Planning Commission

MORGANTOWN PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES 6:30 p.m. March 9, 2017 Morgantown Municipal Airport – AARF Building COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Peter DeMasters, Carol Pyles, William Blosser, Sam Loretta, Bill Petros, Tim Stranko, Bill Kawecki and Michael Shuman COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: None. STAFF PRESENT: Christopher Fletcher, AICP I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL: DeMasters called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. and read the standard explanation of the how the Planning Commission conducts business and rules for public comments. II. GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS: None III. MATTERS OF BUSINESS: A. Approval of the February 9, 2017 meeting minutes: Stranko moved to approve as presented; seconded by Kawecki. Motion carried unanimously with DeMasters abstaining due to his absence. IV. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: None. V. NEW BUSINESS: A. RZ17-01 / James Giuliani / Fifth Ward: Request by John Sausen of Omni Associates, on behalf of James Giuliani, et al., for a Zoning Map Amendment to reclassify property from R-1A, Single-Family Residential District to B-1, Neighborhood Business District; Tax Map 26, Parcels 465, 466, 485, 484, 483, 482, 481, 480, 478, 475, 474, and 473 and Tax Map 29, Parcels 110, 111, 112, and 113. WITHDRAWN BY APPLICANT. B. MNS17-02 / Root / 804 Grand Street: Request by Christian and Amy Root for minor subdivision approval of property located at 804 Grand Street; Tax Map 41, Parcels 104.01 and 105; R-1A, Single-Family Residential District Fletcher presented the Staff Report and noted the petitioner requested Staff to represent the petition. There being no comments or questions by the Commission, DeMasters asked if anyone was present to speak in favor of or in opposition to petition. There being none, DeMasters declared the public hearing closed and asked for Staff recommendations, which were read by Fletcher. Morgantown Planning Commission Page 1 of 4 March 9, 2017 Minutes Stranko moved to approve Case No. MNS17-02 with Staff recommended conditions; seconded by Kawecki. Motion carried unanimously. C. MNS17-03 / Strazanac / 912 Riverview Drive: Request by John S. Strazanac for minor subdivision approval of property located at 912 Riverview Drive; Tax Map 15, Parcel 30; R-1, Single-Family Residential District. Fletcher presented the Staff Report. DeMasters recognized John Strazanac of 912 Riverview Drive who concurred with the Staff Report and expressed concern with the garage under the deck as he could not guarantee his property is ten feet away from the proposed boundary. Strazanac noted that a 65-foot frontage is an older standard in the neighborhood with many older homes. Petros asked for the age of the house. Strazanac stated the house was built in the 1920’s and the second lot was purchased about a year after the sale of the house. There being no further comments or questions by the Commission, DeMasters asked if anyone was present to speak in favor of or in opposition to petition. There being none, DeMasters declared the public hearing closed and asked for Staff recommendations, which were read by Fletcher. Petros expressed he may have a conflict of interest due to living in a close proximity of the petitioner. After a brief discussion, Petros recused himself and left the room. Blosser asked for the use of the second parcel. DeMasters explained that it is irrelevant to the decision-making process as the explanation of use is not required in order to consider the request. Kawecki asked how close the garage would be to the property line as proposed. Fletcher referred to the Staff recommended conditions and noted the proposed subdivision is recommended to be no closer than the minimum 10-foot side setback requirement. Fletcher asked if the garage is attached to the house. Strazanac confirmed. Fletcher then reiterated the recommended setback for the proposed subdivision is ten (10) feet if the garage is attached to the house. Kawecki asked if the required frontage will be met. Fletcher explained the frontage requirement will could not be met because the frontage of the existing parcel is less than 140 feet. However, both proposed parcels will exceed the minimum lot area standard of 7,200 square feet. Strazanac provided further explanation and stated the two (2) proposed parcels will be near the same size but will not be identical as the property is not a rectangle. Stranko asked if adjusting the proposed subdivision line to accommodate the side setback from the garage would still meet the lot area requirement. Fletcher confirmed. Stranko inquired that the minimum lot frontage standard could not be in compliance regardless of the location of the subdivision line. Fletcher confirmed. Morgantown Planning Commission Page 2 of 4 March 9, 2017 Minutes Fletcher explained that the lot on the right will have less area than the lot on the left in order to meet the side setback requirement for the existing home on the left lot. DeMasters referred to a similar minor subdivision petition that was considered and denied at the last hearing. Stranko noted that request considered a landmark structure that was important to the character of the neighborhood and expressed the current petition does not have those same concerns. Blosser referred to the survey in the Staff Report and inquired about the driveway and what would happen to it with the subdivision of parcels. Fletcher noted the survey is older and expressed the current conditions might not exist as shown in the survey. Strazanac provided further explanation stating the driveway is shared with the adjacent neighbors on the left side. Loretta asked whether the Commission is being asked to approve the right to subdivide the property or approving a proposed subdivision. DeMasters noted there does not appear to be sufficient information provided to see exactly how the lot would be subdivided. Loretta inquired if the petition could be tabled until exact dimensions could be provided. DeMasters stated someone would have to make that motion to table the request. Loretta moved to table MNS17-03 pending the submission of a scaled drawing illustrating proposed boundaries and the location of the existing house; seconded by Stranko. Motion carried unanimously. Fletcher noted that the petition will remain on the agenda with a notation of delay to the May hearing if the applicant is not able to submit the requested information in time for the April hearing. D. MNS17-04 / Glenmark Real Estate, LLC / Fieldview Avenue: Request by Mark J. Nesselroad, on behalf of Glenmark Real Estate, LLC, for minor subdivision approval of property located on Fieldview Avenue; Tax Map 48A, Parcel 15; B-2, Service Business District. Fletcher presented the Staff Report and noted the petitioner requested Staff to represent the petition. There being no comments or questions by the Commission, DeMasters asked if anyone was present to speak in favor of or in opposition to petition. There being none, DeMasters declared the public hearing closed and asked for Staff recommendations, which were read by Fletcher. Stranko moved to approve Case No. MNS17-04 with Staff recommended conditions; seconded by Loretta. Motion carried unanimously. E. TX17-05 / Administrative / Bicycle Storage: Administratively requested Zoning Text Amendments to Article 1365.04 concerning bicycle racks. Fletcher presented the Staff Report and stated the amendment includes minor modifications to promote bicycle rack development. Morgantown Planning Commission Page 3 of 4 March 9, 2017 Minutes Loretta asked if the changes would include both indoor and outdoor bicycle racks. Fletcher confirmed. Kawecki expressed support of the proposed amendments and noted the City of Pittsburgh, PA has sculptures that are bicycle racks, which enhances and provides bicycle access for the area. There being no further comments or questions by the Commission, DeMasters asked if anyone was present to speak in favor of or in opposition to petition. There being none, DeMasters declared the public hearing closed and asked for Staff recommendations, which were read by Fletcher. Stranko moved to forward a favorable recommendation to City Council for TX17-05 as presented; seconded by Kawecki. Motion carried unanimously. VI. OTHER BUSINESS A. Committee Reports: None B. Traffic Reports: None C. Green Team: None D. Staff Comments: None VII. FOR THE GOOD OF THE COMMISSION: None. VIII. ADJOURNMENT: 7:06 PM MINUTES APPROVED: April 13, 2017 COMMISSION SECRETARY: _____________________________ Christopher M. Fletcher, AICP Morgantown Planning Commission Page 4 of 4 March 9, 2017 Minutes