HomeMy Public PortalAbout11-10-2009Medina Planning Commission November l0, 2009 Meeting Minutes
CITY OF MEDINA PLANNING COMMISSION
Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
1. Call to Order: Commissioner R. Reid called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Present: Planning Commissioners, Robin Reid, Victoria Reid, Kent Williams, and Beth Nielsen
Absent: Jim Simons, Charles Nolan, and Michele Litts
Also Present: City Planner Dusty Finke, Laurie Smith and Stephen Grittman of Northwest
Associated Consultants, Inc.
2. Public Comments on Items not on the Agenda:
No public comments.
3. Update from City Council Proceedings:
Weir presented the update that the Council:
- heard a complaint about early morning, weekend disturbance because of hunting, and
bird shot falling on a resident's roof and trees. Council will discuss the issue further at its
January workshop;
- voted to charge old assessments deferred through Green Acres at the full compounded
interest rate;
- directed staff to work with Minnehaha Creek Watershed District on language within a
Memorandum of Understanding to make sure that project costs of phosphorous reduction
are apportioned equitably between the watershed and the city;
- refined the standards of the Business Park and Business Zoning District ordinance, and
reverted to the 3-acre minimum lot size in Business Park as twice recommended by the
Planning Commission;
- approved changes to the driveway ordinance that increased the width of driveways at the
road edge from 22' to 24,' and 28 feet at the property line. Council also discussed how to
deal with recent driveways where the plan dimensions were clear, but driveways were
built too wide upon final inspection;
reviewed Corcoran's Comprehensive Plan and directed staff to express Medina's desire
to work cooperatively on a future trail along Hackamore Drive. We recommended that
Corcoran match Medina's classification of Hackamore Drive as an A Minor Collector
and agreed with Corcoran that County Road 116 should be upgraded to an A Minor
Arterial;
- discussed a purpose statement for the Environmental Fund;
approved the Concept Plan Review ordinance with all recommendations of the Planning
Commission;
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Medina Planning Commission November 10, 2009 Meeting Minutes
- revised a section of the Personnel Policy, shortening a resignation period to 14 days.
4. Planning Department Report:
Finke updated the Commission that staff has received questions on potential land use
applications that would be large projects if moved forward. He further announced that their may
not be a December Planning Commission meeting due to the lack of land use applications and
the need for additional time to write a new ordinance. He announced the City would be hosting a
recognition celebration on Thursday December 3rd and the Planning Commission would be
receiving an invitation.
5. Approval of October 13, 2009 Planning Commission Minutes:
Motion by R. Reid, seconded by Williams, to approve the October 13, 2009 minutes with
recommended changes. Motion carried unanimously. (Absent: Jim Simons, Charles Nolan, and
Michele Litts)
6. Continued Public Hearing - Ordinance Amendment to Chapter 8 of Medina's City Code
creating new zoning regulations for future development on property identified in the Mixed
Use land use in the City's 2010-2030 Comprehensive Plan (Public Hearing continued from
October 10 meeting).
Smith summarized the changes to the ordinance since the October meeting:
She described the "Transitional Language" which was added to the purpose statement of the
ordinance. She stated the language is strong enough that it could be used as a basis for denying
an application if it did not provide the transition the City was seeking.
Smith stated that allowed uses increased, which included: Assisted Living, Nursing Homes,
Motor Fuel Stations, and Vertical Mixed Use. She further described uses City staff
recommended, such as: religious institutions, educational facilities, warehousing, and
manufacturing.
Smith described the regulations which were applied to vertical mixed use: first floor must be
commercial; residential shall be counted towards required % of residential, and requirement for
one enclosed parking space within the building or an attached garage. Smith stated it may be
worth discussing the height restrictions as it has to do with vertical mixed use.
Smith stated density bonuses were added in the residential standards consistent with the R-3
district.
Public Hearing re -opened at 7:25 p.m.
V. Reid asked if the transitional language was clear enough since it seemed a bit convoluted.
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Medina Planning Commission November 10, 2009 Meeting Minutes
Williams stated the language was understandable to him.
R. Reid liked the language.
R. Reid inquired about the restriction of daycare only allowing one person to reside at property.
Smith clarified the language as it pertained to residential in -home daycares.
V. Reid asked about commercial daycares. Finke explained daycares would be allowed in both
the residential and commercial areas, but both have very different standards under state statute
which could be better clarified.
V. Reid inquired about religious and educational facilities and what should be done with them.
Smith explained the uses are listed as conditional uses in residential.
Williams inquired if a church was listed as a residential use couldn't the church count towards
the 50% residential regulation requirement? Grittman stated it's a consideration a property
owner would need to make. If a portion of property is sold for a religious institution, the seller
would still need to make sure they could account for the number of residential units in the
remaining property.
Williams stated it may be theoretical, but he believes that if a developer could satisfy a portion of
their 50% residential with a religious institution, they would then have increased density in the
rest, which could hurt the chance to have a good transition of uses.
V. Reid stated she believes schools really belong in a residential area, and by calling them
commercial it would force them along the Highway, which raises a concern to her.
Williams suggested the facilities be conditional uses in the commercial list.
Grittman suggested creating separate categories for Institutional. Finke said he didn't think it
was necessary to have a distinction between commercial and institutional.
The consensus of the Commission was to add the institutional uses as conditional commercial
uses.
Weir inquired if there should be setbacks between densities within the mixed use development.
She said as you go from commercial to multi -family to townhomes to single family it seems
there may be a need for setbacks and buffers. Smith stated it was covered within the buffer yard
requirements of the ordinance.
V. Reid inquired about County Road 19 and Willow Drive. Finke stated that the mixed use
along Willow Drive and north of Highway 55 is adjacent to some industrial property. Williams
stated the idea was to push commercial development toward the main roads.
The Commission discussed building height within the residential area. The consensus of the
Commission was to maintain the 32 foot height in residential.
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Medina Planning Commission November 10, 2009 Meeting Minutes
Finke asked if the Commission favored the limitations on size and intensity for religious
institutions.
The consensus of the Commission was to maintain the limitations and to direct larger facilities
into the Business or Commercial areas.
Williams inquired about the modulation requirement and had concerns with designing.
The consensus was to use the modulation requirement of the Business Park zoning district.
V. Reid said she doesn't like the language "shall be no less than 200 feet." It would seem better
to say "shall be at least 200 feet."
Weir asked about pentaflex lighting along gas station canopies. Finke suggested it may be better
to tackle the language in the Sign ordinance.
The consensus was to maintain the maximum building height at 35 feet for both commercial and
vertical mixed use.
Public Hearing closed at 8:33 p.m.
Motion by V. Reid, seconded by Nielsen, to approve the mixed use ordinance with
recommended changes. Motion carried unanimously. (Absent: Jim Simons, Charles Nolan, and
Michele Litts)
8. City Council Meeting Schedule: Discussion of representation at Council meeting.
9. Adjourn: Motion by Nielsen, seconded by V. Reid to adjourn at 8:35 p.m. Motion carried
unanimously. (Absent: Jim Simons, Charles Nolan, and Michele Litts)
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