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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-12-12 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes z,oloil CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Thursday, December 12,2013—Oak Park Heights City Hall I. Call to Order: Chair Bye called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Present: Commissioners Anthony, Bye, Kremer, and Thurmes; City Administrator Johnson, City Planner Richards and Commission Liaison Runk. Commissioner Nelson arrived at 7:02 p.m. II. Approval of Agenda: Commissioner Anthony, seconded by Commissioner Thurmes, moved to approve the Agenda as presented. Carried 4 - 0. III. Approval of November 14, 2013 Meeting Minutes: Commissioner Thurmes, seconded by Commissioner Kremer, moved to approve the minutes as presented. Carried 4 - 0. IV. Department/Commission Liaison/Other Reports: Commission Liaison Runk informed the Commission that Councilmember Liljegren has been appointed as the Commission Liaison for 2014 and that he has been appointed as the Commission Liaison Alternate. V. Visitors/Public Comment: None. VI. Public Hearings: A. Continued from City Council Meeting- Zoning Ordinance 401: Consider amendment to Ordinance 401.15.M. —Home Occupations related to the requirements for Special Home Occupations. City Planner Richards reviewed the December 4, 2013 planning report related to the language structure for home occupation permits, noting that upon receipt of a Special Home Occupation permit application, staff noticed that the language related to the requirements did not allow the general public to come to the premises. Richards noted that this was not the intent of the special home occupation language when it was crafted in 1998. Chair Bye opened the hearing for public comment. There being no visitors to the public hearing, Chair Bye closed the hearing. Discussion ensued, wherein City Administrator noted comments received and that the comment received was more toward concern of home occupations in general versus the one scheduled for public hearing later in the Agenda. It was noted that the proposed language is typical and that the City has fewer than fifteen home based businesses with home occupation permits and that there have been no problems with them thus far. Planning Commission Minutes December 12, 2013 Page 2 of 4 City Administrator Johnson discussed the process followed to obtain a home occupation permit and how various home occupation permit issues have been addressed in relation to complaint over noise or a home operating a business without a home occupation permit. Commissioner Nelson, seconded by Commissioner Anthony, moved to recommend the City Council approve the amendment as recommended within the December 4, 2013 Planning Report. Carried 5 —0. B. Continued from City Council Meeting—Sarah Bell Special Home Occupation/Conditional Use Permit Request: Consider Special Home Occupation/Conditional Use Permit request of Sarah Bell to allow an in-home beauty salon at 13930 55th St. N. City Planner Richards reviewed the December 4, 2013 planning report related to the request of Sarah Bell for a special home occupation/conditional use permit to allow an in-home beauty salon at her home, noting the conditions of the planning report and recommending Commission approval. Discussion as to business hours and staffing ensued. Chair Bye opened the hearing for public comment. There being no visitors to the public hearing, Chair Bye closed the hearing. Commissioner Kremer, seconded by Commissioner Nelson, moved to recommend the City Council approve the request, subject to the amended conditions of the December 4, 2013 Planning Report, specifically that : 1. Any changes to the structure to accommodate the home occupation shall be compliant with all Building and Fire Code requirements, subject to review and approval of the Building Official. 2. Only residents of 13930 55t" St.N. shall be allowed to work at the in-home hair salon. 3. The applicant shall receive and maintain all required state licensing for the business. 4. The applicant shall provide a sign plan, in compliance with Section 401.15.G. of the Zoning Ordinance and subject to the approval of a sign permit. 5. There shall be no exterior storage of materials as it relates to the business. 6. The home occupation business shall not be conducted between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Planning Commission Minutes December 12, 2013 Page 3 of 4 7. The applicant is permitted to sell a limited amount of retail product accessory to the business. 8. The applicant shall identify the amount of area the salon will occupy in the residence and file a written plan depicting the same with the city. Carried 5 —0. C. Continued—Zoning Ordinance 401: Consider amendment to Zoning Ordinance 401.15.G. — Signs, related to definitions and regulations for electronic message boards. City Planner Richards reviewed the December 4, 2013 planning report related to proposed amendment to Zoning Ordinance 401 related to electronic message board signs, discussing criteria of other cities for frequency of message change and the proposed changes to the zoning ordinance language. Discussion ensued as to the frequency of message change and the duration of message display. Commissioner Anthony stated that she favored letting businesses make the decision for themselves. Commissioner Nelson stated that her preference would be to establish a best standards practice. It was noted that a representative of TirePros was in the audience and the Commission inquired as to what frequency of message change was abided by them at their Hudson, WI location. Chair Bye opened the hearing for public comment. Mark Thorson introduced himself as the Director of Operations for TirePros and stated that the Hudson, WI TirePros message sign changes at a 10-second frequency. He noted that he did a survey of sixteen other business located in Minnesota and in Wisconsin, who have electronic message boards and found the average frequency rate of message change to be12-seconds among them. Mr. Thorson indicated that he had no objection to a 10-second frequency for message rotation and added that he did not support the limitation of eight message changes per day as proposed in the planning report. Discussion continued as to the frequency rate of message changes, duration of display and illumination criteria set forth in the proposed ordinance amendment language. Mr. Thorson stated that he felt that the proposed illumination rate was quite dim in comparison with what they currently utilize in Hudson, WI and of that utilized by the businesses he surveyed. Commissioner Anthony stated that she wants to make sure that businesses are going to benefit from their investment to such a sign and that if illumination becomes an issue it should be re-visited. I Planning Commission Minutes December 12, 2013 Page 4 of 4 There being no further visitors, Chair Bye closed the public hearing. Commissioner Nelson, seconded by Commissioner Anthony, moved to recommend City Council approval of the language amendment to City Ordinance 401 related to electronic message boards as presented in the December 4, 2013 planning report, as amended, striking language that limits sign message change to eight times a day and to state that the frequency of message change shall not be less than 10-seconds, with the exception of date, time and temperature which shall not rotate at a frequency of less than 3-seconds. Carried 5 —0. VII. New Business: None. VIII. Old Business: None IX. Informational: A. Upcoming Meetings: • Thursday, December 26, 2013 City Council 4:30 p.m./City Hall • Tuesday, January 14, 2014 City Council 7:00 p.m./City Hall • Thursday, January 16, 2014 Planning Commission 7:00 p.m./City Hall • Tuesday, January 28, 2014 City Council 7:00 p.m./City Hall B. Council Representative • Thursday, December 26, 2013 —Commissioner Thurmes • Tuesday, January 28, 2014 —Commissioner Anthony X. Adjourn: Commissioner Anthony, seconded by Commissioner LeRoux, moved to adjourn the meeting at 7:43 p.m. Carried 5—0. Respectfully submitted, Julie ultman Planning& Code Enforcement Approved by the Planning Commission: 03-13-2014