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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016/03/02 - ADMIN - Minutes - Planning Commission - RegularOFFICIAL MINUTES PLANNING COMMISSION ST. LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA MARCH 2, 2016 – 6:00 p.m. COUNCIL CHAMBERS MEMBERS PRESENT: Lynne Carper, Claudia Johnston-Madison, Torrey Kanne, Richard Person, Carl Robertson, Ethan Rickert (youth member) MEMBERS ABSENT: Lisa Peilen, Joe Tatalovich STAFF PRESENT: Sean Walther, Gary Morrison OTHER: Jeff Miller, HKGi Planning Consultant 1. Call to Order – Roll Call 2. Approval of Minutes: None 3. Public Hearings A. Comprehensive Plan Amendment, Rezoning and Variance for Proposed Daycare Location: 2460 Highway 100 South Applicant: New Horizon Academy Daycare Case Nos.: 16-07-CP, 16-08-Z, 16-09-VAR Jeff Miller, HKGi Planning Consultant, presented the staff report. He stated that the site currently contains a one-story, 10,140 square foot office building. The applicant proposes to open and operate a daycare facility. Mr. Miller explained how both the Comprehensive Plan Amendment and rezoning from office to commercial are appropriate for the property. Mr. Miller provided a zoning analysis of the variance request to the C-1 Neighborhood Commercial requirement that a daycare’s outdoor play area be located a minimum of 200 feet from any roadway defined on the comprehensive plan as a principal arterial. He showed the site and the proposed outdoor play area. He reviewed how criteria for granting the variance request have been met. Commissioner Robertson asked if it was ever considered to do a text amendment to allow daycare in the Office district. He asked the rationale for not allowing daycare as a principal use. Sean Walther, Planning and Zoning Supervisor, responded that staff was primarily looking to maintain the integrity of the Office district and not wanting Official Minutes Planning Commission March 2, 2016 Page 2 existing office spaces to be converted wholly over to daycare use. Office District is seen as an employment center. He said the daycare was seen as an amenity or resource service for employees in that area. Peter Hilger, Rylaur LLC, architect, provided background on New Horizon’s search for a site in St. Louis Park. He said New Horizon is very much looking forward to being in St. Louis Park. Commissioner Person spoke about a daycare site he was familiar with which he felt had inadequate outdoor space. He said the site configuration of the proposed outdoor space does not seem adequate for the number of children proposed for the facility. Mr. Hilger said daycare playgrounds are regulated in terms of the number of children who can be outdoors at any given time, related to size and staffing. He spoke about the playground surface material. He said a huge investment is made in the playgrounds in order to satisfy parents’ expectations. Mr. Miller noted that the proposal does exceed both city and state requirements for open play area space. Chair Johnston-Madison opened the public hearing. Kathryn McKeen, 2834 Vernon Ave. S., said she thinks the idea of the daycare sounds pretty good but she is concerned about traffic. She spoke about existing heavy traffic on Vernon Ave. from the apartment building, bus traffic, traffic from the new West End, and fast moving vehicles coming off Hwy. 100 onto Vernon to avoid Hwy. 100. Ms. McKeen said she is concerned about 100 parents driving through her neighborhood at both rush hours. The Chair asked about sidewalk on Vernon Ave. Mr. Walther said sidewalk is intermittent along Utica Avenue which is planned to have a complete trail connection to the regional trail in the future under the city’s sidewalk and trail plan. Sharon Lehrman, 2610 Vernon Ave. S., directly behind the former church, said she has similar concerns related to traffic. Her family uses the frontage road quite frequently because of their location. With all the development in the old Nestle plant area the traffic has greatly increased along the frontage road and in that area, including truck traffic. She said she understood previous interest in daycare at the church site was not pursued by an applicant because of traffic issues and concerns of parents not being able to get in and out easily to drop off and pick up their children during rush hour. Official Minutes Planning Commission March 2, 2016 Page 3 Ms. Lehrman said it is not known currently what kind of traffic will be generated from whatever use locates at the former church site. She stated she likes the idea of having a daycare facility but she is very concerned with all the congestion in the area. She spoke about traffic trips predicted by staff. No one else was present wishing to speak. The Chair closed the public hearing. Commissioner Robertson said a reguiding and rezoning to Neighborhood Commercial stands on its own merit for the site. He said he doesn’t have any issues with the variance request because of the elevation differences in the road in question. Chair Johnston-Madison said she understands traffic concerns. She said there will be traffic no matter what goes in there. She asked if there is a way to examine traffic in the area and what is coming in the future. Mr. Walther said traffic studies are not warranted unless there is a significant increase in traffic generated by a new use or development. Even the major renovation of the Westside Center did not warrant a traffic study because the former Nestle plant had been among the largest employers in the city. Changeover for that building to the renovation and employment levels it has now is similar to the previous use and the amount traffic generated for that operation. In addition, specifically looking at the proposed daycare site, the office use is one of the highest density/highest intensity uses in the city. He said in many ways this site has already been maximized with the existing 10,000 sq. ft. building, unless structured parking was provided. Longer term the change to Neighborhood Commercial makes sense. He said in the next two to three years the Comprehensive Plan will be looking at transportation and land uses citywide. Commissioner Person said he agreed that it makes sense to rezone the property. He added that he thinks the facility will be crowded inside and outside with 160 children, but that he supports the proposal. Commissioner Carper said the proposal is a good use of the site. Commissioner Robertson made a motion to recommend approval of the Comprehensive Plan amendment, the rezoning, and the variance for proposed daycare at 2460 State Highway 100. Commissioner Carper seconded the motion, and the motion passed on a vote of 5-0. Official Minutes Planning Commission March 2, 2016 Page 4 B. Amendments to the Subdivision Ordinance Applicant: City of St. Louis Park Case No.: 16-05-ZA Gary Morrison, Assistant Zoning Administrator, presented the staff report. The intent of the amendments are to update the design standards and make clarifications. He discussed proposed changes. The proposed ordinance was presented to the Planning Commission at study sessions on February 3 and February 17, 2016. He discussed one new clarification which doesn’t appear in the staff report regarding publicly owned property exemption. The new language narrows the process to right-of-way land only. Commissioner Robertson asked about the rules for easements in the subdivision process. Mr. Morrison said it is stated that easements are required but may be modified by the Engineering Department. The Chair opened the public hearing. No one was present wishing to speak. The Chair closed the public hearing. Commissioner Carper made a motion recommending approval of the amendments to the Subdivision Ordinance. Commissioner Person seconded the motion, and the motion passed on a vote of 5-0. 4. Other Business Mr. Walther introduced the new commissioner Torrey Kanne. Ms. Kanne said she is a resident in the Elmwood neighborhood and she is glad to be part of the Planning Commission. Mr. Walther discussed changes to the rules and procedures of boards and commissions made by the City Council. Commissioners Person and Johnston-Madison spoke about the recent Boards and Commissions Annual Meeting with the City Council. 5. Communications 6. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 6:55 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Nancy Sells, Office Assistant