Planning Commission

MAPLE GROVE PLANNING COMMISSION March 27, 2023 CALL TO ORDER A meeting of the Maple Grove Planning Commission was held at 7:00 p.m. on Marcy 27, 2023 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, Chuck Lenthe, Michael Ostaffe, Joe Piket and Stephanie Tomlinson. Present also were Kristy Barnett, City Council Liaison; Joe Hogeboom, Community and Economic Development Director; -; John Hagen, Transportation Operations Engineer, 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 – February 13, 2023 Motion by Commissioner Lenthe, seconded by Commissioner Ayika, 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 UPDATE ON CITY Councilmember Barnett reviewed with the Commission what COUNCIL items the City Council approved that was given direction at the Planning Commission level. In addition, she updated the MEETING Commission on the matters the Council has been pursuing at the Maple Grove Planning Commission March 27, 2023 Page 2 capitol. OLD BUSINESS No items to present. NEW BUSINESS PUBLIC HEARING Mr. Hogeboom stated Opus Development, applicant, is seeking PUD concept stage plan, development stage plan, rezoning, PROJECT LIBRE preliminary plat, and final plat approval to accommodate a new OPUS 248,000 square foot build-to-suit, single tenant, corporate office. The proposed development is using the name Project Libre as the DEVELOPMENT specific tenant’s identity is not public at this point in time. The COMPANY LLC business currently projects to have approximately 500 employees NORTHWEST at this location and would enter the city as a top five largest employer. The development is proposed for the undeveloped QUADRANT OF parcel of land located to the northwest of highway 169 and INTERSTATE 695 highway 694 convergence. Staff discussed the plans in further AND HIGHWAY detail and made the following recommendation. 169 STAFF RECOMMENDATION: PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT Motion to recommend that the City Council direct the City CONCEPT STAGE Attorney to draft a resolution and a Planned Unit Development PLAN, agreement approving the Project Libre planned unit development DEVELOPMENT concept stage plan, development stage plan, rezoning, preliminary plat, and final plat subject to: STAGE PLAN, REZONING, 1. The applicant addressing to the satisfaction of the city any PRELIMINARY remaining applicable comments contained in the PLAT AND FINAL memorandums from: PLAT a. The Community & Economic Development Department dated March 2, 2023 b. The Engineering Department dated February 27, 2023 c. The Fire Department dated March 3, 2023 d. The Parks & Recreation Department, dated March 20, 2023 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 Maple Grove Planning Commission March 27, 2023 Page 3 Commissioner Piket asked if there would be manufacturing and warehousing in this building. Mr. Hogeboom deferred this question to the applicant. He reported it was his understanding the building would have office, research and warehousing space. Commissioner Ostaffe inquired if 73rd Street would go through the existing driveway of the tenant to the north. Transportation Operations Engineer John Hagen reported 73rd Place was entirely on the property in question. He explained staff was working with the property owner on how the new roadway would be aligned. The applicant was at the meeting to answer questions. Phil Cattanach, Opus Development representative, thanked staff for their assistance on this project and thanked the Commission for considering his request. He discussed how the project had been adjusted to take into account the wetlands on the property. He reported he was excited to move this project forward in the City of Maple Grove. Commissioner Piket questioned what type of allocation of space would be within the building between warehousing, manufacturing and office space. Mr. Cattanach stated this has yet to be determined. He estimated 40,000 square feet would be used for warehousing and the balance would be office/lab space. Commissioner Piket asked if Opus would be pursuing any type of assistance from the City for this project. Mr. -Cattanach reported Opus would be seeking TIF assistance. Commissioner Ostaffe questioned if the warehousing space would be a distribution-type of arrangement. Mr. Cattanach indicated the warehousing space would be mainly for continued R&D and would not be a distribution type use. Commissioner Lenthe inquired what the wetlands and ponds would look like. Mr. Cattanach deferred this question to his civil engineer. Brady Busselman, Sambatek, reviewed the location of the ponds and noted the ponds would be seeded. Commissioner Lenthe requested further information on how the site would be accessed during construction. Mr. Hagen commented further on the reconfiguration of TH169 and Elm Creek Boulevard and discussed how the subject property would be accessed. Chair Lamothe asked for additional information regarding the Maple Grove Planning Commission March 27, 2023 Page 4 roadway project timing. Mr. Hagen reported 2027 would be when construction would start on the TH169 and Elm Creek Boulevard interchange. He explained staff was working with the County and MNDOT in order to secure funding for this project. He stated the current intersection was adequate or acceptable (Level C), noting staff understood there would be heavier traffic during the AM peak hours. Commissioner Ostaffe reported he drove Kilmer Lane (frontage road) today and questioned if this roadway would be redone as part of this project. Mr. Cattanach stated Kilmer Lane in front of his development would be redone as part of this project. He indicated he did not know what the plans were for the remainder of this road. Mr. Hagen commented the City did not have plans to redo Kilmer Lane in the next five years. He reported this roadway could support the current and proposed levels of traffic in this area. Commissioner Lenthe inquired if the neighboring property was aware of the proposed roadway changes that would occur when this area was under construction. Mr. Cattanach explained he was not sure what communications staff has had with the neighboring property owner. Mr. Hogeboom reported the neighboring property would have access on Kilmer Lane during construction, and then possible access off of 73rd or Revere -after construction. Hogeboom noted that the neighboring property will likely be developed in the near term, so access to the existing use will not be a long term issue. Commissioner Piket asked if the Commission would be able to review the development renderings prior to being asked to vote on the development concept stage plan. Jay Fornea, Opus Development representative, reviewed the development concept stage plans and building renderings in further detail with the Commission. Commissioner Piket requested further comment on the landscape plan. Mr. Fornea discussed the landscape plan with the Commission, noting how traffic and pedestrians would move through the site. Commissioner Piket questioned where the trash receptacles would be located. Mr. Fornea reviewed the proposed location for the trash receptacles. Commissioner Piket inquired if the Arbor Committee had reviewed these plans. Mr. Hogeboom -that this project area is not Maple Grove Planning Commission March 27, 2023 Page 5 located within a tree preservation zone. Commissioner Ostaffe asked if the building would require an expansion and additional parking in the future. Mr. Fornea reviewed the location of the proof of parking along with the space that could be used for a building expansion. Chair Lamothe opened the public hearing at 7:45 p.m. The public was asked by Chair Lamothe if they had any comments to make regarding this application. Tom Helmer, 7865 Jefferson Highway, stated he was a representative for the 100 acres of property to the west. He commented he has worked with staff and was preparing to begin to redevelop the 100 acres west of this site. He noted Kilmer Lane currently services a shop for CS McCrossan. He reported he was in favor of the vacation of Kilmer Lane. He commented on a request he made to staff regarding the roadway configuration. He reviewed his proposal for the roadway design and asked that the City consider a more gradual turn that would connect Kilmer Lane to the new roundabout. He understood this would involve the taking of some Donnelly land. It was his hope the extension of 73rd would be done in the next 18 months. Motion by Chair Lamothe, seconded by Commissioner Klein, to close the public hearing at 7:51 p.m. Upon call of the motion by Chair Lamothe, there were seven ayes and no nays. Motion carried. Chair Lamothe questioned what the timeframe was for 73rd and asked staff what their thoughts were on the extension from the roundabout. Mr. Hagen stated the property to the west was owned by a printing company and staff has spoken to them about the roadway proposal. He reported staff does not have an answer yet, but they were considering the request. He noted the connection to Revere Lane would depend on when the development proposal comes to the City for the 100 acre site. Commissioner Lenthe asked if the property owner to the north was not cooperative, could the City install a roadway without a curve, or could the City work with the property to the west. He noted he could accept this plan as it exists today. Mr. Hagen commented the City was not reliant upon the current property to the north for the public improvements. He indicated the plan in front of the Commission does not show the curved connection to Kilmer Lane. Maple Grove Planning Commission March 27, 2023 Page 6 He commented further on how the roadway could proceed if property was not received from the property to the north. However, he noted staff was pretty confident something would be worked out. Motion by Commissioner Piket, 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 Project Libre planned unit development concept stage plan, development stage plan, rezoning, preliminary plat, 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 Community & Economic Development Department dated March 2, 2023 b. The Engineering Department dated February 27, 2023 c. The Fire Department dated March 3, 2023 d. The Parks & Recreation Department, dated March 20, 2023 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 Ostaffe stated he believed this would be a well done, high level project and he supported the project moving forward. He also supported a City monument facing Interstate 94 being included within this project. Chair Lamothe agreed added that a monument sign should be included on the corner, similar to the sign on the Upsher Smith property. Commissioner Piket indicated he was looking forward to this corner of Maple Grove being developed. Chair Lamothe asked if this would be a new business to Maple Grove. Mr. Cattanach reported this would be a new business to the community. Maple Grove Planning Commission March 27, 2023 Page 7 Commission Ayika thanked the developer for all of their efforts on this project. He questioned when groundbreaking for this project would occur. Mr. Cattanach estimated groundbreaking would occur late fall of 2023. Upon call of the motion by Chair Lamothe, there were seven ayes and no nays. Motion carried. DISCUSSION There were no discussion items. ITEMS ADJOURNMENT Motion by Chair Lamothe, seconded by Commissioner Piket, 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 8:04 p.m. to the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Planning Commission scheduled for April 10, 2023.