Planning Commission - 11/18/2019APPROVED MINUTES
EDEN PRAIRIE PLANNING COMMISSION
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2019 7:00 PM—CITY CENTER
Council Chambers
8080 Mitchell Road
COMMISSION MEMBERS: John Kirk, Charles Weber, Ann Higgins, Andrew
Pieper, Ed Farr, Michael DeSanctis, Christopher
Villarreal, Carole Mette
CITY STAFF: Julie Klima, City Planner; Rod Rue, 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 members Weber and Villarreal were absent.
III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
MOTION: Mette moved, seconded by DeSanctis to approve the agenda. MOTION
CARRIED 6-0.
IV. MINUTES
MOTION: Kirk moved, seconded by Higgins to approve the minutes of October 14,
2019 as amended on page 4, Number V Item A from “Kirk commented that the design
overall” to “Kirk commented that the design overall was good.” MOTION CARRIED
6-0.
V. PUBLIC HEARINGS
TARGET REMODEL (2019-19)
Request for:
Planned Unit Development Concept Review on 10.6 acres
Planned Unit Development District Amendment with Waivers on 10.6
acres
Site Plan Review on 10.6 acres
PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES
November 18, 2019
Page 2
Ryan Hyllested of Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. presented a PowerPoint and
explained the application. There is an interior shared wall on the east side of the
building. Target proposed to update the signage and facade as a national
rebranding effort. The application would revise the concrete masonry units
(CMUs) and the percentage of materials previously approved. The red bull’s eye
Target signs would be replaced with white bull’s eye signs. The façade, sconce
lights, and surfaces would be updated as a “refresh and a modernization.”
Hyllested explained the changes to the elevations as the bull’s eye is changed to a
white motif. Parking lot islands with plantings at an average of every 20 spaces
and a landscape plan was included. Full compliance would require Target to
sacrifice parking stalls, so the average was proposed instead. He displayed
elevation images before and after the proposed change. A (white bull’s eye) sign
would be added to the south elevation. Hyllested displayed the location of the
proposed planted parking islands.
DeSanctis asked if this façade would resemble the new Super Target on Rockford
Road in Plymouth. Hyllested replied he was not familiar with that store.
DeSanctis asked if the sconce lighting would use solar source and when told no,
he asked why solar was not considered. Hyllested responded that he thought it
would be difficult given the shadowing in the area. It was not typical to use solar
to light the exterior of a building. DeSanctis asked if these proposed changes
would impact the R-value or the insulation values of the building. Hyllested
assured him the changes were merely cosmetic and would not affect these
qualities. Hyllested described for DeSanctis the native plants to go into the
parking islands. Drip irrigation would be used in these.
Mette asked for and received confirmation the red EFIS brick to be installed
would go right over the existing façade. Farr asked if the south elevation, which
had a tiered wall feature and where a new sign would be mounted, was a shared
wall. Hyllested clarified the shared wall was actually the eastern wall, with the
Eden Prairie Mall. Farr asked if the landscaping was planned to eventually screen
the wall, and Hyllested replied it was; nothing would be removed, but some
landscaping would be moved within the site. Farr asked that some shrubs be
inserted where the trees were being removed, and Hyllested replied there were
some shrubs already, having been planted between the trees. Farr urged Hyllested
to continue the aesthetic rhythm of the foliage so it would not become unsightly.
Klima gave the staff report. The applicant proposed façade updates and site
improvements which would alter portions of the existing façade; it would be
painted and refurbished, and new signs would be installed on all three exterior
elevations. Since the applicant last went through the review process in 2000, the
City has updated some Code requirements. In 2000 a waiver was granted to allow
the 59 percentage of Class One materials on the building overall, and now the
applicant was asking for 58 percent, a small change but one that required the PUD
process. All existing parking islands would be landscaped, and an existing
PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES
November 18, 2019
Page 3
pedestrian connection would be improved. No parking stalls would be removed as
part of this project; to comply strictly with Code would result in a loss of five
stalls. As part of the PUD amendment, the applicant was seeking waivers for
exterior building materials and signage. Conversations could be had as a part of
future developments on the site to bring the parking lot more in compliance. Staff
recommended approval.
Mette remarked the definition of a sign and a sign area could become a question
when such a recognizable background is changed. She added she did not have an
issue with this change. Klima replied some communities did provide that level of
specificity in their definitions of signs and signage. Eden Prairie’s ordinance
mentioned any visual graphic text area that communicates, or identifies, or
advertises but did not get as specific as other communities did. The red EFIS
would not constitute signage, based on City regulations and past practices.
Farr noted the applicant was changing the color of the entrance aluminum framing
and wanted this to be durable and abrasion-resistant, and urged that some
technical requirements be given to the applicant to ensure this frame would not
peel or deteriorate in time. Klima offered to supply this information.
MOTION: Kirk moved, seconded by Farr to close the public hearing. MOTION
CARRIED 6-0.
Mette noted this design would look nicer and more modern. Kirk agreed this was
a reasonable update very close to the original PUD, and added the parking
improvements were welcome. DeSanctis commented this along with neighboring
new designs complemented the Mall
MOTION: Kirk moved, seconded by Higgins to recommend approval for a
Planned Unit Development Concept Review on 10.6 acres; Planned Unit
Development Amendment with waivers on 10.6 acres and Site Plan Review on
10.6 acres based on Plans stamped dated November 7, 2019 and the staff report
dated November 12, 2019. MOTION CARRIED 6-0.
VI. PLANNERS’ REPORT
VII. MEMBERS’ REPORTS
VIII. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION: Farr moved, seconded by Kirk to adjourn. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. The
meeting was adjourned at 7:23 p.m.