03-08-76 PC Minutes � ��
MINUTES OF THE GOLOEN VALLEY
PLANNING COMMISSION
March 8, 1976
A regular meeting of the Golden Valley Planning Commission was held at 7:00 P.M.
on Monday, March 8, 1976 at the Public Safety Building, 7800 Golden Valley Road,
Golden Valley, Minnesota.
Vice Chairman Donald Hughes presided and the following members were present:
Commissioners Christiansen, Herje, Lundsgaard, Mindess, Sehlin, Specktor,
and Wagman. Also present was Jon Westlake, staff inember.
Members absent; Chairman Ron Edstrom
1 . WELCOME NEWLY APPOINTED PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS
Vice Chairman Hughes introduced the newly appointed Planning Commission members,
Mervyn Mindess and Robert W.agman, to the Planning Comnission.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: MOVED by Christiansen, seconded by Sehlin, carried
unanimously, to approve the minutes of the February 23, 1976 Planning Comnission
meeting as mailed.
3. REQUEST BY CTTY COUNCIL — CONSIDER REZONING ONE OF THREE SITES FOR
NORTHEAST FIRE STATION FROM RESIDEN7IAL TO INSTITUTIONAL (I-4)
Jon Westtake asked the Planning Commission if they had any questions regarding
the material that was mailed to the Commission which included the Fire Station
Committee report, Environmental I�act Appraisal , and the Public Safety Oirector' s
report. Also, a separate appraisal report was referred to. It was noted that
the Planning Commission in reference to reviewing these reports should keep in
mind that the Commission should consider the sites from a somewhat different
perspective, such as the land use and its effect on the surrounding areas.
The three sites before the Planning Commission for consideration of rezoning
for a fire station site are as follows:
SITE 1 . Lots 2 and 3 of Block 1 , Pankonie Addition,
Hennepin County, Minnesota.
�3750 Golden Valtey Road)
SITE 2. Tract A, R.L.S. No. 999 and Lot 5 and Block 1 ,
Zimmerman Terrace, Hennepin County, Minnesota.
(4275-4305 Gotden Valley Road)
SITE 3• Tract E, R.L.S. No. 292, Hennepin County, Minnesota.
(4705-4715 Gotden Valley Road)
All properties are presently zoned Residential , and the three sites will be
considered by the City Council iater this evening for rezoning. If the Council
approves the rezoning, one of the parcels will be rezoned to an Institutional
(I-4) category.
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Planning Commission
March 8, 1976 page 2
A portion of Page 43 of the Ccxrp�rehensive Ptan states the following regarding
the Fire Oepartment: "Long term needs, however, require another fire station
east of Highway 100 to better serve the needs of that part of the City. The
need, however, becomes problematical if a new crossing point within the
immediate vicinity ever materializes as discussed in the Transportation Section
of this report. Mutual aid agreements with other communities through the Northern
and Southe�n Suburban Mutual Aid Association is in effect and tends to offset
the immediate necessity for such expansion."
Characteristics of the site are as fottows:
SITE t . The site is a singte parcel corner lot approximatety 8 to 10 feet
higher than Golden Uailey Road. The site contains trees and tapers off at
Bassetts Creek which meanders through its westerly edge. Bonnie Lane abuts the
property on the east and Golden Valley Road on the south. The abutting prop—
erties are zoned Residential , except to the east of Bonnie Lane and south of
Golden Valley Road where the zoning is Institutional (I-4). The Minneapolis
Park Board owns the parcel east of Bonnie lane, and Theodore Wirth Park is
south of Golden Ualley Road. This site was the first choice of Mr. Kilstofte
who prepared the Environmental Impact Appraisal .
SITE 2. This site contains two lots south of Golden Valley Road which slope to
the rear and contains some trees. The abutting zoning is Residential , except the
east parcel which is zoned Institutional (I-3) and houses the Minneapolis Clinic.
The east lot has a driveway through the property to Gcalden Valley Road from
the rear parcel which has a house on it. There is atso access from Kyte Place
for the house. The Fire Station Committee chose this site as their first choice.
SITE 3• This site also contains two lots. The east parcel is open and the west
parcel has a house on it. The surrounding area is zoned Residential . This site
also contains some trees. The west parcel is higher than Golden Valley Road and
slopes toward the rear. The east parcel is at grade with Golden Valley Road and
then slopes off to the rear of the site. The Public Safety Department prefers
this site because: 1 ) more centrally located for the area, which cuts the
response time, 2) its intersection with Golden Valley Road and Nobel Avenue is
important. The intersection has a semiphore which could tie into the station and
function for control of traffic when the emergency service is responding,
3) in looking at the other sites—they may require a traffic device which is
only operational for emergency; therefore, the people are not used to the
device and probtems result.
The Planning Comnission in discussing the site set up criteria to be considered
in evaluating the three sites such as surrounding zoning, land use, compatibility
with the surrounding area, traffic, and signalization.
It was moved by Christiansen, seconded by Lundsgaard that the Planning Commission
recammend approval of rezoning 4705-4715 Golden Valley Road (Site #3) to
Institutional for the following reasons:
l . The Fire Station Committee had a vote of 5 for this site as first choice,
4 as second choice, and 1 as third choice. (�ire Station Committee' s
second choice)
2. Geographically close to service center.
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Planning Commission
March 8, 1976 page 3
3. Close to area with the highest incident of fire calls.
4. Meets site size minimums.
5. Access to main east—west and north arterial road.
6. Average response time is 3.2 minutes.
7. Traffic controlled by existing semaphores.
8. The City Public Safety Department recommends the site at Golden Valley Road
and Noble Avenue because it is the most functional location for a fire station
site in the Northeast area and it has been determined to be an easily a�c��ss—
ibte site to potential volunteer firemen fr�n this sarr� area; thus, a shorter
response time to the greater portion of the Northeast area.
It was moved by Mindess to a�nend the motion, which was agreed upon by the makers
of the motion, by adding the following additional recommendations;
i ) express the need for the fire station building appearance to be corr�atible
to the neighborhood, and
2) express the need for signals to be located 200 feet East and 200 feet West of
the access driveway to func�tion in connection with the �nergency calls.
The motion did not carry.
It was then moved by �erje, seconded by Specktor to tabte the original motian
for further discussion. The motion carried with Christiansen and Lundsgaard
voting no.
The Planning Commission then discussed each site in further detail as fotlows:
SITE #I Bonnie Lane and Golden Va11ey Road (known as 375a Golden Valley Road)
It was noted by the Planning Commission that the site, because of location and
terrain, would provide a buffer for the fire station in reference to the
residentiai area to the North and West of the site. i'he zoning tv the East and
West of the site is corr�atible. The parcel is vacant and most likely �rould be
the least expensive to the City. The traffic visability is good; however, this
site is furthest in distance for accessibiiity to the West area to be served.
SITE #2 Golden Valley Road just West of the Minneapolis Clinic (known as
4275-43a5 Gotden Vaiiey Road)
The Planning Commission noted that this site is located closest to the area
which is the source of most emergency calls and the zoning to the East is
compatible; however, it was noted by the Planning Commission that this site
has poor soil conditions and also would require filt . The ingress and egress
is difficult to the site with poor visibitity.
SITE #3 Noble Avenue and Golden Valley Road (known as 4705-4715 Golden Valley Rd.)
The Planning Commission in discussing this site noted that if the site were
deveioped, a drainage probiem wouid have to be solved. A hbuse wauld have to be
condemned and the site is completely surrounded by Residential zoning. The site
is also located at a busy intersection.
It was moved by Herje, seconded by Specktor that the Planning Cortmission discuss
each site individually for an Institutional (I-4) use and vote on each of the
three sites. The motion did not carry with 4 nay votes and 3 yea votes.
It was then moved by Herje, seconded by Mindess that the original motion pre—
viously tabled be brought off the table. The motion did not carry with
4 nay votes and 3 yea votes.
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Planning Commission
March $, 197b page 4
After further discussion it was moved by Her}e, seconded by Specktor to
recommend to the City Council that the site at Bonnie Lane and Golden Valley
Road (known as 3750 Golden Valley Raad) be rezoned from Residential to
Institutional (I-4} because: 1 ) the site is not surrounded by residences,
2� is the least expensive for the City, 3} has good visibility, and 4) has
two natural buffers. The rr�tion did not carry.
It was moved by Lundsgaard, seconded by Christiansen to recammend to the �ty
Council that the three sites be rezoned to Institutional (I-4). The motion
did not carry with 4 nay votes and 3 yea votes.
It was then rr�ved by Wagman, seco�ded by Lundsgaard to recammend to the City
Council that the site at Golden Valley Road, West of the Minneapolis Clinic
(known as 4275-43�5 Golden Valley Road) be rezoned from Residential to
Institutionat (I-4) because: 1 ) it is geographically closest to service center,
2) adjacent to area with the highest incidents of fire calls, 3) no structure
has to be purchased by the City, 4) is located next to Institutional zoning on
the East, and 5) traffic problem can be alleviated. The motion did not carry
with 5 nay votes and 2 yea votes.
It was moved by Specktor to forward the comments of the Planning Commission to
Councii in regard to each of the three sites. Motion died for lack of a second.
It was moved by Specktor, seconded by Sehlin to vote vn the appropriateness of
zoning each individual site to Institutional (I-4) and to record the number of
affirmative and negative votes on each individual site. The motion did not carry.
It was then moved by Herje, seconded by tJagman, carried unanimously, to remove
the original motion fr.om the table. Upon vote being taken on the original
motion, it was defeated with 4 nay votes and 3 yea votes.
It was the� moved by Herje, seconded by Mindess to recommend to the City Cou�cil
that the site at Bonnie Lane and Golden Ualley Road (known as 3750 Golden Valtey
Road) be rezoned from Residential to Institutional (I-4�. The motion carried
with 5 yea and 2 nay votes.
4. APPOINT NOMINATING COMMITTEE FOR 1976 OFFICERS OF PLANNIN� COMMTSSION
Vice Chairman Donald Hughes asked the Planning Commission if any Commissioners
were interested in serving on the Nominating Corrmittee for the 1976 officers of
the Planning Commission. The Committee should contain three members of the
Planning Commission. The following Commission members indicated they would
serve: Glen Christiansen, Warren Lundsgaard, and Jody Sehlin. Glen Christiansen
was selected to serve as Chairman of the Nominating Comnittee.
There being no further business to come before the meeting, it was on motion,
duly secanded, adjourned at 8:05 P.M.
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Vice Ch irman a d ghes Se retary K thryn H je
NO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING March 22, 1976