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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Commission Minutes 12-21-2016Approved Minutes Planning Commission Meeting December 21, 2016 5A MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair James Davis, Commissioners Marc Anderson, Gary Goldetsky, Donovan Saba, Jim Kovach and David Witte MEMBERS ABSENT: Commissioner Julie Witt STAFF PRESENT: Planning Manager Barb Thomson, Planner Kip Berglund OTHERS PRESENT: Council Member Ned Carroll 1.CALL TO ORDER-7:00 P.M. 2.PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3.PUBLIC FORUM 4.APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION by Commissioner Anderson, seconded by Commissioner Goldetsky, to approve the December 21, 2016 Planning Commission Agenda. Vote. 6 Ayes. MOTION approved. 5.CONSENT AGENDA A.APPROVAL OF THE DECEMBER 7,2016 PLANNING COMMISSIONMEETING MINUTES MOTION by Commissioner Witte, seconded by Commissioner Kovach, to approve the consent agenda. Vote. 7 Ayes. MOTION approved. 6.PUBLIC HEARINGS A.TCO DESIGN (2016073) Chair Davis introduced the request by TCO Design for a site plan amendment and conditional use permit for an apartment building for property located at 3301 Highway 169. Planning Manager Thomson gave an overview of the staff report. Chair Davis introduced Todd Ofsthun, the applicant, who stated that the request is for an additional building on the east side of the complex between the existing complex and Highway Approved Minutes 1 of 6 Meeting of December 21, 2016 169.He noted that the request would meet the zoning requirements and complies with the comprehensive plan. He stated that the building will not interfere with the wetland and additional trees will be planted to minimize the visual impact. Commissioner Anderson asked for details on the rent and how that would compare to the rent in the existing buildings. Mr. Ofsthun replied that the building owner could address that question. Commissioner Anderson asked if the third floor would have vaulted or flat ceilings. Mr. Ofsthun replied that they are planning flat roofs at this time. Commissioner Anderson stated that it appears the lower level windows are at grade and asked if theft or vandalism is a concern. Mr. Ofsthun confirmed the elevation, estimating there is about one foot between the ground and window level. He stated that there are other similar garden level windows in the existing complex, and they have not had any issues with vandalism or theft. Commissioner Witte referenced the drive aisle and asked for additional details on the width. Mr. Ofsthun replied that the proposed aisle width does not include the parking, noting that there will be at least 24 feet of driving space available. Gary Brummer, Plymouth Commons owner, stated that he believed the existing rents begin at $825 or $850 while the new rents would begin around $1,050 for a one-bedroom and $1,250 for a two-bedroom unit. Chair Davis opened the public hearing. Chair Davis introduced Karrie Peterson, 9701 34th A venue, who stated that she is concerned about construction noise. She referenced the fire lane and asked how that is different from the drive lane and the widths of both. She explained that she is concerned with the portion that runs adjacent to her property where there is currently a wooden fence. She asked how close the drive lane would come to the fence as she has approximately ten large trees that she would not want to see damaged during the widening of the roadway. She referenced a trash receptacle that currently sits in a parking lot near her property that is not included on the plans. She noted that there is trash pickup six days per week and stated that the trash pickup is quite loud for neighboring property owners. She noted that the trash receptacle is visible from the adjacent roadway, and therefore people living outside the complex often dump trash in the receptacle. She suggested that the trash receptacle be moved/screened. She referenced the police log she was provided for the complex and noted that there were 119 police calls during the past year alone, some of which were for serious issues. Chair Davis introduced Fred Stelter, 14505 43rd Avenue, who stated that he is concerned with the development in the northwest quadrant of the city, namely that the property is being developed Approved Minutes 2of 6 Meeting of December 21, 2016 solely with single family homes. He stated that he has also reviewed the Metropolitan Council goals for the community in regard to affordable housing and was unsure how the city would ever meet those goals without allowing infill projects such as this request. He noted that this project would also not require new infrastructure in order to provide this affordable housing. He stated that there has been no conclusive evidence that affordable housing leads to higher crime rates. He stated that the professionalism of the management and owner tends to correlate with police calls. He stated that Mr. Brummer has received awards from Brooklyn Park and Minneapolis for his ability to convert dilapidated apartment buildings into nice complexes. He asked that the commission and the city support the request. Chair Davis introduced Doug Tapio, 3215 Nathan Lane, who asked if this property is a Section 8 subsidized property. He stated the water drains through the wetlands and proceeds south towards Kilmer Lane and noted that there is no curb and gutter or storm sewer in that area near Kilmer Park, which causes the area to frequently flood. He stated that the problem was exacerbated when the townhome community was constructed and was concerned with the additional runoff this project would add. He said he wanted to ensure the city was aware of the problem and ask if there is a proposed solution for curb, gutter and storm sewer in that area. Chair Davis closed the public hearing. Mr. Ofsthun referenced the fire lane/drive aisle in the northwest comer that was mentioned and noted that this segment is not proposed to change as it is already the widest it can be because of the location of the building and the neighboring property line. He referenced the trash receptacle and stated that was not mentioned as that is part of the existing complex and not part of the new project. Mr. Brummer stated that the trash receptacle location is near the walkout to the garages and therefore is handy for the residents. He noted that he could speak with the trash company to see if they could come to the site later in the day. Planning Manager Thomson commented that the city has a rental program in which the applicant participates. Mr. Brummer stated he does not take Section 8 vouchers. He said that he follows a thorough background check process for tenants and acknowledged that there are still calls that occur, but that is similar to any property of this size. He stated that they do work with the police department and evict tenants that cause problems. Planning Manager Thomson stated that the city will require the applicant to meet all of the requirements for runoff in terms of quality, quantity and rate. Commissioner Witte asked where snow would be stored in the future. Mr. Brummer stated that there would still be more than enough room for snow storage, noting that he is familiar with the property as he and his crew plow the site. Approved Minutes 3 of 6 Meeting of December 21, 2016 Mr. Ofsthun provided clarification that the fire lane/drive aisle will be widened, but to the east and not toward the neighboring property owner. Commissioner Anderson asked for clarification on the pervious pavement parking lot, and received clarification that the pavement is meant to absorb the water rather than allowing it to runoff. Planning Manager Thomson stated that this would not be the only pervious pavement parking lot in the city and believed that more requests to use this type of material would come forward. She noted that Engineering staff would be reviewing the plans to ensure that the stormwater requirements are met. Commissioner Goldetsky asked if the existing trash receptacle meets the zoning requirements. Planning Manager Thomson replied that she believed that the trash receptacle meets the requirements of the city. MOTION by Commissioner Witte, seconded by Commissioner Goldetsky, to approve the request by TCO Design for a site plan amendment and conditional use permit for an apartment building for property located at 3301 Highway 169. Vote. 6 Ayes. MOTION approved. B.MID-AMERICA REAL ESTATE (2016092) (Continued/ram the December 7, 2016meeting.) Chair Davis introduced the request by Mid-America Real Estate for a site plan amendment, conditional use permit and variance for PCI Academy and related site improvements for property located at 4305 Peony Lane. Planner Berglund gave an overview of the staff report. Commissioner Anderson referenced the proposed number of students and staff and the proposed number of parking stalls. Planner Berglund stated that there is not a parking standard in the zoning ordinance that addresses trade schools, and therefore staff based the calculation on one space for every two students and the staff. He stated that the applicant could address the timing and turnover times. Commissioner Anderson referenced the drive aisle which is going to be converted to parking and the encroachment into the setback. Planner Berglund confirmed that the drive aisle does already encroach into the setback, and the only change would be that part of the drive aisle to be converted to parking stalls. Commissioner Witte asked how people would access the site without driving, and therefore each student would need a place to park, in addition to the members of the public that will be using the existing site. Approved Minutes 4 of 6 Meeting of December 21, 2016 Chair Davis noted that there is a bus stop near that site. He referenced the removal of the canopy and asked if there are other items that would need to be removed as well, such as curb and the ATM. Planner Berglund confirmed that there are other items, such as the curb and ATM that will be removed as part of this project. Chair Davis introduced Genevieve Simonson, representing the applicant, who stated that the total number of students is the maximum number of students that would be present at any time. She stated that they developed the number of parking stalls based on the trade school parking requirement. She stated that the canopy and everything underneath will be removed to create a flat surface for parking. She noted that the ATM had already been removed. Chair Davis introduced Mary Lokken, majority stockholder for the school, who stated that this building will be classrooms and noted that different classes meet on different days. She provided a list of class schedules, noting that the students split between the classrooms and the lab, and that class sizes range from two students to 14 students per class. She stated that the additional classrooms are needed to focus on the increased demand for skincare. She stated that they are good neighbors and have worked with adjacent businesses when issues arise. Chair Davis continued the public hearing and closed the public hearing as there was no one present to speak on the item. Cha,ir Davis stated that this would be a good use for the facility and is happy to see that the business is doing well. Commissioner Anderson stated that he is also happy to see a business growing in Plymouth. He noted that although he did not completely understand the parking calculation, he would think the applicant would have thought that through as insufficient parking would cause them problems. Ms. Lokken replied that the classes are split in the day, therefore the total number of students per day is split in half. Commissioner Goldetsky stated that he will be supporting the request but believed there is a parking problem. He stated that he is confident the applicant will figure out a way to handle the bigger events. MOTION by Commissioner Goldetsky, seconded by Commissioner Kovach, to approve the request by Mid-America Real Estate for a site plan amendment, conditional use permit and variance for PCI Academy and related site improvements for property located at 4305 Peony Lane. Vote. 6Ayes. MOTION approved. C.EXECUTIVE LEASING LLC (2016095) Chair Davis introduced the request by Executive Leasing LLC for a conditional use permit for limited motor vehicle sales or leasing within an existing industrial building located at 3650 Annapolis Lane. Approved Minutes 5 of 6 Meeting of December 21, 2016 Planner Berglund gave an overview of the staff report. Commissioner Anderson asked for the definition of "vehicle." Planner Berglund replied that "vehicle" would include passenger vehicles and that it is based on a gross weight for vehicles. Commissioner Anderson asked for clarification on the use of "long-term." Chair Davis introduced Brian Hansen, representing the applicant, who stated that 90 percent of the vehicles are one ton vans or pickup trucks or smaller, typical passenger vehicles. He stated that there are a few clients that may have larger vehicles, but those vehicles would not come to this facility. He stated that the business currently operates at 9700 63rd A venue North in Maple Grove. He noted with most of the transactions the vehicles are delivered directly from the supplier to the client. He stated there is a minimum of a four-month lease, and it is cost prohibitive to have a lower level lease and therefore the terms for usage are typically longer, such as 60 months. Chair Davis opened the public hearing and closed the public hearing as there was no one present to speak on the item. MOTION by Commissioner Saba, seconded by Commissioner Witte, to approve the request by Executive Leasing LLC for a conditional use permit for limited motor vehicle sales or leasing within an existing industrial building located at 3650 Annapolis Lane. Vote. 6 Ayes. MOTION approved. 7.NEW BUSINESS 8.ADJOURNMENT MOTION by Chair Davis, with no objection, to adjourn the meeting at 8:22 P.M. Approved Minutes 6 of 6 Meeting of December 21, 2016