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Planning Commission Minutes 01-08-2013MINUTES MONTICELLO PLANNING COMMISSION Tuesday, January 8, 2013 - 6:00 PM Mississippi Room, Monticello Community Center Commissioners Present: Chairman Bill Spariz, Sam Burvee, Brad Fyle, Charlotte Gabler, Grant Sala Council Liaison Absent: Lloyd Hilgart Staff. Angela Schumann, Ron Hackenmueller, Steve Grittman -NAC 1. Call to order Bill Spartz called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. 2. Consideration to approve Planning Commission minutes. a) Regular Meeting of December 4, 2012 The minutes were not available for review at this time. 3. Citizen Comments None 4. Consideration of adding items to the agenda a) Off - Street Parking Enforcement 5. Consideration of an Amendment to the Monticello Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 4, Section 1 - Landscaping & Screening for adoption of regulations pertaining to native landscaping requirements. Applicant: City of Monticello The Planning Commission was asked to further consider a proposed amendment to the zoning ordinance which would allow for natural landscaping while providing regulations to prevent negative impacts on surrounding properties. The Commission had previously indicated that, while there was general support for such an ordinance, a more measured and incremental allowance for such landscapes would be preferable. Staff suggested the following additional amendment options for review and discussion. • Require with registration the documentation of a completed Community Education course specializing in the planting and maintenance of native landscapes • Require a signed agreement with a professional native landscaping company who would either install or install and maintain the landscaping • Require consent of adjacent property owners • Include a 10 foot required setback in both side lots and back yards • Reserve a maximum of 20% of the front yard for natural landscaping and a 15 foot required setback from the front property line Planning Commission Minutes — 1/08/13 • Reserve a maximum of 75% of the rear yard for natural landscaping Brad Fyle said that natural landscaping might make a residential area look run down and that he wouldn't want to live next to such a yard. He pointed out that it could look great in an industrial area. He asked if some of the wording could be further changed. Staff said that it would be an option to relax standards for commercial or industrial areas and allow for only 10 foot setbacks. Charlotte Gabler agreed with 10 foot setbacks and suggested reducing the maximum amount of front yard designated for natural landscaping from 20% to 10 %. She noted the importance of site visibility and asked if standards could differ by neighborhood. Staff replied that all neighborhoods must be protected equally and added that it would likely be more encouraging to proactively establish a conservation design development or PUD rather than to provide a series of prohibitions. Grant Sala said that he is a fan of natural landscaping and that it would not be fair or necessary to require a professional to maintain such a yard as it is often a hobby for gardeners. He agreed with the need to require an approved natural landscape plan per site and suggested that a list of acceptable plants would make landscape issues easier to enforce. Sam Burvee said that he would be open to natural landscaping in a backyard but was concerned that some property owners might ignore their yard. He also wondered how to determine which plantings would be appropriate. Staff replied that the Department of Natural Resources Extension Office maintained a list of acceptable native plantings. Bill Spartz said that he has a neighbor who takes pride in planting nearly 100% of their rear yard with a wonderful native habitat. He does though have some concerns about handling the side and front yards in this way. He suggested that the issue might be better dealt with in the Spring in order to really understand it. Staff indicated that the Commission could choose to table this request indefinitely in order to make site visits to explore this and other properties. She pointed to the Centracare facility in St. Cloud as a great example of how natural landscapes can be incorporated into a commercial setting. Grant Sala mentioned that the City of Plymouth developed a natural landscape City park. Bill Spartz also asked to make a change to one word of the proposed ordinance. He suggested that Section E, Item I, read, "All natural landcapes must be marked with a sign." rather than "All natural landscapes shall be marked with a sign." This would convey the message that the landscaping is purposeful. He also asked that the failure to comply issue be reviewed by legal staff. He agreed with the requirement that the property owner be educated in natural landscaping but was unsure if it would be necessary to hire a professional to handle the landscaping. He said that he would be open to setbacks but noted that a 10 foot setback on a sidelot would eliminate most sidelots. He'd like to look at options for front yards and asked if ponds would be included. Planning Commission Minutes — 1/08/13 Staff said that design options could be left to property owner discretion and noted that some have already planted ornamental grasses. The City's stormwater retention ponds use natural landscaping in easement areas. CHARLOTTE GABLER MOVED TO TABLE ACTION UNTIL SPRING OR EARLY SUMMER IN ORDER TO CONDUCT SITE VISITS TO FURTHER EXPLORE NATURAL LANDSCAPING OPTIONS. GRANT SALA SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED 5 -0. 6. Consideration to review Ordinance #566 for R -3 and R -4 Districts of the Monticello Zoning Ordinance Staff provided a brief update and invited the Planning Commission to comment on revisions to ordinance amendments previously approved which would modify the R -3 District to include additional performance standards for higher density housing and add a new R -4 District to the zoning ordinance. Staff pointed to the need to review a purpose statement for the new R -4 District and also identified the need for clarification as to whether the 900 square foot floor area specified in the R -4 section refers to a minimum area per unit or an allowable average area of all units. Brad Fyle pointed out that, although he had not been in favor of creating an R -4 District, he didn't have concerns about what would be allowable in the district at this point. No formal action was required. The proposed ordinance will be included as part of the upcoming City Council agenda. 7. Community Development Director's Report Bertram Chain of Lakes Regional Park — Phase IVAcquisition — Staff briefly reviewed the Bertram Park map and pointed out the parcels jointly owned by Wright County and the City of Monticello. Matching grants were approved and acquisitions are moving forward on Parcels, 9, 10 and 12. A matching grant was also approved for the first parcel in the City's athletic complex area (Parcel 1). A coalition of Greater Minnesota Park and Trail providers were instrumental in reducing grant match requirements from 50% to 10% and ensuring that greater Minnesota receives a fair share of funding available. The City and County received $1.5 million in Legacy Grant funding and $333,000 from the Non -Metro Regional Grant Fund. The City Council will be asked to match the grants to purchase the majority of Parcel 8, the balance of Parcel 7 and the balance of Parcel 5 in early 2013. The City and County would then jointly own nearly 75% of the park (including the beach.) The Planning Commission will be involved in the review effort as this project moves forward. Planning Commission Minutes — 1/08/13 Economic Development Chapter — Comp Plan Bill Spartz asked about the annual Comprehensive Plan review and zoning map update. Staff indicated that consultant HKGi would complete the needed data updates to Chapter 2 - Community Context and Chapter 4 - Economic Development in draft form and that the small group would then review those components of the plan in late January or early February. The map update would be considered as part of the February Commission agenda. 8. Consideration of adding items to the agenda a) Off- Street Parking Enforcement Charlotte Gabler asked how the off - street parking policy is enforced. Staff indicated that the policy is complaint based only. Residents may call or use the online help desk to report concerns. The Building Department also conducts an annual enforcement sweep which may vary in scope and is dependent upon the issue. Commissioner Gabler also asked if the City had considered adding a public lot so that large commercial vehicles would not park in residential areas. Staff stated that the City had previously offered the old bowling alley lot as a place to park and idle larger vehicles when necessary but that the lot hadn't been utilized for that purpose. 9. Adjourn CHARLOTTE GABLER MOVED TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 6:34 PM. GRANT SALA SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED 5 -0. Recorder: Kerry T. Burri Approved: March 5, 2013 Attest: Angela Schumah4, �drdmNnity Development Director El