad that Select Comfort is staying here. He said it is
an exciting company and they are involved in the community as well. Commissioner
Clyman asked if there would be any solar panels, geothermal heating or what type of green
features are going in the building. Mr. Shaver said they discussed bringing in sustainable
design features. He said that their product team doesn't have any specific things related to
solar panels or geothermal heating.
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Commissioner Clyman asked what the sustainable design features are. Mr. Shaver said
various materials and planning features would be incorporated, such as glass systems that
minimize solar gain and maximize heat efficiency.
Commissioner Clyman asked if the parking lot has enough capacity. Mr. Shaver said that
they have undertaken a very exhaustive employee study and they have over parked to their
employee counts to ensure there will be enough parking. He said they have also made an
effort through the use of structured parking to minimize the impact of parking on the
overall site. He said Select Comfort elected to maximize their exposure to the natural
scenic areas of the northern portion of the site. He said they elected to elevate quite a
number of stalls so they would not have such a large a field of parking.
Chair Holmes opened and closed the public hearing as no one was present to speak on the
item.
MOTION by Commissioner Weir, seconded by Commissioner Anderson, to approve the
request by Opus Northwest, LLC for a site plan and conditional use permit to allow
construction of a new corporate headquarters for Select Comfort for property located at the
northwest corner of State Highway 169 and Bass Lake Road. Roll Call Vote. 7 Ayes.
MOTION approved unanimously.
B. LENNAR COMPANY (2006057)
Chair Holmes introduced the request by Lennar Company for rezoning from FRD (Future
Restricted Development) to RSF-2 (Single Family Detached 2) and preliminary plat for
Taryn Hills 3rd Addition to create seven single-family lots for property located at 14860
County Road 47.
Senior Planner Drill gave an overview of the August 8, 2006 staff report.
Chair Holmes introduced the applicant, David Hinners, representing Lennar Corporation.
Mr. Hinners said the applicant is U.S. Home Corporation, which is a subsidiary of the
Lennar Corporation. He said the report was explanatory and he did not have anything to
add.
Chair Holmes opened and closed the public hearing as no one was present to speak on the
item.
MOTION by Commissioner Weir, seconded by Commissioner Murdock, to approve the
request by Lennar Company for rezoning from FRD (Future Restricted Development) to
RSF-2 (Single Family Detached 2) and preliminary plat for Taryn Hills 3rd Addition to
create seven single-family lots for property located at 14860 County Road 47. Vote. 7
Ayes. MOTION approved unanimously.
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C. MILLER INVESTMENTS (2006058)
Chair Holmes introduced the request by Miller Investments for an amendment to the
Plymouth Station Planned Unit Development to allow construction of a daycare at 16605
County Road 24.
Senior Planner Darling gave an overview of the August 8, 2006 staff report.
Commissioner Anderson asked that if the applicant decided to go with a different best
management practice, what kind of notification would Hans Hagen Homes get. Senior
Planner Darling said that Hans Hagen Homes is the property seller, so they have review
rights over the application.
Chair Holmes introduced the applicant, Jay Miller, Miller Investments, 4982 Comstock
Lane North. Mr. Miller said the Goddard system is a national franchise that has three other
schools in Minnesota (Chanhassen, Apple Valley and Brooklyn Park). He said it is not a
corporation managing the school. He said there is an owner onsite at all times to manage
it. Mr. Miller said they see that as a wonderful way to experience child care.
Commissioner Musliner asked if they had any concerns about the entrance and exit, given
the short length, especially going to the north about cars going in and out of that entrance to
the parking lot.
Chair Holmes introduced Bob Timperley, Grand T Builders, 251 1St Avenue North,
Minneapolis. Mr. Timperley said the drive is already in place and there is a stop sign. He
said that isn't to say the stop sign will help alleviate the possibility of traffic coming
through there at a higher than minimum rate of speed. Mr. Timperley said he would
suggest that the layout, as shown, is the best it will ever get at that corner.
Commissioner Clyman said the City and many government agencies track affordable
housing and affordable salaries. He asked if they used some sort of standard or formula in
their daycare research for the cost of affordable daycare. Mr. Miller said he was not able to
answer that. He said that what happens in this business, like any other business, is that the
market dictates tuition to be competitive to other daycare or preschools in the area.
Commissioner Clyman asked how their pricing compares to other daycares in the area. Mr.
Miller said he is really not able to give a complete answer on that.
Commissioner Clyman asked if they offer any financial aid or any type of assistance
programs. Mr. Miller said that in the promotion of the daycare, there is some discounting
that takes place in an effort to fill those spots, but it is not a government body that is able to
provide subsidies.
Chair Holmes opened the public hearing.
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Chair Holmes introduced John Rask, representing Hans Hagen Homes, 941 NE Hillwind
Road, Suite 300, Fridley. Mr. Rask said they are the owners and operators of Plymouth
Station. He said Goddard daycare would be purchasing this particular site from Hans
Hagen Homes for operation of the daycare. He said they would continue to own the
property and would maintain the parking lots and the common landscape areas. He said
they are pleased to have a daycare of the caliber of Goddard in their center as it is a great
addition to their center and to the neighborhood and community at large.
Mr. Rask said that regarding the rain garden issue, their initial concern was that when that
site was prepared for development, the whole site had some fill material brought in. He
said it was all compacted and there is a very firm, impervious surface under there. He said
that when they constructed the parking lot and the drive aisles, there was an extra foot of
sand put under all of the driveways and in the parking areas just to build a longer lasting
parking lot. He said their concern was, given that the compacted nature of the soils and the
extra sand, if water could start moving horizontally and get under the parking lot and cause
problems. He said that when they construct rain gardens and infiltration basins, they do so
on native soils and they don't compact it so that they get infiltration into the ground. He
said he didn't think that infiltration would occur with a rain garden and would increase the
potential for lateral movement of water. Mr. Rask said the City has other tools for the site
that would work better and provide greater environmental benefit than constructing a rain
garden.
Chair Holmes asked if the agreement to sell the property to Goddard/Miller was dependent
on Planning Commission approval and if Hans Hagen Homes still has some leverage. Mr.
Rask said that in the purchase agreement, they have architectural review and other
approvals of the site plan. He said there are other options that are very feasible.
Chair Holmes asked if they were confident they would work through those issues. Mr.
Rask confirmed they would.
Chair Holmes closed the public hearing.
MOTION by Commissioner Weir, seconded by Commissioner Musliner, to approve the
request by Miller Investments for an amendment to the Plymouth Station Planned Unit
Development to allow construction of a daycare at 16605 County Road 24. Vote. 7 Ayes.
MOTION approved unanimously.
D. VLADIMIR AND ANDREA KELMAN (2006065)
Chair Holmes introduced the request by Vladimir and Andrea Kelman for a variance to
minimum lot width for construction of a new home on property located at 1010 Garland
Lane North.
Senior Planner Darling gave an overview of the August 8, 2006 staff report.
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Chair Holmes introduced the applicant, Vladimir Kelman, 548 Red Oak Court, Eagan. Mr.
Kelman said they purchased this property about six months ago and would like to build a
new house on this 1 -acre lot. He said they are asking for a variance for the lot width to
construct the house.
Chair Holmes asked if anyone wished to speak on this item.
Chair Holmes introduced Mike Wolsted, 1030 Garland Lane North. Mr. Wolsted said they
are not at all opposed to the granting of the variance. He said the only reason they are here
is that they have owned the property on the north side for three years and when they bought
the property, a neighbor told them there was oak wilt in the neighborhood. He said they
built there last year and they were fortunate enough to get a building site where they did not
disturb any of the oaks. He said that two years ago the neighbor next door lost an oak to
oak wilt.
Mr. Wolsted said that they talked with the City Forester to see if there was any City policy
or what could be done to try and limit the spread of oak wilt, as far as removal of trees,
trimming procedures or all of those things that go into the spread of oak wilt. He said the
City Forester said that there was not a policy and suggested they bring this to the Planning
Commission. He said that he talked with Mr. Kelman and Mr. Kelman seems very willing
to do what is necessary to try to minimize the spread of oak wilt. He said that they have
interlacing oaks and Mr. Kelman would have no choice but to remove oaks to build his
house. Mr. Wolsted asked if this is the proper forum to bring this issue, or if there are any
procedures or recommendations that can be made to property owners regarding the removal
of oaks or elms during the construction process.
Senior Planner Darling said the City does not have any specific requirements for trimming
or removing trees of any kind. She said that at Mr. Wolsted's request, she did speak with
Paul Buck in Forestry and got some information on how to prevent the spread of disease
and the appropriate times of the year to remove trees. She said that she passed that
information on to Mr. Kelman and would hope that he would use that information through
the construction process.
Senior Planner Darling said that if the City does elect to enact regulations concerning oak
wilt, it would probably go under the nuisance section of the ordinance. She said that this is
not typically something the Planning Commission has a lot of oversight over, with the
exception of the noise ordinance, but this is something that staff can look at.
Commissioner Clyman asked for an explanation about oak wilt. Senior Planner Darling
said staff can put information in a report as it goes to City Council.
Mr. Wolsted said his understanding is that oak wilt is a fungus that spreads through the
roots of trees, so it is the interlacing roots of trees that will spread the oak wilt. He said he
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understands the key to preventing the spread of oak wilt is to trim in August or September.
He understands that trimming in early spring is very dangerous because in any open
wound, the fungus can spread and will infect the tree. He said it would then spread
through the roots to interlacing trees and from property to property that way.
Mr. Wolsted said the other key is if a tree is removed during the fertile period, which is in
the spring when the trees bud and into July or August, then the stumps would have to be
removed right away. He said that if the stumps are left, the fungus will spread through the
stumps and through the roots.
Commissioner Weir asked if removing the stumps at the time the trees are removed would
cut down the possibility of oak wilt. Mr. Wolsted said his understanding is that if the tree
is removed while it is in a dormant period, it is not that critical. He said that during the
fertile period when the sap is flowing (March until September), is the critical period when
the stumps should be removed.
Commissioner Clyman recommended that staff include a packet on oak wilt for the City
Council so that they can be more knowledgeable on oak wilt. He requested that staff make
sure that Mr. Kelman has contact with the City Forester so that when Mr. Kelman is
planning the project, should it move forward, that he does it in the most appropriate way to
preserve the oaks.
MOTION by Commissioner Weir, seconded by Commissioner Neset, to approve the
request by Vladimir and Andrea Kelman for a variance to minimum lot width for
construction of a new home on property located at 1010 Garland Lane North. Vote. 7
Ayes. MOTION approved unanimously.
7. NEW BUSINESS
8. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION by Chair Holmes, without objection, to adjourn the meeting at 8:00 p.m.