PC Minutes 01-19-2016Chanhassen Planning Commission – January 19, 2016
Aller: Any questions from any individual? I just have a comment and I appreciate all the time
and effort you put into these matters Mr. Jeffery. With the extra time obviously it sounds like
you’ve got it set up to simplify these rules, which adds to the transparency and is a benefit to all
the homeowners because they can get a better understanding and idea what they can and can’t do
with their property, which is beneficial to all so thank you for everything you’re doing. Alright,
so with that we’ll move onto the first public hearing and last public hearing tonight.
PUBLIC HEARING:
6421 HAZELTINE BOULEVARD, PLANNING CASE 2016-03: REQUEST FOR AN
INTERIM USE PERMIT TO PERMIT SITE GRADING TO WIDEN THE MAIN
ENTRANCE/EXIT DRIVEWAY AT MINNETONKA MIDDLE SCHOOL WEST. THE
PROPERTY IS ZONED OFFICE AND INSTITUTIONAL DISTRICT (OI) AND
LOCATED AT 6421 HAZELTINE BOULEVARD. APPLICANT/OWNER:
MINNETONKA SCHOOLS, ISD #276.
Jeffery: Chairman Aller, Commissioners, thank you. Tonight I think Paul and Cliff from the
school district are here to represent. Minnetonka Schools is requesting an interim use permit. As
you’ve already mentioned it will be going before the council based upon your recommendation
th
on February 8. This is a public hearing. The property is located at 6421 Hazeltine Boulevard
which is Trunk Highway 41 so it’s in the southeast corner of Trunk Highway 41 and Highway 7,
just south of Melody Hills. There are, the request is for an interim use permit because they are
moving materials in excess of 1,000 cubic yards. The site plan in front of you shows 2 of the 3
proposed improvements. So if.
Aanenson: …shows up in red. Can I use the mouse for a second? I’m sorry.
Jeffery: Take it. Oh not that one. I don’t want to go there. Okay.
Aanenson: Sorry.
Jeffery: Alright. Okay so where did you find the laser?
Aanenson: We lost it.
Aller: We’ll have to get some Minnetonka students to come in and code us and use their
experience.
Jeffery: Laser. Oh look at this.
Aanenson: It’s your friend.
Jeffery: Alright. So this area here is they propose to expand the driveway, the ingress and egress
from Trunk Highway 41 and the school. This is to improve traffic flows within the school.
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Chanhassen Planning Commission – January 19, 2016
Buses will be routed around the outside. Automobiles will be routed around the inside. They
will also at the same time be removing this island and replacing the pavement to get additional
parking. That’s one of our comments is to maintain that pedestrian access that’s provided for
that right now, and then the part that you can’t see is up here by the tennis courts. They’re going
to do some trail work to improve pedestrian traffic flow through that area. There were originally,
if you look in your staff report there’s discussion of storm water improvement. At one time the
school district was going to improve the pond to improve drainage out there. In discussions with
them, staff didn’t think that was necessarily well. While it was appreciated, it wasn’t necessarily
needed with this project at that time so we’re not doing that. There is some minor drainage
improvements that are going to be made in association with the trail but otherwise it’s really
about widening the access driveway onto the site. Staff does recommend approval of this with
the conditions and Findings of Fact. Yep speak up Bob.
Generous: Well I was just saying, put up that email that we received today and they’re really,
the concern that we’re seeing is for the traffic on 41 and we are in the process of working with
the school district and MnDOT to evaluate traffic conditions there and hopefully as part of that
study we can see some improvements that may be possible in the future.
Aller: Just quickly for the record, and for those of you at home we did receive an email
correspondence regarding this matter which Bob was just addressing. That will be part of the
package that goes to the City Council and will be attached to the package on the website so if
you want to take a look at this and all the drawings regarding this matter you can do so on the
City’s website.
Jeffery: There is no reason to believe that this improvement would result in increased traffic.
There’s no reason that the daily trips would increase. It’s the same use. We are recommending
approval of it with the conditions in the packet. As I said Cliff Buhman who is the engineer for
the project and Paul from the District are here.
Aller: Great. Any questions of staff at this point? Would the applicant like to come up? Ah
Commissioner Weick.
Weick: What is the significance of the path that goes between the, that cuts the parking lot?
Aanenson: If you go to this first map. It kind of shows the when they walk.
Weick: Is that just to keep a walkway to the tennis courts? That’s the idea?
Jeffery: Well this trail system does connect to Melody Hills and it connects to a larger trail
system so it would be best to continue that. Somehow have that north/south connection.
Aanenson: Just so you know what we’ve done in other subdivisions in the area we’ve made
connections. There’s one on the south that, and then there’s also one on the.
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Chanhassen Planning Commission – January 19, 2016
Generous: Southeast.
Aanenson: Yeah. On the.
Jeffery: Take it.
Aanenson: I can’t get the pointer. It’s not working. Yeah over on that side. Yes so we’ve
connected both those neighborhoods. You can see there’s walking trails through there so we just
want to make sure that that’s continued.
Aller: Would the applicants like to come forward? They don’t have to if they don’t want to.
Otherwise you can, alright. So with that I’ll open up the public hearing portion of this item.
Anyone wishing to come forward to speak either for or against the item can do so at this time.
Seeing no one come forward I’ll close the public hearing and open it up for commissioner
discussion. I’ve been up there a lot. Commissioner Weick and I, I think that’s a good safety
feature up there. The courts are used.
Weick: I agree.
Aller: The courts are used all the time. It’s a well used property.
Weick: I just didn’t know if it was beyond just to keep the walkway there so.
Aller: Any questions? I think the packet is pretty self explanatory. Has all the information you
need so I’ll entertain a motion at this time either for or against.
Undestad: I’ll make a motion. That the Planning Commission recommends the City Council
approve the Interim Use Permit to permit grading in excess of 1,000 cubic yards to allow parking
lot alteration. Widen the main entrance/exit driveway and drainage improvements and adopts the
Findings of Fact and Recommendation.
Aller: I have a motion. Do I have a second?
Hokkanen: Second.
Aller: Having a motion by Commissioner Undestad, seconded by Commissioner Hokkanen.
Any further discussion?
Undestad moved, Hokkanen seconded that the Chanhassen Planning Commission
recommends City Council approve the Interim Use Permit to permit grading in excess of
1,000 cubic yards to allow a parking lot alteration, widen the main entrance/exit driveway and
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Chanhassen Planning Commission – January 19, 2016
stormwater improvements subject to the following conditions and adopts the Findings of Fact
and Recommendation:
1.The applicant’s engineer shall adjust the slope of the expanded drive lane to convey runoff to
the northeast gutter line.
2.The plans must be revised to label the catch basins to match the CB/MH Schedule on Page
C5.
3.Slopes shall be labeled on all proposed pipes.
4.The note for the draintile shall be revised so that no sock is used on the draintile.
5.The applicant shall submit an erosion control plan (including additional detail plates) for this
project per City Code §19-154.
6.A $5,000 escrow to guarantee restoration and erosion control measures will be required with
the permit.
7.Staff will require that the applicant provide a proposed haul route for review and approval.
8.An as-built grading plan is required at the completion of site grading to ensure compliance
with the approved grading plan.
9.MnDOT comments shall be incorporated into the plans.
10.The parking spaces and aisles must be adjusted to meet the Chanhassen City Code
requirements.
11.The parking lot design shall be revised to provide a travel path for north-south pedestrians.
12.The applicant shall submit documentation to the city for how the queues will lay out with use
of the gates.
13.The plan must follow all applicable State and Federal guidelines.
14.The applicant shall install a total of two islands in the reconfigured parking area and a
minimum of four deciduous trees.
15.The interior width of the landscape islands or peninsulas shall be 10 feet.
16.The applicant shall install perimeter landscaping to correspond to existing parking lot site
conditions.
All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 5 to 0.
COMMISSIONER PRESENTATIONS.
None.
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