02-27-95 PC Minutes7?
Minutes of the Golden Valley
Planning Commission
February 27, 1995
A regular meeting of the Planning Commission was held at the Golden Valley City Hall,
Council Chambers, 7800 Golden Valley Road, Golden Valley, Minnesota. The meeting
was called to order by Chair McAleese at 7:00 PM.
Those present were Commissioners Groger, Johnson, Kapsner, Lewis, McAleese, Pentel
and Prazak. Also present were Mark Grimes, Director of Planning and Development,
Elizabeth Knoblauch, City Planner and Mary Dold, Planning Secretary.
Approval of Minutes -February 13, 1995
MOVED by Prazak, seconded by Pentel and motion carried unanimously to approve the
February 13, 1995 minutes with the following corrections:
Substitute Page 4, Paragraph 6 "Chair McAleese asked how specific..." with the
following:
Chair McAleese asked how sensitive staff's recommendations are to the specific
types of uses on the site, and if these uses were to change, would they impact
the current recommendations. Mr. Grimes commented that in staffs opinion the
Super America and car wash are very specific and unlikely to change whereas
the auto mall may be of the most concern regarding turnover. Mr. Grimes
suggested that language could be added to the conditions to reflect that only
light auto repair, and no major type of repairs be allowed on the auto mall lot.
Addition to Page 6, Paragraph 1, "Mr. Sailor agreed to having the informal hearing
on PUD 68 continued to the February 27 meeting which would give his team time to
review the commission's concerns on this site.
II. Continued Informal Public Hearing -Planned Unit Development No. 68
Applicant: Jim Lupient Oldsmobile Company
Address: One Block Area Which Lies North of I-394 and East of
Louisiana Avenue
Request: Preliminary Design Plan Review for the Golden Valley Auto
Mall PUD No. 68. The purpose of the PUD is to locate an
auto mall, car wash, Super America and tube building on the
property.
Chair McAleese commented that this item was continued from the February 13th agenda.
Mark Grimes gave a brief staff report reviewing the "Option A" revised site plan submitted
Minutes of the Golden Valley Planning Commission
February 27, 1995
Page Two
by RLK Associates, Ltd. This plan shows the increased setback areas along the majority
of Market Street and less setback in front of the Jiffy Lube and turning south on Market
Street.
Mr. Grimes continued by commenting in comparison to the plan submitted at the February
13 meeting, the car wash lost some stacking space but is still adequate for cars waiting to
go through the car wash. Also, five parking spaces were eliminated from the Super
America site but parking for Super America still exceeds the parking requirement.
Mr. Grimes commented on the trash containers being screened using similar materials as
the stores it is serving. He also reviewed the revised landscape plans. Mr. Grimes had
talked with Fred Salsbury, Director of Public Works regarding sidewalks and it has not yet
been determined on what side of the street sidewalks with be placed.
Commissioner Lewis asked staff to review the signage on the site. Mr. Grimes
commented that there would be a monument sign for each lot and one pylon sign. The
applicant has submitted a new plan for the pylon which shows the sign to be 260 sq.ft. in
area which is within the City Code sign requirements for shopping centers. The pylon sign
shown at the February 13 meeting was over 400 sq.ft. in area.
Commissioner Prazak asked why green space is being eliminated if there is excess
parking on the Super America site. Mr. Grimes commented that because of the cross-
parking arrangements there will need to be as much parking as possible to serve all uses
on the site. Staff feels Super America should have as much parking as possible having
looked at other Super America's traffic volume.
Doug Sailor, representative for the applicant, talked about wanting to make the site work
and reviewed the revised site plan regarding setback concerns. He also stated that by
moving the car wash more to the rear of the site, this would create more stacking space
for those cars exiting the site by using the westernmost exit on Market Street. He talked
about the exterior of the buildings and the decorative block-type material to be used, the
revised pylon sign. He is asking that the height of the pylon be as high as needed to be
seen from I-394 -- similar to the height of the Menards and Perkins signs. The applicant's
concern is visibility not the height.
Commissioner Pentel asked if the lots have been platted and if Lot 3 is landlocked. Mr.
Sailor commented that the lots will be platted through the PUD process and Mr. Grimes
said Lot 3 will need an easement for access to the street.
Commissioner Pentel asked about who would be occupant of the auto mall. Mr. Sailor
said that Car X Muffler and Brake Shop would be occupying a portion of the building and
that there is space for a smaller light car use store.
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Minutes of the Golden Valley Planning Commission
February 27, 1995
Page Three
Commissioner Pentel questioned the need for a car wash at the Jiffy Lube site which is
situated next to a Mermaid car wash. Mr. Sailor commented that this car wash is strictly
for the use of customers using the Jiffy Lube store and that the car wash element is part of
the Jiffy Lube franchise.
Commissioner Pentel asked if there will be enough recharge area for the landscaped
materials. Chuck Habiger, RLK Architects commented that landscape architects have
planned for irrigation systems on this site to prevent trees from dying and that the soils at
this location is very good.
Mark Grimes asked Mr. Sailor about screening of the trash .containers. Mr. Sailor
commented that he has written himself a note about implementing the request. Mr.
Habiger commented that materials being used for the buildings would also be used for the
screening of the containers.
Chair McAleese opened the informal public hearing.
Mark Dwyer, President of Wave Car Washes, 4940 Viking Drive, asked that the City
restrict the Jiffy Lube from selling exterior washing products from their store and is
concerned about a traffic problem on Market Street.
Chair McAleese closed the informal public hearing.
Chair McAleese asked staff about restricting stores from selling certain products. Mark
Grimes said he would check with the City Attorney about .restricting the sale of products. .
Commissioner Kapsner commented that he felt the applicant made an excellent and
successful effort in addressing the Planning Commission's major concerns from the
February 13 meeting. Commissioner Kapsner feels this is a good proposal.
Commissioner Prazak commented on the commission's concern regarding the entrance
onto the site at Louisiana and Market and feels the two-lane entrance is sufficient.
Chair McAleese asked staff what language or discussion should be included in the
minutes regarding which "Option" has been recommended. Mark Grimes stated that the
Commission should state which Option, A or B, it approves of.
Commissioner Pentel is concerned that if the sign says Jiffy Lube car wash the public will
assume it is open for car wash business. Chair McAleese commented that this could be a
problem and there is a need for language in the conditions in case a problem arises.
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Minutes of the Golden Valley Planning Commission
February 27, 1995
Page Four
Commissioner Groger stated that he could not vote for this approval. He is concerned
with the intense use of the site. He is also concerned about how the PUD process is
being used to get around code requirements.
Chair McAleese stated that he too could not vote for this development; it is .too intense of
a development for the site. He commented that this area is a gateway into Golden Valley
and there is too much on the site and will not look aesthetically pleasing. Chair McAleese
also talked about setback requirements, percentage of buildings v. open space on the lot,
and that the proposed stores will work together. He is concerned with what would happen
if one sells out and how the building would be reused.
Commissioner Kapsner talked about the fact that there is a real need for a service station
in the south side of Golden Valley and feels these stores are needed in this part of Golden
Valley. Commissioner Kapsner supports the proposal
Commissioner Pentel opposes the proposal. She is concerned with the intense use of the
site and feels the PUD process is being used to increase the intensity. She believes this
would be a terrible precedent to set to allow such an intense use. Commissioner Pentel
commented favorably on the work the applicant had done addressing the commission's .
concerns.
Commissioner Lewis questioned the intense use of the site. Chair McAleese commented
that although the minutes did not reflect some of the commissioners concerns it was
addressed at the February 13 meeting. (Ms. Lewis was absent from the February 13
meeting.) Commissioner Lewis felt this is a good proposal for the site and there seems to
be ample parking and circulation on the site.
Commissioner Johnson felt this would be a good use and the proposed stores are
complimentary to each other. She commented on the applicant responding to what the
Commission found objectionable and remedied the problems.
Commissioner Prazak stated that the applicant had commented that this site is less
crowded than other sites that have auto malls on them. He supports the proposal.
MOVED by Prazak, seconded by Lewis. and motion passed by a vote of 4-3 to recommend
to the City Council approval of the Golden Valley Auto Mall PUD No. 68 with the following
changes or additions to the conditions:
1. The revised site plans dated 2/22/95 (reflecting the revised "Option A")
submitted by RLK Associates Ltd. become a part of the PUD approval.
2. The property shall be legally platted and recorded, with the designation
"P.U.D. No. 68" to be a part of the plat's title.
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Minutes of the Golden Valley Planning Commission
February 27, 1995
Page Five
3. The "Declaration of Easements, Restrictions and real covenants" be
attached to the PUD Permit.
4. JLO agrees to pay for the upgrade necessary to Market Street and to pay its fair
share for the signal construction at Louisiana Avenue and Market Street.
5. No "Certificate of Occupancy" may be issued by the City to any of the four build-
. ings until after the road and signal work are completed t the satisfaction
of the City Engineer.
6. The shared pylon sign may exceed the normal pylon sign height if it can be shown
it cannot be seen from I-394 if not raised. The height shall be the minimum needed
for I-394 visibility. All other signage on the site must meet the requirements of the
sign code. The shared pylon sign cannot exceed 260 sq.ft. in area.
7. The Jiffy Lube car wash may be used by Jiffy Lube customers only.
8. The outside trash containers will be screened with similar material being used on
the stores they will be serving.
III. Reports on Meetings of the Housing and Redevelopment Authoritvs
City Council, Board of Zoning Auaeals~Community Standards Task
Force, and Valley .Square Task Force
Commissioner Pentel commented on the meeting between the HRA and the Valley
Square Redevelopment Area C Task Force.
Commissioner Groger commented on the last meeting of the Community Standards Task
Force.
Mark Grimes commented on the City Council meeting with regards to the CDBG money
and explained to the commission how the money gets distributed.
IV. Other Business
Commissioner Lewis expressed her concern about the parking problem at the Perkins,
located at 8806 Olson Memorial Highway, on Sunday mornings and should staff be
reviewing this problem and similar. problems. Mark Grimes commented the BZA approved
an addition onto the building which may be creating the parking problem. Perkins
customers can park on surrounding .property on Sunday's when surrounding businesses
are closed.
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Minutes of the Golden Valley Planning Commission
February 27, 1995
Page six
Chair McAleese commented that he has talked with Mayor regarding changes to the
ordinance and that some items may need to be reviewed by the Planning Commission for
review.
V. Ad,~ournment
Chair McAleese adjourned the meeting at 8:35 PM.
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