1986 05 28
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PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
MAY 28, 1986
Chairman Ryan called the meeting to order at 7:45 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Tim Erhart, steven Emmings, Robert Siegel, Bill Ryan, Ladd Conrad,
Howard Noziska, Mike Thompson
STAFF PRESENT
Barbara Dacy, City Planner, Bill Monk, City Engineer, and Roger
Knutson, City Attorney.
PUBLIC HEARING
2. Meritor Corporation - Chanhassen Hills
a. Preliminary and Final Development plan to subdivide 124 acres
into 180 single family lots, a 6.5 acre multiple family area
and to create a 7.8 acres of parkland on property zoned P-l,
Planned Residential Development.
b.
Land Use Plan Amendment to redesignate 20 acres of Medium
Density Residential to Low Density Residential and to
redesignate 6.5 acres of Low Density Residential to High
Density Residential and to redesignate 7.8 acres of Low
Density Residential to Parks and Open Space on property zoned
P-l, Planned Residential Development.
c. Wetland Alteration Permit to alter existing wetlands for
drainage purposes and single family home sites on property
zoned P-l, Planned Residential Development.
PUBLIC PRESENT
Jay Johnson
Jim Curry
Al Klingelhutz
Pat Swenson
Bud Paulson
Larry Frank
7496 Saratoga Drive
4817 Upper Terrace
8600 Great Plains Blvd.
9015 Lake Riley Blvd.
8528 Great Plains Blvd.
3706 So. Hills Drive, Eagan, MN
Dacy: On March 12, 1986 the Planning Commission reviewed the Sketch
plans for the proposed PUD. That particular plan proposed 205 single
family lots in 13.5 acres multiple family area to contain 107 units.
In between the Planning Commission meeting and the Council
consideration of the sketch plan, the number of single family lots was
reduced to 181 in the multiple family area, reduced to 6.3 acres and
the park area is also redesignated on the proposed sketch plan. The
Council approved the overall sketch plan and specifically recommended
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986 - Page Two
that the three lots that the developer had proposed along Lake Susan,
become riparian lots. The development plan proposes to for 180 single
family dwellings, the 7 acre park and 6 acre multiple family site east
of TH 101. Existing conditions on the site are as follows. There is
Class A and Class B wetlands along the western boundary of the si te,
Lake Susan on the northern part of the site, TH 101 runs north-south
through the Curry property and this Curry property is traversed by TH
212 corridor. The gross density of the proposed single family
development area is 1.87 units per acre. The net density of both the
single family and the multiple family portion is 2.95 units per acre.
The gross density of just the single family area is 2.05 and the net
density is 2.49 units per acre. The density ranges are consistent
with the ranges listed in the Comprehensive Plan. The lots sizes
range from 11,200 square feet to 150,195 square feet. The median lot
size is 14,466 square feet. The average lot size is 17,450 square
feet. There are 95 lots below 15,000 and 85 lots above 15,000.
Approximatley 130 of the lots contain lot widths of over 80 feet and
approximately 50 of the lots have lot widths between 65 and 80 feet.
However, a majority of these lots abut cul-de-sacs so the 80 feet is
being achieved as a building site. Lots 4, 5 and 6 in Block 8 contain
the largest lot sizes. Lot 4 is adjacent the western area, 5 and 6
surrounding the park, and Block 8 adjacent to the 212 corridor. The
lot size pattern is teired from the lake and the wetland areas and the
212 corridor inward so that the smallest of the lots are contained in
the center of the proposed subdivision. As I noted earlier, different
from consideration at sketch plan review is the creation of the three
recurring lots along Lake Susan. When the commission considered this
plan, this area was designated as open space. As you will see, Lots 1
and 2 do not abut the street so they will have to be served by a
private drive from the proposed street through Lot 3. The area does
contain steep slopes of over 25% and Staff is recommending that
detailed stablization and erosion control plans be submitted along
with building permit applications as well as the house design being
certified by an architect engineer. Also at the Council meeting for
sketch plan review when these three lots were being considered, there
was concern raised from the homeowners regarding a future public trail
to be dead ending at this point on the northeastern corner of the
plat. The Council recommended that a walkway easement still be
retained or be recorded at least, and the future possibility that the
City wouldn't want to have the trail in that area. The proposed
phasing plan contains five phases. phase 1 would contain 43 lots and
would concentrate on the northern portion of the plat. phases 2, 3
4 and 5 proceed south and westerly. Phase 5 being the last and
containing Block 1 in multiple area. As noted during the sketch plan
review, we asked applicant to revise some detailed berming and
vegetative screening plans for double lots along the Lyman Blvd. and
along future TH 212 corridor. Those plans were submitted and more
detailed plans would be required as part of the final plan and
specifications for the subdivision. The multiple family area is
considered in this northern part of the area but because of the
redesign of the PUD over the last couple of months, it has now been
Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986 - Page Three
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proposed east of TH 101 and adjacent to the 212 corridor. As such it
should adversely affect any existing or future single family areas.
The street pattern has been significantly revised since original
submission with only one access point proposed on Lyman Blvd. and TH
101. We have confirmed with the MnDot staff that the northern
alingment of the 212 corridor is adequate and reflects the most recent
alignment considered by MnDot.
Parks and Open Space. At the Council meeting during sketch plan
review, the Council directed the applicant to increase the park area
as much as possible. That has now been done. It has been increased
from 5 to 7 acres. This portion of the city is park petitioned area
and the Park and Recreation Commission recommended that this proposed
park site be acquired by the City for active use as well as extending
the open space area for trail easement purpose. There are also
proposed connections from the open space area into the plat pedestrian
corridor proposed. The applicants have submitted an environment
assessment worksheet. Any single family development in excess of 100
unattached dwellings must be processed through the City and the
Environmental Quality Board. The EAW, it's purpose is to determine
whether or not an environmental statement is needed. Whether more
detail review is needed for a specific component for the subdivision.
Chanhassen Hills, EAW lists several items that need to be addressed.
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1.
The Land Use Plan Amendment.
2. Impact has been identified about the location of the
drainage ponds in the steep slope area and peat areas in
the open space iq the Class C wetlands along the western
side of the property. This generated an eleven
alteration permit requests.
3. The Shoreline Zoning DNR requries a certain teiring of
lot sizes within 1,000 feet of Lake Susan. DNR has
reviewed the proposed plan and finds the proposed lot
sizes are consistent with their standards.
4. There was concern regarding the One Hundred Year Flood
Plain for these three lots along Lake Susan however, the
building areas are going to be at the knoll of the hills
significantly above the high water elevation level of
Lake Susan so there should be no impact from flooding in
this area.
5. Water and Sanitary Sewer Systems will be extended into
the site and water systems would have to be extended to
Lake Susan Park, Powers Blvd. extending east into the
plat in this area between Lots 11 and 12 of Block 4.
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May 28, 1986 - Page Four
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6.
The EAW identifies as in impact as far as the Surface
and Storm Water Runoff. I will leave most of the
explanation to the City Engineer, but basically the
tentative plan is to use the ponds to be located in the
wetlands area for sedimentation and siltation basis
before discharging into Lake Susan.
7. One more item they identified was Dust, Air and Noise
Pollution created during construction. These impacts
that are present during most construction projects and
mitigative measures include water sprinkling for dust,
maintenance of construction equipment and good operating
conditions of the construction.
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Back to the Land Use Plan. The pattern that is existing on the plat
at this time is based on the previous Lake Susan plan that was
considered by the City in 1980. with this new proposal what needs to
be done is that this medium density residential area which covers
approximately 20 acres, be reduced down to low density residential
area and then a high density residential area be located in this
location to accomodate 6 acre multiple family site. Also, with the
creation of the park site, the low density residential should be
changed to Parks and Open Space. This is not a significant change as
far as drainage patterns are concerned. Staff is recommending
approval of the Land Use Plan Amendment request as proposed. Finally
the Wetland Alteration Permit as I eluded to before is required
because of the work that will be done in Class B wetlands along the
western border of the plat. At this point I will ask the City
Engineer to address drainage and other issues along the plat.
However, in summary, Staff is recommending approval of the Preliminary
and Final Development Plan, the Land Use Plan Amendment Request and
the Wetlands Alteration Permit Request with the conditions listed in
the Staff Report.
Bill Monk: Noted in the Staff Report, Sanitary Sewer will be extended
from an existing manhole just off the northeast corner of the plat,
the easement to get into this site already exists and there are on
add i t i ona 1 da ta to give as far as san i tary sewer is concerned and the
line this size to handle this development. One of the things of a
different matter that needs be extended down along County Road 17 to
come into the west side of the site. Council has accepted a petition
from Noren and has initiated a Feasibility Study. There is a
condition being recommended that the Final Plat Approval be withheld
until the water extension is approved and we know it is going in. As
far the streets are concerned, as Barbara noted, the street layout, as
far as Staff is concerned, is much improved. At one point there were
two to three accesses along Lyman and TH 101 that has now been
downgraded to one major access on each road and internal circulation
is quite good on this plan. In addition, the developer has shown
alignment of future alignment of 212 on the present plans of the City
and MnDot and is applying to accomodate that right-of-way.
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986 - Page Five
Additionally, the development plan allows for the possibilty of
realignment of TH 101, something that has been talked about quite a
bit in conjunction with 212 and the alignment that they show is a good
one in keeping with the preliminary plans that have been prepared over
the last couple of years. As far grading and drainage goes, the
proposal is based on a plan that calls for disruption of the Class B
wetlands which exists along the entire northwest portion of the site
and development of a series of ponds that will basically handle the
water before it is released into a Class A wetlands and eventually
into Lake Susan. It is in keeping with the City and Watershed
District policies for containment and rate control as well as quality
control. As I considered the wetland alteration permit, something of
a termporary permit because there is no question in my mind that
quickly after these basins are established that they will basically
return to their natural state and will act as ponds and actually
function as wetlands as well so that Staff is in agreement that the
Wetlands Alteration Permit is in concert with the Wetlands Ordinance.
I apologize for this, but as I was driving out here tonight I saw that
I had missed two conditions, I hesitate to do this and I do apologize
but I would like to get conditions (i) and (j) added to the list.
i. utility and drainage easements comply to accomodate all
site improvements.
j .
Lake Susan Drive, the main street going through from
Lyman all the way over to TH 101, be constructed 4 feet
wider than standard residential sections to a width of a
driving surface of 32 feet to better accomodate
pedestrian uses, and that was the recommendation of the
Park and Recreation Committee, to allow better flow of
pedestrians throughout as they get down this major park
which is sizeable. It will have ball fields and many
other amenities.
I will end it with that and answer any questions.
Larry Frank: Representative from Meritor Development identified
himself in case any of the public had questions for him.
Bill Ryan: This has three parts with one public hearing. Rather than
ask for public comment on each individual part, basically what they
are asking for here is a Wetlands Alteration Permit to allow the
subdivision. We need to modify the Land Use Plan to be consistent
with the requested subdivision, but the question that we have is the
preliminary and Final Development Plan for the subdivision itself. I
would open it at this time to anyone in the audience who would like to
address this question. Feel free to ask questions or make comments.
Al Klingelhutz: I think the idea of the holding ponds below the bank
in the Class B wetlands is a very good idea. I think it would protect
e Lake Susan, it will retain the water back from the Lake and will
Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986 - Page Six
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actually add more regeneration of the water into soil by doing that
than directly letting it run into the Lake and I like that idea very
much.
Motion by Thompson, seconded by Noziska to close public hearing. All
voted in favor and motion carried.
Michael Thompson: Barbara, this is a preliminary and final
development plan all in one? I have not asked this question before
and I've forgotten. Is this a typical situation?
Dacy: Yes, our ordinance is confusing in that manner.
development plan is synonimous with a preliminary plat
the district, so in essence this is a preliminary plat
however, it is called a development plan.
A final
as defined by
approval
Thompson: Okay, so it is a preliminary development plan, it is not
the final plat approval?
Dacy: As a final plat, no. The final plat is only reviewed by the
Council.
Thompson: Is there anybody here that objects to any of this
development? I have on comments.
e Howard Noziska: I go along with Al that we are doing a good job with
the water. That is all I have to say.
Ladd Conrad: Bill, by adding 4 feet to that street, what are we
doing? We're letting people walk on the street to get to the park?
Is that the idea or what is the intent?
Monk: Park and Recreation Commission recently reviewed it's policy
regarding trails and started to look at maintenance costs and
construction costs for acquiring trails behind the curbs and carne back
basically with the poisition that major streets should be wided
slightly to better accomodate pedestrian traffic on either side to
walk, job, bike ride, and so on, but that was, at this point, the most
economical way of providing for better pedestrian use on the streets.
That is how they carne up with their recommendation for widening from a
28 foot street to a 32 foot street. The other option is to leave the
street the way it is and put a trail behind the curb on one or both
sides. They are not recommending that be done at this time.
Conrad: That seems like that is going to be a major way for people
to get over there are we are just forcing them into the street. I
don't know if that is a lot of common sense. Bill, you are real
comfortable that the disturbance to the wetlands is justified because
it is going to basically rebuild and serve it's purpose.
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986 - Page Seven
Monk: Yes, I bel i eve tha t every a t tempt has been made to stay well
clear of the Class A and to protect that as much as possible and Lake
Susan also and the watershed district is solely behind the theory of
intermediate ponding as a means to settle and protect downstream
waters. It is a good plan that I think will work.
Conrad: Barbara, how do we get to Lots 1, 2 and 3.
Dacy: There is a little flag on Lot 3. Lot 3 has a 55 foot flag
abutting Lake Susan and circling north to the neighboring street and
the dr i veway would be loca ted in tha t area and would be extended up
through the 3 lots. Remember that to build on these 3 lots that is
the last attachment in your packet, the driveway would go in this
fashion.
Larry Frank: I would like you to know that it is already priced out
to have it done with all these utilities and the road so that it is
all worked into the package.
Conrad: My only two concerns on the project, which I said last time,
were certainly far better and the best proposal we've seen. We're
still below the average lot size of 15,000 square feet and I got the
impression that City Council wanted to stick close to that. That is a
concern. I see some particular lots that are 80 feet on the proposal,
especially to the northeast, and Lake Susan could very easily be
increased lot size wise but they are very long and very narrow and I
don't know that we aren't doing justus to whatever that property is.
Other than that, the lot size, I don't know, I think we've been,
at least I have, been sticking to the 15,000 as an average unless I
feel we are getting something in return and I think we are getting
some open space in return but I don't know and I think the open space
is probably, especially the wetlands, are probably not buildable, so
I'm not sure in my mind that I want to go below the 15,000 on an
average. The only other comment I have is the walkway coming from the
high density. I think it is foolish to put people on the street when
we have an option to put a sidewalk or any other source to get people
over to the park.
Bob Siegel: I guess Ladd touched on this. The only question I had
was those three lake lots and the access to them. It seems to me that
it is a marketing situation but you are actually halfing some of those
lots are you, by putting the access to Lot 3 through Lots 1 and 2. Is
that going to be a private road?
Dacy: Yes it will be a private driveway. The subdivision ordinance
allows up to three lots to be certified by private drive and as you
can tell by the contour here. This area of Lot 1 and 2 is one of the
Class B wetlands and this is going to be pond number 6 then the slope
rises very quickly up to the knoll of the hill here and then goes down
again very steeply, so the buildable areas are exactly where the
Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Eight
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applicant has shown it to be and to be able to install the driveway
consistent with the grade, etc.
Siegel: We're not faced with the situation of any more buildable lots
on the other side of the private road towards the ponding area?
Dacy: No, as a matter of face, Lots 1 and 2 do not have public street
frontage and anything over three lots would not be permitted by
ordinance.
Steven Emmings: I don't have anything different from anyone else. I
certainly concur with Ladd's comments about the street and forcing
people into the street to get down to the entrance of the park seems
to be incredibly foolish to me.
Tim Erhart: Barb, what was the reservation of the trail easement on
Lots 1 and 3?
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Dacy: Originally, and take it is on the comp plan as well, that there
was proposed historically a trail easement along the shoreline of Lake
Susan but the City owns the strips of land along the north side of
Lake Susan and the intent is to provide a trail easement along the
west side. At Council consideration, the direction was to make these
a riparian reserve along the easement and record it along the
properties in this area just in case the City would like to pursue
eventual use of that property. There are two points in the plat
where, in Block 4 between Lots 23 and 24 of Block 4 where that would
provide access to the open space on the west side from the street.
Erhart: What is the width of the street that you show now? 28 feet?
Dacy: Yes, 28 feet.
Erhart: The width increase would be the street that runs through.
How do you get to the park? What is the access? The park is not on
the through street.
Monk: The park access requires a wide enough strip on the east side
of the park along the loop street they plan a 50 feet wide right-of-
way so the City could put in a driveway and then put parking area in
this vicinity, so this is the major access and this is the walkway
access. The park actually has no street frontage except for that
access point.
Erhart: The intent of the bicycle path is to take people to the park?
Monk: Basically the intent of the path is, I believe Lake Susan
Drive, will contain a fair amount of traffic, all the internal traffic
will have to go that way to get to Lyman and to TH 101, to make that a
little bit wider so that the people walking along the street would
e have room on the side of the street.
Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Nine
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Erhart: The reason it is constructed on a through street is because
there would be more traffic. What is the developer's comment
regarding the additional 4 feet?
The developer's response could not be heard on the tape.
Erhart: I have a question, Ladd you said the lot size average was
less than 15,000 square feet.
Conrad: Tim it looks like the median is under, the average is 17,000
which is a little bit different and I feel a little bit more
comfortable wi th the 17,000. I've been looking at that on here.
Barbara, when we talk about 17,000, does that include the high
density, does that pertain to that figure?
Dacy: No. That is just the single family lot areas.
Conrad: So when we work in the high density, what do we get.
Dacy: The high density you are going to have, typically in an
apartment development, it would be considered as one lot with six or
seven buildings on it so the lot area is 6.5 acres. We just focused
in on single family area only.
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Conrad: Tim I'm comfortable with this 17,000.
Ryan: The net is 2.25 density that would mean an average lot size of
just under 14,000. I have a couple of comments along the same line,
it was my night to attend when this came up at the Council on the
path and moving it away from backyards and out into the streets with
bicycles. Are you comfortable with this Bill as far as people, you
are going to take one side of the street and in effect make it a no
parking zone?
Monk: You mean the wider street section?
Ryan: Wherever you put a trailway, if you go down there and put a 4
foot wide striped off area and say that is where the walkway is, is
that your intent?
Monk: The Park Commission didn't get very specific in terms of
striping or whatever. Whether there would be a stripe on either side,
the details haven't been worked out. My point, I know that it's not
good to move people necessarily to the street, but it's also on major
item to think about all the issues involved with behind the curb,
parkway system. Construction is a minor portion of the system.
Maintenance of the system is a major one, and I'm not so sure that the
City is prepared to commit to a major maintenance involved with that.
In this type of proposal with the overflow, the other option would be
assignable. On one side of the street basically from the multiple
down to the park to allow the people to get off the street. I was not
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Ten
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at the Park and Recreation meeting so I'm treading a little
dangerously here because I'm telling things second hand. I'm not
exactly sure of all the comments. It's been done in the city, it's
what we have used before. A little bit wider street section. It does
provide a little bit safer situation and whether it's striped on one
side or both sides, it can be accomodated.
Ryan: If the striped becomes a no parking zone and you run it right
in front of a bunch of houses that are on 11,000 square foot lots
where people, we get back to one of myoId bugaboos, I want to be sure
that the driveways are large enough and every house has a two car
garage so we don't have people parking in the street. We have a
conflict between cars and pedestrians because we've just thrown all
the pedestrians out in the street going in and around parked cars.
Some of these are small lots with very narrow frontage lots. If you
don't know whether you are going to stripe it, then I don't know why
you asked for it.
Monk: I don't remember that being an explicit part of the
recommendation.
Ryan: That's nice to say but when you buid it what are you going to
do with it, just make the street 4 feet wider. The second question
for you Bill is one on street names because I never really understood
it, but some of these cul-de-sacs have eight lots and we give them
completely separate street names. Is that consistent policy.
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Monk: No, Staff will take a look at the street names as we move to
final plat. As the final plat comes in we will be making sure that
there are no repeat names and so on. We do have eight houses on a
cul-de-sac, normally it is given a separate name. It is where you
have a bubble situation or four, maybe five houses that you will
continue the numbers around the cul-de-sac. As you get above four to
five houses, you usually will have a separate name.
Ryan: There are a lot of short little streets. Then the street list
gets very, very long.
Monk: Everyone likes cul-de-sacs.
Ryan: Barbara, this is a repeat at an attempt to modify our policy to
say that when we accept a PUD applicaton we expect to get something
for it. This density is the same density as the subdeveloper. Are
you satisfied that the city has gotten it's fair share out of this
PUD?
Dacy: I think a fair share is the creation of the 7 acre park site.
It is proposed as an active site. The area is park deficient. We are
going to be experiencing significant development in the Lake Susan
area south of Lake Susan and north of Lyman Blvd. I think that is a
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-page Eleven
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trade off in this proposed plan. Creation of an active, useable space
which has been the concern of the commission in the past.
Ryan: Is it a regional park or just for the development?
Dacy: It would be a neighborhood park for the immediate area.
Ryan: Ball diamonds? There would be ball diamonds. Not one that we
would allow the recreation department to bring other teams into. I'm
concerned about where you bring a softball league onto a field.
You've got two teams playing, two teams coming and two teams going,
you have six teams potentially in that area in one time which adds up
to about 60 cars.
Dacy: The Park and Recreation commission would have to approve a park
development plan for that area and they look at that based on the
number of ball field, etc.
Ryan: Again, if you have any parking requirement at all, we have
parking on the street and we don't want cars parking on the street.
You're comfortable, the PUD, you think the city has a fair shake?
Dacy: Yes.
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Erhart: I have one more question. If there is a potential parking
in the park, why is the car access to the park on the side street?
Monk: Again, it is important to make a distinction here that if the
city does consider this a neighborhood park. One of the reasons for
that is that it is surrounded by collectors and potentially 212 and a
lot of other streets. It will be difficult to move people across
pedestrian and also you don't want to draw behavioral traffic into the
area. The creation of one ball field and just a lot of active area,
basically what you get with one ball field is that you don't do any
scheduling because with one it is extremely difficult to use one field
and schedule anything on it and you really need two to use it in any
type of league play or so on. As a neighborhood park, we didn't see
any drawbacks to having the access on what might be considered one of
the side streets instead of the active streets. That might even be a
benefit because only people in the area would be familiar with the
park. So I guess the only answer I can give you is that this is
planned as a neighborhood park and we're going to promote use just by
this neighborhood because of the street layouts and the problem of
getting down to this site. with this in mind I guess it is fair to
not see it as making a major difference which side you carne in on.
Emmings: The pond that is located in the corner of the park. How
much water is in that pond? How deep is it?
Monk: The pond will retain water, I assume to an elevation of 3 or 4
e feet because if it is any more than that it turns into a swampy area
Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Twelve
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instead of an amenity to the site. One of the things that we look at
with the park if we experience problems with it, it may have to be
fenced along the park side.
Emmings: I was just wondering because it looks like it would be an
awfully attractive thing to kids.
Monk: It will. The slope coming up from the pond will be general so
you can't fall over the edge and go tumbling into the water. A fence
will be looked at. We are conscience of water. It is the same as the
park on Lake Susan or any other. You are always conscience of the
water.
Ryan: One more comment. I am a firm believer in bonding for these
protective wetlands but as a form of blight, our wetlands ordinance
did in fact say that the bonding was to be done on the developable
land.
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Monk: Yes, if you look at the letter of the ordinance that you call
right-of-way with that interruptation. The interruptation that I'm
taking is that right now the Class B wetlands function as nothing more
than a pull across and will we continue to get that pull across even
after the ponds are created so in essense we are doing nothing more
than maximizing the use of the Class B in the overall drainage system
and trying to be reasonable in the terms of what land is left to be
developed and what is not. We did still require some of upland ponds.
One is near the park and so on, but I guess it becomes a
reinterruptation of the ordinance.
Ryan:
Interpretation of the ordinance begins to set precedence.
Motion by Siegel, seconded by Erhart to recommend approval of
preliminary and Final Development Plan Request #85-6 for 180 single
family lots and 52 multiple family units based on the plat stamped
"Received May 7, 1986" and the grading and planting plan stamped
"Received May 20, 1986" and subject to the following conditions:
a. Detailed landscaping plans shall be included in the plans and
specifications for lots abutting T.H. 101 and T.H. 212 during
final plat review process.
b. Reservation of a trail easement in Lots 1-3, Block 4 and a
trail easement between Lots 23-24, Block 4.
c. Satisfactory completion of the EAW process in compliance with
Environmental Quality Board rules including compliance with
recomended conditions of reviewal agencies.
d. Lot areas in Block 4 shall be a minimum of 15,000 square
feet.
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-page Thirteen
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e.
Detailed grading and erosion control plans shall be submitted
in conjunction with the development of Lots 1-3, Block 4
including certification of plans by a registered
architect/engineer.
f. All utility and street improvements shall conform with City
standards for urban construction.
g. Final plat approval shall be withheld until approval of trunk
water extension that will service the development.
h. Approval of the final drainage plan by the City, Watershed
District and DNR and compliance with all applicable
conditions.
i. utility and drainage easements comply to accomodate all site
improvements.
j. Lake Susan Drive, the main street going through from Lyman
Blvd. all the way over to TH 101, be constructed 4 feet
wider than standard residential sections to a width of a
driving surface of 32 feet to better accomodate pedestrian
uses.
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All voted in favor except for Ladd Conrad who opposed the motion, and
the motion carried.
Conrad: I am still concerned with the 32 foot wide street. I would
like to see a more appropriate way to shuttle people over from the
high density neighborhood.
Public: Does the City have a policy related to either accessability
or required hookup for existing landowners in the area as it relates
to the water that is going to be provided to the proposed development.
Is there an established policy?
Monk: I'm not sure exactly where you live. The water main is
proposed to come down County Road 17 into the west portion of the
site. At this time we are looking at stopping the water main and
ending it basically at TH 101. It would come down around and I have
no plans to move it back up, I'm not sure if you live further up north
or not. As far as the policy goes, if your property is benefited by
the extension of water in front of it, you are liable for assessments,
but as far as connection goes, the City does not require connection to
the water after it runs by.
Public: I guess my concern is in certain areas of this type of mish-
mash there are always there is a dome access directly on TH 101. What
provisions for accessability if in fact, in the future the water is
there and we can't get to it?
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Fourteen
Monk: In any situation the only thing the City can do is try to
provide easements through the property as it develops to get to any
and all property abutting where any improvements are going. Beyond
that the City would have to enter into a potential condemnation which
is usually not done that way. We would provide as much availability
of utility services as possible. There is no formal policy that I
know of.
Jim Curry: Bill, where and when do I negotiate the park fee. Is that
with the Park Board between the Council's looking at this and final
platting or I'm just curious.
Ryan:
Jim, I have absolutely no idea.
Dacy: Normally what is done is through the development contract
process before final plat is considered, negotiations betwee the City
and developer would occur.
Councilman Geving: I think I can answer your question. We will
decide that the night that we finalize your plat at City Council.
Councilwoman Swenson: Bill, I have another ~equest. This came up at
the last council meeting. It is virtually impossible for people in
the back of the room to hear anything that is going on up there. We
can't hear Barbara or Bill at all. I wonder if we could request that
the microphones be placed on the Staff table.
Motion was made by Siegel, seconded by Noziska, that the Planning
Commission recommend approval of the Land Use Plan Amendment Request
#86-1 to redesignate 20 acres of Medium Density Residential to Low
Density Residential, to redesignate 6.5 acres of Low Density
Residential to High Density Residential, and to redesignate 7.8 acres
of Low Density Residential to Parks/Open Spaces subject to
Metropolitan Council approval. All voted in favor and the motion
carred.
Motion was made by Siegel, seconded by Noziska that the Planning
Commission recommend approval Wetlands Alteration Permit Request #86-1
for lateration of wetlands for drainage purposes subject to final
drainage plan approval by the City, Watershed District and DNR. All
voted in favor except Bill Ryan who opposed. Motion carried.
Ryan: I don't like to set precedence putting the ponds on the
wetlands so I voted against that one.
The Council will meet on this item on June 16, 1986.
Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Fifteen
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PUBLIC HEARING
Enterprise Properties - Chanhasen vista.
a. Preliminary and Final Development plan to subdivide 69 acres
into 129 single family lots on property zoned P-1, Planned
Residential Development and R-la, Agricultural Residence.
b. Wetland Alteration Permit to alter an existing wetland for
road construction and single family home sites on property
zoned P-1, Planned Residential Development and R-1a,
Agricultural Residence.
PUBLIC PRESENT
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Lee Thorson
Jay Johnson
John Thorson
Pam Guttman
C. Kubik
Thomas S. Henderson
Joyce Henderson
Helen L. Loebel
Dillion Loebel
Ali Brock
Bill Boyt
Kathy Friedlander
Rick Friedlander
Tom Frebiger
Sandi Frebiger
Donald King
Dianne Needham
Helen Kerber
Barbara Miller
7320 Longview Circle
7496 Saratoga Drive
7320 Longview Circle
7202 Kiowa Circle
7492 Saratoga Drive
7488 Saratoga Drive
7488 Saratoga Drive
7197 Frontier Trail
7197 Frontier Trail
7203 Frontier Trail
7204 Kiowa Circle
7301 Frontier Trail
7301 Frontier Trail
7494 Saratoga Drive
7494 Saratoga Drive
7200 Kiowa Circle
7415 Frontier Trail
700 Santa Vera Drive
610 Carver Beach Road
Dacy: The Planning Commission reviewed the sketch plan of this
application at their April 9, 1986 meeting. At that time 124 single
family lots were proposed. Also at that time the Type 3, Class A
wetlands on the easterly part of the site was proposed to be retained
and street be developed around it. The City Council reviewed the
sketch plan on April 21, 1986. The council took comments at that
meeting from the developer and the surrounding property owners and
tabled action on the item until a list of concerns were developed by
Staff. The Council considered the sketch plan again at their May 5,
1986 meeting and recommended that lot sizes and lot widths be
increased and also meet certain criteria listed in the Staff
Memorandum dated April 29, 1986 regarding drainage and erosion
control, grading, lot design, the park issue and the street connection
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Sixteen
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issue. The plan that you have before you differs from the sketch plan
in six ways.
1. The Frontier Trail connection to Kerber Blvd. is now proposed
to "T" into a new street proposed to be named Big Horn Drive.
This is similar to the design that was originally considered
by the City several years ago regarding the development of
this property.
2. The number of lots in the northerly portion of the site on
the north side of the pond, has increased from 91 to 95
single family lots. Again with the proposal of the street
through the Type 3 wetland and the number of lots in the
southern part of this site has decreased from 35 to 34 single
fami ly lots.
3. The stormwater management plan and drainage plan has been
revised to direct the runoff from the north side of the
property into the drainage course that traverses along the
north boundary of the plat and eventually into the pond that
was established at the rear of the Chaparral 4th Addition.
The City Engineer will review this revised plan later on in
the presentation.
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4.
Outlot B, the proposed park area, the dimensions have been
increased to approximately the 952 contour on the northern
side and have been pulled back in the southwestern portion of
the site to allow for the creation of the sedimentation basin
in this area.
5. The minimum lot size has increased from 11,700 to 12,000
square feet, and this is in both sides of the proposed
development. The minimum lot size throughout is 12,000
square feet. The average lot size is 15,686 square feet and
the median lot size has increased from 13,850 to 14,000
square feet.
6. Approximately 101 of the lots are 80 feet in width and
larger. The remaining number of lots are located around the
cul-de-sacs. However, all of the lots are 80 feet at the
building set back line.
I would like to review the density of both portions of the
development. The gross density over all the entire property is 1.84,
the net density is 2.77 overall. For just the southern part of the
site, the net density is 2.4 and the average lot size is 17,847 square
feet. On the north side, the net density is 2.92 with an average of
14,902.
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Street Pattern. Outside of the change to the Frontier Trail
connection that I mentioned earlier on your revision through the
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Seventeen
wetland area, the plat is still proposing a Santa Vera and Frontier
Trail to Big Horn Drive connection. Staff maintains it's previous
recommendation that these connections be made for street continuity
and public safety concerns. There were grading and drainage concerns
identified during sketch plan review process. I will start with the
north side of the property along the drainage course and the steep
slopes there. As you may recall, the Frontier Trail connection went
through this area, proposed to intersect Kerber Blvd. south of the
existing cut that is out there on this site now and there was a cul-
de-sac proposed into this area along the steep slope. Now what is
being proposed is to use that existing connection to Big Horn Drive
down to the east. While the street pattern allows for buildable area
not infringing on this steep slope in this area, we still remain
concerned about Lots 1 and 2 in the corner of the plat. What we are
recommending on the proposed lot pattern for Lots 1 and 2 is that the
creekbed would be realigned in a more easterly, east-west fashion
instead of having bend to the south. That is a recommended condition
of approval. If not, then these two lots should be combined. Also
during sketch plan review there was concern regarding the slopes in
this area. However, now that the street has been realigned and a lot
configuration created that was different, those concerns in here are
not raised. The third area was the area along the Santa Vera, Lots 11
through 15 of Block 4. Staff maintains that this area is over crowded
and that at least one lot should be eliminated. The applicant did
realign Santa Vera further to the south however, to increase or
maximize the buildable area between the street and the steep slope in
this area, Santa Vera can still be moved further to the south without
adversely affecting Lots 1 and 2. Also, as detailed, plans and
specifications are being prepared to double frontage lots should be
shown as to what types of protection for berming and vegetative
screening that should be addressed.
Parks and Open Space. Park and Recreation Commission recommended that
a certain area around the front be acquired by the City. Basically
what their recommendation was, for the City to acquire all of this
area that is colored red, green and blue. In order for the City to
carry out an acquisition process, an appraiser has to be consulted as
a standard procedure. Staff did consult with the City Attorney and an
appraiser and their findings were that acquisition costs would have to
include estimation for damages for any lots to enlarge dedication. An
alternative to acquiring all of this area as shown in red and green
would be to acquire the area shown in green, basically to the body of
the slope, and then obtain an easement that is shown in red which
would prohibit grading and building activities. The plan does propose
pedestrian corridors from Cascade Trail to the school property and
down to the proposed easement area at the existing check dam. Also we
are recommending that two lots, 6 and 7, a pedestrian trail be
installed in this area to provide access to the easement on the north
side. Originally there was a recommendation that Frontier Trail have
an enlarged pavement width of 32 feet, that is being maintained and
being recommended at Santa Vera, Big Horn Drive and Frontier Trail
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Eighteen
contain standard pavement width for pedestrian pusposes. The
applicant has submitted a revised Environmental Assessment Worksheet.
The one that was previously submitted on March 20, 1986 and went
through the full 30 day comment and review period. The comments that
we received from the EAW was included in your packet. The most recent
EAW has been submitted, as a matter of fact, at the same time that the
previous subdivision was considered. The EAW listed the following
issues: traffic, construction impacts and stormwater runoff.
As far as the traffic issue, the applicant has submitted a traffic
analysis which states that because of the new development, traffic in
the area through the development and adjoining neighborhoods will
increase. However, the traffic report identified that the increase
traffic counts in the adjoining two neighborhoods would be primarily
due to change traffic patterns because of the extensions of Frontier
Trail and Santa Vera. Construction impacts, the mitigative measures
that have been identified by the applicant includes sprinkling of
water for dust control, maintaining and muffling of construction
equipment in good operating order. Finally, the stormwater runnoff
issue. The revised drainage plan is one of the major concerns and
this leads right into the wetland alteration permit request. As I
eluded to earlier, what is being done is the Type 3, Class A wetland
in this location is being filled in for proposed street and additional
buiding sites. As you know the ordinance is intended to protect and
enhance the quality of wetlands as well as reducing the needs for
pipes and sewer lines. In past applications, for example, the Piper
Ridge subdivision on the north side of Lake Minnewashta, the plat was
amended so that the street and lot areas were realigned out of the
wetland area to mitigate the impact on the wetland. However, what has
to be pointed out is that the revised drainage plan can meet
engineering standards but because of the proposed ponding area, the
Chaparral 4th Addition and the proposed drainage, and I will leave the
details to the City Engineer, however what I am trying to say is the
condition that the Council has to decide is whether or not what is
being proposed meets the intent of the wetland ordinance. The wetland
will be filled in. It was very hard for us to judge the impacts on to
the wildlife and ecological quality of that particular area. At this
point I would like the City Engineer to make his presentation.
Bill Monk: I will be brief. We have been through this before, I
think everybody is very familiar with what I am going to do. As far
as the drainage goes, there has been a lot of talk at sketch plan at
both City Council and Planning Commission level, the plan is being
amended quite a bit starting south of the ponding area. Basically the
plan is committed to creation of a ponding area, a portion of which
will be off site and undoubtedly will include the City as far as
acquisition of property to allow the pond to be created to its full
potential. Basically what is being done the storm sewer plan has been
amended so that there is no longer a direct access into or discharge
into the pond area but instead the water is being brought back into
two locations brought over to this ponding area which will allow
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Nineteen
sediment treatment before it discharges into the existing pond. In
addition, there has been quite a bit of comment, and rightly so,
about drainage. The situation in the Saratoga addition as it abuts
the lots in Block 3. The developer is proposing that a swell be
created along the backside of these lots in addition to an extension
of the storm sewer system which will eleaveate the problems here.
Some of the water still runs to Santa Vera but it's approximately one
and half lots or the back portion of one and a half lots. The rest of
the lots will be a new low area and with the berming should stop any
water from having a detrimental affect on these houses that presently
exist. On the north drainage area, again, there have been significant
revisions. Basically what has been worked out on this site is that
direct runoff to the existing pond is extremely limited and basically
includes front yard and street areas across the portion of Block 10
and portions of Block 5, it would come down into these two catch
basins and be discharged. Back lot areas has been changed to this
area and some catch basins have been moved in an attempt to allow the
backyards in here to free flow across the backyard areas and be caught
up in two open pipes to allow some sedimentation of the water before
it is picked up from this drainage area and discharged into this
system or discharged down to the south. The most predible change from
the sketch plan which did include preservation of this existing little
bit smaller than 1 acre, creating a cul-de-sac in here with some lots
around it which did allow preservation of this wetland. What has been
done in here now is that the wetlands is basically being filled in.
Discharge between existing lots on Kiowa Circle is going south with
the creation of a berm and the runoff from this area is all being
rerouted over to the pond to be created in joint effort between the
developers of Chaparral 4th Addition and this subdivision that is
being acquired along this creek alignment in this area right here, so
we get filtration and sedimentation coming from the creek and also in
this low area. All water will be treated before it gets to Lotus Lake
and before it gets to this pond except for this area which basically
would be direct runoff to these basins and out of there, it does
represent a net decrease in the direct discharge from this site into
the pond. As Barbara had noted, filling of this wetlands is contrary
to the details of the wetland ordinance. The trade-offs associated
with this proposal are that the wetland as it presently exists, does
have a limited drainage area and that draingae area can be accomodated
within this newly created basin which will function as a pond one step
short of a wetland basin because of the way it exists now there is a
low, marshy area. Any correction of the discharge problem that
presently exists with tile. Again the City in the past has gone out
of its way in efforts to protect wetlands as Barbara noted, Piper
Ridge being the most notable example of that, where the road and lots
were realigned to protect any Class B wetlands as a buffer between
existing houses and a new development. However, this will work from
an engineering viewpoint as far as handling water, and I believe
quality and quantity control, but this proposal is basically contrary
to the wetlands ordinance in doing away with this pond you are doing
away with the asthetic and environmental benefits that are being
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Twenty
derived at present. Both streets, Barbara has noted I think the
Planning Commission went it over in a fair amount of detail, Staff
continues to support both streets being extended through. This
proposal does put another kink in what people have referred to as the
Frontier Trail extension, which I can't believe would do anything but
help slow traffic down and help with the overall traffic movement.
Also, as was noted earlier, we do expect the increases in traffic on
Frontier Trail to come about mainly from a reorientation of traffic in
the existing neighborhoods who will come out this way and basically
try and get to Kerber Drive as they would head to Excelsior or points
north or west. The parks, Barbara did note it, at the meeting with
Lori Seitzman and getting a handle on the Park and Recreation
Commission recommendation on this area. It should be noted that the
Park and Recreation Commission is recommending that City review and
take a hard look at acquiring all of the property noted in here in
green and red which represents not only the active walkway area shown
in green, but also the steep slope area shown in red. We did not get
an appraisal, time was short and I did not get one but I did have a
meeting with the City Attorney and a certified appraiser who we have
worked with in the past, we sat down, we did go through this and there
is no question that in his appraisal of the value of the sloped area
shown in red, that if any lots were basically made unbuildable and the
plan needed to be revised to offset that loss in lot area, any
reduction in lots on the new layout would be considered and a
valuation of the slope areas. Staff continues to believe that it
would be more economical to work out a strick easement agreement on
the area shown in red that would restrict activities within that area.
The other option would be more expensive than the benefits derived.
Dacy: Do you want to mention that the Park and Recreation Department
wants to use their own money to acquire that area.
Monk: I guess I assumed that would go without saying that any
property acquired, be it sloped or the active areas proposed to be
plotted as a part of the plot, I do not believe there is any
compensation at this point involved that the City has not talked with
the developer about, any compensation for the area shown in green.
The Park Commission, if the sloped areas were acquired, I just assumed
but perhaps it should be stated, that if those slope areas were
acquired, that would either have to be through negotiation and
induction of park charges or through simple payment to the developer
which would come through the Park and Recreation Department and funds
for park development. with that, I know there are a lot of questions
and I will attempt to answer questions as they come, I know there is a
lot of public here who would like to speak.
Ryan: Before the developer makes his presentation, Barbara I would
like you to make your response to our very general condition, again
this is a PUD, what is your position as the Staff, what does Staff say
as far as this PUD. Is the City getting its fair share out of the PUD
request?
Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Twenty One
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Dacy: What is being proposed similar to the last application that we
just reviewed is the creation of a park area to be acquired by the
City with active trail areas in and around the pond. That is part of
the proposal. The other aspect of the development is that it is
attempting to preserve the slopes along the north side, however, the
issue that remains is whether or not the wetland on the east side of
the property should be maintained or if it should be filled.
Ryan: The dens i ty tha t you s ta ted in the summary is net dens i ty of
2.77 units per acre which equates to just over 15,000 square foot
average. That is based on how much bare land being given up as park
space?
Dacy: The net density does not include any park space.
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Ryan: I understand that. In order to get to that density which
equates to 15,000 square feet which is very close to the "standard" of
the subdivision, if we wanted to set a standard for the subdivision
rather than saying 15,000 square foot lots, it would be a net density
of 2.88. That is 15,000 square foot lots. In order to get to that
you have to assume that out of the gross acreage there is some land
being dedicated to park and there is some land that is going to
streets. What the city is getting in return is that land dedicated to
park. What Bill is saying is that there are certain parts that the
Park and Recreation Department that we have to buy, that doesn't sound
like it was given to us. What are they giving us in return for the
PUD? How much land are they giving us for parks.
Dacy: The acreage of Outlot "D" is approximately 10.1 acres. As far
as the useable portion, I can only say that the trail areas in and
around the pond is what would be able to be used by the community.
Ryan: The Ci ty does not now own any acreage in and around the pond?
Dacy: On the east side. That is part of the City.
Ryan: Nothing in green is owned by the City now.
Monk: Not right now, no. We basically have had a park. This was
platted for the City as part of the Saratoga addition. You see that
the edge of the plat comes to this. The city does own from that line
to an extension of the lot over to this vicinity which is over here,
so the City does have this and the developer is showing his lot lines
coming down to the area shown in green. The 10 acres that Barbara was
eluding to would basically be from the edges of the plot to the edges
of his building lots which would incorporate the ponding areas and the
areas shown. So the City has had a park down in this vicinity right
now.
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Ryan: So in summary, in return for giving them a density equal to
subdivision standards, net density, subdivision standard lot sizes, we
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Planning Commissin Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Twenty Two
are getting 10 acres of park, and the question is whether we want to
take and have to maintain for ever 10 acres of park as our fair
exchange with the maintenance requirements that go along with that.
Dacy: Yes, that is correct.
Greg Frank, Applicant: I have additional drawings of the different
renderings that you have in your packages, some of you might refer to
them if you want to bring them out. I will try to make my comments
quick. My name is Greg Frank, I with McCombs Knutson Associates, we
are the engineers and planners representing Enterprise Properties.
Mr. David Seigel of Enterprise Properties is here also. To touch on
some of the comments again. The plan is 70 acres of which 10 acres or
a little over 10% is being proposed to be dedicated for park purposes.
The design, as Staff mentioned, all of the lots would be at least 80
feet in width at the setback line. In the case of the single family
lots against existing development in the northern portion of the
project, all of the lots are in excess of 15,000 square feet and also
90 feet in width. In the case of the seven lots in this area, all of
the lots are larger than the existing single family development to the
east. One of the major concerns expressed many times, and obviously
expressed again here tonight, was drainage. I would like to say that
the drainage problems that do exist in the adjoining neighborhoods
exist today without development. The proposal is a mitigation of
existing problems. There is concern about the flooding in this area
where basically we are collecting the water before it gets there,
stopping it from getting to these homes and collecting it and running
it in different directions. This wetland here, one of the mitigation
measures that we have proposed, is that in filling that pond, is that
pond does present a drainage problem to the properties east at the
present time as expressed by the homeowners at Planning Commission and
Council meetings in the past. We are going to mitigate that by
providing the berming and filling in, collecting storm sewers before
it gets to those properties, and then carrying it to the north
proposed upon the constructed in conjunction with the Chaparral 4th
Addition project. Again, the drainage areas then that do drain into
the existing neighborhoods will be substantially reduced in size as
well as the water being collected before it gets out to the property,
and again that will benefit the adjoining property owners as well as
the City. We realize that we have to work with the homeowners in
solving these problems. Another point is the area along the north.
The City Staff mentioned again, the problems with Lots 1 and 2 being
combined. Again, the design for this creek is still in the design
phase by the property owners to the north. It probably will be
decided in conjunction with out project and joint venture. Right now
it appears that that creek may be redesigned in the form of a culvert
or a pipe instead of an open ditch. That is a review that still has
to go through the watershed and the City. If, in fact, the watershed
should direct that developer and this developer both jointly, to
construct storm sewer pipe, then Lots 1 and 2 would probably be built
and those lots would be two lots. If, in fact, the creek should
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Twenty Three
remain as it is today in its natural force, then those two lots would
be combined to form one lot and we would go along with recommendation
from Staff. Staff had a comment about the lots along here, making
this one lot. Our intention would be to comply with their
recomendation eliminating one of the lots in this area also.
Basically when we report to the Planning Commission and Council, the
Council suggested that one of the lots should go off of here. The
last time we felt at that point that a shift to the north would give
us more area in this area so we would lose the lot here and pick up
with the additional area the savings we got here. Staff still feels
that we have problems with the design and we are certainly willing to
deal with that and we would propose that one of those lots be taken
out. The project, just from a development framework, timing, I want
to touch on that, approximate development is the three phases. phase
1 would be the southern area. phase 2 would be basically this area
here, and phase 3 would be here. Our intention again, would be to go
to phase 1 with site grading and utility construction yet this summer.
phase 2, perhaps some site grading, if sales were good, yet this year,
more than likely phase 2 would be spring of 1987 construction season
and phase 3 would be a late 1987 or 1988 construction season. We are
here tonight again, asking for your approval. We would like to
proceed, obviously as quickly as possible. I think the meeting with
the residents over the months and also with the Planning Commission
and Council, if there are concerns we certainly would like to move
with the southern half of the project where we think the problems of
the design and concerns are minimized now and the direction is rather
straight forward. There hasn't been any major changes in design in
that area other than drainage consideration since the first day that
we had an opportunity to meet with the City Staff, Council and
Planning Commission and homeowners. The other point that we would
just like to touch on briefly, is the traffic concern. Again, the
developer with respect to the access from the existing Kiowa Avenue to
Kerber Drive is willing to agree with whatever the recommendations are
of the Planning Commission, Staff and Council, and whatever is
recommended by these parties. Again, there is no, if that access, I
know it is a concern of homeowners again, if that access site should
be eliminated, we would be willing to accomodate that design change.
The park area that we have discussed again. We would repeat dividing
the park land as an indication in basically two phases. The first
phase would be with phase 1 of the project and this area would be
dedicated with the first plat. The remainder of the park dedication
would be done with the second plat as is being proposed. With that,
if there are any comments or questions, I will be happy to address
those. Thank you.
At this point discussion was opened up to the public.
Rick Freidlander: I live in the Sunrise area in Chanhassen and I
represent to some extent a group in our neighborhood that has gather
to work with the developer in working out the best possible solution
for his needs, our needs, and so on. We have collected about 90
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Twenty Four
signatures that back a position that talks about the quality of the
neighborhood, traffic flow and so on. We have come to three meetings
now before the Board and City and first I would like to ask you not
only listen, but hear us. We have a distinct frustration in our
meetings so far that you are not listening to what we're saying, so
please do. Neighbors, some of the people will talk and I will ask
you don't venture rath even though I know you would like to based on
what we see here, but express the concerns that we do have. Welve got
concerns, the developer has concerns. He needs to turn a profit on
this and we respect that. Developers, you have come so far, you
cooperated, searched for solutions and you had come so close. In this
last plan, is really a step in the wrong direction. You hit some
minor concerns but the overall flavor and approach is back to the
wrong direction. You are stepping away. You are turning away from
the intent of the Board as we understand it, the intent of the Council
as we understand it and frankly away from a lot of the good will that
we have been generating between each other for the past few months.
It feels like we are back to square one. You know better than this I
believe and I think you know how to work with civic groups and I don't
think you are doing it. I know that you want to get started by
September and I think we need to see a realistic plan rather than back
to ground zero. There are things in here that are throwbacks to 3 to
4 years ago approval that just aren't even in play. I know you can do
it and that is why you deserve the big profits you are going to get
from this. This plan does not show the respect this land is due. The
wildlife or we, the neighborhood. You will hear from others on
several of these other issues. I would like to just touch on the
traffic issue. We are adults, we pay taxes in the City, we make our
own decisions, we control our own destiny, yet we keep hearing from
planners, from people who are trying to take control of our lives and
tell us that you need this for your safety. You need to have a road
go through here for your safety. We've decided, and we have 90
signatures saying this, that we believe you are wrong, whoever you
are, and we don't want to see it go through. If you insist on
planning to put a road through, we insist that stipuations be made
that this be done so as to bring the street to some sort of safe
standard that we don't even see now. Thank you very much.
Sue Boyt: I live on Kiowa. At the Park and Rec meetings, I thought
they told me that land dedication didn't include water in acreage and
they included water in the 10 acres. Have I been told wrong?
Dacy: I believe it is a public water, the land is not included in the
amount of the total acreage. I do not know what the acreage of the
pond is?
Monk: 5 acres.
Sue Boyt: So they don't usually talk about water when they are
talking about dedication?
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Dacy: If it is designated as a public water by the DNR, and I believe
this is. The total area of the outlot is 10 acres and if the pond
area is 5 acres, then they would only be dedicating 5 acres of land.
Sue Boyt: So when they give numbers for land they should include land
and not water to the Park and Rec Commission.
Dacy: Correct, and the acquisition cost would have to be based on the
land to be acquired.
Bill Boyt: One of the things that has occurred to me when I have been
to other planning meetings, there aren't alternate plans. So I
thought, and the developer mentioned, we met with the developer
several times, those of us you have children have made a considerable
investment in trying to do something to enhance the value of the
property out there and bui ld Chanhassen the way we want to see it
develop. I would like to show you an alternative. This isn't drawn
up by an eng i neer and as you will note it shows up the the TV screen,
I know it is light so it might not, it is something I just sketched
together with some of the kids markers. Now, one of the things that
this does is it gives the park people all of the land that they are
asking for so I took that out and this is over here. Then what I did
was I took all the lots that they have adjoining the pond, which I
will agree are some of their most valuable lots, and I just moved them
over which turns out to be a half inch on their scale, or about 50
feet. Then I took all of the lots on the creek, which they will also
agree are the most val uable lots, and move them onto the thing, so I
have all of those lots, I knocked out two. I don't have any lots that
under 15,000 square feet and one of the things that we asked for as
residents of this area was they there not be any lots under 15,000
square feet which is a very different figure than an average lot size.
If you will notice on the original proposal, there are lots in there
with 50,000 square feet of which maybe 8-10,000 are building and the
rest of them are down an fairly steep slope and when you figure that
into your average, it certainly throws it off, so we don't have any of
those here. I think I get something like 66 lots. Well, I'm
reasonable, I'll negotiate from that. I think maybe we could probably
up that. Maybe quite a little bit. But you get to 91 lots. I don't
think so. Now I want to show you what I compared it with. Maybe this
isn't a very clear picture either. You will see Sunrise Hills in one
form or another written allover this and I unfortunately have only
one copy but I will pass it over and you can look it over later. I
think you will notice that there aren't any lots in there under 15,000
square feet. Now I didn't figure out all sizes but I figured out
pretty much some examples of them. If this developed over a number a
years and they didn't put any lots in there under 15,000 square feet,
I think it is reasonable that those those of us who moved into the
area would assume that future development would follow along the same
lines as existing developments. This is quite a bit different from
some of the other projects you will get where there aren't neighbors
around them and if they want to come in and develop them that is a
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different matter, here they are adjoining established neighborhoods.
As the developer said, they came in to the other end of the
development and they now have lots that are bigger than the existing
lots. I can assure you that they haven't done that to our end. If
you look on the plan that the develper provided to the lots directly
touching the property, you will see that there, there are no lots
under 213,131313 square feet and I would expect that we would at least
have a buffer zone of 2 or 3 lots deep that would be comparable size.
I think it is reasonable that when I moved into a lot that happens to
abut upon an empty lot, that I can assume that when that empty lot is
developed it will be developed with lots comparable to what are
already next to me and that is really what I am asking you to do is,
we've tried to communicate to the developer that we want good size
lots. We started, seems like in January. We started a long time ago
send i ng tha t message. Wha t you see in fron t of you is more lots than
the developer had in last plan.
Jay Johnson: I am representing the neighbors on the Saratoga Addition
side of the project here. The developer has asked for our input but
we aren't exactly sure if he has listened to what we've said. He has
gone through and looked at some of things that we've said on specific
drainage and storm water on our side of the area. There are a few
problems. Minor little things. Putting the drainage catch basin not
at the lowest part of the land, things like this. We can work these
things out. There has been some indication that Santa Vera is going
to be increased in size. Is the existing Santa Vera 32 feet wide or
are we going to go from a 28 foot wide street and expand it 4 feet all
of a sudden. I'm sure of the need for that at this point. This is
something that is new to us. We didn't hear about that until this
meeting. We definitely want Santa Vera to go through. There was some
indication, some of the notes from the city that the Saratoga people
were against Santa Vera going through. We want to deny that. We want
Santa Vera to go through. My church is in Excelsior. That cuts I 1/2
miles off my trip to Excelsior. plus that is going to reduce the
amount of traffic going by the grade school where our kids go to
school. We would rather see them going down Santa Vera Street than
down Loretta and pass the grade school. We are very much in favor of
Santa Vera going through and could care less about Frontier Trail
because you don't live there. We support the people on Frontier Trail
to the extent that it is their area to talk about and not ours. One
issue that we talked about was neighborhood disruption during
construction in our original petition that we brought in to you and
the City Council. I have not seen anything so far to satisfy us on
this. We ask that the construction traffic during development come in
from Kerber Blvd.. We have not seen that as a condition of this
development. We asked that Santa Vera Street be blocked off. The
developer says he would do that but words are one thing. I want to
see something in writing. I want to see conditions to the plat and
stuff that says that we aren't going to have parking on Santa Vera
Street from the construction workers as they go to their earth movers
parked in that area. We suggest that they put a parking area for the
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workers and the earth movers over by Santa Vera and Kerber Dri ve. We
would like to see that in writing sometime instead of verbage, and we
haven't even heard the verbage except from ourselves so far on these
points. As Lynn said that lot size issue is not an issue with the
Saratoga group. We must admit that the lots adjacent to us are pretty
much the same as ours. When I averaged our lot sizes we averaged
14,400 for the lots abutting the project and I took their lots and
the average is 14,000. That is pretty much the same. They have
pretty much the same width as us. The smallest width lot on our
entire subdivision is 80 foot wide and the ones abutting us, the
sma 11 est i s 90 f 00 t w i de . Wh i 1 e I'm tal kin g lot s i z e he reI w 0 u 1 d
like to show you a few things here. We are still concerned, many of
the people. Everyone I've talked to is concerned about lot size and
the general design of the lots. A 12,000 square foot lot isn't too
bad until you make it 60 foot wide at the front and 150 foot deep.
What you end up with is a garage with a house behind it and if you go
down TH 101 there is a street I believe is called C1earview up in
Minnetonka, you look left as you are heading north down that street
and all you see is garages. One after another, garages. We first
want to show you an example. We had his plan reduced here and my wife
took some colors and did some marking on it. As I read the
ordinances, the lot width in the ordinance is a minimum of 90 feet and
as a PRD we can relax that ordinance is we want. What I have gone
through here is some fancy color coating. The green, like a traffic
light, is lots that are between 80 and 90 feet wide. The yellow are
lots, that at their 25 foot setback that they are requesting for every
lot here, is between 70 and 80 feet wide, even though the developer
says there aren't any lots under 80. The ones here in yellow are
between 70 and 80 at the setback and the ones in red are less than 70,
down to the lowest one is about 60. Then you will see some fancy
striped ones here and there. Those are corner lots that have some
real problems because of their narrowness. Once you put the corner
lots and you have a 25 foot setback on two sides of it and the lot
itself is only 80 feet to start with, you end up with a buildable area
of a total of 50 feet in some cases. My house could not sit on that
lot, I have a 55 foot wide house and City ordinance also calls that
every home in the longest dimension of the house has to be facing the
street so this means that the biggest dimension of the house to go on
these lots is 50 feet. What I am saying is that we have a
considerable number of lots that are being requested to be under our
90 foot minimum lot width and I'm not exactly sure what we are getting
for that.
Mr. Johnson then put up another map.
This drawing shows the lot areas. The red lots are between 12,000 and
13,000 square feet. The yellow area then are 13,000 to 14,000 and
14,000 is the median. Exactly 14,000. Actually the median comes as
the first lot about 13,000. Then the green ones are the 14,000 to
15,000. We have a consierab1e number here. The 12,000 to 13,000
square foot range is the mode, as we engineers call the crazy stuff
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Planning Commission Minutes
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here when you get into statistics. The mode here, there are 45-12,000
to 13,000 square foot lots. It is the most numerous. Then you drop
to 19-13,000 then the 15,000' s are smaller. A great curve the
statistians would love it when they see the curve. It drops off to
almost nothing. 2 at 30,000 we finally end up with. The lot sizes
are a concern. We are concerned that Chanhassen is developing a lot
of small lots and not developing many larger lots. Eventually I want
tom 0 ve 0 u t 0 f my h 0 use i n to a 1 a r g e rho use on a 1 a r g e rho use and I
would like to do that in Chanhassen and it is getting to be quite
limited. The last time I was up here, there were alot of small lots
also, Chaparral. Chaparral, which the developer has compared himself
to quite a bit, the development coming in on this side, they have some
small lots in there, down to 11,700 but they are also designed
primarily being wide lots that are not as deep which is the opposite
of what we have here. Narrow lots that are deep. Now the last issue
that was on our petition and we still have concerns on is our park.
Our pond, and when I say "our", I'm not talking just our neighborhood,
I'm talking our city as a citizen of Chanhassen. There has been a lot
of talk about how worthless this thing is. How little bit of wildlife
and stuff there is. I don't know how many of are familar with the
pond. I will pass around two panoramas that I taped together. Also a
little wildlife photography that I did out there. The biologist says
there is no wildlife there. I went out one Sunday afternoon for half
an hour and one evening for about half hour and shot the various
pictures there. You can see from the panorama in the pictures, we
have a very pretty little area. As you look at the panorama, you
can see where the ridge line is and that is what the Park and Rec
Board is asking for. We keep hearing about an eaesment. We see
nothing to tell us what this easement is going to give us. Is this
going to give us lawns and grass and swingsets down over this ridge
line to where our park is now including grass and stuff or is this
going to give us a wildlife area like the Park and Rec Board is
requesting be revegetated and will provide habitat for wildlife and
things like that.
Ryan: Which would you prefer?
Johnson: I would rather have habitat for the wildlife than grass and
swingsets for the private individuals living on there. There are some
beautiful areas in here. The City Administration has a unique
opportunity to provide the citizens of Chanhassen with a passive park
to be enjoyed for many future generations to corne. Envision a
revitalized pond encircled with a walking and jogging path, maybe even
a vitacourse as the Park and Rec staff member has talked to me about,
putting a vitacourse in the area. If you know what those are. A
vitacourse is where along the jogging path you have stations where you
do chin-ups or sit-ups or some kind of exercise apparatus. There is
part of that in the existing school yard. We would also have along
here critically placed overlooks. We have one overlook right now.
There are some beautiful areas. This area right here is a beautiful
little plateau. You can probably see it on the panorama there is a
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May 28, 1986-Page Twenty Nine
great big tree sitting there. Just a perfect spot for an overlook
right here in these folks backyard. I would love that lot if you are
going to allow that. That has a drop off on the back and then has a
nice little plateau where you can put in a overlook. It is where the
path would probably would go if we get the area to put a path in
there. We don't know if we can put paths on this easement because we
have never seen what the easement said. Put up some vegetation. Help
stop some erosion. We have some real erosion problems in there.
Maybe even as a amateur photographer, I would like to see some
photographic blinds in the area. With the critically placed overlooks
and photographic blinds and paths, we can watch the Heron, Geese,
Ducks, Terns, Muskrats and other wildlife that currently are living at
or visiting our pond and also the increased wildlife we will have
there. with a good park established, this will be a benefit to our
school children as we asked for the outlot to go from the school
grounds, or the path, and now we can bring the kids and go to the
pond. We need adequa te pond space to make th i s a good wi Idl i fe area
for the kids to go in and work on. I would like to see my children
and your children and their children enjoy this pond over the years.
Sedimentation. We as the public have not had a chance to see this
drainage plan because it was given to the city May 21st and it is not
what we were gi ven when we asked for copies of the drainage plan.
The one thing that we really want to see is that future pond not be a
future pond. The area that says future ponding area on the map. As
phase 1 goes in we are going to get drainage, we're going to get
sediment coming in the end of this pond. We don't want sediment in
this pond. There is already too much sediment in the pond. We have
some severe erosion problems from nature that the park is going to
help us stop with the property planting of vegetation. The future
pond needs to be a pond as part of this project and should be
specified to be built as part of this project. I know there are some
problems that half of this pond is owned by another person. That can
be worked out, but I keep seeing future pond. I don't like that. I
would like to see it as a pond so we don't add sediment there. I see
a problem in the phasing in phase 2. We were unaware of the phasing
because we asked for the development plans and the development plans
we were given had nothing about phasing so the phasing we became aware
of only tonight so we have no chance to review it so what I am looking
at here from what I saw their phasing, is phase 2 they are going to
construct streets and there is going to be no storm sewers. I
believe Phase 2 comes in this area and the first storm sewer comes in
here. They are not running in any storm sewers. We are talking a lot
of sediment problems here. I need to see some solutions to sediments
problems during phase 2 construction. Like I said I didn't see the
drainage plans until right now. I also see a problem with this
drainage course during the construction, after construction of the
streets and during construction of the houses. We have the biggest
sediment loads during the home construction. Well we have
miscellaneous builders. We have no idea who the builders are going to
be here. We don't know what type of houses we are getting, but if it
Planning Commissin Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Thirty
~ is a typical builder, he's going to pile his dirt up and the rain is
going to come and wash it down and into the pond. We need some means,
some control of the sediment until the houses are built and the grass
is in, and we don't see anything of that in the preliminary
development plan or the final development plan.
Ryan: That's in our Standard Jay. silt screens or something to stop
silt is in our Standard in relation to development.
Jay Johnson: I believe it is suppose to be in the develop plan also.
I would like to read something from your Standard if I may. Section
14 of the zoning Ordinance is Planned Residential Development
District. The objectives.
1. Environmental Design is provided under the strick
application of the zoning and subdivision ordinances
without compromising health, safety, order, convenience
and general welfare of the village and its residents. I
ask you and the people here, do you people think that
this plan provides a greater creativity and a
flexibility in environmental design?
Okay, a few no's and a few yes's.
2.
To encourage a more efficient allocation and innovative
use of common, open spaces adjoining residential
buildings in order that the greater opportunity for
better housing and recreation may be extended to the
residents of the village.
~
Do you think this plan does encourage more efficient allocation and
innovative use of common open space? I don't. I do not think that
this plan does that. There is very little open space. We have 90
some houses here with no tot lot. We have 90 families who will come in
here and they have no way to get to a tot lot except up Kerber Drive
which is one heck of busy street and is getting busier all the time.
The original plan the City asked for an Outlet on this end of the
development, the north end. That is not here all of a sudden. I
don't think this developer is providing hardly anything to the City
for him putting in alot of small lots, a lot of narrow lots, a lot of
lots that don't meet the requirements of our zoning ordinances. The
zoning ordinance provides that the developer go through a very
rigorous means of developing this property. He has a sketch plan, then
a proposed preliminary development plan, then a preliminary
development plan and than a final development plan. We are here
tonight to consider, or you are here tonight to consider the
preliminary development plan and final development plan. I thought it
was interesting. I asked the City to give me the preliminary and
final development plan. There is none. It is three drawings and that
is what I have been told. We have three drawings and that is the
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Thirty One
~ development plan. Your preliminary development plan as defined by
your ordinance is:
The preliminary development plan shall conform to and include
all of the information required under subsection 3 of Section
14.05 of this ordinance which subsection 3 is the proposed
preliminary development plan.
~
That specifies two things. Maps and drawings in a skematic form.
Pretty much the maps and drawings are here. We got those three. They
are suppose to show population density on the maps and drawings. The
maps and drawings that I was provided by the City don't show
population densities. They are suppose to show the existing
topography. They showed topography. I don't know if it is existing
or not. I took out the transit and surveyed some of the area myself
and found that after I got over the known area that their surveyer
knew exactly what the elevation was and I knew exactly what the
elevation was, we started differing on what we thought the topography
was. It is somewhat close but there is some differences that might be
there. It is suppose to show the existing tree cover, streets,
buildings, and other site improvements. The plans that I was given
did not show the existing trees. The plans show primarily the trees
after development. There are some areas where the existing trees are
shown. There are some areas where the existing trees are not shown.
I believe to point it out, along here there are trees, there is no
circle cut into these trees. There are trees that come all the way
out here. They show it then it just stop, and they show a circle here
and I don't remember there being a circle cut in there. I believe the
trees just go straight across. Technicalities of a development plan.
We've got standards, let's live by them. Then the second main thing
that is required under the proposed preliminary development which is
suppose to be part of the development plan, is a written report or
statement which includes the nature of the applicant's ownership or
control on the land that is to be development. I was not provided
this information so I must assume that there is no development plan
that has that information in it. Well, there was no written report
when I asked for it so there must not be a written report. Now in
addition to subsection 3 of section 14.05 which we just went through.
In addition the following shall be required:
1. A detailed drawing of land uses showing proposed
buildings, parking, garages, common open space, etc..
They pretty well did that.
2. Preliminary elevation drawings of all proposed
structures.
That was on there, with the exception of single family dwellings.
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3.
Prospective drawing or model which fully shows the
architectual style of the development.
I don't see how they can do that with single family homes. It would
be nice to have that so we could have some idea of what we are
expecting to come into our area. We are trying to review the
development plans according to the ordinance here.
4. The proposed agreement, provisions, covenants,
regulations be established regulating the establishment,
use, maintenance and continued stability and plan
development in any of it's common open spaces.
In other words, the covenants and stuff for the development, we don't
see those. These easements, we don't see the easement. What is the
easement. I don't know what we are getting. We are buying something
in the dark here and this is supposed to be in the preliminary
development plan that we are approving here. I don't see that here.
5. A schedule showing the estimated progression of the
development.
The first time I saw it was the drawing that Barbara had that it was
on, so I guess that is here but that was not made available to the
public for public review. That is what is suppose to be, according to
your ordinance, in the preliminary development plan. Your are also
considering the final development. The final development should
include the preliminary plat in accordance with ordinance 33 including
agreements, revisions, covenants, specifications for approval of the
final development plan. Again, we don't see any covenants or
agreements or anything that really shows what is going on here. Final
building drawings and specifications. You can't do that with single
family homes obviously. Final site plans including a landscape
schedule. There is no landscape schedule. Where do we have a
landscape schedule. I would like to see what landscaping the
developers are planning on doing. There are some things that it
appears, there are some areas, if you look at some of the elevations he
has given that they are raising some areas 7 feet high. This street
for example, over in this area, the circle on Cascade Trail, is shown
that it's elevation to be 1,005 when it is sitting at 997 right now.
That is being raised 8 feet higher. This area here is being lower, so
right now we have a natural break between Kerber Blvd. and this
project, but this area of the houses being considerably below grade
for the front of their houses, so they are going to have to lower that
area. Are they going to then put in landscaping to cover these houses
from this main drive, Kerber Drive? So we need to see the landscaping
schedule that is required in the final development plan. Engineering
plans and reports as required by Council. Council hasn't had a chance
to require anything so obviously you don't have any engineering plans
and reports. Any other information, documents required by the Council
for the final development plan including a plan unit development
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May 28, 1986-Page Thirty Three
contract and any bonds, deposits of monies or security. The plan unit
development contract will have to be made up at some time and that is
a document that we would like to make has a lot of provisions in it.
The construction provisions in it and stuff like that. We as the
public need input into that. It really is affecting us. I've have
gone through a lot here quickly. There is also your subdivision
ordinance which I'm not going to waste your time going through all the
things in the subdivision ordinances that are required for the
preliminary plat that are not here and the preliminary plat is
required for the final development plan. I have highlighted in green
as I went through the ordinance what isn't here. section lines,
grading, street lighting, electrical easements, all sorts of other
good stuff that are in this ordinance that are required for
preliminary plat and the preliminary plat is required for final
development plan. It's not here. So I have a lot of concerns over
not only what is going in but how it is going in and is the public
getting to review the documents that are going to come here or are
these documents going to be made sometime later and we aren't going to
get to review them. Thank you very much for your time.
Jack Thorsen: Mr. Chairman, members of the Commission, Staff, my name
is Jack Thorsen. You have a very difficult job and I thank you for
what you are doing. I will be brief. I live in Sunrise Hills and
look over the entire area. We have a couple of things. First I would
like to compliment the engineer on several things that he has done
well. One is to change the drainage area. Another is the flexibility
on the streets and wha t he is will i ng to do there and the th i rd one is
the access and walkways around the park. Our major concern is that
the lot sizes adjacent to Sunrise Hills still look to be quite small
compared to those lots in Sunrise Hills and we would like to see those
lot sizes increased to be compatible with our area. Thank you.
Tom Frebiger: 7494 Saratoga Drive. There is just a couple of points
that I would like to emphasize. Some everyday concerns that most of
us on Saratoga have, not necessarily getting into ordinances or
documents or any things like that. All most of us are concerned about
is, and we would like to reemphasize the drainage issue. We feel it
is a step in the right direction but we just want to make sure that
the grading is done properly. That any swells are properly in so we
do not get any of the excess water over onto our property. I know the
Kubutiz's and myself are awful concerned about that this get put in
properly. Also, concerning lot size. I simply agree with what Bill
Boyt had to say about their end of the new development is concerned
with the buffer zones. I know the lot we are on is approximately
18,000 square feet and that is larger than anything that is going to
be next to us. There are some bigger lots that are buffering the new
development on the south side of the development here and I would just
like to make that point. Another point I would like to make is
concerning drainage and runoff from the new development. In looking
at the plan, I did not notice any storm sewers in this area right here
to take care some of the runoff. There seems to one up here but
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everything may run down this road here all the way down to Santa Vera-
Loretta intersection and that could be a lot of water running down
there. I don't know if that has been addressed or not. I just wanted
to make that point. There probably should be something right in here
to catch all of that. Also, the concerns that were raised the
Chanhassen Pond Park. We do have a great concern to keep that in it's
natural state as much as possible.
Dennis Scarkenson: I live at 7482 Saratoga Drive. I would like to
show you on the map where it is because it is right on here. The
panoramas were taken in my backyard. So if this area is developed to
the north and to the west concerns me alot because I will be looking
at it. When I first got here, I've been here for about 1 1/2 years
now, when I first moved into Bungalow, it was here for 5 years at the
time, I asked the city what was going to be developed to the west
around the lake, what was to the north of my property now, what is
Saratoga Park. Everything to the west was going to be developed as
parkland, at least in their master plan, so the idea of the park
land that has been submitted by the Park and Rec Board is not a new
plan. It has been in the works for a long time already. I want to
point that out because I checked that out a year and a half ago. We,
I'm part of the Saratoga group, we totally support the Park and Rec
Commission's request for the park going in there. The idea of putting
in a conservation area up to the owners doesn't sound very reasonable
to myself. Since I live on a solar ray and I look at my neighbors
homes, everyone has developed their backyard differently. We all have
steep slope going down to the pond. Some people have preferred to let
it go just natural, some people have planted grass and trees down to
the pond. In my own case, they actually filled a ravine that was
there and put a terraced garden down the side. If there is an
easement there, I agree that they can't do everything that has been
done to the lots that are there now existing, but they won't be as
much of a master plan as far as the conservation of that area.
Erosion is bad along those steep slopes now and I think you could
master plan to put that all together. I think the State or the City
of Chanhassen could do that a lot better than each individual so I
totally support that portion for that reason.
Ryan: Would you prefer on your lot to have the city own the slope and
take care of the maintenance of that slope there.
Scarkenson: I really would. It really is useless to me. It looks
good on paper because I have one-third of an acre with it there but
the last part of it is a 45 degree angle and it is grass at this
point. There are two terraces back there. The last one they filled
in, there was a ravine there at one time.
Ryan: Do you think the City is diligent enough to take care of
something like that instead of someone like you who has a vested
interest in it because it is yours.
Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Thirty Five
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Scarkenson: I think it could be put together as a master plan a lot
better than having every individual owner try and do something with
it. The backyards of people are the last to be developed anyway. My
backyard is always the last to be done.
Ryan: It is someth i ng you don't wan t to see wash a way so you would
take special care to do something.
Scarkenson: I'm not so sure about that. Some people think we care
because we put in the back end. The other thing I am concerned about
as you look across the pond, the density lots over there and
particularly the width because the width gives you a feeling of
spaciousness. If you can see through the homes instead of homes right
next to each other. Again, I have to look down on the park that is
left there as well as homes built across the pond from me. If they
were spread out, even for the same size lots along the pond there, but
were more square instead of rectangular, it would give a lot more open
appearance and the whole area would be a lot more open. One more
thing about the parkland. If it was really developed into a parkland,
I think the elementary school could really benefit. There could be
actual natural studies done by the students. Last year they took
first graders one hike to Lake Ann which if they had one closer like
the Chanhassen Pond would be, they could almost have a weekly type
excursion out there to watch things grow and I think again, if it were
developed into parkland instead of a conservation area would be a lot
more benefit for educational purposes.
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Pam Guttman: We own the property, Lot 2, which is adjoining the
wetland that they are proposing to fill in. I am really confused as
to why anyone would want to fill in a wetland. It offers a uniqueness
to a neighborhood. The wildlife habitat and everything else that is
back there including a few mosquitos at time, but you can't find that
in every neighborhood in Chanhassen or anywhere else. We've got
ducks, muskrats back there in that wetland that really can't find in
every neighborhood around here. The uniqueness is one reason why we
bought where we did. I don't think we would have bought there had it
been filled in with a bunch of houses behind me.
Ryan: You are referring to the wetlands on the north end.
Pam Guttman: Exactly. That they had originally had zoned that way,
they originally had an area around it set aside, now it is filled in.
Helen Kerber: My husband and I are property owners of about 38 1/2
acres of this development. The south and up to about here on the north
end and we feel like we've been dumped on. In about 1978 or 1977,
Kerber Blvd. was planned and built. We did not ask for Kerber Blvd.
to be built. In fact, we objected to it at the time. We couldn't
really see that it would do a whole lot to our property, but the City
Council in it's wisdom and foresight, decided that it was for the good
of the comm un i ty and bui t the road and I see Counc i lman Gev ing here
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Thirty Six
this evening and I would like to quote from the Council meeting of
August 31, 1981. Councilman Geving said "As you know when we
initiated this project some time ago, it was probably the most
difficult deliberation and decision that I had personally had to make
because it meant forcing the Kerbers out of the family farming
business." My husband and I are not farming the land personally, but
we were renting it to his brother and dad who live on the adjoining
property. Then we also argued about the assessments which came about
after the road was constructed which in our view were quite excessive
because we felt that because of the deep slope along the road there,
this would not be buildable property, but we were told that it was
usable and it is in here somewhere too, but I won't go into that, but
anyhow, it was decided that this would be buidlable property.
However, in this area where the proposed ponding area. That was part
of the buildable property. Originally the pond wasn't that big but
Sunrise Hills or somebody was having problems with the water so they
put in a dam in the creek that raised the water level in the pond and
it is now getting wetter and wetter and what I am saying is that you
have already taken some of our land without anything we can do about
it. You can't fight City Hall. Anyway, when Mr. Seigel approached us
to consider selling our property to him, we were concerned because we
didn't want just any old body to come in and put up a shoddy looking
development. We did investigate Mr. Seigel. We looked at several of
the developments that he has engineered in other areas and have found
them to be really attractive and if any of you here would go to see
them I think you would be impressed. We also investigated him
financially because we want to be sure he could finish the job. I
guess what I am getting at is I don't see why it is so darn hard to
expand Chanhassen. I can't see where this community should be
considered one in which you wuld have to have home of a minimum of
$120,000.00 to $150,000.00 on large lots. I don't see Chanhassen as
that type of community. Sunrise Hills people are concerned with
theirs. When I go to Sunrise Hills, I drive through Western Hills.
Western Hills abuts Sunrise Hills. I don't believe Western Hills is
the same type as Sunrise Hills. I think that is about all I have to
say. I think this project meets the requests that the Council had
made of Mr. Seigel at the last meeting where they said they were not
as concerned with reserving the amenities as they were with the sizes
of the lots and I think the new design meets their request. That is
all I have to say.
Jay Johnson: I missed one point and Tom almost pointed it out to me.
The drainage swale and I would like an engineer to look at this at
some time, you are proposing the drainage swale to run up the hill and
drain water into the Outlot or into the school. This is in the area
of where they are adding 7 feet of dirt or something. Somehow they
are going to raise this high enough to run this water uphill and then
into the school. I realize the water is a causing big problems in the
schools now but I have some problems with this drainage swell here
myself also. I also would like to say that I believe the Kerber's
have been dumped on. They are good friends of the community and
Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-page Thirty Seven
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Saratoga Drive and we all feel for them and we believe there are
plenty of developers that are going to develop this land. It's the
primo land in Chanhassen to develop in Chanhassen right now in my
opinion, and we could really make a good development out here. We are
not trying to stop development. We are trying to get a good
development that meets the character of the city of Chanhassen.
Jim Penning: I live at 2440 Burns Road in Minnetonka. I own 13 acres
which is immediately northeast of the subidivision. I was concerned
the engineer say there were going to pipe the creek all the way down
and I guess I am curious what the City's position is whether it's
piping the creek or just leaving it as a creek.
Monk: There are two proposals being looked at by the developers at
the present time. One involves piping of most of the runoff through
the creek and the other one involves improvements to the creek. If
the pipe is put in, basically the creek will remain over the top to
carry runoff from the land or whatever. The pipe would basically take
only the runoff that would be directed to it from a storm sewer so
that either way the creek would remain.
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Jim Penning: My other would be you show the street going to Big Horn
Drive which terminates at my property and we talk off and on that
someday there will be a connection to Carver Beach Road. There is a
severe slope there. I would say it is somewhere between a 12-15%. It
seems like it would be difficult. I'm not sure that I need Carver
Beach Road when this phase is done but if the City and Staff want a
connection I think it would be now or when they develop. I think that
connection should be graded in if you want. I would be willing to pay
my share of the assessment.
Ryan: If there was another development that was proposed, yours is the
Molton property. Are you going to run the road in from Carver? That
was the understanding.
Monk: What we wanted to make sure that the right-of-way was fully
plotted so that it could be extended. At this point in time, this
developer is proposing to put in improvements privately. As such, the
City does not normally require or have basically the authority unless
it wants to enter its own project to extend roads and whatever off
site so they would basically be building to the cul-de-sac on Big
Horn, I believe. If it was a municipal improvement project, then the
City would then take a look at extending Carver Beach Road and at
least grading it in at this point. As a private project, it does
limit the City in terms of how far we can run that street right now.
Ryan: If a plot comes in on Molton Property and we have some idea
where the roads are supposed to be, we are negligent if we don't so
some type of master planning to service where the road fit.
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Thirty Eight
~ Monk: Again, the right-of-ways do line up and basically give us the
right-of-way.
Ryan: There is a 15% slope in there?
Monk: There is a steep slope in there. There is nothing the City can
do about the lay of the land. Whether we will have a 10% slope on the
street when it is actually constructed, has little to do with the
right-of-way. There is very little that we can go to either side.
Basically the right-of-way position is set through the way it has been
platted in Carver Beach and the way it would have to come from this
development. I will indeed be a steep grade.
Ryan: So we have to accept that steep grade rather than ask these
people to put in a reasonable grade just because it is platted? Do we
only deal in two dimensions in this City? It's getting late Bill, I
apologize.
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A women from the publ i c: I would 1 i ke to say one th i ng tha t Mr s.
Kerber sort of triggered and I can understand how she feels dumped on
but she said something that really started me thinking. I have seen
the new redevelopment plans for downtown Chanhassen and driving
through Western Hills and some of these sections of Chanhassen as they
exist today. I agree with what you are saying. However, with the
redevelopment that we have in mind, I don't see this subdivision,
which is a competitor to the Chaparral type housing, as the direction
that we are looking at and my concern is to upgrade our integrity in
our neighborhood. We don't have to keep going in that old direction.
I see that we are going in a new direction with the redevelopment
design. I think it is exciting. I think it is upscale and I don't
see any reason why we have to stay the way we have been. I think we
can move forward and I think we can have a new look.
Bill Loebel: I live at 7197 Frontier Trail. with all due respect to
Mrs. Kerber, 90 of her neighbors disagree with her and you have the
signatures in front of you. We are not opposed to development per se,
but we want it to be beneficial for Chanhassen in the long run and we
don't see the long run being in small lots as proposed for the 129
lots. The idea that Bill Boyt brought forward is much more to our
thinking and we have the 90 signatures to prove it. Minimum lots of
15,000 square feet, the protection of the wetlands, retention of the
contours of the land as it now exists because it is pretty, and the
retention of the cul-de-sac on Frontier Trail is what we would like to
see with indifference to the City Engineer, an emergency exit to the
other cul-de-sac which might come in from Kerber Drive. We have
enough small lots in Chanhassen we think and as the lady just said,
this piece is property is probably one of the more desirable in
Chanhassen because it is within walking distance of the school, the
post office and the downtown area and if Enterprise Properties isn't
interested in exceeding to our wishes, maybe in a year or two somebody
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Thirty Nine
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else will come along who has an idea and develops sizable lots which
will enhance the beauty of Chanhassen.
Dennis Fenadem(?): I am related to the Kerber's by marrige and they
have asked me to make just a couple of points on their behalf. I
think it wonderful that the community wants to grow and build large
lots but if you can't sell them, the community hasn't grown. All you
have done is chop up the land. If you can present a market survey
that indicates that you can sell those lots and that is the direction
that Chanhassen will grow, go ahead and do it but I don't think the
market will bear it. That is all I was going to say.
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Don King: 7200 Kiowa Circle. I am the one that has the swimming
pool going through my yard and I must complement the engineer and also
Dell for they have certainly done alot of work in planning and making
some changes over all the various plans we have seen to deal with
this. The thing that I still object to is the fact that you are going
to be going over this marsh land in this particular proposal and again
dealing with the wildlife situation. I support Bill Boyt's plan that
he put out here. It certainly is probably not an economical from the
standpoint of going from 90 down to 66 but I think someplace in
between those two there is a compromise. I think we the people of
this community have a responsibility to use this community as a
benchmark. We have a prime area to develop and has a good location to
it and really blend into what you are planning in your long range plan
goes rather than continue on and make a bunch of rinky-dink homes, low
income, trash, whatever you want to call it, but we don't want to go
that direction. I think we want a fine community here and I think it
needs to grow that way. I've been here 12 years. I moved out here
because it was a big space, it was open and I said this is where I
wan t to stay 12 year sago. Now I am get t i ng very concerned tha t I
live here and now we are going to go this direction with these small
lot sizes, etc. I certainly think we can do alot better.
Greg Frank: First of all, the intention of Enterprises Properties has
always been to develop a quality development for the City of
Chanhassen. The projects that they have elsewhere in the Twin Cities,
Minnetonka and Plymouth, if you did visit those I think would see that
quality and it is the same quality that they propose in Chanhassen.
Tonight we have heard a lot of discussion on the project and the
project, because of the pond that goes through it, is basically
divided into two projects. The sewer, water and storm sewer are each
separate. You have a northern portion and the southern portion.
utilities and grading each stand on their own merits. Tonight I think
most of the discussion related to the northern area. The developer
looks at an opportunity that exists today in the marketplace. That
marketplace obviously with financing the way it is, means more of a
house can be built than could be two years ago for the same dollar
because of the financing. The opportunity is there and he would like
to proceed. The first phase is the southern phase which again does
stand on it's own merit. We do intend to work with the homeowners.
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Forty
We have, we felt, worked with the homeowners. We would like to
continue to work with the homeowners. The problem area does seem to
be property to the north. I think the concerns on the south are
pretty generic in the sense that it is drainage problems, and I
think we responded significantly to those concerns in the revisions
that we have done today. I would request that you would approve the
development for the southern portion and give us the direction to work
with the homeowners on the norther portion of the project. I would
further request that in your approval, if you should so desire to
approve it in that fashion, that you also put the conditions on the
development that we would limit access to the site only from Kerber
Drive during the construction sequence. That we would install erosion
control measures that you normally would require and that you would
also require to limit parking for construction vehicles only off of
Kerber Drive. The concerns that the homeowners have, we have
understood them, we have heard them, we have not put them in
obviously, we thought those would be standard conditions and we
certainly intended that they would be conditions of our development.
At this time I would propose that you put those as conditions and we
would like, I guess we certainly request, that you would approve the
development for the southern portion of the project with the deletion
of the one lot that we indicated that we would do tonight. The
norther portion we would still like to work with the homeowners and
hope to come back with a development that they are satisfied with as
well as ourselves. Thank you.
Thompson moved to close the public hearing, Noziska seconded. All
voted in favor and the motion carried.
Erhart: I would like to get straight in my mind what the developer is
giving up in exchange for the smaller lot sizes. The overall
development plan is 70 acres? 129 Lots? The average lot size is
13,600 and 46.3 acres of sellable land so there is approximately 24
acres that are being used for street. Is that 24 acres in the pond?
Dacy: Supposedly that is what has been mentioned tonight. I have not
calculated the pond.
Ryan: The pond is listed as 4 acres by 5.
Erhart: Alright, so there are 20 acres of streets and a 7 foot area
set aside for semi-public or public use so I think the question is,
regarding that, is the 20 acres what we get in exchange for the
smaller lots in the northern area and quite frankly I don't know how
to judge that. In reviewing the comments here on behalf of
Chanhassen, you can see that this pond is pretty important to the City
because of it's location and it's unique size. While all the other
lakes are large, this one is small and different. Sue, you mentioned
that the Park and Rec Board were interested in buying additional land?
Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-page Forty One
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Sue Boyt: If the developer did not donate it, we are so concerned
about acquiring that land that we would use Park and Rec money to
purchase it.
Erhart: I guess it would be inconceivable to proceed with the plan
without giving the Park and Rec the option to purchase this land. It
seems to me that is the logical way to approach it. Thats not
necessarily saying that I'm in favor of spending money that way, but
if that is what the Park and Rec Board is set up to do, then I would
like to see.
Sue Boyt: First of all, we would like for him just to donate that
area but if it doesn't work out that way, there are funds around.
Erhart: I think the developer has already given us 20 acres.
suggesting that you may get more, you may not.
I'm not
Dacy: You are talking streets.
Erhart: I understand that, but he has given us some acreage and if
you go by what the ordinance says, it seems to be a fairly good plan.
On the other hand, if the Park and Rec wants to purchase additional
land for the City of Chanhassen, this is the time to do that. At
least I would recommend that we do that at this point. By the same
token, is that land on the north side or the south side.
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Sue Boyt:
It is all around.
Erhart: If the Park and Red Board wants to purchase land, isn't this
the time to give them the chance.
Ryan: That is one option we will have later on when we make a motion
is that we table this until that issue is resolved.
Erhart: I guess if the developer wants to get going as fast as
possible, I think he ought to to that. A question on the idea of an
easement basically to break down this water. What flexibility do you
have in doing the striping as to what people can do with that land?
Could you get to the point where you could restrict their use to allow
it to grow naturally and essentially control the master plan in that
way or is that feasible.
Dacy: What is being proposed is that the easement would restrict any
grading or building activity and would only allow sodding, planting of
trees, vegetation, etc. It would become, if it was a condition on the
plat approval, it would become a condition of the development
contract. I would also have to believe that the homeowners
association to be created as well, would be a policing force as well
to make sure to notify the City if something is happening in that area
and then we could enforce it to prevent.
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Forty Two
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Erhart: Do you feel as easement is potentially to make the area
surrounding up to the house, or close to the house, controls the
uniform look.
Dacy: That is what is being proposed to prohibit grading or building
activity in that easement area.
Sue Boyt: Could I say one thing from the Park and Rec Board. I
understand that easement, there is no public access. It is not open
to the public. The public is restricted to that green area.
Erhart: Where do the trails lead to.
Sue Boyt: The trails would have to be right next to the water. There
isn't a lot of space in there.
Dacy: There is an outlot at the end of Cascade Trail and it is my
understanding that the trail area would be located at the bottom of
the slope below the 952 contour where the limits of Outlot B is being
proposed. The easement would still be under the ownership of the
individual property owners but the trail would be part of the outlot.
Erhart: What are the lot sizes along the northeast side of the pond?
Up against the hills.
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Dacy: Lot 1 of Block 6; that is 21,800; Lot 2 is 22,300; Lot 3 is
15,100; Lot 4 is 15,100; Lot 5 is 17,000; Lot 6 is 19,400; and Lot 7
is 15,200.
Erhart: Regarding the lot sizes, I guess one of the biggest
complaints I hear is that the houses are not affordable in the city.
I personally think we need a variety of housing and I do like the plan
from the standpoint that the house size and the lot size are
comparable. I guess I don't object to the fact that when you get
towards some of the other development that they do get smaller. On
the other hand, the importance of the pond area, we should get
something in return for that. Do you know what the average lot size
in Western Hills is?
Dacy: No, I do not.
Erhart: I guess I'm a little surprised too that we would take the
swamp area, weIand I should say, and turn it into a lot. I guess that
is a question that the developer reassess his position on that and
regarding the ponding area and the Park and Rec. I think we should
give them the chance to buy that land. At lease they should have the
chance.
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Emmings: Bill, maybe you could help me to understand a little better
exactly where that wetland area is on this new plan. I think maybe I
Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Forty Three
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can see it on the preliminary grading agreement plan but I'm not sure.
It looks like it sits on 4 and 5?
Ryan: The plans we got in our packets are next to worthless. You
can't see anything.
Monk: The existing wetlands covers Lot 4 and 5 of Block 6 and into
the house location for 16 and 17 of Block 10.
Emmings: Alright I can see it on there. I don't think there is any
way the wetlands should be filled. That seems to me something we
simply should not do. I think that the southern phase, I didn't hear
many comments about the southern phase tonight, and most of the
comments that Staff made, the developer seems willing to comply with
and I th i nk it would be a good idea to let them go ahead on the
southern side. The northern end there seems to be an awful lot of
problems with and the lot sizes don't bother me except that last time.
References to people who live in small houses or in small lots, to
call the lots trash and people trash, appalled me. I find it
disgusting and I think we do need a variety of opportunities for
people to get into houses in this community and I don't have any
problems with the lots at all from that standpoint.
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Siegel: I agree with what has been said already. I have real concern
with filling in the wetland in the northern side otherwise I would
comment to the developer on his willingness to possibly table that
portion of the design or development and proceed with approval for the
southern portion of the development and let the developer come back
with a different configuration for the alignment of that norther
development area where we do have concerns about wetlands and I agree
that I hope we don't fill in that wetlands. I think we should leave
it natural. It could be a benefit to that area and possibly increase
the value of the lots surrounding that and I also agree with the
position that we look into the possibility of developing the parkland
around the pond for the use of Chanhassen residents.
Conrad: When this got to the City Council it is my impression that
they asked for less density, at least that is my impression yet I see
in this we have increased it by 4. I guess that is sort of a
contradiction in what the City Council wanted or reviewed in the
sketch plan. My general comments are these. I don't know that we are
getting anything for PUD. I really don't. I think we've got a design,
I don't see that Chanhassen is getting anything in this particular
PUD. I don't think that the wetland can be, should be altered at all.
I don't see any rationale for doing that. I think that the area
should transition into the neighbring community doesn't have to make
the same lot sizes but it has to have a good transition into it and
I'm uncomfortable. I guess I am uncomfortable with the general
overall lot size in the area. I would like to see a better plan for
parkland. I'm real uncomfortable that we are doing the designing
tonight. I thought this was a preliminary and final plan. I think we
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Forty Four
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are doing designing up here and wasting a lot of time. I guess I
would like this to be considered as a PUD and I'm real comfortable
that we are treating one piece as separate from the other. This is a
PUD and we have to treat it as a PUD. It is all or nothing. Otherwise
the developer can come back with separate PUD's if it is appropriate,
but I think we have to review as one PUD. Generally I am not
comfortable with the materials I was given tonight.
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Noziska: First of all, there appears to be at least, some willingness
on the part of the developer to work with the neighborhood but on the
other hand there are several points. Ladd made it very crystal clear
on what is Chanhassen picking up as a result of allowing these
relatively small lots in an area where they aren't so small. I guess
I am a little uncomfortable with that too. Perhaps a little more work
on this transition, going from one to another is appropriate. I don't
know so much about the wetlands. Lands that used to dry are now wet
and lands that are wet can become dry if you fill them in so I don't
know where that balance is. Obviously the pond was not what it used
to be today and it sounds like tomorrow it's not going to be like it
was today. So things keep moving. I think in general perhaps we
could do something a little more with that density, the size of the
lots. Like Ladd, I am surprised that we were asked to review this and
decrease the density and all of a sudden we are increasing the
density. It doesn't seem to be quite in the spirit of cooperation but
I don't disagree with the fact that Chanhassen has really forged this
developed and obviously there is going to be a development there and
we want it to as quality a development as we can have it. Maybe we
can't have our cake and eat it too, but I think we can get closer than
this plan. I will go along with Ladd. You almost need a microscope
perhaps would be helpful in reviewing some of the handouts tonight.
It is very difficult to review something that you can't see.
Dacy: I apologize for the lack of clarity on the reductions of the
plat. They did not copy well and we will make sure that doesn't
happen again.
Thompson: I unfortunately did not have the opportunity of being here
the first time when this was before us and I must say that I really
appreciate the job that everyone did here particularly the
neighborhood in presenting the issues. I want to compliment all oL
you on the fact that you did such a good job and I appreciate hearing
all of these issues because I know from reading this packet the past
few days and trying to look through some of these comments, I could
see there was a fair amount of controversy involved in this but I
wasn't quite sure how everybody felt about it. Sometimes you come to
these meetings and, like on the first public hearing, there was nobody
here who objected. It doesn't necessarily mean that the plan was
perfect but if nobody objected, if we don't hear from people, so the
fact that you did have a lot of input here is important. Also, there
are going to be two openings on the planning commission in the next 30
days, and we will be looking for applicants. We'll be looking for
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Forty Five
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applicants. We've gone through periods of time over the past few
years where we have had a lot of applicants and then we go through
periods of time when we don't have many. Obviously everyone in the
Planning Commission is very high caliber but we also find that the
more applicants we have the better caliber of people we have and some
of you look like you could possibly do a good job up here.
Anyway, I have a few questions here I just wanted to go over. Kerber
Blvd. Is that a State Aid Road?
Monk: Yes.
Thompson: On a State Aid Road, does the State pay for part of that
road.
Monk: Yes, when Kerber Road was constructed, State Aid Funds were
used to pay for between 50-55% of the construction.
Thompson: As I understand it, and correct me if I'm wrong, what the
state is paying for is the oversizing of the road. In other words if
we were going to build a simple city street there in whatever
dimension it would be, the State comes along and says if you enlarge
this road and do certain things, and you can have a 30 or 35 MPH speed
limit, and so on and over size it, they will pay for the extra price.
e Monk: Yes.
Thompson: As far as the Kerber family, were their assessments
deferred at all?
Monk: Yes, I believe all of the assessments were deferred for 5 years
I believe in 1981.
Thompson: So their assessments are deferred until next year. So up
to this point other than the fact that the value of their property has
to increase by the amount of the assessment because the deferred
assessment will have to be paid someday. They haven't had to go out
of pocket up to this point. Sometimes when we get involved in the
plans and the details that I don't understand about these plans, we
sometimes forget to talk about the applicant. Who is the applicant
and what are his credentials. I guess I am unaware of who he is and
what his credentials are. Whether he is a land developer/builder,
whether he is there to develop lots and sell them. I wonder if
somebody could tell me about the developer.
David Seigel: I am one of the two partners in Enterprise Properties.
Primarily Enterprise Properties is a land developer. We develop single
family home sites and then sell them to buiders or a builder as the
case may be and we have developed two projects over the last 5-6
years. One project is in Minnetonka. It was a planned development
which incorporated single family townhomes, doubles, two multi-family
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Forty Six
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buildings and a strip shopping center all on a sizable site. That is
primarily what we do and we have been in the development business for
the last 15 years.
Thompson: Mr. Seigel the last 2 or 3 developments you did. How many
lots were you involved in?
Mr. Seigel: Our last project which was the last 3 years or 2 1/2
years, is 83 lots.
Thompson: How many builders build houses in your projects there?
Mr. Seigel: The one in Plymouth that is being developed now is one
builder. Novak-Fleck.
Thompson: Have you dealt with some other builders before?
Mr. Seigel: Yes we have.
Thompson: Thank you very much. When we look at something like this
according to this environmental assessment worksheet. This is about a
Ten Million Dollar project. I'm not sure how far we can get into
this, but how do we know, and I'm not questioning anybody here, but
how do we know the financial capabilities of all the people involved
as to whether they can perform the proposals they have given us.
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Greg Frank: At the time the contract is processed and before the plan
is recorded, the City requires the development team to come up with a
letter of credit to guarantee, backed by financial institutions,
guaranteeing performance of the development requirements placed by the
City. In order to obtain guarantee from the bank or financial
institution basically gives the City the guarantee that we have the
financial backing to do the project. If we do not complete the
project, the City has the power to go against that letter of credit,
to take the resources to complete the project according to the
development contract.
Thompson: Another question, and I'm not sure I follow this. Did you
say that the developer is going to finance the improvements
privately?
Greg Frank: All of the improvements would be constructed by the
developer under private contract, yes. All the sewer, water, storm
sewers.l All of those improvements would be done by the contracter.
Thompson: So the City is not going to be asked to finance that.
Based on current interest rates, wouldn't it be a lot easier for them
to ask the City if the City were willing or able?
Greg Frank: No. Typically most developer find that it is more
~ beneficial to develop themselves because they have control over the
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Forty Seven
timing, which is critical. When you go through the City process,
there is a public hearing process again, substantial waiting time that
is required by law and is substantial, and not only a time period loss
but financing is available. Most developers find that they can
complete a project more timely by doing it themselves with their own
financing.
Thompson: If they build privately, don't they still meet the same
standards that the City would want. What savings would there be, they
choose their own contracters?
Monk: Two savings. One in time alone will save, they can move a
little bit faster and don't have the same interest costs and whatnot.
The big savings though is the City is no longer the middle man. When
the City does a project, the City charges administrative charge to
handle that project to handle the financing and so on, so there is a
savings in not only time but also in actual money to the developer
because they don't have to pay the city for doing all the same
services they would do otherwise and those two factors seem to have a
lot of people going privately but they still have to guarantee to the
City that the improvements will be put in according to the plans and
specs with a financal guarantee.
Thompson: When you draw up the contract for that, is there a letter
of credit for 100% of the cost or for 10% of the cost?
Monk: 110% of the construction.
Thompson: Another question is the land just west of this. Who owns
that piece. Does it go to the Kerbers? On the other half where the
pond is going to be created?
Monk: That is a part of the John Kerber Estate. I believe that Della
Kerber is the owner right at the moment.
Ryan: Mrs. Kerber can you tell us who owns that piece?
Mrs. Kerber: The John Kerber Estate.
Monk: 91 acres.
Thompson: We must be talking about the wrong piece.
Ryan: All we want is the little piece that is inside the semi-circle.
Monk: You see the road goes through there. Basically the road in one
on both sides. The whole parcel is about 91 acres. The usable space
of the John Kerber Estate on the east side of the Kerber property is
about 2 1/2 acres.
Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Forty Eight
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Thompson: In looking at that. What would be planned for that. It is
kind of sitting outside, you've got Kerber Drive there?
Monk: It is extremely difficult sizing up any of the proposed land as
of yet no. Single family or anything else we've seen.
Thompson:
included.
Wouldn't it seem to round out the project if that were
It just sort of sits out there.
Monk: Again, it is a separate owner and we can't force the issue. It
might but 2 1/2 acres of usable land does sit as an island.
Thompson: Do you mean they would have to provide an access? Is it
buidable land?
Monk: Yes it is but very difficult to service from utility
standpoint.
Thompson: Like sewer and water.
Monk: Yes, it would be very difficult.
Thompson:
Is it even possible to get a road to it?
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Monk: Basically there would be a separate drive off of Kerber would
have to be permitted for that. There is no other access potential.
Thompson: The other thing is, you said part of the land is P-l and
the other part is R-l. Can you show me that breakdown, because that
P-l has some approval on that now, right?
Dacy:
It was rezoned when the Western Hill, 3rd Addition was...
Barbara then went to the overhead projector to show the area that P-l
and the area that was R-l.
Thompson: And that little pond we are talking about is right below
it? That is about 2 1/2 acres. What is that zoned?
Dacy: That is zoned R-la and the 2 1/2 acres we are referring to is
as buildable area is a portion of White curve.
Thompson: You mean there is more than 2 1/2 acres there. Where is
the Kerber farm?
Dacy: Right now it is in the Saratoga Addition at the end of the cul-
de-sac.
Thompson: I just thought I would make some comments then finish off.
A couple of things that came up I would like to reiterate. I know a
e little bit about lots in some of this development because I have had
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Forty Nine
some association with some people that have been involved in this. I
know this, that at least as of recently, and I'm not small lot person,
in fact this kind of reminded me tonight of coming 7-8 years ago and
one of the reasons I eventually got on the Planning Commission because
it was kind of exciting to see all of the people involved and things
going on and the issues coming up, one of the issues I was always hung
up on was small lots. I didn't like small lots, I didn't like Ladd, I
always thought there should be standards. At that point we opposed to
some developers. Since that time my outlook on lot size has changed a
little bit, but I will just say this that small lots don't necessarily
mean less valuable. I think they have proven recently what is more
important than your lot size, possibly is the design of your lot, the
location of lot obviously and what type of housing style is proposed
for the area and the possible amenity package so if you happen to see
some small lots it doesn't necessarily mean a less valuable area. The
other thing too is we as a community have a responsibility to provide
all types of housing so even though nobody wants certain types of
housing next to them, I don't think we should go on public record
saying that just because you are going to build on a small lot you are
necessarily going to have a low cost type housing or trash. I don't
think that is a real thing. I think the citizens brought forth a lot
of issues here that I don't feel have really been resolved and it
seems to me from my past experience that sometimes it is difficult for
some of these developers to hear everything that the neighborhood
groups are saying. Obviously they have talked about lot size, about
lot design, about the park and pond, about their drainage issues,
filling in the wetlands and the fact that Ladd stated, that when you
talk about PUD you like to see more creativity. I'm not a designer,
I'm not an engineer. I can't necessarily go into a piece of land like
this and lay it out but I don't think he has really met the concerns
of the neighborhood. My belief would be that since he hasn't, I also
believe that possibly our Staff has had to struggle with this too, so
my feeling that this whole issue should be tabled for further review
and revision until a future meeting and put the Staff, the developer
and the neighborhood together.
Ryan: Just a couple of quick comments. One thing that happens when
you have a PUD, PRD, is you do attempt to do some negotiations in the
preliminary phases. However, it should be pointed out to the people
here that the current ordinance as it stands requires a developer of a
development over a certain number of units to request a PUD. He
doesn't have a choice. He can't come in for a simple subdivision. He
has to do the PUD, so whether they wanted a PUD or not they had to
file one. Whether they wanted to negotiate or not, they had to
negotiate. We also have a process that says there is a preliminary
plan review and a final development plan review. The developer takes
the risk when he wants to move fast. He can ask for both at the same
time. The risk that he takes is that both will get turned down. If
he comes in for preliminary comment and gets that and then goes back
and makes the corrections and comes back for a final plan review,
there is a better chance of coming in. In my opinion we have seen two
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Fifty
requests tonight. One was done quite well. One was put together in a
hurry and has not been done well. We have seen the request on the
Lake Susan side a number of times. It has been through before it got
here. Everyone knew what was going on. This one we are still
confused. We are extremely confused about what the Park Department is
doing in our City. We have absolutely no idea. There are some people
here who have absolutely no idea what the Park and Recreation
Department is doing. I live very close to a pond and I think the most
eroded, poorly managed, mismanaged part on that pond is the part that
the City has. You can't get back there many times. The trails are
washed out. We are not maintaining the park there. I don't think
that we ought to look at arbitrarily accepting another 6-10 acres of
park unless we have a maintenance plan for it. I think that plan has
to come to the Commission as part of this whole program. I guess what
I am saying is that, in my opinion, it is just not complete yet. It
is not ready to be here. That all has to be resolved before it comes
in here. The plan for the City to purchase parkland and then build a
sediment basin to serve the subdeveloper. Why should we buy parkland
then build a sediment basin. It just does nothing. That's not a
trade. If they need a sediment basin to serve their subdevelopment,
it should be a part of their developable land dedicated to the
sediment basin to protect the subsequent buyers. We shouldn't relieve
them the burden of the sediment basin. I'm getting a little bit
strong on this thing. The proposal to me is just not complete. Not
well done. Whether that is the developer's problem or the City of
Chanhassen's problem I don't know but that is my position on it.
Conrad: I'll make a motion, and I'll give you the reasons before I
even make it. We have three choices. To approve it with conditions,
and I think we can make some conditions out there, however I see the
changes we are asking for will significantly change what we have in
front of us and therefore I am not real confident that is a good
alternative. We can table it as Mike suggested, but then the
developer doesn't get the wisdom of the City Council and I guess I
would like to have this go up to City Council so the community can
talk to them at the same time and the developer can get some direct
comments from Council as to this particular project. Therefore, what
I am recommending, because I want the developer to be talking to the
Council, therefore I am recommending that we turn this proposal down.
Thompson seconded the motion for discussion.
Thompson: I understand what you are saying. It goes on to Council.
We really haven't put the ball back in the developers court or the
neighbors court to get back together and try and resolve the issues.
I think some of the input they brought up is valid and possibly aren't
going to get their chance to say much because when they get to the
Council then they will lose their public hearing and they won't really
have the opportunity to speak like they do at a public hearing.
Noziska: I would have to go along with Mike on that somewhat. Why
should be kick it upstairs when we really haven't got all of the
Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Fifty One
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answers, or we don't have an awful lot of answers. We aren't even
beginning to corne close to them.
Ryan: What we do Howard is, by denying we give the applicant, he has
to take the chance that it he goes on to Council and wastes another
two weeks that they are going to do the same thing we did and he is
just going to be two weeks further down the line, or he can take his
package back and do a better job of it and request another hearing.
He doesn't have to go on with it. We can say any number of things
with what we do.
Noziska:
I understand that.
I would go along with the motion.
Conrad: I think it makes sense. They can do a lot of things at the
Council level but I think the developer should hear what they have to
say and I don't think we have provided the developer, I think we spent
a couple of hours here talking about it. I'm not sure if they have a
real clear definition of what we would like there and I think the
Council can add to some of the things that we have said. I don't know
if we lose control.
Noziska: Did we not through our City Council, through their last
indication to the developer, say that the density should be decreased
and then it was increased. I guess why should be kick it upstairs
when they didn't pay any attention the first time.
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Thompson: He does have a valid point, I will support you on that.
The fact is that we kind of like to complete the package and send it
on. Once in a while we run into an issue maybe we can't because of
the political ramifications. I don't think there are any particular
political ramifications. This is a pure planning issue and we are the
body that supposedly does the long range planning and we can ask that
a presentation be brought to us in an acceptable form. There are no
political ramifications in this. If it were something else I could
say yes, I would support your motion but I guess I would rather have
you withdraw it and table.
Conrad: I will withdraw my motion. Do you want to make a motion
Mike?
Thompson moved that the Planning Commission table the proposed
preliminary and final development plan and wetland alteration permit
for another meeting and in the meantime send the developer back to the
Staff to corne back with some specific things as outlined:
Ryan: I'm concerned and I think Staff needs to understand my concern
that the City of Chanhassen in doing their master planning of the park
system for the City of Chanhassen is being negligent. If we don't
resolve what we want here we can't ask the developer to do his things.
We have got to make some decisions and build them into the plan. I
e don't see anything wrong with the south half of the development if the
Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Fifty Two
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park were straighten out. If we were taking care of our water
wetlands the right way. I don't want to bui ld that into it. It's not
the developer's problem, it is the City of Chanhassen's problem.
Thompson: I think we can be general or specific. The only thing I
find hard in reading the Minutes here, and all respect to Bill, but I
see the Ci ty Counc i 1 has to sit there with the developer and take a
plan and say here is 175 lots. You should take Lot 3 and Lot 9 and
Lot 11 out. I don't think City Council should have to do that. By
the time it gets there those decisions should be made and they
shouldn't have to be making those types of decisions. I would take
that in the spirit of the fact that obviously the neighborhood wants
to cooperate, the developer says that he wants to cooperate, that they
get back together and resolve most of the major issues and any other
issues that the Staff has, and I felt that Staff has some issues here
that should be resolved, and this should come back here as soon as it
can. I don't know if we can continue the public hearing.
Ryan: To go back to Ladd's three options. You can reject the
preliminary plat for lack of sufficient information and ask them to
come back. A very general rejection.
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Emmings: I don't think it should be sent onto the City Council
because I think it is in too early a stage as somebody said before, I
guess after hearing your comments, I don't think we should go ahead
with the south end until the whole thing is done. I guess I wuld be
in favor of rejecting this preliminary plan. That sounds to me like
what we are doing. We don't havethe information we need and I think
that the preliminary plan should be rejected.
Ryan: What is the fastest way for the developer to come beck before
us?
Thompson: I don't know if it is necessarily how fast, it is the fact
tha t he has to get down and meet with some people. He could be back
next meeting but that doesn't mean he has talked with anybody.
Erhart: I understand that but will it be delayed 7 or 8 weeks?
Ryan: The developer has the right to go on if he chooses to go on
with the understanding that we have some reservations on the content.
He can attempt to correct those things in between. Then we get into a
problem because Staff, if there are major changes, should insist that
it come back to the Commission.
Dacy: If I can it seems, and correct me if I am wrong, I am picking
up on three major issues with the plan.
1.
That desire of the Commission is that the northerly part
of the property be redesigned to preserve the wetland
area.
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Fifty Three
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2.
The Frontier Trail street connection. Staff maintains
its recommendation that connection should be made. The
neighborhood is opposing the connection and would prefer
a cul-de-sac from Kerber Blvd. in. I believe the
applicant as far as that situation is concerned, and
correct me if I am wrong, he did state at a previous
meeting whatever that the City would recommend on that
issue, they would comply with, so we are going to have
those issues between neighborhood, developer, Staff and
Commission and Council.
3. Am I hearing further clarification on the proposed use
of the parkland as far as the process. As it stands
now, the Park and Recreation Commission has made a
recommendation to the City Council to acquire the land
that has been depicted on the Exhibit and the Minutes
are in the package so as far as the final determination
as to whether or not the City should acquire that land
would be the ultimate decision Qf the City Council.
Ryan: There are other directions that you can go. The City does not
have to acquire that land but the City can require as part of the PUD
negotiations that that land be set aside as green land and maintained
as a common area by the homeowners association.
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Dacy: I just wanted to identify that the park issue still remains an
issue for the Commission and that you want further definition of
options as to what the park area can be used as.
Ryan: We don't want option. We don't control the Parks and
Recreation Commission. If the City wants to take on that
responsibility, that has to be decided somehow and stated to us as the
preferred negotiated settlement. Right now it is ambiguous. It may
go this way, it may go that way. Well, that is not enough for us to
go on.
Dacy: The fact of retaining Outlot B for the park issue to be
improved in whatever manner that the Council may so choose, is or is
not the type of information that you want the developer to come back
with. I'm trying to list things they should revise a plan or address
or you want Staff to address.
Thompson: Lot size.
Monk: You state your intent, there has been a lot of talk back and
forth about small lots and large lots, buffering and so on. We can
move to resolve the park issue and some of the drainage concerns and
the street issue is the cul-de-sac or through street, but the lot
issue is also important. The number of lots, buffering and some type
of just general statement whether you table or deny should be made on
lot size just so we have some direction.
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Fifty Four
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Ryan: Bill, if we take some of their lots for the park, we split some
of those lots down. Then we have a lot more small lots. Then the lot
size issue can become a very serious question. Do you want to poll
the Commission and ask what our positions are on lot sizes?
Monk: No, but the thing is that if a segment of the Commission
believes that larger lots should be provided where it ties into the
existing developments and those types of things, that would be the
direction Staff would have. The park issue and how the lots are
around the park is one thing. It remains to be seen, depending on
whether the Park Commission acquires the site or not. Just some
general statement in that area might be good just to give us some
direction in terms of whether we should be pursuing a reduction in
lots overall or having more for a larger buffer area or just exactly
what intent there is.
Ryan: When we did the development for Chanhassen Estates we looked
for transition sizing to match the lots behind them and gradually make
the transition to smaller lots.
Noziska: If that wetlands area is not developed, that is going to
eliminate alot of that property. It is going to wipe out a couple of
lots for one thing, so it is going to reduce the number of lots and it
is also going to make a better transition between Sunrise Hills and
the northern park.
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Ryan: As far as the official density, it doesn't change things. They
added the acreage, they added the right number of lots so the density
stayed the same. They really didn't change density.
Dacy: To go on further, Staff recommended, in regards to the south
side of the property now, do you have any additional concerns in that
area beyond what we have talked about as far as eliminating the lot in
Block 4 and realignment Santa Vera to the south. Anything specific in
that area.
Noziska: Somehow we are proposing to put someone elses land under
water here. I'm a little bit uncomfortable with that situation. It
doesn't seem like it makes an awful lot of sense to me that we should
be creating a pond on someone elses land without even getting any
input from them.
Greg Frank: That pond was at the direction of the City. We
originally did not propose that pond. It was at the direction of the
City so we were responding to what we thought was direction from the
City thereby imposing upon with the understanding that the City would
be working with us and those adjoing property owners, to acquire that
property.
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Noziska: I understand that. That is fine but I am still saying that
is an issue. Where the direction came from I understand. The fact
Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Fifty Five
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that we are still putting somebody under water when we really haven't
heard from him, that is still an issue.
Mr. Seigel: We haven't talked to the owner. Bill Monk was going to
talk to the owner at some point. We intend to in the meantime, until
the City was able to obtain that land, we can dig out a portion that
falls on our property and use that as a sedimentation basin until they
acquire the land west of that and also we we are willing to provide
for slope stablization that was recommended by a wildlife naturalist
and we would work with Fish and Wildlife in setting up wildlife
habitat around the new sedimentation basin.
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Ryan: We are concerned about sedimentation basin in all of our
community. First of all they are sedimentation basin and they are
going to fill up sometime and be serviced. That means you are going
to have to get at them. If you have them at a bottom of a hill and
there is no way to get back there to do anyth i ng with it, they are not
going to get service, they are just going to build up and pretty soon
it is going to carryover into the pond. The other part is that we
would prefer to have the Homeowners Association carry that
responsibility rather than building in a recurring maintenance cost to
the City. If we have enough of these questions I think what we have
to say is that the kind of questions that Mr. Johnson was asking, we
should be able to answer. Should be able to see, follow the plans, to
see landscaping plans, the final development plans. We don't have
that stuff. This is just not nearly clear enough and perhaps we
should table this and let them come back in two weeks with a better
proposal.
Ryan: Let's take a straw poll of the Commissioners here. How many
favor putting Frontier Trail through.
Erhart
Emmings
Siegel
Ryan
Conrad
Noziska
Thompson
In Favor
In Favor
In Favor
In Favor
In Favor
Against
Against
Ryan: Howard, are you going to waiver here?
Noziska: Yes, I would really like to see before I go the voting to
see the overall area. Again, we are just looking here at one area.
Ryan: We just had a three hour sketch plan review and they discussed
an awful lot of that.
Thompson: Why would you vote for it?
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Fifty Six
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Ryan: I think it is necessary to make sure we can provide that part
of the town with the public services it needs. I think that area of
town has been deficient up until now. Does that help you?
Dacy: Yes.
Thompson: Should we take a straw poll on lot size? How many people
are hung up on 15,000 square feet lots. Preferred?
Ryan: 15,000 square feet minimum?
Conrad: I'm not hung up that but I think that goes back to the
negotiation and again that goes back to my comment that I don't know
that because this is a PUD, I don't know that we, I can go down to
10,000 square foot lot sizes if I think we are getting something in
return and I really don't know that we have in this particular deal.
Again, the lot size doesn't make much difference to me as long as I am
comofortable we are negotiating from the 15,000 square foot standard.
It just doesn't appear that we have negotiated very much in the
particular PUD.
Noziska: There are an awful lot of holes in this whole thing.
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Conrad: There also has to be a transitional density too going into
that area.
Ryan: What I would like to suggest is that we have a number of items
on the agenda and it is not the commission's fault that this
presentation was insufficient in support information to make a
decision so we should let them carry the brunt and come back another
time so we can get on with the rest of the items.
Noziska: So if we table it does it come back as a public hearing?
The public hearing stays open.
Emmings:
Isn't there a motion on the floor right now?
Dacy: Yes, Mr. Thompson has a motion.
Ryan: Would the public hearing stay open if we table at this point?
Dacy: If you would like it to be, that is fine.
Thompson moved and Emmings seconded to table the proposed preliminary
and final development plan and wetland alteration permit. All voted in
favor and motion carried.
Ryan: It will come back then when Staff thinks that they have a
presentation.
e At time point there was a short intermission.
Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Fifty Seven
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Ryan: We are going to jump to Item 7 on the agenda. Site Plan Review
#86-2 for a 31,320 square foot shopping center, located in the
northwest corner of 64th Street and Highway 41, Tomac Development.
Tomac has requested this item be tabled until the June 11, 1986
Planning Commission meeting so anybody that is here for that item, it
will be first item on the agenda on June 11, 1986.
Dacy: What is going on is the applicant has just asked that the Tomac
Site Plan be tabled for the Planning Commission consideration until
June 11, 1986. The City Council still intends to meet on June 2 on
the rezoning and preliminary plat and this would be just the site plan
issue to June 11th.
Ryan: Do you (the applicants) want it tabled?
Tomac: Yes.
Ryan: If we run out of things that we can cover, we will adjourn and
not get it covered anyway, and we won't get that covered tonight so it
will be the first item on the 11th. We would have preferred to have
the City Council act on the zoning decision before we saw this anyway,
but that is not why we are tabling it. It's because we ran out of
time. We may have gotten through two hours of discussion and tabled
it anyway. Now we will move onto the item the rest of you are
apparently here for.
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PUBLIC HEARING
Amendment Chanhassen Zoning Ordinance No. 47 to amend Section 6.04,
Section 7.04 and Section 14.04 (Recreational Beachlots), Ci ty of
Chanhassen.
Public Present
Dave Broder
Ali Brock
Kathy Freidlander
Rick Freidlander
Marge Spliethoff
Pat Swenson
Dianne Needham
Mel Kurvers
Franklin Iurvers
Barbara Miller
Jack Melby
640 Pleasant View
7203 Frontier Trail
7301 Frontier Trail
7301 Frontier Trail
113 Sandy Hook
7415 Frontier Trail
7240 Chanhassen Road
7220 Chanhassen Road
610 Carver Beach Road
Dacy: I would like to read the cover memorandum briefly.
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As you may know, the City has been challenged by the Lotus Lake Estate
Homeowners Association regarding the recreational beachlot
Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Fifty Eight
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requirements contained in the zoning ordinance. Complicating this
issue was a recent application of Sunny Slope Homeowners Association
and the approval of the Plocher/Geske variances for additional dockage
and overnight storage in conjunction with the 18 unit townhome
development at the old Leach property adjacent to Lake Minnewashta.
During this entire timeframe various amendments were discussed by the
City Council. The Lotus Lake lawsuit can best be seen as hastening
that process.
The City Council met with the City Attorney and the attorney assigned
by the insurance carrier to review the pending lawsuit. It was
recommended by the attorneys that the existing ordinance should be
modified. The City Attorney has prepared the proposed modifications
to the Water Surface Usage Ordinance and the Recreational Beachlot
Ordinance. The amendment to the Lotus Lake Estates Conditional Use
Permit is based on the revised Recreational Beachlot Ordinance
amendment. The lawsuit will remain pending until a decision on the
three items addressed by the Planning Commission tonight and by the
City Council at the June 16th meeting. The City Attorney is here to
answer questions regarding the three proposals.
As the lawsuit is still pending, the City Attorney's Office has
advised this office that he cannot publically discuss the Lotus Lake
lawsuit and has suggested that the Planning Commission address solely
the ordinance amendment issues.
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I was just going to say that if you would like, as was done in the
report, just go through what exists now in the Beachlot ordinance and
what the proposed ordinance does if that is how you would like it?
Ryan: What is the driving force behind this? Is the City Council
requesting that the Planning Commission make particular action in this
case?
Roger Knutson: The City Council has entered into an agreement that
basically says that if the City Council approves these, and they are
not committed to approve these items before you, the lawsuit will be
dismissed. They have not committed to passing them.
Ryan: Has the City Council asked us to prepare the ordinance in this
particular fashion.
Knutson: The Council has asked you to review them in the capacity as
land use advisors, the Planning Commission, and to relate what you
want. This is how it has come down from the Council, in this form.
Ryan: This is what Council would like to see?
Knutson: They would like to see you consider this.
Barbara, can you tell us what they want?
On that note,
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Fifty Nine
Thompson: It is my understanding that you can't discuss the merits of
the lawsuit because of there is a lawsuit. Isn't there a possibility
that we can discuss the merits of the lawsuit with the City Attorney
in a closed session? In other words what we are looking at is a
possible settlement of a lawsuit based on this not really discussing
the merits of the lawsuit.
Knutson: what the Council would like you to look at is the ordinance
amendments.
Thompson: Can we discuss this with you in a private session?
Knutson: First of all, before I could discuss it with you I would
have to discuss it with Council to see if they would allow me to
discuss my private thoughts.
Thompson: Let's assume they would say yes. Is there anything illegal
about you discussing this in a closed session as far as the merits of
the lawsuit. If the lawsuit has no merit and the Council is being
forced into this, it is your job to advise them as to what the merits
of the lawsuit are and we don't really know what they are.
Knutson:
I have advised them on the subject.
Thompson: But we don't have that information. Then I don't see how
we can sit here and discuss this. Are we not suppose to discuss this.
It isn't like we haven't looked at an ordinance on this things many,
many times and what they do is they keep shoving this back at us and
I'm not saying that the Lotus Lake people don't have some justifiable
merit based on some things the Council has done, but not what the
Planning Commission has done. The point is I have a hard time
discussing this issue and looking at this ordinance because I don't
agree with it anyway because we went through this thing how long ago
and how many times...
Ryan: Barb, can you just quickly, we went through this in 1982 we
drafted the ordinance. In July we tried to send it through and
Council didn't want it. Tell us what is happening.
Dacy: What is happening is that basically overnight storage is being
allowed on a beachlot for up to three boats per dock. Also what is
happening is the size of the beachlot is being regulated beyond the
current ordinance. The current ordinance says that they have to have
100 by 100 size beachlot and a minimum in order to have a dock. The
new ordinance is saying that you have to have at least 200 feet of
frontage and 100 feet in depth and at least 30,000 square feet of
area. Then for additional dockage beyond that, you have to have
another 200 feet of lake frontage and another 20,000 square feet in
area and no more than three docks is permitted per beachlot. So it is
the overnight storage and three boats per dock and the specific lot
area requirements are the main differences. It also provides for a
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Sixty
minimum 200 feet of frontage for the beachlot if a sailboat mooring is
desired, and every mooring beyond that is also based on a 200 foot
increment. Everything else remains the same except right now Staff
didn't like the facilities that are allowed on the beachlots. with
certain provisions however proposed, are not allowed period. There is
still being maintained that inner lot should go across the beachlot.
So frontage area and overnight storage are the basic differences.
Erhart: Paragraph E says up to 4 sailboat moorings and paragraph I
says one sailboat mooring.
Dacy: What (~ is saying is that it allows up to 4 as a maximum and
what (I) is saying that you have to have at least 200 feet of frontage
for every sailboat mooring.
Ryan: What is the significant difference between this current
ordinance and proposal and the ordinance in July?
Dacy: I believe the difference was that the amount of overnight
storage last year was still contemplated as five boats per dock, where
as now it is three. The lot area and frontage requirements are the
same but the overnight storage issue is different.
Ryan: I thought we were looking at that point in three per equivalent
recurring lot. The DNR standard.
Dacy: That was discussed as an idea however, we were looking...
Ryan: When we got done the Commission decided we didn't need a new
ordinance.
Dacy: Right, and you recommended denial of the proposed amendment and
then it went to Council.
Ryan: This is a public hearing. Can we get some comments before it
gets too late.
Henry: I thought heard Mr. Knutson say that he could not discuss the
legal aspects of the case. That doesn't mean that you cannot discuss
or that we cannot discuss the case.
Knutson: As far as I am concerned you certainly can discuss anything.
Ryan: We can venture out into some deep water but I don't know that
any of us have any information on it. We are not party to the suit
and we don't have any, it's pure speculation.
Henry: I thought you might not be able to respond but you can talk
about it among yourselves or anyone can.
Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Sixty One
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say. Tell us about anything you want to tell us about.
Georgette: I would like to start out by, first of all, saying that we
had a number of people here earlier who, unfortunately because of the
hour., ~ad to leave. Two of those people were very important and I am
sorry that they couldn't stay. Court MacFarlane and Jack Vogel, both of
them were authors of the present ordinance. I know that some of you
have been on the Planning Commission before and the rest of us have
heard it over and over again however, there are members of the
Planning Commission who maybe don't know the history or the purpose of
the ord i nance was and for tha t reason I would 1 i ke to take over at
least to express the feelings of these two gentlemen that had to leave
because of the hour. First of all, the Lake Study Committee was
appointed by Council and Planning Commission a number of years ago,
about 5 years ago. People that were on that committee were lakeshore
homeowners and outlot owners and people who had no lakeshore at all.
In other words, the people who wrote the ordinance in the first place
were people from allover Chanhassen. There was no vested interest in
the way that the ordinance was written. The purpose of the ordinance
was to control the number of boats and usage of boats on our lakes,
all of our lakes, so that there would be a safe number and so that
everyone in our community could enjoy the lakes so that we would not
have over crowded conditions. That was the purpose of the ordinance.
The ordinance took several years to write. We were in on the end of
it in trying to amend it and change it. To make it fair. We came
before you many, many times, those of you who are still on the
Planning Commission will remember this. As early as last August, as
you remember Mr. Ryan, we went through the ordinance again and it was
unanimous with the Planning Commission that we had a good ordinance,
that it was constitutional, that it was defensible in court, that we
were happy with it. It went to Council and with the exception of one
Council member, it was also supported. It was checked over and
decided, almost unanimously, that we had a good ordinance and indeed
we will stand behind it. So I guess the question before us tonight is
what has happened since July or August that brings us before you again
and that really makes the authors of this ordinance extremely
depressed, as they were tonight, that they had to appear before you
again, to remind you of the purpose of the ordinance and to encourage
you to stand behind what is a very good ordinance and an ordinance
which has been checked by other lawyers besides our City Attorney, who
feels it is defensible in court and should be tested.
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Ryan: I'm not sure if you are asking a question who would be able to
answer that question. That is a valid comment.
Georgette: I was just stating an opinion.
Ryan: Yes, you also said something about what got us where we are and
I'm not sure about that. I appreciate your opinion. Does anybody
else want to state an opinion or ask a question.
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Sixty Two
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Carol Lynbar: My husband and I are relatively new comers to the lake.
We've lived on Lotus Lake for the last year and one of the things that
attracted us to this area, and particularly this lake, was the
peacefulness and serenity that we saw on the lake. We are concerned
about the safety factors on the lake and the potential over crowding
that may result with the changes in the beachlot ordinance. It is my
understanding that the DNR allows for their guidelines calls for
essentially one power boat on the lake for every 20 acres, which I
think would give us somewhere in the neighborhood of 12 to 13 power
boats on the lake. If you mix that with additional canoes and
sailboats, which don't navigate as rapidly or as well, I think there
really is a potential for some danger and I would be very concerned
about that myself. As I said, the concern for safety and over
crowding on the lake is one that I think most of us all share and we
certainly don't want to have any hazardous accidents occur.
Jack Melby: To elude a little bit to what Georgette said. Our
Association, the Lotus Lake Association, has had the ordinance
reviewed by our Attorney who has given us an informal opinion that
stated, and I think you mayor the City Council may have received
copies, of that informal opinion that said the ordinance was reviewed
in detail, was found constitutional and defensivible. Our Associaton
would like to see the City, the Planning Commission as well, stand
behind that ordinance up to and including going to Court.
Ryan: I think his opinion was presented at the City Council meeting a
month or so back.
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Marge Spliethoff: I just have a question. Where did the 200 feet of
lake frontage come from? Is there some guideline or do you have any
idea if that would make it more constitutional or more fair?
Dacy: The lake frontage number and lot area was created basically as
a general guideline. We looked at existing beachlots of record and so
on, and when we applied the new regulations, only three of those
beachlots would be able to have docks so in tha t sense the lake
frontage requirement is more restrictive.
Marge Spliethoff: You mean what we have now?
Dacy: what is being proposed as far as just the lake frontage issue.
Marge Spliethoff: What would happen for an individual owner, somebody
that had maybe 500 feet of lakeshore. Would they then be allowed to
have more.
Dacy: No, it would not apply to individual owners. It only applies
to recreational beachlots which are owned and maintained by Homeowners
Associations.
Jack Melby asked about individual lot owners.
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Sixty Three
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Dacy: Individual lot owners, through the Water Surface Usage
Ord i nance under 73 wh i ch would be on the next i tern on the agenda
allows riparian owners to have a private dock. Whereas the beachlot
ordinance is proposing to regulate beachlots owned and maintained by
Homeowners Associations and is setting up certain criteria for the
number of docks.
Marge Spliethoff then asked a question that couldn't be heard on the
tape.
Dacy: If they have the required amount of frontage area.
Marge Spliethoff: That's what I mean, the same amount of frontage.
Ryan: What are you proposing for riparian lot owners, three moorings?
Dacy: Correct for overnight storage.
Public: I have a question. I'm not quite sure of the measurements.
Lotus Lake Estates has a parcel of property about 1,000 feet long, the
beachlot is 1,000 feet of shoreline and it has a certain depth that I
am not familar with, it varies, it is kind of irregular. Is there any
way to tell, based on the information that you have given us, as to
the square feet for the number of docks that can be built based on the
this measurement.
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Dacy: What Staff did was to take the final plat of Lotus Lake Estates
and perimeter is in the instrument to determine lot area fairly
accurate outlining the perimeter of the outlot and determined that the
lot area was...
Public: 92,000 square feet. Was there any point along the length of
that property where 600 can get more. It doesn't look like it to me.
Dacy: If you can hang on a minute I can check my packet but I do
believe that it did measure 100 feet in depth at one point. At the
top of the beachlot it is approximately 200 feet and then it graduates
down to it's smallest point down at the bottom at 54.97 feet. So the
northerly half portion of the beachlot does contain 100 feet.
Public: So that would give an area for shoreline length of about 500
feet that meets the requirement ordinance which would include the
remaining half of that peice of property in terms of depth of the
shoreline.
Dacy: What is being proposed is that the beachlot does at one point
contain a depth greater than 100 feet as the lake frontage and the lot
area and that is what is being proposed.
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Sixty Four
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Public: So if I am reading you right, you are saying 500 feet of that
shoreline meets the ordinance or about half of the shoreline meets the
requirements.
Dacy: Apprxoximately 513 feet.
Jack Melby: Can I have clarification on the last question. The way
the ordinance is written, it can be at any point in that lot being 100
feet deep to qualify. It doesn't have to be continuously 100 feet
deep.
Roger Knutson: That is my interpretation of the ordinance. That is
correct.
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Harvy Barker: In discussing when the announcement was made of the
proposed changes of the ordinance, I discussed it with some friends
that live on other lakes in Chanhassen and so forth, and it seems to
me, the mood seems to me, that if exceptions are made to the
ordinance, we are going to end up with a lot of legal action, as it
were, from other people on other lakes in the village. I think that
you may be opening Pandora's Box if this thing is allowed to go
through and I guess I wuold concur with what was said earlier, in
letting the ordinance go to court. If it is a good ordinance it will
stand the test of legal scrutiny. If not, it won't and it will have
to be changed. I think by allowing the changes to already existing,
realtively new ordinance, I think you are just going to be creating
some additional problems.
Georgette: Just to elaborate a little bit on what Harvey is saying
and be more specific. There is an outlot on our lake, that we know
for a fact has had a meeting, has 150 feet and feels they are going to
be discriminated against by this new amendment and would feel that
they deserve to have dockage and overnight mooring of boats as well,
which is just as arbitrary as 200 feet. So it seems to me that we
should consider that 200 feet should maybe 175 or 150 or 300 or
whatever figure you are going to pic, there are going to be groups
that are going to decide to have lawsuits and challenge the City and
are we expected to come back again each time and try and defend our
ordinance or are we going to tailor it for each lawsuit that comes
around. This is a question.
Ryan: I can answer part of it. I think once you, at least state,
what you choose to be that arbitary number, then you have become
definitive and it becomes defensivible, but when you don't state
something and you begin to grant rights without any clear definition,
then you are not defensivible. 200 would be just as defensivible as
150 once we choose to set one. Right now we have set no mark so you
can't defend something you haven't set.
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Richard Wagner: I am what is left of the Minnewashta contingency.
The late hour took care of all our people and I guess I just wanted to
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Sixty Five
make sure that you are aware that the Minnewashta people were here and
is concerned. When the ordinance was passed, we really supported it.
We tailored our docks, we tailored our ramp, tailored our use of the
lake, and it really was for the benefit of the lake as I see it. As a
lakeowner I was happy. I didn't have any complaints. I was happy to
comply with that. One issue that wasn't resolved then and hasn't been
resolved now, is this outlot issue. We can show you outlots on
Minnewashta that are out of control. You can scream about it but I
can show you what a 50 foot lot with 15 homes will attempt and is
attempting to do and it has in fact done, and because of it we are
taking action out in Minnewashta because unfortunately these people
have literally taken over and they want something for nothing so I am
very down on the outlot situation and I don't feel it has been
resolved. I feel it is still a problem. I think it needs control as
do the lakeowners. That is not the issue. These people for the
people, lakeowners, not lakeowners. You simply can't have the entire
non-lake public have access to the lake on their 25 foot, 200 foot,
300 foot, whatever arbitary figure here. It appears to me the
ordinance's real weak point is in respect to these out lots. I would
like to see the Planning Commission just put a halt on all of this and
go back and re-evaluate the outlot situation and work with the DNR and
solve this issue once and for all to come up with a realistic
position. I'm not opposed to outlots, I think there is a fair
position that can be taken. A position that is fair to the lakeowners
and a position that is fair to the non-lake owners, but it certainly
is not resolved. There is a sore point in an issue here that is going
to come back again and I don't know what we are doing and I don't know
where we are going. I don't know where it stands. You people don't
seem to know either and we are changing this ordinance because of a
lawsuit, we are really are kind of lost here and it really is a dead
issue already. We are working on redoing an ordinance because of a
lawsuit and I think the statement earlier here about so what. Let's
let the lawsuit go rather than try and solve the lawsuit by quick
changing the ordinance which automatically brings people in to
complain about the changes you have already made, resolved. The issue
here tonight obviously is the outlot issue and it does need control
and I support that control.
Frank Kurvers: Whatever the Lotus Lake Estates people are asking for
is fair. They have a piece of land that is unique. It is high
elevation they can't get to. They are asking for nine boats. I think
they should have them then we won't have to have lawsuits.
Mr. Wagner: What is the ordinance? What is the control? How can you
say that when the ordinance doesn't allow that. What do you do about
the other lots. It's fair yes, according to the ordinance, no.
Public: I've heard the point made several times about the density on
the lake and the over usage of the lake. I don't think any of us in
the Lotus Lake Esta tes would argue the fact that the lake has to be
maintained safely. I think we argue the fact though that the usage of
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Sixty Six
the lake has to be equitable. There are a lot of lots on that lake
that are not very wide that have more than one boat or in fact, three
or four boats on their dock. Either single family homes with multiple
boat usage of the lake, yet I don't see anybody saying that that seems
to be a problem with boat usage on the lake. It seems like if you are
going to control any property, you control all property and you
control it equitably. I think looking at square footage, looking at
area is a reasonable thing. I remember Lotus Lake Estates coming and
asking for 40 boat once. That is not equitable, I didn't support
that. I'm not sure I support this or not but I do support equitable
use of our lakes. I think we pay taxes, in a sense purchase that land
and it is a very large piece of land and to not be able to store any
moored watercraft while private homeowners can store several crafts,
the issue of safety on the lake doesn't seem to be a viable one. If
the lake needs to be quieted, it is quieted for everybody and by
taking only select groups and saying that you are going to overuse the
lake but I can use it, one does not seem to be an equitable solution,
and keep in mind we are not asking for nor does this even begin to
hint at one boat per resident that has access to that outlot. It
seems that the restrictions they have placed upon that outlot in size
and linear footage along with how close the homes have to be,
substantially protect the outlots from what has happened to some of
the outlots on some of the other lakes, which is obvious over usage.
My only negative comment about what is in this proposal is that it
would seem to me we are defending some other folks who have been
before you from other outlots, that every outlot ougth to have at
least a minimum standards that every other lot on the lake has. If it
is three boats on a dock, I don't care is the outlot is 50 feet wide,
we are not measuring private properties right now on the lake to see
how wide they are. Whether they can have five boats or four boats or
two. Every outlot ought to be entitled to at least the minimum
standard that any other lot on the lake has and because of the size,
there are certain modifications to that. I think a good job has been
done here to find a common ground.
Henry: I live at 7400 Chanhassen Road. Two words were used by the
gentlemen who just preceeded me. Taxes and utilization or equal
utilization. I know the hour is very late and I don't want to go
through a long litany, but when I hear taxes or utilization. The
taxes are not equitably distributed if you want to talk equal.
Ability and utilization and every citizen in Chanhassen could use the
lakes. It just is a question of where they put their boat in and how
they use it. The question of number of boats per family that the
gentlemen brought up the fact that riparian owners now have five and
if you preceive that on the next issue, possibly three boats per dock.
utilization of those three or five boats, or however many boats each
family has, is far different in utilization for the same number of
three or five boats per dock that a homeowners association would use
because one boat would be used by one family whereas one family may
use three different types of watercraft. The chances of all three of
the private owners watercraft being on the lake at anyone time is
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Sixty Seven
extremely small. The chance that three boats on an outlot dock would
be utilized as an afternoon on the lake, so utilization is not equal.
What I really came to say though I guess, was that all of this, as we
have many times as you well know, the last time was only nine months
ago. That request was from I think Lotus Lake Estates again, they
requested a change in their outlot permit. The Planning Commission
and Council at that time both denied that request in a sense agreeing
that the current law is valid. The current law was beneficial and
that it should be upheld. You have heard some arguments tonight and
I'm not going to reiterate. I would think from what I have heard and
from what I know from other beachlot meetings, the proposed change
will in general, more lawsuits for the City rather than protect the
city from them. When I stop and try to figure out what the difference
is tonight as opposed to what it was nine months ago when we were here
last, the only thing I see is the legal action brought about by Lotus
Lake Estates. I don't know as though there is any new information. I
don't know that there is any change that has occurred. I don't know
that the law is any less defensivible then it was when it was recently
drafted and upheld nine months ago. I guess, from my prespective,
with the lack of any real new information or input, I would suggest
that the Council simply table this until they get whatever information
they need.
Noziska moved, Conrad seconded to close the public hearing. All voted
in favor and the motion carried.
Thompson: It seems that parties that want this ordinance change.
What they do is they keep bringing this up and hoping along the line
something will happen but when we originally went into this, I think
if you look at part of the statute ordinance, it goes back and talks
about the years when we started this and we had the committee was
formed and many people were involved in it and the input and public
hea ring s were held here and I remember I used to dr i ve up and you
couldn't find a parking place anywhere. The room was full of people.
All of the issues that were discussed and I don't think the discussion
or the merit of the discussion has changed at all. I can't see why we
would have to even consider this at this point. I am certainly
insulted that they continue to bring this thing to me and I think that
the people that were interested at that time. I don't see many of
them here tonight. I think there is a problem. I don't know what it
is, possibly the hour, but also I think many of those people that were
involved at these public hearings probably went away from those public
hearings and went away with the idea that we came to a final
resolution of this ordinance when we passed this ordinance and they
have trust and faith in the City officials, and the fact that they
don't have to come back here every 90 days to figure out what
ordinance is changed. I'm sure there was some notice that went out on
this issue but I don't know how it went out and I'm sure that I could
go out and raise more people tonight if I knew what this was all about
ahead of time when you got here as far as this issue goes. I don't
think we have fair representation of the public here to even discuss
Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Sixty Eight
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this. The other thing is that the City Attorney or the Council
doesn't feel that we have some merit in discussing the merits of the
lawsuit, then I don't care to discuss it.
At this point there was a tape change. ...ask the City Council to
allow us to discuss the merits of the lawsuit with the City Attorney
in closed session, or that we uphold the ordinance as it is as we have
in two other cases.
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Noziska: I guess Mike said a mouthful and having been here at the
same time that Mike was discussing. The room was full, we went
through many, many hours worth of public input on the ordinance. At
that particular time it was a consensus document and now all of a
sudden at this particular time, it isn't a consensus document or
at least for some reason for which we can't discuss evidentally, it is
no longer a consensus. I'm with Mike. I'm a little bit confused as
to, if it was good nine months ago, what is wrong with it now and we
perhaps need to know more than what we do. About why something that
was a community consensus document isn't anymore a community consensus
document. I feel Mike's problem with discussing it. If we are going
to discuss it, let's get the cards on the table and get all of the
input that we need to take this change seriously. We had a committee
of very dedicated people who went through this. In addition to that,
the whole community had input on it and now we starting from scratch,
or from somewhere, I don't know where, but we are starting out with
wanting to change it in the middle of the stream and I guess I go
along with Mike's tabling it until we are somehow privleged to more
information than we are right tonight.
Conrad: Who was the attorney who reviewed the previous ordinance when
it was proposed? Was that a different group in 1982.
Dacy: The City Attorney at that time was Russ Larson and Craig Merz
was the Assistant City Attorney.
Conrad: They are no longer employed by the City?
Dacy: That is correct.
Conrad: I guess the Lotus Lake Estates folks have an interesting
perspective and I sympathize with what they are asking for. The Lake
Study Committee spent four years gathering information and going
around with us and the City Council and then tonight we have two
pieces of paper, comments, and our City Attorney can't comment.
.
Roger Knutson:
I think you can appreciate my stand.
Conrad: I understand, but we don't have any information and asking us
to react. We thought we had a good ordinance and somebody is trying
to tell us we ha ve a bad ord i nance and you can't te 11 us why we have a
bad ordinance and we can't talk about it.
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Sixty Nine
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Roger Knutson: I guess my only suggestion would be that you
concentrate on the merits of the ordinance and look at it as you
would any other ordinance coming by you to review. That is all you
can do. I can't sit at a public meeting and discuss the merits of the
lawsuit. People are out there taking notes.
Conrad: Tell me how these numbers are going to be defensivible Roger?
Tell me why we aren't going to have another lawsuit? All I can see
are the lawsuits. Now you can't comment.
Roger Knutson: No one can stop from suing you.
Conrad: Was it your advice to City Council that our ordinance is not
defensivible?
Roger Knutson: I really can't discuss that subject. For publication,
I will say it is defensivible. I am prepared to go to Court and
defend it. A lot of things went into the City Council's decision as
to where we are at. The final decision has not been made. They are
not committed to passing this. They said that if it is passed, then
the lawsuit is over so all they want is not an analysis of the lawsuit
but an analysis of the ordinance. If you think the ordinance stinks,
tell me.
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Ryan: Let me ask for one clarification that may help us here. In
July, we went through this thing and it was the opinion of the
Commission that we didn't really want to change the ordinance. We
passed it onto the Council that we were not in favor of changing the
ordinance. I think that motion was that we were recommending that the
ordinance not be changed. Was that the way it was worded?
Dacy: The minutes should be attached here.
Ryan: Recommends denial of the proposed Recreational Beachlot
Ordinance Amendment. That recommendation went onto the Council at the
time?
Dacy: Yes.
Ryan: And they still had a choice to vote.
us. It went to them.
It didn't just die with
Dacy: Right, and the Council denied the ordinance amendment at their
August 5, 1985 meeting by a 3 to 2 vote.
Ryan: It was a very similar ordinance amendment?
Dacy: Yes.
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Ryan: The point is, no matter what we do it can go with recommended
approval or we can recommend denial and it can still go to Council and
Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Seventy
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they can do whatever they want anyway. This is a procedural item we
are setting here.
Dacy: If you recommend denial it is going to go to the Council. If
you recommend approval it is going to go the Council.
Thompson: We can recommend tabling it and ask Council permission.
Ryan: That's the thing. You can table it and hold it here for a
while but I don't know as though that does anybody any good.
Conrad: We could talk to Roger in private if that is possible. We
could reinstate the Lake Study Committee and get another group going
if that is what is necessary. We could be two or three years.
Siegel: I don't know.
just going to...
This is all pretty new to me so I think I'm
Ryan: You probably aren't going to understand what is going on with
this.
Siegel: No, it's pretty confusing but I can understand the legal
ramifications here but there are no answers to be had so I can't
really contribute too much to what has already been said.
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Emmings: I can't contribute anything either but I am going to say it
regardless. Somebody has written this language to settle the lawsuit.
I guess that's clear to everybody because we keep hearing the Attorney
say that if it is passed the lawsuit is over and obviously the Council
wants us to pass this and I think they intend to pass it to resolve
the lawsui t. I think it is a real poor reason to do it. I think it
is the worse possible reason to do it knowing what we know so I think
we should deny it. I don't like tabling it because it makes me kind
of mad and I would feel better about denying it than tabling it.
Erhart: Listening to you fellows, it would indicate to me that this
is an issue that is going to be acted on apparently through a lot of
public participation the last time. It would seem to me if we are
going to act on this thing, we ought to put it in some type of
environment where we can get the public in because I think it is very
unfair to change it within less than one year and you have four or
five people commenting on it. It doesn't mean I don't think it's a
better ordinance. If it was that interesting a year ago and we came
up with what we have, then it ought to be that interesting again and
we should listen to some of the public comments, so I would table it.
I would it so that we could get it first on the agenda of a public
hearing so people can be invited to go through it again and we might
have to.
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Ryan: It almost initiates a whole new study because of the references
to the DNR and their standards and do you develop the standard or do
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Seventy One
you not develop any standard at all. The current ordinance says that
there are no beachlots so you will need a standard because there are
no moorings allowed on the beachlots. There are beachlots but there
are no overnight moorings of motorized craft. The DNR has a standard
but we tended to ignor that because we felt, the community as a whole,
felt in 1982 that we were going to be more restrictive and now we are
beginning to be more permissive. A lot of work went into this. We
have an ordinance. I haven't seen any basic statement of good
community planning that says that we need to change that concept.
Good planning still holds that typical, small beachlot problem we
shouldn't have. If that is what we decided in 1982 represented good
planning I don't see any underlying changes that would make me change
on that. However, on the Lotus Lake thing, that beachlot was accepted
as a Conditional Use Permit tied in with the PUD which was a
negotiated position and so was the Red Cedar Point on Minnewashta.
The PUD was negotiated and as part of the PUD you give and take. The
people on Lotus Lake Esta tes knew when they got lot si zes and they got
densities and they got everything else that goes in the development,
that they weren't going to be allowed to park their boats.
Erhart: What did the Planning Commission recommend a year ago? Was
it to allow boat parking?
Ryan:
It is all about boat parking.
Erhart: Yes, but apparently something happened nine months ago. This
was reviewed at public hearing. What was the Planning Commission's
recommendation to the City Council. To allow.
Ryan: To deny. To leave the ordinance the way it is right now.
Erhart: And the City Council essentially accepted that?
Ryan: They accepted that but at the same time there was another item
on the agenda that was a request for overnight moorings on residential
beachlot and those were also allowed. So now we've got conflict.
I'm not sure. Again, my opinion on Lotus Lake Estates is that that
was a PUD that was negotiated long ago and that was the accepted
negotiated position at the time and to come back now and ask for more
is reopening negotiations. I feel like we are being asked to do
something here that is reopening a negotiation rather than
establishing good planning practices for the community.
Thompson moved, Emmings seconded to recommend denial of the proposed
Amendment Chanhassen Zoning Ordinance No. 47 to amend Section 6.04,
Section 7.04 and Section 14.04 (Recreational Beachlots), City of
Chanhassen. All voted in favor and motion carried.
Thompson: I supposed somebody, if you wanted to, if they felt there
was a need to have this discussed with us further, they could add an
Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Seventy Two
~ amendment to the motion that the City Council saw fit for us to become
involved with some more information, we could.
PUBLIC HEARING
Water Surface Usage Ordinance Amendment to amend Section 3.04 of
Ordinance No. 73, City of Chanhassen.
Public Present
Pat Swenson
Mel Kurvers
Franklin Kurvers
7240 Chanhassen Road
7220 Chanhassen Road
Dacy: Mr. Chairman, we did call a public hearing on this item. Maybe
somebody someone would like to address just this specific issue.
Ryan: Good point. Each of these i terns is a publ ic hear ing separate.
Does anybody have a comment on the...
Dacy: What is being done is that the Water Surface Usage Ordinance is
being revised to reduce the number of boats that can be docked
overnight from five down to three and the proposed amendment is
Attachment No. I in your packet.
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Ryan: Does anyone wan t to make a commen t on that? Those 0 f you with
regular riparian lots will be reduced from five to three.
Richard Wagner: Lake Minnewashta. I totally support that amendment.
I think it would be an excellent idea.
Ryan: Is this enforced immediately or are people grandfathered under
the al ready. . .
Dacy: Roger and I talked about this earlier. If you have five boats
now, the way the ordinance is written would have to reduce the number
to three per dock.
Ryan:
boats.
It's retroacvtive. Anybody that has a dock can only have three
No grandfathering?
Roger Knutson: Correct.
Jack Melby: Our Lake Association supports that amendment changing the
number of boats from five to three per dock.
Frank Kurvers: I'm against it. I think all you should put on all
lakes is a 25 horse power limit and forget about all these rules and
regulations. All the big power high powered boats instead of 25 HP on
all lakes, we wouldn't have to set these regulations.
--
Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Seventy Three
4It Noziska moved, Thompson seconded to close public hearing. All voted
in favor and motion carried.
Conrad moved, Noziska seconded that the Planning Commission recommend
approval of the amendment to the Water Surface Usage Ordinance to
amend Section 3.04 of Ordinance No. 73, City of Chanhassen per the
Staff Recommendation. All voted in favor and motion carried.
Except for privately owned commercial resorts or commercial
boat landings established prior to the adoption of this
ordinance, no person shall moor overnight, dock overnight, or
store overnight more than three (3) watercraft on any
lakeshore site or upon the waters of any lakd. Overnight
docking mooring and storage is further restricted to the
owner/occupant or renter/occupant of the lakeshore site home
to which the dock, storage, or mooring site is an accessory
use.
PUBLIC HEARING
Conditional Use Permit Amendment to allow a total of three docks to be
contructed on Outlot B and to allow overnight storage of these docks
of a total of nine watercraft without restirctions as to whether said
water craft are motorized or non-motorized, Lotus Lake Estates
Homeowners's Association.
4It
Public Present
Ali Brock
Marge Spliethoff
Pat Swenson
Dianne Needham
Franklin Kurvers
Barbara Miller
Jim Parsons
7203 Frontier Trail
113 Sandy Hook
7220 Chanhassen Road
610 Carver Beach Road
6800 Brule Circle
Ryan: Item 3. I guess we don't have item three because we don't need
to discuss Lotus Lake's Conditional Use Permit if we don't have an
ordinance.
Roger Knutson: The public hearing schedule. I think it would be
advisable under the circumstances to hold the public hearing and I
know the sentiment of the Commission is to turn it down because it is
inconsistent with the present ordinance, you don't like it anyway.
Ryan: Yes, we don't want to be inconsistent.
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Dacy: What is being proposed is three docks and a total of not more
Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-Page Seventy Four
e
than nine watercraft to be stored at those docks without restriction
as to motorized or non-motorized.
Ryan: Is there anybody that wants to make public comment on this item
that hasn't already done so.
Larry Constitino: I am a resident of Lotus Lake Estates. I would
like to make it clear to the Commission as well as the other members
here that Lotus Lake Homeowners Association has not, I repeat, has not
asked for a change in the Conditional Use Permit. We as the
Homeowners Association have not asked for this. The City is
suggesting it as a potential settlment for the lawsuit that is
pending. If that is a commentary on the defensivibleness of the
ordinance.
Ryan: You are saying that you are not the applicant on this?
Larry Constitino: I'm on the Board of Directors and I am unaware that
we have petitioned a change in the Conditional Use Permit. The City
is suggesting it as an alternative.
Thompson moved, Noziska seconded to close public hearing. All voted
in favor and motion carried.
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Thompson: Since the applicant hasn't made an application how can we
react to it. Since the Lotus Lake Homeowners Association hasn't made
application or indicated that they aren't interested in the
conditional use permit.
Thompson moved, Noziska seconded recommending denial of the
Conditional Use Permit Amendment to allow a total of three docks to be
constructed on Outlot B and to allow overnight storage of these docks
of a total of nine watercraft without restrictions as to whether said
water craft are motorized or non-motorized, Lotus Lake Estates
Homeowners's Association. All voted in favor and motion carried.
Ryan: It's obvious the City Council wants to get a Conditional Use
Permit.
Knutson: City Council set it before you, that is correct.
Ryan: Well, they have a reason. We can't just pass this by and say
because they haven't asked for it the thing is not there. That
surprised me, I thought you people had asked for it. It was part of
the agreement. It's getting late in the evening and I don't want to
offend people. The City Council felt it was important enough to take
Roger's time and the Staff's time to prepare the request.
Thompson: The discussion is that one obvious reason for not
continuing to pursue it is because the interested parties aren't
interested.
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Planning Commission Minutes
May 28, 1986-page Seventy Five
4It Conrad: They are interested.
Ryan: We don't have an ordinance that allows it in the first place.
Noziska: The main reason would be because we don't have an ordinance
and this would be in violation of that ordinance.
Ryan: If the City Council should over ride our recommendation and
approve the ordinance modification, then this will come back and we
can.
Ryan: Do we need to elect a new Chairman of the Planning Commission?
Should we elect a new chairman.
Dacy: You can do that now. Yes, if you are going to be gone by the
next meeting. It would normally go to the Vice Chairman.
Thompson moved, Siegel seconded to elect Ladd Conrad as Chairman of
the Planning Commission. All voted in favor and motion carried.
Ryan: Would anyone have anything on the Minutes that they would need
to discuss.
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Dacy: You should have two sets. The March 19, 1986 one you should
have gotten in the mail later.
Siegel: One thing.
12.310 a.m.
In here you have 12:310 p.m. when it should be
Thompson moved, Conrad seconded to approve the Minutes of the meeting
on March 19, 1986 with the correction that the meeting adjourned at
12: 310 a.m. instead of 12: 310 p.m.. All voted in favor except Conrad
who abstained. Motion carried.
Thompson moved, Conrad seconded to approve the Minutes of the meeting
on May 14, 1986. All voted in favor except Ryan and Noziska who
abstained. Motion Carried.
Thompson moved, Conrad seconded to adjourn meeting. All voted in
favor and Motion carried. The meeting was adjourned at 12:35 a.m..
Submitted by Barbara Dacy, City Planner.
Prepared by Nann Opheim
June 9, 1986
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