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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Commission - 09/28/1998 APPROVED MINUTES CITY OF EDEN PRAIRIE PLANNING COMMISSION MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1998 7:00 P.M. CITY CENTER Council Chambers 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS: Beverly Alexander,Kenneth E. Clinton, Laurence Dorn,Jr.,Randy Foote,Bill Habicht,Rebecca Lewis,Douglas Sandstad STAFF MEMBERS: Mike Franzen, City Planner, Scott, Kipp, Senior Planner,Al Gray, City Engineer, and Barbara Anderson, City Recorder I. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE-ROLL CALL Chair.Foote called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Commissioner Dorn was absent. H. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Clinton moved, seconded by Habicht,to approve the Agenda as published. Motion carried 6-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION: Lewis moved, seconded by Alexander to approve the Minutes of the September 14, 1998 Planning Commission as submitted. Motion carried 6-0. IV. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. ONTRACK by Liberty Property Trust. Request for Planned Unit Development Concept Review on 32.05 acres. Planned Unit District Review on 7.2 acres,rezoning from Rural to Office on 7.2 acres, and Site Plan Review on 7.2 acres. Location: East of Columbine Road and South of,Anderson Lakes Parkway. John Gattuso, Liberty Property Trust,reviewed the site plan and showed a rendering of the building from the perspective of Flying Cloud Drive. He described the building materials they propose to use, and noted they will be reconfiguring the wetland area and doing additional plantings to improve this area of the site. Sandstad asked about the buffering between the site and the adjacent residential property and Gattuso reviewed the plantings they propose to place on the top of the two foot high berms which will be constructed around the building. Clinton asked about the view from Highway 212 and if the wetland would have a pond and Gattuso responded they intend to create a nice pond within the wetland area. There will be both ornamental deciduous PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES September 28, 1998 Page 2 trees and evergreen trees used in the plant materials on the berm to provide better buffering during the winter season. Franzen reviewed the staff report and noted that this is the first phase of a campus development and will consist of one building. The City Code requires the largest setback between the residential property and the development to allow for more buffering. He described the landscape plan and the plant materials that will be sued. Staff recommended approval subject to the recommendations listed in the staff report. Several letters have been submitted which are to be included in the official record requesting a signal be installed at Columbine Road and Anderson Lakes Parkway. Foote asked when the traffic signal warrants analysis would be done and Gray responded that it may take more development to occur in this area before this intersection reaches the warrant level necessary before a signal is installed. He explained the process which usually leads to signalization of an intersection and how long the process can take. The indications to City Staff are that this is an intersection which will need a signal in the future, if not now, and the process may be moved ahead to facilitate this occurring more rapidly than it would normally happen. The Public Hearing was opened. Barbara Belschner, 13189 Spencer Sweet Pea Lane, stated she was concerned about the stop sign and the increased traffic. There was also a great deal of pedestrian traffic at this intersection and that needs to be considered. She was also concerned about the increased traffic along Columbine Road and the lack of a right turn lane from Highway 212. She noted there are many businesses without right turn lanes along Highway 212 which is of concern to her. She was also concerned about children getting onto the school busses and the danger the traffic levels pose to them. Gray commented that there was a trail connection from the residential development to Staring Lake Park which gives better access to the recreational areas and there is also pedestrian traffic along Columbine Road. Children will need to use the signal at Anderson Lakes Parkway and Highway 212 and should cross the roadway at that intersection. Small children should be accompanied by a responsible older person or an adult. He noted that school busses operate on major thoroughfares throughout Eden Prairie and it works well with a very low accident rate. He noted the City would be open to discussion of a right turn lane with MnDOT but they have discovered that this type of access can cause accidents in high speed areas, so this will need to be carefully reviewed. He described several scenarios which he thought might be advantageous to explore that might work with this type of intersection. The future growth of the City will be towards the south and he expected the traffic would enter and leave this site from the southern access point. Most will utilize the access at the Hennepin Technical College intersection with Highway 212,which has a traffic signal,rather than the Columbine Road intersection. Gattuso stated their plans call for an exclusive office development on their site. They decided not to include any retail in the development because they believed the PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES September 28, 1998 Page 3 surrounding area did not support it. Staff concurred with and has supported the office development plan. Roxann Johnson, 8861 Peep O' Day Trail, stated she supported the office development rather than have a strip mall or similar type of development on this property. She was concerned about the traffic,particularly during the construction of the project. She has seen two accidents at the Columbine Road-Anderson Lakes Parkway intersection,which is very hazardous. She noted there seemed to be little law enforcement at this intersection and she was concerned about when a signal would be installed. She discussed the roadway options that could be available now but may not be in the future. She was concerned about the school bus traffic and felt there should be 4-way stop signs installed at all the intersections to slow the traffic down, and thought this would solve the bus problems. James Kemble, 13222 Spencer Sweet Pea Lane,President of the Staring Lake Clubhouse Association, stated they supported the office development,but were concerned about the traffic and urge the City to look at a right-in/right-out turn lane. He noted that there could be traffic congestion problems for the school busses if they are operating in this area at the same time that people are trying to get to work. Alexander stated she felt the intersection at Columbine Road and Anderson Lakes Parkway should be signalized as soon as possible because it was a very dangerous intersection with all that traffic that uses it. Clinton stated he did not see the speeding laws enforced in Minnesota in the same way as they are enforced in other parts of the country and this concerned him. He thought the attitudes of drivers at times seemed to be indifferent to the laws and he was concerned about the safety of pedestrians in this area. He felt this was a good project with a nice blend between the residential property and the highway. He requested staff discuss the optional right-in/right-out turn lanes with MnDOT. Sandstad stated he liked the plan but felt there should be more buffering between the residential property and the office building. He was concerned about the traffic levels in this area, and requested that the numbers of pedestrians using this intersection be considered when doing the signal warrants analysis to avoid delaying installation of the signal. Habicht stated he supported the project and the use was appropriate for this site. The City of St.Paul has obtained a grant of$50,000 to be used for enforcement of traffic in pedestrian crosswalks, etc. and he suggested staff contact the City of St. Paul and find out about this grant. He concurred that the intersection of Columbine Road and Anderson Lakes Parkway should be signalized as soon as possible. Lewis concurred with the other Commissioners, and supported the project. She was extremely concerned about the traffic and felt the signal should be installed as soon as possible. She noted there will be more traffic generated by the Highway 212 construction which will take over two years to complete, and people will endeavor to avoid the construction by going around and using the back routes. She urged the City to look at ways to alleviate this dangerous situation. Foote concurred with the other PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES September 28, 1998 Page 4 Commissioners and emphasized he felt the signal at Columbine Road and Anderson Lakes Parkway was extremely important and should be implemented as soon as possible. MOTION: Sandstad moved, seconded by Clinton to close the Public Hearing. Motion carried 6-0. MOTION: Sandstad moved, seconded by Clinton,to recommend to the City Council approval of the request of Liberty Property Trust for Planed Unit Development Concept Review on 32.05 acres,Planned Unit Development District Review on 7.2 acres, Zoning District Change from Rural to Office on 7.2 acres, and Site Plan Review on 7.2 acres based on plans dated September 22, 1998 and subject to the recommendations of the Staff Report dated September 25, 1998, with the additional stipulation that heavy pedestrian traffic in this area justifies early signalization of the intersection of Columbine Road and Anderson Lakes Parkway. Motion carried 6-0. B. CAMP EDENWOOD by Friendship Ventures. Request for Planned Unit Development Concept review on 52.4 acres. Planned Unit Development District Review with waivers on 12 acres, Zoning District Amendment in the Public District on 12 acres, and Site Plan Review on 12 acres. Location: 6350 Indian Chief Road. Ed Stracke,Friendship Ventures,reviewed the new proposal to construct a new dining hall that will be independent of the old one and would be located near the center of the site. They plan to try to have the old dining hall placed on the National Register of Historic Places. They have requested several variances,most of which relate to maintaining the historic integrity of the site. Kipp reviewed the staff report and noted staff recommended approval subject to conditions listed in the staff report. Staff will be assisting with the application process for the national Register of Historic Places. The Public Hearing was opened. No one wished to speak. Habicht felt the waivers requested were reasonable and he supported the project. Alexander concurred. MOTION: Habicht moved, seconded by Lewis to close the Public Hearing. Motion carried 6-0. MOTION: Habicht moved, seconded by Lewis, to recommend to the City Council approval of the request of Friendship Ventures for Planned Unit Development Concept Review on 52.4 acres,Planned Unit Development District Review with waivers on 12 acres, Zoning District Amendment in the Public Zoning District on 12 acres, and Site Plan Review on 12 acres,based on plans dated September 18, 1998 and subject to the recommendations of the Staff Report dated September 25, 1998. Motion carried 6-0. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES September 28, 1998 Page 5 C. OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE by Outback Steakhouse, Inc. Request for Zoning District Amendment in the C-Reg-Ser District on 2.17 acres, Site Plan Review on 2.17 acres. Location: Plaza Drive. Mark Kronbeck,Alliant Engineering, reviewed the plans for the project and showed renderings of the building. He described how it would be viewed from the adjacent roadways. He described the process they have gone through to develop the plan for this site and the ways in which they have met the City's criteria for the project. Kipp reviewed the staff report and noted Staff recommended approval subject to the conditions in the Staff Report. He described the access as it presently exists and how the site will be accessed in the future when the construction is complete. Discussion ensued regarding the access issues. Alexander asked where the main entrance was located in relation to the handicapped parking spaces and Kronbeck illustrated this on the Site Plan. The Public Hearing was opened. No one wished to speak. MOTION: Clinton moved, seconded by Lewis to close the Public Hearing. Motion carried 6-0. MOTION: Clinton moved, seconded by Lewis, to recommend to the City Council approval of the request of Outback Steakhouse, Inc. for Zoning District Amendment in the C-Reg-Ser District on 2.17 acres, and Site Plan Review on 2.17 acres based on plans dated September 9, 1998 and subject to the recommendations of the Staff Report dated September 25, 1998. Motion carried 6-0. V. PUBLIC MEETING VI. MEMBERS' REPORTS VII. CONTINUING BUSINESS VIII. NEW BUSINESS IX. PLANNERS' REPORTS Kipp noted there was one project scheduled for the next agenda,which is the Hilton Garden Inn, a three-story hotel. X. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Clinton moved, seconded by Alexander to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried 6-0. The meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m.