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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007 08-30 PCMMINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA STUDY SESSION AUGUST 30, 2007 CALL TO ORDER The Planning Commission meeting was called to order by Chair Rahn at 7:1 lp.m. ROLL CALL Chair Sean Rahn and Commissioner Michael Parks. Also present were Secretary to the Planning Commission/Planning and Zoning Specialist Ronald Warren, and Planning Commission Recording Secretary Rebecca Crass. Commissioners Gary Ford and Rachel Lund and Della Young were absent and excused. Commissioner Tim Roche was absent and unexcused. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - AUGUST 16, 2007 Due to lack of a quorum, approval of the August 16, 2007 Planning Commission meeting was tabled. CHAIR'S EXPLANATION Chair Rahn explained the Planning Commission's role as an advisory body. One of the Commission's functions is to hold public hearings. In the matters concerned in these hearings, the Commission makes recommendations to the City Council. The City Council makes all final decisions in these matters. DISCUSSION ITEM- BROOKLYN CENTER ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL ZONING ISSUES Mr. Warren reminded the Planning Commission that at their July 26, 2007 meeting, following discussion of Brooklyn Center Alternative School Zoning Issues, the Planning Commission requested additional information regarding how other communities dealt with Alternative Learning Centers in their zoning ordinances. He added that the Brooklyn Center School District has requested consideration to allow an Alternative Learning Center in the Industrial Park zoning district located at the Palmer Lake Plaza building located at 6850, 6860 and 6870 Shingle Creek Parkway and that Alternative Learning Centers are generally for those students unable to learn in a typical school setting. He pointed out that the City Council had referred the matter to the Planning Commission for review, comment and possibly a recommendation for an ordinance amendment relative to this request. Mr. Warren reviewed his findings regarding how other school districts provide appropriate zoning locations for Alternative Learning Centers within their districts. He explained how some school districts define these schools to allow the use in areas such as commercial, industrial or as a special use in a residential area. Mr. Warren added that the Commission should be aware that if an ordinance amendment is recommended to allow this use, that it would be effective for all school districts and not just for the Brooklyn Center School District. Therefore, any school 8-30-07 Page 1 district that is seeking an Alternative Learning Center within the City of Brooklyn Center would be allowed to do so. Chair Rahn asked about the repercussions of allowing a charter school to operate as an Alternative Learning Center within the commercial zone. Mr. Warren responded that in his opinion charter schools are private elementary or secondary schools and should not be considered as an Alternative Learning Center. Mr. Warren suggested that Alternative Learning Centers should be considered as adult education, secondary or trade schools by definition when determining where they should be located under the use classification in the city ordinances. In that way, Alternative Learning Centers could be described as the uses mentioned above and be separate from other elementary and secondary uses. Chair Rahn voiced his concern with allowing these uses in commercial retail areas that would be better served by allowing retail uses only. Chair Rahn asked for clarification regarding whether educational uses are allowed uses or special uses in the commercial zones. Mr. Warren explained that educational uses are special uses in the C-1 zone and they are permitted uses in the C-2 zone. He added that educational uses are a special use in the Industrial Park zone. Commissioner Parks shared some results he obtained from research on the subject of Alternative Learning Centers and provided written comments. Based on his findings, he stated that it is his opinion that Alternative Learning Centers be allowed as special uses in commercial and industrial zoning districts because they are more similar to post secondary and trade schools than to the standard secondary schools. There was further discussion among the Commission regarding this matter. It was the consensus of those present that staff put together formal language with a definition to establish Alternative Learning Centers as something other than secondary or elementary uses and bring it back in the form of an ordinance amendment for the Commission to consider as a recommendation to the City Council. There was no other business. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 8:01 p.m. '-"tte5 Chair Recorded and transcribed by: Rebecca Crass 8-30-07 Page 2 MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA STUDY SESSION SEPTEMBER 27, 2007 CALL TO ORDER The Planning Commission meeting was called to order by Chair Rahn at 7:05 p.m. ROLL CALL Chair Sean Rahn and Commissioner Stan Leino, Michael Parks, Tim Roche and Della Young. Also present were City Councilmembers Dan Ryan and Mark Yelich, Secretary to the Planning Commission/Planning and Zoning Specialist Ronald Warren, and Planning Commission Recording Secretary Rebecca Crass. Gary Ford and Rachel Lund were absent and excused. ADMINISTER OATH OF OFFICE Mr. Warren administered the Oath of Office to Stan Leino. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - AUGUST 16.2007 AND AUGUST 30.2007 There was a motion by Commissioner Roche, seconded by Commissioner Parks, to approve the minutes of the August 16, 2007 meeting as submitted. The motion passed. Chair Rahn and Commissioner Leino abstained as they were not at the meeting. There was a motion by Commissioner Parks, seconded by Chair Rahn, to approve the minutes of the August 30, 2007 meeting as submitted. The motion passed. Commissioners Leino, Roche and Young abstained as they were not at the meeting. CHAIR'S EXPLANATION Chair Rahn explained the Planning Commission's role as an advisory body. One of the Commission's functions is to hold public hearings. In the matters concerned in these hearings, the Commission makes recommendations to the City Council. The City Council makes all final decisions in these matters. DISCUSSION ITEM- BROOKLYN CENTER ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL ZONING ISSUES, Mr. Warren stated to the Planning Commission that the Brooklyn Center School District had requested consideration to allow an Alternative Learning Center in the Industrial Park zoning district specifically at the Palmer Lake Plaza building located at 6850, 6860 and 6870 Shingle Creek Parkway. He stated that at the August 30, 2007 Planning Commission meeting, members of the Planning Commission that were present at that meeting directed staff to prepare an ordinance amending Chapter 35 to allow Alternative Learning Centers to be located in the Commercial or Industrial zoning districts. He reviewed the history of the request by the Brooklyn Center School District and the results of research conducted by City Staff regarding this subject. 9-27-07 Page 1 Mr. Warren stated that the current zoning ordinance does not allow K-12 educational uses in the industrial zone and they are only allowed in the R1, R2, and R5 zones as a special use. This prohibits school districts from establishing Alternative Learning Centers in commercial and industrial zoning districts. Mr. Warren explained that this proposed amendment to the zoning ordinance offered for consideration would allow Alternative Learning Centers in the C-1 (Service Office) district and the C-2 (Commerce) district as a permitted use and in the Industrial Park Zone as a special use. He also explained that this change to the zoning ordinance would allow such a use by any school district within the City of Brooklyn Center. Mr. Warren then presented a draft Ordinance Amending Chapter 35 of the City Code of Ordinance Regarding Alternative Learning Centers to the Commission for comment. Commissioner Roche asked for clarification on the allowable uses in the I-1 (Industrial Park) zone. Mr. Warren explained how the ordinance cites uses allowed within the I-1 (Industrial Park) zone including special uses such as the proposed language to include the addition of Alternative Learning Centers. Commissioner Leino asked about the vacancy rate in the Palmer Lake Plaza. Mr. Warren stated he was unsure as to the vacancy rate and added that the City's concern would be with any use of the site meeting the minimum parking standards. Commissioner Leino inquired as to any special licenses required by the school district to operate an Alternative Learning Center. Mr. Warren responded that the State Statute 124D.68 deals with the graduation incentives program and refers to eligible pupils. He added that the State defines what pupils are eligible to be serviced under the statute for Alternative Learning Centers. Mr. Arslan Aziz and Ms. Jean Sorensen representing the Brooklyn Center School District introduced themselves. Chair Rahn asked for their general reaction. Mr. Aziz thanked the Commission for reviewing this subject. He explained that there is certain criteria that students have to meet to be eligible for attendance in the Alternative Learning Center environment. He added that Alternative Learning Centers are for students that are not successful in a normal learning environment. This program serves grades 9-12 and helps students looking to finish their high school education, often serves those whose lives have been disrupted and allows the student to get back on track to obtain a high school diploma. Ms. Sorensen stated that she is the assistant principal at Brooklyn Center High School and has been in education for 14 years. She emphasized that there is not one easy fit for all students and by providing alternative methods for learning creates a greater success for students that do not survive in the traditional classroom setting. She added that Alternative Learning Center's provide smaller class size and more hands on learning by the student. Students have to meet criteria determined by the State in order to attend the Alternative Learning Center and this is a voluntary program. 9-27-07 Page 2 Chair Rahn asked the school district representatives to explain their rationale for the request. Ms. Sorensen responded that the Palmer Lake location is close to their schools and school services and resources can be shared by the Brooklyn Center High School at this location. She explained that the demand is high and they cannot provide enough spaces for all the students wishing to attend the Alternative Learning Center or the flexibility available by being off site from the traditional school site. Commissioner Young asked how the immigrant population affects the school. Ms. Sorensen stated that the student's language will need to be assessed first and often English language classes may first need to be attended at the high school before a student could be integrated into the Alternative Learning Center. She added that currently there are 58 students attending Alternative Learning Center classes within the Brooklyn Center High School and scheduling has become a challenge with the space available. Commissioner Young asked about a projected need regarding the number of students they would like to serve. Ms. Sorensen responded that currently there is a waiting list of 10-12 students but they would like to serve up to 100 students. Commissioner Parks asked what subjects are offered in the Alternative Learning Center classroom. Mr. Aziz responded that the four core subjects are offered, English, Math Social Studies and Science and elective teachers fill in for Arts, Speech, Theater and Computers. There was further discussion among the Commission regarding this matter. There was a motion made by Commissioner Parks, seconded by Commissioner Young to recommend to the City Council approval of an Ordinance Amending Chapter 35 of the City Code of Ordinances Regarding Alternative Learning Centers. Voting in favor: Chair Rahn, Commissioners Leino, Parks, Roche and Young. The motion passed unanimously. There was no other business. ADJOURNMENT There was a motion by Commissioner Parks, seconded by Commissioner Leino, to adjourn the Planning Commission meeting. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:12 p.m. -,d a Recorded and transcribed by: Rebecca Crass 9-27-07 Page 3