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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-26-20 Planning Commission Minutes Special Meeting May 26,2020 1. Call to Order Chair Rotty called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Members Present: Rotty, Franceschelli, Lehto, Tesky, Windschitl Members Absent: None Also Present: Tony Wippler, Planning Manager; Lauren Siebenaler, Communications Specialist; Gary Thorson, Travis Comer and John Baregi, Holiday Companies 2. Public Hearings—Chair Rotty opened the public hearings a. Holiday Station Store Farmington Plat, Conditional Use Permit and Variances from Required Setbacks for the Construction of a Convenience Store with Gas in the B-1 Zoning District Mr. Gary Thorson, Franchisee for Holiday Companies, requested the approval of the Holiday Station Store Farmington Plat, conditional use permit to allow a convenience store with gas n the B-1 zoning district and three variances from the required setbacks. The property is located at 10 N Eighth Street(former Carbone's site). The property contains two lots split by the Ninth Street right-of-way. The gas station would be on block 1, lot 1 which is next to TH3. Block 2, lot 1 is located behind the building, and is adjacent to Ninth Street on the west side and Catalina Way on the east side, and would be for future development. Block 1, lot 1 is 1.3 acres, and block 2, lot 1 is .97 acres. The lots exceed the minimum lot area for the B-1 zoning. The Ninth Street right-of-way is 67 feet wide and will not be constructed as part of this development. Staff would have to work with adjacent property owners on construction of the road. The site plan and CUP show a convenience store with eight gas pumps and a car wash in the rear. A single family home is to the south of the site. Screening will need to be added along the adjoining residential property line and must consist of 1) a 6 foot to 8 foot wooden opaque fence and landscaping, 2) landscaping and berms, or 3) a combination of both. This is a contingency of approval. The convenience store building will have a front yard setback of 158 feet from the property line adjacent to TH3. The canopy is proposed to be set back 45 feet from the property line adjacent to TH3. This will require a variance of 3 feet. The side yard setbacks for the building are 62 feet to the northern property line and 58 feet to the southern property line. The side yard setbacks for the canopy are 58 feet from the northern property line and 35 feet from the southern property line. The rear yard setback adjacent to the right-of-way for Ninth Street is 17 feet. This would require a variance of 13 feet. The B-1 zone allows for up to 25%of a lot be covered with structures. The proposed building will cover 22.49%of the lot. The site plan shows 36 parking stalls with 20 stalls adjacent to the building and two spaces at each gas pump. The code requires a minimum of 28 parking stalls. Special Planning Commission Meeting May 26,2020 Page 2 The site currently has two accesses to TH3. This development will have one access to TH3 in the middle of the site. The applicant is proposing a north bound right turn lane on TH3 as well as a south bound left turn lane on TH3. The applicant is working with MnDOT on construction plans for these improvements on TH3. A condition of approval should be that the applicant furnish the city with confirmation from MnDOT that the construction plans for the proposed improvements to TH3 are acceptable. The applicant has supplied a site turning plan that shows how a semi-truck and trailer can safely enter and exit the site. Staff has been working with the applicant on development of a future backage road (Ninth Street)that would eventually serve this site. The backage road would provide an alternative access to the businesses along this portion of TH3 from 209th Street south to the Willow Street/210th Street alignment. Ninth Street will not be constructed as part of this redevelopment. The right-of-way for the portion of Ninth Street adjacent to this site will be dedicated as part of the platting process. The city will continue to work with adjoining property owners regarding the backage road concept to push the construction of this roadway forward in the near term. The Ninth Street right- of-way is being platted at 67 feet in width and would be constructed to 30 feet in width from curb to curb. A garbage enclosure will be located in the southeast portion of the site. The sanitary sewer is very shallow, so a lift station will be created in the southwest corner of the property. A sanitary sewer line will be constructed with the right-of-way for Ninth Street. Engineering has found the utility plan acceptable. All criteria for a conditional use have been met. The three variances are: 1. A 3-foot variance from the front yard setback for the canopy. The canopy is set back 47 feet from the front property line adjacent to TH3. The minimum building setback from TH3 is 50 feet. 2. A 13-foot variance from the rear/front yard setback for the convenience store building. The convenience store building is shown to be set back 17 feet from the right-of-way of Ninth Street. The minimum building setback from the Ninth street right-of-way is 30 feet. 3. The site plan shows a monument sign located near the northwest corner of the site. It is shown to be set back 10 feet from the northern side property line and 0 feet from the western front property line. A monument sign must be set back a minimum of 10 feet from all property lines. This would require a variance of 10 feet. All criteria for a variance have been met. Staff is recommending approval of a conditional use permit and variances subject to the following contingencies: 1. Additional screening must be added along the adjoining residential property line and must consist of one of the following: 1) a 6 to 8 foot wooden opaque fence and landscaping, 2) landscaping and berms, or 3) a combination of both. 2. The applicant must furnish the city with confirmation from MnDOT that the construction plans for the proposed improvements to TH3 are acceptable. 3. The lift station be removed upon the availability of a future sanitary sewer line in Ninth Street. 4. The submission and approval of a building permit. Special Planning Commission Meeting May 26,2020 Page 3 5. A sign permit be submitted and approved for any exterior signage to be placed on site. Staff is recommending approval of the Holiday Station Store Farmington plat contingent upon the following and forward that recommendation to the City Council: 1. The satisfaction of all engineering comments related to the construction plans for grading and utilities. 2. A Development Contract between the applicant and the City shall be executed and security fees and costs shall be paid. Submission of all other documents required under the Development Contract. Residents asked several questions. The sanitary sewer line is too shallow by 3 feet so a lift station will force sanitary waste to the main line. The noise level on the property line has to be 55—65 decibels per code. If that is not met, a fence and landscaping will be added for screening. Staff will work with property owners when construction moves forward with Ninth Street. Member Franceschelli asked about the fuel tanks underground and how will they be protected from leaking into the groundwater. Mr. Baregi noted they will be double walled fiber glass with automatic shutoffs. There will be rock backfill so they are self- compacting and the basin will be constantly monitored. Member Franceschelli asked if everything will be open 24 hours. Mr. Baregi stated everything will be 24 hours,but will be reduced if there is not enough use. Member Franceschelli asked if there will be a fence on Ninth Street between the car wash and Ninth Street. Mr. Baregi stated they can put a fence in ahead of time, but it will be damaged during the Ninth Street construction. Member Franceschelli asked about wastewater from the parking lot and the car wash. Mr. Baregi stated the lift station is only for sanitary. The site is sized for that amount of storm water. Member Franceschelli noted there is plenty of room to move the monument sign back so a variance would not be needed. Mr. Baregi noted there has to be enough room for the turning of large vehicles. Member Franceschelli asked how this will affect the TH3 plan. Staff felt it would enhance the corridor and bring in a new business. The TH3 plan is a guide. There are no design standards yet, but this proposal would meet them. Residents asked a few more questions. Regarding the fence on the south side would it run the entire length of the property. Screening would be adjacent to residential properties only. Any future development on the property could be residential such as townhomes, but that has not been determined. Ninth Street will definitely be developed in the future. There will be no overnight parking of trucks. Deliveries will be scheduled during the day. Member Windschitl asked if there are any options for traffic coming off TH3 such as a right-in, right-out. Staff noted there has been a lot of discussion and MnDOT was okay with the proposal. When Ninth-Street is constructed there will be additional conversation with MnDOT regarding the TH3 access. Member Windschitl noted when the semis circle the lot, it looks very tight going into parking stalls and the canopy. Mr. Baregi Special Planning Commission Meeting May 26,2020 Page 4 stated they have semis or straight trucks and would be only Holiday trucks, not trucks for business. Member Windschitl asked about noise from speakers being limited at night. Mr.Baregi stated they are turned down, but not off. Member Lehto asked about the impact on current traffic in the area. Staff noted this will have some impact. The amount with a convenience store versus a restaurant will be higher, but spread out during the day. Two turn lanes should help alleviate the impact on TH3. Chair Rotty asked about timing. They would like to start construction within a month. Chair Rotty asked how this site is sized compared to other stores. Mr. Baregi stated the average lot is 58,000 sq. ft. This one is close to that and it is tighter than most. Chair Rotty noted the community concern is traffic for this area. He asked if there will be any light spillover. Mr. Baregi stated there should be no light issues. The engineer has designed them to code and are all LED lights. The monument sign will be backlit. A resident asked if there will be a fence behind the building on the east side. Staff noted that will come in the future. Chair Rotty asked if the applicant agreed with the contingencies. Mr. Baregi stated they have no issues. Chair Rotty asked what is recommended for screening between this property and residents. Mr. Baregi stated they can do either a fence,which would require maintenance, or 6 to 8 foot evergreens. MOTION by Franceschelli, second by Tesky to close the public hearing. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. MOTION by Tesky, second by Lehto to recommend approval of the conditional use permit and variances subject to the contingencies. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. MOTION by Franceschelli, second by Windschitl to recommend approval of the Holiday Station Store Farmington Plat with the contingences. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. 3. Adjourn MOTION by Franceschelli second by Tesky to adjourn at 7:52 p.m. APIF,MOTION CARRIED. Respectfully submitted, C& ,Wa Mu.l,l,er Cynthia Muller Administrative Assistant