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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018/02/21 - ADMIN - Minutes - Planning Commission - RegularOFFICIAL MINUTES PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING AND STUDY SESSION ST. LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA FEBRUARY 21, 2018 — 6:00 p.m. COUNCIL CHAMBERS MEMBERS PRESENT: Claudia Johnston -Madison, Torrey Kanne, Lisa Peilen, Richard Person, Carl Robertson, Joe Tatalovich MEMBERS ABSENT: Lynne Carper (excused), Ethan Rickert (youth member) STAFF PRESENT: Jacquelyn Kramer, Jennifer Monson, Sean Walther OTHERS PRESENT: Jeff Miller, consultant, HKGi 1. Call to Order — Roll Call 2. Approval of Minutes A. October 18, 2017 Commissioner Johnston -Madison made a motion to approve the minutes. Commissioner Person seconded the motion, and the motion passed on a vote of 3-0-1 (Peilen abstained). (Commissioner Tatalovich arrived at 6:03 p.m.; Commissioner Kanne arrived at 6:06 p.m.) B. December 6, 2017 Commissioner Person made a motion to approve the minutes. Commissioner Johnston -Madison seconded the motion, and the motion passed on a vote of 3-0-1 (Peilen abstained). C. December 20, 2017 Commissioner Peilen made a motion to approve the minutes. Commissioner Johnston -Madison seconded the motion and the motion passed on a vote of 4-0-1 (Person abstained). D. January 17, 2018 Commissioner Johnston -Madison stated that paragraph 5, page 2, may not accurately reflect her comments. Staff will review the audio, make any changes necessary, and present the corrected minutes at the March 7 meeting. Official Minutes Planning Commission February 21, 2018 Page 2 3. Public Hearings A. Conditional Use Permit with Variance Bais Yaakov Girls High School Location: 4503 and 4509 Minnetonka Boulevard Applicant: Anthony Construction Case No.: 17 -30 -CUP and 17 -31 -VAR Jacquelyn Kramer, Assistant Planner, presented the staff report. The applicant requests a conditional use permit and variance to add a second story and lobby to the existing building, and to improve parking and landscaping on the site. The request is to operate a private girls' high school. The variance request is to reduce the front setback from 30 feet to 25 feet to bring the existing building into compliance with the zoning ordinance. Ms. Kramer noted that a section of Minnetonka Blvd. is in Hennepin county's Capital Improvements Project for 2023 reconstruction. Staff recommends the applicant discuss these planned improvements with the county. These include possible right-of-way access changes and on -road bikeways. She said the current site plan could accommodate any of those changes. The applicant has been encouraged to work with neighboring properties to explore shared access and via a side street rather than directly to Minnetonka Blvd. Ms. Kramer reviewed general conditions for CUPs as well as the specific considerations that must be met for educational facilities with over 20 students in the RC high-density multiple -family residential district. She stated that the request meets all conditions. Ms. Kramer reviewed the criteria for the variance and stated that all criteria are met. Chair Robertson opened the public hearing. As no one was present wishing to speak, he closed the public hearing. Commissioner Peilen commented she is familiar with the site and finds that is a fine use and consistent with the adjacent properties and the neighborhood. Chair Robertson said he thought it was a great renovation. Commissioner Peilen made a motion to recommend approval of the Conditional Use and Variance subject to conditions recommended by staff. Commissioner Johnston -Madison seconded the motion, and the motion passed on a vote of 6-0. Official Minutes Planning Commission February 21, 2018 Page 3 B. Zoning Ordinance Amendment — Architectural Materials for Greenhouses Applicant: City of St. Louis Park Case No: 18-01-ZA Jennifer Monson, Planner, presented the staff report. Staff recommends allowing high impact, double -skinned acrylic products that are a minimum of eight millimeters thick to be used for greenhouses. She discussed staff research into the best materials for constructing greenhouses to grow food in Minnesota. Acrylic glass was found to provide better growing environments than polycarbonate, it does not yellow, has high thermal efficiencies, is unlikely to break, and is more hygienic for growing food in a sterile environment. Ms. Monson said staff visited the Marjorie McNelly Conservatory at Como Park which has used acrylic glass very successfully in their production greenhouse for the last 15 years. She noted that the Planning Commission reviewed staff research at a study session on December 6, 2017. Ms. Monson showed a sample of the material to commissioners. Commissioner Johnston -Madison asked if the acrylic material is produced in Minnesota. Ms. Monson said she would look into that question. Commissioner Person asked about the R value of the material compared to glass. Ms. Monson responded that it is less, perhaps around 86%. It is higher than the polycarbonate. She said she would confirm that information. Chair Robertson opened the public hearing. As no one was present wishing to speak he closed the public hearing. Commissioner Person asked how the cost compares to glass. Ms. Monson responded that it is less than glass and higher than polycarbonate. Commissioner Peilen asked the Chair for his thoughts on the material. Chair Robertson said the material makes perfect sense to him. Commissioner Peilen made a motion recommending approval of the amendment to the Zoning Ordinance pertaining to Architectural Materials for Greenhouses. Commissioner Johnston -Madison seconded the motion, and the motion passed on a vote of 6-0. Official Minutes Planning Commission February 21, 2018 Page 4 4. Other Business 5. Communications Sean Walther, Planning and Zoning Supervisor, reminded commissioners of the upcoming Boards and Commissions Annual Meeting on February 26. Mr. Walther noted that the meeting of March 7 will include two public hearings and a study session discussion regarding the housing chapter of the Comprehensive Plan. Mr. Walther provided details regarding the upcoming State of the City event March 8. 6. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 6:22 p.m. STUDY SESSION The study session commenced at 6:25 p.m. 1. Comprehensive Plan — Land Use Discussion Jeff Miller, HKGi, city planning consultant for the comprehensive plan, and staff reviewed recommended updates to density recommendations for the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. Commissioner Peilen asked about low density residential to increase lot sizes from 3 to 10 units per acre. She commented that it seems one of the issues in St. Louis Park is small lot sizes making it difficult to add onto houses. She said she wonders about an increase in small lot sizes. Mr. Miller stated this would allow a greater range of housing options in neighborhoods by allowing flexibility for duplexes and accessory dwelling units. These would have to also be addressed by zoning before they could actually be built. Mr. Walther said this would allow slightly higher densities within the Low Density category and provide opportunities to explore zoning changes in the future that could allow accessory dwelling units or other housing types. This is the Commission's first opportunity for review and feedback. On March 21 land use will be discussed again with the City Council members in attendance. Official Minutes Planning Commission February 21, 2018 Page 5 Mr. Miller said some of the neighborhood feedback from the November planning workshops was for more housing options and affordable housing so this is one way in the low density residential to provide options that are more affordable and not just single family. Commissioner Johnston -Madison said what people understand as affordable housing is different. It's a catch phrase. Everyone is for affordable housing but they don't always understand what it means in terms of the financing, size, income and rent amounts. She noted that she and the Chair have promoted cluster housing. She said she doesn't have a problem with changing the density range in Low Density Residential. This is a guide. Commissioner Kanne asked what other neighboring cities have allowed. Mr. Walther responded we are looking at it specifically for St. Louis Park but we know that other cities have allowed these other types of housing. Commissioner Robertson said he likes having the flexibility. He spoke about still being able to live in a low density environment but as a city being able to do it more efficiently. He said it has to be a goal of ours and this gives us a way to develop tools to do that. Commissioner Peilen said she recognizes flexibility as an excellent thing. She said she is so passionate about St. Louis Park and wanting to continue to attract families so is concerned with discussion of smaller lot sizes. Mr. Miller spoke about Minneapolis and St. Paul having two broad residential categories rather than three for flexibility. Minneapolis allows up to 20 units per acre in the low density category. Mr. Miller discussed Medium Density Residential, High Density Residential, Industrial/Transitional and Transit Oriented Development (TOD) categories. Commissioner Johnston -Madison asked why height or story range was left out in the TOD category. Mr. Walther explained that 50 units per acre would be from 4 stories on up. He said that a cap is not being set in the Comprehensive Plan and would be defined in the Zoning Ordinance. It was provided in the table just to give a general picture. Commissioner Person asked if it went above 125 units would an applicant then apply for a PUD? Official Minutes Planning Commission February 21, 2018 Page 6 Mr. Walther responded in that case the Comprehensive Plan would have to be amended to allow it. He explained that the Met Council has asked that this be addressed in the Comprehensive Plan. Establishing an upper limit cap helps the Met Council plan for regional infrastructure. Mr. Walther presented the 2030 land use map. He presented a map indicating areas that are proposed to change and discussed those changes. Commissioner Tatalovich asked that the Sam's Club site be addressed as part of the presentation. Chair Robertson stated that Texa-Tonka is missing neighborhood commercial nodes. Putting in a residential component through MX would probably clean it up and make it more walkable, and not just a sea of cars. Commissioner Kanne said that seems like an opportunity to make it shine and tie it together. Mr. Walther said at Cedar Lake Rd. and Louisiana staff is exploring the idea of a MX category on south side of that intersection. Commissioner Kanne added especially on the east side of Louisiana which is an empty parking lot. Chair Robertson said it would be bad to lose a neighborhood hardware store. It's a little under utilized but it is really valuable for a neighborhood. He said if that intersection was MX we would not have a hardware store. The Chair discussed the necessity of vibrant commercial on the entire lower level of MX which makes MX successful. Commissioner Peilen commented that Texa-Tonka and the Cedar Lake Rd./Louisiana intersection look tired because a number of retail uses couldn't make it there. The Chair said it is a great corner but he doesn't know if MX is the best way to maintain a neighborhood/commercial node. He said most of the businesses there don't thrive except for the hardware store. Mr. Walther asked if commissioners support the southeast side changing to MX. Official Minutes Planning Commission February 21, 2018 Page 7 Commissioner Johnston -Madison said she agreed generally. The Chair said he is alright with the whole intersection being MX but the lower level commercial needs to be viable and affordable. He asked if MX is the way to do it. Mr. Walther said the policy question is whether the city should require new development at this location to be mixed use. If it remains commercial in the Comprehensive Plan, the owner has the option to build mixed-use development, albeit at potentially less scale and intensity. There was a discussion about the land straight south to the railroad track. This should be discussed again. Commissioners suggested medium density residential may be appropriate. Mr. Walther discussed changing Sam's Club property from Commercial to Business Park. Commissioners Robertson, Johnston -Madison and Kanne said they were in agreement. Mr. Walther discussed how certain older industrial areas have been changing from manufacturing to more service types of businesses over time. He spoke about staff's intention to propose an Industrial Transition classification or zoning district that might allow more flexibility. Mr. Walther discussed the proposed Transit Oriented Development (TOD) category. Commissioner Tatalovich asked why the Sam's Club site couldn't be designated as TOD. Mr. Walther explained that staff's recommendation was based on the fact that it is a difficult site for residential, and the Business Park category would exclude residential uses. Commissioner Johnston -Madison commented that it seems like a lot of residential density on the west side of Belt Line. Mr. Walther stated the proposed land use was in response to the Belt Line LRT Station Area plan. Mr. Walther said Walker/Lake and Minikanda Mini -Storage are two areas where a land use change isn't proposed but could use some conversation. It is the city's intention to include language in the land use and/or economic development section of the plan that Walker/Lake should be a revitalization area that generally makes creative reuse of existing structures and any new development should be limited in scale. Minikanda Mini -Storage, if redeveloped in the future, would not likely be appropriate for industrial development. The desired long-range use of the site should be discussed further. Official Minutes Planning Commission February 21, 2018 Page 8 Commissioner Johnston -Madison and the Chair said they think Minikanda Mini - Storage needs to be a discussion point. Mr. Miller reviewed the proposed changes in the residential density recommendations as outlined in the table. Commissioner Johnston -Madison indicated she didn't have any problems with the proposed recommendations in the table. Mr. Walther discussed the Comprehensive Plan 2040 Planning Commission schedule through June 6. The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Nancy Sells Recording Secretary