HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-12-16 OPH Ltr to Stillwater Motors Re Proposed Modifications •
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City of Oak Park Heights
14168 Oak Park Blvd. N • Box 2007 e Oak Park Ffei his, MN 55082 ® Phone 651 439 -4439 Fax (651) 439-0574
December 16, 2011
Mr. Daniel (D.J.) Raduenz
Stillwater Motors
5900 Stillwater Boulevard North
Post Office Box 337
Stillwater, Minnesota 55082
RE: Proposed Modifications to Stillwater Motors
Thank: you for meeting with me and sharing the "image" changes being proposed for your
facility. Stillwater Motors continues to be a very valued member of this community and we are
grateful for your presence and commitment to the area.
To recap our conversation, I would remind you the following items, and urge you to consider our
conversation and the following comments as you evaluate project:
1. Any changes to the exterior of the building will require an amended conditional use
permit. Please allow up to 120 days for this process, after submission of a completed
application and supporting materials. As you may remember, at the time of your Last
expansion, the Council was very concerned with the exterior look of the building and
identified as a condition of approval the requirement to provide specific examples of
materials and their colors. 1 would expect that they will require the same documentation
prior to considering any amendment to the conditional use permit and subsequent
building permit. An application submission to the City does not facilitate an automatic
approval.
2. The City's Design Guidelines are very specific in respect to building design, and 1 would
anticipate that if your firm carne forward with a set of plans in such regard as you have
shown, these would likely be DENIED. Please note the following requirements of City
Ord. 401.16 Design Guidelines
a. "Franchise" establishments typically desire a specific architectural motif in order
to emphasize consistency in their network and attract regular customers. In many
cases, this standardized architecture conflicts with a unique regional architecture
and character desired for the community ".
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b. Facade treatments
i. Objective: To add visual interest and variety, emphasize the pedestrian
scale and avoid long, monotonous facades.
ii. Defined Base, Middle and Top
1. Buildings should have a well - defined base, middle and top.
(The suggestion of lowering the show room glazing to the
ground would not meet our requirements)
c. Building materials & colors
i. Objective: To ensure that high quality, durable and authentic building
materials are used and that building colors are aesthetically pleasing and
compatible with their surroundings.
ii. Building Colors
1. Building colors should accent, blend with, or complement the
surroundings. Principal building colors should generally consist of
neutral, or muted colors with low reflectance. "Warm- toned"
colors are encouraged because of their year-round appeal. This
would include the aluminum window framing. The City would
likely not look favorably on changing the bronze frames to
anodized aluminum.
iii. Building Materials
1. All buildings shall be constructed of high - quality materials:
2. The primary building materials should cover at least 60 percent of
the facade. The materials must be integrally colored and may
consist of brick, natural stone, precast concrete units, architectural
precast concrete panels or glass.
a. Secondary building materials should cover no more
than 30 percent of the facade and may consist of
decorative block, fiber cement board, stucco or EFIS.
b. Accent materials may be used on up to 10 percent of
any of the building's facades.
a. These materials may include door and window
frames, lintels, cornices, architectural
metalwork, glass block, copper flashing or
similar materials.
3. The City's Planning Commission and City Council did spend a considerable amount of
time reviewing the last building proposal and they are comfortable that the results reflect
the architecture of the St. Croix Valley. They will not look favorably on the proposed
changes at this time to comply with the franchise look that is being proposed.
Of course, until such time as an application is made the foregoing is meant for general
information and initial guidance only. Should you submit an actual application or wish a more
detailed preliminary analysis this would require the submission of all materials, details, designs
and full summary narrative and timelines and payment of all fees.
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If there is a desire to additionally remove signage from your building, for example on the
northern side, which is likely your firms more visible side, as seen by thousands of cars per day,
Stillwater Motors would likely lose the ability to reinstall such signage. Once it is down, you
will likely lose this advertising capacity as the conditional use permits timelines would expire on
this element; thus critically examine if your firm (and Chevrolet /GM) desires to lose this
advertising exposure.
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On a personal note, in addition to the many people that I have been in conversation with and my
personal visits to your store, I would highly encourage you to communicate with your
manufacturer the importance of a holistic design. Your store, in my opinion of as the Zoning
Administrator has an architecture that not only reflects the values of the valley on the outside,
but this theme is carried on throughout the interior of the store providing a first class experience
to everyone who goes to your store.
Again, thank you for stopping by to discuss the proposed changes to Stillwater Motors. Based on
the above code sections and your existing Conditional Use permit, I am concerned that the
Cou.nnc would not look favorably on this proposal and would likely be denied forthwith.
S° rely
Z / Dr. Eric A. Johnson, AICP
City rninistrator
City f Oak Park Heights
Cc: Mayor and City Council Members
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