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Planning Commission - 09/14/2020APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PLANNING COMMISSION MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2020 7:00 PM—CITY CENTER Council Chambers 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS: John Kirk, Ann Higgins, Andrew Pieper, Ed Farr, Michael DeSanctis, Rachel Markos, Carole Mette, Lisa Toomey, William Gooding CITY STAFF: Julie Klima, City Planner; Matt Bourne, Manager of Parks and Natural Resources I. CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER Chair Kirk called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – ROLL CALL Commission members DeSanctis, Pieper, and Farr were absent. III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Higgins moved, seconded by Toomey to approve the agenda. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. IV. MINUTES MOTION: Gooding moved, seconded by Markos to approve the minutes of August 10, 2020. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. V. PUBLIC HEARINGS VI. PLANNERS’ REPORT CODE AMENDMENTS OVERVIEW Klima presented upcoming code amendments for review, giving three categories. Staff was not looking for any formal action on these, but merely providing information. New zoning districts: This is a similar exercise to the process the Commission went through when the Parks and Open Space Zoning District was drafted. It includes creating several PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES September 14, 2020 Page 2 new zoning districts including identifying the purpose of the proposed district, listing its permitted uses and associated performance standards. The first new zoning district was the Flex Service Zoning District. This involved two areas in Eden Prairie guided for this: the Martin Drive area and Pioneer Trail area in the Aspire Land Use Map. Its objective was to provide an area within the community that allows for uses that address community need but may not be best suited for TOD or Town Center areas. Staff was currently drafting this zoning district. The next step would be stakeholder outreach. Mette commended the district and noted it was somewhat of a light retail/destination use district. She mentioned a lighting store with inventory space, gymnasiums, breweries, and automotive stores as examples. Klima replied gymnasiums would enter the discussion later in the presentation She noted that auto sales in Eden Prairie required all storage and inventory to be located inside. Little outside parking was allowed. The second zoning district was the Mixed-Use Zoning District. This was located at and around Eden Prairie Center, and at either end of Martin Drive. This zoning district was intended to provide for vertical and horizontal mixed-use development. This was also in the drafting stage at the staff level, and then would proceed to stakeholder outreach prior to Planning Commission and City Council review. This district while providing a mix of uses would likely be more auto- oriented than the mixed uses provided for in the TOD and Town Center zoning districts. Mette stated the horizontal versus vertical was important, as vertical development was not always possible. She was not sure a small parcel could have multiple uses, especially drive-throughs, but it could be taken as a mixed-use zone. She suggested limiting the number of facades, perhaps two to a building, that were not transparent (windowed). Klima replied these issues were addressed at the staff meeting, and the intent was never to require in the zoning what the marketplace could not address. Drive-through specifics were still being considered Kirk noted the City of Minneapolis found a diversity of opinions on drive-throughs. The last new zoning district presented was the Eco-Innovation Zoning District. This district in intended to be applied to the former Flying Cloud landfill site and was intended to provide opportunities for sustainable and innovative reuse of the landfill site. The ordinance would establish permitted uses and performance standards. This was currently in drafting stage at the staff level and would also proceed to stakeholder outreach prior to Planning Commission and City Council review later this year. Kirk noted there were significant physical limitations on this piece of land, though it was large, and Klima agreed. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES September 14, 2020 Page 3 Higgins stated the City developed some property near this zone which was a former landfill that was just beginning to become available to the community for use. She asked if this would be affected by the new zoning. Klima replied this land was the MOSS Site, which would not be impacted by this new zoning. It was not intended to be applied to City-owned property but only to landfill site. However, in the future, the Eco-Innovation district could be requested to be applied to other properties. Performance Standard Updates: Wireless Telecommunications The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently updated the Sprint Spectrum Act, which impacted City Code Chapter 11 relating to existing wireless communication, support structures and ground equipment. The intent was to reduce unnecessary review time and eliminate interference in federal, state, and local review processes. This would provide a streamlined review process and equitable wire telecommunications infrastructure throughout the United States. Lighting This was a housekeeping amendment to reflect in City Code the requirements that the City of Eden Prairie had implemented through policy and development agreement requirements. The amendment would likely include: Downcast, cut- off lighting fixtures and minimizing light spill onto adjacent properties. The amendment was not proposed to address LED lighting. This may be something that the Commission or Council would like staff to address in more detail in the future. Kirk asked for and received confirmation the code proposal would not address LED lighting nor its glow. From an energy conservation perspective, this was a neutral change. Parking This code amendment change addressed a variety of items: Stall and drive aisle dimensions – the proposal is to reduce parking stall length and drive aisle widths to reflect function, sustainability, and recent trends. Multifamily – this would address parking requirements based on type of multifamily unit, such as studio units and senior housing. There were potentials for incentives for affordable housing related to parking. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES September 14, 2020 Page 4 Shopping Centers – this would address parking requirements based on size of retail centers and tenant mix such as restaurants. The intent was to simplify parking requirement to manage and administer across tenant uses. Restaurant Patios – this would provide parking requirements specific to outdoor dining areas. Retail space parking requirements are currently based on square footage, but restaurant parking spaces are based on the number of seats, which was the same both indoors and outdoors. This change would make the requirements more consistent. Mette suggested having a definition and a requirement threshold for compact stalls. She also suggested parking allowances or relief for multifamily development near a transit area. Enclosed stalls would be affected by the code amendment change and could present a challenge. Revisiting the 50 percent requirement after the amendment change should be considered. Mette agreed developing parking for restaurants was difficult for development. Kirk stated this would be the toughest challenge and balance for the commission. Eden Prairie wanted only the parking it truly needed, but this could be difficult to judge. He supported more research and standards. He noted that he had previously voted against the Martin Blue project because he did not agree there was sufficient parking there, but he conceded he was incorrect, whereas the Tavern 4 and 5 Restaurant has a chaotic parking lot. He stated the commission had many issues to consider. Gooding replied parking stalls in the winter could become snow storage. Klima agreed and stated staff was beginning to consider that. Markos suggested incentivizing restaurant to deal with water runoff. Klima replied the City’s Design Guidelines adopted two or three years ago had addressed that. Group Usable Open Space (GUOS) This was land area and facilities specifically designated and developed for group recreational or social activities for multifamily units. The requirements have been in place since 1969. Multifamily developments have changed over the decades, potentially leading to an outdated requirement. The City’s objective would be to continue to require group usable space but amend the ordinance to reflect modern patterns. Gross Site Area per Dwelling Unit This requirement had been in place since 1969. It resulted in increasing site area with increased density. The intent to provide more land area as density increased, and the trend was increased density on smaller sites. Most recent projects have PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES September 14, 2020 Page 5 required a waiver for gross site area per dwelling unit because of the need for updating this provision. Mette suggested removing this amendment entirely, as she saw no distinction between this and density. Klima agreed and stated this was the conversation being had at the staff level. However, staff wished to make the commission aware of all the issues. It was possible this could be proposed to be struck out. Housekeeping Items Sign Code This was adopted in 1966. Amending this would make it cleaner and easier to administer without diminishing the integrity of the code. In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court issues its decision in the Reed v. Town of Gilbert case. Cities could not regulate signs based on their content, only locations, height, size and number. The object was to identify the “content-based” provision in the sign code and amend them as necessary. Amending the areas of the code that have been problematic when administering the code was also to intent. Mette suggested the addition, to the extent it was permissible, to have a provision the sign must be well kept, legible and in good condition, along with some enforcement provision. Gymnasium Use Industrial Zoning Districts allow gymnasiums to occupy 100 percent of building square footage. There is not a definition of gymnasium in the ordinance, allowing for broad interpretation and utilization of the term and its uses. Fitness studios, gymnastics studios, swim schools, dance studios, martial arts studios, etc., were permitted in the Industrial Zoning District under the broader gymnasium category, and also in the Commercial Zoning District under the broader retail category. The intent was to provide a definition for gymnasium which would remove ambiguity and provide for consistency. The proposal was to continue to allow for gymnasium uses in the Industrial districts but at a reduced level in order to maintain employment opportunity areas, and also for consistent application of the zone requirements. Gooding asked if there were significant gymnasium uses in the Golden Triangle. Klima replied that staff has notified 18 property owners about the upcoming code amendment. She listed the Tags Building at West 70th, the Winter Park Facility and Champions Hall as examples of gymnasiums. Any nonconforming uses would be governed by State Statue which allows uses to continue and make improvements but would prohibit expansion. Other impacted properties would be PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES September 14, 2020 Page 6 able to better understand the percentage requirements in place in the Industrial zoning districts. Phase II of the process would be to document the existing uses. Mette agreed with a definition of “gymnasium” but was unsure on limiting such uses in the Industrial zones. However, she could also see the argument for the proposal. Klima replied some of the existing uses were not consistent with the Aspire document. Miscellaneous Amendments Kennels in Industrial zones – this would provide clarification that treatment of animals (e.g., medical) would be allowed as an accessory use within a kennel. Another would clarify that parking ramps were required to meet minimum building material standards. A third potential amendment r would govern Administrative lot splits and combinations limited to a specific number of parcels. An amendment would define public art in order to differentiate from signage. Another would reformat residential districts to place all requirements in one location rather than multiple locations throughout the Zoning Chapter. Gooding asked if the gymnasium zoning clarification would consider the area’s vacancy rate. Klima replied Zoning verification was merely documenting size, number of bays, uses, etc., especially with mixed uses, and classifications under the current Code. The intent was to inform the owner of additional options available and permissible in that district, to prevent a surprise as tenant spaces were marketed. Gooding asked how the mixed-use requirement near Eden Prairie Mall, surrounded by residential areas, would be applied. Klima replied the present Code would not allow for residential units being built near Eden Prairie Mall, but the Code amendment was intended to allow for that. VII. MEMBERS’ REPORTS VIII. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Gooding moved, seconded by Mette to adjourn. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. The meeting was adjourned at 8:10p.m.