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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05.20.86 Planning PacketAGENDA PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MAY 20, 1986 1. CALL TO ORDER 7:00 P.M. 2. APPROVE MINUTES APRIL 15, 1986 3. PUBLIC HEARING MARIGOLD FOODS, INC. VARIANCE FROM SIGN ORDINANCE 7:00 P.M. 4. PUBLIC HEARING MINNESOTA TECHNICAL RESEARCH INC VARIANCE AND SPECIAL EXCEPTION 7:30 P.M. 5. DISCUSS AVID SPECIAL EXCEPTION RESPONSE FROM CITY ATTORNEY 6. FARMINGTON HILLS PRELIMINARY PLAT DISCUSSION OF REVISED PRELIMINARY PLAT 7. HERB MATTESON DISCUSSION OF BLOCK 18, ORIGINAL PLAT OF FARMINGTON, NORTH OF ELM STREET BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND STREETS. 8. VARIANCE REQUEST ON LOT 7, BLOCK 1, DAKOTA COUNTY ESTATES WITH AN ADDRESS AT 18215 EMPIRE TRAIL 9. VARIANCE REQUEST ON LOT 7, BLOCK 1, HILLVIEW THIRD ADDITION, WITH AN ADDRESS AT 5830 UPPER 183RD STREET 1. CALL TO ORDER AGENDA PLANNING COMMISSION MAY 20, 1986 2. APPROVE MINUTES APRIL 15, 1986 See attached letter from George Frisch with suggested amendments. 3. PUBLIC HEARING 7:00 P.M. MARIGOLD FOODS, INC. The City Attorney suggested that the staff require a signed acknowledgement of the need for variances as well as a deposit for removal in case the variances are not given since the requested sign would be in existence prior to this hearing. This request may be helpful to the Commission since members can look at the actual sign being acted upon. Currently, the City Ordinance limits freestanding signs in the Industrial District to 75 square feet per face and a maximum of 20 feet in height. The setback requirements for the Industrial District is 50 feet from the property line. The sign is 84 square feet per face and 30 feet high. It appears to be setback only enough to keep it from overhanging the right of way of 4th Street. The applicant is seeking variances from the above de- scribed requirements on the basis that conformance would cause an undue hardship for Marigold Foods, Inc. The major difficulty in granting size and height variances are that it tends to establish limits that are con- siderably larger than recommended by the Commission in December and adopted by the City Council in February. One factor in favor of a height limit change is that, since the sign is in a truck maneuvering area, it needs to be high enough for trucks to pass under. The justification for granting a setback variance is that existing buildings on site are considerably closer to the right of way than 50 feet. RECOMMENDATION Grant the request for a variance of the setback requirements but evaluate the height and size in terms of what future signs in Farmington will look like. For example, 75 square feet too small and 20 feet too short for signs in the Industrial District? 4. PUBLIC HEARING 7:30 P.M. MINNESOTA TECHNICAL RESEARCH, INC. The current building is a legal non conforming use; setback approximately 31 feet from the front property line. The proposed addition would bring the building to within 11 feet of the right of way of 8th Street requiring a 9 foot variance. The existing dwelling to the south is also setback 30 feet and likely would be adversely affected by the addition. In addi- tion the only off street parking for employees would occur within the right of way for 8th Street. The applicant should be encouraged to inves- tigate adding a second level to the existing structure without encroaching on existing yards. It would be possible to introduce both off street parking and some landscaping if such an expansion were proposed. The current request will add to an already crowded lot at the edge of a stable residential neighborhood. It also appears that the request would be difficult to justify under Section 2 -4 -3 of the City Code. 4 4 RECOMMENDATION Deny the request. 5. AVID SPECIAL EXCEPTION See attached letter from David L. Grannis, City Attorney. 6. FARMINGTON HILLS PRELIMINARY PLAT The developer has withdrawn the PUD of Farmington Hills for several reasons. The low area east of Akin Road will be costly to develop because of the high water table, and a question might be raised about whether or not it will ever be developed. The second is that the developer now believes that there is no market for high density housing and therefore the density shifts described in the PUD are not going to be used. The school site would also appear to contribute to a demand for single family housing. In addition to all of these, the developer has decided against encorporating the Akin homestead into the overall development. Because the County Platting Agency has raised questions about visibility at the cross intersection on Akin Road, the developer has elected to con- struct access to this part of Farmington Hills through the former barn site. This ignores the natural grade to the lower area and effectively eliminates any opportunity to directly link the neighborhoods developing east and west of Akin Road now that the Akin homestead will no longer be involved. This plan for 40 of the original 260 acre site utilizes probably the best potential for development available in Farmington. It contains 95 housing units compared with 70 shown on the original, principally by regrading the site extensively and by encroaching on the steep slope which borders the eastern property line. The shaping of land is possible but one questions the need to create housing "pads" by building more sloping lots with rear yards in excess of 20 The Soil and Water Conservation District directed our attention to the existing steep slope areas by pointing out that they can become easily eroded. I have, in response, pointed out to the developer that the Northwest /Southeast portion of "D" Street should be moved away from the steepest portion of this slope. The developer responded by moving the road slightly, but two of the lots remain unbuildable as the 20% grade starts at the street setback line. The engineer has reviewed the detailed drawings and suggests some addi- tional improvements as follows: a. The storm sewer system needs some definition at the east end of "A" Street. A ditch lined with rip -rap at the outlet would help dispel the energy of discharge and direct flow to the ponding areas on the eastern 80 acres. b. The water system needs an additional link to the Akin Road main between lots 8 9 on Block 1. This will improve freshness and quality of water for consumption as well as for improved fire protection. c. Fire hydrant locations are satisfactory but 12 additional gate valves will be required. d. Vertical curves on sheet profiles should be increased from 100 to 200 feet in length. e. The Sanitary Sewer system will require house elevations to be set immediately, particularly on "D" Street or the sewer main could be lowered to allow some flexibility in setting floor elevations. The last point returns to the major planning concern raised by this pro- posal which is the location of "D" Street. While the developer has done some adjusting, the housing is too close to the 20% slope to allow any useable backyard space. A shift from 30 to 50 feet westward would relieve this problem and reduce pressure for erosion of the slope. I would also recommend that the cul -de -sac should be shortened to create considerably deeper lots at the end. In addition, regrading of "A" Street should be reviewed to provide more useful lots against the newly created hill. The final point is that some access needs to be added to the north property line to allow access to the development potential of the hilltop. RECOMMENDATION Negotiate for an many improvements in the plan as you believe important. The developer is anxious for a positive recommendation to be forwarded to the City Council at this meeting. 7. HERB MATTESON DISCUSSION OF BLOCK 18, ORIGINAL PLAT OF FARMINGTON Larry Thompson and Robert Williamson will accompany Mr. Matteson for a discussion of the possible redevelopment of Block 18 in a manner con- sistent with the Comprehensive Plan. The developer is looking at this site as a first step in the acquisition and development of a substantial area north and east of Block 18 for warehousing, retail and manufacturing use. 8. VARIANCE REQUEST 18215 EMPIRE TRAIL Set public hearing. 9. VARIANCE REQUEST 5830 UPPER 183RD STREET Set public hearing. t CUL2-. Charles Tooker fq Planner v CT /mh