Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1984 04-12 PCM MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER I`1 THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA REGULAR SESSION APRIL 12, 1984 CITY HALL CALL TO ORDER The Planning Commission met in regular session and was called to order by Chairman George Lucht at 7:34 p.m. ROLL CALL Chairman George Lucht, Commissioners Molly Malecki, Mary Simmons, Lowell Ainas, Carl Sandstrom and Mike Nelson. Also present were Director of Planning and Inspection Ronald Warren and Planning Assistant Gary Shallcross. Chairman Lucht explained that Commissioner Manson was excused from the meeting. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - MARCH 15, 1984 Motion by Commissioner Sandstrom seconded by Commissioner Ainas to approve the minutes of the March 15, 1984 Planning Commission meeting as submitted. Voting in favor: Chairman Lucht, Commissioners Simmons, Ainas, Sandstrom and Nelson. Voting against: none. Not voting: Commissioner Malecki. The motion passed. APPLICATION NO. 84007 (Duke's Standard) Following the Chairman's explanation, the Secretary introduced the first item of business, a request for an extension of the special use permit approval for the building addition to the service station at 6501 Humboldt Avenue North, approved by the City Council on April 11, 1983. The Secretary reviewed the contents of the staff report (See Planning Commission Information Sheet for Application No. 84007 attached) . Following the staff report, Chairman Lucht asked whether anyone on the Commission had a question. Hearing none, he opened the meeting for a public hearing. PUBLIC HEARING Chairman Lucht then asked those present whether they had anything to say regarding the application. Hearing none, he called for a motion to close the public hearing. CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING Motion by Commissioner Malecki seconded by Commissioner Simmons to close the public hearing. The motion passed unanimously. ACTION RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF APPLICATION NO. 84007 (Duke's Standard) Motion by Commissioner Malecki seconded by Commissioner Sandstrom to recommend approval of Application No. 84007, subject to the following condition: 1 . All conditions attached to the approval of Application No. 83011 shall continue in effect. Voting in favor: Chairman Lucht, Commissioners Malecki, Simmons, Ainas, Sandstrom and Nelson. Voting against: none. The motion passed. OTHER BUSINESS (Old City Hall Property) 4-12-84 -1- The Secretary then reviewed with the Planning Commission a staff memorandum pertaining to development proposals for the old City Hall property at 7100 Brooklyn Boulevard. In addition, the Secretary reviewed the office uses allowed by special use permit in the R5 Zoning District. He pointed out that most of the service uses allowed in the Cl zone were not allowed by special use permit in the R5 zone. Commissioner Simmons asked whether the inclusion of the two residential lots to the south was a requirement for development of the City property. The Secretary responded in the negative. He explained that the two houses to the south are presently nonconforming single-family residences. He noted that the lot south of the old City Hall site is deficient in area and frontage for the requirements for office uses along a major thoroughfare. He also noted that the second lot to the south was wide enough, but somewhat deficient in area. He stated that consolidating the land and the access would be a plus. Commissioner Simmons asked whether one curb cut for all three parcels would be adequate. The Secretary stated that the staff felt that it would be adequate. In response to another question by Commissioner Simmons, the Secretary explained that the City Hall property meets the requirement for 150 ft. of frontage and over one acre of area for an office development along a major thoroughfare. Commissioner Simmons observed that the H. E. Homes plan would have to be modified even if the property belonging to St. Alphonsus Church were acquired and added to the development. The Secretary agreed. Commissioner Sandstrom questioned whether the two residential lots to the south were sufficiently deep enough for office development. The Secretary noted the building setback and parking setback for these properties and stated that the buildings could be put forward on the property with the parking in back or vice versa and that the total amount of building would be limited by available parking. In response to a question from Commissioner Simmons regarding the acquisition of the St. Alphonsus property, the Secretary stated that such acquisition would be up to a developer and would require a rezoning of the property. Commissioner Simmons asked the Secretary whether the Planning Commission was being asked to decide between the three development proposals. The Secretary answered that staff is not requesting the Commission to make a choice among the three, but to comment regarding the general land use in relationship to the Comprehensive Plan. He stated that this comment was really related to the City property, not the two lots to the south. He noted that the Commission could simply say that all three proposals meet the intent of the Comprehensive Plan. In answer to a comment from Chairman Lucht regarding the traffic problems around St. Alphonsus Church, the Secretary stated that the Director of Public Works has been requested to look at a possible link between the Church and the old City Hall-site. He stated that such a link might be possible, but that it should not be open all the time. He pointed out that a way out of the neighborhood is also a way in and that traffic might cut through such an opening into the residential neighborhood. ` The Secretary briefly discussed the arrangement between the Cross of Glory Church and the office building at 5901 Brooklyn Boulevard. Commissioner Sandstrom stated that he felt that two curb cuts would be needed if all three parcels were combined. The Secretary answered that that might be the case, but that the general policy of the City is to try to limit the number of curb cuts onto Brooklyn Boulevard. 4-12-84 -2- PUBLIC CO!'MENT ' Chairman Lucht then opened up the meeting for comments from the neighboring residents. Mr. Jim Backer, owner of the property at 7018 Brooklyn Boulevard, stated that he felt the City was on the right track with an office building concept. He stated that he felt the H. E. Homes plan with the office condominiums would be an overutilization of the property. fie pointed to the heavy traffic on Brooklyn Boulevard and stated that he felt the H. E. Homes proposal would produce too much traffic. Mr. Backer then talked at some length regarding the problem of snow removal along Brooklyn Boulevard and the visibility problem that the snow drifts cause to drivers trying to get out onto Brooklyn Boulevard. Mr. Mike Winsler of 4019 71st Avenue North stated that he thought the H. E. Homes plan put a little too much on the land. He asked whether it could not possibly be a multiple-family development. Chairman Lucht stated that a special use permit for an office use could only be built for that use and not for multiple-family. Mr. Winsler stated that the people in the neighborhood preferred an office, but reiterated his feeling that the H. E. Homes plan seemed to be too intense. Chairman Lucht then asked whether the developers had anything to add.. Mr. Dave Nelson of Partners in Progress stated that he was working with Gary Uhde on proposing a modernistic two-storey office building. He explained that at present he had no option on the two parcels to the south. Chairman Lucht asked whether his proposal was for the City Hall property only. Mr. Nelson stated that, as of now, it was, but that he has developed concepts for the two southerly properties. There followed a discussion of snow removal along Brooklyn Boulevard. Commissioner Simmons asked whether the City could require people who develop land to clear snow for visibility. The Secretary stated that he was not aware of anything in the City Ordinances to require commercial developers to remove their snow. He stated that the City could perhaps require the property owners to clear snow for visibility purposes. Mr. Jim Backer complained about the snow removal by the State along Brooklyn Boulevard. He pointed out that the snow gets piled up along the side of street and then the City comes by and clears the sidewalk, but that the driveways are left blocked and must be cleared by private individuals. Mr. Backer also complained about the fact that the state does not cut the grass along Brooklyn Boulevard except perhaps twice a year. He stated that the maintenance of the roadway area is better in Edina. Mr. Rick Hartman of H. E. Homes stated that his plan had not been finalized because he would have to provide parking for the lower storage areas. He stated that he had obtained options on the two southerly properties and would develop those properties whether he purchases the City property or not. He stated there would only be one curb cut for his development. Mr. Hartman stated that there was an advantage in terms of traffic flow to an office condominium, in that people would not all come and go at the same time. Following another comment by Mr. Backer regarding the development plans, the Planning Assistant explained that the Planning Commission was not giving approval to any specific site development plan at this time, but that, after a development proposal was chosen, it would have to go through the normal process of site and building plan approval. Chairman Lucht added that he saw no grounds for a variance from the parking requirements on the H. E. Homes proposal. Commissioner Sandstrom asked whether the Commission should offer a preference on 4-12-84 -3- the development proposals. The Secretary explained that the Commission could do so if it so desired, but that the real task of the Commission is simply to certify that the various development proposals meet the recommendations of the Comprehensive Plan for an office use. Commissioners Malecki and Ainas pointed out that that was obviously what the plan did call for and that all three proposals met the intent of the plan. ACTION FINDING ALL THREE DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS CONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Motion by Commissioner Ainas seconded by Commissioner Sandstrom to convey to the City Council a finding that the development proposals of H. E. Homes, Partners in Progress and Edina Realty meet the recommendations of the Brooklyn Center Comprehensive Plan for an office use of the City-owned property at 7100 Brooklyn Boulevard. Voting in favor: Chairman Lucht, Commissioners Malecki, Simmons, Ainas, Sandstrom and Nelson. Voting against: none. The motion passed. Chairman Lucht again thanked the neighbors for offering their input on the proposals. DISCUSSION ITEMS (Spec 10 The Secretary then showed the Planning Commission building elevation and floor plans for the Spec 10 Industrial Building. He stated that the staff have some questions regarding the amount of office space that is suggested by one of the floor plans. He also stated that if the developer wished to provide parking to the north of the Spec 10 building, he should also clearly delineate that parking with concrete delineators. The Secretary explained that the proposed building would be lower with only a 12' clear ceiling .height and that the front of the building would be dressed up compared to other industrial buildings in the Industrial Park. There followed a brief discussion in which the Commission expressed no opposition to the proposed building changes. (Mobil Oil Station at 69th and Brooklyn Boulevard) The Secretary then reviewed a conceptual plan for rebuilding the Mobil Station at 69th and Brooklyn Boulevard into a convenience store with gas pumps and remodeling the existing superette to the west of that station into a service garage with two bays. The Secretary stated that the plan could probably be built if parking spaces at the pump islands were counted. He explained that the City has not counted parking space at the pump islands as meeting the ordinance parking requirement for a service station. He explained that if parking space at the pump islands were to be considered meeting required parking stalls they would have to meet the dimensions of a parallel parking stall. He stated that staff had looked at the Superamerica Station at 57th and Logan which had definite parking problems. He stated that, if the spaces at the gas pumps were counted in the case of that station, the site would still be at least 7 parking spaces short of the requirement under City Ordinance. He stated that it was important that, whatever policy were adopted regarding parking stalls at gas stations, the Superamerica at 57th and Logan would still be nonconforming since it is obviously deficient from both a practical as well as an ordinance standpoint. Chairman Lucht expressed the concern that if the Planning Commission miscalculated and allowed less parking at this intersection, the results for traffic flow in that area could be disastrous. The Planning Assistant explained that counting the parking space at the pump islands would only be done in the case of retail 4-12-84 -4- I convenience stores with pump islands, not regular service stations with service bays. He stated that in the latter case, parking is obviously for long-term. He added that another requirement would be that the retail parking requirement could be met if the pumps were removed. There followed a brief discussion in which Commissioners Malecki and Simmons opposed the inclusion of the parking space at the pumps toward the overall parking requirement and Commissioners Lucht, Ainas, Sandstrom and Nelson generally felt that it was an acceptable risk. ADJOURNMENT Following a brief review of upcoming business items, there was a by Commissioner Sandstrom seconded by Commissioner Al as to adjourn the mee ng of he Planning Commission. The motion passed u i usly. The Plan ing Comm' ion adjourned at 9:50 p.m. CWYrm n 4-12-84 -5- 1 1