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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-05-19 MINUTESCity of Cottage Grove Planning Commission May 19, 2003 Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a regular meeting of the Planning Commission was duly held at City Hall, 7516 — 80th Street South, Cottage Grove, Minnesota on the 19th day of May, 2003, in the Council Chambers. Call to Order Chairperson Bailey called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Roll Call Members Present: Myron Bailey, Tim Booth, Ken Brittain, Rod Hale, Robert Hudnut, David Lassen, Chris Reese, Bob Severson, Chris Willhite Staff Present: John McCool, Senior Planner Approval of Agenda Severson made a motion to approve the agenda. Hudnut seconded. Motion carried unanimously. Open Forum Chairperson Bailey asked if anyone wished to address the Planning Commission on any non-agenda item. No one spoke. Chair's Explanation of the Public Hearing Process Chairperson Bailey explained the purpose of the Planning Commission, which serves in an advisory capacity to the City Council, and the City Council makes all final decisions. In addi- tion, 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 6.1 CASE CUP03-018 (Public hearing continued from the 4/28/03 meeting) The SouthEast Metro Amateur Radio Club (SEMARC) applied for a conditional use permit to allow two antennas to be placed on the West Draw Water Tower, 6950 Meadowgrass Avenue South. Planning Commission Minutes May 19, 2003 Page 2 of 5 McCool summarized the staff report, noting that it also pertains to the next agenda item, and recommended approval subject to the conditions stipulated in the staff report. Hudnut asked about the size of the six-foot antenna. McCool explained that the pole-like antenna on top of the water tower structure is six feet in height and about two inches in di- ameter. The antenna has a tapered design, smaller in diameter at the top and wider at the base. The directional antenna is 14 inches by 24 inches with multiple antenna rods that are perpendicular with the main shaft, similar to a television antenna but smaller. Hale asked about housing the equipment and why the applicant had not signed the applica- tion. McCool responded that the equipment box will be housed inside the water tower on an existing mezzanine. This mezzanine was constructed at the same time the water tower was constructed and is the designated area for equipment cabinets used by wireless communi- cation users having antennas on the water tower. He then stated that the conditional use permit application was signed by the applicant. Vern Reiter, President of SEMARC, introduced other members of the club. A SEMARC member from Hastings, stated that he has been a member of SEMARC for many years and has donated materials, time, and expertise in maintaining a repeater system for the use of the radio club and the community at large. He explained to the Commission how a ham radio system operates. He stated that the reason for two antennas to be placed on the water towers is because the FCC requires a control link to be installed with antennas. Bailey opened the public hearing. No one spoke. Bailey closed the public hearing. Hudnut made a motion to approve the applicafion subject to the conditions listed be- low. Hale seconded. 1. All grass areas disturbed by consfruction musf be repaired and sodded within 30 days after all construction has been completed. 2. All applicable e/ectrical and building permits must be obtained prior to commence- ment of construction. 3. No advertising shall be displayed on the antennas or antenna panels. 4. The anfennas must be painted the same color as the tower. Motion passed unanimously. 6.2 CASE CUP03-019 (Public hearing continued from the 4/28/03 meeting) The SouthEast Metro Amateur Radio Club (SEMARC) applied for a conditional use permit to allow two antennas to be placed on the Inwood Avenue Water Tower, 6700 Inwood Avenue South. McCool stated that the staff report is the same as for the previous application. Planning Commission Minutes May 19, 2003 Page 3 of 5 Bailey opened the public hearing. No one spoke. Bailey closed the public hearing. Hale made a motion to approve the application subject to the conditions listed below. Reese seconded. 1. All grass areas disturbed by construcfion must be repaired and sodded within 30 days after all construction has been completed. 2. All applicable electrical and building permits must be obtained prior to commence- ment of construction. 3. No advertising shall be displayed on the antennas or antenna panels. 4. The antennas must be painfed the same co/or as the tower. Motion passed unanimously. 6.3 CASE RS03-022 Tyrone Hubbard has applied for a simple lot division with variance for a simple boundary adjustment between 10384 Kimberly Court South and 10398 Kimberly Court South. McCool summarized the staff report and recommended approval subject to the conditions stipulated in the staff report. Severson asked why the city approves lot layouts that end up with these types of problems. McCool responded that it is difficult to know when reviewing a lot layout what a property owner will ultimately develop their property and they generally build their home in the center of the lot. He explained that property owners on corner lots sometimes assume they can ac- cess their property from the other street frontage, which city ordinances only allow one access per parcel. Hudnut asked what the term "occasional flooding" meant and how the owner would maintain around the flooding area. McCool stated that as part of the review for the subdivision plat in 1996, the city required the platting of a utility and drainage easement through this area be- cause it is where a drainageway existed. He explained that the engineers reviewed how much surface water flows through and calculated the higher water elevation to determine the location of the outer limits of the drainage easement. He stated that much of the drainage flow in that area probably occurs in the spring time or heavy downpours. Gregg Lowe, 10384 Kimberly Court South, stated that the problem has been taken care of and the grove of trees has been removed. He explained that they have re-graded the drain- ageway to improve surface drainage. He stated that the drainage now goes through the cul- verts and does not come close to where the driveway would be built. McCool asked if there are flows during all rains or just heavy downpours. Lowe responded just in the spring time and during heavy downpours. Planning Commission Minutes May 19, 2003 Page 4 of 5 Booth asked what recourse the city would have if the new driveway causes drainage prob- lems in other areas. Lowe explained that the driveway would not be in the drainage ease- ment and only class V gravel would be in the easement area. McCool stated that if there are grade changes which are found to create a drainage problem, the city would require the landowner to re-grade the drainageway. Brittain asked if the new driveway would be Class V gravel. Tyrone Hubbard, 10398, Kimberly Court South, stated that right now it is just sand, but would like to put Class V there to have a firmer base going back to the garage. McCool stated that a driveway from the front plane of the home to the backyard could be Class V, but any part of the driveway in front of the front plane of the attached garage or house must be hard surFaced. Hubbard stated that he is the second owner of that house, and if he had built the house, he would have moved both the house and septic system another 20 feet south of its current lo- cation. He stated that the driveway going back to the garage is just sand and instead of moving the septic system, which would cost more money, he is purchasing the property from the Lowes. Bailey opened the public hearing. No one spoke. Bailey c/osed the public hearing. Willhite made a motion to approve the simple lot division with variance, subject to the conditions listed below. Brittain seconded. 1. The applicant shall �le with Washingfon County the appropriate document(s) re- quired by their adminisfration to combine the 0.0.149 acre severed parcel from property at 10384 Kimberly Court (Geocode No. 26-027-21-23-0006) with the parcel at 10398 Kimberly Court (Geocode 26-027-21-23-0005) that is owned by fhe appli- cant. 2. The private driveway extension at 10398 Kimberly Court to be located within the 0.149-acre parcel being severed from Lot 3, Block 1, Eagle Ridge shall not divert or impede existing stormwater drainage flow. Motion passed unanimously. Applications and Requests None. Approval of Planning Commission Minutes of April 28, 2003 Hudnut made a motion to approve the minufes of the April 28, 2003, Planning Com- mission meeting. Severson seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Reports 9.1 Recap of May 7, 2003 City Council Meeting Planning Commission Minutes May 19, 2003 Page 5 of 5 McCool reported that at the May 7, 2003, City Council meeting, the Council proclaimed May 5— 12, 2003, as Historic Preservation Week. He stated that they approved the final design for the trail connection between the Hidden Oaks neighborhood and the Timber Ridge 5th Addition, which is a 12-foot wide, hard-surfaced drive with landscaping on both sides. Booth asked if people were allowed on the trail. McCool responded that pedestrians are allowed, but not motorized vehicles, except for emergency vehicles. Booth asked if there would be signage prohibiting vehicle traffic. McCool responded yes. McCool then reported that the Council approved the plans and specifications for Pine Arbor 1 st Addition and for Homestead at Highland Hills, and they approved the simple lot division applied for by Mr. Angell to sub- divide a 10-acre parcel of land on 110th Street. 9.2 Committee Reports None. 9.3 Planning Commission Requests None. 9.4 Response to Planning Commission Inquiries Bailey stated that included with the Planning Commission packets were renderings of the layout of the Pete Thompson Family Park in the Highland Hills subdivision and the warming house for that park. Brittain asked how far the warming house was from the hockey rink. McCool responded that while he does not have a scaled drawing, he would guess that it is probably about 65 feet. Brittain then asked if the path between the warming house and the rink would be frozen to allow skaters to get between the two. McCool stated that he does not know those details, but that is usually the case at other park sites. Booth asked if there would be any outdoor lighting. McCool responded in the parking lot and at the hockey rink. Hale asked if the developer was still paying for en#ire park. McCool responded that the city would be contributing some funds to the project. Adjournment Booth made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Severson seconded. Motion passed unanimously and meeting adjourned at 7:32 p.m,