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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/27/00Hastings Planning Commission March 27, 2000 Regular Meeting Commissioner Schultz called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m. Commissioners Present: Anderson, Greil, Harrington, Schultz, Stotko, and Strauss Commissioners Absent: None Staff Present: City Planner Matthew Weiland, Associate Planner Kris Jenson 2. Approve March 13th, 2000 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes. 3. Public Hearing - Bailey Ridge Preliminary Plat 4. Site Plan Review - Bailey Ridge Planner Weiland presented background information on the project. Chairman Schultz opened the Public Hearing at 7:12 p.m. There was no public comment. The Public Hearing was closed at 7:13 p.m. Commissioner Strauss asked for a clarification regarding the streets in the subdivision. Planner Weiland stated that the main east-west drive would be a public street, with the drives to the north between the townhomes private roads to be maintained by the homeowner's association. He also noted that the developer, Mr. Todd Siewert and his engineer, Mr. Dan Tillson, were in the audience and available for questions. Mr. Siewert, developer of the project, indicated he would prefer a named street versus the 13th Street which was assigned by the Public Works Director and Fire Marshall. Planner Weiland stated that Mr. Siewert would have to discuss the possibility of a different name with the Public Works Director and Fire Marshall. Planner Weiland also noted that fire hydrants will be located at the end of the private drives for fire protection, and the umts will be properly signed for public safety. Commissioner Anderson asked if these units are considered single family units. Plmmer Weiland stated that all of the units will be for sale units. Chairman Schultz inquired about a statement in the Staff report regarding a credit for Park Dedication Fees. Planner Weiland stated that the land was previously owned by the School District who was given some park credits for the Public Library at the comer of South Frontage and Pleasant Drive. Planning Commission Action on Bailey Ridge Preliminary Plat: Commissioner Anderson moved and Commissioner Harrington seconded to recommend to City Council the approval of the Bailey Ridge Preliminary Plat subject to the following conditions: That preliminary plat approval is contingent upon the Metropolitan Council approving the City's 2020 Comprehensive Plan or approving an amendment to the existing Comprehensive Plan. That preliminary plat approval is contingent upon the rezoning of this property to R-3 Planned Residential Development. 6. 7. 8. That the applicant shall pay a park dedication fee of $850.00 per unit or $25,500.00 for 30 units. There may be a park dedication credit on this property. The developer will have to show evidence to the City of the credit to receive reduced park dedication fees. These fees shall be agreed to upon in the development agreement. That the applicant shall pay a $305/lot - Interceptor Sewer Fee - which would total $9,150.00 for 30 units. That the Developer shall obtain Site Plan approval from the City prior to issuance of any building permits for any future proposed developments on property. That the final plat shall be modified to name the public street 13th St. That the developer shall provide evidence that all private drives and utilities will be maintained by a homeowner's association not by the City. That the Developer shall enter into a Development Agreement with the City to memorialize conditions of preliminary plat and site plan approval and that the executed Agreement shall be recorded against the subject property prior to issuance of grading permits. Upon vote taken, Ayes, 6; Nays, 0. Motion carried. Planning Commission Action on Bailey Ridge Site Plan: Commissioner Harrington moved and Commissioner Strauss seconded to recommend to City Council the approval of the Bailey Ridge Site Plan subject to following: 1. That the proposed structure and accessory items including, but not limited to, the parking lot and landscaping shall be completed pursuant to the approved site plan. Upon request for occupancy of the building, all uncompleted items contained within the site plan shall be addressed pursuant to city code escrow requirements. 2. That the developer shall modify the utility plan to include the following elements subject to the approval of the Public Works Director: A. The developer shall have separate water meters and water lines installed for all irrigation systems. B. The developer shall submit full construction details for the public roads and utilities. 3. That the developer modify the landscape plan to include the following elements subject to approval of the City Planner: A. Five (5) street trees shall be installed in the boulevard along 13th St. B. Three (3) existing front yard trees shall relocated back form the sidewalk. C. One (1) additional front yard tree shall be added to the plan. 4. That the retaining wall on the site plan shall be modified in one of the following ways subject to the approval of the City A. The retaining wall must have a decorative fence installed along the top of the wall with some landscaping on top of the wall or in front of the wall. Upon vote taken, Ayes, 6; Nays, 0. Motion carried. 5. Public Hearing - Arbor Oaks Preliminary Plat Chairman Schultz stated that the Public Hearing for the Preliminary Plat needed to be canceled due to the Plat not being ready at this time. There are some minor property line differences that need to be cleared up before the hearing can be held. The public hearing has been rescheduled for April 10, 2000. 2 Commissioner Strauss moved and Commissioner Stotko seconded the motion to cancel the Public Hemng for the Arbor Oaks Preliminary Plat and reschedule it for April 10, 2000. The vote was unanimous. 6. Site Plan Review - Arbor Oaks Planner Weiland presented background on the project, including clarifiying why the public hearing was postponed. Some of the issues pointed out include that the height of the proposed structure is permitted in the R- 4 district, the City has no regulations addressing views from property, that the Applicant has the right to take advantage of the views from the site, the proposed setbacks exceed the minimums required, and that the size of the project does not trigger thresholds for an EAW or other types of studies per state law. Commissioner Harrington inquired as to how trash would be handled. Kurt Velett, architect for the Arbor Oaks, indicated that all trash would be kept within the service area, and all compacting would be done within this aa:ea as well. There will be no outside trash areas. Commissioner Anderson inquired about the mechanicals for the building, and where they would be located. Mr. Velett indicated that a mechanical room is located near the service entrance. The building uses hot water heat radiators for the units, wall air conditioning units for the individual units, and common aa:eas will be serviced with central air. The exterior air conditioning unit would be similar to that for a typical single-family home, and located just west of the link between the buildings. Commissioner Anderson requested that the air conditioning unit be moved to the other side of the link to provide more buffering and screening to the neighbors to the west. Commissioner Greil inquired about the existing loop road for Oak Ridge Manor, and whether that would be maintained. Mr. Velett stated the road would be abandoned due to the construction of the link between the buildings. The service road which runs to the rear of the proposed Arbor Oaks project will connect with the rear of the Oak Ridge Manor project, and ballards and a chain across the fire road will be installed to prevent through traffic. Commissioner Anderson inquired whether this project will be fully sprinkled. Mr. Velett stated that it would be a fully sprinkled building. Commissioner Stotko inquired about the possibility of moving the building to a lower area of the hill. Mr. Velett stated that there are two reasons the building was located where it was. The first was the grade of the hill. The area where the building is proposed to be located is a flatter part of the hill and will require less grading and em-th movement. The second reason is the link between the two buildings. Commissioner Greil inquired as to the reason for the link. Mr. Velett indicated that the link will facilitate movement between the two buildings and will be used for many reasons. Some include moving residents from the apartments to the assisted living areas, allowing residents of the apartments to volunteer in the assisted living areas, residents of the apartments visiting friends and/or family in the assisted living area, and easy access to the community room currently being constructed at Oak Ridge Manor. Commissioner Greil inquired whether the two facilities shared management. Mr. Doug Mayo, Director of Housing Development for CommonBond Communities, explained that both Oak Ridge Manor and Arbor Oaks will be separate non-profit corporations, but that they will be managed by the same group Chairman Schultz inquired about Park Dedication Fees. Planner Weiland stated that was better discussed in regards to the Preliminary Plat. Commissioner Anderson asked about the maximum height in this zoning district, and what the nature of the townhomes on the site would be. Planner Weiland stated that any building over 40' in height would require a special use permit. The Code is otherwise set up to permit any height, provided that adequate setbacks are met, which this project does. The townhomes proposed for the project are market rate, for independent living seniors. They will be one level with 2 bedrooms. Commissioner Harrington excused himself at 7:50 p.m. Chairman Schultz stated that if there were member of the audience who wished to speak regarding this matter, they should approach the podium and give their name and address prior to their comments. Roger Stradal, 1015 Hillside Street, stated that his main concern was with regards to the noise. He would prefer to see the entire development shifted down the hill and having the service entry at the front of the building. Delivery trucks backing up will make the beeping noise. The homes along Hillside Street were designed for the view and many of the young neighborhood children play in the area behind the homes. Says that CommonBond Communities should realize that communities go beyond the lot lines and that the residents at the top of the hill are a part of the community as well. Jay Nicholls, 1031 Hillside Street, inquired how long the development had been in the works. Planner Weiland stated approximately 6 months. Mr. Nicholls stated that he first learned of this project about Moa:ch 9th. He feels there should be more notification time for neighbors, so that the neighbors can provide input into the project at an earlier stage. He would prefer to see a straight line building at the bottom of the hill, close to Bahls Drive, with the townhomes further up the hill towards the neighbors. Paul Hellen, 1030 Hillside Street, stated that he felt the neighbors were given very short notice and that there was no discussion between the applicants and the neighbor=s earlier in the process. He requested that the item (Arbor Oaks Site Plan review) be canceled, or at a minimum tabled, and the project sent back to the drawing board. Planner Weiland responded by stating that even if the building were pushed to the bottom of the hill near Bahls Drive, the views of the neighbor=s on top of the hill would still be impacted, and the grades in that area are not suitable for the project. He also stated that it is not practical to involve the neighbors at the eaa:ly stages of project development. Mr. Nicholls asked if the City felt that the neighbors wouldn=t have good ideas, that only developers have good ideas. Planner Weiland stated that wasn=t the case, but it would be unfair to developers to ask them to follow all the neighbors requirements. Mr. Nicholls responded that the applicant=s would have been able to find an architect who could have designed the building at the bottom of the hill. He also stated that the average resident of Arbor Oaks would be there for approximately 18 months, according to the information he had, while the residents at the top of the hill had lived there for many years, and would be there for many more years. He also stated that a flat roof would be a better alternative to the peaked roof. Planner Weiland stated that the City has never required a developer to create multiple designs for a site, and it would not be practical to do so. Mr. Nicholls reiterated that the neighbors should be involved much earlier. 4 Planner Weiland stated that this land had been guided and zoned for high density housing since at least 1982, and that a project of this sort could have gone in at any time. Mr. Stradal stated that he was told at the time he purchased his home, that the City had gone away from large story buildings, or that any taller structures would be located at the bottom of the hill. Planner Weiland stated that the City has a need for Senior Housing, and that Staff recommends approving the plan as noted. Chairman Schultz inquired about the age requirements for the units. Mr. Mayo stated that while the units are geared for seniors, there may be a need for assisted living by someone who is not a senior. Commissioner Greil stated he felt the link between the buildings was an excellent idea and would be an asset to the site. He inquired about the elevations for the duplex/triplex townhome units. Planner Weiland stated that in this case the Commission is not required to review the elevations. Commissioner Strauss stated that she felt the site was best served by the parking lot being at the bottom of the hill, to buffer the noise of it from the neighbors. Commissioner Stotko stated that he was not prepared to vote on the matter and wanted some of the alternative considered, such as a flat roof. Commissioner Anderson inquired about how the height of the proposed Arbor Oaks compaa:ed to the existing Oak Ridge Manor. Mr. Velett said that Arbor Oaks would be one story lower than Oak Ridge Manor. Chairman Schultz asked what type of development would be allowed in this zoning district. Planner Weiland stated that the R-4 zoning district permits townhomes, apartments, condominiums, etc. which could be higher densities, with more traffic and noise. Commissioner Strauss stated she didn=t feel comfortable voting on the site plan before the preliminary plat had been approved. Commissioner Anderson stated that he felt that the proposed project will be a good neighbor in the area and he has had personal experience with this type of situation. However, the proposed project meets the rules and requirements, they are keeping the utilities and parking lot away, and the applicant has the prerogative to develop the property. Planner Weiland stated that is the Commission chose to table the item, there must be specific reasons, or additional information they were looking for. He also indicated that the property was being platted as a one lot, and the reason the plat was not ready this evening was that there was a minor legality to be cleared up. Bernard Decker, 1021 Hillside Street, stated that if this project was permitted to continue, he would be looking at a wall of cement. Mr. Mayo stated that the plat would not change the site plan, which was being required by the City. There was an error in platting an adjoining plat and this platting process will clear that up. Chairman Schultz reminded the Commission that the development meets the codes and they must base their decision on that basis. Planning Commission Action: Commissioner Strauss moved and Commissioner Stotko seconded a motion to table the Arbor Oaks Site Plan review to the next Planning Commission meeting. Upon vote taken, 2 Ayes, 3 Nays. Motion Failed. Commissioner Strauss then withdrew her motion. Planning Commission Action: Commissioner Strauss moved and Commissioner Anderson seconded a motion to recommend to City Council the approval of the Arbor Oaks Site Plan subject to following: That the proposed structure and accessory items including, but not limited to, the parking lot and landscaping shall be completed pursuant to the approved site plan. Upon request for occupancy of the building, all uncompleted items contained within the site plan shall be addressed pursuant to city code escrow requirements. Site Plan approval is contingent upon the developer platting the property. That the proposed Arbor Oaks water main shall be connected to the Oak Ridge Manor water main providing a looped system. The utility plan shall be modified to illustrate this and is subject to the approval of the Public Works Director. That the developer shall install separate water meters and water lines installed for all irrigation systems. That the developer modify the landscape plan to include the following elements subject to approval of the City Planner: 1. A tree protection system shall be illustrated around the existing trees. 2. 10 ft evergreen trees shall be placed directly behind the service entry. 3. Three evergreen trees identified on the land scape plan shall be relocated to the front property line. 4. Street trees shall be planted every 50 ft between the sidewalk and Bahls Drive. That the applicant modify the site plan to include a 5 ft sidewalk located one ft of the property line along the Bahls Dr street frontage. That the developer modify the site plan to move the trails along the private drive back at least 5 ft from the curb to account for snow removal and safer pedestrian use. The retaining wall on the site plan shall be modified in one of the following ways subject to the approval of the City. 1. The applicant shall eliminate the retaining wall and adjust the grading plan accordingly. 2. The applicant shall break the retaining wall up into two sections with landscape plantings; or 3. The applicant shall plant evergreens in front of the wall. 4. The wall must have a decorative fence installed along the top of the wall. That the site plan shall be modified to illustrate that the trails in font of the 3 story building have been increased to 10 ft in size and that the trail has been realigned to allow emergency vehicle access off of the private drive. This shall be subject to the approval of the Fire Marshall. 10. That all exterior mechanicals on the building be located away from the neighbors surrounding the property. Upon vote taken, 4 Ayes, 1 Nay, Motion Carried. 7. Updates and Other Business Planner Weiland stated that he received the resignation of Commissioner Donndelinger. A notice is being put in the newspaper asking for applicants to the Planning Commission. Adjournment: There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 8:30 pm.