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PCM 09/16/2015 PLANNING COMMISSION 1MEETING September 16,2015 Chairperson Kondrick called the Planning Commission Meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT: David Kondrick,Brad Sielaff,David Ostwald,and Todd Olin MEMBERS ABSENT: Leroy Oquist, Mike Heintz,and Dean Saba OTHERS PRESENT: Stacy Stromberg, Planner Todd Ofsthun,TCO Design Deb Skogen, on behalf of Marge Otten Scott Hickok, Community Development Director Approval of Minutes: August 19,2015 MOTION by Commissioner Sielaff to approve the minutes as presented. Seconded by Commissioner Ostwald. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 1. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of a Special Use Permit, SP # 15-09, by TCO Design, is requesting a modification to Special Use Permit, SP #14-07 that was approved by the City Council on March 9,2015,which allowed a comprehensive home health care building at 5300-5310 4th Street. The modification will increase the size of the building from 2,486 to 5,732 sq. ft. and the number of beds from 15-23. The increase in building size will be to accommodate the additional units and inside parking stalls. The overall height of the building and the use will remain the same,generally located at 5300 and 5310 4th Street NE. MOTION by Commissioner Sielaff to open the public hearing. Seconded by Commissioner Ostwald. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY AND THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS OPENED AT 7:04 P.M. Ms. Stromberg,Planner stated the petitioner,Todd Ofsthun,with TCO Design, on behalf of Gen One, LLC,who are the properties owners of 5300 and 5310 4`�' Street NE, is seeking a special use permit to modify the special use permit that was originally approved by the City Council on March 9,2015,to allow the construction of a comprehensive home health care building on the subject properties. Ms. Stromberg stated the property owners have advised the petitioner to submit the proposed reyuest to increase the size of the project at this time rather than conshuct an addition to the building in the future, because of the increased interest and perceived demand for this type of facility in this area. Ms. Stromberg stated the modification of the project will increase the size of the building from 2,486 syuare feet to 5,732 square feet and the number of beds from 15 to 23. Planning Commission Meeting September 16, 2015 Page 2 of 12 Ms. Stromberg stated the facility will be run by Wish Medical who has affiliations with both Allina and Fairview. It will be an acute care facility designed towards Transitional Care Units and will use Telemedicine to maximize care with minimal on-site care. Ms. Stromberg stated the patients using the facility will be recovering from surgery,transplant(pre-op and post-op)or another type of inedical procedure that leaves them needing extensive rehab and medical services. This type of use is needed for patients,who for medical reasons, cannot be on their own and do not have family or friends who can care for them. Ms. Stromberg stated the public hearing notice does say that the beds will be increased from 15 to 24; however,there was a reduction in the rooms on the third floor to allow more bathrooms,therefore,there will only be 23 beds. This new facility will also have(10) interior parking stalls. Ms. Stromberg stated the existing home at 5300 4`h Street will be removed to allow the land area needed for the larger building; however the existing garage will remain in place, which will provide for(2) addition enclosed parking stalls. Ms. Stromberg stated the proposed building will still be 3-stories, with a maximum height of 35 feet when measured from the midspan. The at-grade alley level will consist of 10 interior parking spaces with a 16-foot drive-aisle, (4)bedrooms for patients,a nurses station, bathroom,and dayroom/meeting room. The second level with have 10 patient rooms, and the third level will have 9 patient rooms with similar common spaces at grade level. The building will have a stairwell and an elevator and will be have a fire suppression system installed throughout. Ms. Stromberg stated the new site plan allows for 20 parking stalls total, 12 will be enclosed(10 within the existing building and 2 within the existing garage)and 8 surface parking stalls. The petitioner has also submitted a landscape plan showing new trees, shrub and perennial plantings and will be required to construct storm water treatment on site to ensure that drainage is maintained on site. Ms. Stromberg stated as they are aware hospitals, clinics, and convalescent/nursing homes are a permitted special use in the R-3, Multi-Family zoning district provided that the proposed project complies with the reyuirements for the special use permit, subject to the stipulations. Ms. Stromberg stated City Code will require a minimum of 12 parking stalls if the assisted living parking ratio is used or 18 for a nursing home parking ratio. When staff analyzed this project to begin with,they used the nursing home ratio as that seemed to be the most similar use in the City's zoning code related to the comprehensive home health care use. Ms. Stromberg stated as she previously stated the proposed plan does show 20 parking stalls,which is 2 over what code would require for a nursing home use and 8 over what would be required for an assisted living use. Ms. Stromberg stated the 20 parking stalls will be adequate for staff and visitors; however since the street is not signed"no parking", it is likely that from time to time visitors will park on the street. This is acceptable,provided it does not start to become a consistent thing as then it will be a problem. Staff will keep the stipulation previously placed on the special use permit that states if on-street parking becomes an issue for this site,the special use permit will need to go back before the City Council for further review. Planning Commission Meeting September 16, 2015 Page 3 of 12 Ms. Stromberg stated they have increased the size of the building,but there is additional land area available if additional stalls are required. Ms. Stromberg stated City Staff recommends approval of this special use permit request with stipulations. Staff recommends that if the special use permit is granted,the following stipulations be attached: 1. The petitioner shall obtain a demolition permit prior to removal of the existing house on the 5300 4`h Street property. 2. The petitioner shall obtain all necessary permits prior to construction. 3. The petitioner shall meet all building, fire, and ADA requirements. 4. City engineering staff to review and approve grading, drainage, and utility plan prior to issuance of a building permit. 5. Landscape and Irrigation plan to be reviewed and approved by City Staff prior to issuance of building permit. 6. If on-street parking becomes an issue as a result of this use,the special use permit and options for additional parking shall be further reviewed by the City Council at the owner's expense. 7. If the comprehensive home health care use changes,the special use permit shall be further reviewed by the City Council. 8. The petitioner shall file the necessary documents with Anoka County to combine both of the lots involved in this project, 5300 and 5310 4`�' Street,prior to issuance of a building permit. Commissioner Sielaff asked about the beds being now set at 23. Ms. Stromberg replied, yes, they lost a unit on the top floor because the doctor who is working with the petitioner on this project suggested adding more bathrooms to the third floor. Commissioner Sielaff asked as to the stipulation regarding parking, what would drive an issue? A certain number of complaints? Ms. Stromberg replied, yes, or just through staff monitoring the special use permit as it does throughout the year, if they notice it seems to be a consistent problem with parking on the street. Todd Ofsthun, TCO Design, stated he did have the doctor plan on coming tonight but he had a family emergency. He does have a phone number for the doctor if they need to talk to him. As Ms. Stromberg indicated, the doctor and Mr. Ofsthun sat down several weeks and, after Mr. Ofsthun did the application, they walked through the facility; and it was the doctor's opinion they needed more bathrooms. Mr. Ofsthun stated the building is quite an improvement, the look of it, now it fills up the site like it should, and it is a good buffer between Shell and Bona Brothers. They will have trash enclosures now so they do not have to worry about garbage cans in the alley. Inside they have some more elbow room, they have gathering rooms, dining rooms, more of those facility things to have for patients and visitors. Overall it is just more comfortable for the patients and the staff. Mr. Ofsthun stated one of the things he was working on over the last few weeks is gathering information Planning Commission Meeting September 16, 2015 Page 4 of 12 through some e-mails he provided Ms. Stromberg to hand out to them. Basically these are from professionals, including one from Ashley who is part of Wish Medical. She listed possible a.m. and p.m. shifts. If you add up the number of those shifts, it is actually 12 - 9, daytime shifts and 5 overnight shifts. She also went into the concern about too much traffic during shift changes and traffic in the area with possible shifts and how they would stay away from rush hours, etc. Mr. Ofsthun stated the second e-mail is from a gentleman who runs a management company in out-state Minnesota and this company manages 17 of these types of facilities. He also has seen the proposed plan, and Mr. Ofsthun has met with him, and he gave some suggestions. He had the day shift at 11 employees, the afternoon at 9, and the night at 5. Mr. Ofsthun stated the third e-mail is from a nurse,Tami Auerbach. She was associated with the Colony in Eden Prairie which is a 23-bed TCU where she worked for six years. She did not see this facility. She indicated the most employees she saw at one time was 7; however, she did not include the doctors and therapists, etc. that the others listed at 2-3. If he takes her information, they are in that 10-11 maximum range. Mr. Ofsthun stated he is working on an 89-unit facility in St. Francis. The City Planner there is telling them how much parking is required and their Code is very similar to Fridley's. If indeed these all add up and 12 is the actual maximum employees at one shift, the parking would only be 15 and that is one-third of what the St. Francis city planner is requiring for the 89-unit building. Commissioner Olin stated he had two things from an Environmental Commission point of view. He asked what is Mr. Ofsthun's role? Is he participating in managing the property at all? Mr. Ofsthun replied,no,he will be providing the architectural and structural plans as well as this portion. Commissioner Olin stated there is a restriction in here at some point about the storm water drainage system. He asked Mr. Ofsthun if he is familiar with what that is going to look like? Mr. Ofsthun replied, what he had anticipated is that they were going to have three rain gardens. They are going to dig out the area,put in the mixture of soils, and do the rain garden type plantings. Commissioner Olin asked Mr. Ofsthun whether he has been working with anybody in the City of Fridley with the design of the rain gardens? Mr. Ofsthun replied, what he typically does is designs what he thinks, and then Kay Qualley would be the one he would work with. She has been very helpful with the landscaping part of it. Commissioner Olin stated the City does feel a lack of participation in recycling from residential units roughly this size. He asked if Mr. Ofsthun was aware of the resources the City can provide, and the way that can actually decrease their operating costs. Mr. Ofsthun replied, he is really not the person to talk with on that, other than he is aware that cities are starting to do that now and at the staff ineeting that was brought up. They did talk a little about that. When he did the trash enclosure,he did do it double sized of what you typically see. Commissioner Olin stated he suggests, too, that if Mr. Ofsthun reaches out to Kay Qualley she would be Planning Commission Meeting September 16, 2015 Page5of12 a wonderful resource for information that can be passed onto to whoever does manage the facility. Mr. Ofsthun stated he is really confident they are not going to have an issue on the east side of the building with visitors. Those two doors are exit only, and they will be locked as emergency exits only. Their receptionist is on the alley side. Also the paperwork for the County to combine the properties has been started. The County did require the taxes be up to date so he did wait until they were going through this process to finish the paperwork. Deb Skogen stated she is speaking on behalf of her mother, Marge Otten, residing at 5311 Fourth Street, which is directly across the street. She previously expressed their concerns about the facility, and the permit was denied by the Planning Commission at that time. It came back in February having addressed the majority of their concerns, keeping the building at 15. They preriy much came to a conclusion it was a done deal and her mom was okay with the project going forward. Now they are back and the facility has gone from 15 to 23 because of an increased interest or demand she did not know. When this was first originally presented, they did not discuss expanding the building except for parking, so this is kind of a surprise. Ms. Skogen stated originally they were modeling the project like Plateau Health Care which was a single- family home. They had two units, one in Brooklyn Center, one in Crystal, with maybe three to five rooms. There appears to be enough parking for the 12 employees. Ms. Skogen stated the patients will be consisting of those with Alzheimer's, Memory Loss, Parkinson's, renal, bariatrics, and pulmonary. She met with Mr. Ofsthun and her concern is whether those patients with Alzheimer's or memoty loss, are they going to be secure and safe enough in that environment. She knows that previously someone from a home, Community Options, went out onto 53rd Avenue and jumped in front of cars. They want to make sure that does not happen again. Ms. Skogen stated she understands the City does not deal with licensing and, after reviewing some of the requirements, she did find that each patient that comes has to sign a patient agreement that includes, but is not limited to, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech, respiratory, social workers, dieticians, nutrition services, medication management, laundry, housekeeping, and shopping. Having had her mother in the hospital recently with her respiratory disease, a respiratory therapist did come in every 4-6 hours to provide respiratory services. Ms. Skogen stated some of the other services were also provided but only on a daily basis. While the therapy and other services may not have been provided at the same time, they were filled in addition to the 12-member staff coming in. They just want to make sure there is enough parking and if there are 12 staff inembers,that should leave enough room for them. Ms. Skogen stated she also understands there are state requirements for staffing, training, and recordkeeping. From what she understands those will be completed by Wish Medical as the management company. The owner of the property, Gen One, LLC, is the agent who owns it and will lease the building to Wish Medical. She understands that both of the individuals to be licensed do privately work at Allina Therapy. She is not sure what other affiliations they have or if they have agreements, but she knows Allina just built the nice little rehabilitation center up at Unity. Ms. Skogen stated getting in and out of the alley between this facility and Bona Brothers will be difficult at times. You have the bike path on the northern side of the street on 53rd Avenue which is one of the Planning Commission Meeting September 16, 2015 Page 6 of 12 few access roads that connect University to Central Avenue and frequently very busy. She is concerned about individuals, trucks, or other vehicles that are headed eastbound towards Highway 65 turning northerly into the alley while making a left-hand turn. With rush hour traffic it is difficult getting onto University Avenue when you head west from Fourth Street because of the bike lane. They used to have two traffic lanes. One to go straight/turn left and one to turn right. Now they have the one lane that goes three different directions. She has had to sit at the light on 53rd through two or three light cycles. Ms. Skogen stated her mother is not opposed to the facility but is concerned about the larger project and how it will affect traffic and parking. Her mother is on a 40-foot wide lot so the space on the street in front of her house is minimal, and it is important to use that space for individuals who come and help her out. Just because the parking for the project meets the requirements, she is wondering if it is the right thing to do. Chairperson Kondrick stated Ms. Skogen stated her concerns very well, a lot of her mom's concerns have been addressed by the petitioner. MOTION by Commissioner Olin to close the public hearing. Seconded by Commissioner Sielaff. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY AND THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS CLOSED AT 7:34 P.M. Chairperson Kondrick stated he has no problems with this. It has changed since they first went through this. There may still be parking on the street occasionally. Commissioner Ostwald stated they are not changing the height. They are keeping the basic structure and increasing the parking. It is not big deal with the parking. They have figured it out well. Commissioner Olin stated the major potential issues have been thought about. Chairperson Kondrick stated CiTy staff has done a very good in making sure they are on the right track in the areas that are of concern. All of them are concerned about patient safety and wellbeing, etc.; and those issues have been addressed. MOTION by Commissioner Sielaff accepting into the record the documents from petitioner. Seconded by Commissioner Ostwald. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. MOTION by Commissioner Sielaff approving Special Use Permit, SP # 15-09, by TCO Design, is requesting a modification to Special Use Permit, SP #14-07 that was approved by the City Council on March 9, 2015, which allowed a comprehensive home health care building at 5300-5310 4th Street. The modification will increase the size of the building from 2,486 sq. ft. to 5,732 sq. ft. and the number of beds from 15-23. The increase in building size will be to accommodate the additional units and inside parking stalls. The overall height of the building and the use will remain the same, generally located at 5300 and 5310 4th Street NE with the following stipulations: Planning Commission Meeting September 16, 2015 Page 7 of 12 1. The petitioner shall obtain a demolition permit prior to removal of the existing house on the 5300 4�' Street property. 2. The petitioner shall obtain all necessary permits prior to construction. 3. The petitioner shall meet all building,fire, and ADA requirements. 4. City engineering staff to review and approve grading,drainage, and utility plan prior to issuance of a building permit. 5. Landscape and Irrigation plan to be reviewed and approved by City Staff prior to issuance of building permit. 6. If on-street parking becomes an issue as a result of this use,the special use permit and options for additional parking shall be further reviewed by the City Council at the owner's expense. 7. If the comprehensive home health care use changes,the special use permit shall be further reviewed by the City Council. 8. The petitioner shall file the necessary documents with Anoka County to combine both of the lots involved in this project, 5300 and 5310 4`h Street,prior to issuance of a building permit. Seconded by Commissioner Ostwald. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 2. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of a Text Amendment, TA #15-03, by the City of Fridley, amending the text '' of the Sign Code reducing the minimum time for the message to change on a dynamic electronic reader board sign from 45 seconds to 8 seconds. MOTION by Commissioner Sielaff to open the public hearing. Seconded by Commissioner Ostwald. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY AND THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS OPENED AT 7:40 P.M. Ms. Stromberg stated there are four different areas staff is looking at changing. They are adding a definition, what is an electronic or a dynamic sign. They are changing the allowable time a message can change,from once every 45 seconds to once every 8 seconds. They are removing the requirement for those types of signs to get a special use permit. Then the conditions will be incorporated in the Code language for the City's business districts as well as institutions. Ms. Stromberg stated staff has been going out and meeting with the City's businesses over the last few years. They are doing business retention visits to see how the City's businesses are doing, and what we can do to help them. One thing they heard from several of them is they were frustrated with the ability to only have a message change on their electronic message centers, once every 45 seconds. Chairperson Kondrick asked is it because they wanted to add more messages over the course of a minute? Planning Commission Meeting September 16, 2015 Page 8 of 12 Ms. Stromberg replied,right,the ability to get more information out there quicker than once every 45 seconds. She has also had a few of the Commission members ask her after their Planning Commission meeting, do they really need to have these businesses go through the special use permit process for the electronic signs? It seems like they are commonplace these days. They always have the same stipulations or conditions on the requests. Is there a way they can incorporate that into Code vs. making them go through this process. Ms. Stromberg stated, first, staff did some research. They reviewed a 2012 MnDOT study on electronic signs. That found that a driver glances at an electronic sign not any longer than they would a regular sign. Just a static sign that does not change at all. Obviously there is more information in that study,but that was one thing that really stood out to staff. Ms. Stromberg stated another thing staff researched is what other cities are doing around here. The timing did vary between the cities yuite a bit,but there were yuite a few at 4 seconds, 8 seconds,and then all the way up to 15 minutes in Minnetonka. Ms. Stromberg stated the common thing they did find in all of their ordinances is that the signs could not flash, blink, or have motion. That has always been a concern of staff. Ms. Stromberg stated then staff researched what was fair and reasonable about the brightness level because a lot of cities do have a brightness level that the sign can be at during the daytime and the nighttime hours. They also did call some sign contractors and experts to get their opinion. Ms. Stromberg stated this amendment will limit the level of brightness that the sign can be during the daytime hours and the nighttime hours. That level can be measured. It can be programmed into their system that control the reader board. The City can also purchase a device to measure it if there is any question that a sign is too bright at night. Ms. Stromberg stated based on staffs research and the timing that the message changing has little impact on drivers, staff is recommending that it be changed from 45 seconds to 8 seconds. That is a common number throughout several cities in the Metro, and it is also MnDOT's standard for their electronic signs they use on the highway. Ms. Stromberg stated staff did some research with other cities on the special use permit and whether other cities require businesses go through it. It was about half and half. Some cities do still require their businesses to get the special use permit. Since staff has heard from some of the Commission members and the businesses, maybe it would be better that they incorporate the City's conditions into the language in the Code. Ms. Stromberg stated the new language they are looking to adopt in Code for the businesses and institutions(which would be churches, schools, and hospitals)would be an electronic message and/or dynamic sign is allowed provided it does not change more often than once every 8 seconds. Also,the message shall never flash or have function that may distract vehicular traffic. The third condition would be the luminance levels. It must comply with no more than 5,000 nits in the daytime hours and not more than 500 nits in the evening nighttime hour. Those are the luminants measured on the sign. Ms. Stromberg stated City staff recommends approval of the proposed changes as it benefits the City's business community; and will make administration of the sign code more efficient,making our drivers no Planning Commission Meeting September 16, 2015 Page 9 of 12 less safe and a business no less attractive. Chairperson Sielaff asked Ms. Stromberg,when staff surveyed the businesses,was it just about electronic signs or the entire sign ordinance? Ms. Stromberg replied, she would say that generally each business would love to have more signage; however,over and over again it was those businesses who have the electronic message center. The City has yuite a few of them now and they just want to have the ability to have it change more freyuently. Overall people are happy with the City's sign code. It was just that one piece that was the most bothersome. Scott Hickok,Community Development Director, stated what was interesting about that is staff had surveyed each of these industries ahead of time before staff went to visit them. Not just about signage but about anything to do with their businesses, and the Commission will be pleased to hear that industries generally are very pleased with the services they are receiving here and how Codes fit with what they do. The commercial entities seem to think when they would go to that expense the City should meet them partway and allow them to use the messaging in the way it was designed to be used. Commissioner Ostwald asked if this is approved would will staff actively notify everybody that these are the new regulations and give them information on how to followup? Ms. Stromberg replied,yes, staff will follow up with a letter to all the businesses that have them. Commissioner Olin stated as a City it is a good goal,they want to be easy to work with, and he can certainly understand why a business owner communicating with the public would want this change. It appears to him in the approach to processing that request the concern that was presented was what would it do to people driving, what were the safety concerns; and that was well covered. Was there any thought or should there be any concern regarding people who live nearby and have windows facing the signs? Ms. Stromberg replied,the City actually has a provision in its Code already that says these types of signs need to be at least 50 feet from a residential zoning district or residentially-zoned property. When St. Williams Church down the street got one, staff had to re-evaluate whether there was enough distance between the neighbors across the street and their sign. Also, how is the sign facing. Is the brightness directly facing at their house or is it perpendicular. The City already has those provisions in the City and, therefore, she feels is protected. MOTION by Commissioner Sielaff to close the public hearing. Seconded by Commissioner Ostwald. UPON A VOICE VOTE,ALL VOTING AYE,CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY AND THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS CLOSED AT 7:52 P.M. Chairperson Kondrick stated just for the sake of conversation, up and down University Avenue. Suppose they had 20 businesses that had signs changing every 8 seconds. He wondered if that would be a distraction and would they run into problems with having the City say you cannot have it because it has too many signs blinking at them every 8 seconds. Mr.Hickok replied, staff did spend a lot of time on this. They do not take what they say lightly either as Planning Commission Meeting September 16, 2015 Page 11 of 12 4. Receive the minutes of the July 16, 2015, Housing and Redevelopment Authority Commission Meeting. MOTION by Commissioner Sielaff to receive the minutes. Seconded by Commissioner Ostwald. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 5. Receive the minutes of the August 5,2015,Appeals Commission Meeting. MOTION by Commissioner Sielaff to receive the minutes. Seconded by Commissioner Ostwald. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. OTHER BUSINESS: Ms. Stromberg stated there were three items before them last month that were all approved by City Council. Those were Kiriy's Korner, the electronic sign there, Wallboard special use permit for outdoor storage and the the preliminary plat for Gilbertson to increase the size of his backyard. Mr. Hickok stated the plat on the hotel continues to move ahead. Also the corporate entity really had wanted that as a corporate store rather than a franchise store. They think they have worked out the details on that so that will become a corporate hotel as opposed to franchise. They love the site and are very excited about it. They really do want to get in the ground yet this year. Chairperson Kondrick asked,any talk about making it larger? Mr. Hickok replied, no, they have looked at that site and evaluated the maximum number of beds they could get while still having adequate parking. Even in that shared parking arrangement for overflow,they think this is the number that is right for them. Mr. Hickok stated they get questions about the green building on University Avenue asking if that is going to be green and, no, it is not. The exterior skin is started coming on. It is like a large ceramic tile almost. It is very thick and has a very interesting weight to it. It is actually like a piece of stone going on. As to the white part on the base. It is a combination of brick and stone that are going up and will finish off the face of that building. It is going to be sharp and worth waiting for. Others have noticed the bollards that have been poured concrete. Those will be the interior of what will then be wrapped in brick and then there will be stone caps put on those and a nice ornamental fence in between. Chairperson Kondrick asked,when do they hope to have that open? Mr. Hickok replied, spring of 2016. Typically they have a month and one half to two months of interior decoration after the exterior of the building has been finished. Some people have said, that building seems to be moving very slow. The City's building official is very good at what he does, he could be the best in the country. As the Building Official has gone through there, he has said there has not been one write up on framing, on sheet rocking, electrical, plumbing, HVAC. They are perfectionists at what they Planning Commission Meeting September 16, 2015 Page 10 of 12 a Commission. They may recall the previous chairperson, Diane Savage,was very concerned about a similar type of issue that the City would soon become kind of its own Las Vegas here with all of the changing signs,the lighting, and all the different intensities,etc. Mr.Hickok stated when this amendment came to the floor and staff started talking about it, staff did take a look at these stretches and looked at the probability of where these signs might be and how they might change. It is kind of interesting what they found because up and down the stretch you see a lot of special use permits but many of these have been gas pricing signs that change. Mr.Hickok stated as to the ones staff have been seeing that might have a tendency to change every 8 seconds, it is kind of interesting to see the spacing. For example, if you are coming up University Avenue from 694,you have a gas pricing sign at SuperAmerica, no opportunity for these until you get to something like Moon Plaza,granted St. Williams has one facing on 61st,but you get to Moon Plaza, and then you leap quite a ways across before you get to another center like that which might in the future have some opportunity or interest. Some of the businesses in that stretch are owned, sign included,may take advantage of that 8-second opportunity. However,the spacing is such that,the zoning helps control proliferation of those types of signs,the close proximity that would give you kind of that intensity they are talking about. Mr.Hickok stated then you get up past the Holly Center,for example,and you have a stretch. Residential on the one side and commercial entities on the other side. It is typically the commercial entities that want these signs,not the industrial. It almost does a shoelace-type, staggered pattern along University Avenue. Along Highway 65 it is even less of a potential. South of 694 commercial entities are a bit closer together,they are zoned commercial, several of them do have signs like this,Menards, LivINN Suites, a new entity next to Embers,they are looking at having a stationary sign. The two that are in there now, even if they went to 8 seconds, staff believes they are spaced far enough apart; and the Menards sign sits back far enough that you have one fairly close to the road,the LivINN Suites,then you have one set back behind a drive. Even at night the intensity will not be distracting. MOTION by Commissioner Sielaff approving Text Amendment, TA#15-03, by the City of Fridley, amending the text of the Sign Code reducing the minimum time for the message to change on a dynamic electronic reader board sign from 45 seconds to 8 seconds. Seconded by Commissioner Ostwald. UPON A VOICE VOTE,ALL VOTING AYE,CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 3. Receive the minutes of the August 11,2015,Environmental Quality and Energy Commission Meeting. MOTION by Commissioner Ostwald to receive the minutes. Seconded by Commissioner Olin. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIItPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Planning Commission Meeting September 16, 2015 Page 12 of 12 do. Mr.Hickok stated, also as to the setback, people may say it is close to University. Remember that is the first large complex in the City's transit-oriented district which strives to put the emphasis on architecture and less emphasis on the vehicles. Most residents who go in there will have their vehicle parked under the building. There is ample room for guest vehicles outside. As you drive by you will see nice architecture, a nice bollard lit walkway with landscaping through there,that nice ornamental fence; and it really does emphasize a higher finish with less parking lot in front. Mr. Hickok stated this developer also planned the end of that building so that if the City gets the money to do it, elevator core, and walkway over University Avenue, this building will be made to connect to do that. The second building they do will be connected by a skyway so their residents can go from the second building through the first one and up to the corner to an overpass if the City builds one. All related to getting them on another mode of transportation if they choose to do that rather than jumping in their car. ADJOURN: MOTION by Commissioner Sielaff to adjourn. Seconded by Commissioner Ostwald. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY AND THE MEETING ADJOURNED AT 8:07 P.M. 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