Laserfiche WebLink
Regular Planning CommissionMeeting <br />Minutes –Wednesday, January 6, 2016 <br />Page 15 <br />Member Murphy concurred, stating it would simply be a business decision on the part of <br />718 <br />the developer, and not part of Planning Commission deliberations tonight. <br />719 <br />Mr. Wright noted concerns with children as previously stated, and noted that the road <br />720 <br />was signed “No Parking,” but that was not observed by parents with school children, and <br />721 <br />suggested the School District needed to be involved. <br />722 <br />Since Midland Grove was now an FHA-qualified building representing less than 37% of <br />723 <br />its units, Mr. Wright noted that many of those owners had rented out their units and were <br />724 <br />not involved in day-to-day happenings, but opined the school issue needed to be dealt <br />725 <br />with. Mr. Wright opined that small children should not be walking across the rod, and <br />726 <br />suggested they could be picked-up/dropped-off in the Midland Grove parking lot. <br />727 <br />In general, Mr. Wright stated he and his wife were supportive of the proposal. <br />728 <br />As a School District 623 Board member-elect, Chair Boguszewski encouraged residents <br />729 <br />to go to the District’s website and send their concerns to board members, assuring those <br />730 <br />residents that he had noted their concern for his follow-up when his term starts. <br />731 <br />Patricia Keely Hall, 2209 Midland Grove Road, #301 <br />732 <br />Ms. Hall thanked the Planning Commission staff for their response to her questions prior <br />733 <br />to this meeting. Ms. Hall stated that her original intent was to make a request, but with <br />734 <br />the comments of Mr. Carrington about opposition of the neighborhood to this <br />735 <br />development, Ms. Hall advised she needed to respond to that comment. While not <br />736 <br />having a vested interest in this development, as a demographer by trade, Ms. Hall <br />737 <br />clarified the results of the survey, noting that of 174 units, only 77 units responded –less <br />738 <br />than half of those living at Midland Grove; andof those 77 units, approximately 27 <br />739 <br />residents, or 35% response rate, Ms. Hall noted that 9 supported the development, while <br />740 <br />most responding left if blank or had no opinion. Ms. Hall opined that those opposed were <br />741 <br />basically committed to keeping the property as is and how they would like to see it. <br />742 <br />However, Ms. Hall further opined that those in opposition certainly didn’t represent 90% <br />743 <br />of the residents living at Midland Grove. <br />744 <br />Ms. Hall stated that 38% of those responding appeared worried about increased traffic, <br />745 <br />and she suggested if a traffic study was performed it could reassure neighbors or give <br />746 <br />them fuel to deal with their prospective new neighbors, Ramsey County and/or the City of <br />747 <br />Roseville to get those potential problems alleviated. Ms. Hall stated she would be very <br />748 <br />much in favor of a traffic study being performed. <br />749 <br />As an employee of the U of MN in Dinkytown (Prospect Park), Ms. Hall noted that that <br />750 <br />neighborhood changed and looked nothing like it used to, with high rise apartment <br />751 <br />buildings installed and while not affiliated with the U of MN, some of those buildings were <br />752 <br />constructed under false pretenses, such as proposing a certain density of a project, but <br />753 <br />then the project switching to a greater density and height than that approved. <br />754 <br />Member Daire noted that as a Planner with the City of Minneapolis at that time, he had <br />755 <br />been involved in that development project. <br />756 <br />Ms. Hall opined that, even if this proposal didn’t succeed, something would inevitably be <br />757 <br />built there. Ms. Hall stated that she wanted to be agood citizen and positive part of the <br />758 <br />community, but she also didn’t want whatever developed to be ugly or end up large <br />759 <br />condominiums that would reduce area property values. If this proposal and this <br />760 <br />application to change the comprehensive plan and zoningdon’t succeed, Ms Hall asked if <br />761 <br />the Planning Commission would be willing to ask to rezone the property or move it away <br />762 <br />from HDR designation; or asked if there was a way citizens could ask for the property to <br />763 <br />be rezoned back to a lower density and use designation. <br />764 <br />Mr. Paschke responded that there were a number of ways that could be addressed if the <br />765 <br />developer walks away from the project and the sale doesn’t go through and the project is <br />766 <br />dead. From that perspective, Mr. Paschke stated that the cityhad the ability to change <br />767 <br />comprehensive plan guidance and zoning. However, Mr. Paschke noted that the end <br />768 <br />result may be that, once guided and zoned differently, any permitted use supported by <br />769 <br /> <br />