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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/9/08 . Planning Commission Minutes Regular Meeting December 9, 2008 1. Call to Order Chair Rotty called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Members Present: Stokes, Larson, Bonar, Barker, Rotty Members Absent: None Also Present: Tony Wippler - Assistant City Planner, Lee Smick - City Planner 2. Approval of Minutes a) November 12,2008 Regular Meeting Minutes MOTION by Larson, second by Barker to approve the minutes. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. 3. Public Hearings a) Conditional Use Permit to allow the installation of a monopole cell tower in Tamarack Park (Cont.). Applicant: FMHC Corporation 2901 Metro Drive, Suite 225 Bloomington, MN 55024 . This item has been continued from December of 2008. FMHC Corporation is requesting a conditional use permit to locate a 75 foot tall monopole cell tower in Tamarack Park. The Planning Commission previously recommended approval of an ordinance amendment that would allow these types of monopoles in park and open space areas. The amendment has also been approved by the City Council. . T-Mobile would like to develop a lease agreement for a twenty by fifteen foot area in Tamarack Park which would include a concrete pad roughly seven by thirteen feet in size. There would be a monopole constructed on the western portion of the concrete padded area and there would be four ground equipment structures approximately six feet in height adjacent to the pole. As a secondary benefit to the monopole, lighting equipment is going to be mounted to the pole to illuminate the adjacent basketball court. It is anticipated that the lighting will be about forty feet in height up on the monopole. There will be a photocell attached to the fixture to automatically turn the lights on at dusk and a timer to turn them off at 11 :00 p.m when the park closes. There would be landscaping plans required with the permit submittal. At this time T- Mobile is the only company proposing to locate an antenna on this monopole. There is an option for co-location of a second antenna at a later date if desired. The setback requirement of seventy five feet can be reduced if documentation is provided by a qualified structural engineer that indicates that the fall zone is less than seventy five feet. If this item is approved, the applicant will need to provide such documentation. The monopole design proposed is designed to collapse upon itself, thus reducing the fall zone. Staff is recommending approval of the conditional use permit with the following conditions: 1. Execution of a lease agreement acceptable to the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission and City Council. Planning Commission Minutes December 9,2008 Page 2 . 2. The structure must be designed to ensure that if failure of the monopole were to occur, that no portion of the monopole would collapse outside of the park's property line. 3. Obtaining all necessary building permits a required by the City's Building Official. 4. Subject to a landscaping plan acceptable to the Planning Division. There were no residents or neighbors present to comment on this item. Commissioner Larson asked if there was a fence around the structure. He asked if there could be any potential for a child to climb the pole and be injured. Ms. Kelly Swenseth from FMHC stated that there are no climbing pegs on the structure below ten feet. The diameter of the monopole is large enough that the structure is not climbable. If the area were fenced it may create more issue due to the location adjacent to the basketball court. The cabinets adjacent to the pole are secured and can only be accessed by T-Mobile staff. Ms. Swenseth stated that T-Mobile would deal with any vandalism damage. Commissioner Larson asked why there would only be landscaping on two sides of the pole location. The location is very close to the basketball court due to the bike path already located on site. The landscaping would potentially interfere with the court area. City Planner Smick stated that she will look at the landscaping when a landscaping plan is received. Commissioner Bonar stated that he feels that a more neutral choice in color would be more appropriate. He also stated that he would like to see more deciduous screening that would reduce the scale of this pole. He would prefer that this structure be less visible. He would like the lights to be properly shielded so that they do not impact the neighbors. . Commissioner Barker stated that he would like to look more into the landscaping aspect as well. Chair Rotty stated that he would like to see larger, more mature landscaping as well. He stated that he feels that the finish that has been proposed for the pole is appropriate. MOTION by Barker second by Stoke to close the public hearing. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. MOTION by Bonar, second by Larson to approve the conditional use permit with the stated contingencies. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. b) Ordinance Amendment to Title 10, Chapter 2 of the City Code in order to define Modular Homes. Applicant: City of Farmington 430 Third Street Farmington, MN 55024 There is currently a definition in the zoning code for manufactured homes but there has been some clarification needed as to what is considered a manufactured home versus what is considered a modular home. The proposed change will add a definition of modular home to the zoning code to address this issue. MOTION by Barker, second by Stokes to close the public hearing. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. MOTION by Larson, second by Bonar to forward the recommended amendment to the City Council. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. . Planning Commission Minutes December 9, 2008 Page 3 . c) Ordinance Amendment to Title 10, Chapter 5, Sections 17 and 19 of the City code to conditionally allow Multiple-Family Dwellings Applicant: City of Farmington 430 Third Street Farmington, MN 55024 The planning staff is recommending two changes to the zoning code to allow multiple family dwellings in the SSC and Mixed Use zoning districts. Currently these two districts allow for mixed use buildings which are defined as commercial space on the lower floor and apartments or condos on the upper floors. The multiple family dwelling would be a conditional use in these districts per the proposed amendment. MOTION by Bonar, second by Larson to close the public hearing. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. MOTION by Stokes, second by Barker to forward the recommended amendment to the City Council. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. . d) Ordinance Amendment to Title 10, Chapter 6, Section 14 of the City Code regarding Towers and Repealing Title 4, Chapter 4 of the City Code concerning the construction and maintenance of Antennas and Supporting Towers Applicant: City of Farmington 430 Third Street Farmington, MN 55024 The proposed change would repeal the current Title 4, Chapter 4 of the zoning code and include it in Title 10, Chapter 6. Four modifications will be made to the code regarding towers and monopoles to allow them as a conditional use in additional districts and support aesthetic requirements. MOTION by Barker, second by Larson to close the public hearing. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. MOTION by Larson, second by Stokes to forward the recommended changes to the City Council. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. 4. Discussion None 5. Adjourn MOTION by Barker, second by Larson to adjourn. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. Respectfull}:'~ubmitted, " '\'. Approved ,'- v " \/ ~::::"s.." . Lisa Dargis ( . Administrative Assistant