11-06-00 PCCITY OF OTSEGO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES
NOVEMBER 6, 2000 - 8 PM
1. Chair Carl Swenson will call meeting to order,
Chair Swenson called the November 6, 2000 Planning Commission Meeting to order at 8
PM.
Roll Call:
Planning_ Commission: Carl Swenson, Ken Fry, Steve Schuck, Arleen Nagel, Jim Kolles,
and Christian Mbanefo. Absent: Pat Moonen.
Councilmembers: Council Representative Vern Heidner, Mayor Fournier, and
Councilmembers Virginia Wendel and Richard Nichols.
City Siff: City Administrator Mike Robertson, City Planner Dan Licht, and Secretary
Karee Rowell.
2. Consideration of the Planning Commission Minutes of October?. ?000
Commissioner Schuck motioned to accept the October 2, 2000 Planning Commission
Minutes. Seconded by Commissioner Nagel. Carried 6-0.
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allow auumun Lo Ine existing Dunning & A z-onmg i ext Amenament to allow a metal
b uir- ldin_g in the Sewer District
City Planner Licht gave the staff report. Dr. Juergens noted that he had operated in this
location for 13 years, and had grown from 3 veterinarians to 7 since 1993. The pole barn
he is proposing is an indoor examination area for horses so that the doctors can watch the
horse move around in a controlled environment. His practice works on about 3,000
horses a year with the majority located within fifteen miles of his office. He stated he
cannot economically build a building of this size of concrete block. He said that he would
build an attractive building because he has 60 vacant acres adjacent to this property and
does not want to do anything that would diminish the value of that property.
Chair Swenson opened the hearing for public comments. Kevin Voller, and associate of
Dr. Juergens, spoke in favor of the facility. Ron West, Dr. Juergen's builder, described the
construction. Hearingno further comments the public hearing was closed at 8:37 p.m.
Christian Mbanefo asked about the foundation requirements. City Planner Licht stated
that the City code requires a continuous foundation. Dr. Juergens said they would have
no problem with a continuous foundation as long as they could have a metal building with
vertical siding. Licht noted that City code did not allow metal buildings or vertical siding
in the sewer district. Dr. Juergens indicated that there is a row of trees screening this
building from Highwav 101.
Planning Commission Meeting November 6, 20000 - Page 2.
Commissioner Shuck, seconded by Commissioner Mbanefo, moved to table the
request until November 20, 2000 in order to hear back from the Building Official
regarding the continuous foundation and the siding. Carried 6-0..
4. Public Hearing - Today Properties, 3200 Main Street #310, Anoka_ 55449 - Request
for Preliminary Plat Approval of Otsego Business Park & Request for Re oning to BW
Business Warehouse
City Planner Licht summarized the staff report. Robert Day noted that they have bought
the property and cleaned up the junk on it. They are looking to use the property as is for
up to 5 years. They will market the property and are hoping to attract a partner to
construct at least a 15,000 square foot building, of which they will own 5,000 SF. He
stated he has no problem signing a development agreement which would provide security
to the City and guarantee he would remove the building, pay his fair share of the road,
hook up to City water and sewer, and comply with all City performance standards. Mike
Day noted that the business, Direct Digital Controls, has 16 employees, the majority of
which are in the field most days, and that the office would average 4-5 employees.
City Planner Licht noted that because this application was denied by the Council less than
a year ago, the City Council must first authorize it to proceed. Council Representative
Vern Heidner noted that he had voted against the application when it was before the
Council, and that he would now vote for it to proceed because the applicants had done
what the City asked them to do.
Commissioner Mbanefo, seconded by Commissioner Nagel moved to continue the
hearing until November 20, 2000. Carried 6-0.
5_ Sketch Plan Review fnr Katie Keen nwner Rettv RPncnn at RQR) Mn znn Avarnia NP -
City Planner Licht summarized the staff report. Licht noted that because this was a sketch
plan review, the Planning Commission did not need to take a formal vote because the
applicant just wanted an indication of whether the proposed concept was acceptable.
After discussion the Commission was in consensus that the concept was acceptable.
6_ Discussion of Driveway Width_
City Planner Licht summarized the staff report. he noted that the Council had considered
this issue last year but had voted not to make any changes. When the issue came up
recently they voted to send the issue to the Planning Commission for review. The City
Engineer recommended that rural sections roads (with ditches but no curbs) should remain
at 24 foot maximum because otherwise driveway culverts would grow to long to be
maintained. He thought that on urban streets (with curbs) driveways could be wider.
Staff recommended an increase to a 30 foot maximum width. If the Planning Commission
recommends a change to the ordinance they would need to hold a public hearing.
Planning Commission Meeting November 6, 20000 - Page 3.
Mayor Fournier noted that during his recent door knocking more than a few people asked
for wider driveways. Commissioner Schuck noted that the Comp Plan indicated that
accommodation should be made for three car garages and that he thought a wider
driveway would do that. Commissioner Mbanefo said he had trouble agreeing with the
distinction between rural and urban streets. Commissioner Swenson and Kolles thought
that 24 feet was wide enough and that there was enough front yard setback to provide
adequate room for people to back in to their garages. Councilmember Wendel disagreed
with Commissioners Swenson and Kolles. Councilmember Nichols asked about adjoining
communities. City Planner Licht noted that Albertville and Monticello both had 24 foot
maximums. Administrator Robertson said he would check on Elk River, St. Michael, and
Dayton.
Steve Camps, 14715 71st Ave NE in Lin -Bar addition, noted that he had a 44 foot wide
driveway and that if the maximum width was increased to 30 feet he would cut his
driveway down to that.
Commissioner Schuck, seconded by Commissioner Mbanefo, moved to set a public
hearing for Monday, December 4th at 8:00 p.m. to consider an increase in the
allowed maximum width of driveways in Otsego. Carried 6-0.
7. Anv other Planning Commission Business
Councilmember Heidner updated Commissioners on Council actions at the last Council
meeting. Administrator Robertson noted that the Otsego's Waterfront Concept Plan
should be before the Planning Commission at their next meeting of November 20. City
Planner Licht said that Commissioners should feel comfortable tabling action on proposed
developments if they want to reduce the number of conditions or see plans such as
landscaping before approval. Councilmember Heidner echoed Licht, indicating that the
Council has recently begun to feel that some plans were moving through too fast and that
they wanted the Planning Commission to review more of the details.
R. Adjournment
Commissioner iVlbanefo, seconded by Commissioner Schuck, moved to adjourn at
10:17 p.m. Carried 6-0.
Arleen Nagel, Secretary
Recorded by: Michael Robertson, City Administrator