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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021/03/17 - ADMIN - Minutes - Planning Commission - RegularMeeting: City council Meeting date: April 19, 2021 Consent agenda item: 4f Official minutes Planning commission March 17, 2021 – 6:00 p.m. WEBEX Members present: Jim Beneke, Imran Dagane, Matt Eckholm, Jessica Kraft, Tom Weber Members absent: Courtney Erwin Staff present: Jennifer Monson, Gary Morrison, Sean Walther Study Session The study session commenced at 6:00 p.m. 1. Zoning ordinance amendment – fences Mr. Morrison presented the report. The ordinance would allow six feet tall fences to the side of a house on a corner lot when the house is not facing the side lot line adjacent to a street, instead of facing the front lot line. Commission Weber stated the zoning ordinance amendment is a good solution. Commissioner Kraft agreed, adding this makes sense vs. coming up with multiple rules for front and corner lots . Commissioner Weber asked if the applicant’s fence would need to be shorter now, with the amendment. Mr. Morrison stated the requested fence could still be up to six feet tall with the proposed revision. The area proposed to have the four-foot limit is located between the front face of the house and property line along the street (Texas Circle). Mr. Morrison stated a public hearing will be scheduled for this topic in April with the planning commission. 2. Home occupations Mr. Morrison presented the report. Chair Eckholm stated there are parking concerns possibly, but he noted noise issues are more concerning. He added if the accessory building is a problem for city council, he would be fine removing that piece. City council meeting of April 19, 2021 (Item No. 4f) Page 2 Title: Planning commission meeting minutes March 17, 2021 Mr. Morrison stated the complaints that went to council were not about parking, they were about the impacts resulting from home occupations being conducted in accessory buildings. Commissioner Weber asked if there is enforcement action if an occupation is moved to the garage . Mr. Morrison stated yes there is. He noted that enforcement takes time and is problematic in that the city will not contact a business unless staff sees or catches them in the act of using the garage for their business. Chair Eckholm asked what sort of businesses the nuisance cases are . Mr. Morrison stated some are auto repair, storage of items in the garage, or employees coming over to pick up items out of a garage, which creates traffic. He added sometimes it can be an odor, such as paint or stain . Commissioner Weber appreciated Mr. Morrison’s comments, but added if the extension is to an ADU and a garage is not included, he is not sure what the difference is between home or garage occupation. Mr. Morrison stated the home occupation is less likely to create nuisance impacts for neighbors if it is being conducted in the dwelling as opposed to a garage or shed. People may be more likely to conduct an activity that results in odors, sound, or other nuisances when conducted in an accessory building than within their own dwelling space. Chair Eckholm asked if there might be more acceptance if the city allowed painting in a shed vs. in a garage, and if removing garages solves 90% of the problem. Mr. Morrison stated the city does not differentiate between a garage or a shed in the code they are both accessory buildings. Commissioner Kraft asked if garage attached to homes are considered an accessory use. Mr. Morrison stated yes. She stated the spirit of the ordinance seems to be that the home occupation is within the home and should not be noticeable. She stated she does not think we need to pursue allowing home occupations in accessory buildings. Commissioner Ben e ke asked if the 25% limit is applicable to the ADU. Mr. Morrison stated it should, but also noted that if the occupant of the ADU is using more than 25%, it would be difficult for city staff to know. Mr. Walther stated when the ADU was created, it was defined as only when they are designed to be separate units. He stated it there is a living space and flow between the two areas, that is not technically an ADU . Commissioner Beneke asked if all home occupation persons would need to get a permit, so they know what the rules are . Mr. Morrison stated permits are required when customers and students come to the site, we can amend the code to also require the permit when an employee comes to the site. Otherwise, staff gets a lot of calls about the rules for home occupations. We can use the website to make the information readily City council meeting of April 19, 2021 (Item No. 4f) Page 3 Title: Planning commission meeting minutes March 17, 2021 available. Otherwise, whe n the city receives a complaint, we use the first encounter to share the rules. We begin enforcement if they continue to violate the rules. He stated this will be brought forward to the commission as a public hearing in April as well. 3. Transit oriented development zoning districts Ms. Monson presented the report. Chair Eckholm stated he does support the vision shown within the presentation and appreciates the adjustments to the stations that has evolved over time. He added he would like to see a discussion around what can be done to make the crossing over Hwy. 7 more walkable and pedestrian friendly. Commissioner Weber asked about the commitment of NordicWare in the area and if that has been done as we hoped they would. Ms. Monson stated their plan is what the city had hoped for in the area, and also includes public space with their coffee shop also. Commissioner Weber asked if the jobs station will be an opportunity or a challenge with more people working from home since covid. Ms. Monson stated over time as market shifts and more people are working from home, there is definitely opportunity there for amendments to the code to allow for more mixed -use areas. Commissioner Weber stated he supports the vision as well. Chair Eckholm added he likes the mixed use along the Beltline corridor also. He asked if there has been any interest from Methodist Hospital related to the healthcare area station. Ms. Monson stated early on there was interest for medical uses in the area. Mr. Walther added Methodist Hospital is always under continual change and development of their property. He added they have been invited as a partner in the Louisiana Station planning, especially since they are the largest employer in the city. Mr. Walther stated the city has worked with Methodist on the north-south connection there and also removing barriers in the area. He stated there is enormous opportunity here. Chair Eckholm stated he has heard on Next Door recently there are no connections to Minnehaha Creek within the city. He asked if there will be ways to make more public connections to the creek. Ms. Monson stated there are boardwalks west of the city’s municipal building. Mr. Walther added there are walking areas along Methodist Hospital and a lot of work has been done to re -meandering the creek in that area. He added the history of contamination in the city has led to restoration and protecting the water quality as well, especially in conjunction with the hospital and healthcare uses. City council meeting of April 19, 2021 (Item No. 4f) Page 4 Title: Planning commission meeting minutes March 17, 2021 Commission er Kraft stated she appreciates all the connections and creating of new nodes, adding they are only as effective as people being able to get access to these connections within their neighborhoods. She asked if these will be park and rides at all, and how easy will it be for folks to access the stations with car or bikes . Ms. Monson stated the Beltline and Louisiana Stations will both have park and rides. Mr. Walther stated there has also been acquisition of smaller properties in the area, near the rail tracks, and those will eventually be used as more park and ride lots . He stated there is no park and ride at the Wooddale Station. Commissioner Weber asked if there has been any thought of using a shuttle to get folks to the light rail stations . Ms. Monson stated there is no shuttle being considered at this time but that Metro Transit will be adding or adjusting bus routes to better serve the light rail stations. Chair Eckholm asked if building materials, such as timber, would affect how high or large buildings could be within the city limits . Ms. Monson stated the transit zoning districts will provide opportunities where there could be higher height of buildings, adding that Louisiana and Beltline could be those areas that would be more appropriate for this as there is less single -family residential surrounding those stations. Ms. Monson stated she will be sending a report to city council on the TOD zoning district and the commission and council can discuss this further during their joint study session on April 12. Mr. Walther added the commission will also discuss their 2021 workplan with the council, as well as regulations around single-family house sizes . Mr. Walther also added that Commissioner Erwin will be leaving the commission and a vacancy will be created on the commission now with her absence. She will continue to serve on the commission through the end of May. The meeting was adjourned at 7:38 p.m.