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07-13-81 PC Minutes rv:-�� Minutes of the Golden Valley Ptanning Commission �uty 13, 1981 A regular meeting of the Planning Gommission washeld in the Council Chambers of the Civic Center, 7800 Golden Valtey Road, Golden Valley, Minnesota. Chairman Thompson 'catled the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m. Those present were Commissioners: Eastes, Forster, Leppik, Singer and Thompson. Commissioners Moede and Polachek were not present at the beginning of the meeting. Also present were Michael Miller, Director of Planning and Redevelopment and A1da Peikert, Assistant Planner. I . Approval of Minutes - June 22, 1981 : It was moved by Eastes and seconded by Leppik to approve the minutes of the June 22, 1981 Planning Cammission meeting. Commissioner Singer questioned Chairman Thompson regarding his offer to send a letter to the Mayor expressing Planning Commission concern that Planning Commissioners be covered by liability insurance. Chairman ThomPson informed the Commi�sion that he had discussed this concern with the Mayor and would be following up their discussion with a written communication. �he Planning Commission unanimously approved the minutes of the June 22, 1981 meeting. II . Set Date for Informat Pubtic Hearing - Preliminary Plat: APPLICANT: Independent Schoot District #270 - Hopkins LOCATION: 5400 Glenwood Avenue REQUEST: Approval of Preliminary Plat of "Meadowbrook Sehool Addition" Chairman Thompson introdueed this �tem and noted that Flanning and Redevel- opment Director Michael Mil;ler reeommended setting a Mearing date o�f either July 27 or August 10, 1981 . Commissioner Moede arrived at fihe meeting. At the request of Chairman Thompson, Mr. Miller reviewed agenda items expected for the July 27, 198.1 meeting and concluded that there was no reason the hearing could not be set for Juty 27, 1981 . It was moved by Leppik, seconded by Singer and carried unanimously to set an informal public hearing date of July 27, 19�1 to consider the pre- liminary plat of ''Meadowbraok Schoot Addition". ��;��:� � � � � � Plar�ning Commission Minutes of Ju{y 13, 1981 Page 2 III . Informal Public Hearing - Rezoning: APPLICANT: City of Golden Va11ey LOCATION: 9211 Rlymouth Avenue REQUEST: Rezone Property from Industrial to Light Industrial Chairman Thompson introduced this item and opened the meeting to questions from Commissioners. Commissioner Forster offered the opinion that rezoning of this parcel from Industrial to Light Industrial would be an unnecessary gesture, as the property is already bordered by IndustriaT on several sides. Commissioner Eestes voiced agreement with Commissioner Forster's comment. Commissioner Polachek arrived at the meeting. Chairman Thompson opened the informal pwblic hearing. There was no one present who wished to speak on this item, and Chairman Thompson clbsed the public hearing. It was moved by Singer, seconded by Leppik, and carried to advise the City Council that the Planning Commission concurs wifh the Council initiated rezoning of 9211 Plymouth Avenue from industrial to Light Industrial . Commissioner5 Forster and Eastes oppased the motion. IV. Informal Public Hearin - PUD 30-B Concept Plan Approvat : APPLICANT: Bor-Son Building Corporation LOCATION: Hillsboro Avenue and Mendelssohn Avenue North REQUEST: Concept P1an Approval for Partially Subsidized Townhouse Development Chairman Thompson introduced this item anrl opened the meeting to Commis- sioner questions of staff. At the request of the Commission, Ghairman Thompson catled on Planning and Red�velopment Director Michael Miller to explain the proposal and present the staff recorrnn�ndation: Mr. Miller reviewed the proposed plan and answEred questions from Comroissioners concerning the drainage plan, inclusion- of the pondic�g area in density calculations, HUD financing commitments, and status of negotiations for purch'ase of the eastern parcel referred to as the Galant property. Mr. Milier explained that the entire acreage, including ponding areas, should properly be inctuded in PUD density calculations. Concerning financing, Mr. Miller reported that it was his understanding that the proponent has secured a corranitment of HUD Section 8 rental subsidies for the sub- sidized portion of the project and has applied for HUD Section 234 mortgage insurance for the market rate housing portion of the project. Concerning the property acquisition negotiations, Mr. Miller reported that he under- stood that the proponent had made an o�fer on the Galant property and that negotiations are in pragress, but that he had no knowledge of con- clusion of a purchase agreement or earnest money contract. ���. Planning Commission Minutes of July 13, 19�1 Page 3 Chairman Thompson then ealled on the proponent, represented by Mr. Donald Jacobson, Director of Development, Bor-Son Construction Companies. Mr. Jacobson began by intordueing other representatives involved in the project, who accompanied him at the meeting to assist in answering questions: Lynn Burton, Northland Martgage Company Bilt Nennemuth, Arehitect, Rieke Carroll Muller Betty Kaelke, Development Manager, Bor-Son Construction Company Ms. Lynn Burton answered questions from the Commissioners concerning the HUD Section 234 and Section 8 programs which the proponent proposes to utilize in financing this project. At the request of Commissioner Moede, Mr. Jacobson reviewed his letter included in the staff report which outlined adjustments to the plan made in response to concerns expressed at two meetings held with neighboring homeowners. In response to Kings Vatley resident concern regarding drain- age, Mr. Jacobson informed the Commission that he could not say that existing drainage problems i'n Kings Valtey wil ] be soived by the drainage improvements planned in connection with the praposed project, but that the Kings Valley residents will have better insurance against drainage problems as a result of construction of the two drainage ponds proposed as part of the project than they would have without any improvement to the property. Jn response to questions from Commissioner Eastes and Chairman Thompson regarding a Homeowners AssoGiation .for owner occupied units and a manage- ment pian for rental units, Ms. Betty Kaelke outlined the proposed manage- ment plan, exptaining that the r�ntal Project wi11 be managed by the management component of their company, Reatty M�nagement Services, and that both management and fair marketing plans must be submitted for both. MHFA and HUD approvals. At the request of Commissioner Moede that City requirements for a management _plan be communicated to the proponent, Chairman Thompson called on Mr. Miller, who explained the role of the City Human Rights Commission in review and enforcement of the mar�agement plan. Chairman Thompson asked Mr. Jacobson to outline for the Commission, in as much detait as possibte at the. concept stage of develapment, the �i�ancial assistance the proponent witl request of the City in order to make the project financialty feasible. Mr. Jacobson answered that atthough he did not have detailed financial in�formation available at the concept stage, he was willing to review what his company was thinking about in terms o-f City financial commitments. Mr. Jacobson exptained that the objective of the project is to provide low and moderate ineome rental housing and starter homes for owner occupancy. The proponent wishes to cooperate with the City in providing quality housing, and the strafiegy for arriving at financial requirements is to first start with the quality desired and then work backward to the financing required to provide that quality. Mr. Jacobson said that in order to provide the f unctional ponding, tandscaping and other quatity amenities desired by b-oth the proponent and the City, he thinks the City should authorize both tax increment -Financing and expenditure of Community Development B1ock Grant (CDBG) funds. Mr. Jacobson did not as yet have figures for the amounts of funding that might be required from each of these two sources, but he felt that it would be neeessary to involve both programs r��.�� ;�t::a�� Planning Commission Minutes of July 13, 1981 Page 4 in the project in order to provide the City with the desired assurance of quality. Mr. Jacobson descri6ed an elderly housing project which- his company constructed in New Hope, where the City provided financial sub- sidies in a similar menner in order to provide for the inclusiorr of amen- ities desired. Mr. Jacobson did not as yet have a cost estimate for the pond`ing to be constructed as part of the project, but he informed the Commission that the value of private utilities �lready installed on the Galant property, which must be acquired for the development, was estimated at $68,000. Chairman Thompson opened the informal public hearing at 8:40 p.m. Chairman Thompson recognized Mr. Bruce Duffy and Mr. Steven Wells, sPokes- men for the Kings Vatley Homeowners Association. Mr. Steve Wells, 2228 Kings Valley Road East, stated that in the excite- ment over combination of the previous PUD site with the Galant property and over the meeting on the revised proposal between the Kings Valley Homeowners Association and the developer, people had lost sight of points agreed upon by the homeowners, Planning Commission and City Council at the time the previous proposal was under consideratian. These points included avoidance of concentration in one area of the subsidized housing units, a reduction in density, prohibition of apartment type units, and connection of storm drainage to the City storm sewer system. Mr. Wells concluded that very little had been accomplished in terms of achieving these goals previously agreed upon by City officials and the Kings Va11ey residents. Mr. Bruce Duffy, 2304 English Circle, Kings Ualley, presented Kings Valley Homeowners Association concerns including loss of wildlife habitat, proximity of proposed ponding levels to etevations of Kings Valley residences, inadequate parking space, and assurance of sanitary sewer system capacity to handle additional flows. After Mr. Duffy answered questions from the Commissioners regarding ponding and witdlife concerns, Chairman Thompson calTed on Mr. Miller to address these two issues. Mr. Mil }er informed the Commission that the larger of the two proposed ponds was approved with the Galant townhouse development but was never completed by the developer, and that both ponds would have outlets ultimately entering a City storm sewer interceptor. Concerning witdlife on the site, Mr. Mitler stated that wildlife habitat will necessarily be altered by any development on the site, and that while it will not be destroyed in its entirety, change must be expected in an urban environment. Commissioner Moede asked Mr. Miller whether an Environmental Assessment would be required due to the change in ponding. Mr. Miller stated that environmentat review requirements apply to natural wetlands but not to man made water bodies such as in this case. ?�� Planning Commission Minutes of July 13, 1981 Page 5 Joanne Levine, 2203 Kings Va11ey Road, asked how much the southwest �n:trance had been moved in relation to the property line and whether existing trees could be preserved. Mr. Hennemuth, architect for the project, stated that the entrance had been moved from 5 feet from the property iine to 35 feet from the property line and tMat the landscape plan called for an upgrading of the trees in the area. Ms. Levine expressed `concern regarding additional traffic on Mendelssohn and inadequacy of parking space. Lynn Baudhuin, 2136 Tamarin Trai1 , Kings Valley, expressed conc�rn that the subsidized portion of the project might be constructed wi:fihout eompletion of the market rate housing in the event that financing of the market rate portion of the project proves infeasib}e: Chairman 'Thompson assured the residents that approval of the project would be valid only for the development as a whole and that the developer could not proceed with only a portion of the development. � David Baudhuin, 2136 Tamarin Trail , Kings Valley, expressed concern over density, effects on neighboring- property values, and parking provisions. Dennis Rock, 2404 Hillsboro, Galant Townhouses, sfiated that he was speaking for himself only and expressed concerns regarding toss of wildlifie, inadequacy of parking, increased traffic, and reported problems experienced by a relative who tived next to a subsidized housing project. Bever}ee Lutz, 2318 English Circle, Kings Valley, stated that she had chosen to move from an aprtment to Kings Valley fort:ti��home environment and did not wish to live next to rental property. Ms. Lutz asked rental and price ranges of the rental and ownership units. Chairman Thompson informed the residents that details of unit reng�ls and costs are not available at the concept stage of ptanning, but that the developer had indicated the price range of thE ownership units would be $55,OQ0 to $70,000. Mr. Jacobson said that the rentat figure used for application purpos�s was approximately $440 to $450 per month for a two bedroom unit. Grace Grady, 2109 Tamarin Trail , Kings Vall-ey, stated that she woutd iike to raise the issue of quatity and asked about income limitations f�or : ownership of the Section 234 housing' units. Ms. Burton, financial adviser on the project, explained that: Section 234 is a mortgage insurance program which daes not involve income limitations on buyers of the housing units. Bob Pearson, 2402 Hillsboro Aver�ue �orth, Gatant Townhouses, expressed concerns regarding density, parking and traffic. Mr. Pearson, as a har�di- capped person, pointed out the speeial problems which increased traffic presents for disabled persons. Patty Ostrov, 2213 Kings Valley Road East, questioned a statement made by Mr. Miller in his presentation ofi the proposal to the effect that the proposed plan recitified traff'ic speeding prablems. Mr: Miller clarified his statement that the interior street system had been adjusted to discourage speeding. Ms. Ostrov furth�r stated that she did not feel that loss of witdlife was necessary or inevitable. _'��� Planning Commission Minutes of July T3, 1981 Page 6 Joy Reis, 2113 Kings Valley Road, asked whether a traffic study had been done for Mendelssohn Avenue North and stated that waiting times at stop signs during peak traffic hours are .already prohibitive. Mr. Miller explained that Hennepin County would be responsible for installation of signal lights at Mendelssohn and Medicine Lake Road and that the County approves signals based on a traffic count formuta. Ms. Reis asked whether the proposed plan still includes a berm on the curve along Mendelssohn and expressed concern that the berm r�ight obstruct visibility of children playing and possibly running out into the street. Mr. Miller stated that a berm is shown in this location on the p,lan and that a side�walk is also indicated but would not be construeted by the City. Mr. Jacobson stated that Bor-Son Construction Companies intend to install the sidewalk but may ask the City for assistanee as necessary. LeRoy Altermatt, 2222 Kings ValTey Road East, suggested use of four way stop signs at congested intersections, and Mr. Miller confirmed that installation of four way stop signs would be a City decision where City streets are involved. Mr. Alt�rmatt questioned how this proposal could include extensive ponding work when Kings Valtey residents had experienced difficulty in obtaining permission for dredging. Chairman Thompson repeated that the proposed large pond on the eastern portion of the site was pre- viously approved as part of the Galant development. Mr. Altermatt concluded with a reference to apparent uncertainty as to whether financing wilt be available to instatl the sidewalk shown on the plan and questioned whether other features of the proposed plan were dependent on ava'ilability of financing. Steve Welts, one of the spokesmen for the Kings Valley Homeowners Assoc. was recognized a second time to make concluding remarks and asked the same question as Mr. Altermatt, whether amenities inctuded in the approved �lan would be eliminated due to funding tim+tations. Chairman Thompson assured residents that the developer woutd be required to carry out the plan as approved by the City Council, and that the City of Golden Valtey is not in the business of financing development and the developer may not come baek to the City for funding. Ben-Zion Goldstein, 2124 Tamarin Trai1 , Kings Ualley, questioned the density of the subsidized portion of the devel'opr�ent viewed separatety, and Chair- man Thompson informed Mr. Goldstein that the Commission was required to consider density based on the whole development. Chairman Thompson closed the informal pubtic hearing at 9:50 p.m. and turned the meeting over to discussion by the Commissioners . At the request of Commissioner Moede, Chairman Thompson explained for the public subsequent procedural steps for City approval of the PUD concept plan and general plan of development. Mr. Miller added an explanation of the PUD permit which eonsituties a contract between the City and the developer assuring devetopment in ��ccordance wi:th conditions of the PUD approval . � ��� � Planning Commission Minutes of July 13, 1981 Page 7 Concerns expressed by Commissioners during the following discussion included the proponent 's requests for both tax increment financing and CDBG funding, }ack of traffic projections, project density considering the buildable land area exctusive ofi ponding, and failure to integrate subsidized and market rate housing units. In response to a concern over segregation of the subsidized housing units from the market rate units expressed by Commissioner Eastes, Mr. Jacobson explained that integration ofi the units would create management and maintenance problems, due to tFie fact that the owner occupied Units would be maintained thraugh a homeowners association while the rental units would be under separate management. Commissioner Singer asked whether it would be possible to move the sub- sidized housing units to the northern portion of the site away from the Kings Valtey deve}opment. Mr. Jacobson replied that the east and west arrangement of the two types of housing was the result of balancing numerous overall design considerations and constraints, including ponding requirements, natural buffers and access points. Commissioner Forster asked how much a denial of tax increment financing would escalate the cost of the market rate housing units. Mr. Jacobson estimated that without tax increment financing, the price per dwelling unit on the ownership side of the project would increase approximately $5,000. Commissioner Moede requested information on persons who would qualify for purchase of the two housing types and asked whether the homeowners association would be able to contract for services from the rerrtal managers. Mr. Jacobson replied that it would be left up to the homeowners to inifiiate such an arrangement. Commissioner Moede stated that she recognized the need for housing, both subsidized and market rate, in Golden Valley but had a number of concerns and unanswered questions concerning tfiis proposal and woutd feel more comfortable acting an the proposal after obtaining additional information. Commissioner Moede moved to continue discussion and defer action until the next meeting. There was no second to the motion. Commissioner Forster stated that he liked the concept, that it was the best proposat he had seen for the site, and that he wouid Tike to recommend City Council approval with a recommendation that the Council not consider tax increment financ:ing. Chairman Thompson stated that the primary concern of the Planning Commission at the concept stage should be whether the development would be a valuable addition to the- City. It was moved by Forster and seconded by Eastes to recommend City Council approval of the concept p}an for PUD 30-B. � a,1(' �'r:�� Planning Commission Minutes of July 13, 1981 Page 8 Commissioner Potachek praposed an amendment to the motion specifying that the concept pTan include the following features, the first five of which are listed in a letter from the proponent included in the staff report and all of which are shown on the revised concept plan under consideration: 1 . Reduction of the �aumb�r of units from 70 to`64. 2. Construction of two on-site storm water retention ponds with a combined storage capacity of 15.7 acre feet. 3. Adjustment of the southwest vehiele entrance 45 feet to the north and provision of a landscaped buffer along the south boundary o� the Gunderson property. 4. Retention in a natural form of the wildtife and lowtand area at the south portion of the Gatant properfiy with relocation to the north of the walkway to the park. 5• Adjustment of the garage locations for the one bedroom ownership units away from the existing Galant townhouses. 6. Construction af a sidewatk on the north and west boundaries of the site along Mendelssohn between the two access points. 7. A parking ratio of two spaces for each unit with an additional 19 visitor parking spaces. The amendment was accepted. Commissioner Moede proposed a second amendment to the motion specifying that the proponent continue to meet with the neighboring homeowners and present to them future plans for PUD 30-B. Mr. Jacobson stated that he would welcome the opportunity to share future ptans with the neighboring homeowners. The amendment was accepted. The Planning Commission unanimously approved the amended motion to recom- mend approval of the PUD 30-B concept plan. V. Report on City Council Meeting - July 7, 1981 : Chairman Thompson represented the Planning Commission at the July 7, 1981 City Council meeting and reported that the Council requested staff to att�end future Council meetings to answerquestions concerning recommended revisions to the lndustrial , Railroad and Radio sections of the Zoning Ordinance. Chairman Thompson deferred a comPlete report on the July 7, 1981 Council meeting until the next PTanning Commission meeting. VI . Discussion of the Role and Charge of the Planning Commission: Chairman Thompson deferred this item until a 'future meeting. ,��� Planning Commission Minutes of July 13, 1981 Page 9 UII . Set Date for (nformal Public Hearirrg - Preliminary Plat: APPLICANT: Dimitrios Kottas LOCATION: 1031 Pennsylvania Avenue North REQUEST: Approva1 of Preliminary Plat of "Kottas Addition" �« Chairman Thompson introduced this item and noted that PTanning and Re- � development Director Michael Miller recommended a Juty 27, 1981 hearing date. At the request of Ghairman Thompson, Mr. Miller reviewed the other hearings scheduled for July 27, 1981 and exptained the proposed preliminary plat under consideration. It was moved by Forster, seconded by Moede and carried unanimously to set an informal public hearing date of July 27, 1981 to consider the preliminary plat af "Kottas Addition". The meeting was adjourned at 10:50 p.m. Respectfully submitted, ? �:.� s�, .� David Thompson, Chair n Mona Moede, Secretary ♦ • �t