HomeMy Public PortalAbout10-08-2013CITY OF MEDINA
PLANNING COMMISSION
Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
1. Call to Order: Commissioner R. Reid called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Present: Planning Commissioners, Robin Reid, Randy Foote, Victoria Reid, Mark
Osmanski, and Kent Williams.
Absent: Commissioners Nolan and Mitchell
Also Present: City Councilmember Kathleen Martin, City Councilmember Jeff
Pederson, City Planner Dusty Finke, and Planning Assistant Debra Peterson.
2. Public Comments on items not on the agenda
No public comments.
3. Update from City Council proceedings
Martin updated the Commission on recent activities and decisions by the City
Council.
4. Planning Department Report
Finke provided an update of upcoming Planning projects.
5. Approval of the September 10, 2013 Draft Planning Commission meeting
minutes.
Motion by Foote, seconded by V. Reid, to approve the September 10, 2013
Planning Commission minutes as written. Motion carries. (Absent: Nolan and
Mitchell)
6. Public Hearing — D.R. Horton — Stage I Plan for a mixed use development —
north of Highway 55 between Arrowhead Dr. and Mohawk Dr.
R. Reid explained the planning process for a Stage I Plan. She said it is for the
Commission and staff to review the major concept of the development and that the
major details would not be part of this Stage I process. Finke summarized the
application. He said it was an 80 acre project with mainly residential and minimum
commercial. The commercial area was not being planned at this time, but an area
was designated for it. He said the property is zoned Mixed Use. He briefly
summarized the changes from the previous plan the Commission reviewed in
September. He said the large wooded area is being proposed to be parkland and
dedicated to the City. Finke said if this area was taken away from the parcel the
proposed plan would still meet density requirements. He said the applicant proposes
to develop predominantly residential and would have a density of 3.5-7 units/acre.
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He said the areas abutting and within 300 linear feet of Hwy 55 would be required to
be commercial. He said more than one housing type would be required and with the
current mix, a minimum of 138 units would be needed to meet density requirements
of 3.5-7 units/acre. The apartment building is being proposed to have three stories
and 54 units.
Finke explained the previous design had 8 of the 9 acres of woods to be removed. He
said with the new plan they propose to preserve 3.25 acres of wooded area.
Finke pointed out that the big question was the connection between Chippewa Road
and Arrowhead. He said the applicant had raised concern with the viability of the
project if the connection was required by the City. Finke explained it had been the
policy of the City to require a developer to construct the roadways.
V. Reid asked if the apartment building was two stories what the density would be.
Finke said the previous plan was a 46 unit building and it was two stories in height.
V. Reid asked what the downside would be to the City if we accepted the wooded
land area. Finke said long term maintenance, but the City has done this previously in
other projects. V. Reid asked if the City wouldn't feel the woods would be protected
longer if they owned it. Finke said yes they would be. He said the maintenance
concern is if, as an example, the trees get a disease and require removal.
R. Reid asked if the area to connect Chippewa was a wetland. Finke said yes. R.
Reid asked if it would be expensive, and Finke said yes it would likely be.
Williams said the northern portion of the development was similar to other
developments the City had reviewed, but questioned the Mixed Use aspect. He said
there had been changes made but didn't see the proposal having duplexes or anything
different. He asked Finke if this was the time to figure out what uses the City wanted.
Finke said Stage I is the time.
Ron Mullenbach of D.R. Horton said Finke had done a good job with his presentation
explaining the project and what the changes had been since the previous meeting. He
said tree impacts had been significantly reduced and they are looking for some
consideration for credit of Park Dedication if the City takes over the wooded area. He
said they are really limited to the mix of uses for the site since the property is
significantly divided by a large wetland and difficult for transitioning of uses. He
said they would be open to constructing a two story apartment building. If they were
to do that he explained they would have to construct some twin homes and
townhomes to make up for the density loss. He summarized his conversations with
the Watershed regarding the Chippewa Road. He said they don't think their proposed
development would trigger the need for Chippewa Road to go through if a traffic
study was completed. Williams asked why the applicant didn't want townhomes
along the east side. Williams suggested townhomes to be placed north of OSI to
function as a transition. Mullenbach said they had looked at the location for
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townhomes and he said due to grades, they would be very limited and they would be
lacking the density they would need if townhomes were constructed in that location.
He said from a transition standpoint they look at peoples lifestyles. He said often
times your transitions should be made in the rear yards rather than front yards so that
single family homes aren't looking across the street from townhomes. He suggested
that the wetlands could be the transition.
Mullenbach didn't think there was a market today for townhomes. He said the single
family styles sell, but the townhomes aren't as viable today. He believes a need
exists for empty nester style homes, though this particular location doesn't have a lot
of support for it such as retail and service uses. He said retailers like Target typically
operate on a 10 mile radius and smaller retailers target a two mile radius and they
count rooftops. He said the area currently around the subject property had minimal
rooftops.
R. Reid voiced her dislike with homes that have a row of walkouts and have 6 or 8 in
a row and they end up with a flat wall with windows facing directly towards each
other. She said she noticed in Lennar that the balconies and decks added some
breakup, but Mullenbach explained that was typically an option of the homeowner.
Mullenbach said they offer options such as decks and porches, but do not require it of
the buyer at the time of construction. He said some of their homes had that relief and
would like to see that along Arrowhead Road. Foote asked if Mullenbach had
covenants as for color. Horton explained their regulations. He said what the
Commission would like to see is what buyers want to see. R. Reid said she thought
the pallet is too tight and is too boring in the Lennar development. Mullenbach said
they have some control since approximately half their homes are preselected.
Mullenbach said he would like to see more curved streets rather than the straight
roadway on the west side.
V. Reid asked Finke if the City still wanted Chippewa Trail to go through. Finke said
yes.
Williams asked if the City required the road to go through and if so, how would the
process work. Finke said there are requirements for mitigation. He said some
impacts were required for Meander. Williams asked if the applicant was willing to
construct the road through, and Finke said they didn't initially.
Williams asked if a tree inventory had been completed to see what existed. Finke
said they'd walked it with the City's Arborist, but hadn't received the results back.
Finke said the woods weren't considered high quality. He said the upland areas are
higher quality than the lower areas that consist of ash trees. Williams asked the
applicant if the City took the land for Park Dedication would it be public. Mullenbach
said if taken as park land then they should get credit for it and the area could be
utilized by the public.
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R. Reid asked if the Park Commission would be reviewing the application. Finke
said yes. R. Reid and V. Reid said that even though the wooded area may not be of
higher quality it is still adjacent to wetlands and wildlife utilize the area, with woods
providing a buffer.
Finke pointed out that the park in the Bridgewater development is of concern to the
Park Commission since it has limited access to the public.
Public Hearing opened at 8:04 p.m.
Mike Kuklok of OSI spoke and said one of their concerns was public safety. He said
they would like a fence in between their property and future development. He said
they have trails and a retention pond that wasn't appropriate for children. He said it
could easily be turned into a skating rink and they didn't want the public wandering
over onto their property.
Finke said a fence could be incorporated in Stage II.
Craig Roy of 1952 Chippewa Road said their biggest concern was putting a road
through Chippewa and who would be paying for the road. He was concerned with
being assessed for it. Finke explained. Finke said there had been a road there
previously and was able to walk it and stay dry. Craig said most of the time their
property was dry. He said areas have standing water 12-18" in depth since
development started taking place in the area. Roy said the land area isn't like it used
to be years ago. R. Reid asked if the City Engineer would work on resolving drainage
issues in the area. Roy asked if Mohawk would have full access. Finke said it
wouldn't be full access.
R. Reid said she liked the three story apartment building concept.
Williams asked how the City is meeting its density and population goals. Finke said
in terms of density the City is on the low end. He said most developments are barely
above the lowest density. He said the comp plan projections show the City on pace.
He said the Met Council already provided projections showing a reduction in
population, but it is only a draft. Williams asked if the City would be alright if the
applicant chose to propose single family and townhomes and waited for the
construction of the townhomes. Finke said yes, the City would be alright with it.
V. Reid asked what they are trying to accomplish as a City. She said for her it's
having a variety of housing styles and the Mixed Use district allows for the variety of
uses. She said she is happy with the commercial aspect and likes the parkland and
trees preserved in the revised plans with the City taking it over. She said she was
troubled with a three story building and would like to keep the mixed use zoning
designation. She would also like to see the road go through Chippewa since there
aren't really any other alternatives.
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Foote said he agreed with V. Reid. He said the current plan only provides low
density and high density and nothing in between. He also agrees that Chippewa
should be required as part of the project.
Osmanski said he doesn't mind the plan as is, except a traffic study should be
completed to figure out a solution as to how Chippewa Road should be handled
before the project moves ahead.
Williams said the revised plan is definitely an improvement from the previous design.
He is still struggling with the three-story apartment building and would like to see
more of a mix of home types. He suggested having higher density style housing such
as townhomes just north of OSI as a transition. He also felt Chippewa should be
constructed all the way through. He suggested the applicant get cost estimates for the
construction of the road. He is also in favor of the wooded area being dedicated for
Park Dedication.
V. Reid said a benefit must exist to extend the roadway and would also like to see
cost analysis. She said the three-story building would be too much density for the
area. It's a beautiful property and a large building would seem too large for the area.
Foote said he didn't have an issue with a three-story building.
V. Reid asked the applicant about the demographics of the apartment building.
Mullenbach said the apartment would occupy a lot of younger couples, singles, and
people going through lifestyle transitions such as divorce. V. Reid commented that
she didn't see an area for children to play and wouldn't count the woods.
Mullenbach said they would want to provide something on -site such as a tot lot for all
of the residential types.
Recommendations Discussed:
V. Reid recommended we keep the property zoned mixed use and would like to see a
greater mix of uses. She agrees with accepting the wooded area as a park dedication
in lieu of cash in some way. Chippewa should be extended all the way through, but
an evaluation should be done as to who pays for it. She asked that the City work with
the developer to come to some agreement to develop Chippewa Road.
Public Hearing closed at 8:40 p.m.
Motion by V. Reid, seconded by Williams, to approve the Stage I Plan for a Mixed
Use development with 1) zoning remaining as it is; 2) accepting the wooded area for
parkland in lieu of cash; and 3) Chippewa should be extended all the way through
with an evaluation completed to figure out how it will be paid. Motion carries.
(Absent: Nolan, Mitchell)
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7. Estate of Caroline Brede — Variance to reduce front setback requirement from
30 feet to 23 feet in order to dedicate right-of-way to the City — 2921 Lakeshore
Ave.
Finke summarized the application. He explained the site already had a
nonconformity issue, but the City was not recommending anything to change that.
Finke explained the City requested right-of-way to be dedicated on their previous
application which was a plat. By the City taking right-of-way it brought their property
line closer to their home and not meeting front yard setback requirements. Finke said
the City did not have to go through the Variance process, but the property owner
requested it be done.
Foote asked for clarification of the first condition in the staff report. Finke explained
that by granting the Variance it makes the setback for the garage legal and to be
rebuilt again in the same location if damaged or torn down. The Variance, however,
does not allow for the home to be expanded with the reduced setback.
Williams asked if this would burden any of the other neighbors. Finke said no and
the subject property was set back further than the other homes in the area.
Motion by V. Reid, seconded by Osmanski, to approve the setback Variance for the
garage from 30 feet to 23 feet. Motion carries. (Absent: Nolan and Mitchell)
8. Lennar — 3032 Basswood Road — Variance to reduce side yard setback from 7.5
feet to 5 feet for existing home.
Finke presented the application and explained the reason for the Variance. Finke
pointed out that the property is zoned PUD if the Commission was looking for
justification for the Variance. Finke said a PUD Amendment would also be an option
if they had a struggle with approving the Variance as submitted.
Motion by Foote, seconded by Williams, to approve the side yard setback from 7.5
feet to 5 feet. Motion carries. (Absent: Nolan and Mitchell)
11. Council Meeting Schedule
R. Reid agreed to attend and present at the October 15, 2013 Council meeting.
12. Adjourn
Motion by Williams, seconded by V. Reid, to adjourn at 8:57 p.m. Motion carried
unanimously. (Absent: Nolan and Mitchell)
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