Planning Commission

MAPLE GROVE PLANNING COMMISSION October 25, 2021 CALL TO ORDER A meeting of the Maple Grove Planning Commission was held at 7:00 p.m. on October 25, 2021 at the Maple Grove City Hall, Hennepin County, Minnesota. Chair Lamothe called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ROLL CALL Planning Commission members present were Chair Craig Lamothe, Chris Ayika, Lorie Klein, Susan Lindeman, Chuck Lenthe, Michael Ostaffe, and Joe Piket. Present also were Peter Vickerman, Planning Manager; and Scott Landsman, City Attorney. ITEMS TO BE None. REMOVED FROM THE AGENDA CONSENT ITEMS The following Consent Items were presented for the Commission’s approval: MINUTES A. Regular Meeting – September 27, 2021 Motion by Commissioner Ayika, seconded by Commissioner Lenthe, to approve the Consent Items as presented. Upon call of the motion by Chair Lamothe, there were seven ayes and no nays. Motion carried. CONSIDERATION None. OF ITEMS PULLED FROM CONSENT AGENDA REVIEW OF THE Mr. Vickerman reviewed with the Commission what items the City CITY COUNCIL Council approved that was given direction at the Planning Commission level. MINUTES FROM THEIR REGULAR Maple Grove Planning Commission October 25, 2021 Page 2 MEETING OF OCTOBER 18, 2021 OLD BUSINESS No items to present. NEW BUSINESS Mr. Vickerman stated the applicant is requesting a short plat PUBLIC HEARING review of his proposal to split the lot at 8202 Walnut Grove Lane North into two lots. The subject property is located within the R-1 LOUKUSA Single-Family Residential District. Staff discussed the plans in ADDITION further detail and made the following recommendation. DAVID LOUKUSA STAFF RECOMMENDATION: 8202 WALNUT GROVE LANE Motion to recommend that the City Council direct the City NORTH Attorney to draft a Resolution approving the Loukusa Addition short plat subject to: SHORT PLAT FOR THE PURPOSE OF 1. The applicant addressing to the satisfaction of the city any PLATTING THE remaining applicable comments contained in the PROPERTY INTO memorandums from: TWO PARCELS a. The Community & Economic Development Department dated September 20, 2021 b. Water Resources dated September 16, 2021 c. The Parks & Recreation Department, dated October 5, 2021 The applicant shall acknowledge that Park Dedication requirements are based on staff review and recommendation to the Park and Recreation Board and their subsequent board action. Board meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month. The applicant was at the meeting to answer questions. Chair Lamothe opened the public hearing at 7:03 p.m. The public was asked by Chair Lamothe if they had any comments to make regarding this application. No one wished to address the Commission. Motion by Chair Lamothe, seconded by Commissioner Piket, Maple Grove Planning Commission October 25, 2021 Page 3 to close the public hearing at 7:04 p.m. Upon call of the motion by Chair Lamothe, there were seven ayes and no nays. Motion carried. Motion by Commissioner Ayika, seconded by Commissioner Lenthe, to recommend that the City Council direct the City Attorney to draft a Resolution approving the Loukusa Addition short plat subject to: 1. The applicant addressing to the satisfaction of the city any remaining applicable comments contained in the memorandums from: a. The Community & Economic Development Department dated September 20, 2021 b. Water Resources dated September 16, 2021 c. The Parks & Recreation Department, dated October 5, 2021 The applicant shall acknowledge that Park Dedication requirements are based on staff review and recommendation to the Park and Recreation Board and their subsequent board action. Board meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month. Upon call of the motion by Chair Lamothe, there were seven ayes and no nays. Motion carried. Mr. Vickerman stated the applicants are proposing to subdivide the PUBLIC HEARING parcel at 12101 93rd Avenue N into four separate lots to build two twin homes (for a total of four units.) Existing conditions of the HANSEN SHIH property show a lot area of 28,595 square feet (0.66 acres) and a lot MAPLE ADDITION width of 200 feet along County Road 30 (93rd Avenue N) The site 12101 MAPLE LLC is guided for medium density residential which has a density range of four to ten units per acre. The development is modeled after the 12101 93RD twin home lots lining 92nd Avenue N located just south of this AVENUE NORTH proposed development site. Each of those lots are approximately PLANNED UNIT 45 feet wide. This allows the two townhome structures to be closer DEVELOPMENT so that there is enough room to accommodate guest parking/turn RESIDENTIAL around areas at the ends of the private driveway. Vehicular access CONCEPT STAGE to the site is proposed off of County Road 30 with a shared private PLAN, driveway. The units and driveway are arranged so that residents leaving the site will not need to back onto County Road 30 but can DEVELOPMENT Maple Grove Planning Commission October 25, 2021 Page 4 STAGE PLAN AND turn around onsite. This property received a variance on FINAL PLAT FOR September 3, 1991 which allowed the residential lot direct access THE PURPOSE TO onto a minor arterial street. The variance was approved in CONSTRUCT TWO combination with the Wellington Crest 3rd Addition plat that changed this lot from an outlot to lot and block status. Staff SEPARATE TWIN discussed the plans in further detail and made the following HOME recommendation. STRUCTURES THAT CONTAIN STAFF RECOMMENDATION: TWO UNITS EACH Motion to recommend that the City Council direct the City Attorney to draft a Resolution and a Planned Unit Development agreement approving the Hansen Shih Maple Addition PUD concept stage plan, development stage plan and final plat subject to: 1. The applicant addressing to the satisfaction of the city any remaining applicable comments contained in the memorandums from: a. The Parks & Recreation Department, dated October 5, 2021 b. Hennepin County Public Works dated September 30, 2021 c. Hennepin County Public Works dated October 28, 2020 2. The applicant addressing to the satisfaction of the Engineering Department all applicable comments contained in the drawing dated October 15, 2021. The applicant shall acknowledge that Park Dedication requirements are based on staff review and recommendation to the Park and Recreation Board and their subsequent board action. Board meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month. Discussion Commissioner Lindeman asked what the plans were for this site in 1991. Mr. Vickerman commented the plans were to have one twinhome on the property. Commissioner Piket questioned if the property lines would run through the middle of the twinhomes. Mr. Vickerman reported this Maple Grove Planning Commission October 25, 2021 Page 5 was the case. Commissioner Lenthe inquired if an easement would run along the front of the property for the driveway. Mr. Vickerman commented a shared access easement would be in place for the driveway. Commissioner Ostaffe asked how deep the turnaround would be. Mr. Vickerman explained staff worked with the applicant on this and noted these spaces were 20 feet deep, along with the area in front of the garages. Commissioner Ostaffe questioned if the City had different guiding back in 1991 versus today to allow for one twinhome versus two. Mr. Vickerman commented he was uncertain if the guidance was different. He noted the rest of the neighborhood was guided low density which allowed for one to four units per acre. Commissioner Ostaffe inquired if the curb cut onto County Road 30 would cause a speed reduction for a greater distance. Mr. Vickerman reported this was looked at by the traffic folks and there was not concern. Chair Lamothe discussed the cross section of County Road 30 back in 1991 and asked if adjustments would be made to the painted median to provide safe access into this property. Mr. Vickerman commented Hennepin County would be painting the median to allow a left turn into the property. He indicated Hennepin County did not have concerns about access in and out of the property given the low density and number of units on the site. The applicant was at the meeting to answer questions. Chair Lamothe opened the public hearing at 7:18 p.m. The public was asked by Chair Lamothe if they had any comments to make regarding this application. Carman Laing, 9261 Ives La N, questioned if the twinhomes would be slab on grade. She inquired if the twinhomes would be rented or owned and what the value of the units would be. Lane Hansen, 4925 Ridge Road in Edina, explained the twinhomes would be 34’ by 68’ and would be two stories from the back. He reported the twinhomes would be 2,000 square feet in size with three bedrooms. He indicated the twinhomes would be rented but may be owned eventually. He stated the lawn and snow would be Maple Grove Planning Commission October 25, 2021 Page 6 contracted out for the two twinhomes. Ms. Laing expressed concern with these units being rented noting she wanted her neighborhood to be protected. She requested the existing trees be protected as well. Mr. Hansen noted the proposal would be to add seven additional trees and not to remove any trees. Ms. Laing indicated she did not want the existing culvert to be impacted because this was a drainage outlet for her neighborhood. She noted this culvert is cleaned out every three to four years. Mr. Hansen reported he was mowing this area. Chair Lamothe recommended staff speak with the Public Works Department regarding this matter to ensure the culvert area would not be disturbed and have this matter resolved prior to the City Council meeting on Monday, November 1. Mr. Vickerman stated this would be his intent. Jessica Hammer, 9278 Ives Lane North, expressed concern with the amount of traffic that would be turning in and out of this property and how pedestrians using the walking path would be impacted. Mary Anderson, 12029 92nd Avenue, reported she lived down from the cul-de-sac on the corner. She stated she has lived in her home since 1984. She noted she was concerned about the fact these would not be owner-occupied luxury townhomes, like she was told would be on this site. She explained this development would generate a lot of traffic and were not luxury townhomes. She feared how her property value would be adversely impacted. Motion by Chair Lamothe, seconded by Commissioner Piket, to close the public hearing at 7:35 p.m. Upon call of the motion by Chair Lamothe, there were seven ayes and no nays. Motion carried. Chair Lamothe requested the applicant address the comments or concerns that were raised. Mr. Hansen explained the twinhomes would be very upscale with varying rooflines with tall windows and solid surfaces in the kitchen. He indicated the garages were oversized to allow for ample storage. Maple Grove Planning Commission October 25, 2021 Page 7 Commissioner Ostaffe asked if the end parking would be for guests only. Mr. Hansen reported this was the case. Commissioner Ostaffe recommended the waste canisters be properly screened from public view or be stored within the garage. Motion by Commissioner Lenthe, seconded by Commissioner Ayika, to recommend that the City Council direct the City Attorney to draft a Resolution and a Planned Unit Development agreement approving the Hansen Shih Maple Addition PUD concept stage plan, development stage plan and final plat subject to: 1. The applicant addressing to the satisfaction of the city any remaining applicable comments contained in the memorandums from: a. The Parks & Recreation Department, dated October 5, 2021 b. Hennepin County Public Works dated September 30, 2021 c. Hennepin County Public Works dated October 28, 2020 2. The applicant addressing to the satisfaction of the Engineering Department all applicable comments contained in the drawing dated October 15, 2021. The applicant shall acknowledge that Park Dedication requirements are based on staff review and recommendation to the Park and Recreation Board and their subsequent board action. Board meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month. Commissioner Lindeman stated she did not care for this development. She did not believe this property was zoned properly and the four homes were a concern to her. She indicated she would be voting to approve the request because it met the City’s requirements and not because she supported the request. Commissioner Piket agreed this property was zoned wrong and there were too many units being proposed for this site, especially given the fact the site only had one entrance and exit. He explained Maple Grove Planning Commission October 25, 2021 Page 8 he would be much more supportive if there was only one twinhome. He stated he would be voting against this request. Commissioner Ostaffe indicated he was concerned with how this site was be accessed. He discussed the location of the new median that was installed near this property and feared this median would impact traffic trying to enter and exit this property. He stated he also did not support these units being rental given the fact the surrounding properties were all single family homes. Chair Lamothe stated he was in agreement with Commissioner Lindeman. He indicated the zoning was wrong, but this was something the Commission could not change. He explained he would be supporting this request, but had concerns. Commissioner Piket discussed how difficult it would be for eight vehicles to enter and exit this property during peak traffic hours. Commissioner Ostaffe noted that if these were rental units, there could be four to six cars per unit, which was an even greater concern to him. Chair Lamothe called the question. Upon call of the motion by Chair Lamothe, there were five ayes and two nays (Commissioners Ostaffe and Piket). Motion carried. DISCUSSION There were no discussion items. ITEMS ADJOURNMENT Motion by Chair Lamothe, seconded by Commissioner Ayika, to adjourn the Planning Commission meeting. Upon call of the motion by Chair Lamothe, there were seven ayes and no nays. Motion carried. Chair Lamothe adjourned the meeting at 7:50 p.m. to the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Planning Commission scheduled for November 8, 2021.