02-12-90 PC Minutes.~_
MINUTES OF THE GOLDEN VALLEY
PLANNING COMMISSION
February I2, 1990
A regular meeting of the Planning Commission was held at the Golden Valley Fire
Station No. 2, 400 Turner's Crossroad So., Golden Valley, Minnesota. The meet-
ing was called to order 6y Chair Prazak at 7:05P.M.
Those present were Commissioners Prazak, Leppik, McCracken-Hunt, Russell, and
Kapsner (arrived at 7:40P.M.). Absent were Lewis and McAleese. Also present
were Mark Grimes, Director of Planning and Development, Beth Knoblauch, City
Planner and Mary K. Dold, Secretary.
I. Approval of Minutes - January 22, 1990
It was moved by Commissioner Leppik, seconded by Commissioner McCracken-Hunt and
carried unanimously to approve the minutes of the regular January 22, 1990
Planning Commission Meeting.
II. Informal Public Hearing - Preliminary Design Plan for P.U.D. #59,
Dahlberg Inc.
APPLICANT: Dahlberg Inc.
ADDRESS: 4130 Olson Memorial Drive
REQUEST: Approval of Preliminary Design Plan for a four level
office/manufacturing building to be approximately 85,000
sq.ft. of space to house the headquarters of Dahlberg
Inc.
Chair Prazak introduced this agenda item and asked staff for a brief summary of
the request.
Mark Grimes, Director of Planning and Development presented this item. Last
summer the Planning Commission reviewed PUD #57, North Wirth Commerce Centre,
for this area. PUD #57 included buildings for Dahlberg Electronics and several
other future building sites. PUD #57 has not worked out and Dahlberg
Electronics has come back to HRA stating that they would like to develop a site
for office/manufacturing facility on Hwy. 55 where the Otto Bock property is.
It also would include a portion of the Soo Line property.
PUD #59 includes only a site for the Dahlberg building. There would have to be
future Planned Unit Developments on other parcels in the North Wirth Area.
There are up to three additional sites for development and these would have to
be looked at individually at some future time.
The proposed redevelopment by Dahlberg is consistent with both the Comprehensive
Plan and Redevelopment Plan for the area.
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Minutes of the Golden Valley Planning Commission _
February 12, 1990
Page 2
Mr. Grimes gave a brief summary on Drainage, Traffic Circulation, Utilities,
Landscaping, Detail of Dahlberg Building, Parking and Setbacks.
Staff recommends approval. This is a good use of the property. and presents
itself as an office building to Hwy. 55 and that's what this site deserves.
Joan Russell asked if there was no traffic signal installed at Dahlberg Dr. and
Hwy. 55 would this arrangement be satisfactory for Meadow Ln. and Dahlberg Dr.?
Mr. Grimes stated that this area would have to be continuously monitored.
Traffic studies would have to be prepared to determine the road capacity of the
area after the Dahlberg building is completed. It will have to be determined
what additional capacity can be added to this road and that will determine
future uses on other sites in the area. HRA will have control over these sites.
Commissioner Prazak had a question regarding the use of total coverage of the
site by building and parking. Mr. Grimes said there are general requirements
that must be maintained. There are structural limitations but the code does not
count parking lots. There will be a 35 ft. setback plus the additional green
from the Hwy. 55 frontage road which will be vacated.__
Commissioner Russell asked about restaurants in the North Wirth area. Mr.
Grimes said that in the original North Wirth Commerce Centre one of the ideas
was to have a restaurant in an office building but staff does not anticipate
this use.
Ron Erickson, KKE Architect, working with Dahlberg presented drawings on this
site and gave a brief summary of the parking and building. He explained the
grade level changes on the site and how the building was designed to fit the
site. No detailed landscaping was presented at this time. Landscaping will be
submitted with the General Plan.
Commissioner McCracken-Hunt asked about the intent of the auditorium in the
Dahlberg building. Joan Utter from Dahlberg said that they do a lot of training
in-house and need a large training facility. She was not quite sure how many
people the auditorium would hold.
Commissioner Russell asked about the pedestrian walkways and Mr. Grimes stated
that sidewalks would be put in on Meadow Ln.
Commissioner McCracken-Hunt asked about access to trails in the area and Mr.
Grimes said that would have to be worked out., The City may look in the future
to some how connect with the Wirth Parkway system. The staff will look at
putting in trails around the pond but will-have to work with the Park Board.
Chair Prazak opened the informal public hearing.
Cam Johnson, 700 Meadow Lane, asked what would happen with the two buildings on
the Soo Line Property? Mr. Grimes said that the buildings, on Indiana Ave.,
will stay until the road construction starts in 1991.
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Minutes of the Golden Valley Planning Commission
February 12, 1990
Page 3
The Chair closed the public hearing.
Commissioner Prazak commented on the attractiveness of the presented plan.
MOVED by McCracken-Hunt, seconded by Russell and motion carried unanimously to
approve the Preliminary Design Plan for P.U.D. #59, Dahlberg Inc.
III. Review of Capital Improvement Program (CIP) by Don Taylor, Finance
Director
Because two commissioners were absent from the meeting, Mark Grimes asked Don
Taylor to present the CIP at the February 26, 1990 meeting.
IV. Amendment to the Planning Commission By-Laws
Judy Nally, Deputy City Clerk, requested that staff present this item to .the
Planning Commission. The Planning Commission holds its annual meeting at the
second regular meeting in March of each year. At the annual meeting the
Commission elects a Chair, Vice Chair, .. The City Council annually approves
the appointment of the Planning Commission~Vice-Chair to the Board of Zoning and
Appeals. With the current schedule, the City Council approval occurs one week
before the elections of the Planning Commission at the second meeting. The
requested amendment would move the annual meeting of the Planning Commission to
the first meeting in March.
The rules and regulations may be suspended by a majority of the members of the
Commission at any regular meeting, or may be amended or repealed by atwo-thirds
vote of the entire Commission. at any regular meeting subsequent to the meeting
when the same is proposed.
It was proposed by Commissioner Leppik, seconded by Kapsner and carried unani-
mously to suspend the rules and regulations that would require the Commissioners
to vote on the amendment at a subsequent meeting.
It was moved by Leppik, seconded by Kapsner and carried unanimously to amend the
by-laws to have the annual meeting of the City Planning Commission on the first
regular meeting in March of each year.
V.
Re orts on Meetin s of the Housin and Redevel
Council and Board of on~nq Appeals
No reports were presented.
Authority, Ci
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Minutes of the Golden Valley Planning Commission
February 12,.1990
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VI. Other Business
Mark Grimes gave a brief summary of the meeting he had with the residents on
Winnetka Avenue. It was suggested that an engineer be present at the next
Planning Commission meeting and Mr. Grimes said he would ask City Engineer,
Lowell Odland, to attend.
VII. Adjournment
The Chair adjourned the meeting at 8:25P.M.
nda McCracken-Hunt, Secretary
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