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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Commission Minutes 05-15-2002Approved Minutes City of Plymouth Planning Commission Meeting May 15, 2002 MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Karl Neset, Commissioners Peggy Larson, Kendall Griffith, Frank Weir, and David Gaither MEMBERS ABSENT: Commissioners Jason Rohloff and James Holmes STAFF PRESENT: Community Development Director Anne Hurlburt, Planning Manager Barbara Senness, Senior Planner Shawn Drill, and Office Support Representative Janice Bergstrom 1. CALL TO ORDER - 7:00 P.M. 2. PUBLIC FORUM 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION by Chairman Neset, seconded by Commissioner Weir, to approve the May 15, 2002 Agenda. Vote. 5 Ayes. MOTION approved. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION by Chairman Neset, seconded by Commissioner Weir, to approve the May 1, 2002 Planning Commission Minutes. Vote. 5 Ayes. MOTION approved. 5. CONSENT AGENDA A FRANK AND JANICE HENDRICKS (2002034) MOTION by Chairman Neset, seconded by Commissioner Weir, to approve a variance to allow construction of a detached garage, with a front yard setback of 25 feet where 39 feet is required, for property located at 840 Terraceview Lane North. Vote. 5 Ayes. MOTION approved. B TERRANCE AVERY (2002035) MOTION by Chairman Neset, seconded by Commissioner Weir, to approve a variance to allow development of an 8,100 square foot lot where 12,500 square feet is the minimum requirement and lot width of 60 feet where 80 feet is required for property located near 18th Avenue North and Medicine Lake Boulevard. Vote. 5 Ayes. MOTION approved. Approved Planning Commission Minutes May 15, 2002 Page 2 C JOE HIMMELBERG AND KARLA BUERKLE (2002039) MOTION by Chairman Neset, seconded by Commissioner Weir, to approve variances for sideyard setback and impervious surface coverage to allow construction of a porch at 2660 E. Medicine Lake Boulevard. Vote. 5 Ayes. MOTION approved. D KLEIN MCCARTHY CO. ARCHITECTS (2002040) MOTION by Chairman Neset, seconded by Commissioner Weir, to approve a site plan amendment to allow building expansion at the Hennepin County Adult Correctional Facility located at 1145 Shenandoah Lane. Vote. 5 Ayes. MOTION approved. 6. PUBLIC HEARINGS A ASSOCIATION FREE LUTHERAN BIBLE COLLEGE (2002050) Senior Planner Drill gave an overview of the May 7, 2002 staff report. Chairman Neset introduced the applicant, David Borg, 17259 79th Place North. Mr. Borg stated he is on the Board of Trustees and is Chairman of the Building Committee for AFLBS. Mr. Borg said he anticipates the student center will be built within three years. Mr. Borg said the classrooms located in the dorm will be a temporary situation and added they are not changing any structures. Chairman Neset introduced Grady Kinghorn, 10660 Mississippi Boulevard, architect for the project. Mr. Kinghorn indicated the hallways, doors, and sprinkler system for the proposed dormitory will be geared for making the classrooms back into dorm rooms as soon as the student center is completed. Chairman Neset opened the public hearing. Chairman Neset introduced Ralph Shapiro, 10520 31st Avenue North. Mr. Shapiro stated he is not against the change in the use or the amendment but noted that said several years ago during the planning process there were a lot of concerns from the neighbors. Mr. Shapiro asked what the current enrollment is. Mr. Shapiro stated his concern is the dormitory floor plan, which indicates an occupant capacity of 3 people per room. Mr. Shapiro said that could potentially add 150 new students, which would bring enrollment close to the maximum allowed under the PUD. Mr. Shapiro said he is concerned about the size and scale of the building on this narrow strip of land. Mr. Shapiro asked if the bible school reached capacity enrollment with this building, if consideration would be given to scaling down the size of other buildings. Mr. Shapiro said another concern among the neighbors was that the building design would fit in with the residential area. Mr. Shapiro recalled a plan submitted showing a one story foyer or Approved Planning Commission Minutes May 15, 2002 Page 3 connecting area between the two separate structures. He noted that the aerial view of the PUD dorm looks like one mammoth structure compared to the neighborhood and asked if the dorm could be designed as individual buildings that might give the illusion of looking smaller to fit in better with the neighborhood. Mr. Shapiro said the neighbors would like the contractor to work with the neighbors to preserve the mature trees, which are a nice buffer, to minimize intrusion on the neighborhood. Chairman Neset introduced Mike Oman, 10400 31st Avenue North. Mr. Oman stated he is a neighbor adjacent to the project and is also concerned about the size of the building and would like the buildings to look more residential. Mr. Oman asked if AFLBS will do something to upgrade the look of the existing buildings. Mr. Oman said he is glad to hear landscaping and buffers will be started. Mr. Oman said because construction would be really close to 31st Avenue, he would like to reiterate that construction traffic does not go down 31st Avenue and asked if barricades could be placed to make sure construction traffic does not go out on 31st Avenue. Mr. Oman inquired where the sewer and water hook ups would occur. Chairman Neset introduced Raj Chandy, 10220 31st Avenue North Mr. Chandy reiterated the other neighbors' comments and asked for a minimization of the disruption to the neighborhood and asked for as much de -emphasis of an institutional -style building as possible. Mr. Chandy said minimizing the number of trees being removed would dramatically reduce the impact on the nature of the neighborhood. Chairman Neset closed the public hearing. Mr. Borg stated that the current enrollment, disregarding seminary students, is 200. He noted that about 180 students currently reside in the two dorms. Mr. Borg said a limit of 175 students had been set for the two existing buildings. Mr. Borg stated that in the PUD, the new dorms would have 100 students, 50 on each wing. Mr. Borg said that the buildings that were approved on the initial plans had a flat roof and noted that the proposed building has a more residential look. Mr. Borg stated that 375 students is their goal and if they exceed that number they will start another campus. Mr. Kinghorn said the applicant has been sensitive and careful all through the planning process regarding the maximum size and the plan has not changed since the last hearing. Chairman Neset asked for clarification regarding the number of seminary students. Mr. Borg responded that the seminary students live off campus except for those that reside in the townhouse on the campus. Commissioner Larson noted the diagram of the floor plan shows the typical dorm layout has two beds and two desks, but the building plan shows a room occupancy of three. Approved Planning Commission Minutes May 15, 2002 Page 4 Senior Planner Drill stated that the three occupants refers to "occupant load" for building code purposes, but is not the way the room would be designed. Mr. Kinghorn added that there would be 2 residents per room. Director Hurlburt added that the PUD only limits the number of students enrolled on the site and does not address the number of students per room. There could be one, two or three occupants in a dorm room if the total numbers do not exceed 375 students. Director Hurlburt asked if there have been any architectural changes from the original plans indicating a section of the dorm as being one story. Senior Planner Drill responded negatively and said the plan has consistently shown a two story commons area between the two wings. Mr. Borg added that the PUD general plan showed an apartment for the resident assistants who would be in charge of the building in the second story of the commons, and the current plan continues to show that. Director Hurlburt asked if there has been any change to the landscape plan in terms of removal of trees. Senior Planner Drill responded negatively. Mr. Borg stated construction traffic will be coming and leaving the site from East Medicine Lake Boulevard, and that construction vehicles would park on the school property, not in the neighborhood. He also said that the sewer and water connection comes from East Medicine Lake Boulevard. Commissioner Gaither asked Mr. Borg if he agreed with the staff report. Mr. Borg responded affirmatively. Commissioner Griffith said that the issues raised by the speakers did not pertain to the use of future dorm rooms but noted there were questions regarding what had changed from the original plan. Mr. Griffith asked what the procedure would be for a neighbor to register a complaint. Director Hurlburt responded that the main control for meeting the PUD is through the building permit process and anything structural would be reviewed during the permit review. Director Hurlburt said this is a very specific PUD and any changes or modifications would go through the public process. MOTION by Commissioner Gaither, seconded by Commissioner Griffith, to approve a planned unit development amendment to temporarily allow three classrooms in a planned dormitory building for property located at 3120 East Medicine Lake Boulevard. Vote. 5 Ayes. MOTION approved. Approved Planning Commission Minutes May 15, 2002 Page 5 7. NEW BUSINESS 8. ADJOURNMENT MOTION by Chairman Neset, seconded by Commissioner Gaither, to adjourn. Vote. 5 Ayes. MOTION approved. The meeting adjourned at 7:29 p.m.