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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023/05/03 - ADMIN - Minutes - Planning Commission - Regular Planning commission May 3, 2023 6:00 p.m. If you need special accommodations or have questions about the meeting, please call Sean Walther or the administration department at 952.924.2525. Planning commission Members present: Mia Divecha, Michael Salzer, Katie Merten, Tom Weber, Jan Youngquist Members absent: Jim Beneke, Matt Eckholm Staff present: Gary Morrison, Sean Walther 1. Call to order – roll call 2. Approval of minutes – April 12, 2023, and April 19, 2023 Commissioner Salzer made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Youngquist to approve the minutes of April 12, 2023, and April 19, 2023, as presented. The motion passed unanimously. 3. Hearings 3a. AC Hotel by Marriott planned unit development amendment - 5075 Wayzata Blvd Applicant: Christopher Flagg, on behalf of TPI Hospitality Case No: 23-02-PUD Mr. Walther presented the report. The applicant requests the parking requirement to be reduced from 189 to 129 stalls. Mr. Walther stated parking demand will be met with this reduced number of stalls based on the experience of operating for five years and the data provided by the hotel manager and applicant. Commissioner Divecha asked why this is being done now. Mr. Walther stated because there is a new owner of the 10 West End office building where the off -site parking is hosted and a disagreement between the hotel owner operator and the new parking ramp owner about the 60 unreserved parking spaces. This is an opportunity to right-size the parking requirement and resolve this issue. Commissioner Youngquist asked if the 189 parking spaces is what the zoning code requires. Mr. Walther stated yes, and city staff were reluctant to require fewer stalls five years ago, because it was unclear what impact the restaurant would have on parking demand. The restaurant has had much impact, and staff now support the change. He added the reduction in parking will still satisfy the City of Golden Valley’s parking formulas, which require fewer stalls than St. Louis Park’s code. Chair Weber opened the public hearing. Mr. Flagg stated he is available for questions . Planning commission May 3, 2023 Commissioner Divecha asked what the benefit is of releasing these parking spots . Mr. Flagg stated there was a recent transaction at the neighboring office building and new management. He noted there was a disagreement in interpretation of how the 60 stalls are managed and charged, and in speaking with the new owners, this approach would resolve the matter for all parties. Commissioner Salzer asked about the methodology of exhibit 3. Mr. Flagg stated that is correct and that staff counts during the time period showed that the off-site 10 West End parking stalls – both the 50 reserved spaces and the 60 unreserved spaces – are rarely used. He noted there are many hotel guests that arrive by ride share or buses to the hotel and parking demand is less than 1 per room. Commissioner Salzer asked if there is any on-street parking. Mr. Walther stated no there is none available in that area, and the surrounding residential properties tightly manage their parking. Commissioner Merten asked if events are held at the hotel. Mr. Flagg stated there is a conference room that can hold 10-12 people, so they only host small group meetings. Chair Weber closed the public hearing. Commissioner Youngquist stated she appreciated staff’s clarifications and the data provided by the applicant and she will support this PUD. Commissioner Youngquist made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Salzer, to approve the PUD as presented and subject to the conditions in the staff report. The motion passed unanimously. 3b. Corsa Floodplain conditional use permit Applicant: Eric Ryan, on behalf of OPUS Development Company Case No: 23-04-CUP Mr. Morrison presented the report. Commissioner Salzer asked about the units of measurement shown on the screen. Mr. Morrison explained the elevations are presents are elevation (feet) above sea level. The difference between the official FEMA mapped elevation and the modeled elevation is 0.7 feet. Commissioner Salzer asked how the Atlas 14 rainfall data applies here. Mr. Morrison stated it will not have an impact on the CUP, because the first floor elevation is still two feet above the 1% chance flood elevation in the modeling. Commissioner Merten asked for explanation on the 15 feet of fill . Mr. Morrison clarified that the code would allow the fill in the flood plain to extend 15 feet horizontally from Planning commission May 3, 2023 the building so the first floor elevation and the area 15 feet around the building are both 2 feet above the flood plain elevation. Commissioner Divecha asked why staff recommends the 15-foot amendment not be completed. Mr. Morrison stated the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has amended their model ordinance to retract the 15-foot requirement to minimize the fill in the flood plan. In this instance, it also minimizes impacts to the public sidewalk and street and the impacts to the building accessibility from the public sidewalk. Mr. Walther added the development provides compensatory flood storage for the fill that was placed in the flood plain to maintain storage volumes. Chair Weber asked if this requires the least amount of fill with the CUP . Mr. Morrison stated yes. Commissioner Merten asked if water would come from Bass Lake Preserve. Mr. Morrison said yes and stated Bass Lake Preserve collects water from a very large storm water drainage area starting from around Cedar Lake Road and that continues towards Minneapolis. He added the mapping provides an estimation of where flooding might go, noting it eventually drains to Bde Maka Ska and the Mississippi River. Commissioner Youngquist asked about the PUD that was approved in 2021 for this area . She asked if it is correct to say this is a technicality and that is why the commission is now reviewing a CUP. Mr. Morrison stated that is correct, adding this has been reviewed by city staff, the watershed district and the DNR. He stated under the city code a CUP is required. Commissioner Merten asked if this will take away any requirements for residents to have flood insurance. Mr. Morrison stated that is the goal of the applicant following the CUP process for them to request a change for their property from FEMA so that flood insurance is not required. The property owner or the residents would still have the choice to obtain flood insurance and at lower rates than if they were in the flood plain. Commissioner Salzer asked if the construction impact will be at the parking area . Mr. Morrison stated yes, the elevation at the parking ramp is 880 feet, which is lower than the residential area. Chair Weber opened the public hearing. There were no comments from the public. Chair Weber closed the public hearing. Commissioner Youngquist made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Merten, to approve the CUP as presented and subject to the conditions in the staff report . The motion passed unanimously. Planning commission May 3, 2023 3c. Risor Floodplain conditional use permit Applicant: Chesley Janso, on behalf of Roers Companies Case No: 23-04-CUP Mr. Morrison presented the report. He noted this application is identical to the last one . Commissioner Divecha asked about the floor area and if all habitable areas conform to the 2 feet above. Mr. Morrison confirmed that is correct. Chair Weber opened the public hearing. There were no comments from the public. Chair Weber closed the public hearing. Commissioner Mertens made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Youngquist, to approve the CUP as presented and subject to the conditions in the staff report . The motion passed unanimously. 4. Other Business - none 5. Communications 5a. Update on TOD station area planning – Mr. Walther pointed out the written report in the staff packet. He noted the community advisory group met last week and a survey will be sent out to the community next week, and an open house will be held on May 23 at City Hall council chambers from 4-7 p.m. Commissioner Divecha asked how many serve on the advisory committee. Mr. Walther stated currently it is 9 members and stated this can grow to 16 members and he is hoping through community engagement the city will make new connections and add to the diversity of the community advisory group membership. Commissioner Divecha asked if commissioners can attend the open house and if there is risk that a quorum might be present, and how it could be managed. Mr. Walther stated that is possible, and if commissioners are interested in attending, they should send an email to Mr. Walther. Staff would publicly post the meeting as a commission meeting three days in advance if a quorum is likely to occur. The next meeting is a study session on May 17. Chair Weber noted he and Commissioner Divecha attended a meeting last week for city boards and commissions chairs and vice chairs to meet with an outside consulting firm . He noted a survey went out to all commissioners for their feedback as well and asked the planning commission to please watch for it. Planning commission May 3, 2023 6. Adjournment – 6:35 p.m. Sean Walther Tom Weber ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Sean Walther, liaison Tom Weber, chair member