PC 1993 07 21CHANH~SSEN PLANNING COmmISSION
REGULAR ~E£TING
JULY 21, 1993
Chairman Batzli called the meeting to order at 7:40 p.m..
MEHBERSPRE~ENT= Diane Harberts, Joe Scott, Ladd Conrad, Jeff Farmakes,
Matt Ledvina and Brian Batzli
MEMBERS ~:NT = Nancy Manc! no
ST~-F PRESENT: Kate Aanenson, Senior Planner; Sharmin- Al-Jeff, Planner !;
Dave Hempel, Asst. City Engineer; and Tom Scott, City Attorney
PLttLIC HE~)N(~ =
NON-CONFOR~X~ USE PER~IT FOR iCOLONI~L ~ HO~E~ ASSO(;IATION
RECRE~TXOt~M. BEACHLOT. THE PER~IT SHALL DESCRT_mE_ THE N~TURE ~ EXTENT OF
THE USE RLLOWED~
Public Present:
Larry Crawford
Jeff & Judtlyn Kvichaug
Hod Dahl
Lois 3. Donnay
Jeffrey H. Zappa
Edward & Peggy Bennett
Don Leivermann
Lan Adler
Nicholas & Christs Vassailo
Irene Erhard
Ken & Nancy Sherman
Dave & Lorraine Wessell
Betsy LePlatt
Jim Andrews
Sue Robbins
Tom Jamison
Susan Conrad
JoEllen Price
Virginia Hudson
Paula Mosley
Carolyn Erny
Carol Edgerley
Jim Lee
Tom & Pat Peterson
Debbie Engel
Herb Bioomberg
R.C. & Nancy Hear
cliff Whttehill
Rob Moschet
107 Sandy Hook
6681 Horseshoe Curve
6631 Horseshoe Curve
7002 Cheyenne Trail
7002 Cheyenne Trail
7017 Sandy Hook Circle
7003 Cheyenne Trail
210 Sandy Hook Road
7018 Cheyenne Trail
7004 Cheyenne Trail
7025 Cheyenne Trail
7017 Cheyenne Trail
7012 Cheyenne Trail
7014 Sandy Hook Circle-
7022 Sandy Hook Circle
30 Sandy Hook Road
6625 Horseshoe Curve
7006 Sandy Hook Circle
7007 Sandy Hook Circle
7012 Sandy Hook
7008 Sandy Hook
7013 Sandy Hook circle-
7015 Sandy Hook Circle
7020 Sandy Hook Circle
7016 Sandy Hook Circle
7008 Dakota Avenue
50 Sandy Hook Road
7001 Dakota Avenue
7006 Cheyenne Trail
Kate Aanenson presented the staff report on this item... Chairman Batzli
called the public hearing to order.
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 2
Cliff Whitehlll: Good evening. My name is Cliff Whitehtll~ I live at
7001 Dakota ~venue, which is in the Colonial Grove ~ddition. ~nd I was one
of the tncorporaters and founders of the Lotus Lake Betterment ~ssoctation
which is the ~ssoclation that has ownership of the beach outlot, as well aa
to make sure that the maintenance and care of that facility is well
maintained. This goes back to a little, even before 1981. Before 1981
that outlot was being utilized as a docking area for some boats. I, as a
matter of fact, built the first dock myself which was 45 foot In length.
~nd then when the city started requesting that these uses be under a use
permit, we applied in 1981 for the various useage of the outlot which was
as a docking area as well as the. tennis courts. There were some Minutes
preceedlng that in 1980. ~nd the letter that you have addressed to you
from Kate ~anenson is incorrect in another manner and that. is on the last,
or the second page there before summary. It says the Planning Commission's
Minutes state that the conditional use permit, would be required to dock
boats overnight. If you'll look'at those Minutes, it does not say that.
The issue then was brought up as to whether the outlot would be used-to
store boats and we all the difference between the useage of the word store
versus the use of the word dock boats at a dock. ~nd that's certainly
correct when the use permit-was issued, it did not allow for any boats to
be stored on that. ~fter the permit,, shortly after the permit was issued,
we were a little concerned that while the 100 foot dock that we had
requested had been allowed, and the other matters that are specified in the
permit, it didn't say anything about the number of boats. ~nd I called and
was assured that that was no problem. The practice wasn't to govern the
number of boats. It was to govern the length of the dock and whatever
boats fit at the dock would be automatically, allowed. $o that's where we
went forward from for years and years. ~s a matter of fact the survey that
was done slightly after or around the time'of the use permit showing. 3.
boats being docked at the dock that was, nobody ever said anything about
that. Nobody questioned whether 1 boat, 3 boats, or any limited number of
boats should be docked. ~nd then it was only until late last fall that the
association was contacted by the staff saying that there appeared to be a
gap in the understanding of the use permit and would we please apply for an
appropriate adjustment or amendment or clarification of our conditional use
permit and I again then expressed some reservation about well, you know
this has all been decided before. Why do we have to come back and was told
that this is Just a matter of clarification and all we had to do was
demonstrate the number of boats that were there in lee1 after the dock was
built and the matter would simply adjust to that number. Unfortunately,
due to some mailing mix-up and what have you though, I had written the
request as we stated for 8 boats to be specifically allowed at the dock for
overnight docking. This went on for several months. I'm sure your agenda
was busy and at the last minute I didn't get the notice ac neither I nor
anybody else from the-~ssoclatlon had sufficient notice to be here. ~nd
therefore the reason that we asked for a re-hearing on the matter since
that you had only granted 3 boats at a dock, which is certainly capable of
handling more boats. The last is that, you know a limitation of 3 boats,
or no boats, doesn't really keep any boats off the lake. ~s a matter of
fact, it causes a worse problem for the city than allowing the number of
boats that we've customarily had down there and if you know, there are some
70 odd houses in the neighborhood so even allocating 8 or 9 spaces, ia a
rea! task of draw your lottery and we try to solve everybody. I remember
one year we had to go to double allocation so that some people got to use
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 3
the docking facility the first half of the summer. If that'd been this
summer, that'd been a disaster. And some people got to use it the second
half but we've always managed to workout our own problems. If you take
the number of docking spaces away, the people have the boats in the
neighborhood and all they're going to do is have the irritation of driving
down and further congesting the public dock. Either by their trailer; by
useage of it, etc. The same boats are going to be on the lake. Maybe you
discourage them once or twice from not using it because they don't want to
drag the boat down to the public ramp, but I doubt that. If.somebody wants
to use the boat, and we're that close, you know within less than a mile of
the ramp, the people are going to do it. So the boats are going to be on
the lake one way or the other and certainly causing less problems. Less
congestion at the ramp, highway, etc. for storage of the trailers down
there and allowing other people to have useage of that [ think is a much
better way of resolving the problem. Lastly the Association, as !
mentioned in my letter, we have never received one verbal or written
complaint about the useage of the dock or any other matte~ associated with
the outlot. [ think any of you who may have visited that would find that
area kept in immaculate shape and ! mean immaculate. Zt's mo~ed. It's
manicured. The tennis courts are kept in excellent shape. The driveway's
in good shape and the dock's in good shape. ! mean it is a real asset to
the neighborhood and [ think an asset to the city of Chanhassen. I'd be
glad to answer any questions you may have.
Batzli: We may have some at a later time. Thank you. Zs there anyone
else that would like to address the Commission on this issue?
Ken Sherman: My name is Ken Sherman. ! llve at 7025 Cheyenne Trail and
['va been living there for 3 years. There are several people here, along
with Z, who [ think have been moved into the neighborhood during that
period of time and when we bought our homes we were told by previous owners
and real estate agents that boats were docked at the dock. Ne were never
given a limitation to the number: of boats and it was understood that !
would say anywhere from 5 to 8 boats could be there. During the 3 years
I've lived in Chanhassen, ['ye enjoyed it. There's always been an
understanding that that was part of what [ bought when [ purchased my home..
And ! fail to understand why anybody would' feel that they could, and ! am
in the real estate business. The commercial real estate business. [ own
property in downtown Minneapolis. ['ye come across this in my own business
and if there is something that in inherent in an agreement, whether it be
in property, we are bound to live with it. ! don't understand why anybody
would want to change that understanding that we bought our homes thinking
that this is something that was valid.
8atzli: Thank you.
Betsy LePlatt: My name is Betsy LePlatt. My address is 7012 Cheyenne
Trail. We Just bought our house several months ago and moved into the
neighborhood because we had moved from a lake and believed that we could
put a boat at the dock when we purchased a boat. If we lose that, I don't
know what we're going to do. I guess move to lakefront somewhere else.
Thanks.
Herbaria: Can ! ask a question of Betsy?
Planning Commission Heeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 4
Batzli= Sure.
Harberts: Betsy, you said you moved from a different lake to this lake.
Betsy LePlatt: Mitchell Lake in Eden Prairie.
Harberts: Okay. When you purchased your home, did you count on the word
of the real estate, the owner that yes, you had do~king right? Did you go
to the city?
Betsy LePlatt= The house Nas advertised as having deeded access. When
they did the title work, it didn't show up on our deed so we got very upset
and said, hey Edina Realty this is advertising, false advertising. So we
called the President of the Association and did our research and found out
that there was a 99 year lease on this lot beginning in 19811 believe so
we thought that everything was great. We were told that sometimes it was
crowded at the dock and we might not get a slot during a certain year, but
most of the time it looked like we would be able to.
Harberts: Okay, thanks.
Betsy LePlatt: Thank you.
Rob Moschet: My name is Rob Moschet. ! live at 7006 Cheyenne Trail, which
is a part of the Colonial Grove subdivision. I have a question for the
Planning Commission and for the staff. I have not seen a copy of the
permit that we've been talking about. Is there a time restrictions on the
permit?
Batzli: I'm sorry, time restriction in what manner?
Rob Hoechst: The number of years that the so called non-conforming use is
permitted?
Batzli: No.
Rob Hoechst: Has the permit come up for review?
Batzli: No. It's my understanding, and correct me if I'm wrong Kate, is
that the non-conforming use permit was basically recorded with that piece
of property or with, so that it would run with that lease and last as long
as the lease.
Aanenson: Correct.
Rob Moschet: Okay. Then it.'s not a question of us, as the Association
having violated the terms of the permit or that the permit has expired and
we are now required to state reasons why it should be re-issued.
Batzli: One of the issues is perhaps whether you have violated the terms
of that permit by having more boats there than you're permitted under the
permit. But I don't think anyone has suggested that it would be a
revocation of the permit kind of situation. What we're talking about here
is we're trying to establish in 1981 baseline of use and report that useage
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page S
up to the Council for their final decision that this is how, this is the
number of boats. This is really the only issue we're focusing on here.
The number of boats but we're trying to establish 1981 as a baseline and to
the extent that people have expanded that use, we need to go back to the
1981 baseline.
Rob Hoschet: Okay, in that circumstance then I would suggest to the
Planning Commission and to the Council that if anybody here bears the
burden to show that this Is a non-conforming use in connection with the
permit, it is not the homeowners association at this point but it is the
persons who wish to make a change. And that' would be the city or the staff
in this situation.
Batzli: Well we, let me Just address that because that is One of the
things we've been doing for the last year and a half here. Is that we have
a certain modicum of evidence which described the level of use which we
understand to have occurred at the various beachlots throughout the city in
1981. Pursuant to the ordinance that we're doing this under,.basically
it's up to the applicant to show that our information is flawed. $o in
fact you have the burden of proof here to show us what the level of use was
in 1981.
Rob Moschet: I would suggest respectfully sir that we are not an
applicant. We are a permittee. You have granted us the permit. We have
no further burden after that. I'd also suggest, as stated by some of my
neighbors here that in a situation where we have abided by the requirements
of the use permit, this gives rise to reasonable expectations that the
level of use would be continually permitted. I, as a number of other
people here, purchased my home in reliance on that reasonable expectation
which I would suggest is not to be taken away without very good reasons.
Without justifiable reasons and I haven't hpard any reasons. Mr. Whitehitl
eluded to probably some of the reasons talking about the level of use on
the lake. But I haven't heard any good reasons that would outweigh the
resident's Justifiable expectations. I would say that the Planning
Commission and the city must carefully balance our reasonable expectations
versus the need for any further restrictions and if you do that, I think
our reasonable expectations should outweigh those restrictions. Thank you.
Batzli: Thank you. Would anyone else like to address the Commission?
Jeff Kvtchaug: My name is Jeff Kvichaug and I live at 6681 Horseshoe Curve
on Lotus Lake in Chanhassen. While I respect the wishes of the homeowners,
I think the key issue and question is the level of useage that was
established in 1981 and what we did is contacted the Lotus Lake Homeowners
Association. The Board members that were active and members that were
active during the timeframe that's in question to determine the number of
boats that they recall as far as being utilized or located at that dock at
that point in time. I have a letter here that I'll pas= out. I have a
letter that's signed by 14 members of the Lotus Lake Homeowners Association
and I can read the letter if you like. In essence the spirit of the letter
says that, the Association was incorporated in 1981 because it was involved
in city issues effecting area lakes. Among the many issues being dealt
with that years was establishment of both the shoreline management
ordinance and the beachlot ordinance. In'early June of 1981 Lotus Lake
Planning Commission Meeting
Suly 21, 1993 - Page 6
Estates Homeowners requested boat mooring and docking pr ivi ledges not
previously granted to beachlot groups. Their request was denied in
October. During the summer leading up to that decision. Ne-are very
concerned with any precedence in relation to bsachlots. Consequently, we
were keenly alert to any infractions of the mooring regulations. During
that summer we observed 2 and sometimes 3 motorized boats moored in front
of Colonial Grove's outlot. When we reported this violation to the
subdivision's Association Board, we 'were informed that 2 boats be[one~ to
one of their association's lakeehore ~ner'e; This paFttcu[ar family had
~et[and area tn front of their home so the sons docked their boats at the
common beach to make water skiing easier. Soon after ~r notification of
this problem, the boats wets re~ved but per[~[ca[[y reappeared. It ts
possible that the same 2 ~a[s did not reappear but' 2 or 3 ~ats continued
to be present at various times that summer. To the best o~ our knowledge
and memories, the undersigned active mem~rs of the Lotus Lake Rssociation
support the ~indings in the survey presented by the Lake Study Committee in
2981. That ts the testimony or the letter from the Lotus Lake Hog,neTs
Association Board members and active members at that point in time. Thank
you.
Batzll: Thank you. Would anyone else like to address the Commission?
cliff Whitehill: I'd like to...
Batzli: Would you like to offer some rebuttal to this?
Cliff Whitehlll: Yes.
Batzli: Go ahead sir.
Cliff Whitehill: As to the survey that was supposedly done in 1981, that
has little, if any weight. It doesn't state the time of day. It's not
signed by anybody. We don't even kno~ who did it. We can't even question
the individual who did it. It's a totally unsworn, unsubstantiated survey
at some particular point in time. There could have been 6 boats roaming
around the lake and 3 at the dock. As to this particular letter, I was not
furnished in advance so we don't have a chance but to check the names here.
We are dealing with the issue as to what was the use in 1981. Ws have 5
sworn affidavits that have been presented to you as to what'that use was.
People who were active in the Association at that time In 1981. Am I to
understand by the gentleman who presented this letter that every person who
signed this was a resident and active In the Association in 19817
Jeff Kvichaug: Yes. That Is correct.
Cliff Whltehill: Well we can check the Minutes and it's simply not In
keeping with what was sworn to at the time. What was the use. I built the
first dock. Had the second dock built. Have always had .a boat down there.
Am more than familiar with what the useage was and as I said, in subsequent
years we even had to allocate at time, Minutes from our meetings. They
weren't always kept but showed well over 9 people using the dock. And again
no issue has ever been raised by anyone other than recently asking for,
that we clarify the use permit. And as we were informed in 1981 after the
permit was issued, that If the particular act, l.®. the mooring of the
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 7
boats was not a prohibited act under the permit and there are enumerated
prohibited acts that cannot be done on 'the lot, then certainly the dock
could be used for mooring of the boats in the ordinary sense. Not Just
during the day, and by the way that's even another issue and
clarification. I mean ho~ can you kno~, no boats can ever come to the
dock? Is that what we're saying? Three overnight. At what time
overnight? Does it end automatically at sundown? I mean there's a whole
series of issues that were never intended to arise. I mean the dock was
built for 100 foot length and if only 2 or 3 boats, we could have saved
ourselves a lot of money by not extending the dock out that far. So
everything fits together as far as the evidence and the affidavits.
Batzli: Okay, thank you.
Carol Edgerley: Hi. My name is Carol Edgerley. I live at 7013 Sandy Hook
Circle in Colonial Grove. I have a couple of questions here. I'm a little
confused. First of ali, in 1981 ! don't think quite a few of these houses
were even built. So why are you trying to establish how many boats there
were back in 1981 as a precedent when if the association had a permit to
dock boats there, that you didn't have any specific number on there, the
amount of houses in that group has grown quite a bit since then. $o you're
going to try and only keep this back to as many as even might have been
there in '81 anyway? Secondly, I'd like to ask this gentleman where
Horseshoe Curve is and why the hell are we bugging him.
Batzli: Horseshoe Curve is on Lotus Lake.
Carol Edgerley: Where?
Batzli: Where?
Carol Edgerley: Yeah, where. Where on ~otus Lake? Where is he in
relation to?
Batzli: It's on the northern part of Lotus Lake off of Pleasant View.
Carol Edgerley: So what's in this for him?
Batzli: I'm sure people around the lake are concerned about access and
intensification of use.
Carol Edgerley: So why put in public access a couple of years ago if
you're going to worry about us putting 8 boats at a dock? Are you going to
go down and count the amount of boats down there at the public access? Is
he down there all the time counting the amount of boats at the public
access?
Batzli: No. I'm sure all these questions are rhetorical. I don't know.
Carol Edgerley: Well, I'm Just saying. Why pick on us for heaven's sake.
We can only, if we stacked them this to this we can only put 8 E,>ats at our
dock. It's not as if we're going to suddenly have 50 come down-there and
we can't even put boats in there. You have to drive around and bring them
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 8
around so it's really only..,nlght. So I really don't see the ~entleman's
problem or his objections frankly.
Batzii: Okay. Well thank you for your-comments. Would anyone else like
to address the commission?
Chuck Hirt: My name is Chuck Htrt, 7007 Cheyenne Trail. I've lived in the
neighborhood since '71. I'm one of the ones that signed one of the
affidavits. We did have 8-9 boats there at that time in '81-'82-'80 area.
One of the comments I guess I have, if you do allow no boats or 3 boats or
whatever it's certainly, we pay high enough taxes in that neighborhood.
I hope that everyone in the neighborhood will hire an attorney and see if
we can get our property values reduced and also reduce our taxes. That
would be a benefit I guess from this but we did ha~e that many boats at
that time.
Richard Hear: My name is Richard Hear. I live at ~0 Sandy Hook Road.
I've had a boat since 1981 and lately I've kept it more at the dock but
back then I used the dock occasionally. I would occasionally keep It
overnight and I can recall 8 to 9 boats being used back in '81. I've lived
there since 1979-80.
Batzlt: Thank you. anyone else like to address the commission?
Harold Oahl: My name is Harold Dahl. 'I live als~o on Horseshoe Curve. That
map, it's difficult to see but Horseshoe Curve and my property is on the
northwest corner of the bay that we're dealing with here in terms of issue.
The dock is directly across the lake from me. I spoke at the last meeting
that was held on June 2nd. I believe I reiterated my primary concern is
setting a precedent for other outlots on the lake. It's my understanding
that there are 6 or possibly 7 other-outlots which could be impacted by
modification of your previous decision. I'm particularly concerned because
of the size of the lake frontage on this particular outlot. It's my
understanding it's only approximately $0 feet. and X'm aisc concerned
because of the evidence that's being presented in support of their request.
I sympathize with the Colonial Grove residents. I'm sure that many of
these members have become accustomed, at least in recent years, to docking
many boats on their dock. Now they're being forced to comply with a law
change which rolls back their useage to 1981 levels, and if I was a member
of that group, I would certainly argue against the change as being unfair,
particularly for the members that have Joined the association' in the last
few years who may have come in with expectations about a given number, of
slips and their continued useage over time. Unfortunately, this is a
situation we're dealing with. It is divisive but we need to have this
commission conclude on it and then move on. It's my belief that the key
issue here is measuring the useage in 1981. I think there's been a lot of
evidence given by members of the association but that issue has not really
been addressed with substantiation to meet my criteria I guess, and I'd
like to hand out something to the members. I have a few extra...again, the
key issue here is measuring the useage in 1981. In my mind there is a
hierarchy of evidence of data which may be available to support the useage
levels in 1981. Obviously these are ranked in order of preference.
Obviously if there was a non-conforming use permit that governed this
issue, we wouldn't be here tonight. Secondly, some contemperaneous record
Planning Commission Heating
July 2]., ].993 - Page 9
would be good evidence in support of the useage that might have occurred in
1981. I've listed three possible examples. One is a survey which was
conducted. Second is a dated photograph. !'m aware of some photographs
that have ben taken periodically by the Ag Extension Service. I ~ould aisc
consider a contemporaneous record to be notes and memorandum that were
taken at the time. Thirdly, as a next level I would consider witness
testimony. Particularly from unrelated third parties. And lastly I would
consider witness testimony from interested parties. If I go down this list
and I'm talking in terms of the precedent that we're setting here for other
outlots, I don't think there is a non-conforming use permit that covers the
useage of, that allows the dockage of boats in ].981. I have seen the
document and reviewed it. It's my understanding that a non-conforming use
permit is silent on dock of boats. And there's other language in that
permit that suggests that absent of affirmative language on that' issue,
boat dockage should not be allowed. In terms of the next piece,
contemperaneous record, I'm aware of a survey that ~as conducted bY an
independent party that suggested there were 3 boats docked in 1981.
Further, this survey is supported by members of the lake homeowners
association, many of which were active about this issue during the
timeframe. We have researched Ag photos. We found an Ag photo that
covered the area. Unfortunately the clarity of the picture was such that
you could not determine with any sort of certainty how many boats were
docked at the dock. You can tell there's a dock there. That's about it.
That photograph suggested the number of houses that were present in 198].
was very small. And thirdly, I'm aware of no notes or memorandums that
were done contemporaneously that would support their position. The next
level of testimony, the next level of evidence would be witness testimony
and I'm unaware of any unrelated third party testimony to support their
useage. Finally, we have witness testimony from interested parties but it
is in conflict. Obviously we're dealing about an issue that's 12 years
old. We're trying to determine useage in 1981. In 1982, that's a long
time ago. Obviously 3 and 4 are subject to differing degrees. 3 and 4 on
my list. Witness testimony of unrelated parties and interested parties are
subject to different degrees of memory loss interpretation. I think memory
loss can be mitigated by the degree to which you are involved in the issue
and the extent to which you can use contemporaneous records to refresh your
memory. In my recollection, events 12 years ago is 1981 is the .year I
should have graduated from college had I gone through straight through.
That's about the extent of my memory. If ! go down this list, this
hierarchy of evidence that's been presented to support their useage, I have
to conclude there is no non-conforming use permit. Secondly, I'd have to
conclude that the only contemporaneous record is a survey which is
supported by the recollections of members of the lake homeowners
association. I'm unaware of any dated photograph. I'm unaware of any
notes or memorandums and the witness testimony 's in conflict. Both parties
that have offered testimony in terms of witness are, in my mind, interested
parties. However, I believe the credibility of the homeowners association
is slightly higher because I think in my view they're a little bit less
interested than those who live in the association that we're talking about.
My hope is that the commission reaffirms their earlier decision, ends this
discussion and moves on. Thank you.
Batzli: Thank you for your comments.
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 10
Deb~>te Engel: My name is Dabble Engel. I live at 7016 Sandy Hook Circle.
I'd like to address a question to the gentleman that was Just up here. In
his hierarchy and he said that the homeo~ner.~, lake homeowners did the
survey, or initiated the survey or whatever and he maid they're not as
interested in this as Colonial Grove homeowners, which is us. I really
question that. I think in this hierarchy they are very much as interested
and in the fact that it's the homeowner's on the lake that received first
notice of this meeting and we did not also shows that they have a very
vested interest in this and it sho~s the bias in a lot of this proceedings.
And the way it has been dealt with with the city.
·
Batzli= Thank you for your comment. I'd like to make one point and that
is that we have made it a policy that we communicate with one person of the
Association and to the extent those of you did not receive notice,, we
apologize for that. Go ahead sir.
Dabble Engel= I'm sorry, ! have to address that. My husband is the
President of the Homeowners Association and [ will swear, we did not
receive any notice. At all.
Batzli: Okay, thank you.
Ed Bennett= My name is Ed Bennett. I live at 7017 Sandy Hook Circle' in
Colonial Grove and I'm not a boat owner and I've been a resident there
since 1987 and I Just think as you're evaluating this, ! think you .should,
we ask you to take into consideration the fairness of what you're asking us
and I think the arguments all to the contrary that the gentleman has
presented about surveys that were done, that could have been done, who
knows at what time of day. Some aerial photographs that are eluded to that
who knows when they could have been taken. In my mind there's a lot of
spacious subjective guesses of things that might have been but there's no
substantiation there and if that's the' case that we're building this
around, is some rather extremely limited data from questionable sc,drces, !
suggest that the founding fathers of our association, Cliff and the other
people who have testified and my o~n personal observations from the useage
of that since we've been there, which doesn't go back to 1981. And the
number of people who are affected by this certainly seems to be that what.
we have put forward as a reasonable level of useage'and what we think was
and has been testified as in the past a reasonable level of useage is
certainly a reasonable point for you and the Council to recommend and [
think to draw it back at 3 slips something like 70 houses is almost like
saying there's no useage of that. So that would be my comments.
Batzli: Thank you. Would anyone else like to address the Commission?
Someone new.
Betsy LePlatt: I Just have another question. I'm wondering if possibly
the useage of this dock ~ould be considered grandfathered in since it has
been existing since before a lot of the homes that are along Lotus Lake now
and the other associations and why make an old association conform to
something you might do for a new association? Thank you.
Batzli.' Is there anyone else that hasn't addressed the Commission that
would like to address the Commission? Okay. Is this something new?
Planning Commission Meeting
Ju!y 2!, !993 - Page 11
Rob Moschet: Yeah, Just a follo~-up question. Are there other outlots.
that are being looked at now? Are there other outlots that are subject to
a permit such as we have?
Aanenson: We've done 14 of them. You're the last one. There are
numerous, there's two other associations on the Lotus Lake that do not have
overnight docking rights. Frontier Trail Association and Sunrise Hills.
And they have a dock and they cannot dock overnight.
Rob Moschet: A~d this is set out in their permit?-
Aanenson: Correct. They're not allowed.
Rob Moschet: Okay, and it's not set out in our permit.
Aanenson: They didn't have a permit at all. AIl non-conforming beachIota
were required by the city, the city passed an ordinance last year to
require all non-conforming beachlota to get a permit specifying the level
of use.
Rob Moschet: Okay. And we already had the permit.
Aanenson: Except it does not specify the level of use. That's the only
thing we're looking at. The level of use for overnight docking of boats.
Rob Moschet: Okay. I would echo the comments of the per,on right before
me that this does amount, in my opinion, to analogous situation of being
grandfathered in and I would support that argument too.
Batzll: Thank you. Is there any other publtc comment? Is there a motion
to close the public hearing?
Ledvina moved, Conrad ~econded to cloee the public hearing.,. All voted in
favor and the motion carried. The public hearing ~as cioeed.
Farmakes: I think that what we're doing here tonight is kind of indicative
as to why there Nas an ordinance created in 1981. You get a group of many
homeowners, neighbors who are living next to each other in associations.
The disagreements on these issues on these non-conforming iota. This wasn't
changed. It has been in effect. This ordinance has been in-effect since
'81. The issue, the problem is here tonight. In 1981 there might have
been 5 people in here discussing this issue. There's non a roomful of-
people and as we get larger and larger, the continual pressure on these
iota increases. We have a 25 foot lot here. ! have tried to be very
equitable on how we've treated these lots. This is the last one I believe
here. Many of the concerns have come up over and over again on these
issues. One of the issues that has come up over and over again ia
individuals have purchased property unfortunately, listening to people who
are selling it to them with the understanding that whatever they say is
true. And as it is in many cases, It's up to the buyer to investigate
whether or not it is true. Deeded access has a long established use in
this community. Mtnnetonka. The lakes around here. Because you have
deeded access doesn't mean necessarily that you can get on the lake. It ts
up to the home buyer to do their homework and really look at ho~ lakeshore
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 12
is governed. It is multi-jurisdictional and homeowner associations'do not
have that governing right. It's state agencies. It's watershed and it is
local municipalities who make these decisions. And they do so in the best
interest of their citizens. Ali of their citizens. This is a difficult
issue, particularly with people who do not have an understanding of what'
they purchased. And I don't need to go over again, Brian defined what the
issue is here. It's an expansion of use from '81 and the criteria that
we're using to define that use has been I believe consistent in how the
burden of proof that we put out and evaluation I think has also been
consistent. I don't see anything here that would icad me to expand that
use. And I'm not going to say that we've got 10 people lined up that said
it's so and we've got $ people who lined up and said it's so. I don't see
any photographs. I don't see any compelling evidence that would make me
change my mind on this issue of how I voted. Brian.
Batzli: So you'd stick with
Farmakes= I'd stick with 3.
Batzli: Joe.
Scott: I'm thinking along the same lines that Jeff is. Is that the issue
is not access. That's not really the question and I think those of you who
think that whatever is recommended here and whatever is decided at the City
Council level, you still have access to the lake. And a lot of times, I
know if I were in a situation and I had either a riparian lot, not on the
lake or one that wasn't and it was my understanding that I would be able to
put a boat on the lake, and I felt that was being taken away, that wc~Jld
upset me. That is not being taken away. The issue is how many boats at
the dock overnight. Whatever overnight happens to be. So it's important
that that's clear. Okay. From a standpoint of the use, I'm comfortable
with the decision that we made last time around and I don't have any
further comments.
Batzll: Okay, Matt.
Ledvlna: Well I think there is some information. I don't feel that the
homeowners association had an opportunity to present their case, which I
now see in front of me. I see 4 signed affidavits as to the level of use
at that time and I think these affidavits in my mind provide substantial
evidence for the level of use at that time. We've, on many of tbs other
beachiots we consider the possibility that boats would be out on the lake
at a given instance and we've allowed more boats than the boats that were
indicated on the survey. So I think given this additional information, I
would support a proposal for 8 ~ats.
Batzli: Okay, Ladd.
Conrad: I think as the people here tonight think that we're making
arbitrary decisions, you should have heard us in the other i3 or 14 lots
that we've looked at. ! saw this having-more documentation than any other
one. Documentation from the standpoint of Minutes. Documentation from the
standpoint of consistency of inventory, where we didn't have that in other
outlots. The other thing is, I was on the Planning Commission in '81 and
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 13
I remember this issue. I forget a lot of things.. I do remember this issue.
I remember the permit. The non-conforming use permit and the process and I
remember very weii that the intent was you don't' get boats until you come
back and ask for them. That permit in '81 was granted sanctioning certain
things but certain things were left out and I think the Minutes that I read
and Mike Thompson who made some comments and actually asked for an
inventory of the lake at that time, there really was a clear pattern and
there was some consistency of all of this. And I felt pretty comfortable
with the decision that we made last time. In talking about reasonableness,
it's too bad you haven't been here for all of our Minutes and meetings and
what have you. You might understand a little bit more of our rationale. I
think we've been trying to be fairly liberal. Trying to be reasonable. If
you know what current beachlots, non-conforming beachlots. If you know
what beachlot requirements are today, and you see that you have 25 and your
neighbors have 1,000 feet of land right next to you,. and they can only
have I think 9 boats, then I'm not sure that e boats is reasonable on 25
feet. But that's not the issue tonight. But I know a lot of people talked
about reasonableness. How can you do this and so I wanted to address that
a little bit. Reasonable is what we're looking at. Reasonable is what
we're trying to be but then when you compare to what we've seen and what
people with outlots, beachlots can get today, you'll find that actually
you're being treated fairly welt. aut going back, what was the use in
There was a non-conforming permit there? I was here. I helped draft it.
It's probably got loopholes that Cliff could knock the pants off it if he
took it to Court but again, I knew the intent and the intent was, there
were no boats until they came back in with a change. That's .why the first
time through I said that the non-conforming permit was being lnterpretted
properly by staff.
Batzli: Do you go with 3? O? B?
conrad: I voted for the non-conforming which maid that they were not
granted at that time unttl they came in.
Batzli: Okay. Diane.
Harberts: At the June 2nd meeting I voted for no overnight boats. Based
on the discussion, the comments from the gentleman from the association
that was there since 1981, and I appreciate you coming in. I'm prepared to
go with the vote that did pass off 3 boats overnight. 'I think Jeff made
the comment earlier. Recently buying a home in Chanhassen' I know what it
is to go to City Hall. I was up there a couple of hours. We don't live on
the lake. We enjoy Lotus Lake. Numerous times whe. n we go down there, the
lot's full and we Just go find some other lake. But I think what we try to
do is be consistent with our process and it's been ~eal interesting with it
but the burden has been on the owners-because as Ladd commented, we've got
3 years of inventories and as I recall, this is the'first beachlot where we
have that and that inventory for those 3 years in 'B1, 'B6 and '91
indicated 3 for 2 of the years and 4 for the third year. E~ at this point
I'd support the 3 boats overnight.
Batzli: Okay. I guess my comments are that I think we decided by a slim
margin last time 3 because of the survey that had been done back in
It was probably we decided that because we didn't have any zeal evidence
Planning Commission Meeting
July 2!, 2993 - Page 14
that there was more than that. I'm kind of going to side with Matt here
and say that the evidence that I have in front of us is at least as good as
some of the other evidence which we've seen where we've been fairly
liberal. I don't think it's an intensification of use to park them
overnight, as I've said in the Minutes from last time as opposed to
bringing them in or bringing them out, if that's what's going to happen.
don't think the survey's a final arbitor of the number here. We all
recognize the limitation of going out there at one isolated moment in time
so I would go with 8 boats on the dock and say we fulfilled our charter of
determining the level of use in 1981. And I guess the'contract, you know
don't know what the intent is and Ladd's interpretation is certainly
helpful because he was here. But it clearly, it doesn't say that they
can't do it and it seems like they've been doing it. I guess I would say
they've grown accustomed to the priviledge if you will. Anyway, I would
entertain a motion.
Cliff Whitehill: Before the motion Mr.. Chairman. I know the hearing is
closed but unfortunately it has been opened again because Mr. Conrad has
acted not as a Councilmember but has given testimony about what happened in
19el, which was totally different than acting as to the evidence that was
presented to him. So I think some clarification is necessary. There is
not one iota of evidence that after the use permit was granted in 1981 that
anyone asked anyone to return and request further clarification of that
permit as to the number of boats that were moored there. As to the survey,
there's only really one survey which is unsigned, undated as to time. We
can't even question the person who did that survey. I think Kate correctly
set the basis of the hearing tonight. It's not a question of what might be
fair or reasonable today if we were applying for a ~on-conforming use
permit for that outlot. The sole question before the commission is what
was the use of that lot in 1981.. We presented $ sworn affidavits of people
who were residents. They were very closely part of the association. It's
a sworn affidavit. The counter letter is from people who didn't even llve
in the area. The neighborhood so the evidence, is Just overwhelming as to
the only issue that's before the Commission and that is what was the use in
1981. And I'd like to have you think about it in that respect. Not before
you take your final vote. Not to what might be fair and reasonable under
today's circumstances because that simply is m>t the issue. Thank you.
8atzli: I don't know that Mr. Conrad acted improperly and so to the extent
I let you address the Commission, that's not why I let you address the
Commission but thank you for your comment. Is there a motion?
Scott: I move that the decision as made by the Planning Commission on June
2nd for 3, approving the dockage of 3 boats overnight stand.
Batzl i:
Is there a second?
Farmakes: I'll second it.
Batzli: Let me just explain the motion for those of you who didn't hear
it. The motion has Just been made that we maintain our decision which we
reached at our last, the last time that we 'considered. this issue and keep
the number of boats docked at 3. Is there any discussion?
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 15
Harberts: Comment. I would encourage that based on the information that
we received that seem to be conflicting each other. We've got a petition
in a sense signed by 10 individuals. We have 5 affidavits from the other.
I would Just encourage them, that they insure that they follow this up to
the City Council and they may want to get their ducks in a ro~ on either
side because the final decision is with the City Council. eut I think the
greatest decision here is what is the level of use and again I'll-reiterate
that with our other permit that we've previewed, we've 'certainly taken,
been consistent with looking at the suTvey int=oTmation that's been on hand.
The fact that we've got two additional surveys makes it more conclusive to
me in terms of what I believe the level of useage to be.
Scott: Yeah also too, Just to let you know the DNR-has got aerial surveys.
The Ag Department has got aerial surveys and then there's some other things
and once again, we make recommendations to the City Council so follow the
issue. But if you can determine other cc~npelling evidence to support your
position, it needs to be presented at the Council.
Batzli: I would Just say that I think that we've been evidence that the
survey is wrong regardless of which side you listen to, probably. And so I
don't like to look at the survey in this instance because on-one hand ~e
have lakeshore owners saying that there were t or 2 or 0 and on the other
hand we have evidence that says there was 8. So I would p~efer not to look
at the survey in this instance and chaulk it up as, at that particular
moment there might have been 3 but that probably wasn't the number that was
there on a more consistent basis. That would be my rationale for wanting
to vote 8 on this issue. Is there any other discussion?
Scott moved, Farmakes seconded that the Planning Commiuton rem~mend that
the City Council approve 3 boats be allo,ed to be docked overnight at the
Colonial Grove Recreational Beachlot. All voted in favor, except Batzli
and Ledvtna who opposed, and the motion carried with a vote of 4 to 2.
Batzli: Thanks very much for coming in. When ~ill this go to City Council
Kate?
Aanenson: August 9th.
Batzli: August 9th.
Cliff Whitehill: I would ask everybody to be there. Also, get an estimate
on what the decrease in your property value is going to be. Thank you.
(The Planning Commission took a short recess to let the-room clea~.)
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 16
~XC I-EARXNG:
3MS DEVEL(N:q'IENT FOR /~ PRELXIqXNN~ IM.~T TO SUBJ)XYX~ 7.1 ~CRES XNTO 12
~XNGLE F~'IXI. Y I,OTS ON PROPERTY ZONED RSF, RESXDENTX~d. SXN6LE F/¥'IXI-Y ~
I.OC~TED SOUTH OF PLE~.~M~r VXEH ROf~,' WEST OF TROENIN. E CXRCLE, E~.ST OF
PEACEFUL LANE ~ NORTH OF L~KE LUCY RO~D · TONER HEI6HTS ·
public
Julius C. Smith
Jonathan Smith
Jim & Mary Stasson
Holly Broden
Mary Meuwissen
David Beddor
Jeff Schoenwetter
Kelby Bailey
Ltnda Barck
Rodd 3ohnson
Bryce & Shelly Fief
Teresa Schrempp
Karen Green
7600 France Avenue $o, Minneapolis
7600 France Avenue So, Minneapolis
6400 Peaceful Lane
640 Pleasant View Road
65S0 Troendle Circle
1050 Pleasant View
3MS Development
6580 Pleasant View Way
960 Lake Lucy Road
1061 Lake Lucy Road-
1040 Lake Lucy Road
1041 Lake Lucy Road
1021 Lake Lucy Road
Sharmln Al-Jarl presented the staff report on this item.-Chairman Batzll
called the public hearing to order.
Jeff Schoenwetter: Good evening. My name's Jeff Schoenwetter. I'm with
JMS. I don't have a lot to say. We, my staff and I were in this morning.
Met with your staff. Sharmtn's report was conclusive that'Lot 13 is being
modified to conform with staff's report. The cul-de-sac is going to grow
10 feet. And we are working through staff with the issues regarding tree
preservation and reforestation of the site. Otherwise the plat's very
straight forward and conforms and !'m here simply to answer your questions.
Thank you.
Batzli: So you're in agreement with. all of the conditions as they've been
modified tonight? You've seen the staff report?
Jeff Schoenwetter: Absolutely.
Ledvina: Mr. Chairman. I have a question. Do you feel that the trees can
be preserved with little difficulty or how do you' see that physically
happening on the site?
Jeff Schoenwetter: We don't view that as a major issue. The trees that
are mature and most desireable, on Lots 12 and 13, through a variety of
methods will be saved. Some ways are grading plan contemplates a small
retaining wall along the road at one point. Where the grade, where there
are fills in the toe of Lot 12, the mature trees would be boxed at the
bottom. And then a few of the trees are unavoidably in the roadway. We
contemplated a center island system for the entrance which really is not
ideal engineering but would create an interesting entrance. We're looking
at that in lieu of cutting those trees down. If we do our reforestation
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 17
program will address the number of caliper inches lost and what type of
replacement we would have within the plat-.
Ledvina: Thank you.
Jeff Schoenwetter: Thank you.
Batzli: Is there anyone else that would like to address the Commission on
this issue? If there is, please come forward to the microphone and give us
your name and address. And/or who you're here on behalf of.
Daryl Fortier: Howdy. My name is Daryl Fortier Nit'h Fortier and
Associates. I'm here representing Frank Beddor and the Pleasant View
Homeowners Association. I've asked to bring up several issues and try to
keep the Nez Perce alignment as a separate issue, and we'll-try to trend
lightly on that if I can and deal Just with the plat. First we would note
that this plat does increase the traffic off Peaceful, I'm-sorry. Off
Pleasant View Road and we believe that's needless. Pleasant View Road is a
substandard street. It has severe problems of traffic. Where this traffic
will be discharged is at the intersection of Peaceful Lane and Pleasant
View Road and that's the location of a rise. It is somewhat of a blind
situation and there have been head-on collisions at that location. It is
not a good access point. The next thing we'd-point out is that we, I have
been commissioned to do a tree survey and as staff points out, there is
very substantial tree loss on the north side of this site. We have not
seen the specific grading plan and Ns're pleased that there'd be a
retaining Nell to save some of the trees but our estimate-is that there is
at least 300 caliper inches that will be lost.
Batzli: I'm sorry, how many?
Daryl Fortier: At least 300 caliper inches that would be lost. That
number is our best estimate based on field measurements. The existing
points to this plat for access are to the south off Lake Lucy Road, Outlot
B I believe it's called and also off the existing Peaceful Lane'. .Peaceful
Lane is really very much lower than the remainder of the site and any
access to Peaceful Lane will result in the sort of tree loss that is
presently being proposed. As you see by the plat that's being projected,
the topography on the north side and on the Nest side is really reasonably
steep and that is also where moat of the trees are. Most of the mature
trees are oaks and maples and basswood. Similarly staff is showing, and
the developer is proposing connecting Tower Heights Road I believe it's
called, to the extension of Nez Perce.
Batzlt: Sharmin, can I interrupt you Just a minute? Sharmin, can you use
your highlighter and this map is kind of bad. Just show the connection to
Nez Perce and then Peaceful so there's a different color up there. Thank
you. Go ahead.
Daryl Fortler: The light blue color that Sharmtn has put on Nould folloN
Peaceful Lane existing and tend not to 'enter the present O~ens' property
until it reaches his driveway. That would be more similar Nith. alingnment
B in the feasibility study which would mean that the extension of Nez Perce
would intersect at a 90 degree right angle and that Peaceful Lane would be
Planning Commission Meeting
3uly 21, 1993 - Page 18
the thru street connecting Pleasant View'. We believe that such an
alignment, that is alignment B would mitigate the traffic impact on
Pleasant View Road and of the two, the homeowners and Mr. Beddor have
always favored alignment B and we have been opposed vigorously to alignment
A. Alignment A is the sweeping curve that you see shown in pink. And
..
you see, Tower Heights Drive intersects with that at a 90 degree angle such
to that because it introduces more traffic and encourages people to use Nez
Perce to a greater extent. Again ! don't want to dwell too much on that
issue but this assumes Nez Perce is going to be constructed. The next
thing we'd like to point out is that the access off Lake Lucy Road by
contrast results in the loss of only 3 trees. One 8 inch elm, one 10 inch
ash and one 8 inch ash tree. The grading along Lake Lucy Road, as you can
readily see from the contours, is much more gentle. Much more readily
attained. This slope does not requite a great deal of grading and there's
very minimal tree loss. Same number of lots can be developed for the owner
and the traffic is out onto a road which is presently in full conformance
with the city ordinances and standards. It also has rapid access onto
County Road 17 and does not come out at a curve or a'rise in the road,
which are both known traffic hazards. The previous City Council, Planning
Commission, planners, engineers from the city staff-, as wel! as the
developer and myself when I was present and involved in the Carver Beach
planning, agreed that Outlot B was the logical location for access to. the
Owens site. That has no longer been considered seriously by staff because
of the controversy and the involvement with Vtneland, Troendle and Owens
regarding Nez Perce. But we would certainly request that it be looked at
more dispassionately and that you consider the merits of access to the
south as opposed to access to the north. Again we would point out that
there's a loss of trees to the south of only 3 small trees. All under 10
inch whereas to the north there is a loss of over 20 trees. Some with
diameters of up to 30 inches. The grading on the south can be
The grading on the north can be brought up to $~ or 6~ only with
substant[a! grading and retaining walls. And finally we would bring up to
your attention that this was previously planned and approved and supported
by city staff, engineers, City Council, Planning Commission and the
developers when Carver Beach Estates was originally planned. Thank you.
Batzli: Let me ask you a question. I attended the City Council meeting
and they said Nez Perce was going to go thru.
Daryl Fort[er: Correct.
Batzli: In a nutshell. Are you proposing that we take a look at not
connecting this to Nez Perce, even though it's going to go through, or
maybe or maybe not but that we reconsider it even though the City Council
said it's going to go through?
Daryl Fortier: That's correct. I'm asking you to look at this plat and
say, let's assume Nez Perce is indeed constructed. Is this still a. wise
way to develop this property? Our opinion is not. It is not a sound way
to develop this site.
Batzli: Okay. Thank you. [s there anyone else?
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 19
Rodd Johnson: My name is Rodd Johnson. I llve. on Lake Lucy. The issue I
would have, as has been all along. I hear trees and I think it's insanity
in that if you bring it out the other Nay there's 31 ktd~ non in 18 homes
on that strip and so now you're going to put ail that traffic on and that's
Nhat City Council Nent over and has tNice said this is the Nay it's going
to go. I think that from our standpoint', from people on the road, the 5~
grade is at the beginning but you could have a i2~ grade going up which
staff has already shown in their reports on that issue. We're in favor of
JHS doing this development Just the Nay that it's shoNn in green noN.
Batzli: Okay, thank you. Is there anyone else?
Renelle Albrecht: I'm Renelle Albrecht and I llve at 6581 Nez Perce Drive
and you know I understand that the street's going through and I would like
to Just point out that there could be tNo stop signs that Nhen you're doing
the road you should take this into consideration. That there are 31 kids
on Lake Lucy Road and there are also a lot of kids on the Vineland Forest
Addition. That two stop signs, one placed Nhere Nez Perce Drive turns into
Lake Lucy Road. That could become a 3 Nay sto~ where it's presently Just a
one way stop going onto Lake Lucy Road. And making where Nez Perce would
go onto Peaceful Lane, making that a 90 degree stop so that there Nould be
a stop sign. It would increase the safety in the area tremendously. It
Nould make it not a thoroughfare. It Nould make people stop and go slowly
through the neighborhood. And I think it would satisfy the residents of
both neighborhoods by Just putting in a couple stop signs. Thanks.
Batzli: Thanks. One moment before I ask someone else to come up. Dave,
Ns'ye had a couple of comments regarding the slope and stop signs and
stuff. Do you Nant to address that?
Hempel: Certainly Mr. Chairman. The one access as Mr. Fortter has
indicated as a viable one through to the Lake Lucy Road from the proposed
subdivision is a 50 foot Nide outlot. 'It's been deeded to the' city. It's
not dedicated public right-of-way.- Where currently both lots adjacent to
this outlot have been built on, both homes do not meet setbacks if a
roadway was to be put in there. In addition, site grading or the road
grades Nould probably dramatically impose grades, boulevards and so forth
to be extended out onto these properties as a result of it. I've been
through this scenario many times and' Ns'ye had a feasibility study done on
the previous roadway alignment on Nez Peres and that's been the elected
route for servicing the Art ONens parcel.
Batzli: What about the traffic issue onto Peaceful Lane and then onto
Pleasant View and the probably addition of stop signs.
Hempel: The installation of stop signs do require a traffic evaluation to
be performed by usually the city's engineering department. We have certain
criteria or warrants that have to be met for the implementation of stop
signs. Stop signs are not intended to control speed. They are to insure a
safe flow of traffic through the intersection. By placing stop signs where
they're not Narranted may breed disrespect for actual other stop signs that
maybe are very warranted and people have a tendency to roll through them or
ignore them when they're not warranted and has caused false impressions of
other intersections. The other thing is, studies prove that placement of
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 20
stop signs for speed consideration deesn't do the Job. It actually makes
that individual feel like he's behind time. Has to increase speed through
the neighborhood to make up that time. You also have an added burden of
air pollution. Rdditional stopping and starting noises at intersections so
stop signs are placed very carefully. You always hear the concern for
children and streets and so forth and we do have a number of residential
areas in the city that are all in the same situations. We do have concern
for children's safety obviously but you have also traffic warrants to
follow.
8atzll: I think Mr. Fortter eluded to a sight line problem though.
Turning from Peaceful Lane onto Pleasant View. Have you taken a look at
that?
Hempel: There currently as it exists right now, there's a large sweeping
radius onto Peaceful Lane from Pleasant View and is not a good
intersection. Rs a part of the Nez Perce extension, that will be modified
to be a right angle intersection to correct the problem that current exists
at that intersection.
Scott: So you're talking about Peaceful Lane meeting Pleasant View Road at
a right angle?
Hempel: That's correct. Right now it's a large sweeping pavement area.
Batzli: But it's coming up a hill and I think around a slight bend there.
That's the sight line I'm talking about.
Haspel: That's correct, yeah.
Batzli: Rnd that will be alleviated by, or mitigated by this?
Hempel: It will be adjusted, yes. In conjunction with the roadway
improvements out there.
Batzlt: Okay. Let me get back to you. Is there someone else that would
like to address the Commission? I know I had several people standing up.
Yeah.
Sharon Rogers: My name is Sharon Rogers. I. live at 6500 Nez Perce. I
agree with what Renelle said. No matter, I mean a stop sign is going to be
better than, and a little bit of noise of people accelerating is going to
be better than having your child hit. So I agree that we should try to
come up with some safety things like that. I live right on the curve, can
you put that other map up again. I live on the curve 'where Nez Perce comes
down the steep hill, by Renelle's home, and it curves around and I would
also request a curve sign and a lowered speed limit. No one can go across
that curve at 30 mph. People have tried but I think that that is necessary
as well as some stop signs. Rlso I know that, you may ignore this comment
but I would like to see another feasibility study done since the last one
was done like 4 years ago. Rnd we weren't there .and many other residents
weren't there and I would like to see that Just our residents have some
consideration. Rs far as we're concerned right now Vineland Forest wasn't
on the map at that time and I would like to see that being considered'. It
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 21
hasn't been considered at all. And we haven't been, our voices haven't
been heard from that area. So not only the safety issues but we have other
issues that we would like to have heard before any of these.
Batzli: Are you proposing that we do a feasibility study for the traffic
safety or to extend Nez Perce?
Sharon Rogers: Ail of them.
Batzli: Thank you.
Hempel: Mr. Chairman, if I could clarify. The feasibility study was
prepared April 13, 1992 for City Council consideration for the first
consideration of Nez Perce. Again, this issue has already been debated.
The official mapping has been approved. There will be an updated
feasibility study that will address assessments to the project.
Batzll: Okay. Would anyone else like to address the Commission? Why
don't we get this gentleman here. He's been pre-empted several times. Go
ahead. No, please.
Julius Smith: My name is Julius Smith and I'm an attorney who represents
Frank Beddor and many of the homeowners on Pleasant View Lane and some of
the other streets involved, and I'll make this very short. We would
request that a determination by the Planning Commission on this plat be
tabled because of a couple items. First of all a petition meeting all the
Statutory requirements has been filed with the Minnesota Environmental
Quality Board requesting an Environmental Assessment Worksheet involving
this area be done by the city. And since the plat is impacted by that
request, feel that it would be premature-to act on that. The City Council,
as you know under the Environmental Rights Act, has 30 days to react to
this request and according to the Environmental Quality Board rules, no
final action can be taken by the City pending a final review of this
request. So it Just seems reasonable-that the City shouldn't act until the
environmental matter is settled because the plat, the change in the shape
of the plat may very take place. And further, this matter should be tabled
because the plat proposed includes land not owned by the developer in that
the access road includes land owned by a third person, Mr. Beddor. No
arrangement has been made to acquire that property, or to purchase that
land. The developer has land abutting a public road. He has access to a
public road over land next to a public road and also land owned by the city
which was required by the city when the plat of Carver Beach Estates was
adopted for access to Owens property, the so called Owens property, or the
platted property. And it seems that you really can't Justify condemning
land for private party access where the access already exists. There's a
real question of legality of the condemnation if it's for a private
person's benefit. Now the city made some comment about well let's just
comdemn all of Hr. Beddor's land but if we do not claim any severance
damages, you haven't got any right to do that. You can condemn Nez Perce
if you wish and what you need for Nez Perce but the lots that are remaining
south of Nez Perce and north of Nez Perce, unless you can prove a public
necessity, you're going to have a hard time condemning it. No public
necessity has been shown in this matter. It hasn't been litigated and nor
has any condemnation proceeding by any public authority been initiated.
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 22
Now the staff report says. the staff report that you have, says that this
plat can't be done anyway until next year so it seems that there would be
nothing lost by tabling this matter at this time. We think action at this
time would be premature and there are many questions that need to be
answered before adequate consideration can be given to this plat as
presented. And staff Just indicated that another traffic study, or I
should say a feasibility study would be done on Nez Perce and I would hope
that instead of Just an engineering study, which is all they've done to
date, which says we could feasibly build this road, that this study would
include an environmental impact aspects, traffic study and a fiscal impact.
Thank you very much.
Ledvina: Question. Regarding the Environmental Assessment Worksheet, what
are the issues, the environmental issues that are at hand that you see?
Julius Smith: The removal of all the trees off Mr. Beddor's land. Or a
lot of trees. Many of them. There's some questions about water quality
and the pond on his land. The~e are ail kinds of impacts, environmental
impacts involved here and those are some of the questions we're raising
with the Environmental Assessment Worksheet.
Scott: Excuse me. I see, I 'm trying to reconcile what I have with what we
have here but there is something that's designated as Vineland which looks
like it's to the east of this particular development. I see that Mr.
Beddor owns a section of land abutting Christmas Lake to the north of
Pleasant View and could you help me understand which pieces of land Mr.
eeddor owns south of Pleasant View.
Julius Smith: Mr. Beddor owns this piece right here. The road from these
two lots being platted cuts across his land.
Scott: Okay so he owns, it looks like outlot, is it Lot 5?
Julius Smith: It's Lot 5.
Scott: 0 kay.
Julius Smith: That's this one right here..
Scott: Alright.
Julius Smith: He also owns this and this.
Scott: I'm sorry, I missed that.
Julius Smith: These two and then he o~ns these.
Scott: 0 kay.
Julius Smith: That's about it.
8atzli: Thank you. Would anyone else llke to address the Commission?
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, i993 - Page 23
Mary Stasson: Good evening. My name is Mary Stasson. I live at 6400
Peaceful Lane and the diagram that's up there before you right now is not
really an accurate diagram because if Sharmtn would point to our property,
the corner of Pleasant View Road and Peaceful Lane Is a big wide, 125 foot
sweeping corner that... It's definitely not a 90 degree turn as sho~n
there. We built on our property 7 years ago and 6 1/2 years ago I met with
Jim Charles who was the Safety Commissioner of the City at that time to
talk about this corner. The Pleasant View Road, Peaceful Lane corner. Jim
agreed with me that the corner is dangerous and should be squared off to
allow us easy access to our driveway. Since that time we've been told by
the city that the corner will indeed be squared off and this will be done
when the developer's start to build and Peaceful Lane is upgraded. We have
also been told by the City that existing homeowners will not have to pay
for this road upgrade. This Nez Perce connection adds to our safety
problems because of the increased traffic. It also depreciates the value
of our property and we hope that as the city look= at the alignment of this
road, that it doesn't have any more impact than how the road ts already
aligned out. We hope that this isn't coming up into our yard in any way.
We built on a quiet, dead-end road which accesses only 3 homes .so this is a
clear depreciation of the value of our property. Since the city has made
the decision to extend the road through and now has a proposed development
for 13 homes, we hope that the city stands by their ~ord, especially since
we have nothing to gain by this proposal and everything to lose. And also
my husband had previously asked to be involved in the road alignment and we
have also been told by the city that the name of our street is to remain
Peaceful Lane because of the expense Involved In changing everything over
to Nez Perce. Thank you.
Batzli: Thank you. Would anyone else like to address the Commission? Is
there a motion to close the public hearing?
Ledvtna moved, Harberts seconded tO cloae the public hearing. All voted in
favor and the motion carried. The public hearing ~aa closed.
Harberts: What I understand the action we're to conetder tonight Is the
approval of a preliminary plat to subdivide 6.1 acres. Pardon?
Batzli: 7.1.
Harberts: [ read it wrong.
Batzli: You read it right. It was a typo.
Harberts: Okay. I understand there is some legal issues in terms of
ownership but I don't understand that to be an issue before us tonight.
I'm sure that that's going to be an Issue between the developer to take
care of that. I understand there's some safety issues and I would
understand that the public safety then would address that. The last issue
that was just brought up though about the name cha~e, staff points in the
report that it's going to be changed to Nez Perce Drive, is that correct?
Al-Jarl: Correct.
Harberts: That's what I understand in your report here.
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 24
Al-Jarl: Correct. And that's something that would take place at the time
'of the extension.
Batzll: Pardon. Just a moment. Yes sir.
Jim Stasson: We had an agreement with the Mayor and the City Council that
that wouldn't change. That it'd still be Peaceful Lane.
Harberts: That might be something they might want to forward, probably
when this is forwarded to the Council then if that's an issue.
Batzli: Yeah.
Al-Jarl: This is really not something'that you would be voting on at this
point. It will take place at the time of the extension of Nez Perce but
it's a recommendation.
Harberts: ! just wanted to make sure.... You know again going back to
consistency, what we requested was tree surveys or tree inventories to see
what the impact was to a particular property. Is that coming?
Al-Jaff: The applicant submitted a survey that showed the existing trees
but not what will be removed and really that doesn't satisfy the needs.
Harberts: Right, because I think we've created with the discussion kind of
the threshhold of having that inventory so we can see exactly what the
impact is and I think that was one of the issues so I would certainly want
to see that as part of the recommendation that are forwarded, if indeed
that's what the action is tonight. And as I understand the developer is
okay with the rest of the recommendations.
Al-Jarl: Correct.
Harberts: With regard to that frontage road on Lot 137
Al-Jarl: Correct.
Harberts: I guess one last comment. I would tend to, I'm still kind of
unclear with myself in terms of moving an approval with this simply because
we don't have that tree inventory. I recall one of the projects it did
make a significant impact to us on the Commission so I would really-like to
see that. I guess I would Just say that I think with any community there's
always an opportunity for development and that developer certainly has the
opportunity to do it and we're here at the city and citizen advisory group
to try to insure that that development is done in a way that benefits the
overall community and ! know that's my reason for sitting here. But !
think it's Just a reality of life that people have the opportunity to
develop land in a way that then meets the codes. So with the exception of
the tree inventory, I really don't have any problem with the plat itself. ~
know Matt has a little it more expertise in the area of grade so I'm
interested to hear his comments on that. But I'm comfortable that we've
got competent staff that will insure that the safety issues are taken into
account. My own personal view is that I like to insure that there is no
question in terms of public safety.and I think that would also extend to
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 25
making sure that all streets are named in such a way that if there is an
emergency, that there is no problem in terms of finding the location. And
I'm guessing that public safety has reviewed the ~ame change and if they
are in approval with it, I would also then be recommending.that the name
change follo~ that of public safety department.
8atzli: $o you'd like to see this passed along? You don't think of it as
being something that you'd like to table and have it come back with either
the lots shifted or.
Harberts: I'm a little concerned about' the number of trees. You: kno~ I'm
Just recalling the one plat we did. I guess I would certainly bow to staff
if they feel comfortable with working with the developer. I think we've
set the threshhold. They certainly have a strong indication of what we see
or what we feel so I guess in conclusion I wouldn't have any problem
pushing this forward with those recommendations then.
Batzli: Okay, thank you. Ladd.
Conrad: I would like to see it come back. I ~ould like to see the tree
survey... I think the issues, all the issues it looks like they're on the
table. Many of them addressed but the trees, and especially Lot 12 and 13,
I don't understand yet. I think in the staff report, the staff report was
pretty strong on Lot 12 and 13. Yet in the motion, in the recommendations
by the staff, it's not quite as strongly worded there and just a footnote
for staff. I think in the staff report they talked about a garage being
taken down. Didn't see that in the recommendations at all and whether you
want that there or not. It is in the staff report but I didn't find it.
Batzli: Isn't that number 187
Harberts: Yeah. Said it was...concurrent.
Conrad: Okay. If it's taken care of, my mistake. So the only issue I
have with this right now would be the tree loss and I don't have a grasp of
that. And the other thing I don't understand is, Julius brought it up. The
Environmental Review Board. I don't understand what that is and what
impact that has on this particular plat.
RI-Jarl: We received a request this afternoon so we haven't had time to
really review it. We've skimmed through it and basically it points out
that there is a wetland north of the site and this could be impacted.. This
is not a wetland, it's a pond and it's also that we're going to move a
large number of trees and we're trying to address this issue. But llke
I said, we haven't had time to review all of the issues and until we have
time to look at it, I apologize. I can't answer all the questions.
Conrad: That's my only comment and I think, if there are other members of
the Commission that would like to see this back, I'd sure support that. [
think if you feel it should move forward, that staff has a grasp like Diane
felt, I'd sure listen to that too. 8ut my...is take a look at what's
happening in terms of vegetation.
Planning Commission Meeting
3uly 21, 1993 - Page 26
Batzli: Yeah. Well, that would be my direction also. Let's at least get
some comments from the other commissioners here and see if they concur at
all. Matt.
Ledvtna: Okay. I'm just going to kind of take it from the top on my iisi
here. With the land swap with the city for the 'water tower, no issue
there. A-okay.
Al-Jarl: No.
Ledvina: Okay. I just wanted to make sure.
Al-Jarl: What we're proposing is that we sell the land rather than Just
swap it and if Dave has any additional comments.
Hempel: [ don't.
Ledvina: Okay. And then a question for Dave. Mr. 3ohnson mentioned a 12~
grade. I thought our ordinan~e was 7~. Is this a variance that we're
looking at here or, on the roads?
Hempel= I guess I was unclear where the Z2~ was referred to. The street
grade proposed with this development is
Ledvina: Okay. So there are no [2~ grades on the streets associated with
this plat?
Hempel: That's correct.
Ledvtna: Okay. I didn't see that either. Let's see. ! guess generally
as it relates to the tree survey, I'm also uncomfortable because I think we
as a commission have seen that some really substantial positive changes can
be made to plats when we know where the trees are and we can identify them
and work around them. If you don't know where they are, you don't know
what you're losing or saving. And [ think that's critical so I guess
would support Ladd and Diane on that point certainly. As far as the request
for the Environmental Assessment Worksheet, I don't know. Sharmin you
indicated that the area to the north of the develop~nt that appears to
it's a low spot. Is that a wetland then or no?
Al-Jarl: No it's not. It's a pond.
Ledvina: Okay. That's a pond and then to the east of the development, or
northeast, is that a wetland area?
Scott: That's that huge pond that's just adjacent to CR 17.
AI-3aff: I believe that's a pond again, isn't it Dave?
Hempel: It does have a storm sewer controlled outlet. It does have
wetland characteristics over time that have taken over the pond site but it
has been a low depression for a number of years.
Batzli: Is that mapped by the city as a wetland?
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 27
Hempel: That's something we'd have to verify. To be honest, I don't know
on that.
Al-Jeff: Again, we only received the request this afternoon so we haven't
had time to look it over.
Ledvina: Okay. And it dc,~s appear that some of the development would, or
may increase runoff in that direction so I think that's a legitimate issue.
In terms of the water quality. Let's see. And as far as access. Dave,
have you any thoughts on the access from Lake Lucy Road and I guess we
talked about it real briefly but you indicated that there were a couple of
problems with that proposal or that potential alternative.
Hempel: That's correct. There currently is t~o, the lots adjacent to the
Outlot B which is a 50 foot strip of land that's deeded to the city as a
part of the Carver Beach Estates. There are two homes built on each.o~e of
the lots that are, you can't see the dimensions on there but ! believe
one's 27 and one's 28 feet which.
Al-Jarl: 25 feet.
Hempel: 25 feet set back from the property lt~e. The garage on the
properties I don't believe are situated. The road was put through at that
point. The front part of the kitchen, the bedroom side of the house would
be right there on the corner as well. Grades through there, I won't say
they couldn't be done. They're pr~bly looking at a 10~ grade with
significant filling probably at the bottom, or-cutting. One of the two to
get your landing into the Lake Lucy Road. Again, all these issues have
been looked at over the last 4 years for servicing this whole area.
Ledvina: Okay, thank you. I guess then in general I feel that although
the overall concept for the development is reasonable, I think there are
some outstanding issues here that we should see it again.
Batzll: Okay, thank you. Joe.
Scott: The other commissioners have covered'the things I wanted to'talk
about but one thing, personally I will vote to table any development that
does not have a tree inventory. That's all I have to say.
8atzli: Okay. Jeff.
Farmakes: I'm not going to repeat Matt's comments. I back him up on what .
he said, in particular the Lots 12 and 13. I-think also that the City
should be sensitive to the neighbors comments, whether they're reasonable
or unreasonable in regards to public safety. I don't always agree with the
criteria that we use for judging public safety. I think we should be more
sensitive to citizens concerns in regard, in explaining how that criteria
is arrived at. Speed limits and so on. That's the extent of my comments.
Satzli: I agree with that. I think it makes sense to most'lay people that
the stop sign will slow down traffic so it's something that we always talk
to you about and you insist that it doesn't do that but it just seems to
make sense to me a~d others in any event. On condtttoll number 19, Sharmin.
Planning Commission Meeting
July 2i, i993 - Page 28
The City may sell a portion of the water to, er land to the developer. I'm
assuming that this can't go through the way we're looking at it unless the
City does in fact sell that land. Is there a reason that we chose to put
in the language may?
Al-Jarl: We can rephrase that.
Batzli: What I'm really getting at is I think-the condition has to reflect
that (a), the plat that we're looking at, .it is not in fact a land trade
because we normally include the plans. So that we're talking about land
which is going to be purchased from the city and I don't kno~, you know the
whole deal appears to me to be contingent on that. Among other things.
But go ahead. What were you going to say.
Al-Jarl: The City shall sell rather than.
Batzli: Well I don't know if you shall do it or not. 'I mean I don't kno~
but that's my point is that, have we agreed on a price and this is all
going to happen or is this.
Al-Jarl: No.
Batzli: We're burning it up with attorney fees negotiating?
Al-Jarl: What we were thinking is we would have it appraised and then try
and agree on a price.
Hempel: Mr. Chairman, previous discussions here this morning with the
developer, to be honest I was not privy to the idea of selling or trading
until I looked at the plans I guess. Discussions further though, the City
would be open to negotiations for selling part of the property to the
developer. We're not interested in trading property and the developer is
well aware of that. As far as setting a fair land values to that small
parcel of land. If we were to have an appraiser do an appraisal of the
property, the appraisal would probably cost more than the property would be
worth so we will negotiate a sales price based on previous purchases of
single family property within the city.
Batzli: Okay. I had agreed with Ladd's comments. I think there's several
issues that we need to look at. One, I'd like to look at, I'd like to make
sure you guys look at the sight lines. At the connection between Peaceful
Lane and Pleasant View. To make sure that in fact there is a decent sight
line there because that is a dangerous intersection and we're going to be
putting more traffic on it by making the connection as proposed. The tree
survey is I think an issue. Water quality impact on several of the ponds
here appears to be an issue. Custom grading and/or moving the lot lines on
Lots 12 and 13 appears to be an issue that we want to look at as well as
the language of the land sale so I think there's several things that need
to be cleared up. I think there's a lot of concern in this area and so I
think rather than Just passing it on, I think we should handle it here at
the Planning Commission before we pass it on and listen to the residents
concerns to make sure we're taking those concerns into account as we make
the decision. Those are my comments. Is there a motion?
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 29
Conrad: I make a motion that the Planning Commission table planning case
93-12 SUB, Tower Heights Addition until staff can bring back those items
that Brian Just mentioned. But primarily a tree inventory and addressing
some of the environmental concerns that are related to it.
Batzli: Is there a second?
Scott: Second.
Batzli: Any discussion?
Harberts: Was the developer informed that a tree inventory was needed?
Required.
Al-Jeff: Yes, and he submitted one. However, it doesn't show. When we
overlap the grading plan over the tree plan, we basically concluded that
the majority of the trees will be removed and that's why we're requesting
that the applicant looks at this again and develop a better plan basically.
That's why we were looking at Lot 13 and saying, the conditions, if you
look at the conditions. It would reflect that. We're basically saying
that the trees will, I mean condition number 6. Looks at grading issues
and tree preservation easements. That's the reason why we put those
conditions there.
Harberts: Does staff feel that theY, you know based on our former
discussion with other plans Sharmin, do you feel that the staff understands
the threshhold in terms of what our expectations are for a tree inventory
and preservation and conservation easements?
Al-Jeff: Yes we do.
Harberts: Thank you.
Batzli: Okay, any other discussion?
Conrad ~oved, Scott seconded to table Subdivision Request ~93-12 for Tower
Heights Addition for further review and lnform~tion'to be brought back to
the Planning Con~aIe~lon. All voted in favor, except Herbaria who opposed,
and the aotion carried with a vote of 5 to 1.
Batzli: And your reasons for opposing? Motion carries.
Harberts: I guess it has a matter to do with the process from my
perspective. I certainly welcome the information. It's of interest. Tree
inventory, I feel personally is a staff function. And I have confidence in
the staff skills that since they understand and have a feeling for what our
expectations are, that they will follow through with it. That's really a
personal perspective. And I certainly, like I said earlier, I'm kind of
torn but with regard to process and cost and things like that, ! guess I...
trust staff's skills.
Batzli: Okay, thank you. Any idea when this will be back before us then
in view of the issues that you have to look at and come back to us?
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 30
Al-Jarl:
Aa ne nson:
8atzli:
Harberts:
We could bring it the second meeting in August.
That'd be the 18th.
18th of August? Okay. Thank you very much.
I have a question. With that EAW, there could be an impact of
when that comes back to us or even just in terms of what the opinions are
from the attorney, is that correct...
Batzli: Okay, thank you very much for coming in.
PUBLIC HE~RING:
HERITAGE DEVELOPMENT TO SUBDIVIDE 37 /~I~ES OF ~TY INTO 57 SINGLE
F~J~ILY LOTS LOCATED ON PROPERTY ZONED RSF. RE$IDENTIN. SINGLE FAMILY
LOCATED NORTH OF KINGS ~ ~ ,IdlEST OF N[NNENASHT~.PARKHAY.~
Public Present:
John Dietrich
Scott Morrow & Cindy Houle
Kevin Cuddihy
Keith Bedford
Bill Naegele Jr.
Terry Labatt
Sue Morgan
Linda Scott
Jerry Kortgard
Daryl Kirt
Harold Taylor
Lowell & Janet Carlson
Dave & Margie 8orris
Peter Miller
RLK Associates
3980 Stratford Ridge
3900 Stratford Ridge
3961 Stratford Ridge
4001 Stratford Ridge
3981 Stratford Ridge
4031 Kings Road
4031 Kings Road
3901 Glendale Drive
50 Hill Street
3861 Stratford Ridge
4141 Kings Road
4071 Kings Road
7161Minnewashta Parkway
Kate Aanenson presented the staff report on this item. Chairman Batzlt
called the public hearing to order.
John Dietrich: Good evening Commissioners. John Dietrich from RLK
Associates. We are the engineers, landscape architects representing
Heritage Development who is the applicant for the proposed preliminary
plat. The plat that is before you tonight was submitted on June 7th with
the intent of looking at the 37 plus acres for 57 unit single family
development. Based upon the information we had at that time in terms of
right-of-way and layout of Kings Road and access requirements, we've
prepared this plat in order to meet the necessary utility access and
drainage requirements according to Code. We realize there are 9 lots, as'
Ms. Aanenson indicated that are insufficient in square footage. Ne feel we
have the ability to shift those lot lines. Minor tweaks more or less in
order to gain the proper square footage for the 15,000 square foot lot'and
the 20,000 square foot lot within the Lake St. Joe, 1,000 foot setback.
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 31
The plat as presented is premised.on ali access coming off Kings Road and
Minnewashta Parkway with the developer proposing to construct the roadway
up to the first lot into the site. From that point west the Heritage
Development would be petitioning the city to construct the Kings Road in
this proposed location for a 429 process and completion of the road in
1994. The issue of park and park dedication, we have looked at the site
and the significant stand of treem on the mite are at the northwest corner.
We feel that is the appropriate place for the park dedication based upon
the negotiations which were underway with Ms. Hallgren'on her property at
the time this plat was submitted. We were working on the premise of
looking at the park eventually in the Hallgren area. That's why the park
dedication is at the northwest corner of the site. We intend to provide
all ponding and storm sewer calculations as necessary in order for the city
staff to have a comfort level with the proposed development and we would be
willing to look at not developing that one parcel that is indicated south
of Kings Road with a homesite so that that parcel could be utilized as a
storm water retention pond. Secondly, the Outlot C which is between
Minnewashta Parkway and Lake Minnewashta would be proposed to be turned
over to the City for public purposes. We would appreciate your
consideration of this preliminary plat development a~d I'm available to
answer questions in regard to it.
Batzlt: Thank you. We'll probably have some questions. Do you have one
now Matt?
Lady ina: No.
Batzli: Oh, okay. Would anyone else like to address the Commission?
Peter Miller: I'm Peter Miller. I live at 7161Minnewashta Parkway. I've
read the staff report and I strongly agree with the recommendation of the
Park and Recreation Committee to put the park on the intersection of Kings
Road and Minnewashta Parkway. It seems to be a much better site for a park
to provide athletic facilities and things that are needed in that area.
Batzlt: Would anyone else like to address the Commission?
Margie Borris: My name is Margie BoTtle. I live at 4071 Kings Road. I'm
that little piece in the middle on the west over there. We had a meeting
with some of the people that live on Kings Road on Monday and some of the
things that we were concerned about is, as our deeds read we own the
property with a, our's reads 33 foot easement for the people that live on
this road. Okay, it is like you say, it is not a public road. You're-
looking at 57 plots and if you say there's 2 cars per household, which is
average, that's 114 cars of new traffic. There's a lot of concerns about
the traffic flow. When they're building this little addition. Everybody
is in favor of you getting your tax money. The developer's making a profit
but we also would Ilks some consideration in this because we have been
there. We pay our taxes Just like everybody else does and we're going to
be more inconvenienced than anyone else there. The fiasco that went on
with Minnewashta Parkway this last year was incredible. If you lived there
or had to use that road, you had to spend an extra half hour somewhere or
another with your traffic during the day. If you could get by. There are
a certain amount of DNR questions that we have about what is going to be
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 32
draining from these drainfields that already exist in this area and how
that is going to drain into Lake St. Joe because there's an under water
tile system that goes under Kings Road and there's 3 other tiles that drain
into that. We also were wondering, where are you going to put all this
equipment when you're building this. Where are you going to park this
equipment? How are we, who live on Kings Road, going to get to and from
work? What are some of these things that nobody ie telling ue about?
Where are you going to stash that equipment? And we have no idea, how long
do you think you're going to tie up this road? -What are you going to do?
Nobody has asked us anything. I think we, on Kings Road feel that a main
road off Mtnnewashta Parkway, on that lower section there, that is right
off by the lake. On the northern farthest part of that, that doesn't go
into Stratford but where this should come out of the developer's land. Not
our's. He's making the profit and you will still get your tax dollars.
That's Just some of the things we discussed. I don't want to be the only
one up here.
Batzli: Thank you for your comments. Is there someone else that would
Iike to address the Commission?
Linda Scott: My name is Ltnda Scott and I live at 4031Klngm Road and I
understand you have the letter that I wrote and as you've seen, my concerns
are. First of ali I vaIue Lake St. 3ce very much. It's a Iake where a
beaver Ilves. There's a deer trail that goes through our yard. There's
incredibIe water fouI that happens and Ilves there and we do have drainage
that comes right across our property from the fields across the road and I
am somewhat concerned of how that drainage, once there's houses there, wiII
impact the wlIdItfe on the Iake. I am very much against having, the city
pay for the road for deveiopment, which means we get assessed. We have ali
moved out there. Happy with our septic systems, our welIs and our dirt
road and if the deveIoper wants to put in houses, I feeI that he should pay
for the road. And aisc because of the concerns of the road, I think ali of
us want to make sure that whatever property we own, does not get taken away
from us for the purpose of improving the road. Thank you.
BatzIl: Thank you.
Jim Andrews: Hello. I'm Jim Andrews. I Iive at 7014 Sandy Hook Circle.
I'm also on the Park Board and I Just wanted to voice my concern and really
disapointment in the developer to ignore recommendations to locate the park
at Kings Road and Minnewashta Parkway. I think this particular park is one
that as a city we've been looking to locate in this area for many, many
years. In fact we've had a fund set up for the 6 years that I've been
involved with the Park Board and I think it's existed at least 3 or 4 years
before that. To acquire property in this area. And the intent was to
serve a very park deficient area with a very much a showcase neighborhood
sized park in an area that definitely needs the service of a park. I think
to locate it on the northwest portion of this property does not allow good
access to the property. Does not provide easy access to the property
owners who have been there the longest that have been waiting for this park
and [ think sort of include a park in coordination with another property
owner at this time who is not yet offered or indicated an interest to sell
their property, in my opinion is pie in the sky. This has been a problem
we've come up with as a Park Board over and over again. Is development
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 33
property being proposed showing a park located not on the actual plat being
considered but somewhere next door, maybe happening at some other time.
And it puts us in a perpetual problem of whenever that next parcel comes
up, if it's not large enough. Not coordinated properly, we again end up
with an area that's inferior. Too small and doesn't offer us the
flexibility we need. So-again, I would hope that the commission would
follow the Park Board recommendation and stress that the park be located
where it was originally proposed.
Scott: I guess that's the thing with the Ztegler property location?
Jim Andrews: To be honest, I don't have my papers with me. It'd be in the
southeast corner.
Scott: Southeast corner.
Jim Andrews: Correct.
Scott: You've had discussions with them and they're willing to sell the
property to you guys?
Jim Andrews: We have not gotten to that point at all, no.
Scott: But they're entertaining it.
Jim Andrews: Yes.
Lowell Carlson: My name is Lowell Carlson. I live at 4141 Kings Road and
they were Just saying about this 6 years that they waited for, or 9 years
that they've waited for this park. Where were they at when Leach's Resort
was sold? It was one of the perfect spots if you ever wanted-a park put
anyplace but I didn't see nobody jumping in the frying pan over that deal.
Because the swimming beach and everything was there. It was all set up.
It couldn't have been no better and right on the lake would have been
destreable. But nobody did anything about it then. I mean they. left it to
go down the tubes and now all the townhouses and everything come in there
and so on and so forth. And then I don't know about the developer. If
you've checked property lines or if you have, the city has on Kings Road
that, do I got to, to get their square footage for each and every lot that
there are little lots for their development, do I got to furnish part of my
land to do so? Because my property runs on the other side, on the north
side of Kings Road. So unless that road is changed, moved over to the
north because my property is clear on the north side and I think you should
check them records and they've been there when we've been-to Court on it
years back on it. And that's pretty well stabilized as far as my property
line but I don't think that I should furnish any property for a developer
to come in there and use up part of my square footage on my property to get
enough for his also. I mean I don't know how you guys are looking at this
thing but.
Batzli: Aren't you on the south side?
Lowell Carlson: Huh?
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 34
8atzli: You're on the south aide right?
Lowell Carlson: Yes, I'm on the south side. I think you should take a
real good look at where that property line, because that road is so crooked
and so out of kilter there and it was I guess at one time was a cow trail
or a horse trail or whatever it was when they Just drove wherever they
wanted to. But anyway, like I maid. It isn't wide enough and so on and so
forth but I don't think I'm going to furnish them any property to get their
square footage out of their lots. I'm going to be saying that for sure.
8ut thank you.
Batzli: Thank you.
Marvin List: Marvin List. I represent Kelth Bedford who ltves at 3961
Stratford Ridge and Bill Munig who lives very near Keith. I don't have his
address. Two real quick points on this. One from a common sense
standpoint and one from a legal standpoint. From a common sense standpoint
we have 37 plus acres that are proposed to be developed and we are
disrupting landowners to the north and the south in terms of having to take
portions of their property to provide access to this 37 plus acres. It
doesn't even make any sense in the world to me to do that. There's ample,
ample opportunity within that 37 acres to provide access over the owner's
property. Not to take it from adjoining parcels. Which leads to the
second issue from a legal standpoint could very well have problems.in
trying to condemn on the north and the south as to purpose and necessity
issues. And some of the damages that would be incurred by those people
I think would be very, very great. The woman who spoke a little bit
earlier proposed I think exactly what Keith Bedford and Bill Munig believe
is the only proper way to do this and that is if this development is to go
forward, you would have access from Minnewashta about in the middle of the
development into it that way. There's no reason to acquire and disrupt
adjoining owners and take their property and incur significant damages to
them. It doesn't make any sense when you have the kind of acreage that we
are developing here. So from a common sense standpoint and from a legal
standpoint, the access that we're talking about is something Just ludicrous
is probably a good word. Secondly, the develope~ indicated that the access
primarily will come in off of Kings Road. I'm not sure that's true. I
think you have a good deal of access coming off of Stratford Lane to the
north which is going to cause a lot of problems to those people up in that
area. So again I think the access should be in the middle of that area.
Not to the north. Not to the south and there's no reason to disrupt the
adjoining owners. Thank you.
Batzli: Thank you.
Margie Borris: Do you want somebody to point it out on the map? They look
confused.
Scott: Kate, I've got a question. It's up in the Stratford area. That
area's developed?
Aanenson: This is a public street to this point. These people enjoy the
use so Mrs. Hallgren can have access to her's so they have like an alley
they're using as a back entrance to their homes.
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 35
Scott: Wouldn't we have about 3 parcels, actually we'd have 6 parcels that
would have roads on both sides?
Aanenson: Well these people have roads on both sides too, and that's not
uncommon to have double frontage lots.
Scott: It isn't? Okay.
Aanenson: These people have double frontage right now...
Resident: But that doesn't exist.
Aanenson: eut we see this Country Oaks, you know and the intent is to tie
neighborhoods together.
Resident: But he is right. People are going to be coming off of Highway
7, are going to hit that Stratford Ridge rather than drive that extra
distance...it's going to work both ways.
8atzli: Thank you.
Marvin List: Again, that's private property to the .north that would have
to be acquired to accommodate what they're talking about.
Aanenson: This portion.
Marvin List: That's correct...common or legal sense.
Batzli: Okay. Would someone else like to address the Commission?
Sue Morgan: My name is Sue Morgan. I live at 4031 Kings Road and I Just
have one question for the City Engineer. We were led to believe that the
City of Chanhassen did not want another street coming directly off of
Minnewashta Parkway, is that correct? And if so, why?
Hempel: That's correct. Accesses off of a collector type street I believe
as in the ordinance is limited to, correct me if I'm wrong Kate, quarter
mile.
Aanenson: Yep.
Hempel: Along Minnewashta Parkway so it is desireable to limit access onto
a thoroughfare type street. It only makes sense from a traffic engineering
standpoint to utilize existing entrance points which are spaced appropriate
along the Parkway.
Sue Morgan: Are there exceptions to that?
Hempel: It is City ordinance I believe of the Subdivision regulations. I'm
not aware of any that have been done in the last 5 years since I've been
here.
Sue Morgan-' Okay, thank you.
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 36
Kevln Cuddlhy: Kevtn Cuddihy at 3900 Stratford Ridge. Not to reiterate
any points so I won't send them back. I think that the developer would
realize, if he went back to the traffic studies that were done last year
for Minnewashta Parkway itself, that they would find that quite a bit of
the traffic coming down Minnewashta Parkway is coming out of, more traffic
is coming actually out of the Highway ? entrance than the Highway $
entrance. Therefore, coming to this neighborhood they wouldn't be using
the Kings Road access. They'd be coming in the other way. Second of all,
I think notification of the entire Minnewashta Parkway homes I think should
be very key here in the park discussion because it was discussed heavily
during the Minnewashta Parkway rennovation project t'hat they would develop
a bike path/walking path that would be accessible to a park and I think
you'd find the Park Commission and the City Council recognizing that this
whole area on Minnewashta Parkway is in desperate need of a park. And to
try to cram it back into a corner where no one's at Just seems ridiculous.
And I think the opportunity on the southeast corner is the opportunity
there is to run an additional road into that new. development adjacent to a
park area that should be where it's been talked about. And not try to hide
it into the back corner with limited access for all the people on the
Parkway that expect to use that park. So thank you.
Batzli: Thank you. Would anyone else? Is there a motion to close the
public hearing?
Conrad moved. Scott ~econded to close the public hearing. All voted in
favor and the motion carried. The public hearing ~as closed.
Farmakes: First of all, I'll make my general comments about this layout. I
don't like it. I think that from a monetary standpoint it's pretty-obvious
why those big lots are going up by the lake. And the very small lots get
smaller as you work your way back. In particular, up in the corner.
Where's the north direction on here? It'd be the northwest corner? Lot 7,
13 and 6 I think are pretty poorly put together. [ don't mind the issues
of access that are being discussed here. I think that they're consistent
with what the City's direction is. To connect neighborhoods, not to
isolate them. I would support the staff's recommendations...and again, I
hope that we occasionally see development beyond the minimum requirements.
In this case, even less than the minimum requirements except where's
developer's going to make a few dollars at the expense I think of the
surrounding area. ! certainly think that there's no Justification for
cashing out on those front lots with what they could do with-that piece of
property and it does have potential for being a park area in the front and
do with a few less lots here.
Scott: I'd like to see this tabled based on the staff recommendations and
some other things. Predominantly the park location, lot-size within the
l,O00 feet of Lake St. Joe. That's my thoughts.
Batzli: Well you've proposed something different from what the staff is
proposing which is recommending to deny.
Scott= Oh, deny. Excuse me.
Planning Commission Meeting
July 2i, i993 - Page 37
Batzli: You raise an interesting point and that is, if we table it is
there something that can be worked out or has city staff basically, are we
even at...at this point with the applicant. Rnd ! guess I'd ask the
applicant as well. If it looks like we're going to deny it and move it
along to City Council, would you prefer that we table it so that we can
maybe iron out some of these issues and not have to deny it?
John Dietrich: Based on the issues that ate on the table, we would prefer
a denial and I think the park issue is going to play a major role and that
is going to probably be the driving force as to'how this plat eventually
will become developed. Rs well as the right-of-way locations and access.
Batzli: Okay. So those are positions right now that you've basically got
your heels dug in that this is how we want to do it and you'd rather see it
denied all the way up than try and resolve something?
John Dietrich: Correct.
Batzli: Okay. Matt.
Ledvina: Well I think there's been a 1.ot of good discussion on a lot of
issues here and if this does come back in some form, I think the Minutes
should be closely reviewed to account for many of the good points that have
been made. Something that I would just like to say, as far as the grading
plan is concerned. You know I recognize that the topography is pretty
difficult but, and there may not be a lot of trees to save, spare the
northwest cornet that we've talked about. But on the other hand, we're
essentially grading all the developed area of the project and I'don't think
that's a desireable base to start f~om. We want to keep our landforms in
Chanhassen to some things that resemble the past and I think that's a
reasonable thing even when we're developing subdivisions. So other than
that I would support the denial of this plat as proposed.
Batzli: Okay. If I can butt in before I go to Ladd here. Rs far as
drainage of this parcel, where is it all going to go?
Hempel: The parcel is divided into basically two different watersheds.
The westerly 1/4 of it drains towards the city of Victoria. There's a
wetland area along the westerly border of the development. The remaining
3/4 of it does drain southeasterly, eventually to Lake St. Joe and a small
portion of it to Minnewashta Parkway.
Batzli: Is there some sort of plan to do some sort of, did I miss some
sort of NURP ponding or something? Is that in your report?
Hempel: Yeah. Upon review of it, we felt there was inadequate on site
pondtng proposed. They had proposed I believe two small retention pond
areas but for 37 acres of land is nowhere.
Ranenson= That was number 8, reason fo~ denial. We felt, as we did with
the Boley, we had the pre-treatment, ponds before they go into Lake St. Joe.
And this we felt was inadequate proposed on-site drainage.
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, i993 - Page 38
Batzli: Yeah. That was in, okay. And that was in Dave's number 10. Is
there additional water coming across the parcel from other areas into Lake
St. Joe? I mean is this our last best hope to try and treat water going
into Lake St. Joe?
Hempel: The runoff for this parcel, I'guess we haven't looked at other
adjacent parcels south of Kings Road. But based on the topography and the
vegetation along there, I'd seriously doubt that there's a large enough
area capable of supporting a pondtng basin to deal with water quality
issues. Runoff from this 37 acre parcel. We will definitely need a number
of water quality ponds on the development to control both quantity and
quality of the water which goes to hake St. Joe.
Batzli: Well Lake St. Joe's designated as a natural environment lake, or
non-recreational use, whatever we categorize it as. It seems to me that if
we're going to protect the lake from development around it, we need to do a
pretty serious look and maybe have our water quality Bonestroo people take
a look at the effect of development upstream from this parcel and this
parcel as well as those sandwiched inbetween. Because otherwise we're
going to end up developing it piecemeal and each time we're going to say
well we don't have enough space and nothing's going to happen other than
we're going to get some pretty bad runoff into Lake St. Joe, it seems to
me. Ladd.
Conrad: I basically ~n't like what I'm looking at...pay attention to the
staff's recommendations. There's no .reason I would entertain this. A
question for Kate though. Access seems to be a big issue, especially with
the residents here. I keep mulling around. I believe the staff report,
and I really don't know if this is the staff's opinion or if staff is
trying to work with the applicant and make it work or help it work. And
Dave maybe you can jump in. If you had your druthers on this whole parcel,
and the parcels to the south and the undeveloped parcels to the north and
you have two accesses, Stratford and King's are potential, is this where
you'd you in a perfect world, is this where you'd put them or would you try
to gerryrig them around a little bit?
Hempel: I think the stage is set out there with the existing homes,
existing roadways. The location where it enters the Parkway are
desireable. The sight lines. Not to say that maybe another access
inbetween ~ould still not uphold the sight line concerns but we get into
the access points along Minnewashta Parkway.
Conrad: The proposed park by the developer on the northwest corner has a
stand of trees. Are these worth saving?
Aanenson: Yes. Yes, they are. We asked'for a tree inventory. One ~asn't
provided but based on Just the site visit we feel it is a significant
stand.
Conrad: I sure would like to see one when the applicant makes another
proposal. And again, letting the applicant know that tree preservation in
that, if the park is shifted. I'm still interested in preserving trees in
that area. Last question Kate, our ability to get a park in particular
location within a plat. What is our ability to do that? U~ually
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, i993 - Page 39
developer's go and usually staff say we'll negotiate that. It typically
has worked. Here's a case where it hasn't and what's the city's ability to
say, you have to have it here?
Aanenson: Well I think part of the issue on this is preference in the fact
that we're obligated to make this park happen. The city's obligated to buy
a large portion of the park and obviously there incentive is to make sure
that we do that in a timely manner and so they're pushing this through to
make that happen. We feel that it makes the most sense to make that
happen. That the Council feels like they're not ~illtng to support the
dollar cost, then it dies and they do their thing but staff believes that
we've got the support of the Administration and the Council to see this
park go through.
Conrad: And I guess I don't understand. The proposed park in the
southeast corner, based on the Park and nec recommendation, is that
entirely contained within this parcel? Or is it outside of it?
Aanenson: Correct. It's all inside.
Conrad: It's all in there. And that has always been, okay. No more
questions.
Batzli: Okay. Diane.
Harberts: I'm going to go along with the staff recommendation and to move
denial. I have to agree with your comment, I think it was' Dave made in
terms of the limited access onto Minnewashta Parkway. From my perspective,
and in the type of Job that I'm in, you limit access because then it's
easier to control traffic flow and when you have this type of' development
as well as some open other land in terms of development, I think those
should be some key issues. And I won't ask a lot of details from staff.
I'll chat with them at some other time but I ~uess, you know I have a real
strong feeling, and I don't know all the ln's and cut's so again I'll
certainly talk with staff at another time in terms of, if it's priority to
limit access onto Minnewashta Parkway, why aren't we aligning then the
road, comments from the people I thought were well taken about through the
center. You know Country Oaks. You know !'ye received comments how that
33 foot trail or road or whatever would certainly make a nice. access point
to the proposed park. So since it's being denied, like ! said I'll follow
up with staff because there may be some other issues that I'm not aware of.
8ut I think overall my real sense of denial of this is goino along with
staff is simply because it doesn't seem to be a very friendly development
for the community, for the city, for the residents. And I think that's
what we ask the developers, we ask of anyone is that we all work together
the way that it is again benefit the community. It's not unheard of, of
when the developers and the people that are affected, sit down and chat.
See if there can be some kind of compromise that peo~le can live with. You
know people understand I think that the land's ~oing to develoP. People
own it. They have the opportunity to do it but I think from a developer's
perspective, they have to work with us too as well as the people because
we're the ones that are ~olng to live here. $o I would Just encourage
them. You know it's too bad, from my perspective, and I'm sure there's
reasons the developer rather would (;o ahead with the denial rather than a
Planning Commission Meeting
3uly 21, 1993 - Page 40
table but I guess when I see a plat come through, I hope in the future
again that it's a real friendly development and I question,.and again I'll
check with staff, how a development can cause the city to buy land that
disrupts people, other people's land when I would also concur that
shouldn't the developer bear that cost as part of the development. And-
again, I'll just simply defer to staff at another time. I'm sure there's
reasons why and I'll follow up with them on that. But I think the overall
basis here is just help us develop our community. We want to see the
development occur but help us do it so it benefits everyone.and that
everybody is happy because there are people that are going to live here for
a long time. That's it.
Batzli: Okay. I only have I guess two things to add. One of them is
extension of Stratford Lane. And also Kings Road. I'd like to get a
clarification and then the other is to note to Dave that in fact it was in
there and I missed it about the drainage. But it's interesting that it may
also impact the City of Victoria based on their- grading and I think as a
friendly neighbor to Victoria, we should let them see what we're going to
dump across the city lines there. Stratford Lane, we've had several
letters from people that would like it extended westward and maybe a bone
of contention that we're avoiding here by what we're about to do. But from
a planning perspective, it sounds like staff is comfortable with extending
that. I mean is that something that we've looked at in great detail?
Aanenson: If the park doesn't go in this area?
Batzli: Yep.
Aanenson: Then your access is Startford Lane. That's the only way to
access it. Not only that, you have to look at the other, Mrs. Hallgren has
to have access to her property and somehow we need to look at that in the
overall planning because she's got a large piece up in this area here.
Again, while we envision Country Oaks.
Batzli: Headla and Hallgren.
Aanenson: Yes. We've met with Mr. Headla and he will probably get access
off of the extension of this, coming this way. Again, he can split maybe
get 5 lots or something off there. Maybe more. He would need access to
his property. Again, it's be not the city's desire to have direct access
again. So you have to look at the larger'picture. Not this development
but there's a few other developments that can happen in this area. We did
lay out some tentative streets, how this whole thing can come together but
two streets need to still be connected and that's Country Oaks Drive and
Stratford. Again, it was always tha city's intent for that street to go
through. That's why there's a 50 foot access there for a public street.
Not just to serve just those few homes up in there.
8atzli: Where, Stratford Lane you're talking about?
Aanenson: For Stratford Lane, correct.
8atzli: On the Kings Road, on the map that we're looking at. The 33 feet.
Is that?
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 41
Resident: That's the entire width of the road at the widest point·
8atzli: Is that currently reflected on our map as being owned by the piece
being developed or is that the current location of the road on the nearby
residents?
Aanenson: That's what we're saying. We've surveyed that there's 20 to 23
feet. Where it falls within there, that's one of the reasons why we've
asked for it to be tabled. We're not sure by right of use, based on the
fact that we've maintained it for a number of years, where we have right to
be on that property.
Batzli: Okay. Well I understand from our City Attorney that we have the
right to improve that road, wherever it may be.
Aanenson: Exactly.
Batzli: And so the issue is really, we've got to figure out where the heck
the road is.
Aanenson: They need to show us on the plat. Where it is and where.we need
to pick up additional property to get 60 feet which is our desire for that
road.
Batzli: Okay. Okay. And would we normally require that the applicant
survey it to figure out where it is and what, is that normally done by the
applicant?
Aanenson: Yes ·
Batzli: And the applicant has not eR>ne that yet?
Aanenson: Well we Just learned of this as we went through the process. We
were all under the assumption that it was a 30 foot right-of-way.
8atzli: Okay.
Hempel: Because one of the property owners had mentioned that their title
shows a 33 foot wide easement. Private.
Batzli: Right. Well, regardless of what that shows, and that can be an
issue of contention. I don't mean to dismiss that from the people who
raise that because that's a serious issue but on the one hand we're hearing
from our attorney that we have the right to use that and improve that. They
can contest it and they should if they think ~e're taking too much but we
don't even know how much we need to get from the north because we don't
know where the road is at this point.
Hempel: That's correct.
Batzli: Okay. Those were ail my questions. Unless there.'s any other
discussion, I'd entertain a motion. And even after a motion I'd entertain
discussion, what the heck.
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 42
Scott: I move that we deny Case No. 93-11 of the preliminary plat to
subdivide 37 acres into 57 single family lots·
Batzli: Is there a second?
Harberts: Second.
Batzli: Discussion. Would you like to include as part of your motion, the
additional information and issues set forth in the staff report, numbers i
thru 6 as reasons for denying?
Scott: Certainly.
Batzli: As a.
Scott: Friendly amendment?
Batzli: Well, I don't even kno~ if I can friendly amend but if you'd like
to amend your own motion. And the second ~ould accept it.
Harberts: I will.
Batzli: Is there any other discussion?
Scott aoved, Hazberta a~conded that the Planning Comml~ton recoa~enda the
City C~ncll deny the r~est for ~rlta~ D~el~nt, ~Ivision ~93-11
for the follo~ino
·
The plat does not reflect the Park and Recreation Commission's
recommendation for a park to be located in the southeast corner of the
site.
2. There are 7 lots that are deficient in minimum lot size requirements.
3. A tree survey needs to be completed for the northwest corner of the
site.
·
Road right-of-way on Kings Road needs to be field checked and shown on
the plat to determine if any additional right-of-way is required· If
additional right-of-way is required, the lot sizes will be affected and
will have to be modified.
5. The three lots with access to Minnewashta Parkway must be redesigned to
have access via an internal street.
6. Provisions for storm water ponding must be provided on site.
All voted in favor of denial and the motion carried.
Batzli: Thank you very much everyone for coming in. When does this go to
City Council?
Aanenson: August 23rd.
MJ~,.IC INFORMATIONAL MEETIN6:
I)]:.$CU55 THE NORTH ACCE55 BOULEV~ PROJECT. THE PROJECT ENTAILS THE
~ONSTRUCTION OF A ~ LANE BOUtEVARD BETWEEN ~ BOIJL~~ ANO HWY 41 ON
.THE NORTH SIDE OF HHY 5. THE BOUI~E.: V~d~D HILL- BE AN EXTENSION OF HEST 78TH
STREET AND IS DESIGNED TO SERVE LOCAL TRIPS ~ POTENTI~_ NEW DEVELOPMENT.
ZT ZS ANTICZPATEO TO BE A 30ZNT PROJECT BETWEEN THE CITY AND HINNESOTA
DEP~TMENT OF TR~giSPORTATION.
Pub1 !c Pr®merit:
Lee Kerber
Jay Dolejst
Teresa Bentz
Marlene Bentz
Jeff & Tami Braiedy
Deborah Porter
Jim Andrews
Tim Keens
Stuart C. Mills Jr.
Chris Dietzen
TOmlGreen
Mike Gorra
Brad Johnson
1620 Arboretum Blvd.--
6961 Chaparral Lane
7280 Galpin Blvd.
7300 Galptn Blvd.
850 Western Drive
BA Associates
7014 'Sandy Hook Circle
Representing Mills Fleet Farm
512 Laurel Street, Brainerd, MN
Representing Mills Fleet Farm
Mills Properties, 512 Laurel, Brainderd, MN
1680 Arboretum Blvd.
7425 Frontier Trail
Kate Aanenson presented the staff report on this item. Chairman Batzli
called the public hearing to order. Diane Harberts left the meeting at
this point and did not vote on the remaining items.
Deb Porter: What I'll do, to try and make this a little more brief is
rather than go through the entire document, which some of you-are more
familiar with than others who are on the task force. I hope you've had a
little bit of time to look it over but I think a better way to go over the
impacts is to look at the summary table which is page 14. Table 6-1 in
your document. I also have some single sheet copies of that table here.
Kate, if you want to Just pass them along either to the Commission members
or other people who are interested. What this table is is a summary of the
impacts that we felt were more quantifiable in terms of physical impacts
and some cost issues with the Alternative 1 and 2 corridors and our
crossovers. The task force has been looking at this now for a couple of
different meetings and what we've added here to this table then. in the last
column that you can see is the preferred alternative. We've also
quantified that for what the task force has recommended as Alternative 1
plus the use of the crossovers A and C. It also will involve Just a short
segment then of Alternative 2 and ! think Kate will also pass out the
graphics that we have where we have the preferred alternative shaded in a
dot pattern on those graphics. I think in terms of the degree and type of
impact that we're looking at here for either alternative, and the preferred
alternative is identified by the task force is really minimal in terms of
the length of the project of 2 1/2 miles. In my experience I haven't come
across a project where we have this little wetland impact or flood plain
encroachment considering that we have two creek corridors and a 'number of
wetland basins through the project area and ! think-that's mostly due to
the fact that during the preliminary engineering phase, and also Just the
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 44
design concept of th[s roadway being curvalimear, that Ne were able to
avo[d a lot of the more significant natura[ features. Even the wooded
areas, primarily as you see here on your table. We identified 4 major
sites of vegetation. The more mature wood lots. We tried also to avoid as
much encroachment on those as we could so ! think this will be something
the regulatory agencies, the Department of Natural Resources, PCR,
Pollution Control Rgency, and the federal age~cies, Corps of
Fish and Wildlife Service, I think they'll be very pleased to see this
l[ttle impact considering that you're buildlng a completely new roadway
through a community. So I think that's a credit to the project. Also,
terms of the overall impacts, Alternatives ! and 2 have nearly a mtle of
common alignment anyway from Powers Blvd. to approximately Audubon Road is
the same. We also have some other short segments that are a common
alignment between the two so that's the reason why you don't see a great
deal of difference in the amount of impact between the two alternatives.
In terms of flood pla[n encroachment, we have anywhere from as little as
just over half an acre of encroachment of our Alternat[ve 2, to a maximum
of 1.3 acres for Alternative 1. The same for vegetation and wetlands. We
have really just a minimum amount of acreage that we're Impacting. k~e also
quantified the notse level Increase. If you read through the document you
saw that a decibel increase of 3 decibels or less is really inperceptible
to most human hearing capabilities so again, we're looking at very minimal
Impact there. In terms of relocation. The.four homestead~ that would be
affected are the same for both Alternat[ve 1 and 2 and the preferred
alternative. It's primarily the 3 homes that are located withln the Lake
Ann Park area and one more residence just east of TH 41 there. So those
propertie~ will be impacted no matter whtch alternative was chosen. In
terms of right-of-way acquisition, the actual number of acres needed for
the roadway. Agaln, is very similar for each alternative corridor. Even
look[ng at addit[onal acreage in terms of purchasing buffer area and where
that comes Into play is primarily on the south side of Alternative 2.
Between Trunk Highway 5 and the alternative. We took a look at that and
for Alternative 1, [ncludIng buffer areas it ~ould be about 42.7 acres we
est[mate. For Alternative 2, 46.5 approximately for additional acres: For
our preferred alternative, it's a little over 40 acres of total right-of-
way acquisition including buffer areas. We took a look at what we call a
generalized dollar value for the type of land parcels that would be
affected for right-of-way acquisition. Again the total dollar cost that we
come up with here is actually very similar between the two alternative
corr[dors. We also added here for the preferred alternative. The price
seems to drop do~n just a bit and that's because we have just a few less
remnant parcels that crossovers A and C allow us to have less effect on
those two homesteads. So that brings the right-of-way acquisition cost
down a bit. The estimated construction cost again stays right within that
range that we've identified since the beginning of the project. Between 2
to 2 1/2 million for this roadway. $o I guess I'll open it up to any
questions you might have during your. review of the document or the task
force discussions during the last couple of meetings. I think Kate
Identified primarily the reasons, the supporting reasons why the task force
identified the preferred alternative as Alternative 1 with crossovers A and
C. Also, within the document under Sect[on 6, let's see it's page 12 !
think we've listed 7 or 8 different reasons as to why the task force made
the recommendat[on that they did. And again tt Involves thtngs like
avoidance to some of the farmsteads, or homesteads tn the area and [ think
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 45
because the environmental impact= are so similar between the alternative
corridor=, that didn't seem to be a deciding factor in this project, and I
don't think that it should be. It's primarily I think what the task force
had envisioned as the roadway character and the type of development that
they want to see on either and both sides of the roadway. It really didn't
come down to, as it does on many projects that I work on, we're looking at
in other projects a significant difference in the number of ~etland acres
or other issues that you've discussed tonight. Vegetation impact= and =o
on but that doesn't seem to be the case with this particular project. It
really rests on more of the future land use development scenarios that
you're looking at in this part of your community. Are there any questions
on any of the impact analysis?
Batzli: I think what we're going to do is open it up for public comment
and then maybe start asking question= from the Commission. If we can do it
that way.
Deb Porter: Okay.
Batzli: This is a public hearing. Is there anyone else that would like to
address the Commission?
Jay Dolejsi: My name is Jay DoleJsi. I live at 6961 Chaparral Lane. I
own the property west of the minature golf course and east of Mills Fleet
Farm, that goes around the group home. I would like the Commission to
consider the southern route through my property. One of the things that l
think that's not being addressed here ate the future residents. They're
kind of an unrepresented constituency. By putting this road through the '
northern part of my property and dividing it, you're going to in essence
divide the neighborhood. You were talking earlier about trying to unite
neighborhoods and the city as a whole has been working to mitigate the
dividing factor of Highway 5 with the new pedestrian crossing and such
going through the community. This is really going to divide those
communities there. The southern route also would allow extra buffering of
noise and pollution from the impact of Highway 5 and provide more safety
for the local residents. I think what the Commission needs to weigh is the
value of perhaps a more attractive boulevard against the safety and welfare
of the future residents in that area. Also putting the road closer to TH 5
is going to give you more control in the buffering design and the visual
impacts along Highway 5 which is what my understanding ~as the Highway 5
task force was tasked with. To develop the Highway 5 corridor and not this
northern boulevard. Also on my property, because the property slopes
deeply towards the road, it would give an opportunity to minimize the
impact on the landforms as far as the buffering that the task force is
recommending along Highway 5. Putting in the southern route also would
result in no impact through the mature tree stands that the northern route
currently will be going through. The southern route also would cost
considerably less. From the understanding of what was said in the task
force, the State is willing to participate 80~ if the southern route is
chosen and only 50~ to 60~ of the land cost for the r~rthern route. Also
the southern route would result in much less severance damages to the
property as far as leaving a larger, more developable parcel. Through my
property there was not going to be any need for any more collector...
because Just north of it is a large wetland so it's really a relatively
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 46
small area that this boulevard would service. And as far as the break of
the density in that area, this is kind of difficult for me because that's
in the '95 study area and we don't kno~ what it's zoned for. What's going
to be happening out there. I know they've made recommendations but that's
not very clear either. And one other point in, one final ~otnt is I
thought it was rather interesting that when this road was being proposed,
no mention of a northern route Nas suggested for the city o~ned property
through the park. It seems to me that all-the benefits to having the road
bordering the Highway $ to the park would be the same to these other
parcels and all the reasons for the northern route through the private
tracts of land would equally apply to the city park. Thank yc, J.
Batzli: Thank you. Would anyone else llke toladdress the Commission?
Tim Keens: Chairman Batzli, members of the Planning Commission. My name
is Tim Keens with Larktn, Hoffman, Daly & Llndgren, 7900 Xerxes,
Bloomington and I'm here this evening on behalf of friendly Mills Fleet
Farm. I Just want to make a couple points and keep it brief. We have been
participants since 1988 throughout an extensive planning process, including
initial discussions regarding the Mills Fleet Farm on the northeast corner
of Highway S and 41. An approximately year and a half comprehensive plan
update and subsequent to that now we're going onto our second year of the
TH 5 corridor planning task force. And belng participants and cc,3perative
and actually preparing some site plans and engrossments of how that mite
would work. We were at least a little troubled ~hen the initial
engrossments of the road alternates came out because they run right through
the middle of the site. They ignored your consultant, Mr. Morrtsh's study
that showed a facility compatibly located on the site and if I could walk
over to the exhibit and Just make a point.
Batzii: Sure.
Tim Keens: The subject property is ab<~Jt thusly and we have identified on
the city's resource map a wetland resource in the southwest corner.
Through the center here there is a tree stand that the task force and staff
has mac~e it very clear that they'd like to see that stand preserved. The
alignment as conceived and currently the subject of the environmental
assessment really slices right through the middle, either alternative of
~hat is left of the developable portion of the property. Ne asked our
civil engineer to generate a road alignment that wouldn't quite so
drastically affect the development...property and we submitted on 3une 9th
an alignment plan with actually two alternates. Both of them ~orktng off
this point. One s~inglng the frontage road up to the northern boundary and
the other s~lnging the frontage road, nicking the ~heTn, no~[h edge of
[hls [~ee s~and but ~[11~ p~ese~vlng the In[eg~/~y of ~he stand
avotd[ng any contact ~[~h the NeW,and ~esou~ce~. T~se ~oad alternates
[hal ~e offered ~e~e also submitted [o the pro,ecl englnee~ fo~ the
Department of Transportation [o give ~ha[ eng~nee~ an opportunity
those fo~ geome[~[cs a~ al~h~gh Ne haven't had a
ou~ unde~s[andtng [hal the geome[~[cs conform [o the d~[gn ~equ[~emen[s of
the parameters set forth [h~g~ ~ ~es[ of the coT~t~. Ne don't
~an[ [o suggest ~e fee[ picked on but the [oca[[on of the ~oad a~[e~na[es
~ha[ a~e ~he subjec~ of ~hte envt~o~en[al assessment ~eally ~ p~of~ndIy
[[m[[ the development potential of ~he properly. Ne ~ be offering fo~
Planning Commission Meetin~
July 21, 1993 - Page 47
the record the exhibits that we did prepare and submit to the June 9th
meeting. And with that I'd llke to introduce Stuart Mills, the President
of Mills Fleet Farm. Thank you.
Stuart C. Mills Jr.: Planning Commission. My name is Stuart C. Mills Jr.
I live in Brainerd, Minnesota at 512 Laurel Street. Our family has been in
Brainerd since the lSth century. We've been local business people there
since the turn of the century. We stand on our integrity and our
reputation. We are a family company. The company is owned by my brother
and myself. My brother's name is Henry C. Mills II. After Hank and I got
out of the Korean War we came back and in i955, the spring of '55 Ne
started Fleet Farm stores. There were only two employees and that was Hank
and myself and we started. Our first store Nas' 4,000 square feet and today
our largest store is 2S0,000 square feet and we have 4,500 employees. This
Nas done by hard work, and by having a lot of loyal employees and in the
communities we've been in, we stand on our reputa.tion and we are in good
standing Nhich we can have recommendations from all our communities to
present to you and in Just about all of the communities they have invited
us to come in because they felt that Ne Nets. asset to their community. We
are different than any other store. There is no competitor we have and we
bring people to the community. We feel that Ne are an asset. We acquired
this property out here because we felt it was an ideal location for a Fleet
Farm store. It's a very good commercial location for us wi'th 41 running
south across the Minnesota River and number 5 ~unning west into the
farmland. We get both city and farm business and since 1988 Ne have been
attending several meetings with the Chanhassen people and we have been
cooperating fully and made ourselves at any time to Nork Nith the city.
This summer the task force proposed a frontage road adjustment, an
alignment, an environmental assessment document. The tNo alignments that
are under consideration disect the heart of our 50 acres that Ne have
planned of having a Fleet Farm store. Obviously it ruins our property and
Ne do not feel that this is in the best interest of the community of
Chanhassen or ourselves and in due respect Ne really would like to
cooperative with you and see if we can get our development ~ing. I thank
you.
Batzli: Thank you.
Chris Dietzen: Mr. Chairman, members of the commission, my name is Chris
Oietzen. I'm also an attorney Nith Larkin-Hoffman appearing for Mills
Fleet Farm. My task is to make our formal record. I will be brief. When
Mills Fleet Farm purchased the property, prior to purchasing it they met
with representatives of the city, including the City Administrator and the
Mayor and talked to the city about the proposal and received encouragement
from the city and a statement that the city would cooperate. In reliance
on those statements, Mills Nent ahead and purchased the property and has
engaged in a lot of time, a lot of energy and a lot of money to work with
the city Nith respect to this property. As you've heard from Mr. Keens,
and from the oNner of Mills Fleet Farm, the proposal would go through the
heart of the property and would destroy it's commercial development which
the owner at the time of the purchase had a reasonable investment backed
expectation as to how that property ~ould be used and hoN the city Nould
cooperate in facilitating that use. In order to accommodate the city's
wishes, the oNner of the property proposed an alternate that would alloN
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, i993 - Page 48
the alignment to go through the property in two different ways and still
allow the development potential of that property. We have submitted that
plan that shows those two alternatives, Mills Fleet Farm Alternative 1 and
Alternative 2, which I will shortly be making part of the record. It's our
belief that those plans meet ail engineering requirements and that they
meet the reasonable requirements with respect to the use of the frontage
road as it goes through that property. As we see the evidence that we have
heard from, we are not aware of any rational basis for the city to oppose
either of those two Mills Fleet Farm alternatives. We are concerned, and
we have the impression that the only basis for the city's refusal to
consider those two alternatives and to formally study them in the EAW is to
respond to business owners in the Chanhassen are that are trying to protect
their business. We do not believe the comcerns of business owners or
neighbors are a valid basis'to destroy the property interest of Mills Fleet
Farm. We don't think that there is a reasonable basis for the City Council
to refuse to consider those alternatives. In conclusion, it's our belief
that the evidence is, supports the conclusion that the environmental
assessment is inadequate because it does not consider and does not study
Mills Fleet Farm alternatives 1 and 2 and that if the city intends to
proceed with those two proposals as set forth in the EA, that it would
result in a total taking of the Mills Fleet Farm property for which the
city would be required to pay it's fair market value as commercial
property. We, Mills Fleet Farm, believes that they are compelled to make a
formal record of their position. They would like to cooperate with the
city, which they have been trying to do for many years but they feel that
they are forced to do that. To make their record at this time and with
that we do have a copy of the plans and a letter that we want to make part
of the record Mr. Chairperson, if I may.
8atzli: You may. Thank you. Is this the original, Tim?
Tim Keene: That is the original...
Batzli: Give this to Kate so I don't lose it.
Chris Dietzen: We request that that be made a part of the record. Thank
you very much.
Batzli: Well we may as well hear a few more comments before we. Does
anyone else wish to address the Commission? I guess it was Just wishful
thinking that that was it huh?
Mike Gorra: Gentlemen, my name is Mike Gorra. I live at 1680 Arboretum.
Southwest corner of Lake Ann. I have approximately 150 acres. I've lived
there for about 17 years. I guess I would have to agree with the other
landowner that spoke a little earlier that ! don't really agree with the
pick of the northern route there and would prefer the southern route. Not
just because I'm a landowner but for other reasons which I'd like to
explain briefly here. I think the property, you don't have to be a genius
to take a look at that map and see what that northerly route would, do to
any piece of property. It disects it in two. That road's going to be
heavily traveled. What's it going to do to the potential development.
It's going to make it tough to plan any intelligent develop~ent with the
road like that running right through the center of the property. Especially
Planning commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 49
when you've got an alternative route that can be run to the south along
Highway 5. What's going to happen with, if you do decide on the northerly
route, it's going to relegate that property to just kind of a botle~ plate
type development. High density to the south. Medium density and then
residential to the north. Now you can find that anyplace. Richfield,
Brooklyn Park. Is that what Chanhassen wants or does Chanhassen want an
opportunity. That's probably one of the nicest pieces of undeveloped .
property le~:t in Chanhassen. You've ~ot Lake Ann. You've ~ot that little
Riley Creek. You've got a lot of access on Highway $. Everybody goin~ in
and out of Chanhassen is going to see that. I would think they would want
the best possible potential development to be addressed in that area and
not Just a holler plate type. I also think that the taxpayers would be
better served with the southerly route. At the last coalition meeting
somebody stated that MnDot would participate'with 80~ if the alignment was
run to the south. And would only participate 50~ if the northerly route
was chosen. I think that's kind of significant. Any private development
would take that pretty serious. Also the city I think would be better
served, and I think it was explained before by other people that we thought
it was the original intention of this Htgh~ay 5 coalition to consider the
Highway $ route. Not go $00 yards to the north. I always thought it was
the whole idea to kind of beautify Highway $ and they can do that. If they
pick the southern route, they'll have more land to berm. More land to
landscape. People coming in and out of the city are going to see that.
They're not going to see that road to the north. And if that road is built
to north, what's going to be backed up to High~ay 5? The backs of
commercial buildings? That's not ~oing to be that attractive. Aisc, with
whoever develops that property all along that strip there, the more land
they have the bigger lots they can put in. The more attractive development
that they can perceive there. If it's a residential type, they can have
clubhouses, tennis courts, even small 8oil courses. There's enough room
for that too. But if you cut the property in half, you're not going to be
able to have any of that. You're going to pre-determine everything. Now a
little bit's been said about that road dividing the high density and the
low density. Well, who's to say what's ~oing to be wanted 4-5 years from
now. I've been a developer for 30 years and the last 15 years, every piece
of property I've developed has been taloned. Not by me but by the city.
They thought that it was best to rezone it because time8 have changed. You
put that road through on the north, and even if the city determines that it
made a mistake or if the times have changed and the property and the city
would be better served by changing the zoning, it's not going to do much
good because that road's already there. Thank you.
Jim Andrews: Members of the Commission. Again, I'm Jim Andrews. I'm the
Chairman of the Highway 5 Task Force and I will concur that it's been a
very lengthy process. One that if had I known how long it was going to be,
I'm not so sure I would have volunteered for it but nevertheless it's a
project we've all worked very, very hard on and one thing I can certainly
say is that we have considered all alternatives in great detail. Sometimes
to the frustration of many of the members of the task force spending months
and months discussing north and south and possible land implications and
difficulties of development so I think we have done a 'thorough Job of
looking at what the alternatives might, what they are and what the impacts
could be. A couple things I Just wanted to point out is that both north
and south alternatives, we did look at providing trail crossings and
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 50
pedestrian accesses and so forth so neither alternative really I think
creates a poor access for pedestrians or trail traffic at all. We also
looked at land uses. At our last meeting we looked at la~d uses and also
looked at some of the results of a subcommittee calIed the zoning overlay
subcommittee I guess is what we called it. They were looking at bulldin~
designs, setbacks, sign ordinances, and so forth and Just as a side note,
I'm sure those are some things that Fleet Farm would be very interested in
knowing about. I don't know if they're being provided with that or not but
they should be. One other issue I want to make is that the MnDot funding
as to what MnDot would contribute to the northern portion. At least to my
recollection, that information has never really been accurately determined.
The one thing we are sure of is that MnDot's contribution to the northerly
alternative would be less than the south. But as to say that it would be
80 or 50 or 70 or 30, to my knowledge that finite number was not. determined
but we are aware that there is an impact. ~ again I would say that ~e
have done, I believe a thorough Job and have made a recommendation I think
that would be suitable for the city. Thank you.
8atzll: Let me ask you a question Jim before you sit down. Is it your
opinion then if after hearing the various landowners here tonight, it looks
like we're ticking off about a third of them along Alternative 1 and 2 here
by your selection. Is Alternative 2 that bad?
Jim Andrews: Personally, I struggled back and forth with my decision for
quite a while. To be real honest from, I've got to remember the names of
the streets here but.
Farmakes: Galptn to TH 417
Jim Andrews: From the Satpin crossing, I always favored the northerly
alternative on that side. From the Galpln towards the east, I had actually
initially perferred the southern alternative and then was convinced that
the northern alternative would offer I think in the long haul a superior
alternative. I will, I don't know if it was Passed along to the Commission
here but the vote on this, on the recommendation was very, very close. So
it certainly was not unanimous that we should have the northern route. In
fact if I recall the vote was barely majority. $o we wrestled with it.
Within our own group quite a bit too. And I also would say that the
overlay committee is proposing ordinances that I think regardless of what
alternative we would ultimately end up with, that we're going to end up
with something far superior to the development that's occurred along
Highway 5 in Eden Prairie so that I think we can be assured of. But as a
committee we did favor t'he northern alternative and I guess speaking as a
spokesman for the committee I feel that I need to communicate that first of
all. Oh one other comment too about the Fleet Farm road alignment. The
one reason why we did choose the northern there was that it did match up
with the road directly across the street from TH 41. It provided an
intersection so that was one of the main reasons we again stayed with that
alignment.
Batzlt: But it sounds like they proposed something'that swung further
north and still came out at about the same point.
Planning Commission Meeting
3uly 21, 1993 - Page 51
Jim Andrews: Again at, it was almost 2.months ago and working, from what
I recall, I believe their recommendation also impacted a private property
owner to the north of their site too. I'd have to look at it again to
refresh myself again. Also, as a group discussing land uses last meeting,
we as a group were recommending that the Fleet Farm site would not be
commercial use as proposed by Fleet Farm and we were looking at, I think it
was high quality development being medium or high density again or
possibly, I don't want to be wrong on this. I believe we also, and maybe
you can help me on this. A different type of commercial. We had a special
term for it. [ can't remember the word we used for it.
Scott: What are you talking about, like a headquarters?
Jim Andrews: Headquarters or something.
Scott: High profile.
Jim Andrews: Yes. Something like that.
Scott: Because it's the gateway.
3im Andrews: Yeah. The overlay ordinances that we've discussed would
impose restrictions on Fleet Farm that if .they were tO proceed with
building in that area, under the ordinances that we are proposing, they
would have to build something substantially different in appearance than
what they traditionally build. And I don't know if that'd be workable but
that may be something we would have to explore if we were looking at a
compromise, so.
Batzli: Thank you.
Farmakes: Can I ask a question of the Barton-Aschman representative?
Batzli: Sure, go ahead.
Farmakes: There was a graph that showed land acquisition. Similar to this
and it was shaded in with the property that MnOot would be willing to
acquire in relationship to the north and southern route. Was that accurate
or was that a guesstimate?
Deb Porter: Well that was based on our discussions with MnDot in the past
year or so and it's not, as we said earlier. We don't have anything in
terms of a formal agreement from MnDot as to what exactly their
participation would be but we have had discussions with them. $o I think
we have a good understanding of what their participation ~ould be and maybe
I'll just walk over to the map and show you, if it will be helpful you know
what we understand to be their.
Farmakes: I think maybe the comments I'm going to make it would .be helpful
if you did...
Deb Porter: Okay. Let me try and explain this the best I can. MnDot's
considerations are being primarily on controlled access of Highway 5 and
also minor shifts that they are no~ proposing towards the north of this
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 52
much of Highway 5 and that's to avoid impacting the mini-storage, daycare,
and recording studio on this side of TH 5. Their original design was to
widen to the south primarily but of course now that would cause significant
right-of-way impacts. I think they estimate that being $2 million plus in
right-of-way acquisition costs. So they've redesigned this in about a 60
foot northward shift and about this portion of Highway 5. That would take
a little bit of the park property. It would encroach a bit on Eckankar
property. Moves Kerber and the Gorra property in here. In addition, there
are also 4 or 5, 3 or 4 residences here that would not have direct access
to TH 5 any longer. MnOot then in their original design would have had to
build short access driveways to about 4 different properties. $o in
consideration of all those impacts, what they have talked about doing in
participating in what would be considered a buffer area between the access
boulevard and Highway 5. So you're looking at primarily this extension
here. The area that's between the Alternative 2 and then of course the...
MnDot would look at purchasing most of this acreage here. Between the
highway and the alternative. Once you get to this point of course, and
once Alternative i shifts northward, if this isn't built, MnOot would
probably not design any...access between the buffer area in here because
you're then getting away from what they might consider to be more of a
frontage road and they don't want to set a precedent in communities in
buying huge amounts of right-of-way between...roads and a highway. Then
once again, once the alternative comes back closer to TH 5, they've also
said that they would be willing to participate in some portion of buffer
area within this area here...Alternative 1 is quite a bit north of Highway
5, they probably would not be buying any buffer area. Again, they see this
as a separate city thoroughfare whereas here, as they've done in other
communities, they see that as more of a frontage road where they could
participate in buffer areas.
Farmakes: For the purpose, we can't see the legend here but for the
purpose, from a minimum and maximum from the area from say Galpin to Lake
Ann. Right-of-way frontage would be how many feet? Like 50 to 400, or how
would that?
Deb Porter: This scale is 200 feet to an inch so, that's nearly 3/4 of a
mile from here to here.
Farmakes:
proposal 2.
depth?
But depth then off of the highway up to the road, let's say
Between Highway 5 and proposal 2 would be how many feet in
Deb Porter: You're looking at about 200 feet by the inch here, and some of
these are wider portions. Again, once you get shifting quite a ways from
TH 5, I think and it happens to be a property line here, you can see it
reasonable that MnOot would look at all of this being buffer area up to the
property line and again you're shifting away...so it's clear that for
Alternative 2 MnDot would participate in more of the right-of-way
acquisition costs than Alternative 1. Exactly what those costs would be is
somewhat...some guesstimates on the dollars amounts on that.
Batzlt: Thank you. Yes sir.
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 53
Lee Kerber: I'm Lee Kerber and I'm right between the city tree faTm and
between what Natural Green vacated. According to the map here it almost
looks like they, as soon as it got across or past the park driveway, they
veer to the north to save the city tree farm and to get my house. And as
soon as they get by my house and past the Natural Green vacated'property,
they're going back down to the road. I don't understand why they can't
stay next to the highway the whole time. Another thing I'm a little
disturbed about, the communication gap. I heard it through the grapevine
you're going to lose your house. I said, what ate you talking about. I
never had any notification until probably 3 or 4 months ago there was going
to be a meeting down here. It seems to me a person should get it direct
from City Hall that they're thinking about taking your property instead of
getting it through the grapevine. Ail night long I've been heating people
talk about trees. They're going to save those trees that are 2 or 3 .inches
in diameter and the city tree farm and they're going to take down 26-30
trees on my property that are a foot and a half, 2 feet deep, probably 30
feet high. I don't agree with a lot of those things. You're not just
taking my house. The place that I live. You're taking my life. I spent
65 yeats on that property and Just like that you come along and tell me. so
long sucker. That's about what it amounts to. You don't come and say, we
want to give you some money so you can start looking around. You Just
bully your way through. There's a lot of things I don't appreciate. My
wife says let's just get the beck out of town and it looks like I'm going
to whether I want to or not. Thank you.
Batzlt: Thank you. Would anyone else like to address the Commission?
Brad Johnson: Mr. Chairman, members of the Planning Commission. My name
is Brad Johnson. I live at 7425 Frontier Trail and I represent Lars Conway
who owns 50 acres on the northeast corner of Galpin and Highway 5. Just
for the record, .we prefer Alternate 2 which is the southern route, as I
believe most of the landowners thus far have. The primary reasons are
cost. We feel that as the representatives of the city have indicated, it
wilt cost a lot more money to do it to the north. There's a lot of
severance cost that's involved. AS you know I've been a developer in. this
community for a long time and we hear a lot about, well we'll do high
density, multiple housing. We have very little high density, multiple
housing development happening in Chanhassen. Many of the subdivisions have
gone undeveloped and have been rezoned over the years. You guys have been
around. You've got Lundgren had a subdivision Ilks that. It's not easy to
say it and I would say over a i0 year period, that much land zoned high
density, multiple will not be developed and will tend to go to commercial,
industrial uses because 10 years from now you're all gone and everybody's
wondering why that hasn't been developed. So I think it's Just not
necessary to do it. You're creating a problem that I don't think you need
to have to do. It's a problem I think that people in .good faith suggested
because they can see green space there but in talkt.ng to the high density,
multiple developers that exist today, they would not want to be between two
freeways either. I mean two basic freeways. The second one is that I've
been around town for a long time and as you know, Chanhassen Estates has
been separated from the city for quite some time. This particular road
will carry by Highway. This particular road will carry a lot more traffic
than we all imagine and I think that if in fact that is going to be
residential all along the south of Alternate 1, that it will be basically,
Planning Commission Meeting
3uly 21, 1993 - Page 54
unless you guys want to spend a lot of money on overpasses again and trail
systems that go underground and stuff, be separated from the other
properties. And developers we've talked to about purchasing the property
and actually building something say no. They would not build in that area
because of that reason. They want to be nestled up against-the single
family area and [ think Mr. Gorra's got a good point. And we probably
should have done like a $20,000.00-$25,000.00 proposal that says this is
how we would do this neighborhood so you could actually see how that
neighborhood would look. But you can, ! would guess what you would see, if
you go along the highway and you would see, according to Mr. Gorra's plan,
kind of a very planned major entrance into a major subdivision as you go
north into the Lake Ann area off of that road. You're Just not going to
get that kind of a look to put multiple there because you're going to,
we're going to have to try to figure out how to back the multiple because
that's the back of the entrance into a multiple. In other words, we'll be
entering off the main road and the back of it will come into Highway 5. I
think the main thing here is ! think going no~th through there is a
premature development of the property. The road system is being put in
prematurely and from what I can tell, for no very good reason other than it
probably looks better as you look at it now but I don't think in the long
run tt would look better at all. And at a higher cost than you would have
ultimately the way it's planned on Alternate 2. gut the main deal is,
I think all of us could probably come with some terrific visuals of how
this could look if it was developed with roads going into the north and we
could show it to you and it would look wonderful. ! don't know how to give
you a good visual of what this is going to look like with multiple or some
type of commercial inbetween the two roads. Then Just think about Highway
5 and how long those two communities, how that's divided our community and
I'm not being overly dramatic but that's going to be a busy road. It's not
going to be a road that is not used. Right now it doesn't appear that way
but it will be very different so I'm, from Dr. Conway's point of view, we'd
prefer to get together with Mr. Gorra and put together about a 200 acre
really substantial development in that area and you're making it just about
impossible. You'll probably create about, not you are but the plan does,
you probably create 2 or 3 small multi-family developments sometime. And
then basically cut into the dynamics of what could happen to the north.
Thank you.
Batzli: Thank you. Would anyone else like to address the Commission?
What I'm going to do is I'm going to ask for a motion to close the public
hearing but once we do that, I would still like there to be interaction but
as a formal matter, I'm going to try and close the public hearing at this
time. Is there a motion?
Conrad moved, Ledvina seconded to close the public hearing. All voted in
favor and the mot[on caT,led. The public heaving was closed.
Batzli: Matt. Matt, I'm sorry. I do that all the time. Why do I do that
3eff?
Farmakes: That's okay Bill.
Satzli: Okay, thank you. You have some comments that I think you'd, it'd
be good to have you go first here.
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 55
Farmakes: First of all I want to thank the task force. I think there's
been an awful lot of work done here, both from city subcontractors to city
staff. It's really fascinating to see how this effects a community and
commercial aspects, homeowners, farmers. People who are interested in
building Chanhassen in the future and it's been an interesting experience.
With that being said I'd like to criticize our task force. I can do that
I guess because I was on it. I do believe, as I said, that perhaps we got
a little off track when we got into the discussion of main street. It's
easy to fall into. There was a lot of discussion about the philosophy of
main street and so on and I had a feeling that perhaps we were losing the
intent of our mission, which was to create a buffer in our community
against the highway expansion to insure that the highway would not become a
wall in our community. I think if you refer to the building corridor that
we got here, there's two drawings on there that I'm sure some of you have
seen before. The issue of frontage roads that parallel a highway and
create sort of a concrete wall in a community. And the lower drawing has
the meandering road that occasionally gets close to the highway but also
comes up and there's adequate area for natural buffering on the highway.
And if you turn 2 pages in and you look at the area that we're discussing
here, you can see the Lake Ann district that comes across over to the
Arboretum district and this was the original drawing that the University
did. And the areas that we're discussing here would be right in the middle
if you look over to your left. And essentially the road alternatives that
we look are there that you see up here which we actually wound up coming up
with and for a moment here I'd like to go over and point to the map.
would like to point out also that as a, I don't know if our Chairman is
still here of the task force but we did, although the report from the city
did not probably explain it as well as I thought they should have. It was
not unanimous. The task force, like any task force, has disagreements
within it and the vote was not unanimous. I'd like to make a case for my
dissent on this issue and...The issue that we discussed to the south and-
the issue that are here tonight, there was very little discussion, or
dissent here on this issue. But to the east of Galptn I think that there
was more dissent in regard to buffer...how the crossovers would affect
Bluff Creek. Those of you who have driven back and forth know that this is
a low area. There's a lot of trees in here and the question was how, with
the least amount of impact can we do that and there were viable cases, plus
and minus...different four alternatives. 8ut the issue that I...fell back
on was 8ill Morrtsh's origtnal...that it seemed to me that inquiring of
this space is Just as important as main street or the philosophy of main
street, which to me got very subjective. The issue here is the pragmatic
requiring of right-of-way that the city can buffer... The city can buffer
Highway 5 and that was our, that was one of our main tasks. If MnDot is
willing and the map that you provided showed MnDot acquiring this property
here from CR 17 over essentially to a part of...it got a little loose in
here but it essentially all this property in here. And those of you that
know this particular piece of property know that, where the barn and the
old depot is, it's several hundred feet off of the highway. $o this is a
substantial amount of property. The setback issues and the future
development would seem to me that we would be able to control substantial
amounts of property here of right-of-way at little cost to our taxpayers.
The problem that we had up here seemed to me is that again we were
dictating how this property develops. We were, the city was required to
purchase the right-of-way property up in here to a larger degree. As it
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 56
came farther to the creek, it seemed to me that crossover D made far less
impact to the bluff area, to this low lying area than did alternative for
crossover C, which basically cuts right through it. If in the future we
are going to improve the crossover and gateway that goes up this way
towards Minnewashta for a trail, it seems to me that the sensible
connection would have been here and running a trai[ off of this crossover
and following up behind the higher area behind the creek. The issue of I
think one of cost is that the city doesn't want or requires less taxpayers
funds hate to acquire this property. That means over here it frees up
funds to target more and go with the northern route, which I support on
this side to again buffer Highway 5. And it seemed to me that again the
reasoning for this got very asserteric. And I think the development, when
it comes down to development, what we're going to wind up with here, as was
stated, is medium-high density along the entire strip like you see on
occasion on Highway 7 or up on 494. I think the preference would be, that
if there was medium density, that 'it be broken up with single family.
Which I believe if that was out of here, would probably be the case...and I
think that this really uselessly, I believe, categorizes this area or
dictates what it's going to be. Physically I think there are reasons for
going north. There are some wetland areas poking up and there are some
lying areas. I think that this property makes sense but ! can't see the
Justification.
Batzli= Dave, what's the nearest east/west collector above there? Is
there one?
Jay Dolejsi: Just the other side of the wetland Lundgren Bros is putting
in a development that has an east/west road.
Batzli: But I don't think that's a collector level street ts it?
Jay Dolejsi= Nell, there's limited movement out there...limit the amount
of development that goes in there.
Hempel= Mr. Chairman, you're referring to between Galpin Blvd. and Trunk
Highway 41. The Lundgren development is proposing a, what I'll call a
minor collector type street between Galpin and Trunk Highway 41 and will
have a wider street pavement than a normal street, or the right-of-way
width of 80 feet. That is about midpoint. Approximately a mile north of
Trunk Highway 5.
Farmakes: I'd also like to say that based on the synopsis of the report
that it's sort of inferring that there was a specific reason to go with
that route and that some of the land use issues were negative. Because the
meeting that I was at, when they went over land use issues, it was a wash.
It could go either way and in talking to the professionals that we had, two
of them off the record came up to me and said that they agreed with me. So
I think that there is some professional support for what I'm saying. I
think also that there's pragmatic, from the taxpayers standpoint, a good
case to be made for that or at least to consider it as it goes up to City
Council. The last issue I'm going to touch on is the issue of'the Hills
property. I know of no support, and I've been involved since prior to you
purchasing your property. I know of no support, that I know of, for a
commercial district in that area, and I haven't been contacted by any
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 57
business owners. I haven't been contacted by anyone telling me what that's
going to be but it seems to me that the location of that property, because
an individual purchases it on the speculation that it will be commercial
when in fact it's currently now zoned agricultural, that the fact that they
purchased it dictates what it's going to be rezoned at. It seems to me
pretty erroneous. There are, I believe, positive arguments that would
dictate that that would not be commercial. Even qualified, and there were
alternatives discussed I think in the meeting, and those Minutes are
available. I'm not going to go into those here but I did not support
commercial use in that area, primarily because it's adjacent to a very
sensitive area of the community and it wouldn't fit. And as far as I know,
there was no support in history for dictating commercial use in that area.
Those are my comments.
Batzli: Let me pick up with Brad some of the things that you just said
that reminds me that Brad I think brought up and that is, I'll address this
to you Kate. Maybe you can help me and our representative from Barton.
Does it make sense what we're doing right now that we're looking at the
road layout without also in the back of our mind know, or at least thinking
what the zoning layout will be? I mean how can we really do this, I mean I
find it very difficult to separate my decision on what the road is going to
look like up against Highway 41 if it's going to be rezoned for something
that would be beneficial to Fleet Farm and I know according to my
instructions from Paul here, I'm not supposed to be considering that but
how can we put a road through there if we don't know what's likely to be
developed. North, south, whatever.
Aanenson: The task force had the same problem and we did look at the land
use recommendations and those were included in here and we howed the two
alternatives and what the potential land use. I think agreed. There needs
to be some marriage of the two to make it come to a decision. I forgot my
second point. What did you ask specifically about the land use?
Batzli: I'm sorry, what?
Aanenson: You asked about the land use recommendation.
to look at that.
That Paul said not
Scott: Not to have the Mills property.
Deb Porter: Oh. If you look on the attachments on the exhibits, I think
they're 7-3 there's...under the land use section.
Aanenson: Oh the other thing I was going to was the multi-family. That
property is zoned, or the comprehensive plan designates the area that Jeff
was talking about, as far as we're forcing that to multi-family. The
comprehensive plan already guides that area for multi-family. And that's
what we looked at leaving that as multi-family. To say that we're forcing
the land use recommendation to multi-family, it's there right now and if we
want to reconsider that, that we're forcing it, then I think we should look
at that. But that's what it's guided for currently. Multi-family. That
decision was made when you went through the comprehensive planning process
in 1991. That's the other point I was going to make.
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 58
Batzli: Let me ask one other question and then I want Ladd to talk. It
seems to me that we've had conflicting testimony here tonight from our
Barton-Aschman consultant and everybody else that's gotten to speak that is
a developer. And that is the report says that it's preferable to have the
northern route because you'll have more flexibility in development and all
the people that are probably going to end up developing their property have
gotten up and said, we don't like it because it restricts how we can
develop it. What do you want to tell us about that?
Deb PoTter: I think the reasons that were listed there under the preferred
alternative are those that were forwarded to us through the city staff and
were mentioned at the task force meeting. They are not recommendations
from the consultant. That's kind of beyond the scope of an environmental
assessment which is to be an objective document on impact analysis. It's
not really a persuasive type of document for developing an alternative.
guess it would depend on what type of future land use development scenarios
you're looking at and the task force and Barry Warner have been working on
those issues now fo~ ! think a year and a half. I'm'not sure that there's
complete consensus even on these figures that we have on the land use
section. They're still conceptual. There's still the 1995 study area from
Galpin to TH 4l. Those haven't been officially documented and platted as
the rest of the comprehensive plan shows. So I think at this point if
there's disagreement as to what type of future land use will happen, that's
a decision that hasn't been made absolutely yet. I'm not sure that you can
decide does the roadway go first, then land use. OT does land use come
before roadway development. It*s community's choose eithe~ method
sometimes. I think what you're looking at, those figures in the land use
section are still conceptual. Between Galpin and TH 41. As Kate was
saying, between Galpin and Powers Blvd, that part of is platted in your
1991 comprehensive plan.
Batzli: Based on, I keep on getting back to this issue of if we choose a
southern route, which is more like a frontage road than a collector, as
this stuff develops, are we going to have to put another collector in
there? Are we Just pushing it further north?
Aanenson: That's what I wanted to talk about. I think we need to go back
and when we looked at what should this street look like. If you flip to
your proposed typical cross section, which is at the very beginning of the
document. Figure 2-2. One of the first things the task .force did is, what
should the street look like and how should it feel and what they looked at,
if they wanted a narrower street, limited access onto that street, no
parking on the street, it's supposed to have a nice feel to it. Not that
you're on a busy wide freeway. I keep hearing the word 2 freeways. It's
only 32 feet of pavement. Okay, it's supposed to be a narrow, not a
speedway.
Scott: Like a parkway.
Aanenson: Yeah, a parkway. Have a nice feel to i-t. No parking on it and
again limited access. And a trail that's segregated from'it. $o going
back to 3eff's point, is what do you want to buffer on Highway 5. Do you
want to look at aesthetic buildings. High quality buildings or do you want
to buffer Highway 5 with another road and that's where part of the
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 59
separating the two came back into too.
Farmakes: That wasn't quite my comment.
Aanenson: I didn't hear your whole comment...
Farmakes: I'll just. if you iook at the picture here you can see that
Morrish's original drawing shows plantings as buffers next to the frontage
roads that do meander towards the highway and come off again allowing an
adequate amount of right-of-way to landscape a buffer between them. The
question is again, how much property is the city going to require if we do
go with the northern route? How much in negotiations with the town
multiplex, high density development are we going to get off of that
highway? I would submit that you're not going to get much. So I think
it's a trade off.
Batzli: Ladd.
Conrad: It's 11:30 Brian. We close down at 11:00. It's real interesting
when you see the process. Some people put a lot of time into it and
usually get frustrated with City Council when we put a lot of time into
stuff and then, when it's complicated stuff, you've got a choice. You can
either sink your teeth into it or Just sort of take the recommendations
that people put a lot of time into. This, I trust them. They went through
the right mechanisms. Let's go with it. That's the backgr, ound of saying
I'm not real comfortable right now because I think this road alignment,
philosophically I like the one to the north. But I guess I heard enough
things tonight that says I'm not sure and I need to Justify it from a stand
of land use and in the future and I haven't put that work into
personally have to put more time into understanding this to make a
recommendation. Environmental worksheet, looks great. ! think this is
really nice. What ever alternative we choose, I'm real comfortable that
we've got 2 alternatives that impact is minor. We don't have a problem but
as to which one, I don't know right now because. I really do have to play
back land uses and what I see and until I do that, until somebody helps me
work my through that, I can't react tonight. I Just can't. I want to go
home.
Batzli: I agree and that's I guess why I've been asking where the land use
comes in and some of these other questions that would help me feel more
comfortable. I think the thing that disturbed me most was the fact that I
don't think that there was a real strong consensus on the task force at
all.
Conrad: I think there's maybe a role for the Planning Commission to get
their feet wet a little bit on this one and maybe spend some more time
looking at it. And to be honest, I have not done that.
Farmakes: Yeah, I would like to qualify that. There was a pretty strong
consensus on the majority of the work that the task force did. There were
some issues that there was dissention on.
Batzli: What would you want to see?
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 60
Conrad: I guess I just need to go, I think we need another hour to compare
road alignments and land uses. I don't know if that's in a work session
here, a part of one of our meetings. I just have to see that. I have to
see that get played out. I'm hearing the developer say it doesn't work and
I have to validate that in my mind first that it doesn't work. And I heard
Jeff saying that he's got some...on certain parts of it. Well, I guess our
Job now as Planning Commission is to sink the two algernatives at work into
what we see land use is in the coming year. And honestly, what makes me a
little bit nervous, and again playing the role of Planning Commissioner,
the 1995 study area. I haven't made any decisions myself on what's at that
intersection of TH 41 and TH 5. Yet we're kind of precluding some stuff
here and I'm not going to do that. I'm not saying Fleet Farm should be
here. But on the other hand, I'm not ready to say I'm going to put
something in there that makes it impossible for them to be here. I need to
know what we are going to do out there. So it's real hard, again. There's
another part of the section, I can't tell. So until I firm that up, it's
going to be tough for me to make a recommendation and some of their
alternatives may Just be.
Batzlt: Okay. Kate. What is it that's driving this forward? Is there a.
deadline that we need to approve this?
Aanenson: That's what I was just asking Deb about.
Deb Porter: The original schedule was to try and get the environmental
assessment document with the preferred alternative approved by the end of
this year. The end of '93 in order for the design of this roadway to
coincide with Trunk Highway 5 reconstruction. The 4 lane. That project
has been shifted back on the MnDot schedule now at least a year I think so
there's not quite as much intensity on trying to have this project actually
catch up to Trunk Highway $ design package as there was a few months ago.
We were notified of that probably within the last month. We've had
discussions with MnDot and several projects in this district have been
delayed for a year due to inadequate funding. So there's not quite as much
critical time schedule pressures as there used to be. I guess in delaying
things for another couple of weeks until your next Planning Commission
meeting, I don't even see that as being a major hurdle you know as far as
things progressing through the end of the year. You know you have't had,
some of you haven't had the document for a long time to look over so I can
understand that you'd Deed to spend some more time with it.
Aanenson: As far as the rest of the Highway $ task force goes, which we're
looking at comprehensive, the '95 study area and the south side. The whole
corridor plan. We hope to have that going through the process first part
of. September. With all the ordinances and land use recommendations.
8atzli: So what would happen if we delayed that until it coincided with
the overlay? Zoning overlays.
Deb Porter: If the beginning of September, you're thinking you might have
that one finalized? It would shift this schedule back probably 2 months...
and probably early '94 before you'd probably get final approval of that
document.
Planning Commission Meeting
July 2i, 1993 - Page $1
Batzli: Right. I guess I don't know that it matters though if MnDot has
pushed their construction schedule back to '95. I mean if this impacts
that, then we need to know and we need to move it quicker.
Deb Porter: That's not the case any longer. You know earlier this year...
kept this project moving along with Trunk Highway 5 design...
Ranenson: so it sounds like you'd like to wait until we put the two
together.
Batzli: Well I would but I do want to give Joe and Matt a minute if they
have additional comments.
Scott: I recall that when we recommended to approve this particular study,
one of the things that I asked about specifically was economic impact
relative to land holdings and so forth and in the boiler plate here t see a
page and a half, 2 pages so my major area of concern is what do we have out
there now? Who owns it? How big are the pieces? Rnd it looks like
there's some lines drawn on the mapping that perhaps may represent that.
That's one of my big concerns and of couTse when we have'people who are
developers coming in and saying hey, here's what, this is what we would
like to build. This is our concept. It's not going to work with the
northern route so I agree with Ladd in that I think this is good input.' l
would think, ! would guess that if you're going to make a decision on-it
right now, Ladd wouldn't want to vote. [ wouldn't either. Rnd perhaps [
know personally I need mote time to look at this because it'd be very
difficult for me to get one of these babies on a Friday afternoon and have
it totally digested by Wednesday night so I'd like more time to take a look
at it and I'm not in the position to say one way or the other.
Batz 1 i: 0 kay. Matt.
Ledvina: Well talking about the alignment a little bit. I guess 'I would
concur with Jeff in that the southern alternative seems to make more sense
east of Galpin. One point I do want to make though and emphasize Jeff's
point is that I feel that the crossover D should be utilized. The impact
to Bluff Creek at that point I think is really critical and if that road
alignment is taken to the north there, the opportunity to cross Bluff Creek
inobtrusive manner, if I can use that word, is, that will be a much better
place so. Rnd then possibly the northern route you know to TH 41. Rs it
relates to Fleet Farm. ! think that the road alignment, we should be able
to work with some different alternatives there to accommodate some
potential future plans. Not saying that the zoning changes are completely
to follow. Or not allowing or committing to that future commercial use at
that location but I think if we can compromise and look at their specific
interest there, I think that would be a good thing as well.
Batzli: Okay, thank you.
Richard Wing:' Brian, can I Just clarify? Is this'a public hearing or not?
Batzli: Yes it was.
Ranenson: No. It's a public information meeting.
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, i993 - Page 62
Richard Wing: This is not a public hearing.
Ranenson: Correct .
Batzli: Oh, okay. Well, we conducted one and we closed it.
Richard Wing: I Just wanted that clarified. There were some questions
here that in a public hearing status in a much different approach and this
is very informational. This is so conceptual. Rs a matter of fact, Can I
make a statement?
Batzli: Sure.
Richard Wing: My name is Richard Wing. Chanhassen City Council. I also
served as a member of this commission, or task force, excuse me. And Matt,
I just want to pick on you. Rnd this is informationally. It's not
criticism. It's not even critique but you made some statements about
alignment and some ideas and thoughts and I just want to ask you as a point
here, because I want to get onto something else. How many of these task
force meetings did you attend?
Ledvina: Zero.
Richard Wing: Okay. That's my point, t think we're getting concerned
about issues tonight and problems and alignments that you have no
information on because every question that came up tonight, this task
force, which is Just a task force, addressed. The alignments.' Whether
they went north or south. You know we were somewhat split on the alignment
and ! happen to agree with Jeff. I think he's right and that's what I
intend to pursue with the information I have. But whether it went north or
south, and the cost. The alignments. What it did to land uses. How we
intended to use the land and zoning and all. It was all pretty much
discussed, but you don't have privy to that information and.
Ledvina: Oh I did speak with some of the members of the task force.
Richard Wing: Oh no, no. I know and again, I said this isn't criticism.
I'm just pointing out that from this point on now we get serious. We've
now taken this task force that's a lay group. They've come in with a very
conceptual plan and now it gets thrown into your lap and you're ~oing to
have to reinvent the wheel and it's going to be a long lengthy process.
Rll the questions that we asked, we discussed, are going to have to be
rediscussed and asked again and then get into the public sector because all
our guest here really didn't have an opportunity to speak. They were
listeners and they weren't allowed to participate. From now on it takes a
whole new format and now it gets formal. It gets official so don't feel
frustrated or concerned about the process. I think it has to start over
now and then ail these questions you brought up, plus everything that task
force did has to be kind of start from scratch and then we're going to get
a formal recommendation from you people after you've had all the facts so
plan on a pretty major issue here. I think you've got your hands full.
Batzli: Yeah.
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 63
Scott: So will you.
Richard Wing: Well absolutely but you know you kind of have, in some ways
going to fall back on this task force. We're obviously going to be falling
back on you and that's, I'm very pro commissions. I mean I tend to take
these recommendations that you spend hours on and then suddenly we get
thrown with this and we have 10 minutes and I'm not willing to make
decisions like that. I tend to fall back on what's here so I think we had
some real talent on that task force and I think they're going to be active
and participate and speak to these issues as they come up but they're not
here tonight because this isn't a public hearing. It's just informational.
I think it was important to get some of the public input started. Mr.
Kerber's concerns. You know I'm kind of wondering why the line's going
right through his house. I think we have to start addressing these and we
will so. Se patient. I think the task force did an excellent job. I
think you have a real challenge ahead of you but it's going to be probably
one of the greatest gift the city of Chanhassen that's ever occurred. Rnd
if I just may rather than, because it's late.
Batzli: Let me Just say one thing here. What Paul asked us to do was
recommend approval and the item was listed under public hearing. And I
think what Ladd and I want to do is slo~ it down and do exactly what you're
saying but our direction from our Director was like, we were supposed to
rubber stamp it and pass it along tonight.
Richard Wing: That's not true at all and Kate, clarify the public hearing.
Ranenson: No, it's not. If you're looking at the title, it says public
information meeting. We were under the impression that we needed to keep
this on docket. To keep the funding with the MnDot. -The intent tonight
was to allow, as Mr. Wing stated, the intent tonight was to allow public to
come and comment. During the task force, we did allow some comment at the
task force meetings but we felt this would be a better arena. Feel more
comfortable and... We had 25 people sitting up here. It made for a large
group to take comments so this was an information meeting to allow people
to come and voice their concerns. For you to hear it. I think Dick
articulated exactly where we're at and obviously you need more information
to go further and we'll be bringing that forward. Rs long as we have the
time.
Batzli: I don't want to belabor this point but, so are you suggesting that
we start conducting hearings similar to what we did on the comprehensive
plan where we have working sessions and we invite anybody and everybody
into the room?
Ranenson: What's going to happen is this take on a comprehensive plan.
There's two separate components here. One is the ER document, which we
need to keep on track. The other component is what we're doing is a master
plan. Rs part of that master plan we're looking at land use issues. We're
looking at some overlay zones including architectural design and
landscaping issues and that sort of thing. We'll be bringing those forward
to you. Like I said in September we hope to have the task force wound up.
Batzli: Okay.
Planning Commission Meeting
July 21, 1993 - Page 64
Deb Porter: There is a public hearing as part of the EA process. After
the document is signed on the signature page and released for public
review. It needs to be reviewed by the City Council. There is an official
public hearing at that point.
·
Richard Wing: And also be aware that there's some considerable information
coming your way on development standards. Architectural standards.
Building material minimums. Sign ordinance. Landscape ordinance. Parking
lot standards. This PUD overlay and there's some tremendous stuff coming
and it's going to change the face of the city. I mean to say that Mills
Fleet Farm is going to go there or isn't. It may or may not but I think
that based on these new ordinances coming in, it's going to be a Mills
Fleet Farm like you've never seen before and they may or may not choose to
look that way. Brian, just as long as I have the floor, z want to get one
comment on the record. That you people, as a commission tonight have dealt
with some very sensitive, difficult issues in kind of no win set-ups if you
will. i think your attitudes, your demeanor, your comments, your
appearances as individuals and as a commission were exemplary. I-think
you're to be very much commended tonight. I think you ran a very excellent
meeting Brian under some very harsh conditions and I want to thank you.
Somebody said outside, he said, he was a professional person from the
Arboretum and he said, why would anybody want to serve on that commission
after listening. The answer is because you've chosen to lead, to direct
and have an impact on your community and as a resident I Just want to say
thank you.
Batzli: Thank you for your comments from, on behalf of the entire
commission. Thank you all for coming tonight. It sounds like we're going
to table this from the standpoint that it's tableable and hold some
informal meetings. Get some more of your input and dig into it a little
bit more. We'll probably delay it a little bit until we know what some of
the land use issues are coming down the road and I'm sure, if you haven't
left your name with Kate, you should do that now Just to make sure you get
notified of the upcoming meetings. Especially some of these people that
sounded like they maybe were a little bit surprised by the whole item. Is
there a motion, something to that effect?
Conrad: To table?
8atzli: To table.
Conrad moved,iScott seconded to table action on the Environmental
Assessment for the North Access Boulevard project. Ali voted in favor and
the motion carried.
Batzlt: Thank you all for coming in. You will be notified of the next
time this is discussed.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Chairman Batzli noted the Minutes of the Planning
Commission meeting dated July 7, 1993 as presented.
C~TY COUNCIL UPOATE:
Aanenson: I'll Just go over these real quick.
Planning Commission Meeting
3uly 21, 1993 - Page 65
Batzli: Boy, this had better be quick Kate. Hold on one second Ladd.
Aanenson= I need to talk to Ladd. Really seriously. The extension of Nez
Perce at the City Council. Obviously you realize what happened on that
based on the subdivision that was tonight. Non-conforming permit for
Minnewashta Manor. That was approved based on the same conditions that the
Planning Commission had. The City Council reconsidered the Boley
subdivision. If you recall, the rear of those lots fell into the city of
Victoria and in meeting with the Met Council they felt as long as the
services were from the city of Chanhassen, they felt they didn't have any
Jurisdiction in that matter. The City of Victoria wanted to do a property
swap because they felt like that property was valuable. We're not sure
that that makes a lot of sense. They want to get 4, 5, 6 lots out of it so
we're meeting with them but the City Council did approve, having yard
easements. So the lots do meet the square footage. It's Just that the
rear of the lots are in Victoria and they can just be used for yards only.
So we're hoping that we can still meet and resolve that issue and We've
asked that that be platted last giving the staff time to work out those
issues. Trotters Ridge was approved by the City Council. 8aslcally the
same way as you had presented it, and as you're aware, Paul will.be out of
the country for the next couple weeks. That's it.
Batzli: Okay. Thank you.
Conrad moved, Batzli seconded to adjourn the ~eett~. ~11 vot~ tn favor
and the motion carried. The ~eettng ~as adjourned at 11:53 p.m.
Submitted by Paul Krauss
Planning Director
Prepared by Nann Opheim
, , ,, m I! I I I I I I I