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Regular Planning CommissionMeeting <br />Minutes – Wednesday, September 2, 2015 <br />Page 18 <br />Member Murphy clarified that this requirement for parking was a state requirement for a <br />865 <br />5’ separation for security purposes when trailers were parked parallel to each other. <br />866 <br />Member Bull stated he would support the IU request with a few wording changes. <br />867 <br />Member Stellmach stated that he was leaning toward supporting the 3-year IU request, <br />868 <br />opining that safety issues would improve with the staff-recommended conditions to the <br />869 <br />IU, and in consideration of the property owners’ apparent interest in the goal of <br />870 <br />transitioning the property sooner than later, and which he would then support them in <br />871 <br />those efforts. <br />872 <br />Member Cunningham admitted she struggled in approving a 3 year IU when so much <br />873 <br />remained up in the air with this area, and the Twin Lakes parkway, opining that it may <br />874 <br />prove discouraging for residents to see this unsightly storage in an area focused on <br />875 <br />redevelopment.While appreciating the 70’ front yard setback condition, Member <br />876 <br />Cunningham stated that she could not support a 3 year IU, but would be more amenable <br />877 <br />to a 1 or 2 year IU. <br />878 <br />Chair Boguszewski noted that the Commission could choose to amend the IU term at <br />879 <br />their discretion. <br />880 <br />Based on the plans outlined by Mr. Commers, Member Cunningham suggested that a 2 <br />881 <br />year IU term seemed reasonable based on current market conditions, while still allowing <br />882 <br />them to return to the Planning Commission for an extension of the IU if market conditions <br />883 <br />dictated it. <br />884 <br />Chair Boguszewski stated that he was not convinced that a fence or visual barrier <br />885 <br />screening of the site wouldn’t also improve the application from his perspective. <br />886 <br />Member Cunningham noted that it may just be the uniqueness of this site sincethe next <br />887 <br />IU request proposed fencing. <br />888 <br />Mr. Paschke responded that there was a difference in the IU requests based on their <br />889 <br />specific use, with the other request consisting of a contractor yard that functioned much <br />890 <br />differently than this and requiring screening at a lower level than could be achieved with <br />891 <br />the trailer storage use.Mr. Paschke opined that a massive wall that would need to be <br />892 <br />created to screen this IU use would be more unsightly than the trailers, and would not <br />893 <br />serve to address the functioning ofthe site required by the Fire Marshal to address his <br />894 <br />concerns.Mr. Paschke advised that this was part of the rationale in staff recommending <br />895 <br />the 3-year term and no fence requirements on this parcel based on uses on the east side <br />896 <br />of Fairview Avenue also having a lot of outdoor storage on those sites and similar to how <br />897 <br />this site functioned in the past.Given the intent of the owner to raze the existing building <br />898 <br />and redevelop the sit in the short-term, Mr. Paschke opined a term of 2-3 years was <br />899 <br />better from his perspective, and without knowing how those properties on the east side of <br />900 <br />Fairview Avenue would eventually develop. <br />901 <br />Community Development Director Paul Bilotta addressed the fencing specific to this IU <br />902 <br />application, noting that most IU terms were for a full 5 years, with potential extension if <br />903 <br />remaining compliant.However, Mr. Bilotta noted that neither the applicant nor the City <br />904 <br />was interested in extending this particular use for 10-15 years.Mr. Bilotta advised that <br />905 <br />one reason a fence was included in this IU approval and conditions was to not place an <br />906 <br />additional performance requirement on the site or asking the property owner to invest <br />907 <br />significantly on the site’s value under this IU use.While it was at the discretion of the <br />908 <br />Planning Commission and subsequently the City Council, Mr. Bilotta advised that staff’s <br />909 <br />rationale was that it would be better to simply get the trailers further back on the lot and <br />910 <br />not require a fence that may imply that the property owner had long-term rights for these <br />911 <br />activities, andthereby encouraging redevelopment of the site for a higher and better use. <br />912 <br />In looking at Fairview Avenue based on its past and where it appear to be moving and <br />913 <br />general welfare concerns for the neighborhood in allowing this IU, Member Murphystated <br />914 <br />that hedidn’t feel he could support the request.In looking back to 2006 or even 2011, <br />915 <br />Member Murphy noted there was much more empty space and less trailer storage on this <br />916 <br /> <br />