Planning Commission

MORGANTOWN PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES 6:30 p.m. November 8, 2018 Council Chambers COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Peter DeMasters, William Blosser, Ron Dulaney, Jr., Sam Loretta, Bill Petros, Carol Pyles, Julie Robison, Michael Shuman, and Tim Stranko COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: None. STAFF PRESENT: Christopher M. 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 October 11, 2018 meeting minutes. Stranko moved to approve as presented; seconded by Dulaney. Motion carried unanimously. IV. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: A. TX18-07 / Administrative / Coffee/Tea Shop Uses: Administratively requested Zoning Text Amendments to Sections 1329.02, 1331.05, and 1331.06 of the City’s Planning and Zoning Code relating to “Coffee/Tea Shop” uses. TABLED AT 11 OCT 2018 HEARING. STAFF REQUESTS IT REMAIN ON THE TABLE FOR ADDITIONAL RESEARCH. Fletcher stated Staff requests the matter remain on the table to allow for further research. V. NEW BUSINESS: A. MNS18-22 / Jamison / White Avenue: Request by Deborah Jamison for minor subdivision approval of property located along White Avenue; Tax Map 35, Parcel 306; R-1, Single-Family Residential District and R-1A, Single-Family Residential District. Fletcher presented the Staff Report. 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 portion closed and asked for Staff recommendations, which were read by Fletcher. Morgantown Planning Commission Page 1 of 5 November 8, 2018 Minutes Stranko expressed favor in the application as it complies with the law but noted this is another example of sloping greenspace disappearing. Stranko moved to approve MNS18-22 with Staff recommended conditions; seconded by Robison. Motion carried unanimously. B. S18-09-III / SunCap Property Group, LLC / 461 High Street: Request by Robert A. Matejczyk of The Thrasher Group, Inc., on behalf of SunCap Property Group, LLC, for a Type III Development of Significant Impact Site Plan approval at 461 High Street; Tax Map 26, Parcels 75, 76, and part of 74; B-4, General Business District. Fletcher presented the Staff Report and noted a letter of support was submitted by Main Street Morgantown. DeMasters recognized Matt Virgin, of SunCap Properties, who introduced the team and briefly explained the project. DeMasters recognized Brian Rollar, of SunCap Properties, who stated he is a WVU graduate and expressed excitement for the project. Rollar provided further explanation of the project and noted they will not be seeking any variances or conditional use approvals. Robert Matejczyk, of the Thrasher Group, provided a PowerPoint presentation addressing the civil design elements of the project. Petros asked for the location of the outdoor dining area. Virgin stated the dining area fronts High Street between the proposed building and the public sidewalk. Dulaney referred to the fire truck access diagram and asked if the body of the truck would conflict with the tree plantar closest to Forest Avenue. Matejczyk stated modifications will be necessary to ensure the contemplated planter will not obstruct emergency access vehicles. DeMasters recognized Joshua Frick, Desmone Architects, provided a PowerPoint presentation addressing the architectural design elements of the project. Frick noted the current site is underutilized and they have designed the project to utilize more space as an urban-scaled building. Robison referred to the ground-face masonry cladding material and asked if it would be used as the face of the second and third stories. Frick referred to the story boards and explained the ground-face masonry would be used surrounding the retail spaces while the upper stories would be clad in two different colors of brick. Robison referred to the juliette balcony windows and asked if they would operable. Frick explained the juliette treatments are simply a visual enhancement and not decks. The windows would only be operable enough to meet related building and fire codes. Morgantown Planning Commission Page 2 of 5 November 8, 2018 Minutes Loretta asked for the color of the windows. Frick stated they would be dark bronze with a lighter metal color in the dark brick portions to provide contrast. Loretta asked if the windows would be anodized as the Design Review Committee (DRC) asked that they not be clear anodized. Frick stated they will comply with the DRC request and noted they would not be clear but a dark bronze anodized material. Robison asked if parking spaces would be assigned to the retail and residential uses. Rollar explained that five parking spaces would be reserved for the retail tenants to be used for employee parking. Rollar stated they are not required to provide parking for either the residential or nonresidential component uses but noted there are many public parking options available in the surrounding area. Robison asked if there are any concerns with the loss of public parking spaces. Fletcher stated Morgantown Parking Authority staff has reviewed the project and has not expressed concerns with being able to meet parking demands of the additional uses. Stranko asked how access doors face Chestnut Street. Frick stated there are four total doors which includes access to the three retail units and one access to the residential units. Stranko inquired to the types of uses that will reside in the retail units. Virgin stated they believe it will be a mix of tenants and uses as the spaces do not target a specific type of use. Dulaney expressed the need for additional landscaping along Chestnut Street in the future. Dulaney asked for further explanation and clarification on the parking lot circulation. Rollar stated there will be signage that will prevent vehicles from going the wrong way. Stranko asked how the stormwater retention would be cleaned. Matejczyk confirmed and stated it would discharge to a connection on Forest Avenue and have two cleanout access points. Stranko asked if the building will be managed by SunCap after development. Virgin stated the project is viewed by SunCap as a long-term portfolio property, which will be maintained and managed by SunCap Properties. Petros asked how much space is between the proposed building and the existing building. Frick stated there could be a few inches to reduce disturbance to the existing building. Petros asked if that is enough space to maintain the building. Frick stated the space would be abandoned and sealed as is customarily done for urban infill development. Stranko asked for further clarification on how the solid waste would be managed. Matejczyk stated the existing trash compactors will be relocated to the west and an enclosure would be erected in that space and a new enclosure would be erected for the dumpster location. Fletcher stated that SunCap will be over developing the solid waste facilities as they have purchased three other buildings in the complex which will need maintained. Fletcher noted the compactor and dumpster pads will have a connection to MUB’s sanitary sewer, which is not currently provided. Morgantown Planning Commission Page 3 of 5 November 8, 2018 Minutes Fletcher noted the developers have carefully considered site design elements to improve site management accommodating pedestrian traffic on the weekends. Blosser asked if there would be a basement to the new building. Virgin stated there will not be a basement, but they are evaluating some geotechnical designs in finishing the foundation and there is a possibility for a partial basement to be used as crawl space. Stranko expressed favor in the project and stated it is a beautiful building and design. 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 portion closed and asked for Staff recommendations, which were read by Fletcher. Stranko moved to grant Type III Development of Significant Site Plan approval under Case No. S18-09-II with Staff recommended conditions; seconded by Robison. Motion carried unanimously. NOTE: The following conditions were included in the motion. 1. That minor subdivision petition approval under Case No. MNS18-21 must be granted by the Planning Commission reconfiguring Parcels 71, 73, 74, 75 and 76 of Tax Map 26 as proposed. 2. That the developer shall continue to advance the outcome of the Downtown Design Review Committee’s consultation, where practicable. 3. That, as proposed by the petitioner, all above ground utility connections to the proposed mixed- use building shall be made underground. 4. That no less than four (4) short-term bicycle storage spaces (no less than two bicycle racks), meeting minimum related design standards, shall be developed behind the southern IC White building and in close proximity to the proposed mixed-use building. 5. That the developer shall consult with the City Urban Landscape Director in determining final landscape material selection and best planting techniques to ensure no less than four (4) parking lot shade trees are delivered as proposed by the developer and illustrated on the preliminary landscape plan reviewed herein. Said parking lot shade trees must have a caliper of no less than three (3) inches. 6. That all streetscape improvements (e.g., sidewalk, curbing, etc.) along the development site’s High Street frontage shall be repaired and/or reconstructed, if determined necessary by and to the satisfaction of the City Engineer. 7. That the developer shall consult with the City Engineer in providing public trash receptacle(s) and/or bench(es), if practicable, near retail entrance(s) along the development site’s High Street frontage, augmenting existing facilities within the downtown; provided, said street furnishings do not obstruct public sidewalks as determined by the City Engineer. 8. That the development must meet all applicable federal Fair Housing and Americans with Disabilities Act standards to the satisfaction of the City’s Chief Building Code Official. Dulaney expressed favor in the project as it captures the character in the downtown area. Stranko thanked the Downtown Design Review team for their review of the project. Fletcher reminded the petitioner that the Commission’s decision can be appealed to Circuit Court within thirty days of receiving written notification from the Planning Division and that any work Morgantown Planning Commission Page 4 of 5 November 8, 2018 Minutes related to the Commission’s decisions during this period would be at the sole financial risk of the petitioner. C. MNS18-21 / SunCap Property Group, LLC / 461 High Street: Request by Robert A. Matejczyk of The Thrasher Group, Inc., on behalf of SunCap Property Group, LLC, for minor subdivision approval of property located at 461 High Street; Tax Map 26, Parcels 71, 73, 74, 75 and 76; B-4, General Business District. Fletcher presented the Staff Report. 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 portion closed and asked for Staff recommendations, which were read by Fletcher. Stranko moved to approve MNS18-21 with Staff recommended conditions; seconded by Dulaney. Motion carried unanimously. NOTE: The following conditions were included in the motion. 1. That the petitioner submit at least three (3) original final plat documents, including all access/utility easements, signed and sealed by a surveyor licensed in the State of West Virginia for the Planning Commission President’s signature; and, 2. That the final plat is recorded at the Monongalia County Courthouse within thirty (30) days of receiving the executed plat VI. OTHER BUSINESS A. Committee Reports • Collaborative Planning Advisory Committee: No report. • Traffic Report: No report. • Green Team: No report. • Staff Comments: Fletcher stated the small area studies for Areas 16 and 18 should be ready for the Planning Commission’s December meeting. However, no petitions were submitted by the application deadline. Staff will seek guidance from DeMasters concerning whether to cancel the December hearing. VII. FOR THE GOOD OF THE COMMISSION: None. VIII. ADJOURNMENT: 7:38 p.m. MINUTES APPROVED: January 10, 2019 COMMISSION SECRETARY: _____________________________ Christopher M. Fletcher, AICP Morgantown Planning Commission Page 5 of 5 November 8, 2018 Minutes