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Planning Commission Minutes 04-08-1980 . MINUTES REGULAR MEETING - MONTICELLO PLANNING COMMISSION Tuesday, April 8, 1980 - 7:30 P.M. Members Present: Jim Ridgeway, Dave Bauer, Ed Schaffer, John Bondhus. Dick Martie (came at 7:45) Loren Klein, ex-officio. 1. Review of Minutes. Motion was made by Ed Schaffer, seconded by Dave Bauer and unanimously carried to approve the Minutes of the March 18, 1980 Planning Commission Meeting. 2. Explanation of the 4/5's Vote Policy. Gary Wieber explained the policy the Council has on a 4/5's vote for items of variances and conditional uses. That policy is that if a variance or conditional use comes before the Council and not 100% of the members are going to be in attendance at the meeting where the 4/5's vote of the entire Council is required, that person has the option of bringing their variance or conditional use up a later meeting when the entire Council - that is all five members - would be available to vote. . 3. Public Hearing - Conditional Use Permit for a Tire Shop - Jay Morrell. Jay Morrell, owner of the Stor-A-Way building on south Highway 25, would like to turn a portion of that building into a tire shop which required a condi- tional use permit. In the redevelopment of that property, he is proposing to extend the hard- surfaced area out approximately 40' from the building on the south side to make access to the area where the major access to the tire shop will be. He plans to provide adequate off-street parking. However, on the south side and west end of the new concrete parking area to be created, he requested permission to eliminate the perimeter curb and place additional Class 5 or gravel for overflow parking, which required a variance. There was no public comment - either pro or con - and Jay Morrell had no objection to reviewing the elimination of curbing and hardsurface requirement at the end of a three-year period. On a motion by Ed Schaffer and seconded by Dave Bauer, it was unanimously recommended to allow the variance from the curbing and hardsurfacing requirements and to grant the conditional use for the tire shop, and that in three years, the hardsurfacing and curbing require- ment be reviewed for possible installation at that time. 4. Public Hearing - Conditional Use Permit for a Parking Lot in a Planned Unit Development - McDonald's. McDonald's have requested a conditional use hearing for the development stage of the third parcel of land in the 1-94 Tri-Plaza, or Parcel "All. It is the intention of McDonald's to develop Parcel IIAII into an overload flow area for their present eating facility located on Parcel IIBII of the 1-94 Tri-Plaza. Because this lot is within a Planned Unit Development (PUD) it is necessary to hold a public hearing on a conditional use permit whenever development occurs on that parcel. . - 1 - . . . PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES - 4/8/80 In their proposal for development, McDonalds have requested that landscaping, at least not 100% of the landscaping, or $1,500 which is required by ordinance, be considered not necessary by the granting of a variance. A couple of additional items which were addressed were signs for directing traffic flow and lighting on the new parking facility. Al Inde, a repre- sentative of the McDonald's company, said that definitely signs would be installed to direct traffic flow and lighting would be installed in the new parking lot which would be consistent with that which is presently used at the McDonald's facility. Mr. Inde indicated that if the variance on the landscaping were granted now, that only sod would be put in and that land- scaping would still be coming, but at a later date. Mr. Inde was asked if he would be willing to bond for the landscaping that would be put in at a later date, and he indicated that he would be willing to post the $2,250 bond. 4. On a motion by Dick Martie and seconded by Ed Schaffer, it was unanimously approved to recommend approval of the conditional use permit and approval of the variance for the landscaping as requested. Public Hearing - Consideration of a Rezoning Request - Harold Ruff. Harold Ruff has requested that rezoning of a certain parcel of land be made from R-l to R-3. The parcel of land is that which lies between County Road 39 and the Burlington Northern Railroad tracks, lying east of Kampa Estates and west of the existing NSP maintenance building. That parcel contains approxi- mately 3.94 acres. Mr. Jack Maxwell, of Maxwell Realty, representing the purchaser of that property who has a purchase agreement contingent upon rezoning, stated that he had the following reasons why he felt that property should be rezoned: A. Subject property is located in a neighborhood that does not lend itself to a single family residential zoning, because of the proximity of the NSP shop and the Bridgewater Telephone Company yard. B. An apartment complex would act as a buffer between the industrial property located to the east and south and the residential property to the west of the subject. The railroad tracks and Pinewood Elementary School lies to the north. C. There is a good demand for apartments in the City, and this demand is expected to be increased in the future with the interest rates rising to a point whereby it is impossible for many potential buyers of single family homes to qualify for mortgages, thereby forcing them into the rental market. A motion by Dave Bauer, seconded by Ed Schaffer to recommend rezoning was ; unanimously approved. - 2 - PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES - 4/8/80 . 5. Public Informational Meeting on the Monticello Sign Ordinance. The purpose of this item was to review the Monticello sign ordinance as a result of a request by the Monticello City Council. Of immediate concern is the Monticello ordinance provision that requires that all non-conforming signs. including billboards, flashing lights. rotating signs and signs that may be too large. or too many signs. etc.. be brought into conformance by August 21. 1980. which is the termination date granted after a five-year amortization period when the present City ordinances were adopted on August 21. 1975. One issue that the Planning Commission was made aware of is that there is a possibility that the City of Monticello could be liable for compensation to the sign companies based on the fair market value of their signs. The meeting was open to the public for comments. at which time the various individuals spoke. Al Joyner, who felt that directional signs are necessary in some form so that people can find their way to a particular location they want to be at. Roman Brauch. board representative of the Monticello Country Club. spoke and felt that directional signs were necessary for the same reasons as Mr. Al Joyner in the previous comment. . Bill Seefeldt. who owns property on 1-94 and also Electro Industries. felt that the intent of our ordinances is good. However. he also suggested as the pre- vious two individuals that off-premise directional signs are necessary. Mr. Seefeldt felt that advertising and individual informational signs should be handled separately. Wayne Hoglund. representing the Hoglund Bus Company. felt that a pylon sign for each product line that a company handles would be favorable in the form of a freeway sign. Jim Franklin. of the Ben Franklin Sign Company. who has no billboard signs in Monticello because of our present ordinance which would not allow him to build them. would like to see the City adopt the sign ordinance policy that the State has. which would allow billboard advertising within the City of Monticello. Mel Wolters, who has had problems with the size of signs in the past at his Dairy Queen facility. stated that whatever is done. he hopes that a lot of consideration is given and good information is taken before the ordinance is altered or a new one is established. Tom Brennan, who owns 1,800 feet along 1-94 within the City Limits of Monti- cello. encourages the permission to use billboard advertising along that corridor. and felt that it does not devalue anyone's property by having signs there. . - 3 - PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES - 4/8/80 . Vance Florell, of the Freeway Standard and Vance's Standard downtown, feels that billboard and off-premise advertising along the major highway corridors are essential to business and cited an example of how his business increased in the Monticello community because of billboard and off-premise advertising that he has done. Bob Fousek feels that advertising and promotional signs should be allowed. He feels that they are an asset to his business. After discussion among the Planning Commission members with those who had given testimony and among themselves on a motion by Ed Schaffer, seconded by Dave Bauer, it was unanimously approved to table the matter for further study. 6. Consideration of a Variance Application and Extension of a Conditional Use Permit for an Administrative Office Addition for Independent School District #882. Independent School District #882 has made an application to add an adminis- trative wing onto the west end of the existing Junior/Sr. High School. This addition must be made as an extension of a previously granted conditional use since the building is located in an R-2 zone, where schools are treated as a conditional use. . The addition of this administrative parking spaces be provided, however, nance requirements to the respective number of total classrooms, only 103 presently over 250 spaces provided, spaces. wing does not require that any additional because by applying the present ordi- Jr. and Sr. High populations and the spaces would be required, and there are in addition to the proposed ten new The ten proposed new spaces, however, require a variance since parking in a front yard or side yard in an R-2 zone is prohibited otherwise. One item of concern of the Planning Commission members was that with all of the present parking available on the school grounds, the number of students and employees who do not utilize that parking but park along Washington Street. Mr. Shelly Johnson, superintendent of schools, indicated that he is working to correct that situation and thereby hoping to relieve the parking congestion on the street. Mr. Art Dorn, who lives across Washington Street to the west of the Jr. Sr. High School, questionned whether or not it was necessary for those students and employees to park on Washington Street, and requested that the Planning Commission require that they park in the school 's parking lot facilities rather than on Washington Street. A motion was made by Ed Schaffer, seconded by John Bondhus and was unanimously approved to recommend the granting of the extension of the Conditional Use and to grant the variance necessary for development of the parking lot in the side yard. . - 4 - . . . PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES - 4/8/80 7. Consideration of a Variance from Sideyard Setbacks and Minimum Lot Size Requirements and Request for Subdivision of Property - David Munson. Mr. David Munson. who has purchased Lot 2. Block 11. has made a request for a simple subdivision of lots. Because of the 4' of the west side of Lot 2 having been sold off to the abutting neighbor. the lot is now only 62' wide rather than the 66' as was platted. The square footage of the lot is 10.230'. Mr. Munson's request was to subdivide that lot into two parcels. one of which would be 58' x 62' with 3.596 square feet of property. and one which would be 107' x 62', which would be 6,634 square feet of property. Both of these lots would then be less than our present ordinance requires in an R-3 zone. One lot would be only 35% of what square footage is required. and the other would be only 66% of what square footage is required. Mr. Munson has also requested that he be granted a variance to add 10' to the west side of the existing home on the 58' x 62' lot, which is the southerly lot of the proposed two new lots. which would bring him within 8' of the west property line. which should be a 20' setback according to the ordinance. Also. Mr. Munson would, if the subdivision is granted. like to build a duplex on the 107' x 62' north portion of the lot. This would require a variance because that lot would be only 6.634 square feet. as opposed to 10.000 square foot requirement in an R-3 zone. Because of the extensive amount of variance from the lot size requirements. Ed Schaffer made a motion. seconded by Dick Martie to deny all of the variance requests with all voting in favor to recommend that denial. 8. Consideration of a Variance Request from Parking Ordinance Requirements - Kelly Driscoll. Mr. Driscoll is considering opening a bicycle sales and service store on Lot 10. Block 6, Original Plat. which is zoned B-4 and would like a variance from Monticello's curbing and hardsurfacing parking requirements. Since he would only be leasing the property rather than owning it. and because he is not completely sure of the Monticello market. he has asked that the City consider allowing him to open for a year. as an example. to find out about business in Monticello and at the end of that period, review whether or not he could put in those required improvements or make whatever arrangements might become necessary. In terms of the number of parking spaces. that property meets the parking ordinance in area and additionally. there are sufficient trees to cover the landscaping requirement. A motion was made by Dave Bauer, seconded by Ed Schaffer to recommeng granting the variance. contingent upon Mr. Driscoll coming back at the end of a one-year period to review his variance request again. All voted in favor. - 5 - . . . PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES - 4/8/80 9. Consideration of a Rear Yard Variance Request - Mel Wolters. Mr. Mel Wolters, who is proposing to build an office building on Lots 9 & 10, Block 5, which is zoned B-3, would like a variance to build within 10' of the rear property line where a normal 30' setback would be required. However, in order to meet better parking requirements and to better utilize the property, Mr. Wolters has submitted his proposal for the variance. One item that was considered was allowing up to 50% of the parking spaces to be for compact cars. as was also suggested by our City Planner. The Planner had previously recommended that a 25% consideration for compact cars be used, but with the rapid increase in the number of compact cars. the Planner now recommends we consider allowing 50% of the parking spaces for compacts, which would allow for more spaces and better use of our lots as the amount of compact cars increase and the standard size vehicles is reduced. Mr. Wolters also stated that he would like the variance from the setback because of the terrain of the property, the building could then be used as a part of the retaining wall. which would be necessary in order to develop that property. A motion by Dick Martie. seconded by John Bondhus was unanimously approved to recommend a 20' rearyard variance. 10. Miscellaneous. Several members of the youth hockey association were present to request that the City consider an ordinance which would allow temporary various types of sales in which the local youth hockey organization could raise money to fund the youth hockey program. This request was prompted because the youth hockey was selling fertilizer out of the back of a pickup on a vacant lot on the corner of 3rd and Pine, and was stopped from making those sales because our present ordinance does not allow that type of sale. After some discussion, the Plan- ning Commission voted not to take any action at this time but to further study the matter. 9 Adjourned. LDK/ns - 6 -