pc-minutes-nov-22-21
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
This meeting was conducted in a hybrid format with in‐person and remote options for
attending, participating, and commenting. The City used Webex to conduct this meeting and
members of the public were able to monitor the meetings by watching it on Comcast cable
channel 16, by streaming it on CCXmedia.org, or by dialing in to the public call‐in line.
1. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 by Chair Pockl.
Roll Call
Commissioners in person: Adam Brookins, Sophia Ginis, Andy Johnson, Lauren Pockl, Mike
Ruby, Chuck Segelbaum
Commissioners absent: Rich Baker
Staff present: Myles Campbell – Planner, Jason Zimmerman – Planning Manager
Council Liaison absent: Gillian Rosenquist
2. Approval of Agenda
Chair Pockl asked for a motion to approve the agenda.
MOTION made by Commissioner Ruby, seconded by Commissioner Brookins, to approve the agenda
of November 22, 2021. Motion carried.
3. Approval of Minutes
Chair Pockl asked for a motion to approve the minutes from November 8, 2021.
Commissioner Brookins noted an error on page 5, staff made changes.
Commissioner Segelbaum noted edits on page 1, staff made changes.
MOTION made by Commissioner Brookins, seconded by Commissioner Johnson to approve the
minutes with the noted edits.
Motion carried.
4. Informal Public Hearing – Zoning Text Amendments ‐ Use Tables
Applicant: City of Golden Valley
Jason Zimmerman, Planning Manager and Myles Campbell, City Planner, introduced both informal
hearings as they’re related. The first hearing, text amendments, is to address uses and the second,
map amendments, is to update Institutional Subdistricts.
November 22, 2021 – 7 pm
City of Golden Valley Planning Commission Regular Meeting
November 22, 2021, 2021 – 7 pm
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Areas of Work:
Creation of summary Use Tables for each zoning district
o Consolidated uses across zoning districts for quick comparisons
o Easy confirmation of Permitted, Conditional, Restricted, or Prohibited uses
Updated and refined lists of uses via consolidation, elimination, consistent language, etc.
o Clarified/updated language and removed unnecessary/outdated categories
o Reviewed appropriate level of review for uses
o This consolidation into tables allowed staff to remove pages of code
Reorganization of Institutional subdistricts to match the Comprehensive Plan
o Primary focus was changing numerical designations to descriptive ones
o Realignment of some uses between subdistricts triggered a formal map amendment
process
RLUIPA modifications for Places of Worship
o Ensures religious uses are treated with no more scrutiny than other non‐religious
assembly uses
o Requires a handful of text modifications:
Remove Recreational Uses from Industrial district
Amend purpose of Commercial district to include language re. business activity
Add Indoor Entertainment to Light Industrial district as a conditional use
Add Places of Worship to Light Industrial distract as a conditional use
Require firearms dealers to locate at least 750 feet from a Place of Worship
Addition of Manufactured Home Park requirements
o State statute requires manufactured home parks be listed as a conditional use in any
zoning district that allows multifamily buildings
R‐2, R‐3, R‐4, Neighborhood Mixed Use, Community Mixed Use
o Staff included general site requirements to govern layout and placement of individual
manufactured homes and other structures
Recommendation
Approval of the Zoning Text Amendments, providing for new summary land use tables and a
general reorganization of allowed land uses in each zoning district.
Approval of the Zoning Map Amendments, reorganizing those properties zoned Institutional into
subdistricts of Assembly, Civic, Medical, and Parks and Natural Areas.
Commissioner Ruby discussed the need for a legend for clarity. Zimmerman pointed out the text prior
to the tables and the language used, then went on to elaborate on ease of viewing on the website and
how formatting will change.
Commissioner Johnson mentioned the places of worship definition and asked about qualifying
“ceremonies and events” as religious institutions and if other locations like a lodge hall would be
included. Staff discussed complying with RLUIPA stating if lodge halls were included then religious
institutions would need to be, however since it’s the reverse‐there is no requirement to add secular
assembly areas.
City of Golden Valley Planning Commission Regular Meeting
November 22, 2021, 2021 – 7 pm
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Commissioners and staff discussed the details around prohibiting firearms dealers 750 ft from a Place
of Worship and only 350 ft from a residential area. Being that Golden Valley is primarily residential,
anything greater than 350 ft buffer would essential “out zone” a firearms dealer.
Chair Pockl opened the public hearing at 7:26pm and invited in person commenters to speak first.
Susan Thompson
1031 Orkla
Are group homes currently located in residential areas and if they are, will that change as a part of
this process.
Staff responded they are currently zoned residential and that will not change.
Chair Pockl invited call in commenters to speak.
Jason Ostenson
100 Florida Ct
I’m concerned with creating the subdistrict names versus keeping the numbers as I think it will impact
my property to have it listed as a specific subdistrict versus A‐1, A‐3 or something like that. I think this
will cause changes in property value and will cause ill effects for some and tell folks where they can
and can’t live.
Paula Beugen
1784 Maryland Ave N
I would first like better understanding of the timeline of this process.
I’m concerned with cemeteries in the same category as schools, especially because, for example, the
school in my neighborhood is in a residential area and that would not be an appropriate placement
for a cemetery. This may apply elsewhere.
Staff responded to the first caller: everyone’s home will remain R‐1, or R‐2, it’s the zoning of the areas
nearby that would change. For example, a park currently zoned I‐4 would be zoned Parks and Natural
Areas. The resident’s zoning won’t change, but now anyone looking at the zoning map would see
there’s a park nearby, and not left wondering what an I‐4 zoning is and need to call staff or look in the
zoning code to find out.
Staff responded to the second caller that the notices sent out displayed both the informal and formal
meeting dates. The formal hearing at the 12/21 City Council will be when the proposed changes would
be approved, assuming Planning Commission makes the recommendation to do so.
Cemeteries are currently in a zoning district all by themselves and there is currently one cemetery in
Golden Valley. Staff felt it was an inefficient use of an entire category, allowing a cemetery in the same
zoning area as a place of worship seems to make sense. If a school were to sell, they could sell to a
group wanting to put in a cemetery, or a library, museum, or place of worship. Those uses would all be
allowed in this scenario. Utilizing the use tables, staff discussed what uses would be by right and what
would be conditional.
City of Golden Valley Planning Commission Regular Meeting
November 22, 2021, 2021 – 7 pm
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Chair Pockl closed the public hearing at 7:40pm
Chair Pockl opened the discussion.
Chair Pockl asked why the cemetery use was permitted and not conditional, staff responded that they
never recommended the change to conditional and so it wasn’t discussed. Members need to come up
with items they’d like mitigated by a CUP, like traffic or noise. Ruby asked if there are other regulations
on cemetery locations, staff responded that if a proposal took place then a county or state jurisdiction
would need to have their requirements met. Golden Valley making it a permitted use doesn’t
determine its inherent allowance.
Commissioner Ginis mentioned considering conditional being that a cemetery may impact the City’s
long‐term planning as cemeteries often lose funding and thus cannot maintain their facilities. Staff
noted that’s how the City obtained the current cemetery. Staff and Commissioners discussed
conditional or restricted use and Brookins mentioned the idea of making it prohibited but making the
current cemetery legally non‐conforming.
Chair Pockl stated comfort with recommending approval and adding cemeteries as conditional,
Brookins stated he believes they should be prohibited. Members and staff discussed this item and
potential conditions as well as how a condition/prohibition would differ from the current zoning.
Johnson suggested that light industrial allow conditional use for lodges or private halls.
MOTION made by Commissioner Ruby, seconded by Commissioner Johnson, to recommend approval
with the changes as recommended by Commissioners of the zoning text amendments.
Motion passed unanimously.
5. Informal Public Hearing – Zoning Map Amendment ‐ Reorganization of Institutional Subdistricts
Applicant: City of Golden Valley
Myles Campbell, Planner, restated a few items that were mentioned in the previous presentation.
Campbell displayed maps listed on the website that were in the notice sent out to residents of Golden
Valley. Staff reviewed uses and stated there are no development plans in the Institutional Subdistricts,
this change is the colors on the map and the names of the districts. Staff is moving from the ambiguous
number categories to clearly named subdistricts.
Recommendation
Staff recommends approval of the Zoning Map Amendment, reorganizing those properties zoned
Institutional into subdistricts of Assembly, Civic, Medical, and Parks and Natural Areas.
Chair Pockl opened the public hearing at 8:21pm.
No in person commenters.
No call‐in commenters.
City of Golden Valley Planning Commission Regular Meeting
November 22, 2021, 2021 – 7 pm
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Chair Pockl closed the public hearing at 8:24pm
Chair Pockl opened the discussion.
Commissioner Ruby asked if there are modifications needed on this recommendation based on the
previous conversation. Staff responded that the map amendment is related to Institutional districts,
not Industrial or Light Industrial.
MOTION made by Commissioner Brookins, seconded by Commissioner Ruby, to follow staff
recommendation and recommend approval.
Motion passed unanimously.
Chair Pockl ended the televised portion of the meeting at 8:27pm.
6. Council Liaison Report
Planning Manager Zimmerman reported on behalf of Council Member Rosenquist that Council had
tabled the proposal for 6300 Olson Memorial Highway in order to allow a representative for the
property owner to attend the next regular meeting on December 7. The Council approved the lot
subdivision and Conditional Use Permit for Spire Credit Union.
7. Other Business
Commissioner Johnson applauded staff for devising a hearing notice, accompanied by a web page,
that attempted to explain a complicated issue in simple, easy to understand, language.
8. Adjournment
MOTION by Commissioner Ginis to adjourn, seconded by Commissioner Johnson, and approved
unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 8:35 pm.
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Andy Johnson, Secretary
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Amie Kolesar, Planning Assistant