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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-11-03 PACKET 04.A.i.COUNCIL ACTION REQUEST: Receive and place on file the approved minutes for the Planning Commission's meeting on September 27, 2010. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Receive and place on file the approved Planning Commission minutes for the meeting on September 27, 2010. BUDGET IMPLICATION: $N/A $N/A N/A BUDGETED AMOUNT ACTUAL AMOUNT FUNDING SOURCE ADVISORY COMMISSION ACTION: DATE REVIEWED APPROVED DENIED PLANNING 10/25/10 ❑ ❑ ❑ PUBLIC SAFETY 1:1 ❑ F F PUBLIC WORKS ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ PARKS AND RECREATION ❑ ❑ 1 ❑ HUMAN SERVICES/RIGHTS 1 ❑ ❑ F ECONOMIC DEV. AUTHORITY ❑ ❑ ❑ F ❑ ❑ ❑ W COUNCIL ACTION TAKEN: NAPPROVED 0 DENIED E]OTHER • 0 enm • III C_V*_ re- Planning Commission September 27, 2010 A meeting of the Planning Commission was held at Cottage Grove City Hall, 7516 — 80th Street South, Cottage Grove, Minnesota, on September 27, 2010, in the Council Chambers and tele- cast on Local Government Cable Channel 16. Chair Messick called the Planning Commission meeting to order at 7:20 p.m., following the tour of the Public Safety/City Hall building. Messick asked Councilmember Olsen to provide information to residents regarding tours of the Public Safety/City Hall building. Olsen stated that there have been discussions regarding a new public safety/city hall facility for over 10 years. The City Council asked staff to provide tours of the current building. He provided contact information for anyone interested in learning more about the proposed public safety/city hall project. Messick, on behalf of the Planning Commis- sion, thanked the Public Safety Director and the Mayor for the informative tour. Members Present: Ken Brittain, Michael Linse, Steve Messick, Brian Pearson, Ryan Rambacher, Jim Rostad, Brian Treber, Chris Willhite Members Absent: Tracy Poncin Staff Present: Councilmember Justin Olsen Howard Blin, Community Development Director John McCool, Senior Planner Linse made a motion to approve the agenda. Willhite seconded. The motion was ap- proved unanimously (8-to-O vote). Messick asked if anyone wished to address the Planning Commission on any non-agenda item. Vo • addressed the Commission. J i l l J ill I 1 111 1 1111 1 111 1 1 1 �Ill III IIIIIII 1111:111�11 Ilill 11111 plil • ll 1: • Messick explained the purpose of the Planning Commission, which serves in an advisory capac- ity • the City Council, and that the City Council makes all final decisions. In addition, he ex- plained 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. Planning Commission Minutes September 27, 2010 Page 2 of 6 • VVITOTIPM. =0 All Saints Lutheran Church has applied for a zoning text amendment to allow outdoor columbaria, a structure with small recesses for the placement of urns containing cre- mated remains, as a conditional use in residential zoning districts where cemet- • •r McCool summarized the staff report. He stated that the draft resolution does not contain a definition of columbarium and proposed incorporating the following definition into the ordin- ance: "A place such as a vault for the respectful and usual public storage of cremated human remains within cinerary urns. Columbaria are accessory to places of assembly for worship, cemeteries, or mausoleums." He recommended approval of the proposed text amendment with the addition of the definition of columbarium. Messick asked if the definition would be added to Title 11-1-3. McCool responded yes. Messick asked about the process for amend- ing the city code by adding the proposed definition. McCool explained that the recommenda- tion for approval or deny would include the definition of columbarium in the text amendment. Linse asked if the city would become responsible for maintaining the columbaria and urns if the church becomes defunct. McCool responded that as part of the conditional use permit application process, those policies that would be reviewed and that would not be the city's responsibility. 1,111pli Jules Erickson, Senior Pastor at All Saints Lutheran Church, 8100 Belden Boulevard South, clarified the policy question noting that according to the company that they are working with, columbaria are movable objects. She stated that she has talked with the two cemeteries in the area (Old Cottage and Newport), and both stated that they could take the columbaria in the event the church would be dismantled. Rambacher asked how many urns are in these columbaria. Erickson responded that the one they are looking at has 72 niches which can each hold two urns. Rostad asked if they foresee having multiple columbaria on their site. Erickson responded that if they filled the entire columbarium, they could develop outside reservoirs. She stated that over 50 percent of the people she has had the privilege to escort to the gates are cre- mations. Linse asked how tall the columbarium would be at All Saints. Erickson responded 48 to 52 inches tall. Pearson noted that there was space for two urns in each niche. Erickson stated that two gles could go together, a married couple could go together, a son and father could share a space, • other combinations. She stated that all • these would have to be prepaid in order for them to go forward with it. She thanked the Commission for considering this proposal. W Planning Commission Minutes September 27, 201 Page 3 of 6 Willhite made a motion to recommend approval • the text amendment allowing columbaria, including the definition of columbarium as proposed. Linse asked for clarification on when the Planning Commission would determine size, height, and location requirements. McCool responded when applications are received. The City • Cottage Grove has applied for a zoning text amendment to allow outdoor merchandise display and storage as a permitted accessory use with performance stan� dards in all commercial zoning districts. McCool summarized the staff report and recommended approval. Rostad asked as the proposed ordinance is written, do items at gas stations between the pumps have to be moved next to the building. McCool responded that staff reviewed various commercial sites, including gas stations, grocery stores, and retail stores, and the require- ments vary from site to site. Menards has a larger provision to allow more storage outside their building, Cub Foods has no reference about outdoor storage, and motor fuel stations generally have prohibitions on merchandise being stored or displayed outdoors. The City will revisit the conditions of approval for specific locations and address outdoor storage issues with each individually. Pearson asked if there are current prohibitions on having items displayed outdoors at gas stations. McCool responded that it varies from site to site. In general, merchandise is prohi- bited from outdoor storage or display. Messick asked if that is addressed under conditional use permits. McCool responded yes. He explained that this proposed text amendment would clarify if there could be vending ma- chine units and set performance standards. Rambacher asked about enforcement of conditional use permits that were granted in the past that do not allow outside storage • display, but the outdoor storage/display exists. McCool stated that staff would be enforcing exterior storage of retail products outside the businesses in our community. Planning Commission Minutes September 27, 201 Page 4 of 6 McDonalds decides to move their Red Box outside. McCool responded they could but would need to follow the performance standards in the ordinance. Treber asked for an explanation on the intent of the text amendment. He expressed concern about the city not having control over future types of exterior storage and display. He tends to favor the conditional use permit versus permitted use with performance standards be- cause that would give the Council the opportunity to look at each proposal an individual basis. Messick responded that staff asked the Commission for direction on this issue and it was his understanding that the consensus of the Commission was to allow outdoor storage and display as a permitted accessory use with standards. Olsen stated he is also the liaison to the Economic Development Authority, and this issue was also brought before the EDA, whose recommendation was similar to the recommendation that ultimately came from the Planning Commission. The EDA was not interested in the conditional use permit process, they felt the City could accomplish the same goal with performance standards and not make it too cumbersome for businesses. ,T,Frlrz- I I I � III � . _7 Rambacher asked if the reason for section f is to not have inventory stored on pallets outside businesses. McCool responded that anything stored or displayed outside should have a re- lationship to the business. Brittain asked about Cub Foods storing water softener salt outside when they sell it inside. McCool stated that there is no provision recognizing how much storage Cub Foods can have outside their building; that is something staff will discuss with them. Willhite made a motion to recommend approval of the zoning text amendment allow- ing outdoor merchandise display and storage as a permitted accessory use with per- formance standards in all commercial zoning districts with the addition of the word general" in section f Treber seconded Motion passed unanimously (8-to-O vote). ST 11 U1 im TA-3 A K McCool provided an update to the Planning Commission on the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) being prepared for the proposed expansion of mining operations at the Nelson Mine • Grey Cloud Island. He also played a few short videos showing aspects • the mining operations. There was a question about how many apparatuses there were. McCool responded one dredge that has twin clams. 115 111' I I � 10 I Rambacher made a motion to approve the minutes of the August 23, 2010, meeting. Motion seconded by Pearson. The motion passed unanimously (8-to-O vote). Planning Commission Minutes September 27, 201 Page 5 of 6 �# 0= I None •* XTUR_= Rambacher asked about ordinance requirements for storage of boats and RVs during the winter and if there are any resources available for residents to refer to regarding legally storing these items. McCool responded that the city code is available for viewing on the city's web page. He explained that the city code allows a maximum of four vehicles (i.e.; cars, trucks, boats, trailers, snowmobile, RVs, etc.) to be parked outside a building structure. Ve- hicles must be parking on improved parking surfaces, not grass, and those parking surfaces need to meet property line setback requirements. Brittain suggested placing an article about vehicle storage and parking in the monthly newsletter that is sent with the utility bills. Treber stated that the traffic along Hinton Avenue has been significantly increasing and he expressed concern about children crossing Hinton but not at the intersection with 80th Street. McCool stated that would be a Public Safety issue and he would contact them. Planning Commission Minutes September 27.2O1U Page 6 of 6 Linse asked about the Minnesota Supreme Court case on variances and requested ex- amples of what reasonable use and undue hardship prior to getting the next variance appli- Rambacher made a motion to adjoum the meeting. Linse seconded. Motion passed unanimously (8-to-O vote). The meeting adjoumed at 8:20 p.m.