2017.04.10 PC Meeting Minutes
Approved Planning Commission Minutes April 10, 2017
CRYSTALPLANNING COMMISSION
MINUTES
Monday, April 10, 2017 at 7:00 p.m.
Council Chambers, Crystal City Hall
1. 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) X Commissioner (Ward 2) X Commissioner (Ward 4)
Sears Selton Einfeldt-Brown \[Secretary\]
X Commissioner (Ward 1) X Commissioner (Ward 4)
Commissioner (Ward 3)
Heigel Johnson \[Chair\]
VonRueden
X Commissioner (Ward 2) X Commissioner (Ward 3) X Commissioner (At-
Strand Buck \[Vice Chair\] Large) Daly
Other attendees: City Planner Dan Olson, City Council Liaison John Budziszewski (arrived
at 7:45), Adam Hardy, Randy Bickmann, Joe Noonan, Joe Buck and Steve Schmit
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Moved by Selton and seconded by Heigel to approve the minutes of the February 13, 2017
regular meeting. All ayes.
Motion carried.
3. PUBLIC HEARINGS
a. Conditional use permit request from Randy Bickmann for outdoor storage and a vehicle
impound lot at 5425-5431 Lakeland Avenue North (Application Number 2017-05)
Planner Olson presented a summary of the staff report, and stated that he is
recommending approval of the conditional use permit with the conditions in the staff
report.
Commissioner Heigel said that he is not in favor of this request. The use of the property
for an impound lot is not the highest and best use of this property, and if the LRT is
approved, rail passengers would have a negative view of Crystal when they see impound
lots. Planner Olson stated gave a brief history of the adoption of the ordinance and said
that the City Council wanted these uses in a few select areas of the city, but they did
want to accommodate them.
Steve Schmit, Schmit Towing provided information about how their business operates
and where the vehicles come from.
Approved Planning Commission Minutes April 10, 2017
Joe Noonan, Crystal property owner, said that he is opposed to the impound lot.They
have negative impacts on property values and are basically junkyards. Since the city
has recently improved Hanson Court, it makes no sense that the city would allow
impound lots to locate on that street. Impound lots also create environmental hazards
fluids could seep into the groundwater.
Joe Buck, Schmit Towing, provided more information about the compa
to preventing negative environmental impacts.
Randy Bickmann provided information about the lease with his tenants.
Motion by Commissioner Strand, seconded by Commissioner Sears to recommend
approval of the CUP, subject to the conditions in the staff report. Ayes: Strand, Sears
and Buck. Nays: Heigel, Selton, Einfeldt-Brown, Johnson, and Daly. Motion failed.
Commission members asked staff if that is all that is needed for the recommendation to
the City Council. Planner Olson said no, that they needed to have another motion to
recommend denial or tabling the CUP. Olson provided options for different motions they
could make on this item. There was discussion about what kinds of information staff
might research if the Commission voted to table the CUP.
With no one else from the public wishing to speak, Chair Johnson closed the hearing.
Motion by Commissioner Selton, seconded by Commissioner Heigel to table the CUP
request until the May 8 meeting so that staff could separate the two conditional uses into
two different staff reports. By doing this the Commission believed it could better
understand the impact each use would have. Ayes: Selton, Heigel, Einfeldt-Brown,
Daly, Johnson. Nays: Sears, Strand and Buck. Motion carried.
b. Variance request from Adam Hardy for a detached garage at 5809 Rhode Island Avenue
North (Application Number 2017-06)
Planner Olson presented a summary of the staff report and stated that staff is
recommending approval of the variance request.
Commissioner Heigel asked how the driveway access from the driveway to the garage
would work. Adam Hardy explained how vehicles would enter and exit the garage.
With no one from the public wishing to speak, Chair Johnson closed the hearing
Moved by Commissioner Einfeldt-Brown and seconded by Commissioner Daly to
recommend approval of the variance for Adam Hardy. Ayes: All.
Motion carried.
4. OLD BUSINESS - None
5. NEW BUSINESS
a. Discuss update to regulations for zoning, subdivision, and signs (Application Number
2017-07)
Approved Planning Commission Minutes April 10, 2017
Planner Olson provided an update on the status of the code updates. The
Commission is being asked to hold two work sessions one in May and the other in
June - to review the draft ordinances. The Commission selected May 16, 2017 as the
first work session date. The regular Commission meeting would still be held on May
8.
6. GENERAL INFORMATION
a. City Council actions on previous Planning Commission items: Planner Olson
reported that the zoning code text amendment for impound lots was withdrawn by the
applicant after the February Planning Commission meeting. The CUP for
Cornerstone Church was approved by the City Council, but the Council did remove
some of the conditions that they felt were more informational in nature.
b. Update from Council Liaison - Council Liaison Budziszewski reported on the
following:
vacant lots from
Hennepin County, and they recently approved the sale of 4724 Lakeland
Avenue North
There are two new citizen additions to LRT committees
Metro Transit, city staff and city council have been meeting with residents to
discuss the screening plan for the LRT
Engineering is underway for the phase 16 street reconstruction project
c. Staff preview of likely agenda items for Monday, May 8, 2017 meeting
Planner Olson reported that he has not received any new applications for the May
meeting, but that the deadline to apply is not until tomorrow. The CUP tabled at
s meeting is on the May 8 agenda.
7. OPEN FORUM
Commissioner Einfeldt-Brown asked staff if there are any updates about the former
Thriftway grocery store site. Planner Olson stated that he does not have any updates on the
progress of the building renovation.
8. ADJOURNMENT
Moved by Commissioner Sears and seconded by Commissioner Daly to adjourn. All ayes.
Motion carried.
The meeting adjourned at 9:40 p.m.