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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-06-13 PC MinutesApproved: CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA PLANNING COMMISSION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013 6:30 P.M. - ARDEN HILLS CITY HALL CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, Chair Clayton Larson called to order the regular Planning Commission meeting at 6:30 p.m. ROLL CALL Present were: Chair Clayton Larson, Commissioners Angela Hames, Andrew Holewa, Samuel Scott, and Roberta Thompson Absent: Commissioners Stodola (Alternate) and Zimmerman Also present were: City Planner Meagan Beekman, Councilmember Dave McClung, and Recording Secretary Debbie Wolfe. APPROVAL OF AGENDA – MARCH 6, 2013 Chair Larson stated the agenda will stand as published. APPROVAL OF MINUTES September 5, 2012 – Meeting Minutes October 3, 2012 – Meeting Minutes November 28, 2012 – Special Meeting Minutes Commissioner Holewa moved, seconded by Commissioner Thompson, to approve the September 5, 2012 Planning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes, the October 3, 2012 Planning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes and the November 28, 2012 Planning Commission Special Meeting Minutes as presented. The motion carried unanimously (5-0). PLANNING CASES A.Planning Case 13-001 – 1455 Skiles Lane; Variance Request City Planner Meagan Beekman reviewed the applicants (Matthew and Ann Wessberg) are requesting a variance to construct a below grade garage and above grade addition that would be 16 feet from the side property line. Because of the configuration of the lot with the side yard facing Skiles Lane, a 40 foot setback is required. ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION – MARCH 6, 2013 2 City Planner Meagan Beekman continued the applicants own the property that is zoned R-1. The existing home encroaches 9 feet into the required 40 foot front yard setback. The existing structure is a one-story walk-out facing Skiles Lane towards the west. The topography drops towards the east and rear of the home. Skiles Lane curves to the east, wrapping around two sides of the parcel, which also abuts Snelling Avenue to the east. The Code requires a 40-foot front yard setback on three sides of the property, as it is wrapped on three sides by roadway. Currently the dwelling has a two car tuck under garage that faces the rear of the property. The existing driveway enters the property from the south and curves to the west to access the existing garage. City Planner Meagan Beekman provided an aerial photograph of the property and indicated the current driveway location. City Planner Meagan Beekman reviewed the property owner is proposing to construct a new 576 square foot, two-stall, garage adjacent to the existing garage to the south of the property. The new garage would be oriented to the south of the property, as opposed to the existing garage, which is oriented to the east. The addition would remain in line with the front and rear of the existing structure. The new garage would encroach 24 feet into the required 40-foot side yard setback. Because the property is a walk-out that drops to the east and rear of the property, the garage addition would not be visible from the front of the home, and would only be partially visible from the side of the property. The applicant is also proposing to construct a 192 square foot addition and deck at-grade, on top of the new garage. The at-grade addition would encroach nine feet at its nearest point in the required 40-foot side yard setback, and would remain in line with the existing home’s setbacks. The applicant is proposing to step back the at-grade addition in line with the curve of Skiles Lane and to maintain the architectural lines and continuity of the structure. Some trees may be lost but the applicants will be required to comply with the City’s tree preservation guidelines. City Planner Meagan Beekman showed photographs of the existing conditions. Sketches of the new garage and addition were shown. City Planner Meagan Beekman summarized in total approximately 480 square feet of the proposed addition would encroach into the front yard setback; of this only 96 square feet would be visible from Skiles Lane. A substantially similar variance request was submitted in 2007, which was approved by the City. The project was never built and the variance approval expired. City Planner Meagan Beekman reviewed the surrounding area, the Plan Evaluation and the Variance Evaluation Criteria. City Planner Meagan Beekman provided the Findings of Fact for review: General Findings 1.The lot depth and width exceed the minimum R-1 requirements. The lot size of 13,939 square feet is nonconforming in the R-1 Zone. 2.The existing structure encroaches nine feet into the 40-foot front yard setback along Skiles Lane. The structure meets all other R-1 setback requirements. ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION – MARCH 6, 2013 3 3.The proposed addition would encroach 24 feet into the front yard setback. Approximately 480 square feet of the proposed addition would encroach into the front yard setback, of this 96 square feet would be at-grade and visible from Skiles Lane. The area of the addition outside of the setbacks does not require a variance. The proposed area of the addition would be in line with the existing home, and the portion visible from Skiles Lane would step back with the existing structure. 4.The proposed addition does not encroach on the required setback along Snelling Avenue. 5.The existing and proposed lot coverage meets the R-1 Zone requirements. 6.The existing garage does not meet the ceiling height requirements of the Building Code, thus the proposed garage would bring the property into greater conformance with modern building code requirements. 7.The dwelling with the proposed addition would not exceed the 35 foot height limit. 8.Dwellings and garages are permitted structures within the R-1 Zone. 9.The existing dwelling and the proposed garage are outside of the 100-year flood plain, wetlands, and easements. Variance Findings: 10.The proposal is in harmony with the purpose and intent of the ordinance because it utilizes the topography of the parcel to minimize visual impact from the addition. 11.The proposal is consistent with the comprehensive plan because it allows the reasonable use of residential property. 12.A garage and addition are permitted and reasonable uses within the R-1 Zone. 13.The lot is comparably unique in the City. The property is situated on the curve of Skiles Lane as it intersects with Snelling Avenue, thus creating three front yard setback requirements to the south, east and west sides of the lot. 14.The topographic conditions are unique in that there is a significant slope downward from the west to the east which allows the majority of the addition to be built below grade. 15.Since the proposed above grade addition would not encroach any farther into the front yard setback than the existing structure, the addition is unlikely to have a negative impact on the property or the neighborhood. The continued encroachment would have a minimal visual impact from Skiles Lane. 16.The addition would be visible from the rear of the property, which abuts Snelling Avenue; however, the area is heavily wooded and the closest neighbor on this side is over 300 feet away. 17.The proposed plans and setback variance for the dwelling do not appear to be based on economic considerations alone. City Planner Meagan Beekman stated the findings of fact for this variance request support a recommendation for approval. If the Planning Commission chooses to make a recommendation for denial, the Findings of Fact would need to be amended to reflect the reasons for the denial. If the Planning Commission recommends approval on this variance, Staff recommends the following four conditions: 1. The project shall be completed in accordance with the plans submitted as amended by the conditions of approval. Any significant changes to these plans, as determined by the City Planner, shall require review and approval by the Planning Commission. 2. The applicant shall obtain approval from the Rice Creed Watershed District, and a copy of the RCWD permit or a waiver shall be submitted to the City prior to the issuance of any building permits. ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION – MARCH 6, 2013 4 3. The structure shall conform to all other regulations in the City Code. 4. The addition shall be the same color and use the same construction materials as the existing structure. Chair Larson asked if the aerial shown with the red lines indicates the property lines and Ms. Beekman stated it is not exactly on the property lines. Chair Larson noted a 6’2 inch overhead garage door is not in violation of the Code. Commissioner Holewa asked if the spruce tree would need to be removed and Ms. Beekman stated she believes it would need to be removed. City Planner Meagan Beekman reviewed the City Tree Preservation Guidelines. The owner can remove up to 10% of the trees on the property without mitigation. Mr. Matthew Wessberg, applicant, stated when the original plan was done in 2007, the plan was to move the spruce tree, but the tree mover stated the tree could not be situated in the best location. Mr. Wessberg stated another larger tree has been planted. They have been in the home since 2005. The home was built in 1954. Commissioner Thompson asked about the oak tree and Mr. Wessberg stated it is their intent to keep the oak tree and, if necessary, the deck will be built around it. The existing curb cut will be used and the retaining walls will remain. Chair Larson asked if the deck would have posts and Mr. Wessberg stated they would use posts. Commissioner Holewa moved, seconded by Commissioner Hames, to recommend approval of Planning Case 13-001 for a variance at 1455 Skiles Lane, based on the findings of fact, the submitted plans and the four conditions in the March 6, 2013, planning case report. The motion carried unanimously (5-0). Commissioner Thompson stated she appreciates the research staff did on the setbacks on other homes in the neighborhood. UNFINISHED AND NEW BUSINESS City Planner Meagan Beekman reviewed the Resilient Communities Project (RCP) is a program through the University of Minnesota and administered by the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA). The program selects one Minnesota City per year to participate. The program matches University coursework with community projects that have a sustainability impact. The program defines sustainability broadly to include environmental, social, and financial sustainability for a community. The projects should have a relatively narrow scope and clear deliverable. Once a city is selected, CURA staff match up the individual projects with graduate courses at the University of Minnesota that have a community-project component related to one or more of the city’s needs. The purpose of the program is intended to better connect University resources with communities, regional entities, and organizations interested in sustainability in the Twin Cities and other metropolitan areas in Minnesota. At their February 11, 2013 meeting, the City Council directed Staff to prepare an application to the RCP program. RCP Staff have indicated that they will make a decision on the applications in mid-March. Staff has prepared a list of 19 projects to include as part of the application. Projects fall into three categories: ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION – MARCH 6, 2013 5 Projects directly related to TCAAP, taken from the Master Plan RFP that, if Arden Hills was selected to participate in RCP, would reduce the cost of the consultant contract to complete the Master Plan. House-keeping projects that have a City-wide impact and need to be completed, however, are only indirectly related to TCAAP and not included in the Master Plan RFP. Projects that would add value to the City if the City had more resources to complete them, but are not imperative to City operation. City Planner Meagan Beekman stated City Staff has been in contact with Ramsey County Environmental Health to discuss possible project partnerships. Out of those discussions three City projects were identified that Ramsey County Environmental Health thought would be valuable to their organization. The projects are: Design Standards to Promote Recycling Site-wide Participation in a City Recycling Contract on TCAAP Reduction of Construction Waste. Ramsey County Environmental Health has a Public Entities Innovation Grant program to which County Environmental Health staff has encouraged the City to apply. They have tentatively committed $25,000 of grant money to provide to the City as part of our participation in RCP, provided that the City is selected to participate in RCP and that the three projects are included in the final project list. Ramsey County Administration has also committed $10,000 towards the City’s RCP application. City Planner Meagan Beekman reviewed two of the City’s 20 proposed projects relate to the creation of a social media policy for the City and the launch of a social media presence. Due to the communications and technology component of these projects, the City can include funding from the Cable Fund to assist in completing these items. The City will contribute $10,000 from the Cable Fund to complete this work. City Planner Meagan Beekman stated an additional two of the City’s 20 proposed projects are for creating work-flow efficiencies for the public works crews related to the tracking of sanitary sewer inspections, hydrant flushes, and other in-field work. The Public Works Director has indicated that finding solutions to these work-flow problems would be very valuable in saving staff time and resources. The City will contribute $10,000 from Utility Funds be included in the City’s RCP application. All of the projects offer value to the community, and the City has included a contribution of $5,000 from the general fund as part of the application. $60,000 has been identified as Resilient Communities Project Funding Sources. Commissioner Holewa asked if the list of 20 projects was sent and City Planner Meagan Beekman stated the same list was sent in with the applicant. No action is requested. ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION – MARCH 6, 2013 6 REPORTS A.Report from the City Council January 22, 2013, City Council Work Session Councilmember McClung reviewed the City Council directed Staff to review the multi-family design standards and increase the minimum unit size for three bedroom and larger units. Staff will research this item and bring it to the Planning Commission for discussion at a later date. The City Council directed Staff to move forward with acquisition of the triangle parcel owned by Presbyterian Homes and to locate a gateway sign and related landscaping on the site. January 28, 2013, City Council Work Session The City Council reviewed the City’s Zoning and Comprehensive Plan regulations pertaining to the TCAAP site. The County is in the process of completing a market study for the TCAAP site that will be available in the coming weeks. The Council discussed how preliminary results from the market study compared with the existing vision and regulations related to TCAAP. February 11, 2013, City Council Regular Meeting The City Council voted unanimously (4-0, McClung Absent) to approve the development agreement at 1201 County Road E related to the redevelopment of the former Holiday Inn site. Staff is working with the property owner on completing conditions of approval prior to the issuance of building permits. The City Council unanimously (4-0, McClung Absent) voted to appoint David Sand as the Chair of the TCAAP Joint Development Authority between the City and Ramsey County. Mayor David Grant and Councilmember Brenda Holden were also appointed to the JDA. The City Council directed Staff to move forward with an application to the Resilient Communities Project (RCP) through the University of Minnesota and the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA). As part of the application, the Council also directed Staff to apply for a Public Entity Innovation Grant (PEIG) through Ramsey County Department of Environmental Health in the amount of $25,000. February 19, 2013, City Council Work Session The City Council reviewed a concept proposal for the redevelopment of the southwest corner of Lexington Avenue and Red Fox Road. The developer is proposing to construct approximately 60,000 square feet of retail over three phases. The first phase would include demolition of the Blue Fox Restaurant and construction of 15,000 square feet of retail. Phase 2 would involve the reconfiguration of 1120 Red Fox Road to accommodate larger retail users and reorient, the building. Phase 3 would include the demolition of 3771 Lexington Avenue, and the construction of three new retail, office buildings. Staff is working with the developer on a formal application for a Master and Final Planned Unit Development. Staff anticipates the Planning Commission will review this item at their April 3, 2013, meeting. The building owners have a commitment to Arden Hills. The City Council reviewed a request from a resident to allow chickens on residential properties in the City. The Council indicated that they were not supportive of changing the City’s 200 foot setback requirements for the keeping of chickens and other fowl at this time. ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION – MARCH 6, 2013 7 February 25, 2013, EDA Regular Meeting The Economic Development Authority discussed business subsidy and Tax Increment Financing (TIF), and provided feedback to Staff on a TIF report card that would allow requests for TIF to be reviewed as they relate to overall City goals for economic development. The Council provided feedback to Staff on the scoring criteria, and will be asked to review a TIF policy at the next EDA meeting. Chair Larson asked if TIF would be used in the TCAAP development. Councilmember McClung stated he does not believe TIF will be a large component in the TCAAP development. B.Planning Commission Comments and Requests Commissioner Thompson asked about the apartment building on County Road E and the Now Fitness Building. She asked for an update on the project there. City Planner Meagan Beekman stated the City has been working closely with the building owner. Demolition permits have been issued and demolition has begun. The development agreement needed to be finalized. Easements needed to be dedicated to the City. No building permits could be issued until all that was finalized. The Building Official met with the applicant and hopefully building permits will be issued next week. Upcoming Meetings March 18, 2013 – Joint Work Session with City Council. April 3, 2013 – Regular Planning Commission Meeting C.Staff Comments None ADJOURN Commissioner Holewa moved, seconded by Commissioner Hames, to adjourn the March 6, 2013, Planning Commission Meeting at 7:05 p.m. The motion carried unanimously (5-0).