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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Commission Minutes 04-21-2004Approved Minutes City of Plymouth Planning Commission Meeting April 21, 2004 MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Peggy Larson, Commissioners Kendall Griffith, Frank Weir, James Holmes, Nancy Franke -Wilson, and Sarah Anderson. Commissioner Musliner arrived at 7:05p.m. MEMBERS ABSENT: None. STAFF PRESENT: Community Development Director Anne Hurlburt, Planning Manager Barb Senness, Senior Planners Shawn Drill and Marie Darling, City Engineer Ron Quanbeck, and Office Support Specialist Ranelle Gifford 1. CALL TO ORDER - 7:00 P.M. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. PUBLIC FORUM 4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Chair Larson said item 6B has been withdrawn at the applicant's request. MOTION by Commissioner Weir, seconded by Commissioner Griffith, recommending approval of the amended April 21, 2004 Planning Commission Agenda. Vote. 6 Ayes. MOTION approved. 5. CONSENT AGENDA A. APPROVAL OF APRIL 7, 2004 PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES MOTION by Commissioner Weir, seconded by Commissioner Griffith, to approve the April 7, 2004 Planning Commission Minutes. Vote. 6 Ayes. MOTION approved. Approved Planning Commission Minutes April 21, 2004 Page 2 6. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. ELIM CARE, INC. (2004023) Chair Larson introduced the request by Elim Care, Inc. for a planned unit development amendment to install an emergency generator for Cornerstone Commons Assisted Living located at 3750 Lawndale Lane North. Senior Planner Darling gave an overview of the April 13, 2004 staff report. She stated this item had been continued from the April 7, 2004 Planning Commission meeting. Senior Planner Darling said the applicant has submitted a noise study that states the generator, with the attenuation provided by both the cabinet and the enclosure, would produce noise that does not exceed 44.4 decibels which complies with the City's requirements. Commissioner Weir asked how often the power goes out. Senior Planner Darling said that can't be predicted. She said the generator would need to be tested once a month for approximately a half hour. Chair Larson introduced the applicant Dan Fair, Elim Care, Inc. Commissioner Anderson asked if this was the first facility the applicant has built. Mr. Fair said this is their 5th or 6th assisted living facility. He said their other buildings are typically attached to a nursing home which would already have a generator. He said Cornerstone Commons is not connected to a nursing home facility, hence the need for a generator. MOTION by Commissioner Weir, seconded by Commissioner Holmes, to approve the request by Elim Care, Inc. for a planned unit development amendment to install an emergency generator for Cornerstone Commons Assisted Living located at 3750 Lawndale Lane North. Roll Call Vote. 7 Ayes. MOTION approved. B. ASSOCIATION FREE LUTHERAN BIBLE SCHOOL (2004021) Item 613 was withdrawn at the applicant's request. C. WAYZATA PUBLIC SCHOOLS (2004028) Chair Larson introduced the request by Wayzata Public Schools for a site plan amendment and conditional use permits to allow installation of an air -supported dome over the athletic field at Central Middle School located at 305 Vicksburg Lane North. Approved Planning Commission Minutes April 21, 2004 Page 3 Senior Planner Darling gave an overview of the April 13, 2004 staff report. Commissioner Holmes asked if the lavatory facilities would be located in the concessions building. Senior Planner Darling answered affirmatively. Commissioner Musliner asked how tall the dome would be. Senior Planner Darling said the dome would be 58 feet in height and even though the dome would be in a depressed area, it would still be visible. She said there would be screening with landscaping. Commissioner Holmes asked what the hours of operation would be. Senior Planner Darling said the dome would be used between 5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and also occasionally used for classes during the day. Commissioner Griffith asked if the traffic report from SRF Consultants would have an impact on staff's recommendation. Senior Planner Darling said it would not change staff's recommendation. Chair Larson introduced Jim Brandl, Wayzata Public School District. Mr. Brandl said the Board of Education agreed to look at the proposal as long as the costs were covered by the Athletic Association. He said the field at Central Middle School was chosen for its central location. He said the plan includes a plastic sheet of ice which is intended for beginners. He said the facility would take some pressure off of the school gymnasiums. He said this site has traditionally been a community site. He said the hours would be up until 10:00 p.m. He said there would be intermittent use during the day. He said when the dome is down, it will be used outside by soccer, football and physical education classes. Commissioner Weir asked what the life span of the plastic ice sheet would be. Mr. Brandl said it is approximately 25 years. He said the Youth Hockey Association had shown interest in utilizing this facility. Commissioner Anderson asked what time the dome would close and lights would be off. Mr. Brandl said the activities would be done at 10:00 and the lights would be out by 10:30 p.m. at the latest to allow time for clean up. Approved Planning Commission Minutes April 21, 2004 Page 4 Commissioner Musliner asked if there are currently night games at the existing facility that require lighting and if the new facility would be staffed. Mr. Brandl said there would be evening activities requiring the lights to be on and added that the Soccer and Football Associations contributed to the new lighting which was installed about a year ago. He said the building would be staffed and they were trying to coordinate the ice arena and dome activities with their personnel staff. Commissioner Anderson asked how late the lights would be on during the evenings in the summer months. Mr. Brandl said the lights would be turned off by 10:00 p.m. Commissioner Holmes asked when the dome goes up and comes down. Mr. Brandl said it goes up the first week of November and down in April. Chair Larson introduced John Pfluger, Cunningham Group Architects. Mr. Pfluger said on April 6, 2004 there was a neighborhood meeting to review the proposed plans for the dome. He said the questions raised were in concern with traffic and water quality. He said they would be making improvements to the storm sewer. He said there is a large area in the parking lot that would be picked up through the system and routed to the storm water basin. He said there were also concerns with the visual impacts. He showed some simulated images showing the different views and buffering. Chair Larson asked if there would be a glow from the lights from the inside of the dome. Mr. Pfluger said it would be similar to the dome at Plymouth Creek Center. He said the lights would be suspended. Chair Larson introduced Kathryn Wallace, Cunningham Group. Ms. Wallace said at 50 feet away from the structure, the light levels are less than half a foot- candle. Commissioner Holmes asked how much a foot-candle was. Planning Manager Senness said half a foot-candle is what the code requires at the property line and it would not be adequate to read by. Chair Larson opened the public hearing. Approved Planning Commission Minutes April 21, 2004 Page 5 Chair Larson introduced Douglas Day, 16025 County Road 15. Mr. Day stated he was not aware of any neighborhood meeting. He said he opposes the project. He asked how much it would cost to heat and light the dome for 6 months. He asked about the access to the restrooms during the winter time. He said the parents and youth should pay for this facility. He said County Road 15 and Vicksburg Lane are already busy and would need traffic lights if the project proceeds. He said the wetland should be protected. Chair Larson introduced Ken Campbell, 16820 -9th Avenue North, representing the Gleason Lake Improvement Association. Mr. Campbell said the School District has not addressed all of the water run-off from Central Middle School parking lots but instead would be treating a token amount. He asked if the proposed pond would be able to handle all of the water run-off. He said the water from the current ice arena would not go to the proposed pond. He said the City should encourage the applicant to upgrade their plans with a better solution to treat the water run-off from the entire property. He said he didn't think the proposed pond would be adequate. Chair Larson introduced Gary Bluem, 200 Black Oaks Lane North. Mr. Bluem said his property backs up to the proposed dome. He said his back yard is already under water with the existing run-off. He said the main athletic field has some culverts that drain into his backyard. He said the school never got permits for these culverts. He said he opposes the dome because of the water run-off problems and the visual impact. Chair Larson introduced George Masko, 16611 Black Oaks Lane. Mr. Masko asked if the Planning Commission has any interest in the cost of items that come before them. He said he has no idea what this project will cost. He asked if there is a business plan in place to cover the costs and expenses. He asked what the impact would be on the tax payers. He asked if there are additional expenses that will arise. He asked who would be responsible for the expense if the dome were to collapse. Chair Larson introduced Greg Gibson, Wayzata Youth Hockey Association. Mr. Gibson said Wayzata Youth Hockey Association represents over 1,000 hockey players and over 1,400 baseball players. He said this is an opportunity to represent the youth of this community. He said there is a large need for this type of facility. He said the number of participants is increasing rapidly. He said there is a need for ice time to accommodate all of the participants. He said he feels this is a well thought out plan. He said he would like to keep the kids in the community and utilize these facilities. He said there are six or seven different athletic associations that have committed to a 10 year lease. He said this will help the community grow. Approved Planning Commission Minutes April 21, 2004 Page 6 Commissioner Musliner asked if the third sheet of ice that will be installed at the Plymouth Ice Arena would alleviate their need for ice time. Mr. Gibson said it will help but they will still look to other locations for ice time as the number of participants grow. Chair Larson introduced Alex Bates, 1611 Black Oaks Lane. Mr. Bates said he lives less than 200 feet from the proposed dome. He said if there is a need for ice time at 6:00 a.m. then the lights will be on at that time. He said there would be a better location for this type of facility. He said it is all swamp land. He asked how the dome would be anchored in a swamp. He said he has concerns with the lighting and visual impact. He said it would be many years before the proposed trees would be tall enough to make any difference. He said there is plenty of land at the Wayzata High School for this project. Chair Larson introduced Kurt Peterson, 16010 4th Avenue North. Mr. Peterson said he has concerns with the visual impact of a dome. He said he feels this type of project would be detrimental to the property values in the area. He said enough money has been invested in the schools. He said there are other locations that would be better suited for this project. He said there are existing traffic issues that would only get worse. He said every year there are more tax levies. He said he opposes the project and feels there are other alternatives. Chair Larson introduced Jack Gause, 840 Vicksburg Lane North. Mr. Gause said he has concerns with the traffic. He said the traffic is already congested and will only get worse with this project. He said 9th Avenue North and Vicksburg Lane should have a stop sign or stop light. He said it is very difficult to get onto Vicksburg Lane. Chair Larson closed the public hearing. Director Hurlburt said the Wayzata School District is the owner and they would be financing the project and operating it. She said it is outside of the City's realm to be involved in the school district's financial plan for the project. Chair Larson said the school district's website covers the financial issues and operating issues. City Engineer Quanbeck said the traffic report looks at a number of things such as stop lights, number of trips generated, etc. He said the question is if the proposed project would increase the existing traffic issues. He said further review of the traffic study is necessary. Chair Larson asked if Vicksburg Lane goes all the way from Maple Grove to Plymouth. City Engineer Quanbeck answered affirmatively. Approved Planning Commission Minutes April 21, 2004 Page 7 City Engineer Quanbeck said the applicant is proposing to construct a pond that is above the existing wetland. He said the applicant is required to submit a drainage plan. He said the pond would address the issues of quantity and quality. He said the pond would improve water quality. He said the City can't retroactively require a site to meet today's requirements. He said the pond would delay the rate the water is discharged. Chair Larson asked if the water feeds into Gleason Lake after it is delayed. City Engineer Quanbeck said the pond would discharge into the wetland, flow into a culvert, and then into Gleason Lake. Chair Larson asked about the water quality of Gleason Lake. City Engineer Quanbeck said it is not a pristine lake. Commissioner Wilson asked about the culverts that were installed by the school and if permits are required. City Engineer Quanbeck said permits are not required for the culverts. He said construction projects need permits which could generate the need for installation of culverts or ponds to address drainage issues. Chair Larson asked if the impervious surface coverage would be affected. Senior Planner Darling said the impervious surface coverage would increase. She said the applicant would be replacing the turf with artificial grass and would need to add drain tile where water previously infiltrated into the ground. Chair Larson asked Mr. Brandl to address some of the questions concerning some of the residents not being aware of the neighborhood meeting. Mr. Brandl said they sent notice of the neighborhood meeting to the same mailing list that they provided to the City from Hennepin County. He said three were returned from the post office. Director Hurlburt asked what hours the lights would be on. Mr. Brandl said he doubted there would be much early morning use. He said during the school year the kids are in school. He said the lights will be hung rather than shot in an upward direction. He said the light filters down rather than up. Director Hurlburt asked how the dome would be anchored and if the soils are adequate. She also asked how the Central Middle School was the location that was decided on. Mr. Brandl said Cunningham Group could address the concerns with the anchoring of the dome. He said they had considered the high school as a possible location but the cost was too high. He said the high school gymnasium time is mostly absorbed by the high school varsity teams and Approved Planning Commission Minutes April 21, 2004 Page 8 other activities. He said the Youth Athletic Association's intent for this project was to provide opportunity for the youth of the community not just the High School. Chair Larson asked about the hours and what would be the earliest the dome would be open and the lights would be on. Kristin Tollefson, Wayzata Public Schools, said on weekends they schedule from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the latest. She said the weeknight hours would be 5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Commissioner Anderson asked when the lights go on and off. Ms. Tollefson said the lights go on at 7:30 a.m. and off at 10:30 p.m. She said there is minimal school day use. She said it is largely funded by the Community Association so the majority of the time would be scheduled for their use. Commissioner Holmes said the School District is taxing the citizens to build the facility to rent it to the Athletic Association, which in turn means the tax payers would be paying for it above and beyond the operating cost. Mr. Brandl concurred. Chair Larson asked who is responsible for the dome. Mr. Brandl said the school district would be responsible. He said they have a contract in place that covers all of those issues. Commissioner Wilson asked if other sites were looked at. Mr. Brandl said this was the primary site they considered. He said the High School was looked at but the cost was too high and there were concerns of it being used strictly by the High School. Mr. Pfluger said the foundation proposed would be a grade beam held in place with helical piers drilled into the soil. He said this system is used extensively with this type of building. Chair Larson asked about the location of bathrooms and access to them during the winter. Mr. Pfluger said when the dome comes down it would be stored in a fenced area with the mechanical equipment. He said the lavatories are accessible by the sidewalk from the parking lot. He said within the dome, there would be the plastic ice sheet, batting cages, and the turfed area. He said the batting cages and plastic ice sheet are down when the dome is down. Chair Larson asked where the batting cages and ice sheet are stored when the dome is down. Mr. Pfluger said it is stored on site, in the concessions building, and within the school. Approved Planning Commission Minutes April 21, 2004 Page 9 Commissioner Holmes asked if the patrons are expected to walk from the upper parking lot down to the facility. Mr. Pfluger said yes, or they could be dropped off at the front door. Commissioner Holmes asked what the distance is from the upper parking lot to the front door of the dome. He asked if it would be equivalent to the length of a football field which is 100 yards. Mr. Pfluger said he wasn't sure what the exact distance was but it would be close to that of a football field. Commissioner Musliner asked if there would be staffing in the concessions building. Mr. Pfluger said there would not be an attendant for the concessions, rather vending machines would be installed. Commissioner Musliner asked if the kids would be going to the lavatory alone. Mr. Pfluger said the primary concern with the placement of the lavatory was to avoid a structure on the field within the track, so as to increase the flexibility of the use of the track. Director Hurlburt asked how other dome facilities have handled the issue with the bathrooms. Mr. Pfluger said other situations with domes are not identical. He said the only other one is at the Minnetonka High School and their concessions building and bathrooms are located outside of the track. He said Minnetonka is considering a domed connection to the building but that is an additional cost to consider. He said most of the similar facilities have separate lavatory facilities. Planning Manager Senness said she is familiar with the Holy Angels dome facility in Richfield and their bathrooms are separate from the track. Commissioner Musliner asked what the life expectancy of the dome was. Mr. Pfluger said the dome has a 10 year warranty. He said there are some that have been in existence for 20 years. He said the turf has an 8 year warranty. Commissioner Musliner asked if that is also the replacement timeframe. Chair Larson said that would be better addressed by the school district. Chair Larson asked for more information on the height of the dome. Mr. Pfluger said a typical story in a commercial building is 15 feet. He said 4 stories would be 60 feet. He said the dome averages around 55 feet in height depending on the air pressure. Chair Larson asked about the plantings and buffering. Mr. Pfluger said the simulated pictures show newly planted trees that haven't matured. Commissioner Weir asked about the brightness of the dome. Approved Planning Commission Minutes April 21, 2004 Page 10 Mr. Pfluger said it will be visible, similar to the dome at Plymouth Creek Center. Chair Larson asked Mr. Gibson what the youngest age of children would be. Mr. Gibson said kindergarteners between ages 5 and 6. Chair Larson introduced Allen Hopeman, Wayzata Public Schools. Mr. Hopeman said they plan to have the building staffed so the activities on the field and in the concession building will be monitored. He said they have the resources to maintain the facility and have factored in a replacement cycle. He said the legislature has not given the district enough funds to maintain the facilities as they would like to. He said the school district will use this facility for after-school activities. He said in regards to the tax impact, they have a lease agreement in place. He said the tax impact on residents would be about $14 a year based on a 300,000 home. City Engineer Quanbeck said the applicant is required to provide hydrologic calculations prior to getting a permit and that would be similar to a water run-off study. City Engineer Quanbeck said the property's sewer is serviced by a Minnetonka lift station. He said the only possible sewer impact would be the additional bathrooms. Ms. Wallace said the existing lift station has the capacity to serve this facility. She said there would be three stalls in each bathroom. Chair Larson asked Mr. Gibson if there would be games with fans coming to watch the games. Mr. Gibson said no, this would only be a training facility. Chair Larson asked if there would be school functions happening at the same time as activities at the dome. Mr. Gibson answered affirmatively. Mr. Masko said the lift station that services the school is located on his property and the City of Minnetonka has had a lot of problems with the capacity. He said the City of Minnetonka should be consulted to see if the lift station has the capacity to handle the added use. MOTION by Commissioner Weir, seconded by Commissioner Holmes, to approve the request by Wayzata Public Schools for a site plan amendment and conditional use permits to allow installation of an air -supported dome over the athletic field at Central Middle School located at 305 Vicksburg Lane North. Approved Planning Commission Minutes April 21, 2004 Page 11 Commissioner Musliner disclosed that she is an employee of the Wayzata School District and has a child that will be going to this school and likely through the sports programs. She said the site plan standards appear to be met. She said number three of the conditional use permit standards is not met as it could be injurious to the use and enjoyment of other property. Commissioner Anderson said public safety issues must be a consideration. She said she has concerns with the time of operations. She said numbers two and three of the Conditional Use Permit Standards have not been met. She said there needs to be more time to review the traffic study that was submitted. Commissioner Holmes said he doesn't feel this is the correct location for this facility. Commissioner Wilson said there were a lot of issues brought up regarding financial issues that are not the Planning Commission's function or responsibility. Chair Larson said there would be a tremendous impact on the surrounding properties. Commissioner Griffith said there are unresolved traffic issues and there would be a visual impact of the surrounding properties. He said the vote will not be based on any of the financial issues. Roll Call Vote. 7 Nays. MOTION denied. MOTION by Chair Larson, seconded by Commissioner Anderson, to deny the request by Wayzata Public Schools for a site plan amendment and conditional use permits to allow installation of an air -supported dome over the athletic field at Central Middle School located at 305 Vicksburg Lane North. Roll Call Vote. 7 Ayes. MOTION approved. 7. NEW BUSINESS A. CITY OF PLYMOUTH (2004029) Chair Larson introduced the request by the City of Plymouth for a site plan amendment and variance to allow expansion/renovation of the Zachary Water Treatment Plant located at 4295 Zachary Lane North. Senior Planner Drill gave an overview of the April 13, 2004 staff report. Chair Larson introduced Sue Mason, SEH, Inc. Commissioner Wilson asked who would fund the skate park. Senior Planner Drill said funding would come from the Park and Recreation Department, however funding is not available at this time. Approved Planning Commission Minutes April 21, 2004 Page 12 Ms. Mason said the loading area would be used for a new tote -feeder delivery of potassium permanganate which is a chemical added to ensure safe and pleasant drinking water. Currently it comes in 55 -gallon barrels and the operators release it by hand. She said the operators have to wear a mask to protect themselves. She said the proposed tote -feeder system would automate the process and lessen the degree of operator handling and contact. Chair Larson asked how often the delivery would occur. Ms. Mason said the delivery would be approximately once a month during normal workday hours. Chair Larson asked if the chemical is a hazardous material. Ms. Mason said it would be handled completely by equipment to address the hazardous aspects of the chemical. Commissioner Weir asked if the delivery is monitored. Ms. Mason said the operators at the plant would monitor the delivery. Chair Larson introduced John Peterson, 4290 Balsam Lane North. Mr. Peterson said he lives near the water treatment plant and has concerns with the granting of a variance. He said he understands the importance of the operators not having to handle this chemical. He said there is a beautiful berm screening the treatment plant. He said the nicest trees would be the ones removed if this variance is granted. He asked if there was an alternative delivery location to prevent the loss of the trees. He said he has concerns with the pond and if fencing would be erected. He said he opposes the variance request. City Engineer Quanbeck said there would not be a fence around the pond. He said Public Safety advises against it as it would be difficult for rescue workers to get in to help someone. He said at the water line it is relatively flat for the first ten feet. He said the cat tails grow thick in this area and discourage people from approaching the pond. Ms. Mason said they spent a lot of time trying to achieve a plan that would avoid the loss of the first row of trees. She said too many roots would be damaged in order to have the space for maneuvering vehicles. She said the existing road is 12 feet wide and is considered a fire access road. In order to allow a car space to turn around, the extra room is needed. Commissioner Wilson asked if there would be a row of trees remaining. Ms. Mason said two rows of trees on the top of the berm would remain. Chair Larson asked if the berm would remain. Ms. Mason said the top elevation of the berm would remain the same. She said they would be adding 17 trees on top of the berm. Approved Planning Commission Minutes April 21, 2004 Page 13 Commissioner Holmes asked if more than 17 trees could be added. Ms. Mason said the City Forester had inspected and approved that number of trees. She said any more than that would cause crowding. Commissioner Griffith asked if the added trees on the berm were intended to achieve the 100% opacity to a height of 10 feet. Ms. Mason said the plan is to infill the spaces that exist with new trees. Commissioner Musliner asked if there is a possibility of loading on the other side of the site. Senior Planner Drill said that the drive aisle needs to go around the building regardless of where the loading area is located, and that unloading of the potassium permanganate is not feasible elsewhere in the building. Mr. Peterson said the existing parking area has exposure that allows police patrol. He said if it's located in the back of the building the police won't be able to monitor it as easily. Director Hurlburt introduced Brian Young, Plymouth Water and Sewer Supervisor. Mr. Young said through this process, there has been interaction with the police department. He said there has been extensive involvement in the security issues and planning. He said they have considered a gate, adding additional patrolling, and monitoring the exterior. He said the facility is staffed from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Commissioner Wilson said water treatment plants are part of homeland security so there is police involvement for that reason also. MOTION by Commissioner Weir, Seconded by Commissioner Wilson, to approve the request by the City of Plymouth for a site plan amendment and variance to allow expansion/renovation of the Zachary Water Treatment Plant located at 4295 Zachary Lane North. Roll Call Vote. 7 Ayes. MOTION approved. B. APPROVE REVISED 2004 PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING SCHEDULE. MOTION by Commissioner Weir, Seconded by Commissioner Holmes, to approve the revised 2004 Planning Commission meeting schedule. Vote. 7 Ayes. MOTION approved. 8. ADJOURNMENT MOTION by Chair Larson, with no objections, to adjourn the meeting. The meeting adjourned at 10:00 p.m.