Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting

PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at 6:00 PM Baxter City Hall, 13190 Memorywood Drive, Baxter, MN “A Growing Community” CALL TO ORDER The regular meeting of the Baxter Planning and Zoning Commission was called to order at 6:00 pm by Chair Hiltner. ROLL CALL MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Chuck Hiltner, Commissioners Larry Kellerman, Gwen Carleton, Howie Oswald, Cathy Clark and Council Liaison/Mayor Darrel Olson MEMBERS ABSENT: None STAFF PRESENT: City Planner Matthew Gindele OTHERS: Chad Connor MINUTES 1. Approve Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting Minutes from February 10, 2026. MOTION by Commissioner Carelton, seconded by Commissioner Kellerman to approve the Planning and Zoning Minutes from the February 10, 2026. Motion carried unanimously. Chair Hiltner stated that this Commission is a recommending body, and that final approval/denial of the applications on the agenda is taken up with the City Council on March 17, 2026. COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS None OLD BUSINESS None NEW BUSINESS 2. PUBLIC HEARING. Conditional use permit to amend joint-access and setback variances to allow for a building addition for property located at 7352 Glory Road. (city file 2026-006) Chair Hiltner asked for the staff report. Planner Gindele stated the applicant is requesting approval of the following items for the roughly 1.1-acre site:  Conditional Use Permit Amendment (CUPA) to amend joint access  Variances to the principal and accessory structure front yard setback requirements 3/10/2026 Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting Minutes Page 2 The applicant is proposing to construct an addition on the south side of the existing building to create a new tenant space for 5 Below. The applicant would remove the existing parking stalls on the south side of the building to make room for the addition. Access to the site is provided from Glory Road and Garrison Road. Planner Gindele reviewed the site plan, removal plan, redesign of the parking isle and pedestrian traffic and trash enclosure with the Commission via an aerial map. He noted that a landscaping plan was not submitted with this application, but is conditioned in the draft resolution. Planner Gindele explained the ingress and egress with Hobby Lobby remaining as a condition of the agreement with 5 Below. He also reviewed the elevations and materials with the Commission. The applicant is requesting a conditional use permit for joint/cross-access easement. The existing access points are proposed to remain the same. The reason for the joint access amendment is to allow the attorney’s an opportunity to review the existing access agreement and propose any necessary changes to it to account for the new tenant (5 Below). The zoning ordinance permits the setback for drive aisles to be reduced to zero to allow joint driveway and parking across lot lines with approval of a conditional use permit, provided that: ● Driveways and parking areas are designed to accommodate a safe traffic pattern ● Design requirements are met. ● An access master plan is submitted ● A cross-access easement be submitted for approval by the city attorney and recorded. Staff notes that the attached plans for development serve as the master plan for joint access. Additionally, the joint access connection points on the shared property lines are not changing. The CUP is to update easements as needed to reflect the building addition and new traffic pattern. Staff finds that the joint access meets the city’s design requirements for joint use and would include a safe traffic pattern. Staff has added a condition to the approving resolution that the applicant shall submit any required amendments to existing private joint access easements as required by the City Attorney. Said amended easement shall be reviewed and approved by the City Attorney and recorded with Crow Wing County. Regarding the variance. The applicant is requesting a variance to allow a principal structure building addition with a 24.2-foot front yard setback and an accessory trash enclosure structure to have a 15- foot front yard setback; both the addition and the accessory trash enclosure require a minimum 35- foot front yard setback. The applicant is proposing a building addition on the south side of the existing building and a trash enclosure on the south end of the larger parking lot to the east of the existing building. The existing parking on the south side of the existing building would be removed to make way for the building addition, and a few stalls would be used to located the trash enclosure. A total of 52 parking stalls are proposed to be removed for the proposed improvements, but enough stalls would remain to meet the required parking standard of the ordinance. The architecture of the proposed building addition would mimic the architecture of the existing building. The Utility Commission reviewed the application on March 4, 2026, and recommended approval of the conditional use permit and variances subject to the following condition: 1. Enter into an Escrow Agreement prior to issuance of a building permit. 3/10/2026 Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting Minutes Page 3 Staff recommends approval of the conditional use permit for joint access and the front yard setback variances, subject to the findings and conditions in the draft resolution. Chair Hiltner asked about signage. Planner Gindele indicated there is a joint agreement between El Tequila, Les Schwab and this property. He explained the agreement to the Commission. Chair Hiltner opened the public hearing. Mr. Chad Conner, Widseth approached the podium. He indicated that 5 Below has been looking at this area for 5 years and stated Planner Gindele did a great presentation of the proposed project. Mr. Conner stated that the applicant wanted the Commission to know that all parties involved in the joint access agreement have signed off on the project. Chair Hiltner asked about the back area of the building, was that storage or a play area. Mr. Conner indicated that he wasn’t sure, as it was labeled “play create sports” according to Planner Gindele. There was not an answer to the question, as staff and Mr. Conner were unsure. Planner Gindele stated that the floor plan is typically submitted at time of building permit and that the reason a floor plan was submitted ahead of time was for SAC/WAC estimates. Chair Hiltner asked about the doors going out the west side of the building, but it doesn’t show on the elevations. Mr. Conner indicated that this plan it a “typical” plan and has not been finalize for the building permit submission. Planner Gindele added that this floor plan was provided for engineering to mockup a SAC/WAC letter for the applicant. There is a possibility that the floor plans will change slightly once the building permit is submitted. Chair Hiltner asked, being the building is being added on, who owns the buildings. Mr. Conner indicated there is one owner that leases the spaces. He then asked if Mr. Conner was in agreement with the conditions, he was. Chair Hiltner closed the public hearing. MOTION by Commissioner Clark, seconded by Commissioner Carleton to approve the conditional use permit to amend joint-access and setback variances to allow for a building addition for property located at 7352 Glory Road, as presented by staff in the draft resolutions. Motion carried unanimously. UPDATES None ADJOURN MOTION by Commissioner Clark, seconded by Commissioner Kellerman to adjourn the meeting at 6:24 p.m. Motion unanimously approved. Approved by: Submitted By: __________________________ ____________________________ Chuck Hiltner Shanna Newman Chair CD Administrative Assistant 3/10/2026 Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting Minutes Page 4