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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018 01-11 PCMMINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA JANUARY 11, 2018 The Planning Commission meeting was called to order by Chair Christensen at 7:06 p.m. Chair Randall Christensen, and Commissioners Alexander Koenig, Jack MacMillan, Stephen Schonning, and Abraham Rizvi were present. Commissioners Rochelle Sweeney and Susan Tade were absent and excused. City Planner and Zoning Administrator Ginny McIntosh, Interim Community Development Director Michael Ericson, and Michaela Kujawa-Daniels of TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc., were also present. There was a motion by Commissioner MacMillan, seconded by Commissioner Koenig, to approve the agenda for the January 11, 2018, meeting as submitted. The motion passed unanimously. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES — DECEMBER 14, 2017 There was a motion by Commissioner Rizvi, seconded by Commissioner MacMillan, to approve the minutes of the December 14, 2017 meeting as submitted. The motion passed unanimously. 5. OFFICAL ADJOURNMENT OF THE 2017 PLANNING COMMISSION There was a motion by Commissioner Rizvi, seconded by Commissioner Schonning, to adjourn the 2017 Planning Commission. The motion passed unanimously. 6. ADMINISTER OATH OF OFFICE (to re -appointed commissioners) City Planner and Zoning Administrator Ginny McIntosh collectively administered the Oath of Office to Commissioners Alexander Koenig and Abraham Rizvi. Commissioner Rochelle Sweeney will be sworn in at the next meeting. PC Minutes 01-11-18 -1- DRAFT Chair Randall Christensen, and Commissioners Alexander Koenig, Jack MacMillan, Stephen Schonning, and Abraham Rizvi were present. Commissioners Rochelle Sweeney and Susan Tade were absent and excused. Ms. McIntosh explained that any Planning Commissioner may verbally nominate one or more members to serve as the 2018 Chair. A second to each nomination is required, followed by choice of a paper or secret ballot vote, show of hands, or voice vote. Acting Chair Christensen called for nominations. There was a motion by Commissioner Rizvi, seconded by Commissioner MacMillan, to nominate Randall Christensen as Chairperson of the Planning Commission for 2018. Voting in favor: Chair Christensen, and Commissioners Koenig, MacMillan, Schonning, and Rizvi. And the following voted against the same: None The motion passed unanimously. There was a motion by Commissioner MacMillan, seconded by Commissioner Schonning, to close nominations. Voting in favor: Chair Christensen, and Commissioners Koenig, MacMillan, Schonning, and Rizvi. And the following voted against the same: None The motion passed unanimously. There was a show of hand vote to elect Chair Christensen as Planning Commissioner Chairperson. There was a motion by Commissioner MacMillan, seconded by Commissioner Schonning to accept the results and election of Chair for the year of 2018. Voting in favor: Chair Christensen, and Commissioners Koenig, MacMillan, Schonning, and Rizvi. And the following voted against the same: None The motion passed unanimously. PC Minutes 01-11-18 -2- DRAFT Chairperson Christensen asked if anyone was interested in serving as Vice -Chair. Commissioners Koenig and Rizvi both expressed interest in acting as Vice -Chair. Chair Christensen asked to revisit this item at the end of the meeting. Chair Christensen 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. 11. PLANNING ITEMS None at this time. 12a.) 2040 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROCESS WITH JENNIFER HASKAMP OF SWANSON HASKAMP CONSULTING (SHC) AND JAY DEMMA OF PERKINS + WILL Jennifer Haskamp of Swanson Haskamp Consulting introduced this item and provided an introductory presentation of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. Ms. Haskamp invited Jay Demma of Perkins + Will forward to present draft U.S. Census and household statistics on Brooklyn Center, which will be included in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. Ms. Haskamp stated they are looking for input on how the Commission feels about the 2040 Comprehensive Plan and the future of Brooklyn Center at this time. Chair Christensen stated there are many people who he grew up with in his neighborhood in Brooklyn Center who are still living there. He stated that is one of the reasons the Commission has pushed to build senior housing in the City is because people who come to Brooklyn Center stay in Brooklyn Center. Commissioner Rizvi asked if any of the data provided is broken down by precinct. Mr. Demma stated they don't have the data broken down to that level at this time. Ms. Haskamp noted some of the information Commissioner Rizvi is looking for may be included in some of the provided maps and documents. Mr. Demma provided some updated information on market trends for rental housing. He noted the rental market is extremely tight. Retail trends, he noted, are undergoing major changes, and services, especially food, are focusing on premier sites and locations. He stated there is a greater emphasis on selling an experience compared to selling a good. He stated when it comes to office space and market trends, they are seeing less square footage per worker and are looking more at locations near public transit to attract the younger employee. PC Minutes 01-11-18 -3- DRAFT Interim Community Development Director, Michael Ericson stated the Opportunity Site is especially relevant to the market trends and rental housing information provided. He stated more information on the potential redevelopment of the site will be provided at an upcoming City Council Work Session in February and encouraged the Commission to attend if they can. Ms. Haskamp presented information on the land use and future land use plan. She stated there will be some new and ongoing redevelopment areas (e.g., Shingle Creek and Opportunity Site). She added that the Zoning Ordinance currently prohibits residential uses within the Opportunity Site as it is located in the Central Commerce Overlay District, and noted that is something that will need to be considered when deciding what to put in this space. She provided examples of what different multi -family housing densities (units/per acre) look like in different areas and noted that the architecture of each building and overall design weighs heavily as to the end product. She stated she would like feedback from the Commission regarding how they feel about there being some residential housing in those areas as well as if there is a certain density they feel would be appropriate for the City of Brooklyn Center. Chair Christensen stated he thinks in the past the types of uses for the sites have been aiming low. He stated he thinks they need to look at the future and what they want to happen down the line, not just what they need and want right now. He stated he would like to see more above market rate housing as there are a lot of affordable housing units available in the City. He stated his hope is to bring the value of the City up. Commissioner McMillan stated there was a lot of push back on putting the condos and apartments on the Opportunity Site, and, in the past, the community didn't want those when proposed. However, he feels the City needs them. He stated he would like to see something like the Vintage on Selby building in St. Paul, which provides apartment housing on top, and retail, such as Whole Foods, on the street level. Chair Christensen stated underground. parking, a car wash area, community room, a local dog park, trendy food areas, community service places, and healthcare, are the most desired amenities and things he thinks retirees in particular are looking for. Commissioner MacMillan agreed with his sentiments and stated that close proximity to trails and parks for recreational use is something everyone likes to have. Commissioner Rizvi stated what he has learned from his time at the University of Minnesota is that college kids also want more places like Vintage on Selby in St. Paul. He stated anywhere that has housing and food combined are in high demand. However, the income within the community isn't the same as the overall Hennepin County incomes. While he would like to see luxury housing in Brooklyn Center, he doesn't know where all the people would come from to live there. He stated that, as a Millennial, he would like to see fun places to go and hang out at that have Wi-Fi and food. Ms. Haskamp stated the Met Council does assign certain quotas to each city, including how many affordable housing units they feel a particular city needs to accommodate in the future. She stated that, while they can't make a city build anything, the quota is meant to show the city what PC Minutes 01-11-18 4- DRAFT they could expect in the future for housing needs. She stated she will bring graphics that better outline the numbers to the next meeting. Commissioner Koenig stated it is very clear to see the socioeconomic changes within the City and what needs to be done to be comparable to Maple Grove and Minneapolis, instead of being somewhere that people just pass by to get to another location with more amenities and better housing. He stated the density needs to remain a size where people feel it is community oriented, yet still provide the commercial, retail uses, and amenities, that attract higher income people. Commissioner Schonning stated he wants the City to be able to build whatever they want on the Opportunity Site. He noted that in past years ideas came forward that would create something that wasn't going to fill up the site or last. He stated he would like to see some great restaurants. He further noted that he has two Millennials and what he has seen is that their plans change so fast, it is hard to keep up with them. He noted the Sanctuary at Brooklyn Center most likely satisfied some of the Met Council requirements for the affordable housing. Chair Christensen stated Brooklyn Center has Top Golf now as a big draw attraction and would. like to see this attraction tied into the Opportunity Site to help build the City up. Ms. Haskamp stated the Commission gets to shape the plan and can decide what is on and off the table for the Opportunity Site. She stated the Commission's feedback will help them formulate a plan that will create the City they want to see. Chair Christensen stated if everyone can review the information provided, feedback can be provided to Ms. McIntosh. She will then distribute the information to the Commission and Ms. Haskamp. Ms. Haskamp asked if it is fair to say there is a consensus to have mixed residential and commercial land use in the Opportunity Site. The Commission was in agreeance. She stated if the Planning Commission establishes what they are comfortable with now, then the City will be in a better position to barter options when a developer comes in, rather than having to go back and amend codes. Ms. McIntosh explained she is working on pulling together a report on food trucks for an upcoming City Council Work Session. She stated the City Council expressed interest in looking into these more to see if people would be interested or if they would feel these are a burden. She asked the Commission if they see these as being a good opportunity for the community. Chair Christensen and Commissioner Schonning stated they feel it is a good idea and stated allowing some food trucks in the community would help keep the City competitive with surrounding cities. Commissioner Koenig stated he is in favor as well and feels they are important and noted they give businesses a way to test the market in the area to see if they could make an actual success out of a restaurant in the neighborhood. PC Minutes 01-11-18 -5- DRAFT Commissioner Rizvi stated he feels food trucks are usually overpriced and hard to find. Ms. McIntosh stated some trucks move around and some stay in one place, which is something the Commission could decide on as well. She asked how the Commission feels about mobile food trucks or if they would like to see stationary ones only. Chair Christensen stated it would be nice to see what surrounding cities are doing first. The majority of the Commission agreed to have Ms. McIntosh provide more information on the topic of food trucks and having them in Brooklyn Center. 13. APPOINTMENT OF 2018 VICE -CHAIR BY CHAIRPERSON - Continued Chair Christensen appointed Commissioner Koenig as the Planning Commission's Vice -Chair. Chair Christensen stated he appreciates Commissioner Rizvi volunteering to be Vice -Chair and noted in time he would like to see him have a chance as Vice -Chair as well. 14. OTHER BUSINESS Chair Christensen stated he will be absent at the next meeting. 15. ADJOURNMENT There was a motion by Commissioner McMillan, seconded by Commissioner Koenig, to adjourn the Planning Commission meeting. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 9:17 p.m. T Ginny McIntosh, Secretary PC Minutes 01-11-18 Randall Christensen, Chair -6- DRAFT