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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-04-22 PACKET 07. City of Cottage Grove Planning Commission March 25, 2019 A meeting of the Planning Commission was held at Cottage Grove City Hall, 12800 Ravine Park- way South, Cottage Grove, Minnesota, on Monday, March 25, 2019, in the Council Chamber and telecast on Local Government Cable Channel 16. Call to Order Chair Khambata called the Planning Commission meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Roll Call Members Present: Evan Frazier, Tony Khambata, Taylor Mills, Derek Rasmussen, Roger Zopfi Members Absent: Sheree Schuler, Jerret Wright Staff Present: Christine Costello, Acting Community/Economic Development Director John M. Burbank, Senior Planner Emily Schmitz, Senior Planner Ryan Burfeind, Acting City Engineer Steve Dennis, City Councilmember Approval of Agenda Frazier made a motion to approve the agenda. Mills seconded. The motion was approved unanimously (5-to-0 vote). Costello introduced the new Senior Planner, Emily Schmitz. Open Forum Khambata 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 Khambata 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, he 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. Planning Commission Minutes March 25, 2019 Page 2 of 5 Public Hearings and Applications 6.1 Verizon Antennas on West Draw Water Tower – Case CUP2019-012 Verizon Wireless (VAW) LLC, d/b/a Verizon Wireless, has applied for a conditional use per- mit to allow installation of wireless telecommunications equipment on/at the West Draw Water Tower, 6950 Meadow Grass Avenue South. The proposal includes a temporary pole/antenna support structure and a permanent installation on the water tower. Schmitz summarized the staff report and recommended approval subject to the conditions stipulated in the staff report. Rasmussen asked if all the cabling will be inside the water tower or painted to match the outside of the tower. Schmitz responded that the cables will be on the inside of the water tower structure. Khambata opened the public hearing. Jason Voss, 6815 Cattail Court South, asked if the 20-foot wide access utility right-of-way is existing or will be added. Costello responded that is an existing 20-foot right-of-way and it will only be used to access the water tower for maintenance. Voss asked about the proposed monopole and expressed concern about vandalism in the area, drug use, and people sleeping in their cars at the park and asked about putting a security camera in that area to make sure the temporary structure is safe and also the residents in the area. Costello will share those concerns with the Public Safety Department. She stated that the monopole should not need to be there for an extended period of time; it is to allow Verizon to get their quadrants all set. No one else spoke. Khambata closed the public hearing. Mills made a motion to approve the conditional use permit subject to the conditions in the staff report. Frazier seconded. Motion passed unanimously (5-to-0 vote). 6.2 Danner Grading Permit Apache Site – Case ICUP2019-013 Danner Inc. has applied for an interim conditional use permit to allow grading of 500,000 cubic yards on approximately 54 acres of land located on the northeast corner of U.S. Highway 61 and Keats Avenue to prepare the Apache site for future development Burbank summarized the staff report and recommended approval subject to the conditions stipulated in the staff report. Rasmussen asked if the berm along Innovation Road is temporary until the grading is finished or is it intended to screen the future development. Burbank responded that it is intended as a screen for the grading work. Any future berming would be determined when the site is devel- oped. Rasmussen asked why the ICUP would expire in 2026, as it seems to be a lengthy Planning Commission Minutes March 25, 2019 Page 3 of 5 timeframe. Burbank responded staff thought this timeframe was appropriate based on market conditions and when site development options are proposed. Khambata asked if the applicant would be contributing to redistribution of any trees removed now or in the future. Burbank responded that in the 2009 application the tree mitigation was moved forward to development. The property owner and applicant have been involved with the review and the approvals throughout the process and should still be aware of it. Staff has also informed them that additional tree inventories and mitigation are required through this process. Khambata asked if there are any concerns regarding stormwater re-capture and ero- sion control that may disrupt surrounding properties. Burbank responded that the proposed grading permit has been reviewed by the City’s consulting engineer, Bolton & Menk, and Acting City Engineer Ryan Burfeind, and they do not have any concerns over stormwater man- agement or erosion control. Bolton & Menk provided a letter regarding the project, which was included with the staff report. The conditions of the grading permit would list specific details regarding stormwater management and erosion control. The grading permit is also reviewed by the South Washington Watershed District. Frazier noted that one of the recommendations is for grading activities to only be done 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and asked if that is similar to the prior grading permits issued for this property. Burbank responded yes. Frazier asked if there have been any complaints from surrounding property owners. Burbank stated none that he is aware of. Marley Danner, 8314 Delaney Circle, Inver Grove Heights, started that they started this project in 2009 and are working on it in phases. He described the work that has already been done and what still needs to be completed. They have some of their equipment on site now and are ready to go as soon as the permit has been approved. Khambata opened the public hearing. Chelsey Flores, 9495 Jergen Avenue South, asked about the grading level, whether it will be as low as the plot next to the area they have been grading or as low as Walmart. She also asked if trees would be put back in after the grading is finished, noting that the area has lost a lot of coverage and privacy. She then reported that there have been construction workers sitting in her driveway and parking their vehicles on the dead-end preventing access to drive- ways. Burbank pointed out the proposed grading elevations. He stated that the grading plan shows the grade lines going all the way up to the property line, so that would be part of any reforestation when the site is developed. Costello stated that with any development a land- scaping plan would be required. The City is cognizant that residential properties abut the area and believes that some type of buffer should be provided. Eric Knable, 9432 Jergen Place South, asked if there are plans to extend a road through Jergen Avenue, which is now a dead end. He expressed concern about the impact to the wildlife in the area. He also asked if the soil is being tested for contamination as dust is coming into the neighborhood. He then asked depending on what is developed would the capacity of the schools be looked at. Burbank responded that previous comprehensive plans have had local road networks connecting down to East Point Douglas Road. When Walmart came in, it was determined that those local connections would not be made and cul-de-sacs would be installed on the end of those future road extensions to the west. With this particular property, Planning Commission Minutes March 25, 2019 Page 4 of 5 one was not put in as the ultimate land use was not yet determined. During future any devel- opment process, the discussion would continue as to whether there would be any additional tie-ins to Ravine Parkway. Those discussions haven’t taken place. At this point, all that will be done is site grading. He then stated that grading activities are monitored by our inspectors, including dust, and would be addressed if they become an issue. He also pointed out public open space and future trail networks, noting that those correspond with the regional sanitary sewer pipe line and a gas pipe line. Flores asked how close they plan on grading to the gas pipeline. Burbank responded that the easement dimension behind Walmart is similar, which is about 60 to 100 feet off the back of these homes, and the parks and open space corridor would continue in there. Mills asked about the movement of the wildlife. Burbank responded that with any type of de- velopment there will be disturbances to existing patterns of wildlife and habitat, but as the City creates more parks and open space through the development process, wildlife will migrate to those areas. Mills asked about workers blocking driveways in the neighborhoods and if there was anything the neighbors could do if those concerns continue to occur. Burbank stated that not knowing which construction crews they are, a requirement could be added that any con- struction parking activities related to sand and gravel extraction on the site occur on the site. However, it is a public roadway, so people are allowed to park on the street. Blocking drive- ways would be a public safety issue. No one else spoke. Khambata closed the public hearing. Frazier made a motion to approve the interim conditional use permit subject to the con- ditions in the staff report. Rasmussen seconded. Motion passed unanimously (5-to-0 vote). Approval of Planning Commission Minutes of March 25, 2019 Frazier made a motion to approve the minutes of the March 25, 2019, Planning Commis- sion meeting. Mills seconded. Motion passed unanimously (5-to-0 vote). Reports 8.1 Recap of March 2019 City Council Meetings Costello provided a summary of actions taken at the City Council meetings on March 6 and March 20, 2019. Dennis welcomed Khambata as the new Planning Commission Chair. 8.2 Response to Planning Commission Inquiries None Planning Commission Minutes March 25, 2019 Page 5 of 5 8.3 Planning Commission Requests Mills asked what the next steps are for the community center. Costello responded that staff will be approaching the landowner to work on a letter of intent for that site. She stated that there is a schedule of events on the City’s web site. Annual Organizational Meeting 9.1 Accept 2019 Planning Commission Rules Khambata asked if there were any proposed changes to the 2019 Planning Commission Rules. There were none. Frazier made a motion to accept the 2019 Planning Commission Rules. Mills seconded. Motion passed unanimously (5-to-0 vote). 9.2 Election of Officers Khambata asked if there were any nominations for Vice Chair. Frazier nominated himself for Vice Chair. Rasmussen seconded. Khambata asked if there were any other nominations. There were none. Motion passed on a 5-to-0 vote. Khambata asked if there were any nominations for Secretary. Rasmussen nominated himself for Secretary. Frazier seconded. Khambata asked if there were any other nominations. There were none. Motion passed on a 5-to-0 vote. Adjournment Zopfi made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Rasmussen seconded. Motion passed unanimously (5-to-0 vote). The meeting was adjourned at 8:46 p.m.