Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Commission - 12/13/1999 APPROVED MINUTES CITY OF EDEN PRAIRIE PLANNING COMMISSION MONDAY,DECEMBER 13,1999 7:00 P.M., CITY CENTER Council Chamber 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS: Beverly Alexander,Kenneth Clinton,Randy Foote,Bill Habicht,Rebecca Lewis and Doug Sandstad STAFF: Michael Franzen, City Planner Deb Meuwissen,Recording Secretary I. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE—ROLL CALL Chair Foote called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Commissioner Lewis was not in attendance. H. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Clinton moved, seconded by Sandstad,to approve the Agenda. Motion carried 5-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES IV. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. BLUFF COUNTRY VILLAGE EAST SENIOR HOUSING AND COMMERCIAL by Hustad Land Company. Request for Planned Unit Development Concept Review on 7.5 acres, Planned Unit Development District Review on 2.77 acres, Rezoning from Rural to Neighborhood Commercial on 2.77 acres, and Site Plan Review on 2.77 acres. Location: Pioneer Trail and Highway 169. Franzen reported a letter had been received from the applicant withdrawing its application for senior housing and retail. MOTION: Clinton moved, seconded by Alexander, to close the public hearing and return the plans to the proponent without prejudice. Motion carried 5-0. B. LIBERTY PLACE by Liberty Property Limited Partnership. Request for Comprehensive Guide Plan Amendment from Industrial/High Density Residential to Office on 3.9 acres, and from Low Density Residential to High Density Residential on 2.58 acres, Planned Unit Development Concept Review on 55.08 acres,Planned Unit Development District Review with waivers on 55.08 acres, Zoning District Change from RM-2.5 to I-2 on 5.47 acres; RM-2.5 to Office on 7.12 acres; I- 2 to Office on .41 acres; Rural to Office on .15 acres; and Rural to RTM-2.5 on 5.55 acres, Zoning District Amendment within the I-2 Zoning District on 3.78 acres, Site Plan Review on 55.08 acres, and Preliminary Plat on 55.08 acres into 3 lots and 2 outlots. Location: Smetana Lane and Valley View Road.. Franzen reported the applicant had submitted a letter requesting a continuance of the public hearing until the January 24, 2000 Planning Commission meeting due to the applicant having been unable to reach an agreement regarding public access to the property. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES PAGE 2 DECEMBER 13, 1999 MOTION: Sandstad moved, seconded by Clinton,to continue the public hearing until the January 24,2000 Planning Commission meeting. C. EATON CORPORATION PUD by Eaton Corporation. Request for Planned Unit Development Concept Review on 25.37 acres, Planned Unit Development District Review with waivers on 25.35 acres, Zoning District Amendment within the I-5 Zoning District, and Site Plan Review on 25.37 acres. Location: 14165 Lone Oak. Franzen reported the applicant had submitted a letter requesting a continuance of the public hearing until the January 24,2000 Planning Commission meeting in order to update its development plans. MOTION: Clinton moved, seconded by Alexander, to continue the public hearing until the January 24,2000 Planning Commission meeting. D. CSM/STARKEY OFFICE CENTER by CSM Equities, LLC. Request for Planned Unit Development Concept Amendment on 13.13 acres, Planned Unit Development District Review with waivers on 8.4 acres, Zoning District Amendment within the I-5 Zoning District, and Site Plan Review on 8.4 acres. Location: Flying Cloud Drive and Crosstown Circle. Mark Dahlin, CSM Corporation, gave a brief overview of the project, which consists of an 83,000 s.f. office showroom site. The applicant had worked with Staff to develop a plan that would work on the property. Sandstad requested additional information regarding the expansion and upgrading of the moderate quality wetlands to a wooded wetland. Jesse Symynlcywicz, ROK Systems, indicated wooded wetlands along the north of the property were being preserved and cottonwood trees were being added. Clinton asked if the tree loss was actually 55%. Jesse Symynkywicz responded that locating the building and parking on the site had been difficult due to the slope of the property. The amount of land needed for wetland buffer and wetland replacement made it impossible to replace all the trees and adding trees at a park or other location was being proposed. Foote asked if the applicant was prepared to participate in the Travel Demand Management plans. Dahlin indicated they would be working towards implementing a TDM program. Franzen reported he had spoken with the City Forester regarding the tree loss. It was difficult to save a lot of the trees on the property due to their location. In trying to strike a balance between tree and wetland preservation, Staff had made the decision that the wetlands were more important than the tree loss. Parking setback waiver from 75 ft. to 41.75 ft. was recommended due to the required space needed for wetland buffers and setbacks. Staff recommends approval based upon recommendations contained in the Staff Report of December 10, 1999. MOTION: Habicht moved, seconded by Clinton,to close the public hearing. Motion carried 5-0. Habicht indicated preserving the wetland was a good tradeoff for the tree loss and supported the project. MOTION: Habicht moved, seconded by Clinton,to recommend to the City Council approval of the request of CSM Equities,LLC, for Planned Unit Development Concept Amendment on 13.13 PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES PAGE 3 DECEMBER 13, 1999 acres,Planned Unit Development District Review with waivers on 8.4 acres,Zoning District Amendment within the I-5 Zoning District, and Site Plan Review on 8.4 acres based on plans dated November 22, 1999,and subject to the recommendations of the Staff Report dated December 10, 1999. Motion carried 5-0. E. WETLAND ORDINANCE REVIEW. Leslie Stovring, Environmental Coordinator, provided a detailed description of the proposed wetland ordinance. The proposed ordinance would establish standards for protection of wetlands including establishment of buffers based on the quality of the wetland affected by any proposed development, avoidance of water level fluctuations to the wetland during storm and snow melt runoff events based on the quality of the wetland, placement of permanent monuments on the wetland buffer edge, water quality testing for exceptional wetlands, reseeding or replanting of wetland buffers if disturbed, additional wetland documentation and description of boundaries. The City's Wetland Inventory had classified each wetland's quality as excellent, high, moderate or low. The task force had proposed required buffer widths of 25 ft. for low and moderate quality wetlands and 50 ft. for high and exceptional quality wetlands, as well as an additional 15 ft. setback from the buffer to any structure. Sandstad indicated the 15 ft. setback was rather close to the wetland and asked how carefully that distance had been reviewed. Stovring responded that it gave developers some direction. No concrete or parking could be placed that close just sod. Sandstad asked if there was a requirement to have 4-8 ft. of transitional planting or mow up to the wetland. Stovring indicated those guidelines were still being developed. Franzen related that projects would still be reviewed individually and evaluated on the total project. Review would be no different from how the Planning Commission evaluates buffer zones. Franzen related the proposed ordinance had been reviewed and applied to projects which had been considered during the past few years. Their conclusion was compliance would not be a burden on property owners or developers. MOTION: Sandstad moved, seconded by Lewis,to close the public hearing. Motion carried 5-0. MOTION: Sandstad moved, seconded by Habicht,to recommend to the City Council approval of the proposed Wetland Ordinance. Motion carried 5-0. V. PUBLIC MEETING VI. MEMBERS' REPORTS Sandstad's term as Commissioner of the Planning Commission would be complete at the end of December 1999. Sandstad conveyed his conveyed his appreciation to the other Commissioners and Staff for their efforts with respect to the Planning Commission. Chairman Foote thanked Commissioner Sandstad for his efforts and planning expertise. VII. CONTINUING BUSINESS VIII. NEW BUSINESS IX. PLANNERS'REPORTS PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES PAGE 4 DECEMBER 13, 1999 A. SALE OF FORMER PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING. Franzen indicated the City was considering the sale of property located at 7900 and 8000 Mitchell Road. The proposed use was Commercial for a restaurant and hotel requiring a guide plan change to Community Commercial. The Planning Commission would review a Comprehensive Guide Plan change for the site in 2000. Staff recommends the change in land use. MOTION: Alexander moved, seconded by Clinton to recommend to the City Council the sale of the Public Safety Building consistent with the goals of the Comprehensive Plan. Motion carried 5-0. X. ADJOURNMENT Habicht's appointment as Commissioner on the Planning Commission would terminate at the end of 1999. He indicated his appreciation of the Staffs in providing information to the Commissioners. He also conveyed his appreciation to the citizens of Eden Prairie and neighbors of the proposed projects for respecting the processes and decisions of the Planning Commission. MOTION: Lewis moved, seconded by Alexander,to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried 5-0. The meeting was adjourned at 7:50 p.m.