Planning Commission - 07/08/2019APPROVED MINUTES
EDEN PRAIRIE PLANNING COMMISSION
MONDAY, JULY 8, 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, Balu Iyer
CITY STAFF: Julie Klima, City Planner; Rod Rue, City Engineer;
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 member Iyer and Villarreal were absent.
III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
MOTION: Kirk moved, seconded by Mette to approve the agenda. MOTION
CARRIED 7-0.
IV. MINUTES
MOTION: Weber moved, seconded by DeSanctis to approve the minutes of June 10,
2019. MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
V. PUBLIC HEARINGS
A. OAK POINT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SITE PLAN AND VARIANCE
#2018-02
Request for:
Variance from Shoreland Code to allow impervious surface to exceed the
City Code requirement of 30%
Site Plan Review on 23.05 acres
Jay Pomeroy with Anderson Johnson Associates presented a PowerPoint and
detailed the application. The school is located on a parcel with 23 acres, with an
adjoining parcel of 8 acres to the west. The variance would increase the
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July 8, 2019
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impervious surface from 36.36 percent to 38.74 percent on the 23 acre parcel. The
parking lot would be expanded on the southwest corner of the property, just over
the ball fields, for a total of 84 cars. The parking lot would ease congestion on the
site. An 18-inch deep infiltration basin would be constructed to the west. The
proposed project also included landscaping and screening.
DeSanctis asked if the two ballfields southwest of school was utilized by Eden
Prairie recreational leagues, and Pomeroy replied they were not; they were used
exclusively by the school. DeSantis asked what the rational was for using
impervious concrete instead of a more sustainable alternative. Pomeroy replied
porous pavers and porous concrete were considered, but would require an
infiltration below ground. The issue of maintenance during the winter months and
cost drove the choice of materials. Also, the soil on site limited the choice
according to Watershed District standards. Mette asked what drove this need for a
larger parking lot. Pomeroy replied school design has changed over time, with
fewer students traveling by bus and more dropped off by parents. The Spanish
Immersion School changed some demographics and drove a change in traffic
circulation, causing congestion of traffic from Staring Lake Road.
Higgins noted in her experience on site the parallel parking could make it
confusing to find a parking spot and to navigate with buses. She added it was also
confusing to know where to park considering some areas were for staff and she
welcomed an improvement. She asked for a timeline. Pomeroy estimated
construction would begin in August with a completion date perhaps in October,
2019.
Farr noted this would become the only elementary school in Eden Prairie without
ballfields. Pomeroy replied there was no motivation to eliminate ballfields; it was
a balance between parking and open space. The playground to the north would
offer a youth-size softball field and there was open space to provide for t-ball and
other activities. That playground was always busy, whereas the ballfields were
not. Farr suggested reaching out to residents in the vicinity regarding the
repurposing of the open space. Farr also asked for more detail on ingress and
egress. Pomeroy replied the two outbound lanes shown in one of the plans had
been eliminated after meeting with staff. Farr noted the exit would still be
congested, and asked why not have the north entrance and exit as the only access
to the parking lot for better circulation. Pomeroy replied this was considered, but
staff asked for the second south entrance and exit. Since staff arrived first and left
last, he did not see an issue with stacking. The southern access could be coned off
as necessary. Farr noted the plan called for LED lighting and asked if the current
lot was lit by LED lights and if not, if there was a conversion plan in place.
Pomeroy replied the lot was not lit by LED, but the school district had a long-term
plan to convert to LED lighting; that was, however, not a part of this project.
DeSanctis asked for and received clarification that these plans were reviewed at
the Riley-Purgatory Watershed Board Meeting of March, 2019 and were not
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July 8, 2019
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scheduled for March, 2020. Pieper asked for and received clarification the south
parking lot was for overflow parking.
Klima presented the staff report. The variance was to exceed the impervious
surface requirement in the shoreland district and a site plan approval for the entire
site due to the addition of the parking lot. The variance did meet the three-part
test, the parking lot did satisfy all City standards, and staff recommended approval
of both requests.
Mette asked if the additional seven-acre parcel would be rezoned. Klima replied
this parcel was owned by the school district and zoned public, which would not
change; only City-owned properties would be rezoned as part of the parks
rezoning. Farr noted there was on the south side of the property there were two
utility easements running parallel to each other: a water main and a gas pipeline
without a pipe utility in it. He asked if the gas pipeline was vacated and/or would
the storm sewer cross it and if so, if there would be any issues with this.
Rue replied the applicant’s civil engineer looked at this. The gas main was an
older one and could be fairly deep, perhaps deeper than normal, and it was
potholed. Pomeroy replied the gas main would be potholed again before the start
of construction. It was likely three to four feet deep, and the storm sewer would
be laid beneath it.
MOTION: Kirk moved, seconded by DeSanctis to close the public hearing.
MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
MOTION: Kirk moved, seconded by Higgins to approve Variance #2018-02
based on the staff report dated July 2, 2019 and plans stamp-dated June 28, 2019.
MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
MOTION: Kirk moved, seconded by DeSanctis to recommend approval of the
site plan review on 23.05 acres staff report dated July 2, 2019 and plans stamp-
dated June 28, 2019 and the findings and conditions in the final order number
2018-02. MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
B. SOUTHWEST TRANSIT NORTH BUS ENTRY/OFFICE ADDITION
Request for:
Planned Unit Development District Amendment on 10.05 acres
Site Plan Review on 10.05 acres
Len Simich, CEO of Southwest Transit, introduced Gary Hay of Hay Dobbs
Architects and briefly explained the need for the garage expansion. This was to
become the new corporate office for Southwest Transit since the current one was
being displaced with the building of the LRT line, and to clean up the circulation
of the business in and out of the site. Hay Dobbs displayed a PowerPoint and
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detailed the application. The applicant would construct a 2,689 square foot
building addition for a bus entry and offices on at the front of the building. The
site would include an existing maintenance garage with warehouse and office
space. The two-story building addition would include the bus entry on the first
floor and offices on the second floor. The materials included face brick, glass and
metal panels. The roof heights varied due to the screening elements, although the
roof elevation remained at the same height. Hay displayed the elevation seen east
to west on Highway 62 showing the varying roof heights and material choices.
The second floor office would include a collaboration space.
DeSanctis commended the thoughtful presentation and the aesthetics of the
building. He asked if there was an opportunity to introduce solar energy as a
supplemental source of energy. Hay replied when exploring this in other projects
he found the cost to be prohibitive. There might be an opportunity in the future
given the scale of this building.
Klima presented the staff report. This was essentially a Phase II project and no
waivers were proposed as the needed waivers were addressed previously. The
landscape plan exceeded City requirements. Staff would continue to work with
the applicant on the compliance of the Class II materials. Staff recommended
approval.
Pieper asked if this expansion had been brought forward at the previous public
hearing for phase I in 2018, if staff would have had any concerns, and Klima
replied there would have been no concerns from staff.
MOTION: Farr moved, seconded by Weber to close the public hearing.
MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
Mette commended the design and the choice of materials, particularly the zinc
which was not inexpensive. Pieper concurred. Farr also commended the choice of
the materials.
MOTION: Farr moved, seconded by Kirk to recommend approval of Southwest
Transit northwest entry office addition based on the staff report dated July 2, 2019
and the plans June 11, 2019. MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
VI. PLANNERS’ REPORT
VII. MEMBERS’ REPORTS
VIII. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION: Weber moved, seconded by DeSantis to adjourn. MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:46 p.m.