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3.1. DRAFT PC MINUTES 12-20-2022 Meeting of the Elk River Planning Commission Held at Elk River City Hall Tuesday, November 22, 2022 Members Present: Vice Chair Perry Beise, Commissioners Dennis Booth, Eric Johnson, Craig Keisling, and Tony Mauren Members Absent: Chair Jill Larson-Vito and Commissioner Rob Rydberg Also Present: Councilmember/Liaison Mike Beyer Staff Present: Senior Planner Chris Leeseberg, and Sr. Admin. Assistant/Recording Secretary Jennifer Green 1. Call Meeting to Order Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the meeting of the Elk River Planning Commission was called to order at 6:42 p.m. by Vice Chair Beise. 2. Consider November 22, 2022, Planning Commission Agenda Moved by Commissioner Johnson and seconded by Commissioner Keisling to approve the November 22, 2022, Planning Commission agenda as presented. Motion carried 5-0. 3. Consider October 25, 2022, Planning Commission Minutes Moved by Commissioner Johnson and seconded by Commissioner Booth to approve the October 25, 2022, Planning Commission minutes as presented. Motion carried 5-0. 4.1 RAN Properties/GATR – 75-915-0020  Preliminary Plat of Natures Edge Business Center Fourth Addition, Case No. P 22-14 Mr. Leeseberg presented the staff report. th Commissioner Maurer asked if 168 Avenue roadway improvements were completed. Mr. Leeseberg indicated the improvements were completed. Planning Commission Page 2 November 22, 2022 ----------------------------- Vice Chair Beise opened the public hearing. There being no one to speak, Acting Chair Beise closed the public hearing. Moved by Commissioner Johnson and seconded by Commissioner Keisling to recommend approval of the request by RAN Properties/GATR for the Preliminary Plat of Natures Edge Business Center Fourth Addition as outlined in the staff report. Motion carried 5-0. 4.2 City of Elk River  Land Use Amendment from Traditional Single-Family Residential to Highway Business, Case No. LU 22-04 Mr. Leeseberg presented the staff report. Vice Chair Beise opened the public hearing. There being no one to speak, Vice Chair Beise closed the public hearing. Moved by Commissioner Keisling and seconded by Commissioner Booth to recommend approval of the request by the City of Elk River for a Land Use Amendment from Traditional Single-Family Residential to Highway Business as outlined in the staff report. Motion carried 5-0. 4.3 Kostreba Holdings/Rochon Corporation – 19645 Evans Street NW  Conditional Use Permit Establishing a Planned Unit Development to allow storage facility, Case No. CU 22-24 Mr. Leeseberg presented the staff report. He indicated the applicant was working on updating plans to address staff comments and would have those plans available for the City Council meeting. Vice Chair Beise opened the public hearing. Ryan Kostreba, 21404 Jarvis St. NW, stated he is addressing the concerns brought up in the comment letter regarding parking and has a few options, one being a double wide lane; however, he stated he has researched several other buildings of this style in the Twin Cities area and most of those facilities offer very limited outdoor parking spaces with one to two spaces, which was standard. He indicated there will be higher traffic days during the month. He stated they door-knocked to residents in the area and received generally positive feedback with some residents concerned with traffic. He addressed screening concerns, and they will try not to disturb the mature vegetation on the rear and side portion of the lot. He will submit updated plans Mr. Leeseberg read the following statement by Cheryl Becker: Planning Commission Page 3 November 22, 2022 ----------------------------- “This is a recommendation from Cheryl Becker, 11452 197th Ave Elk River, Mn 55330 . I hope you receive this before the meeting of the planning commission on November 22. This subject is 4.3 on the agenda. My property line is shared by them with a buffer between them. I would like to make a suggestion, to put up evergreen trees along their back line, and maybe to the north property line. Nine months of the year we can see that lot from my home. If there’s going to be a big three-story building there I would like to see some bigger pine trees as an addition. Thank you, Cheryl Becker” There being no one else to speak, Vice Chair Beise closed the public hearing. Commissioner Johnson asked if the site tree survey was completed yet to see if the current vegetation would support meeting site requirements. He felt any other type of business would have to clear the vegetation and keeping the mature vegetation would provide a useful buffer. He is generally in favor of this project and felt it was a good use of the property. Mr. Leeseberg stated they have not received a site tree survey but felt given the number of trees they would meet the requirements. Commissioner Mauren asked about the glass store fronts on the building and asked if this would be used for signage. Mr. Kostreba stated it is a design feature showing a replica of what the inside of the storage building looks like. Mr. Leeseberg stated the building will be allowed a certain amount of signage and does allow window signage on up to 50% of windows. Mr. Kostreba stated there will probably be window signage from time to time but would stay within the boundaries of the ordinance. Commissioner Mauren asked about security lighting around the building. Mr. Kostreba stated there would be minimal lighting around the building, none on the north side of the building, and emergency exits along points of the building with lights just above are required. There is no roadway proposed behind the building. Moved by Commissioner Johnson and seconded by Commissioner Booth to recommend approval of the request by Kostreba Holdings and Rochon Corporation for a Conditional Use Permit for Establishing a Planned Unit Development to allow a storage facility at 19645 Evans St NW with the following conditions to satisfy the standards set forth in Section 30-654: 1. The land use amendment (LU 22-04) shall be approved. 2. Access to the building shall not be allowed between 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. 3. All comments in the comment letter dated November 15, 2022, shall be addressed. Planning Commission Page 4 November 22, 2022 ----------------------------- Motion carried 5-0. 5.1 Ric Haugland – Auto-Rec Bodyworks, Inc. – 21475 US Highway 169 NW  Conditional Use Permit Extension, Case No. CU 19-14 Mr. Leeseberg presented the staff report. Moved by Commissioner Johnson and seconded by Commissioner Keisling to recommend approval of the request by Ric Haugland to extend the date to comply with the required conditions of the CU 19-14 to October 21, 2023, as outlined in the staff report. Motion carried 5-0. 6. Council Liaison Update Councilmember Beyer provided an update from recent City Council meetings. The Planning Commission recessed at 7:04 p.m. to go into work session. They reopened the meeting at 7:04 p.m. 7.1 Garnet Novotny – 17355 Fillmore St. NW; 75-001-4200, 4400, 7405  Concept Review for 55+ Apartment Building, Case No. CR 22-06 Mr. Leeseberg presented the staff report. He outlined the staff comments regarding access, city services, and future infrastructure connections. Craig Wensmann, from Bogart Pederson spoke on behalf of the property owner, Ms. Garnet Novotny, who thought this property would be an asset to the city. She wished to gather feedback from the city as to whether they would be open to this type of project. Mr. Wensmann reviewed the project, noting density and number of structures could increase or decrease depending on feedback received from the city. The Planning Commission discussed the location of the project. Because the property is zone Rural Residential, it would require a Land Use Amendment to Multifamily Residential. The property would need to be brought into the Urban Service District as well. It would also require a zone change from R1-a (Large Lot Single Family Well and Septic lots) to R4 (Multiple Family Residential). The Planning Commission supported this type of project if it can be shown there is viability of a secondary road connection to Jarvis Street, south of the subject site, or elsewhere. The project will be reviewed by the City Council on December 19. Planning Commission Page 5 November 22, 2022 ----------------------------- 8. Adjournment The meeting of the Planning Commission was adjourned at 7:26 p.m. Minutes prepared by Jennifer Green. ___________________ Tina Allard City Clerk __________________ Perry Beise Planning Commission Acting Chair