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Planning Commission - 02/24/2003 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE COMMUNITY PLANNING BOARD MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2003 7:00 P.M., CITY CENTER Council Chambers 8080 Mitchell Road BOARD MEMBERS: Ken Brooks, Frantz Corneille, Randy Foote, Vicki Koenig, Fred Seymour, Kathy Nelson, Dave Steppat, Ray Stoelting, Paul Sodt. STAFF MEMBERS: Stu Fox, Manager of Parks and Natural Resources Mike Franzen, City Planner Al Gray, City Engineer Jane Hovind, Recording Secretary I. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE—ROLL CALL Chair Corneille called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Present: Corneille, Commissioners Brooks, Koenig, Nelson, Seymour, Sodt, Steppat, and Stoelting. Absent: Foote II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION by Nelson, second by Stoelting, to approve the agenda. Motion carried, 8-0. III. MINUTES A. Minutes of the February 10, 2003 Community Planning Board Meeting Corneille stated that on page 5, third paragraph, first sentence should read "Corneille asked about the original comments made by Mr. Franzen regarding the transition." Steppat noted the second to the last line on the bottom of page 5 should say "Herbst was initially correct in his original assessment that the adult lifestyle homes are important." Nelson stated on page 5, second paragraph, line 11 should state "Nelson stated that the distance between the homes seems close but not as much as I expected." MOTION by Corneille, second by Stoelting, to approve the minutes of the February 10, 2003 Community Planning Board Meeting. Motion carried, 6-2 (abstained) IV. PUBLIC MEETINGS Planning Board Minutes February 24, 2003 Page 2 V. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. THE ENCLAVE 2'ADDITION by Halley's Custom Homes, Inc. Request for Zoning District Change from Rural to RM-6.5 on 4.73 acres, Site Plan Review on 4.73 acres, and Preliminary Plat of 4.73 acres into 11 lots, 2 outlots, and road right- of-way. Location: Southeast corner of Braxton Drive and Pioneer Trail. Daren Laberee from Westwood Professional Services presented the item. He stated the project is for 11 units, 4 duplexes and one three-plex, on 4.73 acres. They are requesting rezoning from Rural to RM-6.5. He said there will be a circular cul-de- sac surrounded by the townhomes. Issues of concern are ponding, which has been resolved, and tree loss. The topography consists of a wooded hill which will be retained. Franzen stated the project is consistent with the comprehensive guide plan and it meets all requirements of the City's zoning and subdivision ordinances. Staff recommends approval according to the recommendations on page 3 of the staff report. Stoelting asked the proponent to talk about construction parking and, since the Braxton Drive and Pioneer Trail intersection is so busy, where the construction crews would park. Laberee responded that the equipment will be parked on-site, only the small contractors would park on Braxton Drive. Stoelting asked about plans for screening and fencing along Pioneer Trail. Laberee responded there will be a 5 foot tall stucco fence and a large line of evergreens. Stoelting asked how the storm water ponds will work for this development, given the slope and elevation. Laberee responded that there will be a gutter system that will empty into the sewer system and eventually into the pond. Stoelting asked about the road and whether it was private and how that would be maintained. Laberee responded the road is private and there will be a homeowner's association in place to maintain the area. Stoelting asked whether parking would be allowed on the streets and whether there would be two car garages. Laberee stated parking would be allowed on one side of the street and each unit has a two car garage. Nelson asked whether the lots on the south side of the development would have adequate access to Stirrup Lane. Al Gray, City Engineer, responded there are 10 acres to the south which allows access to the streets. Sodt commented that he thought there was a horse farm or stable south of the site. Gray said there is a large horse farm in that area. Koenig asked if the property extends to the fence at the bottom of the hill. Laberee indicated on the plans how the fence line runs perpendicular to the south of the property, not along the property line. Koenig asked if the trees in the ravine area in the southwest part of the site will remain. Laberee stated they will leave most of them. Planning Board Minutes February 24, 2003 Page 3 Koenig asked if most of the development was situated on the flat area of the property. Laberee replied it was because they tried to stay away from the slope to preserve that area. Koenig stated it seemed as though there is almost 80% tree loss. Stu Fox, Manager of Parks and Natural Resources, stated that there will be 77% tree loss. Laberee stated that the trees are clustered and were planted by the homeowner on that site over the years. They felt it was more important to try to save the small wooded area in the southwest. Sodt said that the staff report stated the preservation of the wooded slope in the southwest section of the property. He asked the developer whether they would be cleaning out the overgrown brush in that area. Laberee responded they had no plans to clean up the area. Sodt asked what the significance was of the change in zoning from Rural to RM-6.5. Franzen replied since the density is similar to the surrounding area and less than the guide plan, a multiple family zoning is minor since there are no road or utility impacts. The multiple family zoning permits the concentration of the townhomes to protect the area. Koenig asked if the tree loss could be lowered by reducing the total number of lots. Fox replied that by looking at two alternatives - twwnhomes clustered or single homes spread out would have resulted in the same amount of tree loss. The trees are clustered and there's no way to work around them, they would have to be removed. MOTION by Stoelting, second by Nelson, to close the public hearing. Motion carried, 8-0. MOTION by Stoelting, second by Nelson, to approve the Zoning District Change from Rural to RM-6.5 on 4.73 acres, Site Plan Review on 4.73 acres, and Preliminary Plat of 4.73 acres into 11 lots, 2 outlots, and road right-of-way,based on plans dated February 21, 2003, and subject to the recommendations of the staff report dated February 21, 2003, to the City Council. Motion carried, 8-0. B. THREE RIVERS ANDERSON LAKES PARK PLAN A public meeting to review the park plan for Anderson Lakes Park Michael Horn of the Three RiversParks District presented this item. He stated that the Parks District acquired the Anderson Lakes Park property from the City of Eden Prairie in April of 1981. Anderson Lakes Park will be a part of the Three River's Regional Park Reserve complex that also includes Hyland Lake Park Reserve and the Bush Lake Regional Park. Anderson Lakes will remain in a primarily natural, undisturbed state with trails and natural areas. The Park District has an 80/20 development policy in the reserve parks which preserves 80% of the natural areas and limits development to the remaining 20% of the property. Planning Board Minutes February 24, 2003 Page 4 He said the trails will need to be realigned due to the impact of the Highway 169 construction and to reduce the grade. Most of the current trails will remain in their natural state and there is one trail that will be paved. There will be a paved land bridge connecting to the causeway at the Highway 169 bridge which will hook up with the Tierney Woods area. The project will be phased and there are currently funds available for the parking lot and trails. The trail connection through Temey Woods will be done at a later date. Horn stated there is a proposed parking lot allowing 19 parking spaces. It has a curved drive into the parking site. This was done to preserve the tree stands on either side and to follow the natural curve of the land. The entrance will line up with Amsden Way. Fox said the Anderson Lakes Park property was acquired in the late 60's, early 70's by the City of Eden Prairie. It consists of approximately 350 acres. In 1976, the area was designated by the Metropolitan Council as a regional park. An agreement was made to transfer the land to the Hennepin County Parks District. Fox stated originally the Nature Center for the Hyland-Bush-Anderson Lakes Park Reserve was to be located within Anderson Lakes Park. However, the later part of the 1990's the Park District decided to upgrade the Richardson Nature Center instead. The project was reviewed by the Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission on January 6, 2003 and approved on an 8 - 0 vote. Staff recommends approval of the project based on plans dated December 5, 2002 and subject to the recommendations in the staff report. Robert Karol of 8751 Bentwood Drive spoke against the project for several reasons. He stated tree loss will cause a visual impact along Anderson Lakes Parkway. He commented that the parking lot is unnecessary since there is parking across the street in a shopping mall. He suggested looking into a lease arrangement with them since it is a safe crossing area. He also felt the entranceway to the parking lot was too long and used too much pavement. He stated flattening out the trails isn't a good idea and it would seem better to follow the slope of the land. He disagreed with the idea of a scenic overlook because it's a natural area that shouldn't be built up. He said the paving of the trail would encourage bike riders to also use the natural trails. He suggested some kind of barrier to prevent access to the non-biking trails. He also suggested sound barriers along Highway 169 between the park and the highway. Brooks asked Horn how he arrived at the 19 parking spaces relative to the size of the park. He questioned whether there were statistics or surveys done regarding park use. Horn responded this was a standard minimum number of parking spaces, he didn't believe it was based on statistics. Brooks stated he favors a parking lot but he wasn't sure of the number of spaces, whether 19 was enough or too many. He said parking in the shopping mall parking Planning Board Minutes February 24, 2003 Page 5 lot wasn't a good idea; crossing the street would be a barrier and it would keep people away from the park if they have to cross the road. Brooks said he wouldn't like to see the trails leveled. Nelson said she likes the wooded area close to Anderson Lakes Parkway. She asked if the parking lot will be invisible to the road and whether people would feel comfortable in the dark going to their cars. Horn responded the parking lot will be visible from the street, there will be more of a police presence and the park will close at dusk. Nelson asked about the possibility of stop signs at Amsden Way to allow for a full crossing. Gray responded that putting stop signs in that area would cause traffic jams. He stated that within the next 5 or 6 years there will be a signal installed at Franlo and Anderson Lakes Parkway. This will depend on how residents respond to the idea of signalizing this intersection. With the completion of the 169 improvements, there will be an increase in traffic on Anderson Lakes Parkway. Nelson asked how difficult it will be to get in and out of the parking lot and whether there would be signs. She said she thought it might be a problem turning left into the park at certain busier times of the day. Gray responded there will be street signs and most of the residents exiting the park would be taking right turns back to the west. Steppat asked about parking lot lighting and his concern about security within the park and partying. He asked whether pedestrians walking along Anderson Lakes Parkway will feel safe with cars turning in and out of the park. Horn replied there was no plan for lighting but it could be considered. Gray stated that in regard to a 19 car parking lot this will not be heavily used. Pedestrians would have the right of way. Both pedestrians and motorists would need to be cautious. Koenig asked how much of the trails is going to be paved and what is the rationale for this. She commented that lighting would be disruptive in a passive park such as this. Horn stated that the bituminous trail along Anderson Lake Parkway would remain and the new trail would start at the parking lot and go north along 169. These types of trails are for bicycle traffic. Koenig asked Fox if the parking lot along Staring Lake was 20 spaces. Fox responded that it holds 40 vehicles. Sodt stated the plans show a left turn lane on Anderson Lakes Parkway before Amsden Way. He asked if there were plans for a left turn lane into the park in the future when Anderson Lakes Parkway is upgraded. Horn responded he didn't believe the road improvements would go that far. Sodt questioned whether there are topographic features that are the reason for the longer driveway into the parking Planning Board Minutes February 24, 2003 Page 6 lot. Horn responded there is a steep grade and they tried to arc it in a flat spot where the trees open up. It resulted in the least disturbance of the trees. Sodt stated he would often walk his dog in this area and it never occurred to him to park in the shopping center parking lot; he parked on the street usually on Amsden Way. Sodt stated he sees a need for the parking area and it should remain at this location. He continued parks are meant to accommodate a variety of people and paving some of the trail and leaving the rest in their natural state makes sense. Stoelting said he noticed there was a curb cut in that area and asked if the curb cut was the entryway for the drive. Fox responded it was done earlier when the Highway 169 and Anderson Lake Parkway upgrade was made. The parking lot was planned for the park at that time. It is directly across from Amsden Way because it's important from a traffic standpoint to locate a parking lot opposite a road. Staff felt by keeping the parking lot behind trees it would remain more of a park setting and neighbors wouldn't be looking at parked cars. Stoelting asked about the dashed lines north and south. Gray responded with the proposed 169 interchange there won't be any change to Anderson Lakes Parkway as far as width goes, only the elevation may change. The dotted lines indicate how far back the proposed construction limit on 169 will extend. Stoelting asked when the work on 169 will occur. Gray responded it depends on the legislature. The improvements are designated as an accelerated construction program so they could start construction in 2004, otherwise, it will be put off for 5-8 years. Brooks asked how many acres of County parks Three Rivers oversees and how many parks they are responsible for. Horn responded 27,000 acres total. The number of parks would depend on how you define a park. There are park reserves developed on an 80/20 policy with 80% of the park left in its natural state and 20% marked for development, and regional parks which are smaller in size but with more development. Don DeVoe of Three Rivers Parks Development stated there are small parking lots in other parks with approximately 20 car capacity. Monday through Friday use is sporatic. Use of the park will fluctuate by time of day. The parking lot is never full during this time. On the weekends there can be an overflow of parking onto the streets. Some cities request no parking be allowed on streets adjacent to the park. He said they could provide statistics on the number of people using the parking lots. Three Rivers has 8 park reserves, 7 regional parks, 3 special recreation features and regional trail corridors. There's approximately 18-20 different elements. Koenig asked about the reason for adjusting the grade on the trails. Horn responded that the turf trails will not be graded; the paved trail will be. Koenig stated she can see the value of a connected trail system for bikers and that her biggest concern was them using the natural trails. She asked if there would be signs up to prevent this. Planning Board Minutes February 24, 2003 Page 7 She asked what the estimate for tree loss will be and how the roadway and parking lot will affect the stand of trees along Anderson Lakes Parkway. Horn responded that they will post signs and tree replacement will meet or exceed City requirements. He said since the entrance has been aligned to reduce impact, the trees along Anderson Lakes will be minimally impacted. Corneille asked about the idea of using the shopping center parking lot for park patrons and also the timing for construction. Fox responded that if we were building a City park users would never be allowed to park on someone else's property. It would hold true for this project also. Horn responded that the improvements are planned for this year. Stoelting asked if the Board was to vote on just the parking and trail development and not the overlook area. Horn responded it would also include the overlook which will be a widened spot in the trail with two benches. Stoelting asked if there is a fence between 169 and where the land bridge is located. Horn stated the land bridge would be 15 - 20 feet or so below the highway level. Koenig asked who oversees protection of the trees and whether the City does this. Fox responded that when the County applies for grading permits the City would require erosion control which would establish grading limits. Silt fencing would be put up at that point that would also serve as a tree protection fence. Nelson asked if there would be benches anywhere else besides the scenic overlook along the trails. Horn responded there aren't any planned other than the overlook area. Brooks asked if there were any other parks of similar size in the Eden Prairie area with similar size parking lots. Fox responded that many of the neighborhood parks have 40 - 60 parking spaces and approximately 10 - 20 acres of usage. Fox referred to Staring Lake Park and how the parking lot accommodates 40 cars and most of these people are walkers walking the 2 1/2 miles around the lake. Since this park is over 300 acres it would make sense to provide at least 20 stalls. The plan also has a future phase for expanding the lot. Brooks asked how this would be done. Horn responded they could expand to the south which would result in a doubling of capacity. Fox stated there is a possibility that the parking lot may become too small and result in overuse and overflow parking. The park staff will need to monitor the use of the parking lot. Sodt said it would seem when the improvements are made there will be an increase in park use. He said the 19 car parking lot seemed reasonable. Koenig asked about restrictions not allowing dogs in the park. She asked if that was a County or City requirement. Horn responded that Three Rivers Park District does not allow dog walking although they are considering a leashed dog walking trail. Planning Board Minutes February 24, 2003 Page 8 Koenig stated that Eden Prairie has a variety of parks and this one is meant to be a passive one. MOTION by Nelson, second by Stoelting, to close the public hearing. Motion carried, 8-0. MOTION by Nelson, second by Steppat, to approve the request for the park plan for Anderson Lakes Park subject to the recommendations of the staff report dated February 21, 2003, to the City Council. Motion carried, 8-0. Corneille asked about the timing of the park improvements in conjunction with the 169 reconstruction. Gray responded that the construction of 169 will impact the area but didn't think it would deter people from using the park. Brooks stated it seems that most of the residents using the park will be coming from the west. Steppat stated neighbors will be glad to keep cars off the street and in the parking lot. VI. MEMBERS REPORTS Sodt thanked Mike Franzen for speaking at the Rotary Club. He said he did a great job explaining planning principles. VII. CONTINUING BUSINESS VIII. NEW BUSINESS IX. PLANNERS'REPORTS X. ADJOURNMENT MOTION by Koenig, second by Sodt to adjourn. Motion carried, 8-0. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:20 p.m.