HomeMy Public PortalAboutMinutes-09/05/2007 City of Tiffin
Planning and Zoning Commission
September 5, 2007
Tiffin Fire Station - 6:30 p.m.
Call to Order
Minutes
Tom Scheetz regarding zoning request
Sidewalks Review
Zoning Ordinance Amendment
Old Business
New Business
Adjournment
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City of Tiffin September 5, 2007
Tiffin Planning and Zoning
A regular meeting of the Tiffin Planning and Zoning Commission was brought to order
by Chair Steve Berner, Wednesday, September 5, 2007 at 6:30 p.m. at the Tiffin Fire
Station. Members present: Steve Berner, Shawna Colvin, Stephanie Surine, Melvin
Reeve and Jim Schmidt arriving 6:37 p.m. Also present: Mayor Glenn Potter, Ruth
DeMuth, and Jim Bartels.
Motion Surine, second Colvin to approve printed minutes. Ayes: Surine, Colvin, Berner,
Schmidt and Reeve. Motion carried.
Tom Scheetz of the Depot was present to visit with the commission about his possible
plans to purchase Lot#4 immediately south of his Depot property for the purpose of
expansion. Tom explained that the utility easement across the property'and rezoning to
commercial were concerns he had prior to purchase. The utility easement currently has
Iowa Telecom lines buried and Tom thought that was all.
The members did not think there was any problem with a change to commercial backed
up to 12 plexes on the east side. On the..west side (the area south of the Ice Cream Store)
the members thought the only remaining single family residence would probably need
some kind of buffer and or landscaping plan. Members did not think an access for thru
traffic would be good onto the College Street cul-de-sac. `Scheetz asked it might be
possible to use the College Street cul-de-sac for truck delivery, to get some of these
trucks off the front of his business on Hy 6. Scheetz said he could foresee part of this
south lot used for customer parking.
Members spent time considering sidewalk requirements for the city. Mark Portwood said
he did not want to say that the city should not have any six foot sidewalks, however he
thought that four foot sidewalks in residential areas was sufficient. The additional width
causes expense to the price of a home, and he did not think that anyone wants a big
sidewalk by their home. Portwood thought the route of the trail.through the town should
be determined and six foot should be set for these routes, but otherwise four foot
sidewalks should be the standard for the city. Portwood asked Bartels if carrying the mail
for many years he had ever seen a need for a sidewalk greater than four feet wide.
Bartels said only on Melrose during a football game. Portwood said that Councilmember
Petersen had never indicated any problem to him with sidewalks needing to be greater
than four foot when delivering packages. Portwood also asked whether four or six foot
was required in older sections of the city.
Jack of Hart Frederick interjected that Rolling Hills was platted for five and six foot
sidewalks, however he did not think that all sidewalks conformed to the platting. He
thought review of sidewalk construction was the responsibility of the city building
inspector.
Colvin suggested that the four foot sidewalks are to narrow for 32 inch strollers when
families or friends walk together or when children are on trikes and bikes. Children and
mothers are sometimes found walking or playing in the streetways. Schmdit said that
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City of Tiffin September 5, 2007
Tiffin Planning and Zoning
Iowa City wants bicycles in the street. Colvin said she didn't think that the city wanted
small children in the streets for play areas. Schmidt said he had pushed a stroller and
people were always kind enough to step around him when passing.
Surine said she thought four feet was sufficient with the exception of trail routes,where
the eight foot would probably be preferable.
Asked if Hart Frederick had provided any recommendation in this question: Jack of Hart
Frederick explained that Mike Hart had visited with Jim Bartels and Mark Petersen.
Bartels said that Hart had visited with him.
Portwood asked if the city wanted a sidewalk wider than 4 feet,would the city pay for the
cost difference?A wider sidewalk has a greater expense, and Portwood wondered why
the city should be spending other people's money. Portwood asked who was responsible
for trail snow removal.
Question about the width of sidewalk improvements on Roberts Ferry. Is Roberts Ferry
considered a north south linkage for the trail from Highway 6 north to Oakdale.
Members did think the trail needed to be connected in various locations as set by city and
that Roberts Ferry Road could be considered one linkage.Schmidt said he had no desire
to.redesign whatever plans were included for the area of Roberts Ferry Road that is now
under construction. Schmdit said that the council could require wider sidewalk for the
purpose of connection of trails thru the city. Question about whether the dimension of
Roberts Ferry Road near the location of the church would be sufficient for any kind of
wider sidewalks.
Surine noted that Roberts Ferry had been a major route for school children in the past,
however this year busing has reduced the foot traffic. Bartels said he woul expect busing
of children to stop anytime soon.
Mayor Potter indicated that he thought there was some desire on the part of the school to
connect the junior high and senior high campus buildings with a trail size walk on the
north end of the property (south side of Highway 6) and suggested that this could work as
trail route location in the community.
Motion Schmidt to approve a change in Table 2.1 to require 4 foot sidewalks in all
locations with the Roberts Ferry Road considered a trail linkage street and using the
sidewalk design included in improvement plans. The motion was seconded by Berner.
Motion by Surine and second by Schmidt to amend the motion to delete the portion about
Roberts Ferry Road to a recommendation for request from City Engineer for review and
recommendation for city trail connections for trailing across the city including the
north/south linkage of Roberts Ferry to Oakdale and recommend trail route and provide
this recommendation to the city. Ayes: Schmdt, Berner, Reeve, Surine. Nays: Colvin.
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City of Tiffin September 5, 2007
Tiffin Planning and Zoning
Motion Surine second Schmidt to approve a change in Table 2.1 of the city ordinance to
require four foot sidewalks in all locations of the city with no alteration of designed plans
for Roberts Ferry Road an approved construction plan. Ayes: Berner, Schmidt, Reeve
and Surine. Nays: Colvin. Motion carried.
Members discussed that construction should not commence until the approval of the city
council had been obtained. Jack of Hart Frederick noted that this has not always been the
case. There have been occasions when construction has started previous to approval.
Schmidt asked who should be checking this for the city. Schmidt felt this was a job of
the city engineer and our city engineer had not done this on the previous job. Schmidt
asked how a street was poured without the approval of the city engineer. Berner thought
that there was no way the city council would approve work commencement without the
review of the city engineer. Schmidt asked how Jack would bring this oversight up when
he was representing Hart Frederick.
Planning and Zoning once again noted that as agreed in the past the Commission desired
that no property under water be considered to fulfill the%5 park requirement of the city
ordinances. DeMuth thought this had also been the agreement of the city council and is
included in city ordinance.
Members discussed suggestions for amendment to the Zoning Ordinance. Members
agreed the ordinance was vague, but perhaps that was good. Reeve said maybe the entire
section should be dropped. Mark Portwood thought the PAD could be good for the city.
Discussion for alteration including the following. Motion Schmidt second Surine to
approve the following list for recommendations to the city council for amendment of the
Zoning Ordinance—PAD Section..
1. No PAD should allow overall density greater than the density allowed under the
approved zoning of the area, and any alteration from the standard zone regulations
and/or design standards must be listed and accompanied with explanation of the
compensating benefit derived from permitting such alteration.and/or change.
2. All PADs must provide a 25 foot tract of area buffer that includes approved
landscaping requirement between the PAD planned use and any other adjacent
zoned use.
3. A PAD area must be no less than 5 acres in area.
4. Open Space within a PAD can not be used or counted toward the overall
Subdivision open/park space requirement'. Open space may not be counted twice.
5. A PAD request shall follow the same requirements of any other rezoning request.
6. A PAD application must follow all time requirements of a Rezoning request and
in addition any PAD application must be submitted prior to two meetings of the
Planning and Zoning when the request will be considered for action on the agenda
of the Planning and Zoning Commission. Any applicant may and is encouraged
to bring any preliminary proposal to the PZ for comment and review prior to
formal application.
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City of Tiffin September 5, 2007
Tiffin Planning and Zoning
7. An application must include written application, and include all information
requested by the city or PZ Commission including but not limited to the
following:
a. written application,
b. fees as set by resolution of the city council,
c. list of all items in conflict with zone regulations and design standards and
including reason for same
d. 20 copies of platting plans, construction plans, building and drainage plans
all drawn to scale
e. name and contact information for engineer or planner
f. 20 copies of convenant documents or any other relevant information
requested by the PZ or city council to provide review of request
8. PZ agreed that a PAD and a Zoning request for the same area could be made
concurrently, as long as such request was notated with application.
9. The city engineer and city attorney shall attend any and all meetings upon request
of the Planning and Zoning or the City Council for the purpose of providing
review and recommendation to city officials wherein the Planning and Zoning or
City Council is scheduled to take action to recommend, approve and/or deny any
PAD or Zoning request. The applicant shall be notified of such cost of
professional assistance to the city and the same be charged to the applicant prior
to action of the PZ or city council
Ayes: Surine, Schmdit, Colvin, Reeve and Berner. Motion carried.
Motion Colvin, second Surine to adjourn. Motion carried. 8:22 p.m.
Margaret B. Reihmna
City Clerk
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