Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1980 02-14 PCM MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA REGULAR SESSION FEBRUARY 14, 1980 CITY HALL CALL TO ORDER The Planning Commission met in regular session and was called to order by Chairman William Hawes at 7:33 p.m. ROLL CALL Chairman Hawes, Commissioners Lucht, Erickson and Simmons. Also present were Director of Planning and Inspections Ronald Warren and Planning Assistant Gary Shallcross. The Secretary noted that Commissioner Manson had called to inform him that due to a death in the family she would be unable to be at the meeting that evening. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - January 31 , 1980 There were two corrections to the minutes of the January 31 meeting on page 2 offered by the Secretary on behalf of Commissioner Manson and Commissioner Simmons . There being only three members who were at the January 31 meeting, no vote was taken to approve the minutes. APPLICATION NO. 80006 (Audrey Wellman) Following the Chairman's explanation, the Planning Assistant introduced the first item of business, a special home occupation permit sought by Audrey Wellman to operate a beauty shop in the basement of her home at 3619 - 53rd Place. He reviewed Staff Report No. 80006 for the Commission. Fo lowing the presentation of the report, Commissioner Lucht asked why hours of operation are used to regulate home occupations. The Planning Assistant answered that controlling the hours of operation is one method of controlling the potential impacts of a special use and that unless the hours requested by the applicant are felt to be excessive or to pose a possible injury to surrounding property, the hours proposed are generally used as a condition of approval . There followed a lengthy discussion concerning the enforcement of the hours of operation for a home occupation. The Secretary explained that consistent violation of the hours of operation could ultimately result in the revocation of the special use permit by the City Council . He added that in order to change the permitted hours of operation, the applicant would have to seek an amendment to the special use permit from the Planning Commission and City Council . Follow- ing the discussion, Audrey Wellman asked the Commission to amend her request for hours of operation to allow the operation from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Friday; and 7:30 a.m. to 11 :30 p.m. Saturday. There was a brief discussion of the home occupation in which the Secretary stressed that for the most part customers should be served on an appointment only basis and that signery would be limited to 22 square feet. In response to a question from Chairman Hawes concerning the requirement for a lift pump, the Planning Assistant explained that the water from the operation would drain into a 30 gallon tank which, when full , would trigger the pump mechanism causing the water to be discharged into the sanitary sewer line. 2-14-80 -1 - Commissioner Hawes opened the meeting for a public hearing. Seeing that no one was present to comment on the application, he called for a motion to close the public hearing. CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING Motion by Comm:ssioner Lucht seconded by Commissioner Erickson to close the public hearing. Voting in favor: Chairman Hawes, Commissioners Lucht, Erickson and Simmons. Voting against: none. The motion passed. ACTION RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF APPLICATION NO. 80006 (Audrey Wellman) Motion by Commissioner Erickson seconded by Commissioner Lucht to recommend approval of Application No. 80006, special home occupation permit to operate a beauty shop in the basement of the residence at 3619 - 53rd Place, subject to the following conditions: 1 . The special use permit is issued to the applicant for a special home occupation and is nontransferable. 2. The hours of operation shall be from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday; from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Friday; and from 7:30 a.m. to 11 :30 a.m. Saturday. 3. The permit is subject to all applicable codes, ordinances and regulations and violation thereof shall be grounds for ' revocation. 4. A current copy of the applicant's State operator's license shall be kept on file with the City. 6. All parking related t use shai l be off street on appropriate space provided by the applicant. 6. The applicant will install a lift pump in the basement for the discharge of water into the sanitary sewer system. 7. The special use permit does not comprehend the employment on the premises of any nonresident employee. Authorization for a nonresident employee shall be subject to further review and approval by the Planning Commission and City Council . Voting in favor: Chairman Hawes, Commissioners Lucht, Erickson and Simmons. Voting against: none. The motion passed. NEIGHBORHOOD POLICY PLAN The Secretary then referred the Commission's attention to the Comprehensive Plan Policy Statements on the six neighborhoods in Brooklyn Center. He referred to the articles recently printed in the Brooklyn Center Post and the comments re- ceived from the residents in the Northeast Neighborhood concerning the statement on the Anoka-Hennepin/Brooklyn Center School District boundary line. He' explained that copies of the Neighborhood Policy Plan containing this statement which is in the original Comprehensive Plan, have been sent to the respective school districts for their review and comment. He stated that it was his impression that a number of local residents would prefer to see the statement toned down to cite the problem, but not advocate a particular solution. 2-14-80 -2- The Secretary also noted that the Anoka-Hennepin School District Capital Improve- ments Program calls for a $750,000 addition to be made to the Anoka Senior High School . This fact was raised with the City Council , he said, and it was their judgment that no official statement to the Metro Council on the school district Capital Improvements Program was necessary. Commissioner Simmons and the Secretary then discussed the problem of the boundary line at some length. Commissioner Simmons stated that the Anoka-Hennepin School District boundary line seemed to be gerrymandered in the area of Brooklyn Center and that perhaps a more permanent solution, such as changing the boundary line, should be pursued. She expressed skepticism toward any halfway measure to solve the problem. The Secretary explained that a statement citing the problem without advocating a particular solution is probably most appropriate considering the City's rote. The solution, he said, must be arrived at by the School Districts even though failure to find a solution could adversely impact some Brooklyn Center residents . Commissioner Simmons concurred with the idea of a more neutral statement citing the waste of resources represented by the underutilized school building and the extra petroleum spent in transporting students to the Anoka Senior High School . Chairman Hawes suggested that any change in the status quo be phased in gradually so as to minimize disruption to the lives of the students. A discussion concerning the program differences between school districts then took place. The Secretary stated that it was his opinion that there should be little difference in quality of programs offered by various school districts throughout the State and contended that in many respects every resident has a stake in every other school district because of the State school aid distribution. Commissioner Simmons commented, however, that the breadth of educational program might vary because of the size of a school district. in response to a question rrom Chairman Haves, the Secretary expiwi:ieu dial, a:iy extension of Twin Lake Boulevard through the Joslyn Manufacturing industrial property would probably depend on the owner's willingness to dedicate right-of- way since the City's policy has been to not use its condemnation authority for night-of-way purposes. The Secretary then discussed with the Planning Commission the prospect, recently raised by Mr. Jerry Harrington of Olympic Investments, regarding a wholesale distribution complex approved by the City Council over a year ago to be built on the parcel of C-2 land located directly east of the NSP facility at 68th and Lee Avenues North. He stated that Mr. Harrington's objective was to create a commercial condominium with each tenant owning space within one of three larger buildings on the site. The land would be held as a common area similar to a townhouse association. He also explained that one of the prospective uses in the complex was a bus shelter for the Osseo-Brooklyn Bus Company. He stated that staff had originally considered such a use to fall into the category of "public transportation terminals" which are allowed by special use permit in the C-2 zone. He added, however, that the Zoning Ordinance definition for a "public transportation terminal " is a place where passengers, as opposed to vehicles, gather for common transit. He explained that the MTC Garage approval in 1975 constituted a finding that the bus shelter use was similar in nature to other uses allowed in the industrial park district. The Secretary went on to explain that to issue a special use permit for the bus shelter use in the C-2 zone, the City Council would have to carry the MTC finding over to the C-2 zone or modify the ordinance definition of a public transportation terminal . 2-14-80 -3- In response to a question from Chairman Hawes, the Secretary stated that outside storage is allowed in the C-2 zone if properly screened. The Secretary went on to explain that it has been suggested that the proposed commercial condominium would restrict the uses allowed in the structures through the association bylaws to nonretail uses and would, therefore, ensure that parking would be adequate and that impacts on surrounding properties would probably be minimized. He stated that the greatest impact of the bus terminal use would be not on surround- ing property, but on the Brooklyn Boulevard traffic at rush hours. Commissioner Erickson stated that he would be unable to make the February 28 Planning Commission meeting. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Commissioner Simmons seconded by Commissioner Erickson to adjourn the meeting of the Planning Commission. Voting in favor: Chairman Hawes, Comis sioners Lucht, Erickson and Simmons. The motion passed. The Planning Commission adjourned a- 8:55 p.m. Commissioner Malecki arrived at 9:00 p.m. Ch irman 2-14-80 -4-