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HomeMy WebLinkAbout5-05-10 - PC Minutes Approved: CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA PLANNING COMMISSION WORKSESSION WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 2010 7:30 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 Planning Commission Worksession meeting at 7:38 p.m. ROLL CALL Present were: Chair Clayton Larson, Commissioners Roberta Thompson, Elizabeth Modesette, Angela Hames, Clayton Zimmerman and Andrew Holewa Absent: Commissioners Daniel Reiff and Samuel Scott Also present was: City Planner I, Meagan Beekman and Suzanne Reiss, Cunningham Group APPROVAL OF AGENDA – MAY 5, 2010 The Agenda was approved as presented. PLANNING TOPICS A. TCAAP Zoning Project Suzanne Reiss, Cunningham Group reviewed the current draft of the TCAAP zoning regulations with the Commission. She explained the Council authorized staff to contract with the Cuningham Group for planning and legal services to assist in the preparation of the TCAAP zoning regulations. The regulations are intended to generate discussion and lead to the adoption of a zoning code for the TCAAP site prior to the public auction. Planner Beekman reviewed the Land Use Chart with the Commission noting the Council did discuss this at their last worksession meeting. The purpose of tonight’s discussion was to refine what the City has as this would be the last Planning Commission meeting prior to the public hearing scheduled for June. ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION WORKSESSION – MAY 5, 2010 2 B. TCAAP Zoning Project (continued) Holewa expressed concern about the number of apartments or rental units and how the new numbers would affect the community. Chair Larson agreed stating it would be important for the Commission to understand where the percentages were coming from for density and housing styles. Ms. Reiss reviewed the definitions section in detail noting the new definitions were broken down into distinct subcategories. Chair Larson felt the percentage of office/showroom and warehouse was off at this time. He suggested the split be 10% office/showroom space with 90% warehouse space. The Commission was in agreement with this suggestion. Modesette asked how the City Code currently addressed this issue. Planner Beekman stated the Code does not have a percentage at this time as warehouse was not a permitted use within the City. This could be made an accessory use in the mixed business district. Planner Beekman indicated a black-lined Ordinance would be provided at the public hearing to allow everyone to review the changes. In addition a clean version will underline the changes made this evening to the most recent draft of the zoning regulations. The land use chart would be included as with this information as well. Chair Larson indicated that after approving these regulations, the City would be in compliance with the Comprehensive Plan. Hames questioned what a financial institution was within the regulations. Modesette requested that financial institutions be permitted in the zoning district. Ms. Reiss suggested this be further defined separately from an office, to explain the varying uses at a bank. She explained the drive-up or drive through businesses were on the Land Use Chart as a conditional accessory uses with a permit. Chair Larson asked if pawn shops would be allowed in the TCAAP development. Planner Beekman explained this was a prohibited use on the Land Use Chart. Modesette asked if adult daycare facilities would be permitted. Planner Beekman indicated this would be allowed under the zoning regulations. Chair Larson encouraged staff to review State codes to assure that the zoning regulations are in compliance with current fire and building code changes for daycare facilities. ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION WORKSESSION – MAY 5, 2010 3 B. TCAAP Zoning Project (continued) Planner Beekman stated the Council has had a great deal of discussion about houses of worship and higher education developments. The City had a great deal of tax exempt land and this was a concern with the Council. Holewa asked if there had been any discussions with the school district placing a grade school on the TCAAP site. Planner Beekman stated there have been no discussions to date as the population of students was declining. Mining and excavating was discussed further. The Commission agreed to allow grading and excavating for the purpose of development but was not in favor of mining on the TCAAP site. Planner Beekman suggested this be removed as a permitted use on the Land Use Chart. She explained that grading and excavating would only be allowed on the site as a permitted use and requires erosion control. Hames suggested the reference to “earth-sheltered home” be omitted from the code as it should be treated as any other kind of residence. Planner Beekman stated all of the comments made this evening would be brought to Community Development Director Lehnhoff for his review before going to the Council. Zimmerman reviewed several changes stating all trails and sidewalks should be referred to as pathways within the document. He encouraged the City streets within TCAAP to accommodate bicycles as the City was not currently bicycle friendly. Planner Beekman explained the plan does require an integrated network for sidewalks and bicycle access. Once the City begins working with the developer, corridors will be identified to have bicycle lanes and sidewalks. However, priorities will be given to some streets and not all streets will provide access. Chair Larson encouraged staff to have a “complete street” focus in the TCAAP development. The Commission was in agreement. Holewa asked for staff to explain the alternative urban area wide review process. Planner Beekman stated this was similar to an environmental review and allowed for all reviews to be approved at one time prior to development, instead of piece by piece. She noted a master plan would have to be in place. Hames questioned if a stadium would be allowed on the TCAAP site with the current zoning regulations. ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION WORKSESSION – MAY 5, 2010 4 B. TCAAP Zoning Project (continued) Planner Beekman stated the Council did discuss the possibility of a stadium as one Councilmember met with Tony Bennett and the President of the Minnesota Vikings. The Council would be open to hearing a development with regional significance that would benefit the community. Planner Beekman explained a Vikings Stadium was not currently permitted by the zoning code, nor is it allowed within the Comprehensive Plan. The City would need to consider a Comprehensive Plan and zoning code amendment. She added that a racetrack would not be a permitted use either. Zimmerman questioned how storm water runoff would be handled on TCAAP. He encouraged on-site infiltration for treatment of the runoff. Ms. Reiss reviewed the current language noting the City would be encouraging rain gardens and other naturally filtered options. Thompson asked if the City had a cost estimate between the energy efficient buildings materials and those that were not. She questioned if these requirements would make it cost prohibitive for smaller companies to build on the TCAAP site. Ms. Reiss did not have any numbers but stated the costs up front would be made up in the future due to cost savings over time. Thompson requested the 10,000 square feet size be increased to 25,000 square feet to decrease the impact on small companies. Planner Beekman requested the Commissioners forward any further comments or questions to her. She reminded the Commission that the next time they reviewed this th information would be at the June 9 public hearing. ADJOURN Chair Larson moved to adjourn the May 5, 2010, Planning Commission Meeting at 9:00 p.m. The motion carried unanimously (6-0).