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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-19-04 City of Farmington 325 Oak Street Farmington, MN 55024 Mission Statement Through teamwork and cooperation, the City of Farmington provides quality services that preserve our proud past and foster a promisingfuture. AGENDA HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING February 19, 2004 6:00 P.M. CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS 1. Call to order 2. Approval of agenda 3. Approval of minutes of October 23,2003, regular meeting 4. Public hearings - none 5. Reports a. Tour of Jackie Dooley's House b. Girl Scouts - Rural Heritage Exhibit Project (at 7:00 p.m.) c. 2003 Annual Report 6. Unfinished Business a. Spruce Street Corridor Design Standards b. Update on Akin House 7. New Business a. Nominations of HPC Officers for 2004 b. HPC Goals and Objectives for 2004 c. Set Meeting Dates/Times 8. Miscellaneous 9. Adjourn HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES October 23, 2003 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Fortney called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m. Present: John Fortney, George Flynn, Patrick Garofalo, Bev Preece, John Robertson Also Present: Kevin Carroll, Community Development Director; Lisa Shadick, Administrative Services Director; Cynthia Muller, Executive Assistant 2. APPROVE AGENDA MOTION by Robertson, second by Preece to approve the agenda. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. 3. APPROVE MINUTES MOTION by Preece, second by Robertson to approve the September 25, 2003 Minutes. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. 4. PUBLIC HEARINGS - None 5. REPORTS a) Spruce Street Corridor Area - Kevin Carroll, Community Development Director The Spruce Street Corridor Area is located south ofHwy 50, west of Denmark Avenue, and north of 220th Street. The Knutson property is located in the northeast comer, the Peterson property to the west, and the Adelmann and Allen properties to the south. This area has the potential for residential and commercial/retail uses. The population is currently at 18,000 and is expected to reach 20,000 in two years. This area is being considered for an extension to the downtown. There are not many vacancies in the downtown area. The homes surrounding downtown are historic, well-maintained, and affordable. There is no room to expand the downtown area. Spruce Street would be the connecting route between downtown and the Spruce Street Corridor Area. The area is proposed to have one north-south route and two east-west routes. There will be three accesses from Hwy 50. The developer for the area is New Century. If the developer's plan is close to the concept plan, they have a better chance of approval. The latest plan from the developer showed a lot of parking and buildings backing up to the north- south street. Staff will be discussing more of a downtown look with the developer. The downtown has worked well for 100 years, so why not have the same concept for Spruce Street. The Knutson property will be developed first. There was a moratorium in effect in October 2002 for this area, except for the Knutson property. The Spruce Street Master Plan was approved by the Council September 2, 2003. The moratorium expired October 6, 2003. The plan shows a town square with senior housing surrounding it. Staff would like to see retail on the lower level with senior housing above. The HPC asked if the area would be required to have the same sidewalks and lighting as downtown. This would help to tie it in with the downtown area. Staff replied this would fall Heritage Preservation Commission Minutes October 23, 2003 Page 2 under design standards. The HPC would like the downtown look carried over to the Spruce Street area. Staff stated they might not be able to require that. Developers want standards to be more general. They could encounter resistance if the standards are too strict. The Met Council gave the city a $40,000 matching grant. Staffhas applied to the Met Council for a $1.6 million opportunity grant. This grant would be used for the road from Spruce Street to the bridge, the bridge itself, and to extend Spruce Street to the town square. This grant money would save assessment costs. There were 34 applicants for this grant. The Met Council has narrowed the pool to 17 and the city is part of that group. Interviews were held October 17, 2003. The Met Council wants to give 30% of the money to developing communities. A decision will be made in December. HPC members stated the development has to have heart to it. They want Farmington to continue to be unique. Members Garofalo and Preece expressed interest in assisting with design standards. A preliminary plat will be received from the developer showing an outline of the buildings. Staffwill then review it and a public hearing will be held at the Planning Commission meeting. It would then go to the Council for approval. b) Rural Historic Resources Survey Progress Report The progress report was distributed. Staffwill advise when HPC hours should be put towards the project. 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a) Update on Middle Creek Cemetery Landscaping Shrubs have been planted marking the border of the cemetery. b) Update on Heritage Landmark Designation - Akin House The owners of the Akin House asked to have the designation postponed. Staff and Consultant Vogel will meet with the owners to answer any questions the first week of November. Hopefully the designation can be done yet this year. 7. NEW BUSINESS a) Presidential Preserve America Initiative This is a new program headed by First Lady Laura Bush. They give two awards per year. Information and an application form can be found on their web site www.PreserveAmerica.gov. 8. MISCELLANEOUS Member Flynn announced he will be resigning from the HPC. He has been a member for many years and will be missed. Member Preece brought pictures she took at the Historic Preservation Conference in New Ulm. The next meeting will be held February 19, 2004. Heritage Preservation Commission Minutes October 23,2003 Page 3 9. ADJOURN MOTION by Garofalo, second by Robertson to adjourn at 7:41 p.m. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. Respectfully submitted, G",1 .4 ~~ 7./ ' ~L..- ,,~uz- .h-7. ;?-<J c7 Cynthia Muller Executive Assistant CITY OF FARMINGTON CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR 2003 ANNUAL REPORT This document summarizes historic preservation activities in the City of Farmington, Dakota County, Minnesota, during Federal fiscal year 2003 (October 1, 2002, to September 30, 2003). The information presented in the annual report is required by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) in partial fulfillment of the city's obligations as a Certified Local Government (CLG) under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended. 1. National Register Nominations No historic properties in Farmington were nominated to the National Register of Historic Places during the fiscal year ending September 30,2003. Three properties (D. F. Akin House, Episcopal Church of the Advent, and the Exchange Bank Building) are currently listed in the National Register. The former Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific railroad depot was placed on the National Register in 1979 but was removed after the building was demolished in 1982. 2. Farmington Heritage Landmark Designations Title 2, Chapter 11 of the City Code provides for the local registration of Farmington Heritage Landmarks, a form of overlay zoning. On February 18, 2003, the City Council designated the Middle Creek Cemetery as a heritage landmark. In September, 2003, three additional properties (the Exchange Bank Building, Episcopal Church of the Advent, and the D. F. Akin House) were nominated by the HPC for designation as heritage landmarks. 3. Permits Reviewed By ordinance, a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) is required before a city permit can be issued to demolish or move a registered heritage landmark; a COA is also required for new construction and excavation work that may effect the integrity of a heritage landmark. Under the amendment to the city zoning ordinance passed in 2002, the HPC also reviews and comments on applications for demolition permits in relation to properties designated or determined eligible for designation as heritage landmarks. No COAs were issued during the fiscal year ending September 30, 2003. 4. Heritage Preservation Commission The HPC is a seven-member citizen advisory commission appointed by the City Council. The commission held regular meetings on: . November 21,2002 . January 16, 2003 . March 20, 2003 . May 15, 2003 . July 17, 2003 . September 25, 2003 The following members resigned from the HPC or were not reappointed by the council during the reporting period: Tim Rice, Sue Strachan, and Jackie Dooley. Mr. Rice moved out of the city but was reappointed to the HPC as an ex-officio, non-voting member. Three new HPC members were appointed during the fiscal year: John Fortney, Patrick Garofalo, and Jonathan Robertson. Mr. Fortney replaced Ms. Strachan as the commission's chairperson in March, 2003. On September 30, 2003, the HPC membership was as follows: John Fortney, chairperson; Patrick Garofalo, vice chairperson; Jonathan Robertson, secretary; Bev Preece, voting member; George Flynn, voting member; and Tim Rice, ex-officio member. The HPC was staffed by Ms. Lisa Shadick, Administrative Services Director, and Mr. Robert C. Vogel, Preservation Planning Consultant. 5. Historic Resources Survey The HPC maintains a comprehensive inventory of historic buildings, structures, sites, objects, and districts within the city limits. In 1996, the HPC initiated a systematic survey of historic resources based on the recommendations of the 1995 Historic Context Study. In 2003, the City has received a CLG grant-in-aid to conduct a survey of rural historic properties. Work began in June and the project will be completed in July, 2004. 6. Public Participation & HPC Records All meetings of the HPC are open to the public in accordance with the Minnesota Open Meeting Law. HPC meeting agendas and notices are posted in public places and all minutes of meetings are placed on fIle for public examination. All of the HPC records are permanently archived at City Hall and treatment of commission records follows procedures established by state statute. 7. Minnesota Preservation Conference HPC member Beverly Preece attended the annual conference for Minnesota preservation commissions in New Ulm on September 18-19, 2003. 8. Other Activities . The City Council approved an amendment to the zoning ordinance which would allow historic properties to be converted to bed and breakfasts . The HPC completed an adaptive use study of the historic Episcopal Church of the Advent . The HPC presented its annual Heritage Preservation Award to Karen Finstuen in recognition of her years of service as the HPC's city staff liaison (Ms. Finstuen retired in January, 2003) . For the second year, trolley tours of historic neighborhoods were offered as part of the city's annual Dew Day community celebration (June 21) . The HPC developed a landscape rehabilitation plan for the historic Middle Creek Cemetery . The city approved the first two conditional use permits for adapting historic buildings for use as bed and breakfasts This report was prepared by Robert C. Vogel, Preservation Planning Consultant. For more information about historic preservation in the City of Farmington, contact Lisa Shadick, City Hall, 325 Oak Street, Farmington, MN 55024. /O?b City of Farmington 325 Oak Street, Farmington, MN 55024 (651) 463-7111 Fax (651) 463-2591 www.ci.farmington.mn.us FROM: Mayor, Councilmembers, and City Administrator fJI11v Kevin Carroll, Community Development Director TO: SUBJECT: Amendment to Section 10-6-21 of the City Code Concerning Design Standards for the Spruce Street Commercial, Mixed-Use, and Business/Flex Zoning Districts DATE: February 17, 2004 INTRODUCTION The design standards that currently appear in the City Code for the "Spruce Street Commercial" zoning district are, in the opinion of City staff and others, less useful and less comprehensive than they need to be. Staff is therefore recommending that the existing design standards be updated, and that the revised standards be made applicable to all of the business-related zoning districts located within the "Spruce Street Corridor Area." These districts include the Spruce Street Commercial District, the Mixed-Use District, and Business/Flex Zoning District. DISCUSSION A copy of the existing design standards for the Spruce Street Commercial District has been attached as Exhibit A. These standards were incorporated into the City Code around the time that a "Spruce Street Commercial" zoning district was added to the Code, but well before any land within the City was actually rezoned to a Spruce Street Commercial designation. In short, the existing design standards were anticipatory in nature, and were not created in the context of a specific plan (by the City and/or by any landowner or developer) for actual commercial development. Since that time, the City has approved a Master Plan for the future development of the Spruce Street Corridor Area, and rezoned land within that Area into three different business-related zoning districts, two of which (Mixed-Use and Business/Commercial Flex) are entirely new. In the weeks following the adoption of the Master Plan on September 2, 2003, City staff began working on a preliminary draft of a set of revised design standards for these new [future] commercial areas. This draft was presented to and discussed by the Planning Commission at its meeting on January 13,2004, and the draft was later revised to reflect the Commissioners' comments. At a meeting that was held at City Hall on January 26, 2004, the revised draft was reviewed by landowners Bob and Stan Knutsen, Gene and Randy Pedersen of New Century (the Knutsens' developer), and other members of the Knutsen development team who were in attendance (including their builder, architect, attorney, engineer, accountant, leasing agent and attorney). The draft of the design standards was then revised again in response to comments and suggestions that were made during the aforementioned KnutsenlNew Century meeting. A public hearing on this final draft was conducted by the Planning Commission at its meeting on February 10, 2004. No public comments were made at the public hearing in opposition of the final draft. The Planning Commission suggested one final change regarding building facades, and then voted (5-0) to recommend that the City Council approve and adopt the proposed design standards (as modified by the Commission at its meeting). I have attached, as Exhibit B, the final version of the design standards that the Planning Commission recommended. If this Memo is not accompanied by a copy of the design standards in "Ordinance format," that document will be provided at Tuesday night's meeting. City staff members will also highlight and explain a few of the more important design standards at Tuesday night's meeting, and photographs illustrating some of the design concepts will be shown. For example, attached to this Memo as Exhibit C is a photo of a portion of the Arbor Lakes commercial development in Maple Grove, which exemplifies some of the features (building facades, rooflines, sidewalks, lighting, etc.) that are addressed in the design standards that have been proposed for the Spruce Street Corridor Area. RECOMMENDED ACTION Amend Section 10-6-21 of the City Code by incorporating the proposed design standards for the Spruce Street Commercial zoning district, the Mixed-Use zoning district, and the Business/Flex zoning district. 10-6-21: DESIGN STANDARDS FOR SPRUCE STREET COMMERCIAL, MIXED-USE, AND BUSINESSIFLEX ZONING DISTRICTS (A) Site Development Standards (in addition to any Performance Standards that may be applicable). These standards apply to the Business/Flex, Mixed-Use, and Spruce Street Commercial Zoning Districts unless otherwise specified. The zoning districts are depicted on the Official Zoning Map. 1. Outdoor Storage. All materials shall be stored and/or warehoused within the principal building. 2. Off-Street Parking. Off-street parking areas shall be designed and located to minimize their impacts on adjacent development, streets and pedestrian corridors. Parking lot landscaping is required per this Chapter. 3. Sidewalks. Sidewalks shall be provided on both sides of all streets. Trails may be required instead of sidewalks as provided in the City's Trail Master Plan. a. All pedestrian walkways shall have and maintain a minimum unobstructed pathway width of 15 feet along the north/south corridor (i.e., the first roadway constructed between CSAH 50 and Spruce Street, west of Denmark Avenue) and within the Mixed-Use area. Pedestrian walkways bordering off-street parking areas shall be at least 8 feet wide. Pedestrian and bicycle pathways connecting to greenways or trail systems are subject to standards in the City Trail Master Plan. b. Walkways shall be designed to create a safe and uninterrupted pedestrian way, and to avoid frequent crossings by driveways and streets. c. Pedestrian walkways shall be designed as amenity areas with approved landscaping, benches, lighting, signage, and street furniture. d. Pavers shall be required within the sidewalk design and within the crosswalk areas. Installation of the pavers shall comply with City standards. e. Electrical and water services shall be required within the sidewalk areas to prepare for amenities including (but not limited to) water fountains, clocks, kiosks and seasonal lighting, and shall be master planned during the design phase of the project. 4. Screening. Screening of service yards, refuse, and waste-removal areas, loading docks, truck parking areas and other areas which tend to be unsightly shall be accomplished by use of walls, fencing, dense planting, or any combination of these elements. Screening shall block views from public rights-of-way, private street and off- street parking areas, and shall be equally effective in winter and summer. Chain link and slatted fencing are prohibited. 5. Lighting. The lighting in the Spruce Street area shall be designed to create a well-balanced, integrated lighting plan for public and private locations that enhances vehicular and pedestrian visibility while minimizing glare and contrast. Exterior lighting shall comply with Section 10-6-8 of the City Code. The intent for lighting is to provide needed illumination of the site, while at the same time preventing glare to residential uses either within or adjacent to the site. Light fixtures should be oriented to pedestrian circulation so that pedestrian walkways are emphasized and safety is enhanced. 1 a. At the time of Site Plan Review for the development, a detailed lighting plan shall be submitted. b. Any lighting required on the perimeter of parking lots or along streets shall consist of fixtures illustrated in the City's Standard Detail Plate as "Street Light- Downtown District". The interior portions of parking lots may be lit with cobra lights. 6. Required Amenities. For each development, one (1) of the following amenities per 1 0 acres of net developable land area shall be required and installed at the time of construction of the project. The amenities shall be highly-visible, easily accessible outdoor focal points or gathering places for residents, employees, and visitors to the development site: a. Patio and/or plaza with permanent seating areas; provided such patio or plaza has a minimum depth of 15 feet and a minimum total area of 300 square feet. 1. Pavers as required in the City standards shall be installed within the patio or plaza. 2. Patios and plazas shall include pedestrian amenities intended to support these places as gathering areas such as benches, water features, kiosks, etc. b. Landscaped mini-park, square, or green, provided such amenity has a minimum depth and width of 15 feet and a minimum total area of 650 square feet, and includes pedestrian amenities intended to support these places as gathering areas. The landscaped mini-parks, squares or greens do not count toward the Park Dedication requirements. c. Protected customer walkway, arcade, or easily identifiable building pass-through containing window displays and intended for general public access. d. Water feature, such as a pond or fountain, provided the feature is easily accessed by pedestrians and includes or integrates permanent seating areas for pedestrians. e. Any other well-designed area and/or focal feature that the City finds consistent with the intent of these design standards, and that substantially enhances such development and serves as a gathering place for residents, visitors, customers, and employees. 7. Parking of Bicycles. Bike parking spaces shall be installed at 10% of the total number of automobile spaces within the development. For convenience and security, bicycle parking facilities shall be located near building entrances, shall be placed parallel to the sidewalks, shall be easily visible and shall not be located in remote automobile parking areas. Such facilities shall not, however, be located in places that impede pedestrian or automobile traffic flow or that would cause damage to plant material. Bike racks shall provide a means for the bicycle frame and one wheel to be attached to a permanent fixture (designed for securing bicycles) by means of a lock. (B) Architectural Standards: 1. Fronts of Buildings. Any building face and yard that abuts C.S.A.H. 50, Spruce Street, or Pilot Knob shall be considered a front and shall reflect a level of aesthetic treatment equal to or greater than that of building faces and yards that abut the north- south corridor and the major roads in the Mixed-Use District. 2 2. Unifying Design Theme. Buildings and/or streetscapes in the Spruce Street Commerical District and the BusinessIFlex district shall reflect a unifying design theme that incorporates features found along the north/south corridor and within the Mixed-Use District. City staff and the Planning Commission shall determine whether development proposals satisfy this requirement. 3. Exterior Surfaces. Major exterior surfaces of all walls shall be face brick, stone, glass, stucco, architecturally treated concrete, cast in place or pre-cast panels, decorative block, or approved equivalent, as determined by the City. The following may not be used in any visible exterior application except when specifically permitted by the City in areas with limited public view: exposed cement ("cinder") blocks; fabricated metal or pole construction structures, including sheds, warehouses, and industrial buildings constructed either on or off-site of corrugated metal panels; exterior brick that is painted over; or experimental materials with no proven record of durability or ease of maintenance in the intended application. 4. Facades. Unless otherwise agreed to in writing by the Community Development Department, developers of buildings located along the north/south corridor and within the Mixed Use District shall use fa'Yade variations to differentiate separately leased commercial spaces. Fa'Yade variations shall incorporate modulated and articulated building wall planes and roof lines through use of: a. Projections, recesses, and reveals expressing structural bays or other aspects of the fa~ade, with a minimum change of plane of 6 inches. b. Changes in color or graphical patterns, changes in texture, or changes in building material. . c. Varying parapet heights and designs that demonstrate that the buildings are different from each other and that add interest to the streetscape. d. Recessed entrances. e. Building entrances that incorporate elements providing shade from the sun and weather protection for pedestrians. f. Comers that are distinguishable from the remainder of the building through the use of towers, architectural treatments, arches, roof forms, or size and mass. All buildings along the north/south corridor and within the Mixed Use District shall be constructed with at least one functional or decorative (false fa'Yade) upper story. To the extent practical or feasible, variations in roof lines or heights shall be used to differentiate separately-leased commercial spaces within buildings. 5. Windows. Windows shall be provided on walls that are adjacent to public or private rights-of-way, parking lots and sidewalks. False windows are allowed. 6. Projections. Buildings may have one of the following projecting from the building flifYade: a. Awnings/canopies over the first floor windows and along the frontage of all building entrances. 3 1. Projection: Awnings and canopies shall not project more than 5 feet into the public right-of-way, except where located above an entrance, in which case the maximum projection shall not exceed 8 feet. In no event should an awning or canopy be supported by poles or other structural elements located in the public right-of-way. 2. Length: Awnings and canopies should emphasize the rhythm of the fa~ade bays, windows and entrances, and shall not continue uninterrupted along the building fa~ade. 3. Height: The bottom of awnings and canopies should be at least 8 feet above sidewalk grade. 4. lllumination: Back-lit awnings and canopies are not permitted. 5. Inscription: Lettering on awnings and canopies shall comply with Section 10-6-3 (B) 1 subd. (k) of the City Code. 6. Materials: Awning and canopy materials should be limited to cotton, acrylic or vinyl coated cotton, copper or bronze coated metal, or clear glass. Other materials may be used if approved by the Community Development Department. Awnings shall be designed with a slope. No horizontal awnings are allowed. Structural supports shall be constructed of steel and/or aluminum and shall (if or where visible) incorporate ornamental features. b. Projecting signs perpendicular to the building. Projecting signs shall comply with Section 10-6-3 (B) 5 subd. (e) of the City Code. 7. Public Entrances. For commercial buildings located along the north/south corridor, each separate ground-level tenant space shall have at least one public entrance that faces the north/south corridor. For buildings located within the Mixed Use District, each separate ground-level commercial tenant space shall have at least one public entrance that faces the nearest major public or private street. Developers shall be encouraged to also provide public entrances adjacent to off-street parking areas. 8. Site Plan Review. All applications shall comply with the requirements of Section 10-6-23 (E) of the Farmington City Code for Site Plan Review. Site characteristics to be evaluated for this purpose include building and plant materials, colors, textures, shapes, massing, rhythms of building components and details, height, roof-line and setback. 9. Screening of Roof/Exterior Equipment. Mechanical equipment, satellite dishes and other utility hardware, whether located on the roof or exterior of the building or on the ground adjacent to it, shall be screened from the public view with materials identical to or strongly similar to building materials, or by landscaping that will be effective in winter, or they shall be located so as not to be visible from any public right- of-way, private street or off-street parking area. In no case shall wooden fencing be used as a rooftop equipment screen. 4