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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2-27-19 Planning Commission Minutes-ApprovedDraft Minutes Approved Minutes Approved Date: March 13, 2019 Page 1 of 6 Minutes City Of Edina, Minnesota Planning Commission Edina City Hall Council Chambers February 27, 2019 I. Call To Order Chair Olsen called the meeting to order at 7:05 PM II. Roll Call Answering the roll call were: Commissioners Miranda, Lee, Thorsen, Mangalick, Melton, Nemerov, Hamilton, Bennett, Chair Olsen Staff Present: Cary Teague, Community Development Director, Kaylin Eidsness, Senior Communications Coordinator, Liz Olson, Administrative Support Specialist, MJ Lamon, Community Engagement Coordinator. Absent from the roll call: Strauss and Berube. III. Approval Of Meeting Agenda Chari Olsen offered a change to remove approving the February 13, 2019 minutes from the agenda because they were incomplete. A motion was made by Commissioner Thorsen to approve the February 27, 2018, meeting agenda as amended. Commissioner Miranda seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. IV. Public Hearings A. Staff Presentation, Variance Request B-19-3, 4630 Drexel Avenue Planner Aaker presented the staff report for 4630 Drexel Avenue, Edina, MN and explained that the applicant is requesting a variance for a 1.8 foot side yard setback variance to the north side yard setback for a second floor addition above an existing nonconforming 1st floor at 4630 Drexel Ave. The subject property, 4630 Drexel Ave., is approximately 13,160 square feet in area and is located on the northwest corner of Drexel Avenue and Country Club Road within the historic Country Club District. The existing home on the lot is a two-story Mediterranean home built in 1924 with a north side load garage. The owner of the home is planning a transformation of the existing structure to include a complete face lift, additions in all directions and extensive renovations. The design has been through a sketch plan proposal and formal submittal and review by the Heritage Preservation Commission. The design had been modified after sketch plan in response to Heritage Commissioner’s and Consultant’s suggestions. The Variance plan submittal are the plans reviewed and supported by the Heritage Preservation Commission. Staff recommends approval of the variance, as requested subject to the findings and conditions listed in the staff report. Draft Minutes Approved Minutes Approved Date: March 13, 2019 Page 2 of 6 Appearing for the Applicant Tom Rauscher, Rauscher and Associates, introduced himself and explained that the flair out by the sidewalk will be a wider landing spot for people to park and drop-off and it is not a curb cutout. Discussion/Comments/Questions Commissioners asked if the curb cut with the sidewalk was going to go away and Aaker replied that the North driveway and curb cut will be eliminated. Aaker also commented that the applicant will need to extend the sidewalk and the curb along the street will have a gap that will need to be filled. Commissioners asked if the applicant was putting a sidewalk in their own property and Aaker replied that the sidewalk will need to be extended between the two pieces and they will need to correct the curb along the street. Public Hearing None. Commissioner Thorsen moved to close the public hearing. Commissioner Miranda seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. Motion Commissioner Thorsen moved approval of the variance as outlined in the staff memo subject to the conditions and findings therein. Commissioner Miranda seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. B. Greater Southdale District- Design Experience Guidelines Mic Johnson, Architecture Field Office, presented a PowerPoint on the Design Experience Guidelines. Johnson explained the following items in his presentation: The Design Experience Guidelines sets a baseline for guidance for designers, developers, Staff, Planning Commissioners, and members of the City Council when proposing, designing, and evaluating projects in the Greater Southdale District. Johnson stated the guidelines are to help from a continuity point of view so the discussions can unfold with background knowledge of how the District might develop. Johnson explained that the Guidelines are not a substitute for the zoning codes, they are just a part of the conversation. The Public Realm Experience means connections of intersections, incorporating street typologies, and incorporating green systems and means that all new development shall support the goal of connections, both north, south, east, and west. The new north-south promenades sensitively transition to single family residential neighborhoods and open up Centennial Lakes to France Avenue. Managing storm water as an amenity, as well as new parks and plazas shall be either public or publically-accessible, not private, in nature. Increase the number of sidewalks, pathways, and smaller parks/garden to better address mobility, and incorporate places to sit. New trees shall be provided to enhance the continuity of the pedestrian experience. Draft Minutes Approved Minutes Approved Date: March 13, 2019 Page 3 of 6 The Public Realm Experience regarding intersections Street Room Typologies connect intersections throughout the district, linking experiences together from one neighborhood to the next. Street Room Typologies with lower façade heights take precedent over those with higher façade heights at these points of intersection. The architecture of a façade of one block making up an intersection should be conceived as part of all corners of the intersection. Crosswalks need to be an integral part of the public realm. The hierarchy of intersections will change based on an evolving context and investment in the intersection experience. The Street Room Form in the Public Realm Experience means building setbacks are to be considered as a part of the overall landscape and public amenities, and should be designed to create a continuous pedestrian experience along major corridors. Every new development should connect all publicly- accessible spaces such as pocket parks, courtyards and plazas to the street room typology. Along all major corridors, seventy five percent (75%) of face of building walls need to be at the setback line to support the creation of a ‘street room.’ All new building façades in the district must have seventy five percent (75%) transparency at the ground level. All building façades are prime (including parking) and must be designed accordingly. There is no back side of a building. All facades on the first vertical 60 feet of a building (above grade) shall use natural materials facing the public realm. No building façade can be longer than 200’. Lastly, above 50-60 feet, glass, precast panels with brick/tile are the preferred material palette. Metal panel can be used as a secondary part of a wall system. The Building Form means that ground floors should have a minimum ceiling height of 20’ for flexibility. Above-grade parking structures should be designed with flat floorplates to allow for future conversion and lined with programmable public realm space. Within 50-60 feet of the ground, it is preferred that rooftops be programmed to accommodate residential or public user activities. Rooftops facing the Promenades must be functional and programmed. All development services, including rooftop mechanical systems, should be located within buildings and should not be visible from the public realm, or semi-private and private areas of the development. The exception are rooftop-mounted solar panels, which should be located on the highest point of the buildings. Building footprints above 60 feet should be no greater than 12,000 SF for residential use and 24,000 SF for commercial space. Design buildings for flexibility and adaptability in the future, including use of structural systems that will allow a building’s function to fundamentally change. The Street Room includes the cornice established framework along with the lighting and trees. 1 and 2 story buildings and the fact that the street is dominated by the pedestrian experience. The buildings would not exceed 60 feet at the street level, and do step back from the taller buildings. The Street Room Typologies include the West Promenade, West Promenade (South), East Promenade, Cornelia Overlay, New Local Streets, Primary East-West Streets, Boulevards, and the Central Promenade Spine. In regards to Implementing and Measuring the Guidance, remember every new development begins with the 200’ x 200’ block, or some variation based on context, every block or building in a development will need streets to connect between buildings. Not all of these streets will need to accommodate vehicles, providing the opportunity for parks, plazas or courtyards—important parts of the public realm, buildings will not be greater than 200 feet in length, thereby minimizing the negative impact continuous walls can have on a comfortable pedestrian experience, building footprints above 60 feet in height are limited to 12,000 SF for residential uses, and 24,000 SF for commercial, all streets are not equal. The plan outlines a hierarchy that is driven by the kind of experiences that are expected on these streets and how they facilitate an enlivened public realm, designated transition zones are about maintaining the quality of life in these areas without restricting growth in other parts of the district, promenades and East-West Streets are the bridge between single family neighborhoods and greater intensity, street Rooms will intersect and overlap each other in many circumstances. At intersections, lower building heights should prevail, giving the smaller scaled building precedence over larger scale buildings, within the first 60 vertical feet of a building, primary materials should be traditional and/or natural (brick, stone, glass wall systems). Above 60 feet, other materials such as metal wall systems within a larger curtain wall system, can be Draft Minutes Approved Minutes Approved Date: March 13, 2019 Page 4 of 6 introduced (these baseline parameters should not be a deterrent to architectural innovation but rather are intended to serve as a measure of quality and continuity throughout the district), and lastly transparency at the ground level facing the public realm is key to the individual experience and is a catalyst for how to activate and maintain a community-based approach to daily life and experience. Discussion/Comments/Questions • Commissioners discussed that some of the challenges with the district is parking and asked if the Design Guidelines preclude something such as wrapping a parking ramp and Johnson replied, no they would prefer parking to go underground because it eliminates that kind of dead zone. Johnson also stated that if you wrap the parking structure with townhomes or other activities, that building would serve the community and is not a negative. • Commissioners asked Johnson for clarification if there was no calling for any kind of podium at the street height of around 20 feet in the design guidelines. Johnson replied that they set a maximum height that they don’t want to exceed and they say that ground floor should be a minimum of 20 feet. Johnson also commented that if you are building buildings within the district, you should respect your neighbor and scale is an important part of that and that respect hasn’t been specified, but it’s a discussion that needs to happen. • Johnson stated that the landscape and tree canopy should dominate the setback area and design experience. Trees on France are every bit as important to establish the tree-line as the buildings themselves. • Commissioners asked where the Design Guidelines point to have the tallest buildings and where they would go. Johnson replied that the North end up towards the hospital is where the taller buildings might happen and especially on the mall site. Johnson also stated that the south end near 494 is where you would expect businesses or larger office buildings. Johnson also stated that the further you get away from the neighborhoods is where you may want to get a bit taller. • Commissioners asked Johnson for clarification that the core purpose of the document is to try and drive excellence in building design and the experience of the district. Johnson replied that is the primary goal of the document and to increase the dialog about what the quality of the experience is going to be. • Commissioners asked if Johnson would encourage or recommend any use or incorporation of some type of form based code in order to clarify even further within our zoning ordinances. Johnson replied that their attitude was to go to a point where they thought that they could define the basic form of the district as related to streets. Johnson stated that form based codes tend to get into architecture a bit more than they felt was important at this point. Johnson also discussed that master plan has not been done, only guidance and a master plan might articulate certain aspects of a form based code that might be important to articulate in greater detail. Johnson added that would be a study and the next step and that would be the study that would discuss point like trees in the district. • Commissioners asked if Johnson recommends the Planning Commission follow up in the future with a master plan and Johnson replied in the affirmative. • Commissioners asked if the East and West Promenades were car based and Johnson replied that it’s first for pedestrians and bicycles and then automobiles. Draft Minutes Approved Minutes Approved Date: March 13, 2019 Page 5 of 6 • Commissioners asked Johnson if he had any suggestions of where he has seen these plans be successfully implemented and Johnson replied than an example was Portland, Oregon. Public Hearing John Carlson, 4433 Ellsworth Drive, expressed concern about the Southdale Guidelines not being directive enough. Because of this, the 7200 and 7250 France Ave townhomes are not being included in the development and helping with the transition to the neighborhood. Carlson questioned the effectiveness of design guidelines if they are not directive enough to developers and developers choose not to follow them. Carlson also expressed concern about the increased density and lack of additional employment centers for the increased density. Commissioner Thorsen moved to close the public hearing. Commissioner Lee seconded the motion. The motion carried. Discussion/Comments/Questions •Commissioners thanked Johnson and stated that it was a pleasure to work with him and his work with Sarah was outstanding. Commissioners stated that the plan still needs to be communicated to the user and we need to spend time identifying how a masterplan would be successful and which plans have been successful in the past. Commissioners also discussed the master plan and the work that needs to be done looking at other successful master plans before doing on. •Commissioners asked Planner Aaker about more information regarding John Carlson’s comments on the townhomes associated with the 7200 and 7250 France Avenue project. Aaker replied that she will have to get back to the Planning Commission because Staff wasn’t aware of that information. •Commissioners commented that they appreciated what was done with the preface and complimented the plan. Commissioners also stated that the vision of what the area could be is wonderful and this is not the end, it is just the beginning. Motion Commissioner Thorsen moved approval of the Design Experience Guidelines as submitted with the updated preface. Commissioner Hamilton seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. V. Community Comment None. VI. Reports/Recommendations A. Comprehensive Plan Update Planner Aaker explained that the Comprehensive Plan Open House posters for March 11, 2019 were passed out to the Planning Commission members to hang in designated areas around Edina. Draft Minutes Approved Minutes Approved Date: March 13, 2019 Page 6 of 6 Commissioners stated that the Open House will be at the Public Works Facility from 6:30 to 8:30 PM on Monday, March 11, 2019. VII. Chair and Member Comments Commissioners commented that the Congress for the New Urbanism will host their annual conference in 2020 in the Twin Cities and the Southdale area is an area that they want to take a look at. Commissioners stated that guides for walking tours will be needed and to please keep that in mind. Commissioners commented that the City f Bloomington adopted some new Affordable Housing Policies and wants to see if there are things we can learn from that. Planner Aaker stated that Stephanie Hawkinson is aware and more information on that can be provided to the Planning Commission. Commissioners stated that when the documents become available for public review they are looking forward to feedback and comments they receive on Better Together. IX. Staff Comments None. X. Adjournment Commissioner Thorsen moved to adjourn the February 27, 2019, Meeting of the Edina Planning Commission at 8:22 PM. Commissioner Hamilton seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.