Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-07-28 MINUTES City of Cottage Grove Planning Commission July 28, 2008 A meeting of the Planning Commission was held at Cottage Grove City Hall, 7516 – 80th Street South, Cottage Grove, Minnesota on July 28, 2008, in the Council Chambers and telecast on local Government Cable Channel 16. Call to Order Chairperson Reese called the Planning Commission meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Roll Call Members Present: Tina Folch-Freiermuth, Obid Hofland, Tracy Poncin, Chris Reese, Jim Rostad, Eddie Tharbes Members Absent: Steve Messick, David Thiede, Chris Willhite Staff Present: Howard Blin, Community Development Director John McCool, Senior Planner Approval of Agenda Reese asked if there are any changes to the agenda. Being no changes were made, the agenda was approved as submitted. Open Forum Reese asked if anyone wished to address the Planning Commission on any non-agenda item. No one addressed the Commission. Chair’s Explanation of the Public Hearing Process Reese explained the purpose of the Planning Commission, which serves in an advisory ca- pacity to the City Council, and that the City Council makes all final decisions. In addition, he explained the process of conducting a public hearing and requested that any person wishing to speak should come to the microphone and state their full name and address for the public record. Public Hearings and Application Reviews 6.1 Farmers Market Ordinance Amendment – Case No. TA08-014 McCool summarized the staff report and recommended approval of the ordinance amendment. Planning Commission Minutes July 28, 2008 Page 2 of 3 There was discussion regarding the prohibition of live entertainment. The Commission does not want amplified instruments and vocals but they do not want the ordinance to prevent in- dividual or small group performances. It was suggested that the live entertainment prohibi- tion be removed from the proposed ordinance and require that farmers markets must comply with the City’s noise ordinance. Reese opened the public hearing. No one spoke. Reese closed the public hearing. Hofland made a motion to approve the ordinance amendment with the live entertain- ment prohibition removed from the ordinance and replaced by requiring compliance with the City’s noise ordinance. Tharbes seconded. Motion passed unanimously (6-to-0 vote). Discussion Items 7.1 Real Estate Signs Blin summarized the staff memo regarding real estate signs. He explained that the city code does not allow off-site advertising, which includes open house signs. Any sign prohibitions have to be content neutral. He suggested adding language that says off-site signs less than a certain square footage are allowed on Saturdays and Sundays between the hours of noon and 5:00 p.m. This would allow realtors to put up open house signs on the weekends. He asked for direction from the Commission on whether staff should come back with a specific ordinance amendment. The Commission agreed that an ordinance amendment could be made to allow signs with a specific time frame on the weekends. They did express concern that the time frame should be short enough so that businesses cannot put up signs that would be there for long periods of time. They also wanted to have limit on the size of those signs. Blin stated that staff would find out the size of the typical sandwich board open house signs. 7.2 Fence Standards Blin summarized the staff memo regarding fence issues and asked for feedback from the Commission on whether the ordinance should be amended to require the finished side of fences should face away from the property on which it is located and to require a maximum fence height in the front yard. It was the consensus of the Commission to amend the city’s ordinance as suggested by staff. They asked staff to research other cities’ fence require- ments prior to holding a public meeting on the issue. Approval of Planning Commission Minutes of June 2, 2008. Thiede noted that under Open Forum, “Thiede” needs to be changed to “Reese.” Being that there were no other corrections to the June 2, 2008 minutes, they were ac- cepted as distributed. Planning Commission Minutes July 28, 2008 Page 3 of 3 Reports 9.1 Recap of City Council Meetings Blin reviewed the items discussed by the City Council at their meetings on June 4, June 18, July 2, and July 16, 2008. 9.2 Response to Planning Commission Inquiries None. 9.3 Planning Commission Requests Folch asked about the wetland property in Cottage Grove abutting the Park Grove Bowl not- ing that it does not look nice and all the vegetation is mowed down and left there to rot. Blin responded that staff has had a brief conversation with the bowling alley owner. He stated that he would follow up with the property owner and the City of St. Paul Park regarding the problem. Reese asked about electronic signs. Blin responded that there have been no requests for that type of sign. Rostad asked for an update on the G-Will Center project. Blin responded that the parking lot will be re-done in the next month or two. Adjournment Folch made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Hofland seconded. Motion passed unanimously (8-to-0 vote). The meeting adjourned at 7:55 p.m.