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11-08-99 PC Minutes . - . ~ . Regular Meeting of the Golden Valley Planning Commission November 8, 1999 The regular meeting of the Planning Commission was held at the Golden Valley City Hall, Council Chambers, 7800 Golden Valley Road, Golden Valley, MN. The meeting was called to order by Chair Pentel at 7:00 P.M. Those present were Chair Pentel, Commissioners Eck, Groger, Hoffman, McAleese and Shaffer; absent was Rasmussen. Also present were Mark Grimes, Director of Planning and Development and Recording Secretary Mary Dold. Chair Pentel reviewed for the audience the procedure of the meeting. She indicated that the discussion regarding the Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) for the Allianz Office Development would be among the Planning Commission. She said this was not an informal public hearing item and that the City Council was the Responsible Governmental Unit that would respond to all comments. Pentel told those persons present and the television audience that written comments would be passed on to the City for response to their inquiries. I. Approval of Minutes - October 11, 1999 MOVED by Groger, seconded by Hoffman and motion carried unanimously to approve the October 11, 1999 minutes as submitted with corrections to minor grammatical errors. II. Reports on Meetings of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority, City Council and Board of Zoning Appeals Commissioner Shaffer gave a brief review of the Board of Zoning Appeals meeting of October 26. He told the Commission that Luther Company had presented an amended site plan. He noted his concern about inadequate parking on the site due to 60 cars per week moving through the operation, which was 20 cars more than what was presented at the Planning Commission meeting on October 11. He further discussed the Board's findings. Groger asked Mark Grimes, Director of Planning and Development, if the City Council denied the request for a Conditional Use Permit would the variances be eliminated. Grimes said the variances would be eliminated. He added that no matter what use is proposed for the site, if the existing property is changed, variances would be required. III. Other Business A. Planning Commission Appointment to the Citizen Advisory Committee The Commission briefly talked about the study and the Chair asked who would be interested in sitting on this committee. Les Eck agreed to represent the Commission on this committee. Jay Hoffman said he would be an alternate. The Commission appointed Eck by acclamation. B. Planning Commission Review of the Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) for the Allianz Office Development Chair Pentel asked if any of the Commissioners had questions for staff. Minutes of the Golden Valley Planning Commission November 8, 1999 Page 2 Hoffman commented on the EAW findings regarding the amount of pollution of paint, wood debris, and other items, on the site. Groger noted the pollution of construction debris and runoff from the Breck Ice Arena to the north of the building as found in the report. Hoffman said he was amazed there was so much left in the ground from previous buildings of the 70's and asked if these pollutants would be removed from the site. Grimes said the HRA would clean the site with tax increment financing and be cleaned up per the Pollution Control Agency (PCA). Hoffman asked if it were possible that other objects could be found that are not in the report. Grimes said it could happen, and if it did, the project would have to stop until it was remedied. Groger noted the Hidden lakes project and its unforeseen asbestos problem; Grimes concurred. Hoffman asked who would stop the project if pollutants were found. Grimes said the applicant hires a firm to review the problem and oversee the clean-up work. He added the firms are approved by the PCA. Pentel told the commission she was more comfortable with the environmental information in the report and had more concerns with the traffic information. Hoffman asked about the Olympic Printing site, noting from the report that DRO's (petroleum contamination) were found in the soil and water samples and questioned how this site would get cleaned up, knowing that the company is remaining on the site. Grimes commented that at this time there is low level ground water pollution throughout the area but none of the consultants have been able to identify the source. Grimes added that the properties in the area use the City's water system, and trying to locate the source is impossible. He added that at a time when the Olympic Printing property would be redeveloped, it would then be determined if this property is the source of the pollution. Grimes told the commission if pollutants are found the project stops. He noted the CyberOptics site where buired drums were found during the parking lot construction. The removal and remediation of any pollutants had to be accomplished before the parking lot could be constructed. Hoffman asked who pays for remediation. Grimes commented anyone associated with the project could possibly have to help pay for the-clean up. Eck commented that the heart of the study was the traffic. He said the consultants looked at a year 2008 base and post Allianz development regarding traffic projections for the various primary and secondary areas. He asked whether these levels, percentages and projections are based only on anticipated change as a result of this project or does it take into consideration other possible changes in the area. Grimes said it takes into consideration existing and proposed development in Golden Valley and other proposed developments in the area. Pentel said that she was aware of the number of Allianz Life employees to be located on the proposed site and questioned the projected 750 peak hour trips. Grimes said the traffic concern is for the AM and PM peaks hours and trying to flatten the number of trips out at these times. Pentel asked how much fieldwork the consultants actually do regarding traffic calculations. She said she had followed vehicles down Glenwood to see where they were travelling, noting that many cars trickled over to the 1-394 area. She asked how much traffic is really projected vs. 1995 traffic counts that are projected out. Grimes said that the consultants looks at traffic assignment zones and they know how many people work in different blocks along the corridor and then they assign traffic in those zones to different networks. He added this is not a 100% science. Grimes said that a map of where Allianz employees live was reviewed so there is an idea of a traffic pattern to this site. . - . ~ . Minutes of the Golden Valley Planning Commission November 8, 1999 Page 3 . Pentel said that she assumes that in Allianz's current location there are a number of employees who use public transportation.. Grimes said that they are located on major bus lines near the Guthrie. He added because Allianz Life is a single employer the City would like to work with them on traffic management efforts. The Allianz workday begins at 6:30 A.M., so they have some flex time which gets some people in early to the office and reduces the AM and PM peak hour trips. - . e . Pentel asked if there was any discussion of taking land to create a car pool entrance at Xenia onto 1-394, going west. She noted the car pool parking area at Louisiana. Pentel said there seems to be no incentive to do car pooling. Grimes said that the EAW is given to the MnDOT so they can make suggestions concerning these issues. Grimes told the commission that there were two traffic engineers who prepared the report because the City feels this is a critical area. He said there are some traffic changes that will need to be made to handle the traffic, such as left hand turn lanes and some restriping of the streets. Pentel said there was an agreement, with DUKE, to develop up to 230,000 sq.ft. before Allianz came in with the bigger proposal. Grimes said that was correct and the proposal would not have triggered an EAW review. Pentel asked if DUKE could have requested an amendment to 400,000 sq.ft. Grimes said yes, that it's a function of the market and probably the most valuable piece of land in Golden Valley atthis time. He said at this time speculative office buildings are not being constructed. Hoffman said the report indicates that no problems were anticipated due to the Allianz project regarding the 12 intersections discussed in the report. Grimes said these are secondary intersections and not a requirement of the EAW. He said there was a request by various groups to look at secondary impacts. Grimes said it took into account the proposed development and the traffic impacts at Laurel and Winnetka, Glenwood and Hwy. 55 and the numbers that were generated showed that there was a minimal increase in traffic at peak hours. Hoffman cited Figure 21-3 and questioned the 15% traffic increase at the Xenia and Glenwood interchange due to development. He questioned whether this was for just AM and PM peak hours. Groger commented that it was traffic distribution calculations and does not give the net effect from the existing traffic. Groger said that he was confused on the 1-394 Overlay Zoning District ordinances in that it implies that it takes effect on this project because it pushes the requirement over the limit. Grimes said this project does affect the 1-394 Overlay Zoning District and Allianz will need to prepare a Traffic Management Plan. Groger questioned whether this affected development in St. Louis Park and this plan would encourage car pooling, staggered hours, taking buses, etc. Grimes said that was correct, but they may not have to implement the plan until the traffic levels are reached, but may want to put the plan in place before hand. He added that public transit is preferred, so there should be specific bus stops. Pentel asked what was an Indirect Source Report (ISR) and if there is a requirement that an ISR needs to be obtained from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Grimes said the report contains carbon monoxide calculations. He said he had talked with the Environmental Quality Minutes of the Golden Valley Planning Commission November 8,1999 Page 4 Board about ISR's and generally they are approved. He said newer vehicles are more efficient and do not run at such high levels of CO's as in the past 15 years. He added that he does.not anticipate air pollution problems with this development. Groger asked if 1-394/Hwy. 100 interchange was off limits for comments. He noted that traffic is clogged in this area, and with additional development in St. Louis Park, traffic will only get worse. He asked who had control over the 1-394/Hwy. 100 road system. Grimes said these are federally funded roads so MnDOT has control along, with ramps and metering. He added that the EAW has been sent to MnDOT for comment and believes they will make comments on how backups on ramps affect the local street system. Pentel noted that the commission had had this discussion before, that 1-394 is here to serve people traveling through Golden Valley, not its residents. Grimes said that MnDOT's philosophy is that if you are traveling less than five miles, one should not get on the freeway. He said the cities of Golden Valley and St. Louis Park do not want a situation to occur where traffic could back up on the city street system. He said the City would work with Allianz or other developers doing traffic management, particularly looking at peak hour, in order to reduce this level of service from the main lines. Grimes added that traffic management must be looked at in solving these issues. Groger noted a dilemma in that there is already over crowding and problematic roadways, but if the City of Golden Valley turns down proposed developments because they are too dense, St. Louis Park and Minnetonka may then do the high-density development. He questioned who would then have control. Grimes said the Metropolitan Council has some control over this because they look at metropolitan systems and the freeway is a metropolitan system, but they do not control anyone's land use. Pentel said because they don't control land use all these cities are looking at making individual decisions and that is where looking at a traffic study is more problematic because the percentage coming from Golden Valley and St. Louis park development does not include what's happening farther out on 394 in Minnetonka. Grimes said the City has taken into consideration a fairly wide area in this report going down into St. Louis Park and counting secondary access points. At this time Allianz is willing to spend $40 million on a building with the understanding that there could be delays in traffic. Allianz will be implementing traffic management plans to help traffic flow in an acceptable manner. Shaffer asked what would happen when the ramp at 1-394 backs up on Zenia Avenue and who determines what to do at that point. Grimes said the City would meet with MnDOT to reconfigure the lighting system to prevent this occurring. He added that the lights at liouisiana have been timed, but recognized that there is not the amount of office development in this location. Grimes said MnDOT has been cooperative in working on problems that occur. Pentel noted that a car pooling area would help with the traffic situation. Pentel questioned who would be present at the November 16 City Council meeting. Grimes said all the consultants and staff who had worked on the study. He added there would be a brief presentation on the EAW, the mayor would open the meeting for public comment, and questions would be taken back to staff and the consultant for answers. . e . - Pentel asked staff that if the Breck Ice Arena were relocated northwest of the Dahlberg Headquarters on Dahlberg Drive how would the runoff be handled from the ice, and would the . City be more careful that no future environmental problems occur. Grimes commented that ice . - . e . Minutes of the Golden Valley Planning Commission November 8, 1999 Page 5 arenas now use more efficient and environmentally friendly chemicals to maintain the ice. Pentel asked if there are regulations where the runoff can go. Shaffer added that runoff would have to be properly channeled. He believes Breck would have to ask the City and the Bassett Creek Water Management Commission to review the runoff running into the sewer system. Grimes told the Commission that Breck was not looking at the North Wirth site at this time. Pentel encouraged the audience to make written comments on the EAW for Allianz for the record. Chair Pentel adjourned the meeting at 8:15 P.M.