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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-01-11 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS 411, PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Thursday,January 11,2018—Oak Park Heights City Hall I. Call to Order/Pledge of Allegiance: Chair Kremer called the meeting to order.Present: Commissioners Kremer,Freeman, Giovinazzo,VanDyke and White;City Administrator Johnson,City Planner Richards,and City Councilmember Liljegren. II. Approval of Agenda: Commissioner Giovinazzo,seconded by Commissioner White,moved to accept the Agenda as presented.5-0. III. Approval of December 14,2017 Meeting Minutes: Commissioner Freeman,seconded by Commissioner Giovinazzo,moved to approved the Minutes as presented. Carried 5-0. IV. Department/Commission Liaison/Other Reports: Chair Kremer welcomed Commission Liaison Alternate Councihnember Mike Liljegren.There were no reports. V. Visitors/Public Comment: None. VI. Public Hearings: A. Continued-Small Cell Technology: Consider amendments to City Ordinance section 704 and Zoning Ordinance section 401.15.P related to small cell technology, with regard to public rights of way and placement upon private property. Chair Kremer reconvened the December 14,2017 public hearing. City Planner Richards reviewed his January 4,2018 Planning Memorandum and discussed changes made to the language,following comment received at the December Planning Commission meeting. There being no visitors to the public hearing,it was closed. Discussion ensued as to the process for the application as proposed and what current application processes and typical fee ranges. Commissioner Freeman,seconded by Commissioner VanDyke moved to recommend the City Council approve the Ordinance amendments as set forth in the January 4, 2018 Planning Memorandum. Carried 5—0. Planning Commission Minutes January 11,2018 Page 2 of 4 VII. New Business: None. VIII. Old Business: A. Fencing and Landscaping Ordinance: City Planner Richards noted that the issue from December discussion appeared to be the need for clarification of where fence height is measured from and reviewed his January 4, 2018 Planning Memorandum with regard to the same. Discussion ensued as to the definition,how it may be interpreted, alternative wording, with a suggestion to include a graphic in the definition section of the ordinance. Situational contexts were noted such as fence installations upon retaining walls, abutting properties with slopes that direct downward to one another, and the possibility of variance approval to exceed ordinance heights with neighbor agreement. City Planner Richards will work on revision of the language and bring back to the Commission in February,where a public hearing on the proposed amended will be had. B, Commission Attendance at City Council Meetings: Discuss whether or not to continue having a Planning Commission Representative attend City Council meetings. Chair Kremer noted that the subject was discussed by the Commission a few months back and that the City Council has also discussed it some. Kremer inquired of the Commission,whether or not they found it beneficial and inquired of Commission Liaison Liljegren of his thoughts. Liljegren noted that Commissioner attendance is always appreciated,most of the time the City Council does not have a lot of questions and City Planner Richards does a good job of providing an overview of what transpired at the Planning Commission and that it is more a matter of choice of the Commission as to whether or not they want to be present at the City Council meeting. Commissioner Freeman noted that his initial inquiry as to presence was not so as to avoid attending but rather along the line of an observation that the City Planner, City Administrator and Commission Liaison are always at the Planning Commission and City Council meetings and that perhaps it was a bit much to also have a Planning Commission Liaison attend unless it was something that the City Council wanted. Chair Kremer noted that the Planning Commission Bylaws do require that the Commission attend the City Council meetings and if desired the Commission can recommend a change to Article 5. F. of the Bylaws. Planning Commission Minutes January 11, 2018 Page 3 of 4 City Administrator Johnson discussed relationship dynamics between Council, Staff, Commission structures, adding that he doesn't see issue with the present dynamics, however overtime those could change and the Commission may desire to have that voice,he did recommend that the Commission keep the representative language to safeguard that but also did not see an issue with removing it for the foreseeable future. Chair Kremer stated that he felt that the City Council is comfortable with the Planning Commission public hearing process and that they are receiving thoughtful recommendations, noting that the personal give and take lends to that and is beneficial. He suggested leaving it in the Bylaws but not as a mandate to attend but rather a recommendation. Commissioner Giovinazzo agreed with attendance as a recommendation rather than a mandate, noting that when she attend the City Council meeting it was good to hear the thoughts of the City Council and helpful to understand how they were thinking or what their concerns were or may have need to know. Commission Liaison Liljegren noted that the City Council doesn't want Commissioners from Planning or Parks attend City Council meetings because they have to and then feeling like they are not being used, adding that City Planner Richards really wraps up the work the Planning Commission does and that they really do not want to have the Commission be mandated to show up just to show up, without being called upon. Commission consensus was to leave the Commission Bylaws as they are with regarding to Planning Commission representation at City council meetings, with attendance being recommended. C. Oak Park Heights—Comprehensive Plan 2018: City Planner Richards reviewed and discussed his January 4, 2018 Planning Memorandum with updated information to Parks and Trails Implementation section, adding that there will be more to share at the next Planning Commission meeting, following his meeting the Parks Commission on January 29t. Richards asked the Commission to share anything they desired to recommend/pass along to the Parks Commission in the terms of trails connections, parks issues or related with him prior to January 29th. Richards reviewed the process moving forward for review, comment and finalization approval. IX. Informational: The Council Representative schedule will be updated alphabetically for 2018. Chair Kremer stated that he may not be at the February meeting and that Vice Chair Freeman would conduct the meeting in his absence. Kremer thank the Commission for being present and doing a great job, noting that they should be please with themselves. Planning Commission Minutes January 11, 2018 Page 4 of 4 A. Upcoming Meetings: • Tuesday, January 23, 2018 City Council 6:00 p.m./City Hall • Thursday, February 8, 2018 Planning Commission 6:00 p.m./City Hall • Tuesday, February 13, 2018 City Council 6:00 p.m./City Hall • Tuesday, February 27, 2018 City Council 6:00 p.m./City Hall B. Council Representative: • Tuesday, January 23, 2018 — Commissioner Kremer X. Adjourn. Commissioner Freeman, seconded by Commissioner Giovinazzo, moved to adjourn at 6:53 p.m. Carried 5 — 0. Respectfully submitted, Ju ' - - • tman Plann n' & Code Enforcement Approved by the Planning Commission: 02-08-18 / 5-0