Planning Commission

Planning Commission Minutes March 27, 2017 Meeting Attendance Commission Members Lindey Brown – Chairwoman Town Staff Leslie Dickinson – Vice Chairwoman Monika Weierbach – Town Bob King – Council Liaison Administrator/Zoning Bill Butts Heather Smith – Town Planning Tony Falletta Administrator Patti Washabaugh Barney Quinn – Town Engineer Roxanne Hemphill - Alternate Rachel Gude – Assistant Town Engineer Absent: Judi Olinger Melissa Thorn – Economic Development Manager Other Patrick Rockinberg - Mayor 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Lindey Brown, who also led the Commission in the Pledge of Allegiance. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The February 27, 2017 minutes were approved. Bob King made a motion to approve the minutes, Patti Washabaugh seconded the motion. 3. CITIZEN COMMENTS (for items not on the agenda) No comments received. 4. GUEST SPEAKER – PRESENTATIONS Mr. David Whitaker, Chief of Comprehensive Planning with Frederick County Government gave a presentation on Livable Frederick. Here is a summary of his presentation: Since late 2015, he has been in charge of a new comprehensive plan. He is part of the American Planning Association and is a fellow on the Transportation Research Board and has seen these types of plans evolve. They built a steering committee and different work groups. They wanted to find a community vision. For 2025, 2040 and 2050 they wanted to look for the delta in the mid-point of the century, how many people, how many jobs, what are they expecting? What are they interested in? Or leaving to get away from? The group developed a future trend and alternative scenario analysis. The focus was on asking open ended questions and received so much more than they anticipated. It was identified that Frederick is an aging community. This means that they have constraints on their economic condition. David Whitaker spoke to the findings in the plan. Frederick County needed a vision-based long range comprehensive plan to address new challenges. Mr. Bill Butts asked about the implications of commuters leaving Carroll County. David Whitaker stated that based on the planning, you can make changes to the commuter pattern. Frederick County Planners can help Mount Airy by coming back  through workshops. You will still have that movement, freedom of movement East, due to I-70 based on the lack of corridor constraints. How do you balance that to “stop the aging population”? Putting the “missing middle” different types of housing, more affordable to keep the millennials in our communities. Many businesses need younger employees to hire. 5. CARROLL/FREDERICK COUNTY/TOWN PLANNERS Carroll County – Andrea Gerhard provided the following update: - Carroll County Bike/Ped Map – The community meeting was held last week. Many of the people who had come had never been to Mount Airy, but are interested in visiting now. - The Water & Sewer Triennial Update – Mount Airy sessions are scheduled for June, hopefully coming in July before the Planning Commission ask for certification. Frederick County – Tim Goodfellow was not present. 6. SITE PLANS/SUBDIVISION/ SIGN PERMIT REVIEW/SIGN PRESENTATIONS No signs for review. 7. NEW BUSINESS  Lot 9A, Twin Arch Business Park – Phillip Keller – Special Exception Request – Bulk Storage of oil, petroleum, gasoline and similar flammable liquid and compressed gases. – Installation of two above ground 1,000 gallon fuel tanks for diesel and gasoline fuel – Recommendation to the Board of Appeals Heather Smith presented the Staff report. Ron Thompson, Van Mar Associates, we do concur with the staff report and we do meet the conditions as outlined. Mr. Thompson was able to explain more details about the project. He was available for questioning. Mr. Butts asked if there were other industrial locations in Town that have these type of tanks. Barney Quinn explained that the Maintenance Shop has two large tank that is over 12 years old. He could not site any leaks that have happened although he says that they can happen. Mayor Rockinberg explained that there are multiple walls that prevent containment issues. Mr. Thompson explained that a double wall is the standard. Mr. Smith explained that after the Board of Appeals special exception approval, will be the final site plan consideration. Tony Falletta made a motion to recommend that the Planning Commission forward a favorable recommendation to approve the special exception approval to install and maintain two above ground 1,000 gallon fuel tanks, for a total container storage not to exceed 2,000 gallons, on Lot 9A, Twin Arch Business Park, with the following recommendations and condition(s): 1) Staff recommends that specification sheets delineating the container selection be provided in the final site plan package for approval by the Planning Commission; and 2) Staff recommends that the details of the containment area are included in the final site plan package for final review and approval by the Fire Protection Engineer, Carroll County Building Code Official, and Planning Commission; and 3) Compliance with all Federal and State regulations with regard to licensing and the safe handling and operation of the fueling station. 4) Compliance with all Town and County agency comments. Bill Butts seconded. All in favor. 8. UNFINISHED BUSINESS  MXD – Draft – Continued Discussion Ms. Lindey Brown gave a history of the different versions of track changes with the ordinance and the purpose behind the MXD; for affordable housing, walkability and connectivity with commercial. The Planning Commission had a consensus to head back to the 10/24 draft of the MXD, where all members were in agreement prior to the work sessions and discussed including revisions from August 2016, which members had previously agreed upon. Mr. King is concerned that the developer is going to have to seek approval for each little thing. It could be more residential than commercial, which concerns the Planning Commission. Mr. Butts questioned the ability to launch a vision based on the fact that we don’t know what kind of water use it will require. Commercial is more water efficient than residential is. Mr. Quinn stated that the developer is searching for water and those details are still being worked out. Dr. Michael O’Brien, held concern about coming up with a sensible metric with regards to the effect on traffic. Heather Smith explained that the traffic consultant will be able to address this study. This was a general study about the future land use of the MXD. Because this is an evolving development, what if they use all their traffic options on the first project. Rob Scranton, spoke to the ratio and wanting the flexibility for the developer and for the Town so that the shift could reflect the neighborhood. With regards to the water, this is part of the process. Whatever the mix is, there is a science behind to protect and mitigate as required. Craig Kazanjian commented that the group had been working on this language to create this flexibility. To then go and set restrictions is not really how this is sketched out to be. Heather and Rob did a lot of research to come up with a ratio. What is the ratio backed up on? Are there other examples? Many items were discussed and the Planning Commission agree upon changes for the Ordinance. A discussion involved the uses under and over 65,000 SF, to limit the 65,000 plus structures. Mr. King mentioned living in Rockville for a long time, turning the fountain space, into an ice skating rink. The Planning Commission decided to take out the minimum of two stories requirement. Heather Smith will make all changes as part of the discussion and present to the Planning Commission in preparation for the next meeting. Mayor Rockinberg has been to all Town Commissions in 2017 setting a Mayor’s Challenge. He made a recommendation to the Town Council after several  recommendations regarding Phase 1&2 of the Flat-Iron Building. Prior to putting these plans in place, that we need to push Center Street through. I challenge you to put forth a draft of MXD that you can get something presented to the Town Council within 60 days. I will make sure that staff is able to assist.  Sign Ordinance Regulations –DRAFT ORDINANCE – Review/Discussion The things that the Planning Commission and Town Council did agree with, they put an ordinance together. The entire sign ordinance needs updating. The most pressing change to this ordinance that Heather wants to put a time limit on is the primary and secondary frontage. There are many business owners in the Mount Airy Shopping Center that are looking for relief from that. On the document dated January 23, Ms. Brown would send out a reminder for which pages the Commission needed to focus on. Bob King made a motion that we accept B on page 4 of 11 as written. Patti seconded. All in favor.  Open Space Regulations – DRAFT ORDINANCE – Review/Discussion Ms. Smith gave a recap of this topic. When the Planning Commission was discussing Brittany Manor at the R Value of Section 98-23 and staff had one interpretation and the project engineer had another. At that time, the Planning Commission supported the staff interpretation, but were looking at a text amendment to change how the R Value was defined. She then referred to Barney Quinn who would give the Planning Commission an overview for when they discuss in the near future. Mr. Quinn discussed this is changing the R value and the slopes how they are calculated. Section 1 G, the definition of Unbillable Land is defined as the area of the site that includes wetlands, submerged areas existing slopes of 25%. The word “existing” does change things. If you have a site plan with a lot of steep slopes, they will be able to count those, where they might not have the steep slopes existing. He does not agree with the term “existing.” On the next page, the definition of the R-Value, the roads and utilities right-of-way shall be defined as existing none sub-division roadways. Again, he disagrees with the term “existing”. The proposed roadways are what we look at. It was a different of about 13 homes in Brittany Manor. The words at the end of that do not include Subdivision Roadways, Staff interprets that it would include it. Ms. Brown would like the Planning Commission to vote on this at the next meeting. Rob Scranton spoke the roadways are already included in your base density, the fundamental problem with this equation is that as a developer, I have to pay the engineer to design based on the base density from your zoning ordinance, to draw roads and lots, then count the number of feet of roads, that you will take away more lots. It is redundant and already in code under base zoning. Ron Thompson agreed for numerous reasons. 9. MASTER PLAN IMPLEMENTATION / WORK PLAN ITEMS  Downtown Master Plan – Economic Development Commission (EDC) Feedback on Scope; Community Assistance Planning Team/ Planning Consultant Bill McCullough 607 Twilight Terr. spoke on behalf of the Economic Development Commission. Heather was kind enough ask for input from the EDC. At our meeting we agreed on what needs to be addressed for Downtown. One or two suggestions under future development to add redevelopment. A few members of the EDC  already gave feedback to the Planning Commission via email with some recommended suggestions on priorities; a priority area is traffic circulation, parking management, pedestrian connectivity. He spoke to the concept of the Downtown Master Plan and how to tie in a concept of Center Street with the study. We are looking forward to working with the Planning Commission. Mr. Butts mentioned that it may turn into a Town Center, with the connection of Downtown Mt. Airy and the future Center Street connection. What you are really looking for is what makes Mount Airy unique is Main Street. This is not to take away from the shopping centers. Heather Smith will be forwarding the same list with added criteria to the Planning Commission. Frank Dertzbaugh also spoke to encourage the Planning Commission to move as expeditiously as they can. He is excited about the Community Assistance Planning Team and that Mayor Rockinberg is stating that the Planning Commission will develop MXD soon and punch through Center Street, also encouraging the Planning Commission. Larry Hushour, Chairman of Parks and Recreation although not asked, included the Board of Parks and Recreation in the Master Plan list for their support and opinion on certain items.  MD 27 Corridor Study – Status Update/Timeline – An update will come sometime in April.  Sign Ordinance Work Session – A future date is to be determined. 10. REPORTS/OTHER BUSINESS/WORK PLAN ITEMS  Council Liaison Report EDC discussed parking and would like to be intimate with the Planning Commission on downtown master plan. EDC would like to have a joint commission meeting with Planning. Mount Airy Tracks new publication is coming out soon. Mt. Airy Chili Cook off is coming up Downtown. Roxanne mentioned to include MAMSA on the Downtown Plan.  Next Planning Commission Meeting Date – April 24, 2017  Zoning Administrator Report – Provided to the Planning Commission. 11. ADJOURNMENT The regular meeting will end at 9:40 p.m. Tony motioned to adjourn and Leslie seconded. All were in favor. Submitted by: Lindey Brown- Chairwoman _________________________________ Prepared by: Melissa D. Thorn Signature