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Planning Commission - 04/08/2019 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PLANNING COMMISSION MONDAY,APRIL 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. SWEARING IN OF NEW COMMISSION MEMBER Klima swore in the new Planning Commission member, Balu Iyer. III. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE—ROLL CALL Commission member Weber was absent. IV. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Iyer moved, seconded by Higgins to approve the agenda. MOTION CARRIED 8-0. V. MINUTES MOTION: DeSanctis moved, seconded by Villarreal to approve the minutes of March 25, 2019. MOTION CARRIED 8-0. VI. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF MN LLC Location: 6385 Beach Rd Request for: • Planned Unit Development Concept Review on approximately 55 acres • Planned Unit Development District Review with waivers on approximately 55 acres • Site Plan Review on approximately 55 acres PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES April 8, 2019 Page 2 John Harriss, Principal of Harriss & Associates,presented the application. He thanked City staff for its work with him. He had worked on this building being renovated back as a young architect in 1989. He stated there were limitations on this project due to the site being hilly and bisected by a wetland. In addition to the improvements, he sought a new architectural expression as the present buildings were quite conservative: two-story brick exteriors that followed the original master plan but needed updating. Harriss displayed a PowerPoint showing the location of the cafeteria and classroom addition. He added the overall 57 acres was contained in the packet but was not a part of this PowerPoint. The site was bisected by a roadway and parking area, and made up of three similar-shaped, two-story walk-out buildings. The cafeteria and classrooms comprised this project. An enlargement of the area showed the difficulty of having internal roads on this hilly site,requiring a"spine" at the perimeter. Harriss stated the addition would be 5,700 square feet and would renovate the kitchen and dining area. Deliveries would come into a new driveway slightly shifted from its current site. A trash and delivery room would be constructed to provide interior spaces for those services. An entry to the south would be constructed for after school pickup. The building's second floor renovation continued the corridor into a new biology classroom and lab and a physics classroom and lab, and a small office. The enlarged first floor plan showed the entrance and trash area and renovated dining area. The second floor physics and biology classrooms would have labs as well with emergency equipment. There would be a new and renovated dining area with salad stations,beverage stations, et cetera. The fenestration on the first floor would be virtually all glass with punched openings. There would be doors added to existing opening for future outdoor dining. Harriss displayed the south and west elevations which showed the current classroom windows as well as the future windows for the renovation. The canopy would be removed and a corrugated look added in a more modern style. There would be white doors and windows to tie the renovation together with the existing building along with a six foot cantilever. Harriss explained the blue opaque panels were actually glass in an effort to bring as much light into the building as possible. He detailed the materials and materials percentages. He showed the stairs, emergency exits, and doors on the west elevation. DeSanctis asked if the exterior lighting would impact the surrounding residential area on Beach Road. Harriss replied it would not; no pole lighting would be added. DeSanctis asked if there was an opportunity for rain water capture or recycling. Harriss replied he had not pursued that as the entire site has an irrigation system,but it might be possible to capture rainwater in a cistern which could be connected to the irrigation system, and this would depend upon the owner. Iyer asked if there was a storm water drainage pond planned. Harriss replied he did get approval from the Watershed District to switch from a large infiltration basin to replace the existing one, which was expensive, to a phased project which would push changes to the existing basin out to the future when the residence hall would be renovated. Iyer asked for and received confirmation the existing PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES April 8, 2019 Page 3 infiltration system could handle the current volume of water. The current transformer would be replaced and relocated to the north. Farr asked if the "modern design" noted in the Master Plan could be expected in future renovations on the site and if so, to what extent. Harriss replied this design would be extended to the future renovation of the performing arts center and gymnasium, a service area which would receive a more robust athletics component, and to connect two brick buildings with modern materials in a more creative way. Some of this had already been done on site with renovated bands, sun shades, and a corrugated look. Farr asked how the existing parking would change. Harriss stated the parking could handle 1,000 students, whereas the school had 400 attendees at present. However, there was another area that could offer an additional 80 spaces if need be. Klima gave the staff report. The applicant was seeking an amendment to an existing PUD and an amendment to the site plan for the classroom and cafeteria addition. One PUD waiver was being request for the west facade. Staff recommended approval of that waiver subject to conditions and approval of the plan as proposed. Some landscaping would be added to the project,but no trees would be removed. Mette asked the difference between a PUD Concept Review versus a PUD District Review and why both were needed. Klima replied City code stated a PUD should not be approved unless it complied with a PUD Concept Review. Both can be reviewed simultaneously and it does not be an"extra step." Villarreal asked Klima to address the materials against the zoning ordinance. Klima replied City code did require 75 percent of Class One materials per facade, and not by the overall calculation of the building, and this was a recent change driven by new design standards, thus the waiver. It was triggered on the west facade because that did not have an existing building to draw upon. Farr challenged this interpretation which measured only the west facade, as the building was serpentine. Klima replied staff strove to relay the same message to all property owners and an equitable interpretation took into consideration the particular circumstances of the project. MOTION: Iyer moved, seconded by Kirk to close the public hearing. MOTION CARRIED 8-0. Mette urged the applicant to consider tailoring the materials intended for the trash room to allow a power wash and ventilation to prevent odors, and to consider using a dark stained concrete to avoid discoloration from rolling garbage cans back and forth. Kirk expressed approval of having"borderline" or"questionable" issues such as Farr's concerns regarding the materials percentages come before the commission, which showed Eden Prairie's high standards in construction. Villarreal stated his initial inclination was this discussion of materials was not required by the commission,but it prevented "gray area" questions not automatically being granted without a waiver, even though the applicant for this project might not be required to go through the waiver PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES April 8, 2019 Page 4 process. Klima replied the waiver request was not the only issue prompting this commission review. The addition was 5,700 square feet in size, which did not allow for a streamlined review process and which automatically triggered a PUD review. DeSanctis thanked the applicant for considering lighting impacts on circadian rhythms. Farr thanked the applicant for maintaining architect continuity throughout the life of this building. MOTION: Kirk moved, seconded by Farr to recommend approval of the planned unit concept review on approximately 55 acres, planned unit development district review with waivers on approximately 55 acres, and site plan review on approximately 55 acres based on the staff report dated April 4, 2019 and plans stamp-dated March 22, 2019. MOTION CARRIED 8-0. B. PLANNERS' REPORT Klima reminded the commission members of the Riley-Purgatory-Bluff Creek Watershed District Open House on April 10, 2019. C. MEMBERS' REPORTS D. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Higgins moved, seconded by Iyer to adjourn the meeting. MOTION CARRIED 8-0. Chair Pieper adjourned the meeting at 7:50 p.m.