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2014.10.13 PC Meeting MinutesApproved Minutes of October 13, 2014 Planning Commission Meeting Page 1 of 4 J:\PLANNING\Planning Commission\2014\10.13\approved minutes.doc CRYSTAL PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES Monday, October 13, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. Council Chambers, Crystal City Hall A. CALL TO ORDER The regular meeting of the Crystal Planning Commission convened at 7 p.m. with the following members present: X Commissioner (Ward 1) Sears [Vice Chair] X Commissioner (Ward 2) Kolb Approved Minutes of October 13, 2014 Planning Commission Meeting Page 2 of 4 J:\PLANNING\Planning Commission\2014\10.13\approved minutes.doc questions or concerns the commissioners may have. Moved by Commissioner Kolb and seconded by Commissioner Sears to recommend approval of Application 2014-8 for a conditional use permit for outdoor food and beverage service at 5592 West Broadway (Noodles & Company). Motion carried. D. OLD BUSINESS 1. Consider Application 2014-7 for the plat of Gaulke Pond Homes on property located at 3924 and 3908 Douglas Drive North. (Continued from September 8, 2014 meeting.) City Planner John Sutter said this is a 4-acre site on the east side of Douglas. The developer submitted an application to re-plat the land into 15 single family home lots, 13 with frontage on Douglas Drive and two with frontage on 39th and Colorado. Initially there were a number of issues, most were minor issues that have or can be resolved, along with two major issues, storm water treatment and curb cuts. Mr. Sutter stated that Hennepin County has jurisdiction over permitting curb cuts and review authority on the plat itself. If it is not satisfactory, they could refuse to sign the final plat so staff felt it best to resolve the issue sooner rather than later. Both staff and the developer have asked them to reconsider their position about not allowing individual curb cuts, but no decision has been made at this point. He also indicated that the storm water treatment issue has now been satisfactorily resolved and staff feels that the layout of the development will not change and the curb cut issue and the minor issues can be resolved between now and the time the final plat is brought before council. The developer has revised the storm water treatment plan to enlarge the infiltration basin in lot 10 and add a fourth basin. Also, by moving the breakpoint slightly to west, more runoff will now go to east and be picked up by one of the infiltration basins, then overflow into Gaulke pond. This plan does meet city requirements since the net amount of runoff going to Douglas Drive will be reduced. Mr. Sutter also stated that the city has identified 9 conditions for approval of the final plat as listed on the staff report. It is unknown how quickly and in what order the lots will sell, so the entire site needs to be graded and the storm water treatment functional before the final plat will be approved. The following were heard: Janet Reusch, 6500 40th Ave N, spoke to the commission about her concerns Approved Minutes of October 13, 2014 Planning Commission Meeting Page 3 of 4 J:\PLANNING\Planning Commission\2014\10.13\approved minutes.doc about the impact on the wildlife in the area and wondering if some of the old oak trees could be saved. She was advised that it was likely the oak trees would need to be removed based on the number of new homes planned for the site but reforestation will be required. Commissioner Sears questioned whether it would be feasible to shift the proposed houses a little closer to Douglas Drive so less storm water would be directed to Douglas Drive. Mr. Sutter said that could be addressed if the developer chose to do that, but that there might be a negative impact on the lots by placing the houses closer to Douglas Dr. Commissioner Kolb asked what the infiltration basin would look like and who would own it. Mr. Sutter said that the basin would be owned by each of the respective homeowners, but the city would require some type of deed restriction that survives the transfer of property so the basin would remain functional. The vegetation in the basin would likely not be grass but some type of plant mix that survives that type of environment. Perry Ryan, Ryan Excelsior Properties, spoke to the commission and said that those types of basins generally are not mowed; they place a mix of plants that accept or absorb water and 18” of sand. Commissioner Erickson wanted to know what the timeline was and what the residents in that area could expect to undergo and what the disruption would be to the community. Mr. Sutter said if the preliminary plat is approved, the developer can continue to work on the outstanding issues, and once those are resolved they can submit the final plat to the city council for approval. Once the final plat is recorded, the developer can start selling the lots. Mr. Ryan said they may grade the week after the council meeting, but because it’s getting late into season it may not make sense. The construction process is really a 6-8 week process, but there’s not a lot of infrastructure work to be done. He also explained that they are leaving the majority of the tree line, and only plan to remove just what is necessary to get the grading done. When asked about the status of the curb cuts with Hennepin County, Mr. Ryan indicated that they are still in discussion with the county, but are confident they can work it out. The Planning Commission agreed to send a letter to Hennepin County indicating their approval of the individual curb cuts. Moved by Commissioner Sears and seconded by Commissioner Buck to recommend approval of Application 2014-7 for the plat of Gaulke Pond Homes on property located at 3924 and 3908 Douglas Drive North following staff recommendations and authorizing a letter be sent to Hennepin County regarding the curb cuts. Approved Minutes of October 13, 2014 Planning Commission Meeting Page 4 of 4 J:\PLANNING\Planning Commission\2014\10.13\approved minutes.doc Motion carried. E. GENERAL INFORMATION 1. City Council actions on previous Planning Commission items: ▪ September 16: Approved a CUP for one U-Haul vehicle at 2740 Douglas Dr N 2. Staff preview of likely agenda items for Monday, November 10, 2014 meeting Mr. Sutter indicated there was nothing he was aware of at this time. 3. Quarterly Development Status Report * 4. September 25 comment letter to Metropolitan Council regarding the draft Housing Policy Plan * F. OPEN FORUM No one spoke before the commission. G. ADJOURNMENT Moved by Commissioner Heigel and seconded by Commissioner Erickson to adjourn. Motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 7:45 p.m.