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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/21/1993CITY OF APPLE VALLEY PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES July 21, 1993 1. CALL TO ORDER The City of Apple Valley Planning Commission Meeting of July 21, 1993 was called to order at 7:35 p.m. in the City Council Chambers by Chairman Alan Felkner. Members Present: Chairman Alan Felkner, Karen Edgeton, Marcia Gowling, Len Miller, Frank Blundetto and Jeannine Churchill. Members Absent: Jim Norris. Staff Present: Rick Kelley, Meg McMonigal, Scott Hickok, Dennis Miranowski and Steve Hanson. Others Present: See the sign -in sheet. 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Chairman Felkner asked staff if there were any changes, additions or deletions to the agenda. Staff responded there were no changes. MOTION: Member Churchill moved, seconded by Member Blundetto, to approve the agenda. The Planning Commission approved the agenda unanimously. 3. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF JULY 7, 1993 Chairman Felkner asked staff if there were any proposed changes to the minutes. Staff responded that there were none. MOTION: Member Edgeton moved, seconded by Member Churchill, to approve the minutes of July 7, 1993. The Planning Commission approved the minutes unanimously. �416WMPQYYAL" WIJ7 There were no items on the consent agenda. 5. PUBLIC HEARINGS There were no items on the public hearing agenda. 1 6. LAND USE /ACTION ITEMS A. Utility Corridor and Substation Chairman Felkner explained the review and approval process for this item. At this point, questions had been asked for which City Staff and Dakota Electric would provide answers. Dakota Electric has been unable to provide answers for all the questions of them by this meeting. They have therefore asked that the item be held over to the next meeting on August 4, 1993. Consequently, Apple Valley Staff will give a brief synopsis of the questions remaining to be answered, but no action by the Planning Commission is anticipated until all answers to the questions have been received. Associate Planner McMonigal began her presentation by noting the three options in the staff memo for this project. Under the category of unresolved issues, Associate Planner McMonigal distributed to the Commissioners a letter which the City received from the Dakota County Highway Department noting that information had been supplied to them concerning utility pole locations. These locations can be accommodated within the road so the County believes they will be able to issue a permit for the utility line. McMonigal also noted that since a comprehensive plan change has been requested for the utility corridor and substation, the burden of proof lies upon the petitioner to demonstrate that the comprehensive plan should be changed. McMonigal then displayed a series of overheads identifying the questions to which adequate answers have not yet been received. These are as follows: 1) Why wasn't the line planned with County Road 38 construction? 2) Do these poles fall down if hit? 3) Can EMF be reduced by burying or changing the configuration of lines? 4) Are there newer technologies that emit less EMF? 5) Did property values lower after the road was constructed? 6) What additional sizing would be required in the future? 7) How are hiking and biking paths considered in the routing evaluation? 8) How do unit counts relate to actual residence counts? 9) Isn't the daycare closer to County Road 38 than it is to Palomino Drive? 10) What are other future plans for either a southern extension or eastern extension? 11) Why is the substation proposed to run at only 80% capacity when built? 12) Is the data in the report presented by Dames & Moore accurate? 13) Is there more information concerning alternates A, B, and C which were presented very recently, versus the alternates that were listed in the routing report? 14) Can Dakota Electric Association expand other facilities for the time being? Member Blundetto asked for clarification regarding the question on the 80% capacity of the substation. McMonigal noted that Dakota Electric could answer the question in one of either two ways. Why the substation is only at 80% or why it is so high when it would first come on line. K Chairman Felkner noted that it is hoped that the answers to these remaining questions will be available at the August 4th meeting. He then asked if any other commissioners had questions or concerns. Member Edgeton expressed concern about the fact that no one on the staff has a background in electrical engineering design. She suggested that a third party with such a background be engaged by the city to review the data submitted by Dakota Electric, as well as the data presented during the public hearing. The evaluation then prepared by this third party could be used to assist City Staff, the Commissioners and City Council in arriving at a final decision. MOTION: Member Edgeton moved, seconded by Member Miller, that the City Council be requested to bring a consultant on board to review the study and the comments received. Member Blundetto asked that if such a study were prepared by an outside party, would the Planning Commission have an opportunity to review the results of this evaluation prior to the City Council making a decision on this issue. Member Miller answered yes, that it was his intent in seconding the motion. Member Churchill stated that she believes that more investigation on the possibility of burying, the line is necessary and that a third party consultant would be helpful in determining this. Member Edgeton stated that it was her intent that the third party consultant's report would come back to the Planning Commission prior to them making a recommendation to the City Council, but also feels that this review needs to be done in a timely manner on the order of 2 -3 months. Chairman Felkner asked City Staff if there were any specific statutory time constraints for review of this item for rezoning and a comprehensive plan amendment. City Planner Kelley responded that time constraints for rezonings and comprehensive plan amendments are not listed in state statutes -- only for subdivision reviews. Chairman Felkner recognized a comment from the audience, although he noted that the public hearing had been closed. Bill Diedrich of Diedrich Builders stated that this issue should be resolved as soon as possible. As it stands now, a cloud is hanging overhead regarding the conclusion. Member Miller wished it to be clear in the record that the recommendation from the Commission to the Council to hire a third party consultant is all that is being considered at this moment. The whole issue of whether the power line and substation should be approved or not is not being forwarded to the City Council at this time. Chairman Felkner called for a vote on the motion. It was passed unanimously 6 -0. Chairman Felkner then called for a five - minute break. 3 Chairman Felkner reconvened the meeting at 8:10 p.m. Member Churchill did not attend the remainder of the meeting. 6B. Consideration of a resolution of adopting the 'Profile of The City" Comprehensive Plan Chapter Chairman Felkner introduced this item. He then turned it over to Associate Planner McMonigal for a formal presentation. McMonigal presented an overhead with an outline of the comprehensive plan chapters and noted those that had been most recently updated, such as parks and transportation, and those that remain in need of an update, such as utilities and housing. She noted that portions of the revised profile chapter had been submitted and reviewed by the Planning Commission over the past several months. She then distributed the revised profile chapter, which is intended to replace the existing survey and analysis chapter in the comprehensive plan. Chairman Felkner asked if there were any questions of the Commission regarding this revised profile chapter. There being none, he called for a motion. MOTION: Member Gowling moved, seconded by Member Blundetto to approve a resolution adopting the revised profile chapter of the comprehensive plan. The motion passed unanimously 5 - 0. 7. DISCUSSION ITEMS - None - 8. OTHER BUSINESS Chairman Felkner read a resolution thanking Associate Planner McMonigal for her work at the City over the past seven years. McMonigal has accepted a position as the City Planner for the City of Northfield, beginning in August. 9. ADJOURNMENT Chairman Felkner adjourned the meeting at 8:17 p.m. El