Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Commission - 10/24/1994 • APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PLANNING COMMISSION October 24, 1994 COMMISSION MEMBERS: Tim Bauer, Kenneth E. Clinton, Randy Foote, Katherine Kardell, Douglas Sandstad, Edward Schlampp, Mary Jane Wissner STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE: Matthew Mahoney STAFF MEMBERS: Donald R. Uram, Planner Elinda Bahley, Recording Secretary I. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE-ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order at 7 : 00 p.m. by Chair Katherine Kardell. Absent were Douglas Sandstad. All other members were present. . II . APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Clinton moved, seconded by Schlampp, to approve the Agenda as published. Motion carried 6-0-0 Kardell took a moment to introduce the new student representative, Matthew Mahoney. She told him to feel free to ask questions and to give input on the issues at hand. III. MINUTES MOTION: Schlampp moved, seconded by Clinton, to approve the Minutes of October 10, 1994 as published. Motion carried 5-01 with Bauer abstaining. IV. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. SUPER VALU CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS ADDITION by Super Valu Corporation. Request for PUD Concept Review on 135 acres . Location: North of Valley View Lane, between Highway 212 and I-494. Kardell stated that in the packet there is a letter from the developers asking for a continuance to the November 14, 1994 meeting. MOTION 1: Clinton moved, seconded by Foote, to continue • the Public Hearing to November 14, 1994 as requested by proponent. Motion carried 6-0-0. B. BEST BUY EXPANSION by Best Buy. Request for PUD District Amendment on 27 . 8 acres with a waiver, Zoning District Amendment in the I-2 District and Site Plan Review on 27 .8 acres . Location: 7075 Flying Cloud Drive. Uram introduced Mr. Chris Johnson from Best Buy. He said he will make a brief presentation. After his presentation, Uram will go over the staff report and make one revision to the recommendations. Chris Johnson, Best Buy Real Estate Department, reviewed his project using visual aids. He stated that Best Buy's rapid growth is catching up with them again, and they are looking to add staff to their building. They would like to stay in their building and want to add a second story within their existing building. They are not proposing to work on the exterior of the building with the exception of adding more windows . He said they need to increase the parking. They are, by Code, slightly over. What they are required to have right now, and the census of people, they will not have • enough parking. They are proposing a multi phase plan. For phase one they are proposing to grade the wooden area on the north side of the building. All natural area would be left on the site as it is . Long range would be to build a parking ramp on the site that would be in the same area. Originally, a good portion of this area was swamped. it has good soil underneath so it would be a good area to build around eventually. Uram reviewed the Staff Report with the Planning Commission. He stated that there are a couple of things he would like to note about the Staff Report. As part of the development of this proposal and the additional parking lot, Best Buy is adding a catch basin system in the existing parking lot so the run-off from the parking lot would be discharging into a NURP pond and into Mile Creek. They are adding catch basins along the eastern portion of the site, also picking up some run-off from the parking lot. From that standpoint the project is improving water quality in the area. In the Staff Report there is a technical oversight and this relates to allowing Best Buy to begin construction of the office space right now. Due to their desire to construct over the winter, they have negotiated an agreement with an adjacent property owner to the east for parking spaces . In regard to that technical aspect, Best Buy requires a temporary waiver to allow for off-site parking for up to 100 parking stalls . It's temporary in nature because once Best Buy constructs the proposed parking lot, that other parking will be eliminated. He said that after speaking with Mr. Johnson, . he indicated they should be able to complete all the work by June 30, 1995 . The recommendation in the Staff Report would be to grant a waiver for temporary off-site parking for up to 100 parking stalls until June 30, 1995 . Schlampp asked what company to the east of this site is going to donate the parking for that period of time. Johnson replied that directly to the east of them is owned by Partnership and Best Buy wants to rent another one of their vacancies . Schlampp asked if they have this availability yet. Johnson replied no. They have a lease that says if they rent this other building from them, they can have one right now. He said they have a lot of unused parking. Schlampp expressed concern of being asked to approve this • parking before this is being done. Johnson stated that it's contingent on it being done. Uram stated that the recommendation could be made with any verbiage that the Planning Commission seems to feel fit. Schlampp asked if the drainage pond is to the east. Uram said it is to the south. He stated that the requirement of this project is to add the additional catch basins and be shown on the plans prior to City Council. Schlampp asked how do you get from the parking lot in the east over to the area that they are negotiating to get the parking. He asked if they are putting in a road or something over there. Johnson replied that they will be putting in a sidewalk between the two buildings and tie it into one. Schlampp expressed concern that there was no way to get into it so they are going to have to run a connection also. Bauer stated that their old office used to be on 494 and seems like they have much more space now than they did over there. Johnson said they have a rapid growth, and they are very crowded in there right now. Clinton asked where if most of the employees come from outside of Eden Prairie that would be coming to the building. Johnson replied that he would guess approximately a majority of them because they just moved to Eden Prairie in the last year. They just added 8 people and 4 of them were from Eden Prairie. Clinton expressed concern about the traffic with an additional 200 cars coming in. He said that in the afternoon that's a very crowded area. Johnson replied that they do not have an 8 to 5 office type arrangement. The only time the field is full is at about 11: 00 in the morning and at 2 : 00 in the afternoon. People leave there at 2 :30 and get there at 6 : 00 in the morning, and there are still people there at 6: 00 at night. • Wissner asked if Best Buy realized when they bought the building that they would have to expand since they haven't been there that long. Johnson said Best Buy thought they would have a couple of years growth here. They still have about 40 people in the Bloomington warehouse that they would like to bring over. Foote stated that Best Buy thought when they bought the building a year ago they would have at least another year on the configurations at that time. He asked what happens when this continues for another year, is the Planning Commission going to be visited by Best Buy again. Johnson replied that what they are calling for is a long range plan and right now they are adding 30, 000 feet of mezzanine and they are not finishing that out. They are not asking for that right now because they don't have the parking stalls for it. He said Best Buy feels 60,000 feet is good for somewhere between 100 and 150 stores for 2 or 3 years . Kardell expressed concern about the waiver to have the additional office space. She has thought a lot about it and view of it, it's a building that is not particularly visible and doesn't see a reason in trying to make the building comply with the office. She is not sure whether or not this sets some sort of problem or precedent. This is the first time she has ever seen an industrial use come up with a need for a waiver because of the access of the space. She said that she can support it. Foote stated that he does not see a problem with it. MOTION 1: Bauer moved, seconded by Wissner, to close the public hearing. Motion carried 6-0-0. MOTION 2: Bauer moved, seconded by Wissner, to recommend to the City Council approval of the request of Best Buy for PUD District Amendment with a waiver and Zoning District Amendment in the I-2 District on 27 . 8 acres based on revised plans dated October 7 and October 12, 1994, and subject to the recommendations of the Staff Report dated October 21, 1994 with the following modifications: 1. The Planning Commission's approval is contingent upon approval of the proponent getting an additional parking lot to allow for winter construction. 2 . The Planning Commission will allow a temporary . waiver for 100 parking spaces through June 30, 1995, which would be done prior to going ahead with the project. 3 . The Planning Commission's approval is contingent upon the applicant proving submittal of 100 parking spaces. Motion carried 6-0-0. Schlampp expressed concern about approving drainage when they don't see the details of it. There are also details of the parking lot missing, the access to the parking lot and access to public pedestrian access to that parking area. He has no idea of what it's going to look like. The project is not outlined well enough for him and they are asked to make a waiver of things that he can not see. Foote said he agrees with Schlampp. He stated that sometimes the simpler projects are sent on their way. He doesn't know if that's right or not. Uram stated that it was at his recommendation and suggestion to Best Buy that they not revise this . He said they sat down and spent a significant time regarding the catch basin system and the storm water calculations with the City Engineer and with Best Buy's engineer with the understanding that revising plans would cost a lot of money. He said if there is any blame, it is his fault. Schlampp said he has to raise an objection to this plan but if the Commission goes along with it, he will also. He feels it's not being handled the way it should be handled for the Commission. Bauer stated that he does not disagree with what Schlampp said. He said he doesn't think that the Planning Commission needs to continue these type of projects of bringing them back because it doesn't make sense at all. He said they have in the past, and he hopes to continue, to move projects along which are not 100% upon demonstration, where the items are small and Staff assures the Commission that prior to City Council the project will be complete. He said he is comfortable with the Staff Report. Kardell stated she is comfortable with the project. Foote said he has every confidence that everything will be taken care of. He said sometimes small things are pushed on. Schlampp stated that this is big and not small at all. . V. MEMBERS REPORTS None. VI. CONTINUING BUSINESS Uram stated that Franzen indicated he has not had the opportunity to take with Watershed. He said Franzen will try to schedule it soon with Bob Obermeyer. VII. NEW BUSINESS None. VIII . PLANNERS' REPORTS Bauer asked whether the access issue got worked out on the Buca Restaurant project. Uram replied that Staff has received a letter from MNDOT stating that access issue will be resolved and the parking spaces they would take with the construction of 212 would be replaced. He said he sent that to Pete today and he's going to review it and sent it back to him. Staff expects to get that project taken care of. • Kardell asked about Centrum and the Leann Chin project. She asked if they are going to be building something soon because they were supposed to be opening in November. Uram said don't expect Leann Chin to be open this winter. He said they were scheduled to close with Centrum on Friday and that the closing did not take place. He said they let the purchase agreement lapse on the property which gives Centrum 30 days. Staff is spending an abnormal amount of time on this project. They expect to end this within 30 days. He said the problem is trying to find a developer that will actually be building the project. Restaurants are very hard to do. Clinton asked about the final phases of the water tower. Uram replied next year. IX. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Clinton moved, seconded by Foote, to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried 6-0-0. The meeting was adjourned at 7 :45 P.M. • • AGENDA EDEN PRAIRIE PLANNING COMMISSION Monday, October 24, 1994 me7:00 p.m. COMMISSION MEMBERS: Tim Bauer, Kenneth E. Clinton, Randy Foote, Katherine Kardell, Douglas Sandstad, Edward Schlampp, Mary Jane Wissner STAFF MEMBERS: Michael D. Franzen, Senior Planner Don Uram, Planner STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE: Matthew Mahoney I. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE -- ROLL CALL H. APPROVAL OF AGENDA III. MINUTES IV. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. SUPER VALU CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS ADDITION by Super Valu Corporation. Request for PUD Concept Review on 135 acres. Location: North of Valley View Lane, between Highway 212 and I-494. B. BEST BUY EXPANSION by Best Buy. Request for PUD District Amendment on 27.8 acres with a waiver, Zoning District Amendment in the I-2 District and Site Plan Review on 27.8 acres. Location: 7075 Flying Cloud Drive. V. MEMBERS' REPORTS VI. CONTINUING BUSINESS VII. NEW BUSINESS VIII. PLANNERS' REPORTS IX. ADJOURNMENT