HomeMy WebLinkAbout10.28.97 Special Planning Packet
.'
'*'
.
.
.
AGENDA
PLANNING COMMISSION
Special
October 28, 1997
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
a) September 9, 1997
PUBLIC HEARINGS
a) 7:00 PM - Conditional Use & Variance Airtouch Cellular Tower and Base
Station - 4300 220th Street West - Dakota Electric Site
b) Continued - East Farmington 4th Addition Preliminary and Final Plat
c)
Continued - Conditional Use - Marcus Cable - Northeast Intersection of Akin
Road & County Road 50
3. ADJOURN
.
.
.
r
City of Farmington
Community Development Department
Planning Division
325 Oak Street
Farmington, MN 55024
Community Dev.
Planning
Building Insp.
(612) 463-1860
(612) 463-1820
(612) 463-1830
To:
Farmington Planning Commission
From:
Lee Smick, Planning Coordinator
Date:
October 28, 1997
RE:
Planning Commission Recommendation Summary
a)
7:00 PM -
Conditional Use & Variance Airtouch Cellular Tower and Base
Station - 4300 220th Street West - Dakota Electric Site
Recommendation
1. Approve the Conditional Use permit to allow a 199 foot tall cellular tower at this
site.
2. Approve a variance to allow a 199 foot tall cellular tower to encroach upon a side
yard setback by 92 feet.
b) Continued - East Farmington 4th Addition Preliminary and Final Plat
Recommendation
1.
Approve the East Farmington 4th Addition Preliminary and Final Plat contingent on
Engineering and Fire Department comments and forward the recommendation to the
City Council at the November 17, 1997 meeting.
.
.
.
c) Continued - Conditional Use - Marcus Cable - Northeast Intersection of Akin
Road & County Road 50
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the conditional use permit for Marcus Cable be approved on the following
contingencies;
1) a complete site plan be submitted indicating location, drainage direction, etc.;
2) a landscape plan with surety be submitted;
3) access permission (if necessary) be granted by Dakota County (City staff sees no
problem with sharing the current access with Enron);
4) that Marcus Cable submits a copy of the written permission from Enron Gas Co. to
locate on the subject property.
.
.
.
To:
From:
Date:
RE:
Farmington Planning Commission
Lee Smick, Planning Coordinator
October 28, 1997
Conditional Use Permit and Variance for Airtouch Cellular Tower and Base Station-
4300 220th Street West - Dakota Electric site
Planning Department Review
Applicant:
Jaymes D. Littlejohn
Hessian, McKasy & Soderberg
4700 IDS Center
80 South Eighth Street
Minneapolis, MN 55402-2228
Referral Comments:
Plat Data
1. Location Map
2. Site Plan
3. Building Plan
4. Letter from applicant
Location of Property:
Zoning:
Lot Coverage:
Setbacks:
The proposed location for the cellular tower is located
at the Dakota Electric site - 4300 220th Street West.
The property is zoned 1-1. The adjacent zoning to the
site includes industrial to the west and is currently
vacant, high density residential to the north and Castle
Rock Township resides to the east and south of the
site.
The minimum lot coverage for an 1- 1 zone is 35%.
The proposed building consists of 360 square feet and
the existing Dakota Electric complex consists of
90,150 s.t. producing a lot coverage of 12 %.
The minimum setbacks for a cellular tower in an
industrial zone require a two foot setback for every
foot of tower height over 45 feet. With the tower at
.
.
.
199 feet, the setback requires a 308 foot setback from
the property line. The setbacks have been met for the
proposed tower on the east, north and south however,
the setback on the west shows 216 feet, 92 feet short of
the required setback. Therefore, a variance to the side
yard setback requirement is being requested.
Additional Comments
The proposed tower and base station require a conditional use permit in an industrial zone. The
proposed tower will replace the existing 150 foot high tower owned by Dakota Electric after this
tower has been removed. The same number of antenna will be placed on the proposed tower as
was previously on the Dakota Electric tower. The proposed tower will be located 480 feet further
back from the front lot line than the existing tower, to minimize impacts. To further reduce
impacts of the tower, it is one foot shorter than the 200 foot height which would require
obstruction markings of red and white paint to be located on the tower, therefore, no such
markings will be required on the proposed tower.
The base station will consist of a 12' x 30' building at the base of the tower and will be consistent
with the materials and paint of the existing maintenance garage on the site. A chain link fence with
barbed wire will be installed around the tower to discourage the climbing of the tower.
The applicant is seeking a variance of 92 feet from the side yard setback because the lot will not
accommodate a 308 foot setback required by the City Code. The setback requires two feet for
everyone foot of height over 45 feet. The height of the tower at 199 feet is based on two factors:
the size of the geographic area to which service will be provided and the topographical nature of
that surrounding area. The height of the proposed tower was arrived at through a computer
modeling program, therefore, the tower was set at 199 feet. The applicant feels that since demand
and topography in the area dictate the height of the tower, and since Farmington's code requires
collocation, the need for this variance arises out of circumstances that are beyond the applicant's
control. The applicant feels that by granting the variance, the intent of the code will be met
through the collocation of multiple antenna users on a single tower in order to minimize the
addition of more towers to Farmington's landscape.
The variance approval procedure includes the following:
A)
Literal enforcement of the ordinance would result in undue hardship with respect to the
property. - Because of the shape and size of the property, the literal enforcement of the
ordinance would show an undue hardship with the property by requiring the tower to be
located elsewhere.
Such unnecessary hardship results because of circumstances unique to the property. - The
unique shape of the property along with setback requirements for a cellular tower result in
hardships unique to the property.
B)
.
.
.
D)
E)
C)
The hardship is caused by provisions of the ordinance and is not the result of actions of
persons presently having an interest in the property. - The tower ordinance was adopted in
May of 1997 and because of the new provisions within this ordinance, the size and shape of
the lot cause a hardship to the applicant due to the new tower requirements recently in
effect.
The variance observes the spirit and intent of the ordinance, produces substantial justice and
is not contrary to the public interest. - The applicant will remove an existing tower and
erect a proposed tower which will allow for collocation of multiple users. The remaining
216 feet of fall space on the west side of the site will be effectively protect the public
interest because the tower's height will be 199 feet.
The variance does not permit a lower degree of flood protection than the flood protection
elevation for the particular area or permit standards lower than required by State Law. -
Not Applicable.
Recommendation
1. Approve the Conditional Use permit to allow a 199 foot tall cellular tower at this site.
2. Approve a variance to allow a 199 foot tall cellular tower to encroach upon a side yard
setback by 92 feet.
l~i~b(l~~( ll:~b
b.l.i~t:J.:I':Li~~
ut:.:::l J. \,':11'1 J. ur CoLl.!.'~'"
. D~19N~
01 EO-.l.TD.
RobIft J. DIvII. AlA
ArcIdIICt
9873 VaJIe)I VIew Roed
Eden Prairie, UN l5I5344
812-803-82H
October 6, 1m
MI. Lee Smick
at)' Planar
aty~f'anoinaton
325 Oak Stnlet
F&rI1liapm, MN 55024
463-1820
Dear M& Smick.
.
The prnpoeed equipment shelter for Ainouch CdJular . the site of Dakota Electric is II prefllbriC3ted
building CCJIWlnld under sectioD 1704 of the 1994 Uniform Building Code. It is 12 feet x 30 feet long. The
baiktiDI is equipped with decttk:a1_ mechaDica1 eq.aipmaIl. which is installed in the faclOl'y. 1t is
wood billed with 8hcathiq both ialide aDd oaL The building is supported on a c:oncrete foundation.
The staIc ol'MimaoIa c:erdIics tbc boildina 10 be type V-N co.ustruction and for 8-2 oa:upancy. Please
fiDeI encIoeIa c:ross IeCtion cIepidina the CODIInICtioIl of the building.
This is DOl a pole struc:bIre. As)'UU c:an see from the cnc:IoeecI designs for a typical pole building, Pole
structuJeI &Ie built Ol\ _ ltarting with wood poles in the ground. The only stmcture of our building in
CODtacl with !he grormd is poured COJICretc foaDdaIioa. framing of our building would be 12" minimum
abcM p:Ie.
Robert J. Davia, AlA
PraIidcIIt
Enc10eura
.
,...,......... U~
.
.
.
88 ~d
-
o
o
I"}
lN3~dln03
olav~ S181~18313
V10>iVa ~O.:l ViOO~
>-
a:::
I-
z
W
l..LJ
~
CD
<(
U
)
uz
<::J
E-c
Z
~
E:::s
;:JO
ao
~P::t
1I01l~
, .. , ,~I~.:lO 1 N9IS3<I
'I
I
II
I
I,
I
I
o
Vl
a:::
lJ.J Q
01JJl..LJ0
ZI-O-Z
-<(0-
Ck:W-lOI-
...-a:::Vl...JO
Vll- -0
.::J lL.
I to'" CD
a..x~z 0:::
ON -~l..LJ
o u~oa.
I- a 0 c...)(~
UlW WIL.=
1-=0 ~
0<(<0 >-.......
OIJJ~<O<(or-
~g:@~~@
I-
UZ
<(::>
~~
HII
0-.:
~.
"
~-
o
O.:i
~;;!
~~
lGlG€BGlt9 9l:tt L6Gl/9B/Bt
.
.
.
1713 39'Yld
1
z
o
V)
....
....
t- U~ ~
U 0
:::) 000
....0::: ~o~~8~
..-<O...J
en lJ... >- (!)
ZOUla:@~a: .
Ul UlW 0
U <UOa..(.)~
...J.........~<.........c(
,(!)c(....c..lDO
--' ~ V) en
--IW= ..--
~ ~~~I~~
;> ~,., N ~ ..- La..
z
o
w
a..
o
...J
Ul
0::
o
Lt...
~
U
o
U)
-
u
Z
-
-
\0
I-
~
U
I
z
UO
00- ~
o I-
0=<00
~\O...J8w
>--::> ::>
...IA(/)~...J
a..vZ>-Cl
--I
(/) 0 Ul a.. .
C) Ul................. 0
Z <<V)t-UO:::
_....J -c(.........<
,(!)=omCDO
...... ~C"oI-::l CD
- Wr'l 0)=
LaJ CD.........oo..... N c..
-1O)(1.........0::
U La....- N 0:: -- La..
I-
U
:::)
ct:
t-
en
Z
o
U
u
o
(/HI)
t-~
...Jl.lJ
O:C
CDUl
...J~
W
w=
t-N
(/) .........
o
z
w
....
V)
<
La..
(I)
::>
o
::>
z
I-
Z
o
()
-
~
Cl Z
z ......
o Cl
-I ~
::> ...... r'l
CD ::> \0
o a:l goo
W N
~ ~ ~O)
U Zr'l It)
-.. ""z I
~~O)(O~
LE ~ ~gffi t::.
w_....., ~co
a:: ::> ~ 0 ..-
a.. aJ -a.. ~
)(
N
..-
o
W
...J
Cl
Z
<(
z
o
J-
<(
o
z
::>
o
La..
W
!-
W
~
U
z
8
~
w
m
U')
N
UlI
(/)..-
w
...J......... (!)
z3t z
<u
!-o
(/)
: \0
~.....
~~
-
CXl
.........
~
.........
)(
N
X
C"oI
(/)
!-
..-
~
u
o
...J
m
X
N
X
N
....
X
<D
(/)
3t
w
u
o
- "
~
W
..J
<(
0
(/)
0 .
- N
:r
Q..
<
0:::
"
Z
0 0
0
~ I-
<
Z ...J
0 ::> Z
....J (/)
c.. z
I-W 0
U ...J 0
-......... w ......
:J l-aJoz E-4
0:: OWO
0.- ~8
I- ~:;,. = >- U
Vl o.........\O....~
Z 0""..- (/) ~
o >- ...J
U ....J (/) . ...J a.. (/) rn
>-0: 0 (/)
zw....a..u<(
0:::: - >- < .............J c.;
><-I=aJ0
o ...J La.. N a;
0= ......: W Z
..J coi~.....CX)m
......... x 1"""- ....-l
u... ..... J- N .... I") La.. Q
~~
~~
~(1)
1 ~~
cnN
<
<D
o
z
w
....
Ul
<
~
ilL. 0 ~
'l1Nla3 .:!C) 1 N9IS3G
l;6l;6€136l;'t9
9l;:1't L661/913/9't
1~/~br1997 11:2b
316
blL9lB9292
Pole Constluctlon
UI:.:.loN .1. ut" t:.l.!J.I'U4
.M'.;J~ U;..J
NOTES
1. Palll -.bedmtnt 6eplh deper>dI on sol,' aIape n ...
mic J_.
1. en...~ ~ pales may be I..,nd to Iftist
...... 100 i11h1l1ow 1IIIbIdment. TN" ... ..poNd
-'- with ......",.. ...-.. t.......m.
3. Palt ftOtcHrIg farlM\O' '*"" cell help 110ft be_
and .A.... 0Cher_ WO\M be out of plumb clue to
pole ~ Notd1i.. ....provw "-lnI of ..... t.eme
bUt ___ polII.
4. Aeofa. wall Md ftDet. ahIlYd lie lnaulmd to ault I!lcaI
CIIIMtlc llOIllIIlIanI. w.r end IOfliI inlultllan Illod\I
nwt contlnuollllr .. till joint. F'lnetmion of imuIItion
ahGuId .. miMnII.
S. V_ aIdlIIItypea CM .. uMd.
e. D8ppIng I. . U.S. C8IptfllIy term for cunInlI WOOd to
llIC8Ive dmbtr _..
.
.
TCATIJO
woco
~1It
KNIt& ."-"0....0
.K)IeT ANCHOf'e
.......... ~ tICAN
8OL'PtO ~
00010 TO fOOL..
.-oa.C C~TAUOTION
.
TlltIolIlr.. MaDoIIIIII: V'teIIll.... D.c.
~
IE1
fa
~
iC1
CX~ WM."
,._1ollNO OP'Tl()Na
~ATI:D-
WOOD
POL.::
.aoe.cTJtIC Of" _.. Moua..
T~
I"lI..&.
~"'TEO
weco
l"l1lt
T......PEO
rILl,.
I
LAG ~~ _:i caA.WEL.
.-c>lIl ..- N T_C"...TIt
~~ '....oeT .....c
NO QCEPEJII THAN Q'-O")
~CXD
_eTC COL........
f~Tf:
CONC,.T& ,.OOTINCl
.TIlI..... ......o...~
CONo.....TE
f"OOTINO
CONQIIIt&TK ..OOTINO
WfTH _IICED
AHCHCf'AOE
. ....... -- ..--. -..... .-.....--..
"
,
CONc"'ETE~
8ACK,.ILLA
G"AYE~~
. NOTE' LV
I\jO()lItE T..
T...IC... C'
BE USEO
ClAGONA'
I!tFl...c:ING
LAW OFFICES
HESSIAN, MCKASY & SODERBERG
PRon:ssIONAL ASSOCIATION
.
Minneapolis . Saint Paul . Washington, D.C.
4700 IDS Center
80 South Eighth Street
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402-2228
(612) 330-3000 Facsimile 371-0653
Jaymes D. Littlejohn
(612) 330-3003
October 7, 1997
Planning Commission and Board of Adjustments
City of Farmington
325 Oak Street
Farmington, MN 55024
Re: Applicationfor Conditional Use Permit and Variance
Cellular Telephone Base Station
4300 - 220th Street West
Dear Commissioners:
. OUf firm represents US WEST NewVector Group, Inc., who provides AirTouch Cellular
service to the City of Farmington and much of Minnesota. This letter accompanies an application
for a Conditional Use Permit and Variance for a cellular base station (also known as a "cell site") to
be located at the above address. This parcel is located in an Industrial (I-I) District. There are
presently two antenna towers on this site, and our proposal will not increase this number in any
way.
The property owner, Dakota Electric Association, has entered into an option to lease a
portion of their property to AirTouch for the placement of the equipment on their property. This
agreement provides for space for Dakota Electric's use on the proposed tower for that equipment
which Dakota Electric currently has installed on an existing, 150.foot, self-support tower. Once
that equipment is moved, the existing tower will be removed, leaving the site with the same number
of antenna towers as now exists. The proposed cell site will help meet the increased demands for
cellular telephones in the area and improve the quality of cellular telephone service for residents of
Farmington and the surrounding areas.
The Proposed Use. Every cell site has two essential elements: antennas and cellular
telephone radio/switching equipment. For this particular site, we need to elevate the antennas so
that they are 199 feet above ground level and house our equipment and Dakota Electric's
equipment in a 12 by 30 foot building at the base of the tower. To minimize the impact of this
installation, we are proposing to install this site about 480 feet further back from the front lot line
than the existing tower that will be removed. The site will be accessed by a driveway that will
enter the property off of 220th Street West.
.
.
.
.
Applicationfor Conditional Use Permit and Variance
Cellular Telephone Base Station
October 7, 1997
Page 2
The equipment building that is proposed will house radio, computer and climate control
equipment for this site. This is an unmanned building that is operated remotely. The site will be
connected to our central switching office via traditional telephone lines. In order to facilitate the
installation of our equipment in the building and to minimize the disruption to the area that can be
caused by a lengthy construction period at the site, we propose to use the prefabricated building
that is that is depicted in the elevations. All of our equipment is installed at our central location
before the building is transported to the site. Once the footings are cured, we simply bolt the
building in place and make the necessary electrical, telephone and antenna connections.
. The Antenna Tower. Because we recognize that a major concern over installations of this
type surround adding towers to the landscape and making them unduly visible, we have designed
this site to avoid using FAA obstruction markings like red and white paint and strobes or beacons
to light the tower. Because towers taller than 200 feet above ground level require this type of
marking, we are proposing a tower that is shorter. As required by your ordinance, all of our towers
are certified by a qualified and licensed professional engineer to conform to the latest applicable
standards of the Minnesota State Building Code, the National Electrical Code and the Electronics
Industry Association. As part of the building permit process, further structural details required for
the building permit will be provided.
As shown on the attached site plan, no portion of the tower, antenna or anything associated
with either the antenna or tower interferes with the right-of-way, public street, highway sidewalk or
property line. The cable or "waveguide" that connects our equipment to the antennas will be
suspended more than eight feet above the ground at all points, beneath a protective "ice bridge" that
is 10 feet above ground level. To discourage climbing and to protect our equipment, both our
building and tower will be located in the fenced yard of Dakota Electric, and our tower will be
further surrounded by a chain link fence that is topped with barbed wire.
The self-support or framework tower that we propose will be designed to support two other
users, and its design allows for flexibility in their locations on the tower. Indeed, we already have
one additional user, Dakota Electric, who will install its equipment on the tower so that it can
remove its current tower from the site. .
The Equipment Building. Although a variance is required for the tower, no such variance is
necessary for the building. In fact, the building meets all of the building code and zoning
requirements in your city. The equipment building that we will use will be painted to match the
exterior finish of the maintenance garage by which it will be located. As you can see from the
accompanying drawings, no advertising signs will be installed at the site.
The Cellular Phone System. Users of cellular telephone services include farmers and
ranchers, members of the business community, and various members of the public sector. In
addition, cellular telephones are extensively used by fire and police departments as well as other
public safety agencies. The system allows police and other emergency response agencies to
conduct private communication in the field. This can be important from the scene of a crime,
serious car accident, fire or other emergency. Immediate, direct communication with other
specialized agencies is often made using cellular phones when a relay through a dispatcher would
be cumbersome and cause dangerous delays.
Application for Conditional Use Permit and Variance
Cellular Telephone Base Station
October 7, 1997
Page 3
.
The cellular mobile phone system operates on a specific set of channels set aside by the
Federal Communication Commission (FCC). The filtering of spurious signals is very tightly
controlled. Cellular telephones operate within a strictly regulated set of allotted frequencies
between 824 and 894 megahertz. Formerly these channels were allocated to certain UHF television
frequencies. US West NewVector is currently operating well over 1,000 cellular base stations
around the country with no case of unresolved television or radio interference reported.
The Cellular Grid. Cellular service provides subscribers with office-quality phone service
by developing a grid of antennas arranged in a geographically hexagonal pattern. Each hexagon is
a "cell" created by an antenna which serves as the link between the customer and the system while
the customer is within that particular cell. Each cell can only handle a finite number of calls at any
one time. As the number of customers increases, the grid must be changed to handle the increasing
number of calls. This usually means that more cells need to be created within the same
geographical area, resulting in a new grid pattern of smaller cells.
.
The Search Area Criteria. The area in which cellular coverage is needed largely defines
the required antenna height. In this area, customer demand and topography play major roles in
arriving at the appropriate height for the tower. We have been working for several months to locate
an antenna site in this area to solve the cellular phone service coverage needs. At the present time,
owners of cellular phones are unable to use the phones in this area. Static as well as lost
connections or "dropped calls" are also a problem for subscribers in this area, and the proposed site
is designed to solve these very problems.
Many factors go into choosing a location for a cell site. These include market factors,
technical considerations, cellular grid, zoning and land use compatibility, landowner willingness to
sell or lease, land forms or topography of the surrounding area, and accessibility to roads. Taken
together, all of these factors create a narrow search area for a location of the cell site. Indeed, your
city's relatively recent wireless ordinance further narrowed our search to sites on which towers
already existed within our search area.
The Variance Required. The tower and building meet the requirements of Farmington's
Wireless Communication and Antenna Ordinance, except that the lot is simply not large enough to
accommodate the required setbacks from all lot lines. The front (north), rear (south) and one of the
side lot lines (east) are all in compliance. However, since your code requires two feet of setback
for every foot that the tower exceeds 45 feet, the lot will not accommodate the 308 foot setback
required from both side lot lines. As a result, we are forced to seek a variance to reduce one of the
side lot lines (the west) by 92 feet. Even so, the tower will be setback 216 feet from the side lot
line, almost 10% more than the height of the tower itself
.
The particular height required for the antennas is based upon two main factors: the size of
the geographic area to which service will be provided, and the topographical nature of that
surrounding area. Cellular telephones operated based upon a "line of sight" technology. Because of
the low power and relatively high frequency licensed by the FCC for this purpose, cellular signals
cannot pass through the earth or through large objects. Also, we need to design our cells so that no
one cell is either too small (leaving gaps in coverage) or too large (creating interference with other
.
.
.
Application for Conditional Use Permit and Variance
Cellular Telephone Base Station
October 7, 1997
Page 4
cells. To arrive at the required height for the antennas, our engineers use computer modeling at
first, and refine that model with actual physical testing of the site. Unlike the developers of new
pes systems, we have actual data from real customers that require the installation of particular
cells.
All of this information combined to require a cell site with a tower of at least 199 feet in
this area. We also recognize that your code requires collocation where possible, but the only
towers on this site are not tall enough. To accomplish the spirit of the code, therefore, we are
proposing to replace the existing tower. Unfortunately, the lot at this site is not wide enough to
provide the required setback of 308 feet from all four sides. Since demand and topography in the
area dictate the height of the tower, and since Fannington's zoning code mandates collocation, the
need for this variance arises out of circumstances that are beyond our control. The undue hardship
thus created provides the basis for this variance. The installation of this tower is certainly a
reasonable use of the land, especially since there are already two towers on this industrial site. By
granting this variance, the City of Farmington will help to serve the spirit and intent of its new
wireless ordinance, enabling collocation of multiple antenna users on a single tower in order to
minimize the addition of more towers to Fannington's landscape.
Conclusion. I hope that this letter will serve to better explain our Application and to
answer some of your questions. If we can be of further assistance, please fell free to contact me at
330-3003. We appreciate the assistance that we have already received from your city's staff, and
we look forward to working with you to provide better cellular phone service to your residents.
Sincerely,
ffHE:Jo' ~~7Y & SODERBERG, P.A.
.U~ ~
Jaymes D. Littlejohn
JDL/
Enclosures:
Variance Application Form
Conditional Use Permit Application Form
Filing Fees for Application
Site Plan, Elevations and Survey - 6 copies
Zoning Report of Owners Within 350 Feet
526759\1 0530200-009200
.
.
.
To:
From:
Date:
RE:
Farmington Planning Commission
Lee Smick, Planning Coordinator
October 28, 1997
East Farmington 4th Addition Preliminary & Final Plat
Planning Department Review
Applicant/Owner:
Rodney Hardy
Sienna Corporation
4940 Viking Drive Suite 608
Minneapolis, MN 55435
Surveyors/Engineers:
Jim Sturm
James R. Hill, Inc.
2500 West County Road 42, Suite 120
Bumsville, MN 55337
Referral Comments:
Plat Data
1. Revised Site Plan
Location of Property:
Zoning:
The property is located to the south of 213th Street
(County Road 72) and to the east of South Suburban
Terrace.
The property is zoned R-2 PUD (Medium Density -
Single Family).
Proposed Development:
This development consists of 16.3 acres of land to be
subdivided into 65 single-family lots.
Streets:
This plat dedicates right-of-way for four streets. The
first street is the continuation of Twelfth Street, a
.
.
.
north/south street, platted at approximately 764 feet in
length. The second street north/south street is
Thirteenth Street, platted approximately 764 feet in
length. The third north/south street is Fourteenth
Street, platted approximately 408 feet in length. The
only east/west street is Elm Street, platted
approximately 556 feet in length.
Sidewalks:
Sidewalks are shown on all four blocks of the
development.
Drainage:
The elevations of this site range from 900 feet at the
west side of the site to 897 feet on the east side of the
site. The site is flat, however, grading is proposed to
drain water to the detention pond on the west side of
the plat located outside of the plat area.
Wetlands:
Farmington's Surface Water Management Plan
indicates that a wetland exists on the west side of the
plat and has been confirmed by the Dakota County Soil
and Water Conservation District in their letter. Dakota
County has required further information concerning
this wetland because of the potential expansion
proposed by the plat. Silt fence must be placed along
the perimeter of the wetland.
Public Utilities:
Sewer and water services are available to the site from
the west and south.
Parkland Dedication:
See comments below.
Additional Comments
City staff recently met with the developer's engineer on October 16th to discuss engineering issues
including the driveway access issue on County Road 72. The developer's engineer submitted a
revised site plan for the northeast block of the site which reduces the amount of driveway access on
.
.
.
County Road 72 by four drives. The proposal is to provide one accessway for five housing units at
the existing Sauber home driveway entrance. The accessway will also allow for safer traffic
movement generated from the lots by allowing vehicles to access County Road 72 face first rather
than backing onto the road. The accessway will be curbed and will consist of 160 linear feet.
The northwest block showing lots 2, 3, and 4 along County Road 72 will be increased to a larger
depth in order to provide stacking space in the driveways for two vehicles to park end to end. This
will allow for additional parking of vehicles on the lot along the County Road.
The following issues need to be addressed by the developer in the northeast block:
1. The City requires the width of the accessway to be 28 feet instead of the 26 feet shown on
the plan.
2. The developer shall provide access easements to the park for lots 1, 7, 8, and 9.
The Parks Director discussed the parkland contribution fees required for the plat with the
developer's engineer. Park fees will be collected for the plat and will be used in the park fund at a
later time. At the October 14th Planning Commission meeting, the Parks & Recreation Board was
interested in requesting a portion of the northeast corner of the plat to be dedicated for park
purposes. Since that time, the City Engineer has determined that a stormwater pond be located in
this area to handle runoff more effectively for this plat. The Parks Director has agreed to this
solution and will accept park dedication fees from the developer to meet requirements of the City
Code.
The Fire Department has reviewed the revised site plan and recommends that a cul-de-sac be
designed for the accessway in the northeast block of the plat. Concerns for the accessway shown
include difficulty of turning movements for fire vehicles and the need for backing trucks from dead
end streets. Cul-de-sac turnarounds require a right-of-way radius of 60 feet. The developer has
stated that the accessway will be private and will be maintained by the developer. Private streets
are not addressed in the City Code, therefore, City requirements do not necessarily pertain to this
proposed private street. However, City staff suggests that a solution to this issue be addressed and
a compromise to City standards be determined.
Recommendation
Approve the East Farmington 4th Addition Preliminary and Final Plat contingent on Engineering
and Fire Department comments and forward the recommendation to the City Council at the
November 17, 1997 meeting.
.
a '"
~
G
"" \(' ~ Gl
..B
N ~ ~. 0 r
! ~~ I = I ~
~
Q .
"
. .~ []~ElG0
. ot at,) .
J "':.J;n:a17 .
~...
G G G G 0
. ','.
~ I 0
G \ B
0
~ ,
,
[J: 0 0 ~ 0
. ""'--"-
~
-::s
~
.
~
G [
Er
0
EJ
0 [
r
it
G [
B
6
B
0 [
.
.
.
To:
Farmington Planning Commission
From:
Michael Schultz, Planning Department
Date:
October 14, 1997
RE:
Marcus Cable Conditional Use Permit for switching enclosure in R-3 zone
Reason for need of
Conditional Use Permit:
Section 10-3-2 of the City Code requires a conditional
use permit for public utility buildings located within an
R-3 zone.
Planning Department Review
Applicant/Owner:
Marcus Cable
16900 Cedar Ave. S.
Rosemount, MN 55068
Contact Person:
Vince Bain
Construction Coordinator
Marcus Cable
Referral Comments:
1. Switching Enclosure Model
2. Location Map
Location of Property:
The NE corner at the intersection of Co. Hwy. 50 and
Akin Road.
Zoning:
R-3 (High Density - Residential)
Surrounding Land Uses:
Enron Gas Co. natural gas station, middle school ball
fields, City ballfields, Dakota Electric power station.
Building Enclosure Size:
10' x 6' x 6' (approximately 2' will be below ground
level, 4' will be visible).
. Additional Comments
Marcus Cable is seeking a conditional use permit to locate a switching station at the northeast
corner of County Highway 50 and Akin Rd. on the property of Enron Gas Company (Northern
Natural Gas Co.). Marcus Cable has submitted a survey of the corner and has been patiently
working with both the City and Enron Gas Company on resolving a final site location. It was
determined that the original site location did not meet City Code guidelines concerning
nonresidential structures. Sect. 10-4-1 (D) ofthe City Code states that all nonresidential structures
or uses shall not be located or constructed closer to any property lines of any other lot not
commonly owned in any "R" district than the distance specified in the following: (c) 50 feet from
property lines containing recreational facilities.
Enron Gas has determined, as of Friday October 24, that the location just to the north of the
current fenced in location would be acceptable. Staff believes this new location is more suitable
for the station because it will provide closer access, some vegetation coverage exists, it is away
from the ballfields and it should blend with the existing structures.
With this last minute change Marcus Cable has not had the opportunity to submit the proper
revised site plan and landscape plans. Vince Bain, Construction Manager, has indicated that he
will attempt to have the required materials submitted before the Tuesday Planning Commission
meeting.
.
Though it typically is not the practice of the Planning Commission to permit a conditional use
permit without proper review of all materials; it is requested that the Planning Commission
consider approving the conditional use, subject to contingencies, on the basis that Planning Staff
did not originally recognize the problem and the delays from Enron Gas. It is the assumption of
Staff that Marcus Cable will continue to cooperate and work with staff on any and all final
contingencies.
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the conditional use permit for Marcus Cable be approved on the following
contingencies;
1) a complete site plan be submitted indicating location, drainage direction, etc.;
2) a landscape plan with surety be submitted;
3) access permission (if necessary) be granted by Dakota County (City staff sees no problem with
sharing the current access with Enron);
4) that Marcus Cable submits a copy of the written permission from Enron Gas Co. to locate on
the subject property.
.
\
f-- ';)0,----1
T
D \'D"
\ ro ~o~c.d
;- Cr-.i I
i fllf(,lo~ure
1-,0,-1
Q.>
0,
KEY
1
I
L
.----
.-~
1= E. >.Ie. I:.
Q9 - U~.'\~"I ~o\<z
t8J - 1..1..... \ .,~'f ';><1.01Z.~+-o. \
t:' .
\....~\ ?t'r\~l'\\-
-EB - U'r.\\i~y Pi?"-
0-"\ ("o.~~., c ,-.\~'n'"
Go.es
~~ (;,"-0."(2.\
-0
C!
c
~
EI1
N
...;
-
<t
\" " '
SCo.\Q.. ~ :: dO
~
QS)
.
8.~~ 'C Tr~"t\..
\
'H1:.c;.~wA.Y SO
...:' )
,I ~ \ I t,
-, ,'-", <
-<.J
I I
'" . ;, / I
/
/ I
/ I
/ I
/ I
I
, \ I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
~ I
I
I
I
I ~ I
/ I
/ ~ I
I ~ ~ I
>- I
/ '1> l-
z I
/ ;:; :-J
I (/) 0 I
u
'0(} I
I
I Efs I
I ~~ I
I ^ L~ <( I
I ~ 'f; ~L ~ l- I
0
. I ~ ~ ~ I
t: <(
I r 'f.. 0 I
I ~ * I
I I
I 35 IJ....... ~,..,,,~& I~
L.<<..~"I\
I 0 "- I",
I x ("),""",.1\ 0 I~.
I -,,-,. e
I "T.e^"""" Iii
f''''\oS......e. I
/ I~
I ~ / ~---" . ia
I /.1' >- 15
I-
, 0:: Iii!
I '" w
I ~ ",'" (L I~
0
0:: ,b
I (L ,
/ '00 ~ NA TURAL G~S I;
[QlJIPl,lENT
I :0 I~
I ~ l" la
;::
I 5 /3
I () '" ~
I ~
I
/ V;j NOllJHUll.rlKlW....OIc..........
I C(21alll Il1IUt W,) AI rPl
A,KOr", c::oJtJYIlOJrD IlIGtit or
I U WAY.......1tO. 111
::~~-D <t' CH.o\lN.....
ruUlNOUS
LIMITATIONS & NOTES:
The scope of our services for this job i~
I. Showing the length and direction of
2. Showing the location of existing im,
3. Showing a proposed location of a (
sllch governmental agencies that may h
STANDARD SYMBOLS & CONVEJ-.
"0" Denotes 1/2" ID pipe with plastic
filled in, then denotes fOllnd iron monu
SCALE: I Inch = 40 Feet
'~O-"AD
-- - TRANSMISSION
UNES
,:<1'"
-- ,
~
CSAoR ~ #50 (215th STREET WEST)
.