Loading...
11-19-2002 PCM c MINUTES HUTCHINSON PLANNING COMMISSION Tuesday, November 19,2002 Hutchinson City Council Chambers 1. CALL TO ORDER 5:30 P.M. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Bill Arndt at 5:30 p.m. with the following members present Mike Flaata, Brandon Fraser, Jim Haugen, Lynn Otteson, Dean Kirchoff, Robert Hantge and Chairman Arndt. Absent: None Also present: Julie Wischnack, AICP, Planning Director, Marc Sebora, City Attorney and Bonnie Baumetz, Planning Coordinator The meeting opened with the swearing-in of Planning Commissioner Mike Flaata. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a) Consideration of Minutes dated October 15, 2002 and revised minutes of September 17, 2002 Mr. Haugen moved to approve the minutes of October 15, 2002 and revised minutes or September 17, 2002 as submitted. Seconded by Mr. Kirchoff the minutes were approved unanimously. 3. PUBLIC HEARINGS a) CONSIDERATION OF PRELIMINARY PLAT TO BE KNOWN AS STEARNS WOODS, REZONING FROM R1 TO R2 AND CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF 8 BED HOSPICE HOUSE LOCATED ON PARK ISLAND DRIVE Chairman Arndt opened the hearing at 5:45 p.m. with the reading of publication #6795 as published in the Hutchinson Leader on November 7, 2002. Mr. Fraser, Mr. Haugen and Mr. Hantge abstained from voting. Chairman Arndt stated Mr. Haugen, as the architect for the project, would be making a presentation during the hearing. Ms. Wischnack explained the reasons for the commissioners to abstain when there is a conflict of interest. She stated the request is a 3 part request containing the preliminary plat, rezoning and conditional use permit. The plat is a 12 lot preliminary plat. The final plat will consist of 5 lots. Ms. Wischnack stated the Planning Staff had positive and negative discussion on extending Park Island Dr. to Honey Tree Rd. She commented on the development costs which include park fees of $1,400 if the hospice house is in the R2 zone. Sewer and water access charge will be $1900 per unit. A more definitive calculation will be considered for Minutes Planning Commission - November 19, 2002 Page 2 the hospice house. The City will be bonding for the street improvements and assessing the costs against the property involved. She commented on the Forester's opinion regarding the tree on the northeast edge of the property stating the tree is worth saving. Ms. Wischnack commented on the request to rezone the northern property to R2 stating the property is adjacent to R2 property to the north. The difference in the zoning districts are the minimum lot size requirements. R1 requires10,000 sq. ft. and R2 - 8,400 sq. ft. The staff's main considerations in a rezoning request would be the designation of the property within the comprehensive plan and the adjacent zoning districts. The cmprehensive plan has provided that this area would be appropriate for any zoning from R 1 to R3. She stated the adjacent zoning district to the north is R2 with average lot sizes at 9,500 sq. ft. Ms. Wischnack commented on the site plan received today. She stated the question to be answered is the use. She explained that hospice is closely related to the two allowances in the City Code, within the R2 District. There are licensed nursing homes and boarding and lodging facilities for elderly, provided as conditional uses within this district. She stated staff is of the opinion the hospice is clearly a nursing home type use and she commented on the definitions of nursing home and boarding and lodging homes. Ms. Wischnack stated staff is concerned that the house and parking be designed to fit into the neighborhood. She stated the revised preliminary plat does show the enlarged lot from 33,000 sq. ft. to 37,000 sq. ft. and compared the lot and building size to Prairie Senior Cottages which is a 7,300 sq. ft. building on an acre lot. Staff has had many meetings at which the request has been reviewed and also held a neighborhood informational meeting to receive feedback from the neighboring property owners. Ms. Wischnack commented on the staff recommendations of November 13, 2002 stating there are concerns with the parking lot and access in and out of the area. She explained parking lots are not typically placed in residential neighborhoods and the applicants have tried to isolate the parking lots for this project. She contacted the Edina planning department and the main issue at their hospice house is the parking problem since there is only on-street parking. She explained number of staff on the property is a concern and should be limited by the conditions. The revised site plan does provide a landscaping plan as requested by staff. Ms. Wischnack explained the conditional use permit is for the hospice use only. Any use changes or expansion of the facility would require another conditional use process. The applicants must coordinate with the City Forester during construction of the project to ensure the trees to the rear of the house are not damaged. Applicants are responsible for obtaining all permits prior to commencing construction and are responsible for disconnecting the Stearn's property septic system and connecting to the new sanitary sewer system. Ms. Wischnack stated staff would recommend tabling the request to December to review the most recent site plan. Minutes Planning Commission - November 19, 2002 Page 3 Discussion followed regarding the revision of the site plan and the staff recommendations. Ms. Wischnack stated the revised site plan does address all the recommendations. Discussion followed on the parking. The consensus was the building would be a better buffer on the north side of the property. The revised parking to the south is not intrusive. Ms. Wischnack stated this is a better excavation plan which will save the trees on the west side of the property. Architect Jim Haugen commented on the building height and the inside of the building. He stated there will be a ramp access to the first floor. Staff will enter the building through the garage. He explained 1,000 sq. ft. of basement space will be used for office and the remaining 5,500 sq. ft. of basement for families and storage of supplies. Discussion followed on the removal of the excess dirt from the property. Cheryl Dooley, committee member, explained the history of the project beginning in the Fall of 2002. She stated presently there are 2 hospice beds in Hutchinson. One is located in the hospital and one in the nursing home. Ms. Dooley commented on the overwhelming support the committee has had by the community and they want to be "good neighbors". She stated they met will staff for a pre-development review and made revisions again after the neighborhood meeting on November 12, 2002. They would like to begin construction in the Spring of 2003. She stated construction vehicles will go through the Stearns property. Ms. Dooley stated they researched the property to the east and found it to be less desirable that the proposed site. The committee and owners want the house in a home-like setting. She stated they did visit several hospice houses in Minnesota. Pat Bestick, 645 Park Island Dr., commented on his concerns regarding the process for application, following statutes and following the same rules throughout the community. He stated the most recent plan is a better design than before. Ms. Wischnack commented on questions posed to staff by the neighborhood and the staff responses. Discussion followed on the business of ConnectCare in the house. Ms. Wischnack stated there can be office space in the house as an accessory use. The question being, is the entire ConnectCare use accessory to the hospice house. Consensus of staff is regulation of staffing for the office use. City Atty. Marc Sebora stated there must be a common sense approach to the question. He explained there typically is an office involved in apartment dwellings. He commented on his research of conditional use Minutes Planning Commission - November 19, 2002 Page 4 permit as viewed by the courts stating courts use a common sense approach. If a use would make common sense courts will not argue the conditional use decision. He stated ordinances are written in defense of the land owner and applicants if applying a common sense approach. Discussion followed on stipulations for home occupations as opposed to this request. Atty. Sebora stated, in his opinion, the office use is accessory to the hospice house. Ms. Wischnack explained the missing link in the ordinance is stating an acceptable size of building and the impact to the neighborhood. She stated the scale of the operation should be addressed in the ordinance when it pertains to nursing homes, board and lodging facilities, etc. Roger Stearns, property owner, stated Connect Care will eventually own the property under a 501C3 entity. Title transfer will take place after the first of the year. Discussion followed regarding the use of the property in the event hospice would not remain in the house. Mr. Stearns stated the agreements are written to state the property would revert back to the Stearn's if the house did not remain hospice. Mr. Stearns stated 8 of the oak trees will remain on the property. Leslie Zastre, cancer patient, stated she is terminally ill and would not like to see the project tabled. She explained many terminally ill patients are not able to remain at home and do not want to die in the nursing home as a younger person or in a hospital but in a home-like setting. She stated a house this size is needed in the community. Mr. Stearns stated he is not sure tabling the project until December would delay Spring construction. Ms. Dooley stated is does take time to line up contractors. Chairman Arndt stated he does believe the house belongs where proposed and saving the trees is a donation to the community. Lori Mittelsteadt, 605 Park Island. Dr., presented a petition to the Planning Commission signed by homeowners of 7 properties on Park Island Dr. questioning the business use in the area. Ms. Wischnack again explained the revised office space plan and the condition set by staff limiting the number of staff. Ms. Mittelsteadt voiced concern with the traffic and the business in a residential area. She commented on the delivery service to the house as Minutes Planning Commission - November 19, 2002 Page 5 a concern of the neighborhood. She asked the commissioners to consider all the interests of the neighborhood. Chairman Arndt commented on the daycare in the neighborhood and traffic associated with that business. Ms. Wischnack summarized the petition for the record. DeeAnn Dicke, Director of ConnectCare, stated there will be a small amount of equipment in the business. She explained medical supplies will be stored there. She stated the confusion regarding equipment pick up by ConnectCare customers stems from the fact Allina medical equipment shared an office with ConnectCare for a time. Ms. Dicke stated they do not have pharmaceutical companies coming to ConnectCare. Staffing will relate to the hospice house and bringing ConnectCare to the house will be more efficient for the house and the office. Ms. Dicke believes there would be more traffic if the office were not in the house. There was discussion on staff meetings on the site. Ms. Dicke stated currently there small staff meetings once a month. The home health aides meet six times per year. Volunteers meet at the hospital. She explained the staff in the house do the cooking and cleaning. Mr. Kirchoff stated there is much information they have not seen before tonight and would like to table the request to review the information more closely. Mark Mittelsteadt asked if there would be laundry trucks, vendors, etc. to the house and would oxygen be delivered there often. Ms. Dicke stated oxygen is delivered once every 7 - 10 days by the Allina van. Laundry is done at the house. Ms. Otteson stated she is overwhelmed by the amount of information and would also like another month to review the plans. Mr. Flaata agrees to waiting another month and stated the plan looks good. Mr. Kirchoff moved to continue the hearing and table the request to the December 17, 2002 meeting. Seconded by Ms. Otteson the motion carried unanimously. Ms. Wischnack stated she will ask for an opinion from Atty. Sebora regarding business uses in the R2 district and staff will respond to the concerns and re-recommend. Notices of the continued hearing will be sent to the neighboring property owners. Minutes Planning Commission - November 19, 2002 Page 6 4. NEW BUSINESS a) CONSIDERATION OF LOT SPLIT REQUESTED BY BRIAN BURGESS LOCATED AT 1383 JEFFERSON ST. S. Ms. Wischnack commented on the request for a lot split and explained the topography of the property. She commented on staff recommendations regarding the 60' width in the middle of the lot. It is difficult to know where to measure the lot width. Ms. Wischnack stated the address of the present lot will change and she explained the isolated structure must be removed or a principal structure constructed within one year. There was discussion on the access to the back lot. Brian Burgess, property owner, addressed the 60' width stating the north/south lines are not parallel and he would like to keep the remaining lot with the ability to subdivide in the future. He explained the access to the back of the new lot and stated the shed will be removed. The Burgess' intend to build a house on the east section of the lot. Mr. Kirchoff moved to approve the lot split with staff recommendations. Seconded by Mr. Haugen the motion was approved with Mr. Fraser voting nay. b) DISCUSSION OF SANDWICH BOARD SIGN ORDINANCE Ms. Wischnack commented on signage issues in the City. She explained that presently portable signs are illegal and asked the Commissioners if they would be receptive to amending the ordinance to permit sandwich board signs. She stated if they would like to change the ordinance the Downtown committee would be asked to help with the changes. Staff discussion included sign size, snow removal issues, hours of placement, etc. She stated the City cannot regulate content. The consensus of the Planning Commission is to pursue the amendment. 5. OLD BUSINESS 6. COMMUNICATION FROM STAFF 7. ADJOURNMENT There being no further the meeting adjourned at 7:35 p.m. 8. REOPEN MEETING Minutes Planning Commission - November 19, 2002 Page 7 Ms. Otteson made a motion to reopen the meeting. Seconded by Mr. Flaata the meeting was reopened at 7:50 p.m. with Mr. Hantge absent. Chairman Arndt explained the need to reopen the meeting is to straighten out the action on the lot split requested by Brian Burgess. The motion was to approve the request with staff recommendations. Mr. Kirchoff amended the prior motion to recommend the motion with the exception of staff recommendation #3 - The north property line must be no closer than 80 feet from the south property line at any point. Seconded by Mr. Haugen to amend the prior motion the new motion carried unanimously by a 6-0 vote. Ms. Wischnack stated the request will be placed on the City Council consent agenda November 26,2002. The meeting was adjourned at 7:55 p.m.