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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-02-23 PACKET 08. City of Cottage Grove Planning Commission January 26, 2015 A meeting of the Planning Commission was held at Cottage Grove City Hall, 12800 Ravine Park- way South, Cottage Grove, Minnesota, on Monday, January 26, 2015, in the Council Chambers and telecast on Local Government Cable Channel 16. Call to Order Vice Chair Rediske called the Planning Commission meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Roll Call Members Present: Ken Brittain, Adam Graf, Kimberly Graff, Jody Imdieke, Lise’ Rediske Members Absent: Wayne Johnson, Chris Reese, Jim Rostad Staff Present: Jennifer Levitt, Community Development Director/City Engineer John M. Burbank, Senior Planner Justin Olsen, City Councilmember Approval of Agenda Brittain made a motion to approve the agenda. Graff seconded. The motion was approved unanimously (5-to-0 vote). Open Forum Rediske 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 Rediske explained the purpose of the Planning Commission, which serves in an advisory capacity to the City Council, and that the City Council makes all final decisions. In addition, she explained the process of conducting a public hearing and requested that any person wishing to speak should go to the microphone and state their full name and address for the public record. Public Hearings and Applications 6.1 Marty Accessory Structure – Case CUP2015-001 Linden B. Marty has applied for a conditional use permit to allow for a height increase and the oversized construction of a detached accessory structure by 40 percent (per the ordi- nance criteria in Title 11-3-3) at 6700 Kirkwood Avenue South. Burbank summarized the staff report and recommended approval subject to the conditions stipulated in the staff report. Planning Commission Minutes January 26, 2015 Page 2 of 4 Linden Marty, 6700 Kirkwood Avenue South, added that the main reason for this application is that he ran out of room for storage of a motorcycle and trailer. He will not be operating a business out of the new structure. Rediske opened the public hearing. No one spoke. Rediske closed the public hearing. Brittain made a motion to recommend approval of the conditional use permit, subject to the conditions listed in the staff report. Graf seconded. Motion passed unanimously (5-to-0 vote). 6.2 Aggregate Industries 2015 Mining Permit – Case MP2015-002 Aggregate Industries – North Central Region, Inc. has applied for their 2015 mining permit to continue their mining operations on Lower Grey Cloud Island. Burbank summarized the staff report and played a video showing some of the mining opera- tions. He recommended approval based on the findings of fact and subject to the conditions stipulated in the staff report. Bob Bieraugel, Aggregate Industries, 2815 Dodd Road, stated that the only changes to their operations on a year-to-year basis are where the dredge is floating, where they are wasting some of the excess sand coming off the dredge, and where the reclamation area is. He ex- plained that they are doing an oak savannah restoration as opposed to planting non-native trees as they have done in the past. They are following the advice of Great River Greening on the oak savannah restoration. Over the next 15 to 20 years, much of that area will be native grasses and small but growing oak trees until the property owner decides to develop the property. Brittain asked if there has been any thought about spacing of the tree plantings for future development or is it just a general restoration. Bieraugel responded that it is a general resto- ration. An oak savannah is essentially a prairie with groves of oak trees. He described past tree plantings. Prior to their mining operations, this area was a prairie with top soil consisting of black sand. The oak savannah is the native ecotype for this area. When they first started the oak savannah project, they planted five or six groves of oak trees of varying sizes with a double ring of deer fencing around them. Over the years, they gave up on one grove because the conditions are too dry and harsh. They will continue to take care of the groves and replant as trees die. Last year they cut five to ten acres of black locust, which is an invasive tree species. This year, weather conditions permitting, they will burn the 15-acre native prairie area and replant it with native grasses. Rediske asked if anyone wanted to speak on this application. No one spoke. Brittain made a motion to approve Aggregate Industries’ 2015 mining permit, based on the findings of fact and subject to the conditions listed in the staff report. Imdieke seconded. Motion passed unanimously (5-to-0 vote). 6.3 Dwelling Units in Residential Districts – Case TA2015-003 Planning Commission Minutes January 26, 2015 Page 3 of 4 The City of Cottage Grove has applied for a zoning text amendment modifying City Code Title 11-9A relating to the definition and number of dwelling units and accessory uses in residential districts. Burbank summarized the staff report and recommended approval. Brittain asked about the language in line 19 requiring that “each dwelling unit must be located on a separate lot of record,” in regards to townhome structures that have more than one dwell- ing unit and if that means that the boundary lines of those lots of record would go through the building. Burbank responded that is correct. He stated that existing townhome developments such as Mississippi Dunes Estates and Almar Village were platted as separate lots of record. Those lots include the residential unit and area outside the physical structure that accommo- dates decks, driveways, and landscaping areas. The proposed language is just clarifying that they are separate lots of record. Rediske opened the public hearing. No one spoke. Rediske closed the public hearing. Graf made a motion to approve the zoning text amendment to City Code Title 11-9A. Graff seconded. Motion passed unanimously (5-to-0 vote). Discussion Items None Approval of Planning Commission Minutes of December 22, 2014 Imdieke made a motion to approve the minutes from the December 22, 2014, Planning Commission meeting. Graff seconded. Motion passed unanimously (5-to-0 vote). Reports 9.1 Recap of January City Council Meetings Levitt reported that at their January 7, 2015, meeting, the City Council accepted the Cottage Grove 2015 East Ravine AUAR and authorized it for distribution; the Planning Commission will review the AUAR comments at their next meeting. At their meeting on January 21, the Council approved the conditional use permit from AT&T for antennas on the 81st Street water tower, the tree house setback variance at Hope Glen Farm, the Kingston Grove preliminary plat with changes to the trail layout and stormwater pond, and the sign ordinance with amend- ments to allow lease signs to remain until buildings are fully leased and to allow up to 40 percent window signage coverage. Olsen stated that the City Council held their goals workshop on January 24, which is an all- day meeting where Council and staff discuss priorities for the coming year. Planning Commission Minutes January 26, 2015 Page 4 of 4 Olsen reported that in February he as the Council Liaison to the Planning Commission will appoint the Chair to the Commission. He asked if any Commissioner is interested in serving as Chair for the next year. Brittain is interested. Olsen stated that the Commission will elect the Vice Chair and asked if anyone was interested in being Vice Chair. Graff volunteered. Olsen noted that he will ask those Commissioners not in attendance if they would be interested in serving as either Chair or Vice Chair. 9.2 Response to Planning Commission Inquiries None 9.3 Planning Commission Requests None Adjournment Graff made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Brittain seconded. Motion passed unani- mously (7-to-0 vote). The meeting adjourned at 7:49 p.m.