HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/17/2005CITY OF APPLE VALLEY
PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES
AUGUST 17, 2005
1. CALL TO ORDER
The City of Apple Valley Planning Commission meeting was called to Order by Chair
Karen Edgeton at 7:00 p.m.
Members Present: Karen Edgeton, Jeannine Churchill, Thomas Helgeson, Jim Hadley, and
*David Schindler
*Commissioner Schindler arrived at 7:01 p.m.
Members Absent: Tim Burke and Tom Melander
Staff Present: Community Development Director Rick Kelley, City Planner Tom Lovelace,
City Attorney Sharon Hills, and Assistant City Engineer Colin Manson
2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Chair Edgeton asked if there were any changes to the Agenda. There being none, she called
for its approval.
MOTION: Commissioner Churchill moved, seconded by Helgeson, to approve the Agenda.
The motion carried 4-0.
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF AUGUST 3, 2005
Chair Edgeton asked if there were any changes to the minutes. There being none, she called
for its approval.
MOTION: Commissioner Hadley moved, seconded by Churchill, to approve the minutes of
the August 3, 2005, meeting. The motion carried 5-0.
4. CONSENT ITEMS
None.
5. PUBLIC HEARINGS
None.
6. LAND USE/ACTION ITEMS
A. Pennock Avenue Office Building -Site PlanBuilding Permit Authorization to
Allow for Construction of a 15,000 sq. ft. Office Building
Tabled at the request of the petitioner.
B. Eddie Cheng's Restaurant CUP -Consideration of a Conditional Use Permit
and a Variance to the Required Parking to Allow for a Class II (Carry Out)
Restaurant in the "RB" (Retail Business) Zoning District
City Planner Tom Lovelace presented the request from Zhong Qun Zheng and
Galaxie Commons, LLC, for a conditional use permit (CUP) and variance from the
minimum parking requirement to allow for a Class II (carry out) restaurant.
Lovelace reported the restaurant will occupy approximately 1,100 sq. ft. of an
existing 15,360 sq. ft. multi-tenant retail building, located in the northwest corner of
Galaxie Avenue and 153`a Street West. The building is currently occupied by
Hirschfield's Dunn Bros. Coffee Shop, Valley Cleaners and Tailors, and Fajita's
Southwestern Grill. The 1,100 sq. ft. of space currently vacant would be occupied
by the proposed restaurant.
Lovelace reported that the applicant is also requesting a variance from the minimum
parking requirement for acarry-out restaurant of 9 parking spaces. The Galaxie
Commons building has 100 off-street parking spaces available and the current uses
have a minimum parking demand for 99 of those spaces, leaving 1 parking space for
the remaining vacant space.
Lovelace reported that the major obstacle in approving this request is parking space
availability. The increase in demand for pazking has been generated by 2 restaurants
already existing in the building. The Dunn Bros. Coffee requires 18 spaces and
Fajita's Southwest Grill requires 55 spaces. If those spaces were used for typical
retail, the minimum parking demand would be 33 spaces. Lovelace stated that the
parking situation has been created by the landowner, and therefore, would not meet
the hardship test other than not altering the essential character of the locality.
As requested by the Planning Commission, the City's traffic consultant reviewed the
parking demand and determined that the proposed use would have a peak demand of
9 parking spaces. Staff originally determined that 6 spaces would be required, which
was based on calculating this use as a retail operation.
Lovelace reported that the applicant is unable to provide these spaces on site.
Therefore, staff has proposed to the applicant the installation of 8 on-street pazking
spaces, 6 along the west side of Galaxie Avenue and 2 spaces along the north side of
153rd Street West directly abutting the Galaxie Commons site. During the public
hearing, Randall Pedersen, the applicant, stated that he would be in favor of
installing bump-out parking along Galaxie Avenue.
Chair Edgeton stated that she thinks the bump-out parking is a great idea and will
conform to the overall Central Village Plan located within close proximity of the
site. Edgeton also asked staff to have a direct discussion with Culvers to see if they
also might be interested in installing the bump-out parking along Galaxie Avenue.
Commissioner Churchill stated that after visiting the proposed site, she didn't think
that 6 parking spaces would fit unless they are located on part of the Culver's
property. Commissioner Helgeson asked other members of the Commission if they
would be comfortable approving this request if only 4 spaces are buildable on the
site. The Commission stated that it would be comfortable with 4 parking spaces.
Commissioner Schindler stated that he would like to see the spaces uniform with the
parking spaces across the street.
MOTION: Commissioner Schindler moved, seconded by Churchill, to recommend
approval of a conditional use permit to allow fora 1,100 sq. ft. carry-out restaurant at
15265 Galaxie Avenue, on property legally described as Lot 2, Block 1, CULVERS
ADDITION, subject to the following conditions:
• No service other than carry-out, as defined by the City Code shall be
allowed.
• No drive-through facilities shall be allowed.
• Ventilation equipment that minimizes the release of grease and smoke
shall be installed.
• A variance from the minimum on-site parking requirement shall be
granted, subject to the installation of 6-8 on-street parking spaces
along the west side of Galaxie Avenue and 2 spaces along the north
side of 153`a Street West directly abutting the Galaxie Commons
property, in accordance with the Central Village design specifications.
The owner of the Galaxie Commons property shall bear the full
financial responsibility for the installation of these parking spaces.
The motion carried 5-0.
B. Burrows Setback Variance -Consideration of a Variance from the Required
Building Setbacks of 75 Feet from the Ordinary High Water Mark of Farquar
Lake and 30 Feet from the Front Property Line to Allow Construction of a
Single Family Home on Two Existing Lanes
City Planner Tom Lovelace presented the request from Steven Burrows for a
variance to the front and rear yard setback requirements to allow for the construction
of a single family home with athree-car attached garage on two existing lots located
along the north side of Dominica Way, approximately 1/4 mile west of Diamond Path.
Lovelace reported the applicant is proposing two variance request options. The first
option would place the front of the house (except for the 10.5' x 10.5' covered
entryway) at the 30' front yard setback line. The garage would encroach up to 22',
the dwelling up to 8', and the deck up to 5' into the 75' shoreline setback area.
The second option would move the house south 10' into the front yard setback,
putting the covered entryway approximately 10' from the front property line. The
garage would encroach up to 12' into the reaz yard setback area, with the deck and
rear of the dwelling falling into compliance. The side of the dwelling would
encroach up to 5' in the shoreline setback area.
Lovelace reported that the property is located in the "R-1" (Single family/40,000 sq.
ft. min. lot azea) zoning district. Because of the proximity of the site to Farquar
Lake, this site is also located in the "SH" (Shoreland District). One of the
performance standards in the "SH"zoning district is that a building must be set back
a minimum of 75' from the normal high water mark, which is established to ensure
water quality and minimization of the visual impact of development.
Lovelace reported that in order for a variance to be approved, the City must fmd that
"special conditions applying to the structures or land in question are particular to
such property, or immediately adjoining property' do not apply generally to other
and land or structures in the district; and that the variance will not merely serve as a
convenience to the applicant, but is necessary to alleviate demonstrable hardship or
difficulty." Lovelace stated that the lot configuration, with its curved boundary lines
and location adjacent to a small bay, creates a buildable area that could
accommodate the type of dwelling unit that is constructed in this community. In
addition, the Minnesota Deparhnent of Natural Resources reviewed the two variance
options and stated that they would not oppose the second option (Sketch No. 2) of
the variance request.
Lovelace stated that staff is recommending approval of this variance request based
upon the hazdship created by the peculiar shape of the site and its irregular boundary
lines.
MOTION: Commissioner Churchill moved, seconded by Hadley, to recommend
approval of the applicant's request for building setback variances for Lots 1 and 2,
Block 1, FARQUAR LAKE ADDITION, in accordance with "Sketch No. 2", dated
August 2, 2005, based upon the hardship created by the peculiar shape of the site and
its irregular boundary lines, subject to the following conditions:
• Issuance of a building permit shall be subject to the replatting of the
two lots into one lot of record.
• Building construction, including the deck, shall be in conformance
with the exterior perimeter of the floor plan dated August 8, 2005.
The motion carried 5-0.
7. OTHER BUSINESS
None.
8. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION: Commissioner Schindler moved, seconded by Churchill, to adjourn the meeting
at 7:25 p.m.