PC-06-02-15
CITY OF SHOREWOOD COUNCIL CHAMBERS
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING 5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD
TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015 7:45 P.M.
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Geng called the meeting to order at 7:46 P.M.
ROLL CALL
Present: Chair Geng; Commissioners Bean, Davis, Johnson and Maddy; Planning Director
Nielsen; and Council Liaison Labadie
Absent: None
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Davis moved, Maddy seconded, approving the agenda for June 2, 2015, as presented. Motion
passed 5/0.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
May 5, 2015
Maddy moved, Bean seconded, approving the Planning Commission Meeting Minutes of May 5,
2015, as amended in Page 6, Paragraph 7 and Page 7, Paragraph 9 change “site” to “sight” and on
Page 9, Paragraph 3 (after the numbered items) change “front yead” to “front yard”. Motion
passed 5/0.
1. MINOR SUBDIVISION
Applicant: Janie Korin
Location: 6135 Cathcart Drive
Chair Geng explained the Planning Commission is comprised of residents of the City of Shorewood who
are serving as volunteers on the Commission. The Commissioners are appointed by the City Council. The
Commission’s role is to help the City Council in determining zoning and planning issues. One of the
Commission’s responsibilities is to conduct reviews, such as this subdivision request, and to help develop
the factual record for an application and to make a non-binding recommendation to the City Council. The
recommendation is advisory only.
Director Nielsen explained Janie Korin has requested approval to subdivide her property located at 6135
Cathcart Drive into two lots. The property contains 5.1 acres and is zoned R-1A, Single-Family
Residential. That zoning district requires a minimum lot size of 40,000 square feet. The Korin home
currently occupies the southerly portion of the property. The northerly portion of the property has a fairly
large wetland area on it. As proposed, the southerly lot, with the house on it, would have 87,106 square
feet of area. The new northerly lot would have 119,935 square feet of area; approximately 33,790 square
feet consists of wetland.
CITY OF SHOREWOOD PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING
June 2, 2015
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He noted this request was approved last year subject to the applicant obtaining an updated wetland
delineation. The applicant was unsure at the time whether to pursue the subdivision or sell the property as
one lot. The deadline for recording the division lapsed so she has filed a new application.
With regard to the analysis of the case, Nielsen explained that even though both of the proposed lots meet
or exceed the lot size requirements of the R-1A zoning district, there are two issues that must be resolved
as part of the approval process: 1) street right-of-way (ROW); and 2) wetland conservation easements.
1. The right-of-way for Cathcart Drive, which serves the property, is substandard. It is 33 feet wide
abutting the Korin property. The land across the street is unlikely to be further developed.
Therefore, the 17 feet of ROW necessary to bring Cathcart Drive up to standards must come from
the Korin property. This will not adversely affect the size of the proposed lots, nor the setback for
the existing home.
2. A substantial portion of the northerly lot is delineated as wetland, pursuant to the Wetland
Conservation Act (WCA), limiting the buildable area of the new lot. Staff recommends that the
new lot line be moved at least 40 feet to the south. Doing so would increase the buildable area of
the northerly lot and provide room for a driveway that will not have to encroach into the wetland
buffer area or require an easement over the southerly lot. The small shed and fences will have to
be moved onto the southerly lot or be disposed of.
He stated both lots are quite buildable, particularly with the recommended enlargement of the northerly
lot. The proposed subdivision will not result in any tree removal. Therefore, staff recommends that tree
preservation and reforestation be addressed with any building permit for the northerly lot.
He noted the applicant provided an updated wetland delineation confirmed by the MCWD just prior to
this meeting.
He stated staff recommends approval of the subdivision subject to the conditions listed below.
A. The applicant’s surveyor must provide the following.
1. A legal description for the 17 feet of ROW for Cathcart Drive.
2. Revised drawings and legal descriptions for the two lots, showing the proposed new lot line
at least 40 feet south of what is shown on the documents already submitted.
3. Revised conservation, drainage and utility easements, based on the new lot descriptions and
the confirmed wetland delineations.
4. Revised 10-foot drainage and utility easements around the two lots.
B. The applicant’s attorney must provide the following.
1. An up-to-date (within 30 days) title opinion for review by the City Attorney. In lieu of a title
opinion, the applicant may submit evidence of a title insurance policy.
2. Deeds for the items listed above.
C. The applicant’s surveyor must provide low floor and low opening elevations for the northerly lot
based on available topographic information.
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June 2, 2015
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D. Items A and B must be completed within 30 days. After that is done the request will be scheduled
for review by the City Council. The earliest that could be scheduled would be for Council’s June
22 meeting. Council’s next meeting after that would be on July 13.
E. Prior to release of a resolution approving the subdivision, the applicant must pay $6500 in park
dedication fees and $1200 in local sanitary sewer access charges for the new lot. Credit is given
for the lot with the house on it.
F. Once the applicant has received the Council resolution approving the request, she must record it
with Hennepin County within 30 days or the approval is void.
Nielsen noted the applicant was present.
Chair Geng asked Ms. Korin if moving the lot line 40 feet south is suitable to her. Mr. Korin responded
yes.
Commissioner Bean asked Director Nielsen if it would be possible for the new northerly lot to be further
subdivided. Director Nielsen stated that would be difficult. Nielsen explained the existing private drive
serves three properties already; that is the maximum allowed for a private roadway. Adding a fourth
would require it to be brought up to City standards. That would be a very extensive endeavor just to get
one more lot. The driveway is located in the 25-foot ROW so another 25 feet would have to be dedicated.
Much of that would be in the wetland buffer areas.
Bean asked if the new proposed lot line would be a side yard lot line. Nielsen responded yes. Bean stated
it appears to be 50 – 60 feet from the corner of the house. Nielsen concurred.
Director Nielsen stated what is being proposed would allow a lot of area to be added onto the existing
house.
Geng moved, Davis seconded, recommending approval of a minor subdivision for Janie Korin for
her property located at 6135 Cathcart Drive subject to the conditions listed in the May 28, 2015,
staff report. Motion passed 5/0.
2. MATTERS FROM THE FLOOR
There were no matters from the floor presented this evening.
3. OLD BUSINESS / NEW BUSINESS
None
4. DRAFT NEXT MEETING AGENDA
Director Nielsen stated there is proposed text amendment for additional signage in the R-C District slated
for the July 7, 2015, Planning Commission meeting.
5. REPORTS
• Liaison to Council
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June 2, 2015
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Commissioner Davis reported on the May 26, 2015, Council meeting (as detailed in the minutes of that
meeting).
She noted that she was proud of how extremely well Council handled the discussion about the parking
situation and issues for the upcoming Tonka United Soccer Association (TUSA) Tonka Splash
tournament scheduled for June 5 – 7, 2015. A large number of games will be played at Freeman Park.
Council was firm. The representatives from TUSA tried to push their luck and they did not succeed.
She explained the tournament will be extremely large and it will cause all kinds of grief for the residents
living around Eureka Road, Highway 7 and Freeman Park.
Council Liaison Labadie elaborated on that discussion. She explained there are approximately 375
parking spaces at Freeman Park. TUSA has contracted with the South Lake Minnetonka Police
Department (SLMPD) and a few officers will be on duty and issue citations to anyone who parks on the
grass. For last year’s event many drivers parked on the grass and caused a lot of damage to the park. A lot
of damage was also caused to the soccer fields in part because of all the rain. TUSA representatives
reseeded the fields but they did nothing to repair the damage caused by vehicles. TSUA representatives
have told Council there will be field marshals to try and ensure that drivers will not park on the grass.
Drivers departing the Park will have to turn left on to Eureka Road and turn on to Smithtown Road. There
will be no parking allowed on Eureka Road and Pond View Drive during the event. Drivers who park
there will be ticketed. In 2014 there were a lot of drivers who parked in the Shorewood Ponds
development just south of the fields.
TUSA sent out an email to TUSA team coaches telling them each team will only be allotted parking for
three cars for their athletes’ parents/spectators. The others have to park at the Minnewashta Elementary
School parking lot. About 40 percent of the 102 teams that will be playing there are TUSA teams. The
email also told the coaches that there is one shot to do this event right or TUSA may lose the permission
to have part of the event in Shorewood again.
Commissioner Davis stated there was a great deal of discussion about TUSA providing shuttle service.
TUSA stated it was too short notice to arrange that. She does not think that is true. Council has told them
that service has to be provided for the 2016 event. She then stated because this event is so much larger
than other events she thought the Park Commission should entertain changing the fee structure to charge a
greater fee for the event.
Council Liaison Labadie stated Council has had discussions about charging a permit fee for events that do
not start in Shorewood but go through Shorewood as well as for events that use various City amenities.
Director Nielsen stated a post mortem will be done shortly after this tournament.
In response to a comment from Commissioner Johnson, Director Nielsen stated that he, Director of Public
Works Brown and the Parks & Rec Coordinator Grout will participate in the post mortem. Johnson stated
it is his recollection drivers found overflow parking on Strawberry Lane last year. They parked there and
walked the trail over to the Park. Johnson expressed concern that this year there may be more parking on
both sides of Strawberry Lane because they can’t park on the roadways close to the Park. That could be
problematic for emergency vehicles.
There was ensuing discussion about problems with parking and traffic and last year’s events.
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• SLUC
Director Nielsen stated he will circulate the flyer for the upcoming Sensible Land Use Coalition session.
• Other
Commissioner Davis noted Council’s annual appreciation event is scheduled for July 24 from 1:00 – 4:00
P.M. It will be a boat cruise on Lake Minnetonka.
Commissioner Bean stated there is a very large development being built in another community near
Shorewood that will generate about another 1,000 – 2,000 vehicles per day on Highway 7.
In response to a comment from Commissioner Davis, Director Nielsen explained the Three Rivers Park
District is again assessing different options for the LRT Trail crossing at County Road 19.
There was ensuing discussion about that crossing.
6. ADJOURNMENT
Bean moved, Johnson seconded, adjourning the Planning Commission Meeting of June 2, 2015, at
8:27 P.M. The motion was seconded. Motion passed 5/0.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,
Christine Freeman, Recorder