[0:26] welcome to the March 10th 2025 meeting [0:29] of the wi a Planning Commission I hereby [0:31] call the meeting to [0:32] order my name is Blake Cameron and I'm [0:34] the chair of the Planning Commission I [0:36] have just a few words about how to [0:38] participate in this evening's [0:40] meeting uh to join online it's a teams [0:43] meeting the meeting ID is 253 644 [0:47] 36288 and the passcode is displayed [0:52] members of the public may may attend [0:54] this me Planning Commission meeting in [0:55] person or watch and listen remotely by [0:57] viewing the meeting on Channel 8 WCTV [1:00] and at the city's website at [1:02] www.a.org [1:06] WCTV public comment during the public [1:09] forum Andor public hearing portions of [1:10] the meeting may be provided in person at [1:12] the meeting in advance or by logging on [1:14] to the teams meeting and raising your [1:16] hand during the public hearing when your [1:18] name is called in the meeting you will [1:20] be seen and heard in our Council chamber [1:22] and on the cable channel and online you [1:25] will be asked to unmute and then you may [1:27] begin your comment all public comments [1:29] must include your full name and [1:32] address the city encourages comments or [1:34] questions about items on the agenda and [1:37] when possible request that you submit [1:39] them in advance by emailing public [1:41] comment weta.org calling City staff at [1:45] 952445 323 or mailing wetta City Hall at [1:49] 600 R Street East wetta Minnesota 55391 [1:53] attention public [1:57] comment next on the agenda is roll call [1:59] planner corls could you please call roll [2:02] yes commissioner planton here uh chair [2:05] Cameron here commissioner Severson here [2:08] commissioner El here commissioner van [2:09] Loy here and please note that [2:11] Commissioners Schwalbe and Ankeny are [2:13] absent [2:15] tonight thank [2:16] you uh next on the agenda is approval of [2:19] tonight's meeting agenda does anyone [2:21] have any questions or proposed changes [2:22] to the agenda as [2:26] displayed no uh may I have a motion to [2:28] approve the agenda as present [2:30] so moved planton thank you second second [2:36] serson thank you any further [2:40] discussion um all those in favor say I I [2:43] I any [2:45] opposed the eyes have it the motion [2:47] passes and the agenda is [2:49] approved um next on the agenda is the [2:51] approval of the consent agenda this [2:54] evening consent agenda consists of [2:56] approval of the meeting minutes from [2:57] February 24th 2025 [3:00] and approval of the report and [3:01] recommendation for the preliminary plat [3:04] at 565 Ferndale Road West AKA Ferndale [3:08] Bluff uh may I have a motion to approve [3:10] the agenda as [3:14] presented I'll make that motion [3:18] vany may I have a second second El um [3:21] and I did this out of order but does [3:22] anybody have anything else they want to [3:24] add or [3:26] pull you sorry [3:30] okay all those all those in favor say I [3:32] I I I any opposed the eyes have it and [3:36] the motion passes in the consent agenda [3:37] is [3:41] approved [3:44] um next on the agenda is a public [3:46] hearing [3:48] item um which is this evening we have [3:50] one public hearing which is the fence [3:52] variance for 3:30 335 way Cliff planner [3:56] Corrals could you walk us through the [3:58] application for [4:01] sure all right so this is a fence [4:04] variance across three Parcels uh which [4:06] means we have three separate owners and [4:07] then they're represented by one [4:08] applicant Andy sad with Andy's Lawn Care [4:12] the project is located in the wak Cliff [4:13] neighborhood which is on the north side [4:15] of highway 12 South of gleon [4:18] Lake the neighborhood is zoned R4 medium [4:21] density and is guided uh generally [4:23] medium density [4:25] residential for a little bit more [4:27] context uh because this is is a a [4:31] subdivision that was built as a series [4:33] of private Parcels it has private [4:35] streets as well so you'll see that there [4:38] are two uh Parcels here one private home [4:41] which is half a town home another [4:43] private home which is half a town home [4:45] and then actually the street itself is [4:47] its own parcel so it's broken out that [4:49] way and then you can zoom in here and [4:51] see how it all fronts along Hollybrook [4:53] Road as well for some existing [4:55] conditions that first image is the tail [4:57] end of an existing fence [5:00] uh on the west side and then the second [5:02] image shows approximately where the [5:04] proposed fence will be uh if [5:07] approved the variance request uh is that [5:11] typically when we have front yard fences [5:13] which is fences between uh the house in [5:15] the street we ask them to be 4T tall and [5:18] 75% solid the applicant is requesting to [5:21] extend an existing 6ft tall privacy [5:23] fence uh across those three parcels and [5:26] so that's a variance of 2T over the [5:28] limit and uh 25 % increase in opacity [5:31] that black dotted line there is the [5:33] existing privacy fence and then that red [5:35] dotted line is the extension of that [5:37] privacy fence which is mostly on that [5:40] private Street parcel and then um goes [5:42] onto that private uh home parcel on the [5:45] South [5:47] Side uh the engineering department [5:49] doesn't have any comments on the [5:50] proposal the applicant sent a letter [5:52] notification to the neighborhood on [5:54] February 25th the cities sent theirs on [5:56] the 4th for variances we don't require a [5:59] neighborhood meeting and we haven't [6:00] received any public comments as of [6:03] today um as with any variants we want to [6:06] ask ourselves is this consistent with [6:07] the comp plan is it reasonable uh is [6:10] this a unique property is there [6:11] something special going on that necess [6:13] necessitates the need for a variance and [6:16] would the variants alter the essential [6:18] character of the [6:20] locality after having a discussion we'll [6:22] ask you to direct us to make a report [6:24] and recommendation of approval with your [6:26] findings for approval at the next [6:27] Planning Commission meeting thank you [6:31] thank you planner corl Commissioners any [6:34] questions for staff at this [6:36] point uh the only question I have is the [6:39] existing fence is 6 feet and with [6:43] um [6:45] 100% opaque 100% opaque exactly what I [6:48] was thinking um is did that fence do you [6:53] know if that um was built before the [6:55] requirement for a variance or if it got [6:56] a variance why it was it's there versus [6:59] is uh meeting what the rules and rigs [7:02] are today my assumption is that so for [7:05] multif family buildings so more than two [7:07] uh we typically require a privacy fence [7:09] so you can see that the Hollybrook Town [7:11] Homes uh are over on the the sort of [7:14] northwest side over here so they would [7:16] have had probably a fence required at [7:18] the time that they were built and I can [7:19] see it would have been natural for that [7:21] fence to maybe extend into this parcel [7:24] here for some reason or another so I [7:25] think that fence is pretty far back [7:27] pre-existing okay [7:32] have a couple questions commissioner [7:34] serson can you explain why it's a [7:38] front yes so this has to do with how our [7:41] fence code is written uh commissioner El [7:44] is familiar with this uh so we Define [7:48] for the purposes of the fence code a [7:49] front yard is anything fronting a street [7:52] basically so um in this case even though [7:55] this is going to feel like the backyard [7:57] for this particular homeowner or the [7:59] side yard for this particular homeowner [8:01] because it fronts Hollybrook we have to [8:03] consider it a front yard and ask for it [8:05] to be shorter in our code this means [8:07] that a lot of corner Lots in town end up [8:08] having to do a short fence on two sides [8:11] uh which can be a bit of a burden uh in [8:13] this case it ends up uh particularly a [8:15] little interesting because we've got uh [8:17] town homes and then as I mentioned that [8:18] sort of private Street parcel as [8:21] well and I think I read in the packet [8:24] that there used to be trees and they [8:27] lost quite a bit do you have more a [8:29] little bit more history about why they [8:31] like what happened there or is that [8:32] something that they yeah I can ask the [8:33] applicant to elaborate on that a little [8:35] bit more but my understanding is that [8:36] there's just been storm damage over the [8:37] years so they used to have a lot more [8:39] screening naturally and now they don't [8:41] hence the request for the fence and then [8:43] just last question if we pull back a [8:45] little bit I think I know then on the [8:47] other side of Hollybrook is the freeway [8:50] yes right there yep M thank you thank [8:55] youone else [9:00] all right um thank you staff at this [9:02] point I'd like to invite the applicant [9:04] to come forward and address the [9:05] commission um please state your name and [9:07] address for the record and your role if [9:08] you're an adviser or other part of the [9:10] applicants [9:11] team good evening thank you for uh [9:16] having this meeting my name is Reed Shaw [9:18] I live at 470 W Cliff Drive North I'm on [9:23] the board of waycliff town homes [9:25] Association and with me to answer any [9:28] questions that you might have have our [9:29] Sue winsler who lives at 625 W Cliff [9:33] Drive North and she is also a board [9:36] member for the HOA and then also here is [9:40] Andy soul stad from Andy's lawn care [9:44] which is way Cliff's uh longtime [9:47] maintenance and grounds partner and [9:49] would be installing the fence his [9:52] address is [9:55] 23650 State Highway 55 Loretto [10:02] so uh first I'd like to thank uh city [10:05] planner corals and the city staff for [10:08] guiding us through this process we [10:10] really appreciate and I'd also like to [10:12] thank all of you for devoting the time [10:13] to consider all of these matters in the [10:16] way of development for waya we [10:18] appreciate it um as as was noted this is [10:23] an extension of a an existing security [10:27] fence that is put up for uh that [10:32] HOA um I don't know how long the fence [10:35] has been in existence that portion of [10:38] the HOA has been in existence since [10:40] 1994 so I'm presuming that it precedes [10:44] any uh statute or code that's currently [10:49] in place and one of our goals in once we [10:54] decided that it would make sense to do [10:57] this 136t extent [11:00] was to uh be sure that there was as much [11:03] similarity in appearance as we could and [11:06] that was the reason for the request for [11:11] keeping the same height and the same [11:13] opacity as currently exists in that [11:16] fence um I should also note uh partly in [11:19] response to commissioner severson's uh [11:22] comments and question that the fence is [11:26] actually located several feet above [11:29] above the sidewalk Trail Street which is [11:32] Hollybrook Road that's a um an actual [11:36] County Trail that was put in three or [11:39] four years ago and the fencing is at the [11:43] top of the hill that looks down on that [11:45] and the Privacy aspects are both for the [11:50] residents and Street noise and whatever [11:54] um but also for people going and walking [11:57] along that trail because because there [12:00] is a parking Circle that backs up along [12:03] what would be the fence so it's people [12:06] walking by seeing cars in that parking [12:09] area as well there is a secondary uh [12:13] consideration that it would increase um [12:16] security for us we did have a series of [12:19] break-ins back in 2021 but the principal [12:22] reason is to help replace the Privacy [12:26] that has been lost including a couple [12:28] large trees this past summer that was [12:30] the precipitating cause for us to [12:32] explore this investment and it is the [12:34] HOA that is paying for [12:37] everything um with that I think I'll ask [12:40] if there's any other questions that we [12:42] can respond [12:50] to well I think we're okay [12:54] yeah I okay okay thank you very much we [12:58] appreciate it [12:59] yeah thank you Reed [13:01] um now I'd like to turn to the uh public [13:04] hearing [13:06] um uh this is really just a time for us [13:09] to listen to our community um for the [13:11] approval requests we are considering [13:13] it's part of the process um and you know [13:17] just to be heard right it's a it's a [13:19] great part of you know who we are so um [13:22] if there's if somebody asks a question [13:25] um we're just going to hold questions [13:26] until the end and um but but otherwise I [13:29] will open the public hearing [13:33] now if you wish to speak please come [13:35] forward um if you're online please raise [13:39] your [13:42] hand do we have anybody online uh I just [13:45] have one person in the chat online who [13:47] uh wanted to ask if there were any trees [13:49] uh that were going to be affected as [13:51] part of the project so if the applicant [13:52] could come up to the podium and just uh [13:54] clarify that [13:59] I read Shaw again and the answer to the [14:01] question is no there is not any tree [14:04] affected that is part of the plan thank [14:07] you perfect thank you anyone else uh not [14:10] online no okay anybody [14:13] present all [14:16] right um seeing there that then I will [14:18] close the uh public meeting and bring it [14:20] back to the commission for [14:23] discussion uh Commissioners do you have [14:26] any questions for staff um or any [14:28] questions raised in the public hearing [14:29] that you'd like staff to [14:31] address no no no seems pretty [14:35] straightforward they know in their [14:36] appliation all right [14:41] um any [14:44] comments um yeah I'd like I'm it seems [14:47] like a reasonable request um you know [14:49] it's an extension of an existing fence [14:51] which has helped with you know both [14:52] security and privacy um keeps the [14:55] neighborhood consistent with the same [14:57] look and feel and I don't think it'll [14:59] alter the essential character of the [15:01] neighborhood um so I feel like it's a [15:03] reasonable request [15:05] okay agreed I don't think I don't think [15:07] there's anything in our comprehensive [15:09] plan that would tell us that this [15:10] doesn't [15:13] fit yeah I would agree and as someone [15:16] who lives on a frontage road I'm very [15:17] sympathetic um to to you all and the [15:20] privacy and just in that part of the I [15:23] want to clarify too in that part of town [15:26] where it's you know AB budding up to the [15:27] highway it's kind of tucked back in you [15:30] know it's not like a very visible [15:32] location like on wetta Boulevard where [15:34] we've had some other fence variances um [15:36] I do feel like it's really reasonable [15:37] and there's already a fence there and [15:39] it's just an extension so I think um I [15:42] think it's a reasonable request and U I [15:44] think there is some uniqueness to your [15:46] property in the W Cliff neighborhood [15:47] that maybe it's a little different than [15:49] other areas of the city so I'm [15:50] comfortable with [15:54] it I agree in this situation I I would [15:59] on a fence there as well [16:01] um and and the only concern that I have [16:04] is that the the current fence there uh [16:08] looks like it's aged reasonably well to [16:11] this point and I just wonder how much [16:13] more life it has in it and kind of [16:15] curious about the plans for fence [16:18] maintenance going down the road it [16:19] doesn't look like that was ever treated [16:22] um and just hope that any future fence [16:26] is maintained so it has a long healthy [16:28] life and and has an at least an [16:32] appealing look so it keeps the [16:34] neighborhood nice looking um but I think [16:37] the request is reasonable um yeah I I [16:41] live in a very similar situation and boy [16:44] with people walking there every day and [16:47] the highway on the other side of that [16:49] path um I would want uh a little barrier [16:53] between my home and and those activities [16:59] commissioner Al raised a good question [17:01] I'm going to come back to staff with a [17:02] question um if they with that existing [17:05] fence where it is today if they have to [17:07] replace that are they going to need a [17:08] variance for that uh they need a [17:11] variance to replace it they wouldn't [17:12] need a variance to maintain it so if [17:13] they wanted to you know replace boards [17:16] that would be fine okay all right thank [17:19] you um yeah I think it's uh it's totally [17:21] reasonable and you know having like [17:24] having been by there there's like a huge [17:26] gap kind of right at that end right [17:27] where those three parking spots is um so [17:30] I mean totally can totally see it and [17:32] would support it 100% [17:35] so um sounds like we have a consensus um [17:38] can I have a motion to direct staff to [17:40] um prepare a report and recommendation [17:43] for approval of the um variance for the [17:50] fence okay um yeah I propose um to make [17:53] a motion um to direct staff to prepare a [17:56] PL draft Planning Commission report and [17:58] recommendation with the appropriate [17:59] findings uh reflecting reflecting a [18:02] recommendation of approval on the [18:04] application for review and adoption at [18:07] the next Planning Commission meeting I [18:09] look was right there second [18:13] El thank you [18:15] Commissioners any further discussion [18:18] none no all right all those in favor say [18:20] I I I any [18:23] opposed the eyes have it and the motion [18:25] passes uh the draft report and [18:27] recommendation will be on the agenda at [18:29] our next meeting and after adoption [18:31] we'll go to the city council for their [18:33] consideration um thank you applicants [18:35] for your time tonight um and for members [18:37] of the public um who submitted the [18:39] question about the [18:41] tree um that concludes the public [18:43] hearing portion of our meeting um next [18:45] on the agenda tonight is other items um [18:48] Carl I will defer to planner's waer for [18:51] a review of development activities [18:52] planner is a web thank you um I know I [18:56] mentioned it uh this project a number [18:58] times the past but the multif family [19:01] portion of the former Wells Fargo um [19:04] which is at 910 wi at Boulevard East [19:07] that that underground garage the um [19:11] walls are starting to appear uh still be [19:15] a couple weeks to months before you [19:17] start seeing the multi family building [19:20] itself but it's moving along which is [19:22] good to see um one project you probably [19:25] haven't noticed much activity of yet but [19:28] should soon is kind of kitty corner at [19:30] 150 Broadway they're doing the utility [19:33] and foundation work now but uh should [19:36] start to see some walls uh come up [19:38] soon then we have uh two complete [19:41] applications that you'll see at the next [19:43] couple of Planning Commission meetings [19:44] including at uh the March 24th we have [19:47] the 200 Lake Street um they actually do [19:51] have their neighborhood meeting [19:53] scheduled this Thursday here in the [19:55] council chambers that's intended for for [19:59] um you know the the neighbors [20:01] surrounding their property and anybody [20:03] else interested in the [20:04] public and then we have a request for [20:09] the um XL substation up at U I believe [20:13] it's 701 Central Avenue North it's right [20:16] on the edge with Plymouth they are [20:19] actually planning on removing uh an [20:21] existing piece of equipment and [20:23] replacing it with a Communications tower [20:26] that is a private Communications Tower [20:28] only to provide Excel the ability to uh [20:32] communicate with their other [20:33] infrastructure that will be the first [20:35] meeting in April then finally we have a [20:38] couple development staff related updates [20:42] uh first uh community development [20:46] director Alex sharp uh did start last [20:49] Monday but he had a pre-scheduled uh [20:52] holiday here this weekend so uh March [20:57] 24th will be his first first Planning [20:59] Commission meeting so feel free to [21:02] welcome and then for the second I will [21:03] turn it over to uh city planner corals [21:06] so March 24th will be uh community [21:09] development director Sharp's first [21:10] Planning Commission meeting and it will [21:12] be my last Planning Commission meeting [21:15] uh I've accepted employment at the city [21:16] of St Paul as a senior city planner and [21:18] we'll start in April so that means I'm [21:20] wrapping up here in wetta in March so [21:23] we'll go out with a bang at our March [21:25] 24th meeting with uh the TCF project and [21:27] then from there I just get to come here [21:29] for fun so it has been and I'm I'm doing [21:32] the it has been stuff because I'm sure I [21:33] won't want to waste anyone's time with [21:35] it on the 24th but it has been a [21:36] pleasure working with this and prior [21:38] planning commissions and you guys are a [21:40] model for how planning commissions [21:41] should function so thank you for [21:42] providing me a great place to [21:44] learn congratulations thank [21:46] congratulations and thank you for all [21:48] that you've given this city yeah [21:52] congratulations we'll miss you yeah a [21:55] lot [22:01] in terms of schedule updates our next [22:02] meeting is the 24th that's that's our [22:04] next meeting yep okay all right next [22:07] meeting is 24th okay um thank you all [22:10] public for your participation in this [22:12] evening's meeting thank you [22:14] Commissioners thank you staff um that [22:18] concludes the meetings the items on our [22:19] agenda um can I have a motion to adjourn [22:22] I will move to adjourn may I have a [22:24] second second thank you any further [22:27] discussion [22:29] all those in favor say I I any opposed [22:33] eyes have it the motion passes and the [22:35] March 10th 2025 Wisa Planning Commission [22:37] is adjourned