ITEM 2.1ITEM 2-1
OTSEGO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING
OTSEGO CITY HALL
September 8, 2020
7:00 PM
Call to Order.
Chair Offerman called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM.
Roll Call: Chair: Alan Offerman; Commissioners: Charles Foster, Vern Heidner, David
Thompson; Present via teleconference: Pam Black and Richard Nichols Absent: Aaron
Stritesky, Jim Kolles; Present: City Council: CM Tom Darkenwald. City Staff: City
Planner Daniel Licht and City Deputy Clerk Bethany Benting.
1. Announcements:
City Planner Licht stated that Commissioners Black and Nichols are participating via
teleconference in accordance with Minnesota Statute 13D.015.
City Planner Licht stated that there are handouts for the Commissioners regarding Item
3.1
2. Consider the following minutes:
2.1 Planning Commission August 17, 2020.
Commissioner Thompson motioned to approve the minutes as written.
Seconded by Commissioner Heidner. Roll Call: Those for; Offerman, Foster,
Heidner, Thompson, Nichols, Black. Those opposed; None. Motion carried. 6-
0
3. Public Hearing Items:
3.1 Harpster
A. Variance for A-1 District density.
City Planner Licht presented the Planning Report.
Applicant was not present.
Chair Offerman opened the Public Hearing at 7:06 PM.
Earl Schulenburg, 6276 Rawlings Ave, owns the river property adjacent to the subject
site and stated that the property does not have rights to use the existing driveway on
his property from CSAH 42.
Chair Offerman closed the Public Hearing at 7:09 PM.
Minutes of the Otsego Planning Commission
September 8, 2020
Page 2
Commissioner Thompson motioned to recommend City Council approval of a
variance subdividing PID 118-500-364200, subject to the revised conditions
as stated in the report. Seconded by Commissioner Heidner. Those for;
Offerman, Foster, Heidner, Thompson, Nichols, Black. Those opposed;
None. Motion carried. 6-0
3.2 City of Otsego- Water Tower #4
A Zoning Map amendment rezoning from A-1 District to INS District.
B. CUP for lot area within INS District.
City Planner Licht presented the Planning Report.
Chair Offerman opened the Public Hearing at 7:13 PM.
Thomas Kohnen, 13108 701h St NE, asked what the impact will be on the local area.
Asking if this affect property value in the area. City Planner Licht explained the
provisions of the Comprehensive Plan regarding the timing of development and land
use. Mr. Kohnen also asked if cell phone towers or sirens would be placed on the water
tower. City Planner Licht explained that City has the capability adding antennas to the
water tower and encourages to minimize freestanding cell towers. The City has installed
tornado sirens to cover all areas of the City.
Chair Offerman closed the Public Hearing at 7:17 PM.
Commissioner Nichols asked about the construction date. City Planner Licht said Spring
2021.
The Commissioners had a discussion about water tower sizes and design.
Commissioner Thompson noted there is a St. Cloud water tower at I-94 and CSAH 75
that is very attractive.
Commissioner Foster asked how many more water towers the City plans on building.
City Planner Licht said the Water Master Plan outlines a need for 6 water towers.
Commissioner Thompson motioned to approve a Zoning Map amendment and
conditional use permit for the purpose of acquiring property for construction
of Water Tower #4 based on a finding that the action is consistent with the
Comprehensive Plan. Seconded by Commissioner Foster. Those for;
Offerman, Foster, Heidner, Thompson, Nichols, Black. Those opposed;
None. Motion carried. 6-0
4. Non -Public Hearin Items- ems.
Minutes of the Otsego Planning Commission
September 8, 2020
Page 3
4.1 City of Otsego- Multiple Family Housing Study
City Planner Licht presented the Planning Report.
Commissioner Thompson asked if there are any proposals for multiple family housing
that may come forward. City Planner Licht said the only current proposal staff has
discussed with a developer is Site #10.
Chair Offerman asked what is Otsego planning for in terms of a percentage of multiple
family units? Are we trying to match a certain community? City Planner Licht said that
the goal of Planning Commission has always been for single family homes but that a
housing options are needed for residents and economic development. City Planner
Licht summarized the past discussion of the Planning Commission to be a consensus of
not more than 10 percent multiple family dwelling units.
Commissioner Thompson commented the correlation to crime rates to population
density based on information he researched on Google for area communities.
Commissioner Heidner appreciates the work that has gone into the study and
complimented City Staff.
City Planner Licht explained that the study would limit areas for potential multiple family
housing to areas the City want to see developed long term. City Planner Licht further
explained that the timing for development would be controlled by the City through
zoning and subdivision application review processes.
Commissioner Heidner motioned to recommend City Council approval of the
Multiple Family Housing study and initiate implementation of the
recommendations outlined therein. Seconded by Commissioner Foster. Those
for; Offerman, Foster, Heidner, Thompson, Nichols, Black. Those opposed;
None. Motion carried. 6-0
5. Update on City Council actions.
CM Darkenwald updated the Planning Commission on recent City Council actions.
6 Update on future Planning Commission Agenda items.
City Planner Licht updated the commissioners on possible future agenda items.
7. Adjourn.
Minutes of the Otsego Planning Commission
September 8, 2020
Page 4
Commissioner Thompson motioned to adjourn. Seconded by Commissioner
Foster. Roll Call: Those for; Offerman, Foster, Heidner, Thompson, Nichols,
Black. Those opposed; None. Motion carried. 6-0
Adjourned at 7:56 PM.
Alan Offerman, Chair
ATTEST:
Bethany Benting, Deputy Clerk