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10-27-03 PC Minutes . e . e . Regular Meeting of the Golden Valley Planning Commission October 27, 2003 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, October 27,2003. Chair Pentel called the meeting to order at 7 pm. Those present were Chair Pentel and Commissioners Eck, Groger, Keysser, Rasmussen and Shaffer. Also present were Director of Planning and Development, Mark Grimes and Administrative Assistant, Usa Wittman. Commissioner McAleese was absent. I. Approval of Minutes - October 13, 2003 Planning Commission Meeting MOVED by Eck, seconded by Keysser and motion carried unanimously to approve the October 13, 2003 minutes as submitted. II. Informal Public Hearing - Conditional Use Permit (CU-105) Applic~nt: Home Run Hitters Address: 8300 10th Avenue N. Purpose: To allow for an indoor baseball/softball training facility in the Industrial Zoning District. Grimes pointed out the location on a site map and explained that the City Code permits recreational facilities by conditional use in the Industrial zoning district. He stated that the proponents have been very involved in Golden Valley Baseball and that they feel there is a need for this type of facility. He showed a site plan of how the interior space would be laio out and said that they are proposing to use the north one-third of the building. Grimes said that the biggest issue of consideration is parking. He explained that primarily the proposed use will occur when other businesses in the building are not in use and that there are a total of 88 parking spaces for the entire site and the applicant has indicated a need for 30 spaces for their use. He explained that there might be some issues with signage that would need to be worked out with the other tenants in the building and that he has suggested to the applicant that a bike rack be installed near the front entrance. Grimes reviewed the conditions of approval listed in his staff report dated October 23, 2003 and added that if doors are left open loud music could be a concern. Pentel asked if there would be any provisions regarding smoking either in the building or in front of the building. Grimes stated he didn't think the applicants would allow smoking at their facility. . e . e . Minutes of the Golden Valley Planning Commission October 27, 2003 Page 2 Pentel referred to the site plans and noted that the applicants are proposing a workout fitness area. She asked if the licensing for a fitness area would be different then the softball area. Grimes stated that the fitness area shown on the plans is more specific to baseball training such as pitching and reflexes. Pentel referred to the pro shop shown on the plans and asked Grimes what he thought about amending the City Code to allow pro shops in these types of proposals. Grimes said that he agreed and that he thinks the expectation is that this is a place where people could go and buy something related to the activity being done. Rasmussen stated that the summer hours of the baseball training facility would overlap with the regular business hours of the other uses in the same building. Grimes said that he is not sure there would be a lot of use of the baseball facility during the day in the summer time and that the peak time for the proposed use would be January and February right before baseball season starts. He added that he thinks 30 parking spaces would be enough for the applicants use and that 58 spaces would be enough for the rest of the site. Pentel said that daytime use by corporate baseball leagues might be a possibility. Grimes said that 30 parking spaces should still be adequate. Steve Kitsis, 1297 Castle Court, applicant, referred to the fitness area shown on the site plans and said that he is not trying to be a Lifetime Fitness. He said they would have two treadmills, a stationary bike and a small home gym on site. Coaches would work with clients to improve baseball performance by using the exercise machines. Kitsis said he would like to open this facility in February of 2004. He said that they have resided in Golden Valley for 15 years and that they want to be a growing part of their community. He said their target audience will be 8-18 year olds and that they've chosen Golden Valley because of its central location and because he has worked with the Golden Valley Little League organization for eight years. He added that he wants to open a clean, safe and friendly facility. Kitsis explained that their employees would be going through classroom training before the facility opened. He said that 40% of the time or more parents would be dropping their kids off at the site so traffic congestion should not be a problem. He discussed signage for the site and stated they are planning to have an illuminated sign as permitted by the Sign Code that would be visible from Winnetka. He stated that they are a training facility not an amusement center and that there would be no loitering, tobacco or controlled substances allowed on the site. Eck asked the applicant about the sign being visible from Winnetka. Kitsis clarified that the sign would be visible when turning from Boone Avenue to 10th Avenue. Shaffer asked the applicant if he has talked to the landlord about parking. Mary Kitsis, applicant, stated that the landlord has reserved eight parking spaces in the front of the building for their use. . e . e . Minutes of the Golden Valley Planning Commission October 27, 2003 Page 3 Shaffer asked how many employees would be on the site at a time. Steve Kitsis said there would be three on hand at all times. Mary Kitsis added that the coaches (trainers) are contracted out. Steve Kitsis said as many as six people with the employees and coaches could be on the site at once. Eck asked the applicants how the fee structure would work. Mary Kitsis explained that there would be an hourly charge or people could buy tokens to use the batting machines. Steve Kitsis added that they would have several different packages available for people to choose from. Pentel referred to the applicant's narrative and pointed out that during the school year they are proposing the hours of operation be 3 pm to 10 pm. She asked the applicants if they would like the hours to be noon to 10 pm. Mary Kitsis stated they would like to have extended hours, especially when there are school breaks. Grimes stated that he didn't think there needed to be conditions on the hours of operation. Keysser asked the applicants if they are comfortable with the liability factors. Steve Kitsis stated that customers are going to have to sign a liability release waiver and that employees will receive first aid training. Pentel opened the public hearing. Terry Steen, 1149 Orkla Drive, stated that his lot is directly to the north of this site and that he is concerned about noise and the hours of operation. He said his house is close enough that he can hear noise from that site and he encouraged the Planning Commission to consider the noise and parking issues. Wally Sellman, 1290 Yukon Court, stated he is concerned about unlimited hours. He said that he can hear noise from the industrial park and asked if there would be any video games or if it would turn into an arcade. Pentel stated that there are plans for some vending machines, but not video games. She said that the property is zoned Industrial and that there could potentially be three shifts in that zoning district. Grimes stated he wants to be sure that the doors are kept closed at all times. Pentel said she thinks setting a 10 pm closing time would be a good idea. Grimes said if the applicants were going to have an all night event they could notify the City first. Shaffer recommending adding a condition that says staying open beyond 10 pm requires permission from the Director of Planning and Development. Seeing and hearing no one, Pentel closed the public hearing. Groger said that the proposed use is acceptable and that he doesn't think the parking seems like a significant problem. He said he understands the neighbors concerns but as long as the doors are kept shut there shouldn't be any conflict. . Minutes of the Golden Valley Planning Commission October 27, 2003 Page 4 Keysser suggested keeping the doors shut at all times be made a condition of approval. MOVED by Eck, seconded by Keysser and motion carried unanimously to approve the request for a Conditional Use Permit to allow for an indoor baseball/softball training facility at 8300 10th Avenue North subject to the following conditions: 1. The site plan of the 8300 10th Ave. N. building prepared by HTG Architects and dated June 8,2001 shall become part of this approval. This plan indicates parking spaces on the site. 2. The interior plan for the 8300 10th Ave. N. building prepared by WCL Associates and dated Sept. 26, 2003 shall become a part of this approval. This indicates the layout of the interior space for Home Run Hitters. e 3. All signs shall meet the requirements of the Sign Code. 4. A bike rack for at least 10 bikes shall be placed near the front door to Home Run Hitters. 5. No outside music, loud speakers or public address systems will be permitted. . 6. At least 30 parking spaces shall be available to Home Run Hitters. 7. Operating hours shall be as follows: During School Year - Monday-Friday 12 pm to 10 pm, Saturday 9 am to 10 pm and Sunday 9 am to 6 pm. Summer Hours - Monday-Friday 9 am to 10 pm, Saturday 9 am to 10 pm, and Sunday 9 am to 6 pm. e 8. The doors are to remain closed at all times. 9. Home Run Hitters may request to be open after 10 pm with approval from the Director of Planning and Development. 10. All other state, local, and federal requirements shall be met. 11. Failure to comply with one or more of the above conditions shall be grounds for revocation of the CUP. . III. Informal Public Hearing - Minor Subdivision - (SUOS-07) Applicant: The Golden Valley HRA Address: Lot 1, Block 1, North Wirth Parkway 5th Addition Purpose: To create Outlot A (.57 acres) in order that it may be sold to Room and Board, the property owner to the west. . e . e . Minutes of the Golden Valley Planning Commission October 27, 2003 Page 5 Grimes referred to the preliminary plat and showed the area that is being used to create the outlot that will be sold to Room and Board. Keysser asked if the City is selling the land at market price. Grimes stated that a price was negotiated between the HRA and the Developer. Shaffer stated that the land can't really be used for anything else. Pentel opened the public hearing. Seeing and hearing no one Pentel closed the public hearing. MOVED by Shaffer, seconded by Eck and motion carried unanimously to approved the minor subdivision for Lot 1, Block 1, North Wirth 5th Addition. IV. Informal Public Hearing - Planned Unit Development - (PUD-79 Amendment No.2) Applicant: Room and Board Address: 4600 Olson Memorial Highway To amend PUD No. 79 which would allow Outlot A to become a part of the Room and Board PUD, reduce overall parking requirement, and allow outlet sales one evening per week, in addition to weekend sales. Purpose: Grimes referred to the preliminary plat and site plan and showed the triangular piece of property that the applicant is proposing to purchase from the HRA. He explained that this PUD is being amended by adding this piece of property for future additional parking and also to allow the applicant to have outlet sales one evening per week. Pentel referred to the ordinance recently passed regarding accessory retail sales being allowed in the Industrial zoning district and asked if the City could restrict the applicants hours of operation. Grimes stated that since this is a PUD they can't have the advantages of both the PUD and the zoning district they are in. He said that the applicant may choose not to extend their hours and that they are trying to provide some relief from their weekend sales. Grimes stated that the applicant is requesting a reduction in the number of parking spaces and that some of the spaces they have now are proof of parking. He said that there is adequate parking on the site during the day but parking on Saturday morning may be tight due to the outlet store. He said he thinks that the weeknight sale should start after 6 pm so that people could stop by the outlet store on their way home from work. However, the outlet sales on weeknights should not start until the great majority of the Room and Board employees leave for the day. He clarified that there is no parking allowed on the frontage road. . e . - . Minutes of the Golden Valley Planning Commission October 27, 2003 Page 6 Eck stated that there are confusing and conflicting statements in the applicant's narrative. In one sentence it says there is no parking or traffic difficulties and in another sentence it says the parking lot is effectively full on occasions and traffic can get rather congested. Rasmussen asked Grimes to show where the proof of parking is. Grimes showed on the site plan where the proof of parking is located. Shaffer stated that he has been at the site on a Saturday morning and that a fire engine could not get into their parking lot. He stated that people park on the frontage road so they can park near the front door and get in line right away. Grimes stated that Room and Board is on a dead end street and that makes it difficult to turn around. He said that he has suggested to the Public Works Department and the Police Department that new "no parking" signs be put in along the frontage road. He stated that Room and Board should be responsible for making sure their customers aren't parking in areas marked "no parking". He suggested putting a sign at the parking lot entrance telling people not to park on the frontage road. Groger said that he is reluctant to have all of the proof of parking paved and that he would rather avoid that. He said that there is virtually no parking on the north or east sides of the building and that it seems that they need some additional parking spaces for their employees. Rasmussen stated that the proof of parking on the north side of both of the buildings would seem to alleviate the problem and would give them approximately 50 more parking spaces. Daryl Fortier, Fortier & Associates, 1804 Spring Valley Circle, Architect for Room and Board, stated that originally Room and Board wanted to buy the whole lot from the HRA, but after a feasibility study it was determined to buy only part of the property for added parking. He said that Room and Board has looked at other sites for their corporate headquarters, but they want to stay in Golden Valley. However, they are exploring the possibility of moving the outlet part of their business. He said that he is trying to show reasonable parking and that he has been working with Minncomm and the Railroad to purchase part of their properties to use for parking. Pentel stated that they could use the proof of parking on the north side of the buildings. Fortier said they could but that they've only noticed difficulties with parking with their weekend sales. He said they've engaged the services of transportation engineers Benshoof & Associates, and then discussed the report he received from them. Pentel asked if Room and Board has said what time they would like the weeknight sales to begin. Fortier said they would like to have the weeknight sale start at 5:30 pm and that he agreed with putting a sign at the entrance of the parking lot that tells their customers not to park on the frontage road. . e . -- . Minutes of the Golden Valley Planning Commission October 27, 2003 Page 7 Groger asked Fortier to clarify what he is proposing for proof of parking. Fortier said he is looking to reduce the overall parking on site (including proof of parking spaces) from 400 to 323. He said the Golden Valley's parking requirement for warehouse space is excessive. Fortier said that they don't have daytime parking problems and that if they have a weeknight sale it might help offset the Saturday parking problem and they would not have to turn soil into pavement. Eck stated that the issue seems to be for the City to keep the cars out of the street and that the rest of the problems are theirs. Fortier agreed. Grimes stated that Room and Board could enter into a parking agreement with Edina Reality for after hours parking. Rasmussen said that the City has a proof of parking policy and it seems like this is the time to say we have a problem let's use the proof of parking. Fortier said that additional parking on the site would not stop people from parking on the street in order to be able to be close to the front door or to be able to get in line right away. Pentel opened the public hearing. Hearing and seeing no one Pentel closed the public hearing. Groger clarified that the site has 202 parking spaces currently and that the proposal would add no additional parking. Grimes stated that was correct and that the land they are adding is for proof of parking and that with that land they would have the ability to provide 323 parking spaces. Groger stated that the use of the 202 parking spaces they have now is not working and that building the proof of parking in the back of the buildings is not going to affect the look of the building. Rasmussen asked about the process of requiring that proof of parking be paved and if other businesses in Golden Valley have been asked to pave their proof of parking. Grimes stated that other businesses have had to pave their proof of parking and that the Building Inspections Department or Police Department decides if parking needs to be added. Shaffer said he feels the City shouldn't be responsible for policing the area, Room and Board should be. He said he doesn't see the point in paving the far north proof of parking spaces but the 23 proof of parking behind the northwest warehouse building would be valuable. He said he would like to add a condition of approval that a sign be added at the entrance to the Room and Board parking lot that says "no parking on the street". Groger said he would be content with Shaffer's suggestions and added that right now Room and Board is in violation with their PUD permit in regard to the amount of parking they have. Shaffer stated that he thinks the applicant's request of 1 parking space for every 1,500 square feet of warehouse space is reasonable. . e . e . Minutes of the Golden Valley Planning Commission October 27, 2003 Page 8 MOVED by Shaffer, seconded by Rasmussen and motion carried unanimously to approve the request to amend PUD No. 79 with the following conditions: 1. All requirements of the PUD Permit for Amendment No.1 to PUD No. 79 shall remain in full force except as noted in these recommendations. 2. The master plan for the Room and Board campus prepared by Fortier and Associates and dated 9/24/03 shall become a part of this approval. (This master plan replaces the master plan approved by Amendment No.1.) This includes the designation of "proof of parking" areas. However, the 23 proof of parking spaces adjacent to the northwest warehouse building shall be constructed no later than July 1, 2004. At any time City staff determines that the existing parking is not adequate to meet the needs of the on-site uses, the Chief of Fire and Inspections shall order any or all of the "proof of parking" spaces be constructed in a timely manner. 3. The Room and Board campus consists of the following uses and space dedicated to those uses: Office-32,449 sq. ft. Outlet store/warehouse-19,200 sq. ft. Warehouse areas-168,797 sq. ft. Support Areas (such as exercise space)-- 14,970 sq. ft. The amount of office space and outlet store space shall only change with an amendment to the PUD. 4. The memo and recommendations from Jeff Oliver, PE, City Engineer, to Mark Grimes dated October 20,2003 shall become a part of this approval. 5. The memo and recommendations from Ed Anderson, Deputy Fire Marshal to Mark Grimes dated October 13, 2003, shall become a part of this approval 6. Outlet retail sales shall be limited to the 4680 building and can occur only on Saturday and Sunday. The sales shall be limited to overstock and "scratch and dent" items from Room and Board stores. During the remainder of the week, the 4768 building may only be used for warehouse purposes. For one year after the approval of the ordinance giving approval to Amendment No.2, PUD No. 79, Room and Board may also use the 4680 building for similar sales on one additional weeknight. The weeknight sales shall not begin any earlier than 5:30 pm and end by 9:30 pm. If deemed by the City Council that the weeknight sales has functioned in a manner as to not have negative impacts on the site and surrounding area, the one weeknight sale may continue. 7. A revised plat adding the 25,400 sq. ft. at the northeast corner of the campus shall be prepared and submitted for approval by the City Council after approval of the General Plan of Development. The preliminary plat of Amendment No.2 is attached. It was prepared by Lot Surveys Company and dated 9/22/03. 8. Room and Board shall install a sign at the entrance to their parking lot informing customers that there is no parking allowed on the street. . e . e . Minutes of the Golden Valley Planning Commission October 27, 2003 Page 9 - Short Recess -- V. Reports on Meetings of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority, City Council, Board of Zoning Appeals and other Meetings Pentel reported on the October 21 , 2003 City Council Meeting. VI. Other Business The City Council has requested a joint meeting with the Planning Commission on November 10, 2003 at 6 pm (before the Planning Commission meeting) to discuss the Single Family Residential Zoning Code text changes. This meeting will replace the previously scheduled November 11, 2003 Council Manager meeting. Grimes told the Planning Commissioners that the joint meeting with the City Council to discuss the Single Family Residential Zoning Code text changes has been changed to November 24, 2003 at 6 pm. The Commissioners discussed Draft #7 of the Single Family Residential Zoning Code. VII. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 8:50 pm.