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1989-06-13 Planning Comm Minutes Special MeetingCITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, JUNE 13, 1989 (corrected) Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a special meeting of the Planning Commission, City of Mendota Heights was held at 7:30 o'clock P.M. at City Hall, 1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights, Minnesota. Chairman Morson called the meeting to order at 7:35 o'clock P.M. The following members were present: Anderson, Duggan, Dwyer, Krebsbach, Koll, Morson and Tilsen. Also present were City Administator Kevin Frazell, Public Works Director James Danielson, Administrative Assistant Kevin Batchelder and Planning Consultant Howard Dahlgren. APPROVAL OF MINUTES AYES: 7 NAYS: 0 CASE NO. 89-15 KENSINGTON SUBDIVISION Commissioner Duggan clarified a statement on page 3 of the May minutes and then motioned for approval. Commissioner Dwyer seconded the motion. Dick Putnam inquired about the action taken by the Citizens Parks Review Committee in regards to the proposed parks dedication in the Kensington proposal. Chairman Morson stated that the committee has accepted it, that the Planning Commission has no reason not to approve the parks scheme. Mr. Putnam made a brief statement about coming back for the special meeting with more detail on the condos, manor homes and houses he is proposing and addressing the parks dedication. He then stated he was open for questions. Commissioner Krebsbach asked if there were any changes since the last meeting. Mr. Putnam replied that he had moved one building, the park layout is the same, that the plan shows the individual homeowners to the southeast and the future street access to the Kennedy's land. He stated that all 48 single family lots will be above 15,000 sq. ft. and that these details will come out in the preliminary and final plan stages. June 13, 1989 Page 2 Commissioner Tilsen inquired about the trail to the north of the pond, what had happened to it? Mr. Putnam replied it is there. Commissioner Tilsen stated that it appeared that there was a 1/2 street jog to the alignment of Pond Circle West that was not there before. Mr. Putnam replied that the street is intended to be aligned and when it is installed it will be aligned. Commissioner Tilsen presented a map in which he had highlighted the differences between plans. He detailed the differences by showing, in red, where park area had been taken away, and in black, where it had been added. He inquired about the Right-of-Way along Delaware. Mr. Putnam replied that he has to dedicate 50' from the center line. Tilsen stated that he liked the previous plan's buffer between the single family homes and the condos and that the hourglass shape of the park is quite narrow. Mr. Putnam stated he would be tickled to trade pond area that had been dedicated to the park for the hourglass under the power lines. Tilsen stated that there are limits on density, it would be nice not to encroach on the single family homes, there should be a better buffer. Tilsen stated he was concerned about how close the plan gets with the units, even to a park. Kevin Clark, of Centex, replied that there was a transition no matter how one had to look at it. Commissioner Dwyer asked Mr. Putnam to show the slides he had brought. Mr. Putnam gave a slide show that detailed the layouts of streets, buildings, landscaping, lighting, security, pedestrian paths and densities of Devonwood, a similar project in Bloomington. Commissioner Krebsbach asked if the parks intermixed with the units will create security problems. Mr. Putnam replied he was not sure about the question, it should be similar to single family homes and that there might be more sight lines, lighting and security than single family homes. Commissioner Duggan queried about the square footage of the proposed units. Mr. Putnam replied that the units ranged from 1,000 sq. ft. to 1,500 sq. ft. and were one to three bedrooms. Commissioner Krebsbach asked if June 13, 1989 Page 3 there would be wooden decks and barbecues allowed. Mr. Putnam replied that in Bloomington, yes, and they were not sprinkled. He stated in Mendota Heights they will be sprinkled and that barbecuing is dependent upon City Ordinances. Mr. Putnam showed the townhomes that were constructed as part of Devonwood. Chairman Morson inquired where were some manor homes constructed similar to the ones being proposed. Putnam replied that Bloomington, Edina and Shakopee had these types of units. Putnam then demonstrated on a wall map where the types of units from the slide show would go in at Kensington. Chairman Morson inquired what time frame the Kensington project was on. Mr. Putnam replied that if the sketch plan was approved now, the platting would take a few more months and that grading could begin in late Fall or early Spring. Chairman Morson inquired about the phasing of the project. Putnam replied that the condos would be on line in one year and that this was envisioned as a three year project. He stated the single family houses may start soon to complement Hampshire and could actually come in before the townhomes. Commissioner Dwyer inquired about the elevations. Dick Putnam replied that the elevations were close to being the same for the 16 unit condos and the 8 unit townhomes. He stated that there were a lot of oak trees and woods on the terrain in contrast to the flat cornfield that Devonwood in Bloomington was built on. Commissioner Krebsbach asked what the City would be left with if this project doesn't go. Dick Putnam replied that the project meets the guidelines of the city which are based on market studies and other analyses. He stated their own demographics and location analyses come to the same conclusions. He stated that all Centex manor homes have sold and that the location and demographics of this project have been determined to be ideal for this type of use. Krebsbach asked how much of the project was subsidized. Putnam replied none. PRESENTATION DISCUSSION June 13, 1989 Page 4 Commissioner Tilsen inquired about handicapped accessibility. Putnam replied no, that this would be handled by the private market just like in Copperfield. It could easily be handled as an extra cost, similar to finishing a basement, he stated. City Administrator Kevin Frazell gave a brief presentation on the history of the Comprehensive Plan Amendment and the South East Area Plan. He spoke about the process of Plan Amendments proceeding through the Planning Commission, City Council and, finally, the Metropolitan Council. Commissioner Duggan spoke about the Comprehensive Plan and its amendment and stated that the park shown on the comprehensive plan was done in lieu of the loss of school property as park. He stated that park is now a school and that this was a big loss to the City as a buffer. He stated that the park has been reduced from the 35 acres proposed in the Parks Referendum to the 26 acre dedication now being proposed. Duggan expressed a concern about the loss of potential open space. Planning Consultant Howard Dahlgren spoke about Kensington and how it relates to the land west of it. He summarized by stating that this whole parcel would allow a density of 900 units, when including the land to the west, and that Centex was proposing 564 units and the Patrick property would have no more than 30. There is a proposal for about a dozen units to the west of Centex, bringing the whole area well within the allowable density, he stated. Commissioner Dwyer stated that the numbers of units multiplied by 3 people per unit would add about 2,000 people to Mendota Heights. This would amount to 1/4 of the city in one small corner of it, he stated. Planning Consultant Dahlgren stated that this was an overestimation of occupancy. Dwyer stated that he foresees a tremendous problem of taxing the city services. He stated that he predicted a serious traffic problem at Dodd Road and Mendota Heights Road with an additional 1,000 cars per morning. Commissioner Duggan stated that this would be 3,500 extra trips per day. Dwyer stated that June 13, 1989 Page 5 Mendota Heights Road will turn into a highway and that his kids were not going to be allowed to go to any park in this area. He stated this amount of traffic was scary. He asked, where will Centex be when these problems develop. Kevin Clark stated that the Devonwood project was built at the intersection of two major roads in Bloomington and that the traffic problem is nil. He stated there are two day- care centers adjacent to the project, and even with their peak hour traffic generation there are no problems. He stated that in eight years with heavy traffic and buses there have been no fatal accidents. Dick Putnam stated that the same arguments being made by Commissioner Dwyer could be applied to Copperfield. He stated he had heard the same arguments with Copperfield, that the kids would be killed off and that the parks would be overflowed. He stated, that, in fact, occupancy is higher in Copperfield where there are three car garages which generate more traffic. Putnam stated that each project would have about the same number of people and that Kensington would have more elderly people and working singles. He stated that the City built Mendota Heights Road to 80' wide so that it could handle 10,000 to 12,000 trips per day. He asked if half this amount was what the Commissioner was worried about. Putnam also stated that he would be around, he can't bury his mistakes. He stated that the project was significantly adding parks to what the City currently has, it had a diversity of housing ranging from condos to half million dollar houses, lakeshores to active parks. He stated they have been responsive to the City's request to delineate the park dedication, and asked what more the City wanted. Planning Consultant Howard Dahlgren stated that the densities in the area were determined in the South East Area Plan and that as part of this plan traffic studies had been done. He stated the road system can handle the capacity quite easily. He stated that this is residential use only, there is no business or industrial uses in this area. The traffic problems are within the capacity June 13, 1989 Page 6 of Mendota Heights Road, he stated. The occupancy rate will be low for this project, not as high as an expansive single family home, he stated. Commissioner Dwyer stated that the traffic study did not account for, or contemplate, the use generated by the softball fields. Dick Putnam asked if the City was planning to have region-wide softball games at Kensington, that his impression of the use of the softball fields was for City league only, without lights. Planning Consultant Dahlgren stated that he did not feel that the approximately 40 cars generated by a softball game would tax the capacity of a road designed to handle 10,000 trips per day. A count of 5,000 trips per day is more likely, he stated. He stated he didn't believe there would be major problem. Commissioner Duggan asked him if he was saying there is a problem. Dahlgren responded that the only problem would be with the intersection. Duggan queried if the City would have to acquire land to improve the intersection. Public Works Director Danielson responded, no, there was plenty of right-of-Way. Commissioner Duggan stated that the 8,000 to 9,000 trips per day in the South East Area Plan will tax the capacity of the road. He stated that the Comprehensive Plan was used to guide land use in the City and that it was either a plan and policy or not a plan and policy. He stated it should be followed or not. The document was submitted to the Met Council and approved. As part of the approval process, in 1985, the Met Council stated that Mendota Heights could accommodated 1,100 additional units. He asked, with all the new developments such as Copperfield, Kensington, Shaughnessy, Colon and others if this figure of 1,100 units had been reached. He felt that we had exceeded this number, especially with the 563 units being proposed in Kensington. He asked, by amending the Comprehensive Plan, are we setting a precedent that allows everyone with a development to come in and ask for a rezoning to a higher density. He stated that the Planning Commission's charge to follow the guidelines of the Comprehensive Plan must apply. Also, he stated, the Planning Commission must look at the Comprehensive June 13, 1989 Page 7 Plan and the breakneck speed of approval of development in Mendota Heights. Kevin Clark stated that their purpose tonight was to replace a developers agreement that currently allows us a much greater density. Commissioner Duggan said let's go back to the Comprehensive Plan. Dick Putnam stated that under the existing agreement between the City and the developer, it is either Plan A or Plan B. Chairman Morson stated that this is going to be a busy area of town and that he remembers Riley's 3-story, 75 unit buildings that had been proposed for the same parcel. Chairman Morson stated that Commissioners had to get it out of our minds that we can go back and start the South East Area Plan all over again. He stated this was the best project that he had seen for this area and the issue was not a discussion of land use but that the task before them was to look at the sketch plan, recognize what is going in here and make a decision. Commissioner Krebsbach replied that the Commission shouldn't have to feel we don't have the right to say yes or no. Chairman Morson stated our task tonight is consideration of a sketch plan. He stated he did not call a special meeting to rehash all those old issues from 1985. Commissioner Anderson stated that there were two options. He stated that the Planning Commission is an advisory body and that he felt there was no rational or legal basis for turning down the project. He also stated that if we don't like the density there is nothing to stop us from stating this and alerting City Council to taking a harder look at it. He stated a protest vote was not realistic and that meaningful recommendations should be within the confines of the guidelines set forth in City policy and within the proposal. Commissioner Duggan pointed out that in another case the Planning Commission set conditions and the developer came in with something different and Council rejected it. He stated that the Planning Commission has more control than you think. This was June 13, 1989 Page 8 important because available land is decreasing further and further, he stated. Commissioner Tilsen stated he found it difficult and rushed with the confusion on the park dedication and felt this didn't allow time to focus on different aspects of the plan. Mrs. Celia Kennedy, 2567 Delaware Avenue, asked what the Citizens Park Review Committee (CPRC) had decided since May 30. City Administrator Frazell explained the CPRC's approach to ballfields, its search for sites and its conclusion that the proposed dedication was acceptable, and, that there would be no "other" site for softball fields in this parcel. Mrs. Kennedy asked where else is land available for this type of thing and if Sibley and the School District were out of this. Frazell responded that, no, the school district is very much interested in this and favors a joint ballfield site. He listed the other sites as Mendakota site, Highway 149/ Highway 110, and Pilot Knob Road/Acacia. He mentioned that each site had constraints that made acquisition difficult or expensive. Planning Consultant Dahlgren stated that the City has looked at this area quite extensively and should be proud of itself on these decisions. Public hearings were held and it went through the Met Council's process for approval, the density and the traffic are reasonable, and the parks dedication is generous. He stated that the developers have largely done a very responsible job of working within the system and produced what the City has asked them to develop. Commissioner Anderson was ever even going to land the developer was to demand more from responsible. wondered if the City be able to develop the dedicating. He stated the developer is not Commissioner Duggan stated he had a proposal. He recommended that the City should accept Plan B if the City can come up with $850,000 for the park. Mrs. Kennedy asked a question regarding the east property line where it borders the June 13, 1989 Page 9 wetland, King and Kennedy property. She asked about park development in this area and on her property. Mr. Putnam assured her that this was not on the sketch plan and that there is no proposed development for parks on her land. He left open the option of this being a dedication if she opts to develop her land sometime in the future. CLOSED HEARING Commissioner Tilsen moved to close the public hearing and Commissioner Dwyer seconded. AYES: 7 NAYS: 0 Chairman Morson asked for a motion. Either to accept with qualifications or reject. Commissioner Tilsen moved to accept the sketch plan with the following conditions: 1. All single family lots should have 15,000 sq. ft. minimum lot requirement. 2. Exchange the northeast section of 33 townhomes for 15,000 sq. ft. single family lots. 3. Accommodate the park connection to Hagstrom- King park so that there is a direct link to trail system. 4. Petition the MnDOT for signals at Mendota Heights Road and Dodd Road before completion of the project. City Administrator Frazell advised the Planning Commission that they should rule on the amendment to the Comprehensive Plan first and that the first motion should be to take out the park as it appears on the Comprehensive Plan. The second motion should be to approve the sketch plan with final approval contingent on the City Council and Metropolitan Council approval of the Comprehensive Plan amendment. Commissioner Tilsen made a motion to amend the Comprehensive Plan with the inclusion of a neighborhood park as shown in Figure 2, with no detail of the community park. Commissioner Koll seconded. Commissioner Anderson stated that we should condition this so that if we lose the June 13, 1989 Page 10 developer we can at least still have a 25 acre park. Chairman Morson queried staff if they could condition the amendment to Centex. City Administrator Frazell replied that he didn't recommend Comprehensive Plan amendments specific to any developer and that the Planned Unit Development process gave the City a lot of control in guiding projects. He stated the City ordinances don't allow the City to require a 27 acre park with this amount of land. Chairman Morson asked if the PUD process gave this type of latitude. Anderson replied that another developer will only give 10% and that he felt Putnam was doing the City a favor. Tilsen's motion to approve the Comprehensive Plan amendment was voted on. AYES: 6 NAYS: 1 Duggan Tilsen's first motion - to approve sketch plan with listed conditions - was put back on the table. City Administrator Frazell explained that the State puts in semaphores only after a traffic level is present, not in anticipation of it. He stated the City could petition the State, but that in all likelihood they won't be put in until the traffic warrants them. Commissioner Dwyer stated that the developer should pay for the semaphore. Commissioner Tilsen responded that this was not his intention. Chairman Morson and Planning Consultant Dahlgren both replied that we can encourage the State on this. Commissioner Krebsbach suggested an amendment to the motion. She was concerned about the number and size of the 16 unit condo buildings. She counted 8 sixteen unit buildings. She stated she had an interest in seeing the number of big 16 unit buildings decreased, not out of a desire to reduce the density, but to reduce the number of large structures. Commissioner Anderson stated these changes may not go well with the developer and that any conditions should be articulated for City Council seeing as how the developer is under the density guidelines. Krebsbach stated it was the mass of the structure that concerned her. Commissioner Duggan agreed. Mr. Putnam June 13, 1989 Page 11 stated that he would like to see the Planning Commission state whether they wanted Plan C-2 or Plan C-3, not a piecemeal approach that includes portions of each plan that might appeal to individual members. Planning Consultant Dahlgren warned that as you take units out of the project you should expect to see the park dedication decline. Commissioner Krebsbach offered a motion to amend the motion by requiring a condition that the number of 16 unit condos be reduced. Commissioner Tilsen replied that this was acceptable. City Administrator Frazell stated that the City Ordinance for this zoning allows a 24 unit building as a permitted use. Krebsbach restated her motion and Tilsen accepted the amendment. Commissioner Duggan seconded Tilsen motion. AYES: 4 NAYS 3 Morson, Koll, Anderson The nay voters stated that they voted nay as an objection to the conditions placed on the project and that they were not voting against the plan. Mr. Putnam requested that the record show that he is not even interested in proposing the plan with conditions recommended by the Planning Commission. He stated he would not proceed with the recommendations and that he was going to Council with his original Plan C-3. ADJOURN Sharon Koll motioned to adjourn the meeting. Tilsen seconded. AYES: 7 NAYS: 0 Kevin Batchelder Administrative Assistant