Planning and Zoning

MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING PLANNING COMMISSION / BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS DECEMBER 19, 2019 Commissioners Present: Cowman, Hardwick, McLean, Pritchard Commissioners Absent: Pfefferkorn, Scott Others Present: Randi Shannon, Jessica Shay-Howell, Christopher Hedberg, Hillerie Hedberg, Paul Katzer, David Evans, Rob George, Eric & Jen Trumbly, Mark Kevin Smith, Brian McCauley, Michael Schram, Courtney and Ryan DeBok, Gerri & S. Diviney, John Lucas, Serenity Boedicker, Abby Hardwick Item 1: Pledge of Allegiance Item 2: Consideration of minutes from the November 19, 2019 meeting Commissioner Cowman called the meeting to order. The first order of business was the consideration of the minutes from the November 19, 2019 meeting. Commissioners McLean and Scott made a motion to approve the minutes from the November 19, 2019 meeting with all Commissioners voting in favor. Item 3: Consideration and vote to recommend approval of the rezoning of Rockwood Estates. Commissioners McLean and Pritchard made a motion to open a Public Hearing with all Commissioners voting in favor. Assistant City Manager, Randi Shannon, presented background information on the proposed rezoning of Rockwood Estates. Currently seventy-one (71) of the 102 residents are in favor to rezone from Thoroughfare Access (TA) to Neighborhood Conservation Residential 1 (NCR1). This would limit any remaining lots to single family residences only. No Public Comments. Commissioners McLean and Pritchard made a motion to close the Public Hearing with all Commissioners voting in favor. Commissioner Pritchard asked Asst. City Manager, Randi Shannon, if all residents were notified of the proposed change. She answered that all residents were mailed the notification. Paola Planning Commission Minutes December 19, 2019 1 Commissioners Pritchard and Hardwick made a motion to recommend approval of the rezoning of Rockwood Estates with all Commissioners voting in favor. Item 4: Consideration and vote to recommend approval on the Conditional Use Permit for Mini Warehouse Units at 203 E. Sundance Drive, Legacy Properties & Development, applicant. Commissioners Pritchard and McLean made a motion to open a Public Hearing with all Commissioners voting in favor. Assistant City Manager, Randi Shannon, presented background information on the proposed Conditional Use Permit Application for Mini Warehouse Units. She informed the Commissioners that existing storage businesses like the one proposed were built before the Paola Planning Commission was in place. Gerri Diviney: States that she is the HOA President currently residing at 725 Redbud Drive and does not want to view a storage unit in her neighborhood. She also states that she has heard from many neighbors who are all opposed. Ryan DeBok: States that he is currently residing at 805 Redbud Drive and property values in the neighborhood have been increasing recently. He feels building a commercial property next to the neighborhood will lead to decrease in property values. He also states that the empty lot has been an eyesore in the past so he can understand why it needs to be developed. He also gives ideas to have the building fit its neighborhood aesthetically. He is also concerned about street access and traffic flow into the units. Mark Kevin Smith: States that he currently resides at 803 Redbud Drive and is concerned if the parking lot would be allowed to be graveled because he wouldn’t like the look of that and feels storage units look trashy. Courtney DeBok: States that she currently resides at 805 Redbud Drive and is concerned that access to the facility would add congestion to an already busy street. Michael Schram: States that he currently resides at 817 Redbud Drive and asked Commissioners if they would like this business being built in their neighborhoods and to consider that when voting. Eric Trumbly: States that he currently resides at 727 Redbud Drive and asked Commissioners if future expansion to the east would ever be allowed. He states there are lots of kids and traffic in this neighborhood to think of. John Lucas: States that he currently resides at 723 Redbud Drive and asked if the EPA will be involved due to the creek running on the south side of the property. Paola Planning Commission Minutes December 19, 2019 2 Commissioner Cowman asked Rob George of Legacy Contractors, developer of the proposed units, to answer the questions being asked by those present. Rob George, Legacy Contractors, states that he has had his business for thirteen (13) years and purchased this land from the bank. He states that with the way the land is, he would only be able to build on a certain portion of it. The EPA and KDHE have both approved the site proposal. There will be one entrance into the facility from a thirty-five (35) foot drive. There will only be thirteen (13) units. There is a need for this type of business as the other storage units are 98% full. George states that he understands the sidewalk traffic due to the connected neighborhood and intends to make the area safe. Commissioners McLean and Pritchard made a motion to close the Public Hearing with all Commissioners voting in favor. Commissioner Hardwick stated that this business will help with security of the area. Hardwick asked Assistant City Manager, Randi, if this would ever go under review. Randi state that CUP reviews are completed at one year to assure compliance. Commissioner Cowman stated that storage is low density and low traffic. This specific area is zoned Thoroughfare Access so any other commercial use with higher density and higher traffic could potentially build on the lot. Commissioners Cowman and Hardwick made a motion to approve the Conditional Use Permit for Mini-warehouse units at 203 E Sundance Drive, Legacy Properties & Development, applicant, with the following conditions: no exterior storage and no overnight parking, with all Commissioners voting in favor. Item 5: Community/Economic Development Director Report Building permits December = 20 2019 = 498 TIF and CID are approved and dirt work will be early 2020 Item 7: Adjournment Commissioners McLean and Cowman made a motion to adjourn with all Commissioners voting in favor. Paola Planning Commission Minutes December 19, 2019 3