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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1972 08-07 PCM Minutes of the Proceedings of the Planning Commission of the City of Brooklyn Center in the County of Hennepin and State of Minnesota August 7, 1972 The Planning Commission met in special session and was called to order by Chairman Robert Jensen at 7:35 P.M. Roll Call: Chairman Jensen, Commissioners Bogucki, Foreman, Scott, Gross and Engdahl. Also present were: Mayor Cohen, City Councilmen Heck, Leary, Ausen and Britts, City Manager Donald Poss, Director of Public works James Merila, City Attorney Richard Schieffer and Administrative Assistants Blair Tremere and Daniel Hartman. Chairman Jensen explained that the special meeting had been called for the purposes of holding a joint discussion between the Planning Commission and the City Council relative to a proposed amendment to the City Ordinances comprehending accessory off-site parking. He noted that the matter had been before the Planning Commission for several months and that the Commission had yet to resolve several basic questions, including the zoning classification of the accessory site, and the provision for allowing credit toward the parking requirements of the principal use for spaces provided off-site. Chairman Jensen then recognized the City Manager who briefly reviewed the history of the development of the draft ordinance. He noted that the initial impetus for the amendment came from officials of the Northbrook Shopping Center who desired additional parking across the street. He stated that shortly thereafter another business located in the small industrial area near 48th and France Avenues had actually contemplated leaving the City because of the lack of adequate additional parking. The City Manager further commented relative to the features reflected in the first two drafts and explained that the staff could properly administer the provisions of either draft and enforce the requirements effectively. Mayor Cohen stated that it seemed that the key issue was the portion of the amendment relative to allowing credits for off-site parking spaces. The City Manager remarked that there was some inconsistency between the current ordinance provisions for joint parking facilities and the proposed ordinance amendment relative to privately owned additional parking. A brief discussion ensued among Mayor Cohen, Chairman Jensen, Commissioner Bogucki and Councilman Ausen relative to the requirement of the proposed amendment that businesses be in existance for two years before being eligible for the additional parking. Councilman Ausen and Commissioner Bogucki further commented relative to the spaces for the provisions of the proposed ordinance. Extensive discussion ensued relative to the specific situations in the City which could utilize the proposed ordinance provisions, namely the Northbrook Shopping Center, the Green Giant Restaurant, and the industrial area near 48th and France Avenues North. The City Manager stated that it was the intent of the proposed ordinance to develop a concept which would recognize the changing times and needs for parking and that the conceptual provisions could be tested against actual situations. He referred to the preamble of 1 1 1 -2- the ordinance which spoke of the evolution of the needs of existing businesses and stated there was a need for flexibility rather than rigidity to keep in following with the thinking of the Comprehensive Plan. Chairman Jensen stated that the Commission had perceived the need to determine how the parking situation was at the present time and whether the requirements were too stringent or whether they were satisfactory. The City Manager responded that the requirements and resulting situation seemed to be excellent throughout the City with the exception of certain parts of the older commercial-industrial areas which are showing weaknesses of the parking requirements when they were first established. Commissioner Foreman inquired about the affect upon the property in the neighborhood of the off-site parking and the ramifications for those property owners. The City Manager responded that in a sense there would be a change in the use of the land utilized for additional parking but that the use would not change if it were legally encumbered as auxilliary parking for the principal use. Councilman Ausen stated that it would seem the zoning of the auxilliary use should be the same as the principal use. An extensive discussion ensued relative to that issue and it was the consensus that the proposed ordinance provision should apply only to commercial and industrial areas. Commissioner Gross voiced his concern relative to the use of the additional parking for credit for the requirements of the princi- pal use. He inquired what the effect would be if only the employee parking was allowed to be credited towards the requirements. The City Manager stated that it would appear to be quite difficult to regularly determine the employee parking and the overall effect would be insignificant. Mayor Cohen stated that the basic issue was to reach an agree- ment relative to the basic philosophy of the proposed ordinance and then to resolve the technical details. Commissioner Bogucki stated that businesses should have some potential for expansion but it should not be excessive in that on- site parking has been and should be encouraged. He stated that the option of vertical parking expansion should not be overlooked in considering the need for additional parking facilities. Councilman Britts stated that while he concurred with the draft ordinance philosophy, he stated that there should be effective restrictions built in, with any off-site parking provisions. Commissioner Engdahl stated that, assuming the philosophy of privately owned off-site additional parking could be adequately comprehended via an ordinance, there should be a required number of spaces provided off-site according to a formula which included the factor of the requirements for the principal use. The meeting recessed at 8:35 P.M. and resumed at 8:50 F.M. Councilman Leary commented relative to the need for allowing the off-site parking to be used as credit towards the requirements of the principal use. Chairman Jensen stated that without the credit provision, the effect would be to strengthen the existing parking but would not allow for physical expansion of the existing businesses. 1 1 1 -3- He then asked Commissioner Engdahl to amplify his remarks regarding a formula relating the capacity of the off-sate parking to the requirements of the principal use. Commissioner Engdahl stated that it was a matter of setting a ratio in the form of a requirement that a certain number of off-site parking spaces would have to be provided according to the particular number of spaces required for the principal use. The Mayor stated that if a need was perceived, then a maximum number of off-site parking spaces could possibly be determined according to a table or scale which could be constructed providing for a balanced ratio weighted for the type of use. He stated that there seemed to be enough test cases throughout the City to develop such a scale or standards. Councilman Ausen responded that he would like to see more flexibility in the ordinance provision and the City Manager stated that this flexibility was possible via the special use permit. The City Manager further stated that the basic issue was one of common sense standards providing flexibility versus rigid fixed standards. He stated that with the special use permit procedure, each case could be examined on its merits. In further discussion Councilman Heck stated that the need was to determine first the issue of credit versus non-credit use. Chairman Jensen noted the concern of the Commission in that if credits were permitted, the site of the principal use could be literally filled with additional structures. Councilman Heck responded that if some crediting was not provided then little would be accomplished by the ordinance. Chairman Jensen stated that he agreed but that contention had been the primary reason the Commission had not yet resolved the feasibility of the proposed ordinance amendment. Commissioner Gross stated that he disagreed that if crediting were not provided little would be accomplished. He stated that if the need were for additional parking, provision could be made for additional parking under certain conditions. He noted that it seemed that if any crediting were to be made, it would be for employees only and not for customer parking. An extensive discussion then ensued relative to the issue of potential physical expansion of facilities on the principal site versus the need for additional parking. Chairman Jensen commented that the issue was one of the maximum development on a particular piece of land in that the given amount of land could only support so much and that eventually the ultimate would be reached. Councilman Ausen stated that in further deliberations, consider- ation should be given to the possibility of municipal parking facilities. He noted that in other communities, such facilities were developed and the expense of their development was assessed back to the owners of the uses which benefited from the additional parking. The City Manager commented that the Brooklyn Center situation was somewhat unique, given the factors of maturity and the stage of development relative to the need for expansion. He noted that each community had its own particular problems in that regard. Commissioner Scott stated that her basic concern was that if an ordinance provision were made for additional parking, strong assurances should also be developed regarding requirements for land- _4- scaping and setbacks. The City. Manager responded that through the use of the special use permit criteria, as well as the basic criteria in the ordinance already, such assurances would be made at the time of permit approval. He noted that additional minimum criteria could also be established. Following further discussion, it was the consensus that the basic ordinance amendment should be reconsidered by the Planning Commission to develop the technical requirements and restrictions of such an ordinance to be forwarded to the Council at a future meeting. There being no further business, the joint meeting of the Planning Commission and the City Council adjourned at 10:00 P.M. ,f f ha rman 1