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05-24-99 PC Minutes Regular Meeting of the Golden Valley Planning Commission May 24, 1999 A regular meeting of the Planning Commission was held at the Golden Valley City Hall, Council Chambers, 7800 Golden Valley Road, Golden Valley, Minnesota, on Monday, May 24, 1999. The meeting was called to order by Chair Pentel at 7:00 p.m. Those present were Chair Pentel and Commissioners Eck, Groger, McAleese and Shaffer. Commissioner Hoffman was absent. Also present were Mark Grimes, Director of Planning and Development, Beth Knoblauch, City Planner and Tammi Hall, Recording Secretary. . I. Approval of Minutes - May 10. 1999 MOVED by Shaffer, seconded by Eck and motion carried unanimously to approve the May 10, 1999 minutes as submitted. II. Informal Public Hearina - Rezoning Applicant: City of Golden Valley Address: 845 Meadow Lane, Golden Valley, Minnesota Purpose: Rezone the northeast triangle from open development to light industrial to be used as part of the Animal Humane Society campus . ~ Director of Planning and Development Mark Grimes stated that the Animal Humane Society (AHS) recently purchased from the Golden Valley Housing and Redevelopment Authority about 2.4 acres that is adjacent to their site to the north and east. He stated that the eastern 1 acre of this property is former railroad right-of-way which was zoned Open Development. Grimes stated that the AHS is planning an expansion of their building and in order to allow this portion of the property to be used by the AHS, the zoning must be changed from Open Development to Light Industrial, which is the zoning for the remainder of the AHS property and is consistent with the use. Grimes stated that all the property currently owned by the AHS (including the property purchased from the HRA) is guided on the new Comprehensive Plan map as Light Industrial, so this rezoning would be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan map. Chair Pentel asked where the Hennepin trail will be coming through this area. Grimes responded that the trail goes north into Theodore Wirth Park to the west of this property. Minutes of the Golden Valley Planning Commission May 24, 1999 Page 2 Chair Pentel opened the informal public hearing. There were no comments from the public. Pentel closed the informal public hearing. Shaffer stated that he would abstain from voting on this item and the next agenda item due to a perceived conflict of interest. MOVED by Groger, seconded by McAleese and motion carried unanimously to recommend to the City Council approval of the rezoning from Open Development to Light Industrial as. requested. Shaffer abstained from voting. III. Informal Public Hearing - Preliminary Design Plan Review - Animal Humane Society. Planned Unit Development (PUD) No. 84 Applicant: Animal Humane Society Address: 845 Meadow Lane Purpose: Preliminary Design Plan review of PUD No. 84 which allows for more than one structure on a lot Grimes stated that the Animal Humane Society (AHS) has been located in Golden Valley since the 1930s. He indicated that since their main building was constructed in the early 1960s, many improvements have been made to meet the expanding needs for the humane treatment of animals in the metro area and the state. Grimes stated that the AHS would now like to expand their facility to better serve the public. He indicated that AHS must apply for a Planned Unit Development (PUD) since the property will have more than one building and use on the site. He stated that the expansion will include a 29,000 square foot building addition to the north side of the existing building. It will also include the construction of a separate 5,600 square foot storage building to the north of the main building and just south of the railroad tracks. Grimes stated that the cell tower located on the property creates the second use of the property. He stated that the cell tower property is owned by AHS with the understanding that the HRA has the right to lease the property for cell tower purposes. Grimes stated that the proposed expansion includes additional parking which will be added on the site and a memorial garden which will be developed at a later time. Grimes stated that the entire site is approximately 5.6 acres including the 2.4 acres that the AHS bought from the Golden Valley HRA. He indicated that the sale was approved by the HRA with the understanding that the AHS would improve the site as is now proposed. Grimes stated that the main entrance to the AHS was originally off France Avenue. He indicated that when redevelopment occurred in this area, the access for the AHS was changed to Meadow Lane. As a result, the former France Avenue was divided down the center . . A Minutes of the Golden Valley Planning Commission May 24, 1999 Page 3 - with half of the street becoming the property of the Minneapolis Park Board and half the property of the AHS. The actual street remains and is used as a driveway by AHS with the permission of the Minneapolis Park Board, though no formal written agreement is in place. Grimes indicated that there have been informal discussions with the Park Board regarding selling their half of France Avenue but nothing has peen seriously pursued at this point. Grimes also stated that the City will be considering, in the near future, a request by AHS to vacate Sunnyridge Lane. He indicated that City staff will be recommending in favor of this vacation with easements maintained for utility purposes. He indicated that this would allow AHS to add land to their campus and provide better security to the site. He indicated that this vacation will probably be considered by the City Council prior to General Plan approval. Grimes stated that one of the issues for the AHS in regard to the vacation of Sunnyridge Lane is the P.U.D. requirement that the property have 100 feet of frontage on a public street. He indicated that AHS would probably have at least 100 feet of access onto Meadow Lane North. In regard to the parking, Grimes stated that the AHS is somewhat short on parking as required by code, but they are proposing to do a proof of parking on the site which would allow them to meet and possibly exceed the parking requirements. He indicated that parking on the current site has not been a problem. AHS has agreements in place with surrounding properties to use their parking if needed during peak times, typically evenings and weekends. Grimes referred to the May 19 memo from Jeff Oliver, City Engineer in regard to drainage issues on the site. He indicated that the AHS has agreed to do whatever is necessary to comply with City requirements in this area. Grimes stated that the issues in regard to drainage must be resolved prior to General Plan approval. Grimes indicated that staff recommends approval of the PUD with the following conditions: 1. All recommendations of the memo from Jeff Oliver, City Engineer, to Mark Grimes, Planning Director, dated May 19, 1999 shall become a part of this approval. . 2. The memo to Mark Grimes from Gary Johnson, Building Official, dated May 12, 1999 shall become part of this approval. 3. The memo to Mark Grimes from Ed Anderson, Deputy Fire Marshal, dated May 13, 1999 shall become part of this approval. 4. Up to 50 parking spaces may be "proof of parking". These spaces shall be constructed when the Director of Planning and Development deems they are necessary to meet increased parking demand on the site. 5. A detailed landscape plan shall be submitted as part of the General Plan of Development. Minutes of the Golden Valley Planning Commission May 24, 1999 Page 4 6. After the General Plan of Development is approved, AHS will be required to submit a plat of the property which shall show all necessary utility easements as required by the City Engineer. 7. No building shall be more than two stories in height. Chair Pentel stated that a crematorium would be included in the new facility. She asked if the AHS currently has a crematorium on the site. Grimes stated that cremation is not currently done on the site. Pentel asked if there are specific City codes relating to the operation of a crematorium for animals. Grimes stated that this would have to be reviewed by the City Sanatarian. Pentel also asked if the proposed memorial garden/pet cemetery could be allowed in light industrial zoning. Grimes stated that the . memorial garden will contain only ashes and will not be a pet cemetery. . Commissioner Eck asked about the access to the cell tower. Grimes stated that the cell tower site will be accessed from the north side with a secondary access on the west side. He indicated that this change has been discussed with AT&T and the lease has been altered to reflect this change. Commissioner Groger asked about the status of the vacation of Sunnyridge Lane. Grimes responded that this process has not yet been initiated. Groger stated he was uncomfortable recommending approval when the proposal includes proof of parking that is located on land that is not yet owned by the AHS. Grimes responded that the . City does not expect any opposition to the vacation of Sunnyridge Lane. He indicated that the City would maintain whatever easements were needed for maintenance of the pond. Commissioner McAleese asked if AHS will be subject to the newly established drainage control and tree preservation ordinances. Grimes stated that they will not be subject to these ordinances since their application was received prior to the establishment of these ordinances. . AI Stensrud, Executive Director of the Animal Humane Society provided a brief overview of the facilities that will be added in the expansion. He indicated that the expansion will include additional holding spaces for cats and dogs, a spay/neuter clinic, behavioral training classroom space, doggie daycare center, garage space, crematorium, storage, staff locker rooms and additional office space. The proposed memorial garden will be added at a later date. Dan Gallagher with Mjorud Architecture provided a brief overview of the proposed expansion. He displayed a rendering of the building identifying how each area will be used. He indicated that there will also be some minor interior remodeling of the existing Minutes of the Golden Valley Planning Commission May 24, 1999 Page 5 facility. He stated the materials and motifs of the existing building will be used in the addition and the new building to provide continuity between the old structure and the new structures. He stated that the main access to the building will continue to be off Meadow Lane. Commissioner Eck asked about the north entrance to the building. Gallagher responded that the north entrance will be used by people who are using the services located at that end of the building. Stensrud stated that AHS has 77 employees. He indicated that no more than 35 employees are at the facility at anyone time. He indicated that the additional parking proposed with the expansion should be more than adequate to meet the needs of the AHS. - Pentel asked about the location of the trash facility. Gallagher identified the location of the trash area and indicated that it is enclosed. Commissioner Groger asked if the crematorium produces any odor or smoke. Stensrud responded that it has passed pollution control regulations in all states. He indicated that there should not be any smoke or odor from the crematorium. Commissioner Groger asked if the AHS has conducted discussions with the Minneapolis Park Board regarding a formal written agreement in regard to the use of the former France Avenue driveway area. Stensrud responded that a formal agreement has not been pursued. Chair Pentel opened the public hearing. There were no comments from the public. Pentel closed the public hearing. . Commissioner Groger stated that he would be voting against this proposal. He indicated that he felt there were too many unresolved issues to proceed. He stated he was concerned with the lack of a formal agreement with the Minneapolis Park Board regarding the use of the former France Avenue property. He also cited his concern regarding the approval of proof of parking which is located on property that is not yet owned by the AHS. He added that with the vacation of Sunnyridge Lane, it is uncertain as to whether the AHS has 100 feet of frontage on a public street. Commissioner Eck stated that he felt that it was likely that these issues will be resolved prior to General Plan approval. Commissioner McAleese stated that he agreed that there are some problems that need to be resolved but since the City is involved in some of the issues he was not concerned that they would present a serious obstacle. He stated that the ownership Minutes of the Golden Valley Planning Commission May 24,1999 Page 6 issue with France Avenue is the most troublesome but in a worst case scenario it would probably not create a problem that could not be resolved. Chair Pentel stated that she was in favor of the proposal but suggested that Commissioner Groger's concerns be included in the Commission's recommendation and that these issues be resolved before the proposal goes to the City Council. MOVED by Eck, seconded by McAleese and motion carried unanimously to recommend to the City Council approval of the preliminary design plan review for Planned Unit Development No. 84 as requested, with the condition that the following issues be resolved prior to General Plan approval: · establishment of a formal written agreement in regard to AHS use of the portion of vacated France Avenue which is owned by the Minneapolis Park Board. · the vacation of Sunnyridge Lane · determination of AHS frontage on Meadow Lane . Shaffer abstained from voting. IV. Informal Public Hearing - Draft - Transportation Plan Jeff Oliver, City Engineer, Jeannine Clancy, City Public Works Director and Merlin Thorne, City Utility Supervisor were present for the informal public hearings on the Transportation and Wastewater Plans. Grimes reviewed the executive summary from the transportation plan and briefly reviewed the transportation map. . Commissioner Eck asked about the language change recommended by the Commission in regard to Laurel Avenue. Grimes responded that this wording will be changed prior to City Council review. Commissioner McAleese asked why the KARE 11 heliport was not included in the aviation section. Knoblauch responded that this listing does not include private heliports. She added that the heliport is no longer located at KARE 11. Pentel indicated that she felt the plan should include an objective of developing a safe pedestrian crossing area on Highway 55. Clancy responded that this could be added to the plan as a potential objective without identifying a specific location. She indicated this would give the City the opportunity to address the issue and determine the best solution. Minutes of the Golden Valley Planning Commission May 24, 1999 Page 7 Chair Pentel opened the informal public hearing. There were no comments from the public. Pentel closed the informal public hearing. Pentel stated that there will also be a public hearing on the transportation plan before the City Council. MOVED by Shaffer, seconded by McAleese and motion carried unanimously to recommend to the City Council approval of the Transportation Plan with the following revisions: .. · change in language regarding Laurel Avenue as a local collector from Pennsylvania Avenue to Winnetka Avenue · addition of an objective addressing a safe pedestrian crossing area on Highway 55 near Schaper Drive. V. Informal Public Hearing - Draft - Wastewater Plan Grimes provided a brief introduction to the plan. He stated that the main purpose of the plan is to guide the rehabilitation and maintenance of the system. He indicated that Golden Valley has a large number of metropolitan systems that go through the City. Chair Pentel opened the informal public hearing. There were no comments from the public. Pentel closed the informal public hearing. . McAleese stated that both the wastewater and transportation plans are available for review at the library or at City Hall. Knoblauch stated that a public hearing on these plans will also be held at the City Council meeting in June. MOVED by McAleese, seconded by Eck and motion carried unanimously to recommend to the City Council approval of the Wastewater Plan. VI. Reports on Meetinas of the Housina and Redevelopment Authority. City Council and Board of Zonina Appeals Pentel reported on the HRA meeting. She indicated that there were discussions regarding the possibility of forming a task force to look at the process for redevelopment of the property where the printing company is located in the Golden Hills area. Pentel reported that Mayor Anderson had suggested that the Planning Commission may want to address this issue, as well as other redevelopment along the 394 corridor. Grimes Minutes of the Golden Valley Planning Commission May 24, 1999 Page 8 stated that the original intent was to allow Olympic Printing to redevelop their own property. However, Duke has indicated an interest in developing this area. Pentel stated that the City is wrestling with the issue of who should have control of the process. Grimes suggested that Planning Commission members review the video tape of the HRA meeting. He stated that the City Council would like the Planning Commission to respond in July with a strategy for addressing redevelopment in the 394 corridor. Pentel suggested that an HRA representative attend the next Planning Commission meeting to participate in this discussion. Grimes indicated that he woul~ send each commissioner a copy-of the video tape of the HRA meeting that they can view prior to the next meeting. Shaffer reported that the Xenia Advisory Committee will be meeting on May 25 for the last time to review some changes in the drawings that were approved for bid requests. . Grimes stated that the Mayor will also be contacting Pentel regarding Planning Commission members who wish to serve on the Housing Task Force. McAleese reported briefly on the last City Council meeting. He indicated that the Land Use portion of the Comprehensive plan .will now be forwarded to the Metropolitan Council. Pentel and Eck adjusted their schedules in regard to attendance at City Council meetings. Eck will attend the June 1 st and June 8th meetings. Pentel will attend the June 14th and July 13th meeting. VII. Other Business A. Reschedule June 14, 1999 Planning Commission Meeting . It was decided that the Planning Commission meeting would be held on June 14 in the Council Conference Room. Pentel requested an updated roster of Planning Commission members. VII. Adiournment The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m. I Richard Groger,