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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/02/1988CITY OF APPLE VALLEY PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES NOVEMBER 2, 1988 1. CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order by Vice Chairman Richard Carlson at 7:35 p.m. in the City of Apple Valley Community Center, 14603 Hayes Road. Members Present: Vice Chairman Richard Carlson; Members Virginia Sterling, Marcia Gowling and Frank Kleckner. Members Absent: Chairman Robert Erickson and Member Alan Felkner. Staff Present: Lon Aune, Keith Gordon, Rick Kelley, Meg McMonigal and Dennis Welsch. Others Present: See sign in sheet attached. 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA: The Agenda was approved as submitted. 3. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF OCTOBER 19, 1988: The minutes of the October 19, 1988 City of Apple Valley Planning Commission Meeting were approved as submitted. 4. CONSENT AGENDA: None. 5. PUBLIC HEARINGS: A. Rezoning and Preliminary Plat for Rolling Ridge Subdivision. LOCATION: West of School District 196 Offices and Elementary School. PETITIONER: Sienna Corporation. Acting Chairman Richard Carlson opened the public hearing. Associate Planner Meg McMonigal presented a background report dated November 2, 1988 explaining the Rolling Ridge plat rezoning request from "P" to "R -1C" and the request for a preliminary plat approval for 104 lots. She discussed the through street situation regarding 144th Street and the number of alternatives available. In addition, the Staff report summarized parks, ponding and sidewalk proposals. Ms. McMonigal noted that the Park Committee had reviewed the project and recommended that the City accept a cash dedication in addition to three (3) minor land dedications to link existing parks on the north and south sides of the site. Member Kleckner asked for clarification of the number of accesses recommended to the park system and for clarification regarding the Park Planning Commission Minutes Page 2 November 2, 1988 Committee recommendation. Member Gowling asked for clarification regarding the existing homes and the extension of 144th Street. Member Sterling asked for clarification regarding the location of 145th Street and the connection of 145th Street at the elementary school. Member Carlson asked for clarification regarding the pipeline easements and requirements for grading and design. In response, City Engineer Keith Gordon noted that the pipe companies will have inspectors on the site during the grading, but they will not allow for removal of earth from the pipeline easement areas. There is no requirement for pipeline testing after construction of the plat is complete. Member Kleckner asked for clarification regarding ponding and lot sizes. Lot sizes range from 11,000 square feet up to 19,000 square feet in some cases. Nancy Mueller, 14392 Ebony Lane expressed concern about the access onto 144th Street. She expressed concern regarding the potential thoroughfare connecting Diamond Path Road with Pilot Knob Road and asked for clarification regarding development of existing ponds and parks. An unidentified citizen asked if 144th Street would be wide enough for a through street capable of handling 140 existing homes plus 104 proposed units and any additional traffic using 144th Street as a short cut. City Planner Richard Kelley explained that the street is 34 feet in width. He noted that a 34 foot street is capable of handling a minimum of 1,500 to 2,000 trips per day. Lee Slavicek, 14344 Ebony Lane expressed concern about the use of 144th Street as a short cut between Rosemount and Scott Highlands School. He asked for clarification whether the existing bike trail would remain (Staff responded that the trail will remain, but will be relocated slightly). He also expressed concern regarding additional traffic on Embry Path from 144th Street. Garry Spangler, 14675 Dunbar Court expressed concern regarding the closeness of the existing Diamond Path School to proposed 144th Street and the City school bus service area. Member Carlson pointed out that the City has numerous schools such as Greenleaf, Scott Highlands and Cedar Park; all of which are located on major thoroughfares. He also noted that the proposed 144th Street would be located further north than the Diamond Path School. Mr. Spangler asked for clarification regarding school bus use of 144th Street. Associate Planner Meg McMonigal responded that the school buses will continue to use the north service drive with the exception of the school buses providing service to the neighborhood around 144th Street. Lee Slavicek asked if there had been any thought given to a possible access road through Tintah Park to 142nd Street instead of only one access along 144th Street. Ms. McMonigal responded that the Staff had considered this alternative and had discussed it in detail, but found that the neigh- bors would object to a street within the park system. Mr. Slavicek noted Planning Commission Minutes Page 3 November 2, 1988 that 142nd Street is now the short cut between Rosemount and Scott Highlands School and that 144th Street will be even more of a short cut. Pat Cockrane, 14352 Ebony Lane stated that 144th Street through the Sienna Development and west to Ebony Lane may be used as a short cut, but as proposed, it does not illustrate sidewalks. Added traffic along 144th Street will create problems with at least 70 school children. Ms. McMonigal explained the City policy regarding sidewalks to be placed only on collector streets. Ebony Lane would not be a collector street and therefore, would not receive sidewalks. Kent Landerholm, 14371 Ebony Lane expressed concern about traffic and traffic speed. Arden Berge, 14222 Drexel Court asked about the median price of the homes and the number of children who would live within the new sub- division. Rick Packer of Sienna Corporation stated that the price range of the new homes will be $110,000 to $150,000 and Ms. McMonigal stated that the School District statistics illustrate that single family homes have 1.39 school age children per household. A general discussion ensued regarding access to existing parks from Ebony Lane. It was noted that over 70 children must cross 144th Street to get to the park system and that the current pathway system leads to a half dry lake bed or drainage pond in Delaney Park. Many citizens noted that access is not safe. No access is currently provided from the west from Embry to Delaney Park without going around the pond edge. Bruce Granos, 14362 Ebony Lane asked for clarification regarding the dedication requirements and cash dedications. Laura Tipler, 14202 Drexel Court stated that the City should accept park land dedication and the City should improve the park which currently has only four (4) swings. Member Sterling stated that the City could use the cash dedication estimated at $60,000 to develop Tintah and Delaney Parks. She also noted Diamond Path School has fields and park equipment available. Councilman Gary Humphrey explained the City park policy to develop larger parks and equip them more effectively rather than acquire and maintain small "tot lot" type parks. Vern Buckmeier, 14370 Ebony Lane asked the Planning Commission to clarify whether there was a guarantee that the cash dedicated through the Sienna project would be utilized for Tintah and Delaney parks. The Planning Commission has no authority to guarantee that such cash would be dedicated specifically to Tintah and Delaney, however the cash does go into a "Park Dedication" fund and the City's Capital Improvements Plan determines how and where the funds will be spent on a yearly basis. Planning Commission Minutes Page 4 November 2, 1988 Karen Alstrup, 14231 Drexel Court asked the commission to consider acquiring more park land because the lots proposed by the Sienna Corpor- ation are smaller than many of the lots in the area. Member Carlson responded by illustrating details of the Sienna plat which note that lots proposed in the plat would be anywhere from 19,000 to 14,000 to 11,000 square feet in size. Lee Slavicek asked if there were any possibilities of the land being rezoned from single family to quad homes or other uses. Member Carlson noted that if such a proposal were submitted, another series of public hearings would be required. Craig Reynolds, 5082 W. 144th Street expressed concern about the amount of traffic that will utilize 144th Street as a short cut through the neighborhoods from Pilot Knob to Diamond Path. Garry Spangler asked for clarification regarding the storm water management capacity. Keith Gordon responded that the drainage way is planned to handle the maximum capacity from Delaney Park north to a pond near 140th Street, then through a pipe to Farquhar Lake. A general discussion of the drainage system then ensued. Linda Ernst, 14663 Dunbar Court asked for clarification regarding the grading adjacent to Dunbar. Representatives from Sienna noted that the grading of the Sienna parcel, as currently proposed, would match the grading along Dunbar and create a slight berm. The entire project will not be graded flat, but will retain as many of the slopes and hills as possible. Other concerns expressed at the public hearing included the timing for removal of the bus garage and the possibility of providing additional access to the Sienna area from a new road along the north side of the site. Sidewalks on both sides of 144th Street was considered a primary addition to this project. In addition, Planning Commission Members asked whether stop signs would be located anywhere along 144th Street. Storm drainage pipe direction was a concern of members in the audience; especially as it related to the petroleum or gas pipelines. Speed on 144th Street and at the intersection with Pilot Knob Road was a concern to many people. Added traffic on 144th Street, the S -curve near the intersection with Pilot Knob will be difficult to maneuver even at 30 mph. Karen Alstrup asked the Planning Commission to consider curve streets and barriers to detour or reduce traffic flows. Many neighbors asked for additional accesses to the existing parks to allow children to walk to the parks without having to cross or walk along 144th Street. This was parti- cularly important to people living on Ebony Lane. Mr. Packer from Sienna Corporation noted the subdivision would be completed and all houses con- structed within a two year period after approval. He noted that many of the small builders, who have built in other Sienna projects, would be builders in this subdivision. Planning Commission Minutes Page 5 November 2, 1988 Acting Chairman Richard Carlson explained the procedure for review and decision making by the Planning Commission and City Council. He noted that the Planning Commission will review the comments from this meeting and further Staff comments at its next Planning Commission Meeting on November 16, 1988. Member Carlson closed the hearing and thanked the neighbors for their participation. B. Comprehensive Plan Amendment for Christ Church LOCATION: Southwest Corner of Johnny Cake Ridge Road and the Zoo Road. PETITIONER: Christ Church. Acting Chairman Richard Carlson opened the public hearing and asked City Planner Rick Kelley to provide a background on the request. Planner Kelley explained the comprehensive plan amendment request and the rezoning request of Christ Church to locate at the southwest corner of Johnny Cake Road and the Zoo Highway. He summarized a report submitted to the commission dated November 2, 1988 by Associate Planner Meg McMonigal. Member Gowling asked for clarification regarding the land uses south of the site. Planner Kelley noted that the use south of the site is designated as "D -1" with an existing use of a house and horse boarding farm. Member Sterling asked for clarification regarding the land west of the site, noting that the land is currently zone "P" providing 200 to 300 feet of open space buffer from the Zoo Highway to the homes to the south. The land is currently owned by the City of Apple Valley. Mr. Doyle, owner of the only licensed airport (Doyle International), stated he had no objection to the new church, but did recommend stop signs be placed at Johnny Cake Road and the Zoo Highway. A member of the audience expressed concern about the need to preserve the wild habitat adjacent to the church for wildlife preservation purposes. Member Carlson responded that there are numerous natural open spaced parks within Apple Valley. Acting Chairman Carlson closed the public hearing. C. Rezoning, Preliminary Plat and Site Plan Review for Christ Church. LOCATION: Southwest Corner of Johnny Cake Ridge Road and the Zoo Road. PETITIONER: Christ Church. Acting Chairman Carlson opened the public hearing stating that the proposal would allow for a rezoning from "A" (Agriculture) to "P" (Institutional Uses) and the public hearing was also to be utilized for review of a preliminary plat for one lot for the Christ Church project. Associate Planner Meg McMonigal provided a background report dated November 2, 1988 explaining the needs of the site: 1) revise the 2nd Planning Commission Minutes Page 6 November 2, 1988 phase parking area along the south boundary to be at least twenty (20) feet from the property line and 2) revise the road system to provide for perpendicular access into the parking area. A general discussion ensued regarding the distance of the entrances from the intersections and the space between the two entrances into the church parking lot on Johnny Cake Road. Ms. McMonigal estimated that the distance between the two entrances would be 300 feet. Members of the Commission expressed concern regarding the access to be provided to the parcel south of the church site. Ms. McMonigal noted that a variance would be needed along Highway 77 (Zoo Road) property line in order to allow parking to be placed adjacent to the property line, wherein normally a 20 foot setback would be required. She recommended approval of such a variance because of the 100 to 150 feet of right -of -way between the Zoo Highway and the church property line. Member Frank Kleckner asked for clarification regarding the materials to be used on the site. Kevin Mitchell, representing the church, spoke on behalf of the church and its design. Acting Chairman Carlson closed the public hearing. The Planning Commission discussed the possibility of requiring a joint access between the property south of the church and the church onto Johnny Cake Road. City Planner Rick Kelley suggested a City easement for access be included in the final development agreement. The Planning Commission concurred. MOTION: A motion was made by Member Sterling, seconded by Member Gowling to recommend approval of the comprehensive plan amendment for Christ Church. The motion carried unanimously. The Planning Commission will review the site plan approvals at the next Planning Commission Meeting on November 16, 1988. D. Zoning Ordinance Establishing Flood Zones in the City of Apple Valley, Dakota County, Minnesota - CONTINUE TO NOVEMBER 16, 1988. LOCATION: City of Apple Valley, Dakota County, Minnesota. PETITIONER: City of Apple Valley, Dakota County, Minnesota. The flood plain public hearing as continued until November 16, 1988. LAND USE /ACTION ITEMS: None. Planning Commission Minutes Page 7 November 2, 1988 7. DISCUSSION ITEMS: General Discussion: The Planning Commission expressed concern about having a representative member of the Park Committee presents its recommendation to the Planning Commission at or after the public hearing held on each major subdivision proposal. The Staff will relay the infor- mation to the Park Committee and Staff. The Planning Commission and Staff reviewed the updated zoning maps and comprehensive plan maps which illustrate all changes and amendments approved prior to the November meetings. 8. OTHER BUSINESS: A. Future Joint Meeting with City Council and Park Committee. Dennis Welsch relayed the information that the tentative date for the joint meeting between the Council, Park Committee and Planning Commission has been established for November 17, 1988 with three (3) items on the agenda: 1) park dedications and park planning, 2) housing policy, and 3) downtown policy and development. 9. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 9:50 p.m. kg