Loading...
PLM 07/15/20 FRIDLEY PLANNING COMMISSION-via Zoom WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 2020 7:00 P.M. FRIDLEY CIVIC CAMPUS, COUNCIL CHAMBERS 7071 UNIVERSITY AVENUE N.E. CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Kondrick called the Planning Commission Meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. ROLL CALL PRESENT: David Kondrick, Mark Hansen, Ryan Evanson, Brad Sielaff, and Terry McClellan ABSENT: Mike Heintz OTHERS PRESENT: Stacy Stromberg, Planning Manger Mark Krogh, 6290 Highway 65 LLC th Dave Brown, 1040 – 64 Avenue APPROVE MINUTES May 20, 2020 Motion by Commissioner Evanson to approve the minutes. Seconded by Commissioner McClellan. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. PUBLIC HEARING: 1. Consideration of a Plat, PS #20-01, by Java companies, to replat the properties at 6290 and 6310 Highway 65 to provide additional land to the vacant parcel at 6290 Highway 65, to allow for the construction of a Caribou Coffee Cabin. Motion by Commissioner Hanson to open the public hearing. Seconded by Commissioner McClellan. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY AND THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS OPENED AT 7:02 P.M. Stacy Stromberg, Planning Manager, stated the petitioner, Mark Krogh of Java Properties, is requesting to have the properties at 6290 and 6310 Highway 65 NE replatted which will provide the additional land area needed for 6290 Highway 65 NE to be developed. Fridley Planning Commission Meeting July 15, 2020 Page 2 of 7 Ms. Stromberg stated the petitioner plans to develop the land by constructing a Caribou Coffee Cabin. This Caribou will have no interior seating; however, there will be a drive- thru and a walk-up window to serve guests. An outdoor patio with tables will also be on site to encourage patrons to stay and enjoy their beverage. Of note: A Caribou Coffee Cabin like the one proposed in this request is already under construction at 8094 University Avenue, the former Midas property. Ms. Stromberg stated the C-3, General Shopping zoning district requires a minimum lot size of 35,000 square feet. To meet this lot size requirement, the petitioner is requesting this replat. The replat will combine the vacant parcel at 6290 Hwy 65 with the vacant parcel to the west and an 18-foot by 232-foot strip of land lying north of the vacant two properties. This strip of land is owned by Asset Properties LLC and is occupied by Banquets of Minnesota. After the replat, the new lot will be 35,237 square feet, which meets the 35,000 square feet minimum required by code. The Banquets of Minnesota lot size will be reduced by 4,176 square feet and will be 143,928 (3.3 acres) in size. Ms. Stromberg stated the Planning Commission will recall that this project also received a variance to reduce the front yard setback. The City Council approved that variance at their June 8, 2020 meeting. Ms. Stromberg stated City Staff recommends approval of this preliminary plat request as replatting the property will create two conforming commercial parcels and will allow for the development of 6290 Highway 65 NE. Chairperson Kondrick stated the petitioner was interested in getting that other piece of property, part of the parking lot, from the other business to the north. The 18-foot strip. Ms. Stromberg stated, yes, it is 18 feet by 232 feet. Chairperson Kondrick asked why was that crucial for him to get? Is it for turnaround space or what was the reason for him being interested in that? Ms. Stromberg replied, he needed it to create a lot that is 35,000 square feet which meets the minimum. Chairperson Kondrick stated he has no questions. It seems clear cut to him. Commissioner McClellan stated he thinks it was covered at the last meeting that this 18 feet was going to be needed to develop the site. Fridley Planning Commission Meeting July 15, 2020 Page 3 of 7 Commissioner Sielaff asked if there is something they can do as far as stop signs, speed bumps, etc.? Commissioner Evanson stated he thinks Commissioner Sielaff is referring to a letter that came from someone in the neighborhood, and the Commission hasn’t discussed that yet. At this point they have been discussing the petitioner having to acquire the property from Banquets. They should discuss that letter as well but at this point he does not have any questions about the replat request. Chairperson Kondrick asked Ms. Stromberg if she had a copy of the letter? Ms. Stromberg replied, she did have a copy of the letter from Dave and Cheri Brown. She e-mailed it to the Commission this afternoon and stated it should be received into the record. They seem that they are in favor of the project and would like to see the redevelopment, but they do have concerns about potential traffic into their neighborhood on the north. That is their main concern, and they provided some ideas for the Council or Commission to investigate to help alleviate potential traffic. Commissioner McClellan stated that does not necessarily have any bearing on the replatting. Commissioner Hansen stated he agrees. Those are items the City can follow up separately on. Chairperson Kondrick stated he agreed. Commissioner Evanson stated it looks like they are referring to truck traffic which pertains more to Banquets. A few years ago, he worked with a business in Fridley, and they had large commercial trucks that would come through a residential neighborhood. As business owners they said, please do not drive your truck on this street; route this way. The solution to the letter may be to direct the trucks to exit and enter onto Highway 65. Chairperson Kondrick stated that problem can easily be rectified by proper communication and some simple adjustments. Commissioner Evanson stated he thinks so. It is something the Commission should be mindful of, and he wants to add it to the record. At the same time, he does not think it would change his opinion whether they should go forward with this. It is good to hear that there is maybe another issue that frankly is more Banquets’ issue than Caribou’s. Chairperson Kondrick asked Ms. Stromberg if she had their address? Fridley Planning Commission Meeting July 15, 2020 Page 4 of 7 th Ms. Stromberg replied, it is 1040 – 64 Avenue and Dave and Cheri Brown. Motion by Commissioner Sielaff accepting the letter of interest from Dave and Cheri Brown. Seconded by Commissioner Evanson. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Chairperson Kondrick asked the petitioner, Mr. Krogh, if he had anything to add? Mark Krough, 6290 Highway 65 LLC, replied the purpose of the replat was to create 35,000 square feet so they can do the development. They are ready to move forward. Chairperson Kondrick asked Mr. Krogh but he has no problems with what they have been talking with here? Mr. Krogh replied to the north is the Banquet Hall and they don’t anticipate traffic from Caribou to go north. They can further address it offline with City staff. Commissioner Hansen asked Mr. Krogh whether the majority of the traffic is going to be going southbound? Mr. Krogh stated that is why they are developing the lot, because this side of Hwy 65 is critical. Grab your coffee and go to work, most of the traffic is in the morning. Commissioner Sielaff asked Mr. Krogh whether they are just going to have coffee, or will they have anything like sandwiches, etc.? Mr. Krogh replied, they will have the full menu of Caribou. Sandwiches, pastries, etc. Commissioner Evanson asked Mr. Krogh he is just dealing with the real estate portion of this? The operating company is still going to be Caribou corporate. They will control the menu and all of that, is that correct? Mr. Krogh replied, yes, he is just the developer. Ms. Stromberg stated she was able to talk to the Director of Public Safety, Brian Weierke, today and the Director of Public Works, Jim Kosluchar about Mr. and Mrs. Brown’s letter. They said that generally they have not heard a lot of complaints or concerns from this neighborhood before, but they are certainly willing to put in one of those speed trackers Fridley Planning Commission Meeting July 15, 2020 Page 5 of 7 to help address the neighbors’ concerns. If it is warranted after that they can do some traffic counts, predevelopment, and post-development, and ask for Caribou’s assistance in that. However, this is the first time they had heard about this, but they said they would be willing to do whatever they could to make sure the neighborhood was okay. th Dave Brown, 1040 – 64 Avenue, stated he just wanted to clarify it is not just the semi- trucks that are going through. It is used as a short cut off of Mississippi Street by people going off to work on Central Avenue or they will come through on Taylor and come th through on Baker, then they come down 64 to come around the curve. The stop sign that is at Banquets going south is by the building. If you are stopped at the stop sign there, you do not see anyone coming out of Banquets; and you must inch up there to see if anybody is coming out of Banquets. It is just a concern that there is going to be more traffic coming through with the addition of Caribou. He is a Caribou fan, but they have noticed an increase in traffic with people using this short cut, therefore he gave some options with his letter. He thought this would be a good place to start. Economic growth is a great thing for Fridley. He just wanted to make all of them aware of the problems they have seen as residents and their neighbors. Chairperson Kondrick stated to Mr. Brown his letter of course will be forwarded to the City Council for their review. Motion by Commissioner Evanson to close the public hearing. Seconded by Commissioner Hansen. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY AND THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS CLOSED AT 7:20 P.M. Motion by Commissioner Evanson approving Plat, PS #20-01, by Java companies, to replat the properties at 6290 and 6310 Highway 65 to provide additional land to the vacant parcel at 6290 Highway 65, to allow for the construction of a Caribou Coffee Cabin. Seconded by Commissioner McClellan. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES FROM OTHER COMMISSIONS – THROUGH ONE MOTION: Motion to accept the minutes from the following Commission meetings: 1. March 10, 2020, Environment Quality & Energy Commission Fridley Planning Commission Meeting July 15, 2020 Page 6 of 7 2. March 5, 2020, Housing and Redevelopment Authority Commission 3. May 7, 2020, Housing and Redevelopment Authority Commission Motion by Commissioner Hansen to accept the minutes. Seconded by Commissioner Evanson. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. OTHER BUSINESS: 1. Elect Chair and Vice Chair Chair Kondrick stated that he’s been doing the chair position for a while, he doesn’t mind doing it and would like to continue to do it, if the Commission thinks it’s a good idea. Motion by Commissioner Sielaff for Chairperson Kondrick to continue being the Chair. Seconded by Commissioner Hansen. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Chair Kondrick stated that the person, LeRoy Oquist, that has been the Vice-Chair position for a number of years, has decided to retire. He’s a very smart, bright and competent individual, so we need to find a new Vice-Chair. He would like to nominate Mark Hansen for this job. He is smart, on-time, aware of what is going on in the City and think he’d be a good Vice-Chair. Commission McClellan stated he agrees. He likes the idea of having someone who may have a longer tenure on the Commission. Commissioner Evanson stated, he agrees. Commission Sielaff stated, he would second the nomination. Motion by Chairperson Kondrick nominating Chairperson Hansen as Vice Chair. Seconded by Commissioner Sielaff. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. OTHER BUSINESS: Fridley Planning Commission Meeting July 15, 2020 Page 7 of 7 th Ms. Stromberg stated Mr. Oquist couldn’t join us tonight and he retired as of July 10. She wanted to acknowledge that he served on a Commission with the City for 46 years, which is quite a milestone and he needs to be congratulated. Commissioner McClellan stated congratulations to him and the City is better for his dedication. Ms. Stromberg stated the next meeting will be August 19, 2020. Commissioner McClellan asked for any update regarding the old City Hall site. Ms. Stromberg replied, they have issued the building permit just this week. It will be happening sooner than later. There was some back and forth with Fairview related to the parking lots and ownership of those lots; but it will be closing soon so they should see construction start soon. Commissioner Sielaff asked whether they are going to be using those underground garages? Ms. Stromberg replied, they are. They are going to use them for storage or maybe a wood shop or something for the residents of the assisted living facility. They thought they could utilize them. ADJOURN: Motion by Commissioner Hansen to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by Commissioner Evanson. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY AND THE MEETING ADJOURNED AT 7:35 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Denise M. Johnson Recording Secretary