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Planning Commission - 08/08/2016 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PLANNING COMMISSION MONDAY,AUGUST 8, 2016 7:00 P.M., CITY CENTER Council Chambers 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS: Jon Stoltz, John Kirk, Travis Wuttke, Ann Higgins, Charles Weber, Andrew Pieper, Ed Farr, Mark Freiberg, Tom Poul CITY STAFF: Julie Klima, City Planner Rod Rue, City Engineer Matt Bourne, Manager of Parks and Natural Resources Julie Krull, Recording Secretary I. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE—ROLL CALL Chair Stoltz called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Pieper and Poul were absent. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Higgins moved, seconded by Kirk, to approve the agenda. Motion carried 7-0. III. MINUTES A. PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING HELD ON JULY 11, 2016 MOTION: Farr moved, seconded by Freiberg, to approve the Planning Commission Minutes. Motion carried 7-0. IV. INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS V. PUBLIC MEETINGS VI. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. CEDAR RIDGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Location: 8905 Braxton Request for: • Zoning District Change from Rural to Public on 23.19 acres • Variance to exceed the 30 foot maximum height requirement for the existing structure. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES August 8, 2016 Page 2 Klima said in 2010, the City Code was updated to eliminate the term public facilities and in its place public infrastructure was listed as a permitted use in all zoning districts. The definition of"public infrastructure" was limited to infrastructure and did not include schools. The adoption of the new terminology and definition unintentionally resulted in schools becoming a non-conforming use. The City Staff is proposing to remedy the situation by adding schools as a permitted use in the Public district and rezoning of certain school properties from the Rural District to the Public District. The Planning Commission previously recommended approval of a text amendment to add schools as a permitted use in the Public zoning district. The City Council is scheduled to review the amendment at its August 16th City Council meeting. Klima also stated ISD 272 owns multiple properties within the City and three of those are zoned public and the remaining 4 sites are proposed for rezoning from Rural to Public. The adopted Comprehensive Plan guides this property for Public use; and therefore, the rezoning request is in compliance with the Comprehensive Plan. Staff is also recommending Commission to approve the variances for the existing conditions of the sites. No new development or expansions are being proposed with these requests so there will be no site plans to review. Existing conditions that require attention due to the proposed zoning change include the existing height of the buildings. The recommended variance would apply only to the existing conditions. In regards to the variance request for Cedar Ridge Elementary School, the Rural district allows a building height of 40 feet, so at the time of construction, the height of the building was compliant with City Code. The Public district has a maximum building height of 30 feet, so staff is recommending approval of the variance to allow the existing condition in order for the site to maintain its conforming use. The tallest portion of the building at this site is 37 feet tall. No setback variances are necessary for this site. Staff recommendation is for approval. Wuttke asked why we are not waiting for the Code change to be approved by the City Council. Klima said the Planning Commission is an advisory commission to the City Council and so are just giving recommendations this evening. Wuttke asked what would happen if the Council does not approve these requests. Klima said there would be follow-up with the school district and different actions would have to take place. Wuttke said he is concerned about approving these variances as the code amendment has not yet been approved by the Council. Klima said the City would like to remedy this as soon as possible so school district properties are conforming. Farr asked if schools would expand in the future, how that process would work. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES August 8, 2016 Page 3 Klima said the schools did not discuss expanding,but if they did, they would have to go through public review as required by City Code. Chair Stoltz opened the meeting up for public input. There was no input. MOTION: Kirk moved, seconded by Weber, to close the public hearing. Motion carried 7-0. MOTION: Kirk moved, seconded by Weber, to recommend approval of the Zoning District Change from Rural to Public on 23.19 acres and Final Order 2016- 06 based on the information included in the staff report dated August 3, 2016. Motion carried 7-0. B. OAK POINT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Location: 13400 Staring Lake Parkway Request for: • Zoning District Change from Rural to Public on 23.05 acres • Variance to address the existing setback requirements. Klima said this variance is for parking lot setbacks and no changes are being proposed for this site. Staff recommendation is for approval. Chair Stoltz opened the meeting up for public input. There was no input. MOTION: Weber moved, seconded by Kirk, to close the public hearing. Motion carried 7-0. MOTION: Weber moved, seconded by Kirk, to recommend approval of the Zoning District Change from Rural to Public on 23.05 acres and Final Order 2016- 07 based on the information included in the staff report dated August 3, 2016. Motion carried 7-0. C. EDEN LAKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Location: 12000 Anderson Lakes Parkway Request for: • Zoning District Change from Rural to Public on 23.46 acres • Variance to address the existing setback requirements. Klima said the variance requests are for parking lot setbacks and building height. No changes are being proposed for this site. Staff recommendation is for approval. Chair Stoltz opened the meeting up for public input. There was no input. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES August 8, 2016 Page 4 MOTION: Higgins moved, seconded by Kirk, to close the public hearing. Motion carried 7-0. MOTION: Higgins moved, seconded by Weber, to recommend approval of the Zoning District Change from Rural to Public on 23.46 acres and Final Order 2016- 08 based on the information included in the staff report dated August 3, 2016. Motion carried 7-0. D. FOREST HILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Location: 13708 Holly Road Request for: • Zoning District Change from Rural to Public on 23.31 acres • Variance to address the existing setback requirements. Klima said the variance request is to allow reduced setbacks for the existing building and parking lot. No changes are being proposed for this site. Staff recommendation is for approval. Chair Stoltz opened the meeting up for public input. There was no input. MOTION: Farr moved, seconded by Kirk, to close the public hearing. Motion carried 7-0. MOTION: Farr moved, seconded by Kirk, to recommend approval of the Zoning District Change from Rural to Public on 23.31 acres and Final Order 2016-09 based on the information included in the staff report dated August 3, 2016. Motion carried 7-0. E. HENNEPIN TECHNICAL COLLEGE Location: 13100 College View Drive Request for: • Zoning District Change from Rural to Public on 104.38 acres • Variance to address the existing setback requirements. Klima said the existing buildings and parking lots crossover the three lot lines of the properties that the Hennepin Technical College campus site occupies. There is an existing setback of 0 feet from the various lot lines. There are also other reduced setbacks from the front, side and rear lot lines of the properties. City Code requires a building setback of 50 feet from the front and rear lot lines and a minimum of 50 feet from the side lot lines and a total combined side yard setback of 150 feet in the Public District. City Code also requires a parking lot setback of 50 feet from the front lot line and a 10 foot side and rear lot line setback from the lot lines of the PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES August 8, 2016 Page 5 property in the Public District. No changes are being proposed for this site and staff recommendation is for approval. Kirk asked if Hennepin Technical College was in agreement with these requests. Klima said there were no issues raised by Hennepin Technical College. Farr asked why they have multiple properties with a single building. Klima commented without the history she was unsure but stated at some point Hennepin Technical College could possibly consolidate the three parcels. Farr said he was unsure why the variance requests would go through now when they could potentially consolidate in the future. Klima said the City is recommending the variance to address existing conditions. Kirk commented if they were to do a lot consolidation they would have to invest a lot of time,research and money. Klima concurred it would take a lot of time and money to do the consolidation. Farr asked if this project was to get redeveloped for alternative use, would it get rezoned to PUD. Klima said if the properties were to redevelop there would be a separate Public process. A redevelopment for another use would require a Comp Plan Amendment and rezoning. Chair Stoltz opened the meeting up for public input. There was no input. MOTION: Weber moved, seconded by Higgins, to close the public hearing. Motion carried 7-0. MOTION: Weber moved, seconded by Kirk, to recommend approval of the Zoning District Change from Rural to Public on 104.38 acres and Final Order 2016- 10 based on the information included in the staff report dated August 3, 2016. Motion carried 6-1 (Farr). VII. PLANNERS' REPORT Klima said the Spirit of Eden Prairie Award Nomination Forms are on the City Website. VIII. MEMBERS' REPORT Wuttke said he noticed the parks are heavy trafficked now by users of augmented reality video games and would like to encourage users and parents of kids to be safe and also know and be respectful of the public property and private property rights. Higgins commented there is a lot of pedestrian traffic in the Purgatory Creek area that is causing traffic issues. Chair Stoltz asked if anything has been addressed with this issue. Bourne said the City has talked to Pokemon Go about the park rules and stated the situation is being monitored. IX. CONTINUING BUSINESS PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES August 8, 2016 Page 6 X. NEW BUSINESS XI. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Weber moved, seconded by Kirk, to adjourn the Planning Commission meeting. Motion carried 7-0. Chair Stoltz adjourned the meeting at 7:30p.m.