Planning and Zoning

MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING PLANNING COMMISSION/ BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS May 17, 2016 Commissioners Present: Cowman, Hardwick, McLean, Meinig, Wrischnik Commissioners Absent: Pfefferkorn Others Present: Mike Gotfredson, Randi Shannon, Brian McCauley, Baldridge Engineering, LLC, applicant. Item 1: Pledge of Allegiance Item 2: Consideration of minutes from the April 19, 2016 meeting. Chair Cowman called the meeting to order. The first order of business was the consideration of the minutes from the April 16, 2016 meeting. Commissioners Hardwick and McLean made a motion to approve the minutes as submitted, with all Commissioners voting in favor. Item 3: Public Hearing: Consideration and vote on a conditional use permit for a garden and animal therapy center, 100 Lakemary Drive, Baldridge Engineering, LLC, applicant. Commissioners McLean and Wrischnik made a motion to open the public hearing, with all Commissioners voting in favor. Commissioner Meinig excused himself due to being employed by Lakemary Center. Consultant for Lakemary Center, Andrea Dight presented the proposal for the Lakemary garden and animal therapy center. He proposed that garden will contain a patchwork of different types of gardens to meet different needs of the children. This will include a vegetable garden, sensory garden with bright colors, smells and different textures, along with areas of calm. There will also be areas of wildlife gardens to assist in teachings of native grasses, ecology and biology. The garden will also aid in Lakemary’s attempt for more outreach with having the Paola Master Gardeners involved, showing plants students grow at the Miami County Fair, developing 4-H Club connections, and have days open to the public. Paola Planning Commission Minutes May 17, 2016 1 The project would also include an onsite greenhouse and high tunnel. These would allow for more time to participate in proactive gardening therapy with the children. The facilities would allow use in inclement weather and to extend the gardening season with the children. Mr. Dight also presented the proposal for an animal therapy center along with the garden. He stated that the center will be designed based on experience gained at other educational farm parks and with the input from the therapist and educators at Lakemary. The chicken coop was the first initiative that has already been taken place and has produced positive benefits with the students. Secondly havana rabbits have been donated by a local breeder. This breed is very docile and very soft to touch which works well with the students. Next would be the addition of dairy goats which would be leash trained and used for teaching along with some miniature pigs. The pigs would have less impact than show pigs and the children would be able to interact with them year round. The center is not looking to have miniature horses right away due to the expense, and Lakemary’s current use of the Equine Therapy Center. Staff might be looking to work towards the horses in the next couple of years. Mr. Dight goes on to discuss the layout of the garden and therapy center. It will be a patchwork of gardens around the animal therapy center. The therapy center will be enclosed with the school and not within the boundaries of the property. The barn area includes an office, secure storage room and therapy area. In addition to the school, Lakemary also serves a large number of adults in various locations. There will be numerous opportunities for them to be involved in the therapy center and garden as well. Mr. Dight also reassures that this center will have a minimal impact on community and surrounding neighbors. The small amount of animal waste produced will be managed in house by composting, with one bin for animal waste and another for vegetable waste. Commissioner Hardwick brought up the concern if there would be a fulltime staff member that oversees the therapy center, and if there are any plans for roosters. Mr. Dight said that there will be a fulltime staff member overseeing the grounds and that there are no plans for roosters or any other animals that make more noise. Commissioner Hardwick also inquired if there was any negative feedback from the letters sent out to the surrounding properties. Mr. Dight stated that he was not aware of any negative feedback. Planner Gotfredson stated that there have been a couple of calls into the office requesting more information about the project. Eric Schaberg with Baldridge Engineering works as an environmental biologist who performed the environmental impact study. Mr. Schaberg stated that he didn’t find anything negative during his study. He stated that there is plenty of green space to allow for adequate drain flow from abnormal rainfall. Septic systems is a triple barrel systems that allows the capture of solid waste that might be washed off from inside the barn but allows only groundwater to enter the Paola sewer system. The compost system will be maintain on a regular basis and will be located with gardens surrounding it, therefore allowing minimal if any unpleasant smells. Mr. Schaberg also stated that smoke testing was performed in order to help evaluate the dissipation of odors. His findings suggested that odor will not impact any of the neighbors. Storage of fuels and fertilizers Paola Planning Commission Minutes May 17, 2016 2 will be stored in the already approved storage shed located on the grounds, and food storage will be minimal. Willa Smith a resident of the Paola Senior Housing, located next to Lakemary Center stated that the only objection that was said was a rooster but was taken care of right after their complaints were heard. She stated that as long as the smell is kept down and it helps the children that it would not bother the residents at all. She believes that it would also be beneficial for the residents to enjoy the garden, animals and walking trails as well. Giana Gariglietti, current CEO of Lakemary stated that they have had great positive feedback from the use of the chickens and rabbits and is hopeful that they will get approval for the other animals to continue the positive progress of the students and adults. There was no further discussion among Commissioners. Commissioners Wrischnik and MeLean made a motion to close the public hearing, will all Commissioners Voted in favor. Commissioner Wrischnik and Hardwick made a motion to recommend approval of up to twenty (20) chickens, up to eight (8) animals consisting of dairy goats, micro pigs, and miniature horse with any combination thereof, and up to ten (10) rabbits; on the conditions of applicant returning to Planning Commission to request an amendment if more animals are desired in the future, and for an annual water quality test to be performed at the storm water discharge. All Commissioners voted in favor. Item 4: Consideration and vote on a design review for a new front façade for Marla’s Classy Cuts, 605 Baptiste Drive, Baldridge Engineering, LLC, applicant. Planner Gotfredson presented a request for a design review for a new front façade for Marla’s Classy Cuts located at 605 Baptiste Drive. Gotfredson stated that there will be a waynes coating of the stone with the rest of the front being stucco and cement board. The main consideration would be the choice of color pallet in order to comply with the design requirements for Baptiste Drive. Planner Gotfredson agrees that it approves the overall look of the building and that the applicant has also provided light color pallets as possible options. Commissioner Cowman stated that the pallets given are considered dark earth tones, which falls within the design guidelines but Commissioners have tried to stay with the lighter color earth tone color pallet for other businesses in the past based off of Walmart and the Paola School District. Therefore Commissioner Cowman states that he prefers the lighter Palms Springs color in order to comply with the decisions that have been made in the past on Baptiste Drive. McLean agrees that he would pick the Palm Springs color, and it would allow the business to blend in more with the other Baptiste Drive businesses. Paola Planning Commission Minutes May 17, 2016 3 Hardwick stated that the metal awning will be similar to Rockers Pharmacy. David Baldridge with Baldridge Engineering, LLC, applicant asked if the front façade could be the lighter color, and the back of the building be painted the darker color. Cowman and the other Commissioners agreed that the whole building needs to be painted the lighter Palms Springs color in order to comply with the standards set in the past. There was no additional discussion among Commissioners. Commissioners Cowman and Hardwick made a motion to approve the design review of the Palm Springs color, for the new front façade at Marla’s Classy Cuts, 605 Baptiste Drive, Baldridge Engineering, LLC, applicant. All Commissioners voted in favor. Item 5: Community/Economic Development Director Report and Items from Commissioners. Planner Gotfredson gave an overall update on the local projects. USD 368 projects continue on schedule. The new gymnasium is completed and will host graduation this week. Construction continues on the Miami County Detention Center. Work is ongoing on the tunnel and is anticipated to be completed in the next few weeks. Three new home permits have been issued since the program was adopted last month. As part of the State budget process, the K-68 improvements that were scheduled to take place this summer and in 2018 have been delayed “until remaining State Highway Fund revenues allow or new money is made available.” Item 6: Adjournment. Commissioners Cowman and Hardwick made a motion to adjourn the meeting. All Commissioners voted in favor. Meeting was adjourned at 6:11 pm. Paola Planning Commission Minutes May 17, 2016 4