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Planning Commission Minutes 03-11-2002 (Special Meeting) . . . MINllTRS SPECIAL MEETING - MONTICF:LLO PLANNING COMMISSION Monday - March 11,2002 6:00 PM Members Present: Diek Frie, Riehard Carlson, Rod Dragsten. Roy Popilek, Rohhie Smith and Council Liaison Clint Herbst Staff: .Jeff O'Nei II 1, Call to order. 2. Chair Frie called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m., noting the absence of Council Liaison Clint Ilerbst. Mr. Ilcrbst arrived at 6:30 p.m. Public Hearing: Consideration of a request for a Development Stage Planned Unit Development and Preliminary Plat for Vine Place, a 26 unit townhouse proiect. Applicant: Front Porch Associates. JeflO'NeilL Deputy City Administrator, provided the stafl report advising that Front Porch Associates had applied for Preliminary Plat approval and Development Stage PUD approval for Vine Place, a 26 unit townhouse project at Minnesota Street and West 6th Street. The project includes the replacement of the Vine Street right-of-way with a private central street. and the relocation of old Th Street along a new puhl ic street alignment. now proposed to he called 6 12 Street. A portion of Minnesota Street is also proposed to bc vacated to conform its alignment with the constructed part of the roadway. O'Neill noted that the project was pushed forward to this special meeting due to the applicant's time frame with purchasing a portion of the property and also due to the fact that the regular Planning Commission meeting scheduled for March 5 was delayed to March 12 due to the eaucus held on March 5. O'Neill also stated that the applicant has f()lll1d that he does not have as mueh land availahle as he had initially thought, adding that it appears to he too much on too small of a parcel. Fronl a staff standpoint it was noted that they really liked the original concept and that it fit well in the older part of town. O'Neill added that they do understand the prohlem with space and Cyr's need to get as many units in as possible to make the project work. He noted that to further complicate matters, the project requires vacation of Vine Street where Ruff Auto has placed a fence and stores vehicles, which need to be moved. The City Attorney advised that it is in the City's legal rights to have the fence and vehicles moved at the owners expense, although O'Neill stated this could still cause a delay. In summary, the staff report noted a number of issues raised hy this plan that the City should consider closely. The PUD process is sought to permit departure from typical zoning requirements such as private street access, front building line and huilding Special Planning Commission Minutes - 03/11102 . separation, side building separation, private street width, visitor parking supply, Alley (private street) width, and long, one-way alley design, turning movements from garages, setbacks fronl public streets, and curb separation li'om adjoining property. Some of these departures may be justifiable based on design considerations, however as noted, the submission packet does not include architecture or landscaping to help with this eonsideration. Other departures raise funetional issues. The lack of visitor parking and the difficulty with turning movements out of the garages onto the alleys would cause operational problems that could not be overcome later, and would be more than mere "ineonvenience". Although some of the design ideas were generated at a concept level. the changes from the concept plan to this stage have negated many of the advantages that stafTbelieved to be a part of the project. These include building sizes, circulation changes, and a number of dimensional issues. It was again noted that Cyr needs to refer back to the original plan that the Planning Commission approved initially. . Chair Frie stated that the Planning Commission most likely has the same concerns as the City Planner regarding the project. Frie noted again that the submission packet did not provide building or landscape plans which is a concern as thc dcveloPlncnt stage process rcquircs thcm. Frie questioned Mr. Cyr how this special meeting f()l' a public hearing came about with the above noted concerns not addressed. The commissioners had the same concerns as Chair Fric. Chair Frie opened the public hearing. Mike Cye Front Porch Associates, stated that ifhe had known earlier \V'hat the reeommendation by Steve Grittman was. he would not have gone forward with the spccial meeting. Jon Bogart, Bogart Pederson & Associatcs, addressed some of the concerns stated. Cyr added that the density is the samc as what was originally proposcd, but that hc had incrcased the size of the units. He also stated that he thought he had submittcd architectural drawings and a landscaping plan at an carlier datc. Cyr stated that visitor parking is designed to be in conjunction with Vine St. bccoming a onc way, tcnant parking in garagcs as well as behind the units, and 6 1"2 Street also being used f()l' parking. Cyr stated that the alley disconnect from the original plan was to try to make it Inore attractive to buyers, but that it can be easily changcd. Cyr added that hc met with Brct Wciss and city staff previously, and had thought that this was the plan that they had agreed on. O'Neill notcd that staff had not received the plans from Cyr in time to review and providc comments any earlier. . Frie asked i r Cyr agreed that this plan is an entirely different proposal than what they had viewed at concept level, but Cry did not agree. He also asked if Cyr fclt that all the itenlS mentioned as concerns were changcs from the coneept plan and did Cyr make the changes in order to make the project more feasible. Cyr stated some changes were made for fcasihility such as the sizc ofthc units. Cyr again stated that the changes evolvcd from thc concept plan whcn he mct with the City Planner and Engineer, and he thought thcy wcre on the right rack. As far as deviating from the coneept plan, he did not feel that was the case. O'Neill added that he felt it was basically the same as the concept plan as wcl1, but 2 Special Planning Commission Minutes - 03/11/02 . he felt they needed more time to work with stall and Cyr to make the project work. Bogart added that he felt the comments stated in the report reflected from Grittman' s thoughts aftcr the meeting with City Engineer, Grittman and staff". Bogart also addcd that he had not seen the comments until Monday. Cyr had other ideas of how to alleviate the conccrns 1l1entioned, and added that another factor that brought them to this special meeting was a time factor. lie stated that the TIF district has to be certified by March 26 and theref()re the special meeting was callcd. Bogart also agreed that had he known earlier that these were the rccommendations they would have worked on the plan to make it acceptable for this mceting. Frie askcd if the opportunity is still thcre to gct on track prior to the City Council meeting on March 25th and O'Neill statcd that it was up to Cyr. . Chair Fric closed the public hearing. O'Neill stated the best way to get thc project back on track is to present it again at a special meeting prior to the City Council meeting on March 25. Therc was discussion of possibly waiting until the regular mecting on April 211(1 but Cyr stated it was critical that the City Council certify the TIF district on March 25. O'Neill agreed that it would be critical for the City Council to know what the project will be, prior to thcm certifying the district. It was noted that the liRA approved the TIF at a previous meeting where he did mention some possible changes to the plan, but that they had not t<.mnally seen any changes. rrie asked if the amount ofTIF approved by the liRA was satisfactory as it was based on a previous concept plan and Cyr slated that there is a concern with additional storm sewer which added about $50.000 to thc project over what was first anticipated, and that issue has not been resolved with the l-IH.A. O'Neill added that hc felt Cyr could still close on his property with confidcnce. A MOTION WAS MADE BY DICK FRIE TO CONTINUE THE PUBLIC HEARING TO A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AT 6:00 PM ON MARCH 25, 2002, TO ADDRESS THE DEVl':LOPMENT STAGE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT AND PRELIMINARY PLAT REQUEST. ROY POPILEK SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSL Y. There was further discussion that the special mecting is being hcld assuming that the issucs mentioned in the report are addressed. 3. Adiourn A MOTION WAS MADE BY ROD DRAGSTEN TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 6:40 PM. RICHARD CARLSON SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSL Y. . " -)