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Home My WebLink About11-18-24 Planning Commission MinutesMinutes Planning Commission Regular Meeting Monday, November 18, 2024, 6:00 PM City Council Chambers 2780 Kelley Parkway, Orono, MN 55356 Chair Bollis called Lite meeting to order at 6:00 p.m., followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. 1. ROLL CALL Orono Planning Commission members present: Chair Chris Bollis, Commissioners Jon Ressler, Ted Schultze, Bob Erickson, and Mark McCutcheon (arrived at 6:41 p.m.). Commissioners Scott Kirchner and Gary Kraemer were absent. Staff present: Community Development Director Laura Oakden, City Planner Melanie Curtis, and City Planner Matthew Karney. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Schultz moved, Ressler seconded, to approve the Agenda. VOTE: Ayes 4, Nays 0. 4. APPROVAL OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES OF OCTOBER 21, 2024 Ressler moved, Schultze seconded, to approve the minutes of the Orono Planning Commission meeting of October 21, 2024. VOTE: Ayes 4, Nays 0. 5. PUBLIC IIEARINGS 5.1. LA24-000040, Eva Kotilinek o/b/o Barry &Robin ORourke, 2300 6th AvenueN, Preliminary Plat The Planning Commission is requested to review the Staff report, receive a presentation, and discuss and approve the preliminary plat subdividing of the property into two lots. The Planning Commission discussed the item and asked questions of staff. The applicant was present. Chair Bollis opened the public hearing at 6:06 p.m. Al Crain, 1310 Phillips Drive; asked about the existing trees on the property. Chair Bollis closed the public hearing at 6:09 p.m. Commissioners call the application pretty straightforward, noting that the existing barn would become non -conforming. Ressler moved, Schultze seconded, to approve LA24-000040, 2300 6t' Ave. N., Preliminary Plat as applied. VOTE: Ayes: 4, Nays 0. 5.2. LA24-000050, RLA FAMILY LP, 1449 SHORELINE DRIVE, VARIANCE AND COMMERCIAL SITE PLAN REVIEW Page 1 of 6 10 Minutes Planning Commission Regular Meeting Monday, November 18, 2024, 6:00 PM City Council Chambers 2780 Kelley Parkway, Orono, MN 55356 The Planning Commission is requested to review the Staff report, receive a presentation, and discuss and approve hardcover, fencing and parking lot setback variances and site plan review to establish a new parking lot at an existing marina business. The Plamling Commission discussed the item and asked questions of staff and the applicant, Travis Anderson, 3260 North Shore Drive. Chair Bollis opened the public hearing at 6:19 p.m. There were no public comments. Chair Bollis closed the public hearing at 6:19 p.m. Commissioners asked about safety and said it seemed like a sensible approach and made the parking conforming with the road. Erickson moved, Schultze seconded, to approve LA24-000050,1449 Shoreline Drive, Variance and Commercial Site Plan Review. VOTE: Ayes: 4, Nays 0. 5.3. LA24-000058, TIM BROWN, PHI DECKS, 975 WILDHURST TRAIL, VARIANCES The Planning Conunission is requested to review the Staff report, receive a presentation, and discuss and approve variances to increase the upper deck and enclose the lower deck. The Plamling Commission discussed the item and asked questions of staff. The applicant was present. Chair Bollis opened the public hearing at 631 p.m. There were no public comments. Chair Bollis closed the public hearing at 6:31 p.m. Commissioners cited the small buildable area as supporting practical difficulty and noted the reduction of hardcover planned. Ressler moved, Schultze seconded, to approve LA24-000, variances. VOTE: Ayes: 4, Nays 0. 5.4 LA24--000059, BLUE PENCIL COLLECTIVE/KELSEY JOHNSON (DEVELOPER) OB/O BR_ADLEY PASS, 215 NORTH ARM LANE (INCL. PIDS 06-117-23-24-0002 AND 06-117- 23-23-0021), PRELIMINARYPLAT: IDYLLVALE SHORES The Planning Commission is requested to review the Staff report, receive a presentation, and discuss and table the preliminary plat to allow time for updating it to meet the required lot areas and other nussing or ambiguous information and to reconfigure lot five to meet the City standards along with other findings, such as lot 6 not conforming as an outlot for lake access for the development. Page 2 of 6 Minutes Planning Commission Regular Meeting Monday, November 18, 2024, 6:00 PM City Council Chambers 2780 Kelley Parkway, Orono, MN 55356 MCCULc eon arrived at 6:41 p.m. The Planning Commission discussed the item and asked questions of staff and the applicant, Gabriel Pass, Minneapolis, the brother of Bradley Pass, both sons of Carol Pass, the recently deceased owner. He said it was important to their mother and the family to develop the land in as way that respects the wetland and conservation. Kelsey Johnson, Blue Pencil Collective of White Bear Lake, said they were prepared to make the necessary adjustments to meet the requirements of the City and added they have no plans to provide lake access for lot 6. Chair Bollis opened the public hearing at 6:55 p.m. Mandy Little, 4620 North Arm Drive, said it was their understanding when they moved in that the land would be left natural and that they would be the neighbors most impacted by the development. Tim Pratt, 185 Bayside Trail, questioned the designation of a City street there and pointed out the water Iowa Stephanie Burns, 370 North Arm Lane, said they have a quiet neighborhood with small children and could not see two long cul-de-sacs with additional houses off their narrow street. �1\ Jeff Toole, no address given, said the neighborhood is not as dense as the proposal to put five homes into 10 acres. Mark Larson, 366 North Arm Lane, said they have been there for 40 years and live in the original farmhouse and they and other neighbors have concerns about homes being shoe -horned next to theirs. Mike Demeuse, 350 North Arm Lane, asked if there would be another public hearing after the proposed plat is redesigned and said it doesn't seem like the goal is preservation with the number of houses proposed and a long hardcover drive serving one house. Brian Hedeen, 360 North Arm Lane, also said their road is too narrow for two cars to meet and he doesn't know how that would work for construction and life after that with increased traffic. Melissa Demeuse, 350 North Arm Lane, said she is concerned about the narrow road and traffic due to another neighborhood being there with more residents and possible hired services like landscapers. Gabriel Pass, 2536 18"' Ave. said by not developing the land his family has been providing a wilderness to the neighborhood and paying taxes on it and they don't have an obligation to do that in perpetuity. He said the property would be sold and developed eventually, possibly by other persons less interested in working with the City and the neighbors. M. Larson, 366 North Arm Lane, also pointed out the narrow lane all the neighbors live on and asked if there would be a plan to take land from them to widen the lane. She said some of the homes are right on the lane. Page 3 of 6 12 Minutes Planning Commission Regular Meeting Monday, November 18, 2024, 6:00 PM City Council Chambers 2780 Kelley Parkway, Orono, MN 55356 Philip Little, 4620 North Arm Lane, asked that Blue Point eliminate the buffer zone of two-inch trees which would take too long to grow to be large enough, and said if they had talked to the neighbors they could have avoided some issues. Chair Bollis closed the public hearing at 7:16 p.m. Commissioners asked if North Arcn Lane is a City street maintained by the City and also asked about the Lot 6 outlot and if a condition could be set that it could not be used for lake access. Commissioners said the City is generally not interested in approving non -conforming lots like lot five but that the owners have a right to develop within the code. However the land is a wetland, they said, and it should be studied to make sure the land would even have buildable lots and there should be oversight from the Lake Mirmehaha Creek Watershed. Rules for City Streets and cul-de-sacs have changed since the narrow lane was constructed. It was pointed out that the additional road and cul-de-sacs would assist the City in servicing North Arm. Ressler moved, McCutcheon seconded, to table LA24--000059 and continue the public hearing, 215 North Arm Lane (incl. PIDs 06417-23-24-0002 and 06417-23-23-0021), PreliminaryPlat: Idyllvale Shores. VOTE: Ayes: 5, Nays 0. RECESS &RECONVENE Chair Bollis recessed the meeting at 7:45 p.m. The meeting was reconvened after a short break. 5.5 LA24-000060, TVL STUDIOS, 755 TONKAWA RD, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR RETAININGWALLS The Planning Conunission is requested to review the Staff report, receive a presentation, and discuss and approve the cononal use permit for replacement of a deck and retaining wall on the Lakeshore. The Plaiming Commission discussed the item and asked questions of staff and the applicant, Travis Van Liere, TVL Shidio, Mitmeapolis, the architect for the project. Chair Bollis opened the public hearing at 7:50 p.m. There were no public comments Chair Bollis closed the public hearing at 7:50 p.m. Commissioners said it was a good plan respecting the historical nature of the property and one that reduces the footprint, hardcover, and height of the retaining walls. McCutcheon moved, Ressler seconded, to approve LA24-000060„ 755 Tonkawa Rd, Conditional Use Permit for RetainingWalls. VOTE: Ayes: 5, Nays 0. 5.6. LA24-000062, TEXT AMENDMENT: SECTIONS 784 AND 78-823 INDUSTRIAL USES Page 4 of 6 13 Minutes Planning Commission Regular Meeting Monday, November 18, 2024, 6:00 PM City Council Chambers 2780 Kelley Parkway, Orono, MN 55356 The Planning Commission is requested to review the Staff report, receive a presentation, and discuss and approve a text amendment listing garage condos as conditional uses in the industrial district and providing conditions and requirements for the use. The Planning Commission discussed the item and asked questions of staff. Chair Bollis opened the public hearing at 7:58 p.m. There were no public comments. Chair Bollis closed the public hearing at 7:58 p.m. Commissioners asked about restrictions on commercial use noting that they would not want a garage condo to become a commercial retail -front but recognized that businesses may utilize a condo for storage Avehicles. Staff explained the restriction is intended that a business could not operate out of a unit or receive mail or deliveries. Commissioners suggested operating a business should be defined so it would be clear that businesses could use the garage condos for things like storage and warehousing. Ressler moved, McCutcheon seconded, to approve LA24-000062, Text Amendment: Sections 78-1 and 7&823 Industrial Uses as drafted, incorporating feedback to add storage and warehousing options to Letter C. VOTE: Ayes: 5, Nays 0. 5.7 LA24-0000064, TEXT AMENDMENT: DRIVEWAY, ROAD, AND TREE ALTERATION STANDARDS WITHIN THE SHORELAND OVERLAY DISTRICT The Planning Commmission is requested to review the Staff report, receive a presentation, and discuss and approve a text amendment for driveway, road, and tree alteration standards within lakeshore set -back to allow for flexibility based on topography or other site features and cleaning up the code with edits and clarifications. Driveway wording would follow DNR ordinances. The Planning Commission discussed the item and asked questions of staff. Chair Bollis opened the public hearing at 8:27 p.m. There were no public comments. Chair Bollis closed the public hearing at 8:27 p.m. Commissioners were in favor of the revised text amendment. Ressler moved, Schultze seconded, to approve LA24-0000064, Text Amendment: Driveway, Road, and Tree Alteration Standards withinthe Shoreland Overlay District. VOTE: Ayes: 5, Nays 0. 6. OTHER ITEMS Community Development Director Oakden updated the Commission on City Council actions on items that had been reviewed by the Planning Commission that in each case followed Planning Commission Page 5 of 6 14 Minutes Planning Commission Regular Meeting Monday, November 18, 2024, 6:00 PM City Council Chambers 2780 Kelley Parkway, Orono, MN 55356 recommendations. She noted applications are still being accepted for the open Planning Commission position. 7. ADJOURNMENT Erickson moved, Schultze seconded, to adjourn the Planning Commission Meeting at 8:37 p.m. to January 21, 2025. VOTE: Ayes 5, Nays 0. ATTEST: Page 6 of 6 15