Planning Commission

PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES September 21, 2020 5:00 p.m. Meeting Chairman Dev Sookram called the regular meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. He stated that a copy of the Open Meetings Act is posted continually for public inspection located near the entrance door by the agendas. Roll call showed Chairman Sookram and Commissioners, Nielsen, Gifford, Landholm, Lathrop, Borisow, Carlson, Sawyer, and Horeis present. All Nine Commissioners present – a quorum was established. Chairman Sookram read the item: disclosure of Ex Parte communication regarding any item on the agenda into the record. None of the commissioners disclosed any ex parte contacts. Chairman Sookram read the item: dispense with the reading of the minutes of the August 17, 2020 meeting. Commissioner Borisow made a motion to approve the minutes as prepared. Commissioner Landholm seconded the motion. By a roll call vote, Borisow, Gifford, Lathrop, Nielsen, Carlson, Sawyer, Sookram, Landholm and Horeis voted in favor. The motion carried 9-0. Chairman Sookram read the item: a request by David Mitchell for a special exception to Sections 11-615.03 and 11-812(d)(1 and 2) related to all weather surfacing and landscape buffering for a 15.62 acre property generally located at the northwest intersection of County Road S and US Highways 77 & 275. Chairman Sookram noted that the applicant has requested that this item be continued until the October 19, 2020 Planning Commission meeting. Commissioner Sawyer moved to continue the item until the October 19, 2020 meeting. Commissioner Gifford seconded the motion. By roll call vote, Nielson, Landholm, Sookram, Sawyer, Lathrop, Borisow, Gifford, Horeis and Carlson all voting aye. The motion carried 9-0. Chairman Sookram read the item: a request by Martunus Potgieter on behalf of Sweetwater Inc. for a Conditional Use Permit for soil excavation on approximately 10 acres of property generally located at the southwest corner of the Old Highway 8 cul-de- sac and Highway 275. Planning Director Dam stated that she had received several items to distribute including a memo from the Public Works Director, excerpts from the SWPP plan, a letter from a neighbor and an aerial image from a neighbor. Commissioner Landholm moved to receive the memo from the Public Works Director. Commissioner Gifford seconded the motion. By a roll call vote, Borisow, Gifford, Lathrop, Nielsen, Carlson, Sawyer, Sookram, Landholm and Horeis voted in favor. The motion carried 9-0. The memo was passed out to the Commission and read aloud by Director Dam. The memo indicated that the submittals comply with the requirements of the UDC and good engineering design. A copy of the letter is included with the minutes. Commissioner Borisow made a motion to receive the information from the SWPP plan which was seconded by Commissioner Horeis. By a roll call vote, Sookram, Landholm, Carlson, Horeis, Nielsen, Lathrop, Gifford and Borisow voted in favor. The motion carried 9-0. Director Dam handed out two maps from the SWPP plan that show the general area of the proposal in relation to the design for the new interchange for the south by-pass. She pointed out the location of the culverts on the detailed plan and the right-of-way on the expanded map. Copies are included with the minutes. Commissioner Gifford made a motion to receive the letter from a neighbor. Co,missioner Carlson seconded the motion. By a roll call vote, Borisow, Gifford, Lathrop, Nielsen, Carlson, Sawyer, Sookram, Landholm and Horeis voted in favor. The motion carried 9-0. Director Dam passed out copies of the letter and read it aloud. The letter stated the author’s concern with water and potential flooding as a result of the project. A copy is included with the minutes. Commissioner Nielsen made a motion to receive the aerial photo which was seconded by Sawyer. By a roll call vote, Sookram, Landholm, Carlson, Horeis, Nielsen, Lathrop, Gifford and Borisow voted in favor. The motion carried 9-0. Director Dam handed out copies of a photo with red lines indicating an area in which surface water drains. A copy is included with the minutes. Planning Director Dam then provided her staff report. Chairman Sookram opened the public hearing. Ten members of the public spoke expressing concern about flooding, drainage and a potential building site. An individual asked to hand out a photo of their back yard with ponding from snow melt just prior to the 2019 flood. Borisow made a motion to receive, which was seconded by Landholm. On a roll call vote, Sookram, Borisow, Nielsen, Carlson, Lathrop, Horeis, Gifford, Sawyer and Landholm voted in favor. The motion carried 9-0. A copy of the map is attached to the minutes. An individual asked to hand out photos of ponding in the area. Nielsen made a motion to receive which was seconded by Gifford. By a roll call vote, Horeis, Borisow, Gifford, Carlson, Sookram, Landholm, Nielsen, Sawyer and Lathrop voted in favor. The motion carried 9-0. A copy of the photos are attached to the minutes. Chairman Sookram closed the public hearing and asked for discussion among the Planning Commission. After discussion, the Planning Commission indicated that they wanted additional information regarding the grading and drainage for the proposal. Commissioner Horeis moved to continue the item to the next meeting with a request for documentation that shows that the natural drainage will be maintained during construction and a detailed grading plan showing the final grading. Landholm seconded the motion. Commissioner Borisow requested that the Public Works director attend the next meeting to answer questions about the grading and drainage. On a roll call vote Borisow, Gifford, Lathrop, Nielsen, Carlson, Sawyer, Sookram, Landholm and Horeis voted in favor. The motion carried 9-0. Planning Director Dam provided an update on Comprehensive Plan and UDC interviews. She noted that the interviews went well and that the interview team had recommended one team for both the Comprehensive Plan and UDC updates. She stated that she hoped that a contract could be approved prior to the next meeting so that she could introduce the team. Chairman Sookram stated he would entertain a motion to adjourn the meeting. It was moved by Commissioner Sawyer and seconded by Commissioner Nielsen to adjourn the meeting. By roll call vote, Nielson, Landholm, Sookram, Sawyer, Lathrop, Borisow Gifford, Horeis and Carlson all voting aye. The motion carried 9-0. Meeting was adjourned at approximately 6:10 p.m. APPROVED _____________________________________ Dev Sookram, Chairman ATTEST ________________________________ Jennifer Dam, Director of Planning