HomeMy Public PortalAbout12-09-2008Medina Planning Commission December 9, 2008 Meeting Minutes
CITY OF MEDINA PLANNING COMMISSION
Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
1. Call to Order: Chair Jeff Pederson called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Present: Planning Commissioners, Jeff Pederson, Robin Reid, Mary Verbick, Michele Litts and
Jim Simons.
Absent: Charles Nolan and Victoria Reid
Also Present: Planning Director Tim Benetti, Associate Planner Dusty Finke, and Planning
Assistant Debra Peterson -Dufresne.
2. Public Comments on Items not on the Agenda
No public comments.
3. Update from City Council Proceedings
Verbick updated the Commission that the City Council:
• Approved the final resolution to amend Hennepin County's PUD for a wind turbine of up
to three mega watts.
• Tabled the proposed PREC ordinance, since the three council members who were present
could not reach consensus on a policy on how the ordinance should be drafted.
• Heard a presentation from Randy Lehr of Three Rivers Park on the phosphorous run-off
into Lake Sarah and methods for Medina to reduce its portion of that loading. The
Council named seven implementation measures to help reduce Medina's Total Maximum
Daily Load (TMDL) into Lake Sarah and directed staff to update the City's Storm Water
Management Plan to incorporate these measures.
• Discussed a partial assessment policy to help pay for the rehabilitation and repair of
Medina's roads.
• Agreed to a time line for the building of a field house in 2009 in Hamel Legion Park.
The money is already in the 2009 Capital Improvement Plan.
• Approved a recreational field -use policy for Hamel Legion Park.
• Recognized Patrol Officer Keith Converse for five years of service to Medina.
• Heard a quarterly update from Long Lake Fire Chief, James Van Eyll.
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Medina Planning Commission December 9, 2008 Meeting Minutes
4. Planning Department Report
Benetti updated the Commission on Land Use Applications, Developments, Projects, and
Planning Issues:
A. Hennepin County Public Works —1600 Prairie Drive: Council adopted Ordinance No.
452 at the November 18th regular meeting, whereby approving the PUD Amendment
allowing the wind turbine and civil defense tower at the HCPW campus.
B. Commercial District Ordinances: Planning staff was prepared to present the commercial
zoning ordinance updates to the City Council at the Nov. 18th meeting; however due to
the lateness of the meeting and request by Council; planning staff prepared illustrative
examples or representations of how various sized commercial, office and/or retail
developments would look on a proposed commercial parcel. Staff is in the process of
completing these and will be making a follow-up report at the December 16th meeting.
C. Private Recreation Zoning District (PREC): The item was originally presented at the
September 2, 2008 regular meeting, and was presented again at the December 2nd
meeting. Upon discussion with staff and the representatives of the Medina Golf &
Country Club, the Council tabled the item again to allow staff to meet with the
owners/developers of MGCC to determine what process of the new PREC ordinance
works best for their plans, and ultimately the city's goal of maintaining the golf course as
open space area.
D. General Commercial and Industrial Ordinances: Planning staff presented the new
General Commercial and Industrial zoning district regulations to the Planning
Commission at the November 12th regular meeting. PC recommended a number of
revisions and approval to the Council. The item is tentatively scheduled for review by
the Council at the January 2009 regular meetings.
E. Woodridge Church —1500 County Road 24: Applicant submitted a CUP request to add
20,446 sf. of addition to the existing church facilities. Scheduled for review under public
hearing at the December 9th PC meeting. The item was postponed and was not heard at
the meeting.
F. Michael Anderson (and Wallace Anderson) — 985 & 995 Medina Road: Requesting
Lot Line Rearrangement and Variances to lot size standards. Scheduled for review under
public hearing at the December 9th PC meeting.
G. Wrangler's Restaurant - 32 Hamel Road ( former Provenance building): Owners are
preparing final architecture designs and hope to have an application ready for review at
the January 13, 2009 PC meeting.
5. Approval of November 12, 2008 Planning Commission Minutes.
Motion by R. Reid seconded by Verbick to approve the November 12, 2008 minutes with no
changes. Motion carried unanimously (Absent: Nolan and V. Reid).
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Medina Planning Commission December 9, 2008 Meeting Minutes
6. Public Hearing — Michael Anderson — 985 & 995 Medina Road (PIDs 14-118-23-44-0002
& 14-118-23-44-0001) — Preliminary Plat and Variances to rearrange lot lines between
two existing lots.
Finke reviewed the application and showed the existing and proposed lot lines for both parcels.
He reviewed the two acre suitable soil requirement and explained that in 1999 the Council
changed the ordinance regulating the Rural Residential zoning district from two to five acres of
suitable soils. The five acres was adopted only for parcels created after the date of adoption in
1999. The existing lots would remain conforming with the two acre contiguous suitable soils
requirement. The proposed application requires two acres rather than five acres of contiguous
suitable soils.
Finke informed the Commission that the proposal did not trigger the wetland ordinance, since no
additional lots were being created, just a rearrangement. Setbacks, existing septic systems and
their locations were also discussed. The applicant pumped both septic systems this year and had
alternate sites designed. The applicant is dedicating right-of-way along Medina Road as part of
the application.
Finke informed the Commission that their packet included the criteria for granting variances and
would answer any questions. The Commission did not have questions regarding the variance
criteria.
Finke stated the Commission had a good deal of discretion in reviewing the two variances. He
explained that variances are tied with the preliminary plat and that the plat could not be approved
without the variances, except the front yard setback variance. The house is currently
nonconforming and if the variance was not approved it would continue to be nonconforming
Finke further explained that the variance would only be for the area of the house that encroaches
into the 50 foot setback. The current or future owners could not add to the 995 Medina Road
home in the front yard setback area.
Simons asked if the property was currently nonconforming Finke explained that it is
nonconforming
R. Reid asked if the house on the larger lot were torn down, could someone rebuild. Finke
explained that only two acres of suitable soils are required and that a new home could be
constructed.
Finke requested the Commission to add another condition stating "the owner shall execute and
file a declaration of covenant acceptable to the City Attorney, which prevents the sale of Outlot
A as a stand-alone parcel". The Commission agreed to add the condition.
Michael Anderson, the applicant informed the Commission that his application was an
improvement from its existing condition. R. Reid said that it should help to sell the property if it
is put on the market in the future. Anderson also added that it would be best if the Commission
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Medina Planning Commission December 9, 2008 Meeting Minutes
approved of the application since it only improves the setbacks and contiguous suitable soil
requirements.
Verbick requested staff to add a 13th condition per staffs recommendation that "the owner shall
execute and file a declaration of covenant acceptable to the City Attorney which prevents the
sale of Outlot A as a stand-alone parcel". She further stated that she felt very comfortable with
the proposal.
R. Reid and Simons agreed with the improvements and approved of the project.
Litts and Pederson agreed with Verbick and had nothing to add.
Public hearing opened @ 7:33 p.m.
The Commission further discussed setbacks in general.
Public Hearing closed at 7:39 p.m.
Motion by Verbick, seconded by R. Reid to recommend approval of both Variances,
Preliminary Plat and to add "the owner shall execute and file a declaration of covenant
acceptable to the City Attorney which prevents the sale of Outlot A as a stand-alone parcel" as a
condition of approval. Motion carried unanimously (Absent: Nolan and V. Reid).
7. Public Hearing— Woodridge Church —1500 County Road 24 (PIDs 23-118-23-23-0001
& 23-118-23-23-0005) — Conditional Use Permit Amendment and Interim Use Permit
for the construction of a 20,446 square foot addition to the existing church.
Benetti informed the Commission that the applicant requested to postpone their application. He
informed the Commission that staff sent a letter to the applicant requesting an extension to May
22, 2008.
8. Adjourn: Motion by Verbick, seconded by Simons to adjourn at 7:44 p.m. Motion
carried unanimously (Absent: Nolan and V. Reid).
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