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Planning Commission - 02/09/2004 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE COMMUNITY PLANNING BOARD MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2004 7:00 P.M., CITY CENTER Council Chamber 8080 Mitchell Road BOARD MEMBERS: Ken Brooks, Randy Foote, Vicki Koenig, Fred Seymour, Kathy Nelson, Dave Steppat, Ray Stoelting, Bill Sutherland STAFF MEMBERS: Stu Fox, Manager of Parks and Natural Resources Al Gray, City Engineer, Mike Franzen, City Planner Jane Hovind, Recording Secretary I. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE—ROLL CALL Chair Stoelting called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Present: Chair Stoelting, Commissioners Brooks, Foote, Koenig, Nelson, Seymour, Steppat, and Sutherland. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION by Steppat, second by Nelson, to approve the agenda. Motion carried, 8-0 III. MINUTES A. Minutes of the January 26, 2004 Community Planning Board Meeting Koenig stated on page two, third paragraph to add the word "hearing" to complete the first sentence. She said on page nine, last paragraph, all references to he or his should be she or her and also the fifth sentence should be eliminated. MOTION by Brooks, second by Seymour, to approve the minutes. Motion carried 7-0, Sutherland abstained IV. PUBLIC MEETINGS V. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. VARIANCE#2004-01 for Highwood Investments, L.L.C. Location 7585 Equitable Drive. A front yard parking setback variance from 50 feet to 25 feet on Equitable Drive. Planning Board Minutes February 9, 2004 Page 2 Gene Haugland presented the variance request. He stated the building has not leased because there's not enough parking. The request is for a variance of 25 feet on Equitable Drive with the frontage on Valley View Road to remain as it is currently. He stated there will be 1,000 square feet more green space than is required by code. The goal is to get from 110 to 150 parking spaces to accommodate the more densely populated users in the market place. Haugland showed the existing parking spaces and where they would be adding them. Stoelting stated when he visited the site he noticed a berm. Mr. Haugland stated there is a very large berm and they intend to put up a retaining wall along the berm. Franzen stated the issue is what is the best way to provide additional parking on the property. He said if there is enough green space, the variance could be allowed. He stated there is also the possibility of modifying the loading area on the south side of the building and convert the area to parking spaces which would possibly eliminate the need for a variance. Franzen said staff is comfortable with either option. Sutherland stated there is no grading plan and asked the proponent if they were planning on reducing the height of the berm. Haugland responded they would keep the height. Seymour asked the proponent since he doesn't have a tenant, if a new tenant didn't need the parking whether they would modify the parking. Haugland responded they have a tenant in mind and are competing for them; this tenant wants the additional parking spaces. Seymour asked Haugland about the berm since he sounded tentative about keeping it. Haugland responded they intend to keep it. Koenig asked whether the prospective tenant will need the loading dock area as it exists. Haugland responded they do need it and they may want to convert a loading door into a loading dock area also. Foote asked about the retaining wall and how high it would be. Haugland responded it is as high as twelve feet and will need a railing across the top. Stoelting asked what the hardship is for the variance request. Haugland responded the current market in Eden Prairie is more high tech manufacturing oriented. In order to compete, they need additional parking. Because of the limited parking, clients don't want to lease the property. The hardship is that the proponent can't satisfy a large segment of the market place without the additional parking. Steppat stated that the additional parking will make it a much more desirable building. Planning Board Minutes February 9, 2004 Page 3 Koenig asked about the Traffic Demand Management plan. Haugland responded they submitted a plan that commits to working with the tenant to come up with a satisfactory plan based on that tenant's needs. Koenig questioned the possibility of future variance requests from other businesses if this is granted. Nelson stated given the fact that they have more green space than they need and they are retaining green space makes this request different. She said if the berm is retained and the looks of the property aren't changed significantly, this would be a good reason for the variance. She said variances are considered on a site by site basis. She stated the Board should require the berm to remain and the retaining wall be built with a railing on the top. Koenig asked how the berm and retaining wall will look from Valley View Road. Haugland responded he's not sure as to where the wall height would be in relation to the berm or its relation to the level of Valley View Road. Franzen stated whatever the Uniform Building Code requires for the railing, that's what would be used; it would be done in green or black and would not be intrusive. Koenig asked if there is a possibility of transplanting some of the trees that are being removed. Haugland responded most of them are too large and would not survive. MOTION by Nelson, second by Foote,to close the public hearing.Motion carried,8-0 MOTION by Nelson, second by Brooks, to approve of the following variance: A front yard parking setback variance from 50 feet to 25 feet along Equitable Drive, subject to the variance request, as submitted, including a Traffic Demand Management plan and a tree replacement plan. The proponent is directed to retain the existing berm and build a retaining wall topped with a safety railing along the length of the berm. Motion carried, 8-0 VI. MEMBERS' REPORTS VII. CONTINUING BUSINESS VIII. NEW BUSINESS IX. PLANNERS' REPORTS X. ADJOURNMENT MOTION by Koenig, second by Steppat, to adjourn. Motion passed, 8-0. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:25 p.m.