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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Commission - 07/28/2025APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PLANNING COMMISSION MONDAY, JULY 28, 2025 7:00 PM—CITY CENTER Council Chambers 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS: John Kirk, Frank Sherwood, Andrew Pieper, Ed Farr, Trisha Duncan, Robert Taylor, Dan Grote, Charles Weber; Phou Sivilay CITY STAFF: Jeremy Barnhart, City Planner; Carter Shulze, City Engineer; Matt Bourne, Parks and Natural Resources Manager; Kristin Harley, Recording Secretary I. CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER Chair Pieper called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – ROLL CALL Commission member Sivilay was absent. III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Taylor moved, seconded by Grote to approve the agenda. MOTION CARRIED 8-0. IV. MINUTES MOTION: Duncan moved, seconded by Farr to approve the minutes of July 14, 2025. MOTION CARRIED 8-0. V. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. PRAIRIE VILLAGE PET HOSPITAL ADDITION (2025-08) • Planned Unit Development (PUD) Concept Review on 0.46 acres • Planned Unit Development (PUD) District Review with Waivers on 0.46 acres • Site Plan Review on 0.46 acres Alan Hupp, of Hupp Holdings LLC, presented a PowerPoint and detailed the application. He explained the Prairie Village Pet Hospital had been in place for 40 PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES July 28, 2025 Page 2 years and he wished to grow the hospital. He introduced himself as a 30-year resident of Eden Prairie, also a parent, and was involved with the Helping Paws Foster Home. He was also a Twin Cities real estate investor and developer since 2010. The existing pet hospital was 1,995 square feet and built in 1985 at 7815 Terrey Pine Court. The site was purchased in July 2024 by Hupp Holdings IX, LLC. CareVet was the current tenant, which was a national operator with over 200 vet hospitals across 35 states. The Eden Prairie clinic was a top performer but had outgrown its capacity. The applicant was requesting to remodel the current space and construct a 1,114 square foot addition. Hupp wished to reimagine the space, enlarge the surgical treatment area, and make the staff flow more efficient. The client-facing experience would be improved to make this a premier vet clinic. Hupp explained the design would respect the existing land use patterns by complementing existing buildings and surrounding properties, maintaining neighborhood cohesion, and complying with the Comprehensive Plan. The project team was collaborating with departments at City Hall to comply with City Code. Hupp Holdings would privately fund development and extend to CareVet a 10- year lease. The project was requesting two waivers: one for permeability and one for parking setbacks. The development was requesting 52 percent permeability instead of the required 70 percent, or 9,465 square feet instead of the current 12,104 square feet. Hupp added the City of Eden Prairie was working with the DNR to change this permeability requirement in the future. A water garden would be part of the landscaping, and there would be more grass than in the neighboring properties. A setback waiver was needed due to the encroachment of the driveway on the 10- foot setback and three built parking spaces on the 35-foot setback. Farr asked why the proof of parking stalls were in the back instead of the front of the building. Hupp replied this was a good question, but even if in front the project would still need the waiver. He offered to discuss this with his team. Farr noted the existing retaining wall appeared about to fail. Hupp replied it was stable but ideally would be replaced. This would have to be extended at any rate. Farr commending the proposed matching existing materials but recommended the entire roof be replaced at one time in order to match, which was also a good idea with the brick matching. Hupp replied the project would not replace all the brick, but he would take Farr’s advice on the shingles. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES July 28, 2025 Page 3 Barnhart presented the staff report. There were three requests: a PUD concept, PUD with waivers, and the Site Plan. There was no waiver required for the rear setback, and the drive aisle serving did not have to meet that setback. The impervious surface was capped at 30 percent, and the applicant proposed increasing that to 52 percent. The applicant would build a rain garden, whereas there was currently no stormwater management on the property. This design had more green space than the surrounding areas. Staff conditions its recommendation on additional information on the rain garden from the applicant before going before the City Council. The proof of parking was supported by staff. The business need suggested 14 spaces. Staff recommended approval. Taylor asked if the veterinary clinic would remain open during construction and the remodeling. Hupp stated it would be a three-phased project lasting six months, and the clinic would remain open. The new addition would be for surgery. Farr asked if the PUD district was an overlay or if the PUD was being added to this site. Barnhart replied the PUD was being added to allow the waivers. Duncan asked what would have be done otherwise. Barnhart replied there would instead be variances, the standards of which were established by the state, and more challenging than granting waivers. Stormwater management goals would be realized with this development but were not required under a variance. MOTION: Grote moved, seconded by Kirk to close the public hearing. Motion carried 8-0. Duncan asked if the PUD was only being proposed in this proposal, or if there were other additional PUDs in the area. Barnhart replied the proposal was for this property only, although it was likely there were other PUDs in the area. When this property was originally developed, it was approved with variances, which had different standards than in the past. Now, waivers and a PUD were being pursued. Kirk stated he supported the application and was a longtime customer. MOTION: Kirk moved, seconded by Taylor to recommend approval of the Planned Unit Development (PUD) Concept Review on 0.46 acres; Planned Unit Development (PUD) District Review with Waivers on 0.46 acres; Site Plan Review on 0.46 acres as recommended by the staff report dated July 28, 2025. Motion carried 8-0. B. Lower Minnesota River Watershed District Zoning District Change (2024- 09) • Zoning Change from Rural to Parks and Open Space on 4.2 acres Linda Loomis, former administrator of the Lower Minnesota River Watershed District, stated this District was created in 1960 to act as the local sponsor to assist PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES July 28, 2025 Page 4 the Corps of Engineers in maintenance of the river navigation channel. The material dredged by the Corps of Engineers would be disposed of the District. This was meant to improve water quality and drainage. This proposal was brought to the Watershed by the City of Eden Prairie, as the result of a study on increasing rates of erosion. The site was located at River Mile 19.5, near the intersection of Riverview Road and Mooer Lane, and also known as Study Area Three. Loomis displayed a map and explained there was a City stormwater pond created at the request of the MPCA. She displayed a county plat showing the erosion. She then displayed a historical map showing the bluff line in 1937, 1969, and 2008, showing the results of the erosion. The Watershed District planned to stabilize the bluff with state funds and were going to bid this September. However, to do this the area had to first become public property. The Watershed purchased a parcel to be subdivided, then rezoned to Park and Open Spaces. The Watershed District would own and maintain this property in perpetuity. Loomis followed up with displaying photographs of the eroded bluffs. Loomis added the District was working with homeowners on managing stormwater. She showed a photograph of the stormwater pond, which she explained flooded often, filling in with sediment and creating gullies, which was problematic for the City. She added the District was working with the City on permits and how to manage stormwater. Farr asked how the stabilizing infill would be built up. Loomis replied an access road from Riverview Road would be constructed to access the river. Taylor asked what materials would be used for stabilization, and Loomis replied boulders would be used. These would stabilize the toe of the slope at the curve seen on the map, rather than going completely upslope. This would also prevent the flooding which resulted in the City constantly having to stabilize the pond. Taylor asked if the sediment would be removed from the pond, and Loomis replied she could not say for sure if that would be done. She added in 2014 the City installed bank pins that disappeared in three months. High increases were seen in the Minnesota River due in part to the swing bridge and railroad track at River Mile 14.2 acted like a funnel, backing up water upstream. Therefore, there were significant fluctuations in this area. Farr noted a graphic in the staff report showing how the river trended north. Loomis replied this aggradation was caused by sediment being removed by the faster current to the north on the river than on the south side, causing the south side to fill in. Farr noted this project would keep the north from eroding but not prevent sedimentation on the south and asked if the District was required to maintain a certain river width for navigation. Loomis replied this was not required in this area of the river, as all commercial navigation ended in Savage to the east. Once the river was stabilized the hope was it would come to a new equilibrium. Only recreational boating occurred in this part of the river. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES July 28, 2025 Page 5 Barnhart presented the staff report. This was a simple zoning change, since the applicant needed to own the property for the grant funding, requiring a rezoning. The 4.2 acres parcel would be split from the larger 16-acre piece. Under the current Rural zoning, the minimum lot area is10 acres, but this did not apply to Parks and Open Space. This zoning change was consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and would be stabilizing and protecting the site from future erosion. There was a pending lot split which would be an administrative approval. Staff recommended approval. MOTION: Sherwood moved, seconded by Weber to close the public hearing. Motion carried 8-0. MOTION: Duncan moved, seconded by Grote to recommend approval of the Zoning Change from Rural to Parks and Open Space on 4.2 acres as recommended by the staff report dated July 28, 2025. Motion carried 8-0. PLANNERS’ REPORT Barnhart announced there would be no August 11, 2025 meeting but did anticipate one for August 25, 2025. Duncan asked for an update on the Dan Foss application. Barnhart replied the City Council approved it, and the Comprehensive Plan Amendment was sent to the Metropolitan Council. Based on the scale of the potential development, Met Council staff could not approve it administratively, so it would go before a Metropolitan Council Subcommittee and then the Full Committee in August. He expected completion by mid-August. MEMBERS’ REPORTS VI. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Taylor moved, seconded by Kirk to adjourn. Motion carried 8-0. The meeting was adjourned at 7:39 p.m.