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101607 Joint CC Planning Mtg MinCITY OF SHOREWOOD 5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD JOINT CITY COUNCIL AND COUNCIL CHAMBERS PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING 6:00 PM TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2007 MINUTES 1. CONVENE JOINT COUNCIL AND PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Mayor Lizee called the meeting to order at 6:02 P.M. A. Roll Call Present: Mayor Lizee; Councilmembers Callies, Turgeon, Wellens, and Woodruff; Administrator Dawson; and Planning Director Nielsen Planning Commission Chair Schmitt; Planning Commissioners Gagne, Geng, Gniffke, Hutchins, and Meyer Absent: Commissioner Ruoff B. Review Agenda Woodruff moved, Wellens seconded, Approving the agenda as Presented. Motion passed 5/0. 2. REVIEW PLANNING COMMISSION ACTIVITIES Mayor Lizee welcomed the Commissioners. She then asked Director Nielsen to provide an overview of Planning Commission Activities. Director Nielsen stated this had been a slower year for Planning Commission activities; in part because he was unavailable during the first part of the year and that affected the Commission's meeting schedule, and also because there were few development requests at the beginning of the year. The current objective was to complete the study of Planning District 6, which would include preparation of a proposed amendment to the City's Comprehensive Plan. Although the intent had been to begin working on the update to the Comprehensive Plan, the Commission would not begin that effort until next year. Staff had begun that effort. The City had committed to the Metropolitan Council to having the updated Plan submitted by mid-2008. The Commission had dealt with two fairly controversial issues this year -the Upper Minnetonka Yaclit Club and the Shorewood Yacht Club. Chair Schmitt stated from his vantage point a significant accomplishment this year was completing the study regarding the preservation of certain nonconforming accessory structures, provided it could be demonstrated that the structures were of historic, architectural or cultural value. The Commission considered a request regarding classifying the "pagoda boathouse" as such this year. Mayor Lizee questioned if there would be any significant changes to the Comprehensive Plan. Director Nielsen stated because the Plan was relatively fresh, the changes would consist of minor modifications. Nielsen explained the Metropolitan Council was asking for more information. Also, information would be removed that was no longer relevant provided it was not needed for historical reasons. CITY OF SHOREWOOD JOINT CITY COUNCIL AND PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING October 16, 2007 Page 2 of 4 Director Nielsen stated he thought density would have been an issue with the Comprehensive Plan when it was submitted because the City's densities were lower than what the Metropolitan Council would prefer; but it had not been a problem. The Metropolitan Council's preference was to have a minimum of three units per developable acre. That would not happen in the City because it did not have that much land left, and what was left was "in-fill" land. Councilmember Turgeon questioned how the City planned to address redevelopment. Director Nielsen stated redevelopment would have to be consistent with the City's Comprehensive Plan and Code. Redevelopment could result in additional units if the redeveloped lot sizes were significant. In response to a question from Councilmember Woodruff, Director Nielsen explained there was no size restriction for a lot to have a private well. Director Nielsen stated the gas tanks had been removed at the Tonka Bayt site, and the ground had been filled in. There was discussion about different things people had heard regarding the future redevelopment of the area where the American Legion, bait shop, and carpet store were located. Councilmember Callies questioned if the City should address the building of McMansions in the City. Director Nielsen explained that a few years ago changes were made to the City's subdivision ordinance; it was changed to restrict how much land could be recombined. Nielsen stated that from his vantage point the City was as restrictive as it could be. Councilmember Turgeon stated she thought the change to the subdivision ordinance applied to the R-1D District only; and she questioned if that was the case should the restriction be expanded to more Districts. Councilmember Woodruff commented the City did have a building height restriction. Commissioner Gniffke stated Greenwood was considering a volume restriction. Mayor Lizee stated there were new Pollution Control Agency and storm water management standards, and she questioned if there were there changes the City needed to make to its standards to comply. She also questioned if there were sustainable building and landscaping standards which should be considered. She stated the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD) had funds available for "green" landscaping in civic and private projects. Director Nielsen stated the majority of the time permeable pavers were anti-green; people often used them as a way to increase the amount of man-made surface on a lot. Nielsen stated the DNR encouraged the use of permeable pavers, but it did not recommend that it be substituted for green space. He commented a request for hardcover variance was approved earlier this year; the applicant on that request drastically reduced the amount of impervious surface and replaced a portion of it with permeable pavers. Councilmember Turgeon stated she thought various types of pavers worked differently. Nielsen explained for permeable pavers their use must be highly engineered, their installation must be highly monitored, and they must be highly maintained. Councilmember Woodruff questioned if the removal of vegetation on private property during the course of normal ownership should be regulated. Director Nielsen stated removal from Lakeshore was. Woodruff questioned if the Planning Commission should consider possibly requiring Buckthorn (or similar invasive growth) be removed from a to-be-developed property. Councilmember Wellens stated aerial photographs from 50 - 80 years ago showed the City was all clear cut; the City was much greener now. Woodruff stated 50 years before that there were many trees. Councilmember Callies stated the question was how much the City should regulate private property. Councilmember Turgeon stated if she removed invasive CITY OF SHOREWOOD JOINT CITY COUNCIL AND PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING October 16, 2007 Page 3 of 4 growth similar to that from her property, it was likely someone would be upset because they thought she had clear-cut her property. Nielsen cited the Gideon Glen wetland area where for the most part Buckthorn and other/ invasive species were removed and residents were upset; the area will look fine once the plantings had grown. Mayor Lizee stated Minnetonka was considering a change that would require, for example, one 20-inch tree be replaced by ten 2-inch trees. She stated the Planning Commission had discussed something similar as part of the tree reforestation policy when she was on the Commission, but some lots do not allow for that much planting. Director Nielsen stated the City had adopted a policy which stated if a property owner could not replant the required number of trees on their property, they could be planted on City property or a donation could be made to a tree fund. Nielsen commented that to-date no one had donated trees because of that requirement. He stated an inch-for-inch replacement policy was quite stringent. Mayor Lizee suggested the City encourage sustainable building and landscaping. Director Nielsen stated the developer of the Southlake Office Building had considered a green roof when he was planning the building to get more building space. Chair Schmitt stated from a commercial building perspective it was not cost effective to put a green roof on a small building. There were economies of scale with larger projects. He then stated maybe there could be mitigating circumstances where the City could "bend a rule" if a developer would consider more sustainable building. Councilmember Callies stated the City, as a leader, should support sustainable building and if enough cities did so maybe the cost for things such as a green roof would become more affordable. In response to a question from Councilmember Turgeon, Director Nielsen explained the only item remaining of the County Road 19 corridor study was the connection of the trail on the Tonka Bay side with the LRT trail. He stated although he had reservations initially, the safe island installed at the trail crossing at County Road 19 appeared to be doing what it was intended to do. Councilmember Turgeon stated the Gideon Glen townhome owners still wanted a turn lane near the Xcel Energy site. She also stated there still were issues regarding cars stopping at the trail crossing at County Road 19. Regarding the trail crossing at County Road 19, Director Nielsen stated he did not think most people understood the difference between a trail crossing and a pedestrian crossing. In response to a question from Commissioner Gagne, Director Nielsen stated the Park Commission was going to discuss park dedication fees in November. He stated the last adjustment to the fees was long ago; at that time the City's fees were on the high end, and now they were on the low end. Regarding items that would be addressed by the Planning Commission in 2008, Director Nielsen stated the Commission would study the City's platted rights-of--way which had not been developed as City streets, and it would update the Comprehensive Plan. CITY OF SIIOREWOOD JOINT CITY COUNCIL AND PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING October 16, 2007 Page 4 of 4 Councilmember Woodruff questioned if the Comprehensive Plan should address a possible future redevelopment of the Minnetonka Country Club site. Director Nielsen stated the City had met with the Club's owner a few years ago, and it tried to convince the owner to grant some type of conservation easement from which he would receive a tax advantage, but that was to no avail. The City had concluded that it could not afford to compete with private developers; the City determined the land would be worth substantially more if it were to be split into lots and developed than it would be worth as a golf course. The property could be considered for a planned unit development. Chair Schmitt stated at Chaska's bio tech campus (which was 220 acres in size), Chaska was concentrating some areas for wetland and other areas were going to be developed with very high density. The City could consider ahigh-density development with a large amount of open space for the Minnetonka County Club property. Nielsen stated the City could try and convince a developer to keep part of the property for anine-hole golf course. Woodruff suggested the Comprehensive Plan include some vision for that property. Councilmember Callies questioned why the City would encourage a golf course versus green space. With regard to Howards Point Marina, Director Nielsen stated it was anon-conforming use. It had dropped its application to rezone the property Lakeshore Recreational when its request for expansion was denied. He commented the owners had done of number of things the City had asked for. He stated during the most recent discussions the City had with the owners they indicated they may want to redevelop the land across from the Marina. He commented that developers had unrealistic expectations of how the property could be developed; that property had limited development potential. He also commented that the DNR had considered the Marina property for a public access, but it would be more interested in the SYC property although the price was too high. 3. OTHER BUSINESS None. 4. ADJOURN Gagne moved, Schmitt seconded, Adjourning the Joint City Council and Planning Commission Meeting of October 16, 2007, at 6:46 P.M. Motion passed 5/0. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, Christine Freeman, Recorder C l~~ Christine Lizee, Mayor ATTEST: ,~ '1 Craig awson, City Administrator/Clerk