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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/05/2008CITY OF APPLE VALLEY PLANNIlVG COMMISSION MINUTES March 5, 2008 1. CALL TO ORDER The City of Apple Valley Planning Commission meeting was called to order by Chair Jeannine Churchill at 7:00 p.m. Members Present: Jeannine Churchill, Tom Melander, Tim Burke, Keith Diekmann, David Schindler, Frank Blundetto and Thomas Helgeson Members Absent: None Staff Present: Community Development Director Bruce Nordquist, City Planner Tom Lovelace, Associate City Planner Kathy Bodmer, City Attorney Michael Dougherty, Assistant City Engineer David Bennett and Department. Assistant Barbara Wolff 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Chair Churchill asked if there were any changes to the agenda. There being none, she called for approval of the agenda. MOTION: Commissioner Burke moved, seconded by Commissioner Schindler to approve the agenda. The motion carried 7-0. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 20, 2008 Chair Churchill asked if there were any changes to the minutes. There being none, she called for approval of the minutes. MOTION: Commissioner Diekmann moved, seconded by Commissioner Burke, to recommend approval of the minutes of the February 20, 2008, meeting. The motion carried 7-0. 4. ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING The Commission nominated and elected officer positions amongst themselves. The officers, given only one nomination for each office, were accepted by unanimous consent under Robert's Rules of Order: Jeannine Churchill will continue to serve another year as Chair. Thomas Melander will continue to serve another year as Vice-Chair. David Schindler will rpntinne tp serve another year as .~eerreTary, MOTION: Commissioner Helgeson moved, seconded by Commissioner Schindler to readopt the mission statement taken from the Planning Commission Information Handbook. The motion carved 7-0. S:\planning\PLANCOMM\2008 agenda & minutes\030508m.doc MOTION: Commissioner Helgeson moved, seconded by Commissioner Schindler to readopt the guiding bylaws taken from the Planning Commission Information Handbook. The motion carved 7-0. MOTION: Commissioner Melander moved, seconded by Commissioner Burke to adopt the Planning Commission Information Handbook as the policy and procedures guide for the Planning Commission. The motion carried 7-0. 5. 2030 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE/ACTIONS Rusty Fifield, Project Manager from Hoisington Koegler Group, Inc. stepped forward to give an update of the 2030 Comprehensive Plan. There are three opportunities for the public to interact with City Planning staff to review and comment on the draft vision statement. 1) The Home and. Garden Expo -Saturday, Apri15[h from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Comprehensive Plan Booth at the Western Service Government Center. 2) A Community Workshop focusing on the Land Use Plan -Wednesday, April 9a' from 7-9 p.m. at the Municipal Center. 3) A Community Workshop focusing onparks, streets, housing, economic development, and utility systems -Thursday, May 1st from 7-9 p.m. at the Municipal Center. More information regarding Comprehensive Plan updates will be provided in the "City News" Spring edition, the City website, and cable channel 16. 6. CONSENT ITEM --NONE-- 7. PUBLIC HEARING --NONE-- 8. LAND USE/ACTION ITEMS A. Apple Valley Marketplace -Consideration of site plan/building permit authorization to allow for construction of two 6,000 sq. ft. retail buildings on a 1.1 acre lot in the Tousignant's Prairie Crossing Commercial development. Associate City Planner Kathy Bodmer stated that the petitioner is requesting site plan review building pemut authorization to constnact two 6,000 sq, ft. multiple-tenant retail buildings in the Prairie Crossing Commercial area on the southwest comer of County Road 42 and Dove Trail. The Prairie Crossing Commercial development was first approved by the City in 1997. In 2007, the overall plans were modified slightly to accommodate a CVS pharmacy, but the overall layout for the multiple-tenant retail buildings remained consistent with the 1997 plans. The design of the exterior of S:\planning\PLANCOMM\2008 agenda & minutes\030508m.doc the buildings, the placement on the lot, and the central feature of the gathering area remain with this plan. The plans presented for building permit authorization largely comply with the requirements of the approved 2007 plans, although there are minor issues that will need to be addressed. Second exit door. The grades behind the southern building make it difficult to construct a sidewalk without installing significant retaining walls. Three of the suites are, therefore, shown to not have rear exit doors. Smaller tenants do not require an additional exit door. The fire department and building inspections department state that, if, in the future, a tenant wishes to combine suites, a determination will need to be made whether additional exit doors are required. If so, the building owner will be responsible for either relocating the tenant or installing the door or doors in accordance with Building Code and Fire Code requirements. Buildings abut drainage and utility easements. As discussed during the review of the CVS store, drainage and utility easements are located along the west property line, which prevent the installation of trees in that area. Although the back of the building will act as a screen to the neighborhood, the condominium neighborhood west of the site has indicated that they do not wish to have additional trees planted on their property to help screen the commercial property. The condominium association officers have been contacted again to confirm that they are still not interested in additional trees. Rear and side elevations should be enhanced. The design of the exterior of the buildings is consistent with the approved plans. Staffrecommends that the EIFS band treatment along the front and side of the building be carried along the full length of the side and rear of the building as shown in the approved plans. hi addition, staff is concerned about the design of the columns on the rear of the buildings caused by the slope. It may be preferable to constmct the columns with the same proportion of brick (approximately 25%). The City code requires that masonry material must be integrally colored. Exterior of trash enclosures must be of same material. as exterior of the building. The exterior of the dumpster enclosure must be constructed of the same materials as the exterior of the buildings. The enclosures are shown to be constmcted of block. Bodmer asked for questions and/or comments from the Planning Comrnission. Chair Churchill asked if there were any variances at this time. Bodmer replied no. Commissioner Helgeson asked if there has been any discussion of putting a central gathering area back into the plans, as it was on the original plan. Bodmer replied that because of the requirements of on-site infiltration, the central gathering area. was dropped from the original plans. Also, limited parking and the fact that the neighborhood did not ip~ant a epnneeting girl e~,palk~ ennfi hiiterl to remnying the central gath epng area, Commissioner Helgeson stated that he thought there is room to do some hardscape to create a neighborhood feel and would like to see staff work on this; examples are benches or bike racks. Also, on the back of building number two, why isn't the cultured stone on the pilasters carved all the way down to the ground? S:Aplanning~PLANCOMM~2008 agenda & minutesV030508m.d°c Bodmer stated that it is carved this same way around the building, although she will have the petitioner address this concern. Commissioner Helgeson also stated that he is concerned about the lighting causing pollution for the residents. Bodmer stated that the lighting may cause less disturbance by evenly distributing the lighting along the back of the buildings. Commissioner Melander thinks its going to be tricky to beat the 5% landscaping requirements. He thought that a water fountain or planters may be a good way to jazz up the area. Bodmer stated that one of the challenges of Apple Valley Marketplace is the cross access easement agreements with CVS Pharmacy. CVS Pharmacy has stipulated that they will not allow any restaurants, although they will allow a small coffee shop of 1,500 sq. ft. Without the restaurant, the petitioner stated that the central gathering place serves no purpose. It is the City's concern that this is an important element for this development and it could be dressed up and made to be a nice azea. Commissioner Schindler is concerned about the rear elevation. Since this is a situation where there cannot be any screening, why hasn't someone looked at something more appealing in the design? Bodmer replied that the petitioner had the same sort of design in the preliminary plan last year with the EFIS band, but it hasn't been considered for the rear side of the building. Commissioner Schindler asked if it was only shrubs that could go along the rear of the building. Bodmer stated that the other alternative is that the City could require a fence by ordinance but it's less appealing than the building that is shown. With the grading difference, the fence will not actually screen the building. Community Development Director Bruce Nordquist clarified that typically the City doesn't see banding and brick work on the back of commercial buildings. The lighting is intended to be either an up-light or down-light that isn't industrial in appearance. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (OPTED) states that a fence on the property line would offer concealment to potential crime acts. Chair Churchill stated that generally when the City has required developers to dress up the back of the buildings is because there has been road access all the way azound. Commissioner Helgeson suggested an ivy or climbing plant to enhance the landscaping on the rear of the buildings. Bodmer responded that there maybe structural concerns with ivy. Commissioner Diekmann asked what other types of businesses would be located in a Neighborhood Service (NS) zoning if it's not restaurants. What are other permitted uses? S:\planning\PLANWMM\2008 agenda & minutes\030508m.doc Bodmer replied small shops, video stores, dry cleaners. East Valley Plaza is an example of neighborhood oriented businesses. Chair Churchill, hearing no further questions from the Commission, invited the petitioner to come forward. Jim Kellison of Kelco Services, LLC, representing ownership of the project, stepped forward. He addressed some of the concerns that the Commission brought up: 1) The lighting on the rear of the buildings was to light the door areas for security purposes, not to encourage lighting that maybe offensive to the neighbors. He stated he will work with Staff to determine what type of lighting they would like to have. The lighting will be on a time clock so it can be adjusted depending on what the neighbors and the Police Department will settle on. 2) Suite sizes will be about 1,200 sq. ft. each. He said they can have two or three suites combined and still have the front doors meet the code requirements for exiting, so there are no issues with rear exits in the future. One of the reasons the exits are not in the back is because ofthe slope. 3) Lack of the band of EFIS is not because of expense, but because of the difficulty of building scaffolding all the way along the back, to accommodate installation of the banding, because of the slope. 4) The cultured stone was creating a consistent waist band around the building, but will work with Staff. 5) Ivy is a significant maintenance issue because it grows into the mortar on the block and lifts the cultured stone right off. He would discourage using ivy on the building. Commissioner Blundetto suggested putting the ivy on a trellis. Kellison stated that the plantings there will be 6-10 feet high over a period of time. They will work with Staff for vertical elements along the back of the building. Kellison stated that some of the retail stores that he's been in conversation with are a women's clothing boutique, a dentist, a chiropractor, jewehy store and a coffee shop with a bakery. Other types of uses would be a small insurance agency, an accounting office or a less dominant retail store. There will not be any sit down restaurants. Food shops would be on strictly atake-out basis, such as a Papa Murphy's. Commissioner Blundetto asked if there will be any patio chairs between the two buildings. Kellison stated that they will work with Staff and the coffee shop to create a patio area with colored concrete and/or patterning. There is room for approximately six tables and benches, depending on demand. ('nmmiecinnar TliPkm inn maCle a r"nmment that he th~nhg the ~Flargthanri ghni"1 "1 remain the yyay it ig in the plans v- v-v-u-- Chair Churchill hearing no further comments from the Planning Commission stated that normally we do not take public comment during a meeting like this where it's just an action item. She said S:\planning\PLANCOMM\2008 agenda & minutes\030508m.doc $ she knows there is concern from the neighborhood so she will take a few minutes to consider any issues that the neighbors think the Planning Commission should take into consideration. Steven Mohs of 15076 Dunwood Trail, President of the Homeowner's Association, stepped forward and introduced Ann Fitz, of Cornerstone Management. Fitz stated that she appreciates the consideration that Planning Staff and the developer have given on this project. The primary concern from the neighborhood is the screening. The objection to the neighbors having the trees on their property is because they feel that it is the City's job to enforce ordinances and to provide the screening within the development itself. The residents feel that this particular site is overdeveloped and because of this the space is not allowing the screening. The shielding on the lighting on the back of the building should be lower than the bulbs of the lights as the homes are lower than the building. A subtle lighting could be nice without providing a lot of glare-and definitely contribute to the safety in that area. Fitz is requesting one or two more pilasters to dress up the rear of the buildings. She feels that when it looks well kept, there is less chance for graffiti. Mohs asked if the view from his second floor townhome would be looking at the roof of the new building. Kellison-stated, based on his estimate, that he thinks Mohs will be looking more eye level at the top of the parapet. He doesn't think that the residents will be looking down at the roof of the buildings. Mohs is concerned about lighting pollution. Also, he asked if Kellison had gotten rid of the second dumpster on the north side of the site.. Kellison stated yes. Mohs wanted to know when the garbage would be picked up. He suggested between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. during the daytime hours. Bodmer stated that that is not incorporated into the Planned Development agreement, although the City could work with the developer on that issue. Commissioner Helgeson asked if there would be any equipment on the roof that will be visible. Bodmer stated that City ordinance requires rooftop mechanicals to be fully screened by the parapets. The height of the parapet has to be the same height or taller than the equipment. Commissioner Helgeson asked about the noise generated by the equipment on the roof. Bprimer ctateri that Fhe parapet will reriuee the ngige level, Commissioner Diekmann asked Bodmer if the developer could plant anything in an easement. Bodmer stated that no trees, but there can be shrubs planted, depending on the root structures and where the utility lines are running. S:\planning\PLANCOMM\2008 agenda & minutes\030508m.doc Commissioner Diekmann commented that because of the elevation of the buildings and the townhomes directly adjacent, he thinks that uplighting would be best considering the townhomes are lower. Chair Churchill hearing no further comments from the Planning Commission, called for a motion. MOTION: Commissioner Melander moved, seconded by Commissioner Helgeson to recommend approval of the site plan and give building permit authorization to construct two 6,000 square foot multiple tenant commercial buildings on Lot 1, Block 1, Prairie Crossing 2nd Addition in accordance with the plans received.February 25, 2008 and with all City Code requirements and construction standards subject to the following conditions: 1) The property owner shall apply for and obtain a license to encroach for the structures located in the drainage and utility easement including the patio area with planters and other features as approved by the City, shrubs and if necessary, retaining walls. 2) The property owner shall submit a nursery bid list to confirm that the landscape plantings meet or exceed 5% of the value of the construction of the building based on Means Construction Data and make appropriate changes to the landscape plan. 3) All fencing shall comply with the approved fence design standard. 4) Alighting cut. sheet shall be provided that demonstrates that lighting levels will be sufficiently cut off on the west side of the building to verify light levels do not exceed 0.5 foot candles at the property line. If necessary, the City may require submission of a lighting plan that confirm light levels at the property lines for the entire site. 5) The building owner shall comply with all requirements of the Fire Code and Building Code related to additional exit doors. If the number of occupants exceed the number allowed by the Code, the building owner shall relocate the tenant or construct additional exit doors as required by the City. The motion carried 7-0. 9. OTHER BUSINESS A. Review of upcoming Schedule and other Updates Nordquist stated that there were no changes to the upcoming schedule, as previously reviewed at the informal session. 1 Q, Alm T(IiJRNMF.NT Hearing no further comments from the Planning Staff or Planning Commission, Chair Churchill asked for a motion to adjourn. S:\planning\PLANCOMM\2008 agenda & minutes\030508m.doc MOTION: Commissioner Schindler moved, seconded by Commissioner Diekmann, to adjourn the meeting at 8:06 p.m. The motion carried 7-0. 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