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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Commission Minutes 11-01-2006Approved Minutes City of Plymouth Planning Commission Meeting November 1, 2006 MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair James Holmes, Commissioners Melissa Musliner, Kathleen Murdock, Frank Weir, E. J. Clyman and Sarah Anderson MEMBERS ABSENT: Commissioner Neset STAFF PRESENT: Planning Manager Barbara Senness, Planner Joshua Doty, City Engineer Bob Moberg 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 Weir, seconded by Commissioner Clyman, to approve the November 1, 2006 Planning Commission Agenda. Vote. 6 Ayes. MOTION approved. 5. CONSENT AGENDA A. APPROVAL OF THE OCTOBER 18, 2006 PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES MOTION by Commissioner Weir, seconded by Commissioner Musliner, to approve the October 18, 2006 Planning Commission Minutes. Vote. 6 Ayes. MOTION approved. B. HTG ARCHITECTS (2006096) MOTION by Commissioner Weir, seconded by Commissioner Musliner, to approve the request by HTG Architects for a site plan amendment to allow construction of a credit union with drive-through at Rockford Road Plaza for property located at 4190 Vinewood Lane North. Vote. 6 Ayes. MOTION approved. C. HOLLY HAMILTON (2006097) MOTION by Commissioner Weir, seconded by Commissioner Musliner, to approve the request by Holly Hamilton for variances for lot area and width, front setback and impervious surface coverage for construction of a new single-family home for property located at 10620 30th Avenue North. Vote. 6 Ayes. MOTION approved. Approved Planning Commission Minutes November 1, 2006 Page 2 6. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. REPRISE DESIGN, INC. (2006095) Chair Holmes introduced the request by Reprise Design, Inc. for zoning ordinance text amendment to allow tutoring/learning centers in the CC -R (City Center Retail) zoning district and conditional use permit for Kumon Learning Center for property located at 3475 Plymouth Boulevard. Planner Doty gave an overview of the October 24, 2006 staff report. Commissioner Musliner asked if they are only open past 5:00 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays. Planner Doty answered affirmatively. Commissioner Weir asked why Learning Centers are not allowed in the CC -R district currently. Planner Doty said this use was added to the C-2 district in February of this year. He said the City did not add it to any other districts at that time. He said this is the first time it has been requested. Planning Manager Senness said that the City did not look at the CC -R at that time and it was an oversight. She said it could have been looked at then because the districts are very similar. Commissioner Clyman asked if the maximum amount of parking spaces required is based on the maximum amount of students at any given time. Planner Doty said that was correct. Chair Holmes introduced the applicants, Peter Beck and Jeff Milke, representing Kumon Learning Center. Mr. Beck said this will be one of twelve existing Kumon Learning Centers in the metropolitan area. He said it is a relocation of an existing center from the St. Louis Park area. He said they are relocating to better meet the needs of the current client base. Mr. Beck said the Center will operate initially with 10 students at any given time and they hope to grow to 20 students. Commissioner Clyman asked if the Learning Center has a pickup and drop off policy where students can't leave the facility until their parents come inside to get them. Mr. Milke said that they do have a policy and the safety of the students is their first concern. He said that their policy is to have a check-in person, a gatekeeper, located at the entrance of the waiting area. He said the check-in person would let the student in and out of the classrooms. He said they emphasize to parents that they will not release the student out of the building until they can hand the student off to a parent. Commissioner Clyman asked if there is a lobby area for parents. Mr. Milke answered affirmatively. Commissioner Clyman asked if parents typically wait in the lobby. Mr. Milke said that is not very common. He said it is more common for preschool kids and their siblings. He said these parents typically would wait, but most parents tend to pick up Approved Planning Commission Minutes November 1, 2006 Page 3 and drop off. He said there could be three to five parents in the waiting area for every ten students. Commissioner Clyman asked if they see a lot of carpooling as the parking ratio is six students per parking space. Mr. Milke said that they see a lot of siblings. He said if there is a student from one family in Kumon, then chances are that the family would have another student in Kumon. He said for that reason there tend to be a number of kids coming at one time. Chair Holmes opened the public hearing. Chair Holmes introduced Brad Middendorf, President of Town Center Office Plaza Association, 15600 35th Avenue North. Mr. Middendorf said that he wanted to point out parking issues. He said that right now there are three PIDs on their site that don't have access to their rear parking and they only have access to spaces via 35th Avenue or Plymouth Boulevard. He said there is congestion on 35th Avenue and Plymouth Boulevard with Lifetime Fitness being across the way. He said they get a lot of visitors that park in their back parking lot and the public streets. He said there's been some contention with that street parking already. He said that with the counted spots in the proposed space, it doesn't seem like there's a lot of extra space. He asked how City staff found that the businesses close at 5:00 p.m. when there are several days in the beginning of the week where businesses have people working past 5:00 p.m. Chair Holmes closed the public hearing. Planner Doty said the zoning ordinance standards for parking would be met with on-site parking. The off-site parking is additional space. He said the business hours information was provided from the applicant. Planning Manager Senness asked for clarification from Mr. Middendorf if there are people from the office building parking in the Town Center parking areas. Mr. Middendorf said that was correct. Planning Manager Senness asked if he has spoken with the property owner. Mr. Middendorf said no, but has contacted the police department. He said they have been out three to four times addressing the parking issue. Planning Manager Senness asked whether the police department has resolved this. Mr. Middendorf said they have not done anything about those parking in the parking lot. He said that there is not a practical way to monitor the parking lot as some go in and out all day and some park all day. He said they have a lot of businesses, potentially 36 different owners in the complex. He said a lot are open until 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. He said that employees coming in at 9:00 a.m. have stated that there is not a single parking spot available along the street and that parking is at a premium on Plymouth Boulevard and the side street. Planning Manager Senness said that if cars are parking all day and are not part of the owners of the building, he may want to put notes on the cars or something else to let them know. Mr. Middendorf said that they have not done that yet. Approved Planning Commission Minutes November 1, 2006 Page 4 Commissioner Clyman asked if City staff knows of any other buildings that have similar situations and what other methods there are to regulate parking. Planning Manager Senness said that this issue has not come up recently. She said if property owners do have this issue, they talk to private towing groups and have that done on their own. MOTION by Commissioner Weir, seconded by Commissioner Murdock, to approve the request by Reprise Design, Inc. for zoning ordinance text amendment to allow tutoring/learning centers in the CC -R (City Center Retail) zoning district and conditional use permit for Kumon Learning Center for property located at 3475 Plymouth Boulevard. Vote. 6 Ayes. MOTION approved unanimously. 7. NEW BUSINESS E:I1 1[fill901011Q1 I MOTION by Chair Holmes, without objection, to adjourn the meeting at 7:25 p.m.