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060711 planning commissionCITY OF NEW HOPE 4401 XYLON AVENUE NORTH NEW HOPE, HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA 55428 PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES June 7, 2011 City Hall, 7 p.m. CALL TO ORDER The New Hope Planning Commission met in regular session pursuant to due call and notice thereof; Chair Houle called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. ROLL CALL Present: Jim Brinkman, Jeff Houle, Sandra Hunten, Roger Landy, Sunday Onadipe (arrived 7:04), Steve Svendsen Absent: Paul Anderson, Kimberly Johnson, Ranjan Nirgude, Tom Schmidt Also Present: Curtis Jacobsen, Director of Community Development, Eric Weiss, Community Development Assistant, Pamela Sylvester, Recording Secretary OATH OF OFFICE Mr. Curtis Jacobsen, director of community development, administered the oath of office for Eric Skalland, and he was welcomed to the Planning Commission. Mr. Skalland was assigned to the Codes and Standards subcommittee. CONSENT BUSINESS There was no Consent Business on the agenda. PUBLIC HEARING Item 4.1 Chair Houle introduced Item 4.1, discussion regarding the City Center Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Study. Mr. Eric Weiss, community development assistant, stated that the City Council requested that the Planning Commission review the City Center TOD Study and make a recommendation to the Council. The city received a $50,000 grant from Hennepin County to study possible future TOD improvements to the City Center area. The Council selected TKDA as the project's consultant. The Planning Commission, City Council, staff and consultant have been working on crafting the visioning document for about one year. Several open houses were held to receive public input. Mr. Weiss stated that the City Center Vision outlined the goals, aspirations and action items to promote redevelopment in the City Center area. The study calls for the city to take a stronger role, possibly the lead role, in implementing redevelopment. The Vision utilized language from several past studies that were never approved, and also from the current Comprehensive Plan. A new study was completed due to the drastic changes in the market since previous studies were conducted. A key element for redevelopment projects in other cities was the adoption of a plan or vision to outline their goals. Mr. Weiss commented that this was a long -term plan and would take resources and time to implement. The Vision also recognizes that the health of City Center is important to the health of the entire community. The City Center area is the commercial and cultural core of the city. The document outlines the city's vision for the future in a number of areas including transportation, public and community gathering spaces, business, housing, environment, finances, and government. Mr. Weiss explained that the Vision promotes building on existing assets in the City Center area. New Hope has a great location and is close to Minneapolis and growing suburbs in the northwest metro area. Transportation connections are good. There are many successful businesses and organizations in the city. City facilities in the City Center area include city hall, Civic Center Park, the community pool and trails. The Vision promotes creating a vibrant destination that will attract residents and visitors to the area. The area should provide a "downtown" feel and offer a place to shop, dine, and relax. The Vision suggests utilizing a mix of uses to attract diverse commercial, office and retail businesses. The city should work to retain existing businesses and support its organizations. Currently, the city's zoning for this area only allows commercial uses. The Vision recommends changing the zoning in this area. Mr. Weiss stated that the Vision suggests providing more types of housing and lifecycle options to support businesses and services in the area. The lifecycle housing should provide places for young people, young professionals, and young families, as well as housing for the growing senior population. The housing should be linked to the businesses, parks and surrounding neighborhoods through trails. A major piece of the transportation section provides connections to and from the City Center area. The city recently approved a Complete Streets policy which connects pedestrians, bicyclists and commercial and personal vehicles. A connection should also be made to the Bottineau transit line located a few miles to the east. The Vision recommends providing a variety of public spaces that attract residents to shop, recreate, dine, and relax, and providing lighting and maintenance to encourage evening and year -round use. The City Center area should be linked to Civic Center Park, and space should be included for the New Hope Farmers Market. Public and private partnerships should support programming and maintenance of the area. Redevelopment would revitalize the area and provide higher tax revenues and a stronger tax base for the community. It would bring in more jobs and workers, younger residents, and provide benefits for existing businesses. Redevelopment would promote a healthier community for the long -term — economically, socially and environmentally. Mr. Weiss stated that the next steps would be to identify priority areas for redevelopment and the Kmart site was mentioned at the open houses; adopt the Vision as part of the Comprehensive Plan; coordinate with TKDA to update the City Code related to zoning (TKDA's cost is an allowable expense for grant funds); coordinate with Ehlers to conduct a Planning Commission Meeting 2 June 7, 2011 developers' roundtable sometime in July; begin the Request for Qualifications process for potential redevelopers and eventually Request for Proposals. In answer to a question, Mr. Weiss stated that a developers' roundtable would open a dialogue with developers and possibly find partners interested in a potential project. The roundtable is intended to sell the city and show developers that the city is interested in redevelopment of the area. Commissioner Brinkman confirmed that the City Council would discuss the City Center Vision at its meeting on June 13 and wondered what would happen after approval. Mr. Weiss stated that the roundtable could take place in mid to late July. The city would inform developers of the city's vision for the City Center area and then ask the developers what may be viable in the future. Mr. Jacobsen reported that he had recently attended a seminar presented by Ehlers and many of the developers who spoke were discouraged with the current market. He stated that the condo market in New Hope was not viable at this time, however, market - rate apartments may be an option with the possibility of converting the apartments into condos in the future. It was reported that developers are more willing to consider a project where there is one landowner or where the city controls the land. One of the speakers at the seminar indicated he would not propose a mixed use development project with condos on the Kmart site for several more years. Chair Houle indicated the city should be flexible. Commissioner Skalland agreed that the roundtable would be a good idea and, after providing key elements of the Vision, developers could offer suggestions as to what the market could support based on current economic and demographic conditions. Commissioner Onadipe concurred that flexibility was very important. He cautioned that the RFQ and RFP process was costly and time consuming for developers and, stated he felt that if developers did not feel they could provide a profitable project, they would not bother to go through the process. Chair Houle questioned who should attend the developers' roundtable. Mr. Weiss responded the roundtable would be a continuation of the study itself so attendees would be staff, consultants, planning commissioners and city council members. Houle suggested setting the date and informing everyone as soon as possible. Commissioner Hunten initiated discussion on the implementation section of the document. Mr. Weiss stated that list of action items was intended to be a guideline. A variety of city departments, as well as the Planning Commission and Citizen Advisory Commission, may coordinate on those action items. Mr. Jacobsen mentioned that the TOD study has been an educational tool for the new Council and Planning Commission members. There has not been a major project in the last several years in the city and there are several new council and commission members. The Vision would be presented to developers interested in completing a project in the city. The city code would need to be modified to accommodate the Planning Commission Meeting 3 June 7, 2011 Vision and make development easier and less onerous on developers. Commissioner Hunten commented that New Hope had been compared to presumably larger cities with access to more expendable dollars. Mr. Jacobsen responded that New Hope should be compared to cities approximately the same distance to downtown Minneapolis and job growth in the metro area, as well as transportation to those jobs. He stated that there were significant TIF funds available for redevelopment, which would continue to grow each year. New Hope needed to make wise purchases and expenditures. He reiterated that developers prefer to work with one property owner on projects. The project in St. Louis Park happened in part due to the city assembling all of the parcels and making it available through an RFP process to a developer. Commissioner Skalland commented that he worked for a development company who had considered a project in the City Center area a while ago, however, passed on the project due to having to work with three different property owners, only two of which were willing to sell. He mentioned they are working on a project in Bloomington now because Bloomington's HRA purchased all of the separate parcels and put out an RFP for a developer. Commissioner Brinkman initiated discussion regarding the city being more aggressive in purchasing available land, such as the Kmart site or the vacant bank building. Mr. Jacobsen stated that the city's Economic Development Authority (EDA) makes decisions on whether or not to purchase property, and Tax Increment Financing (TIF) monies are processed through the EDA. The economic development statutes are processed through the EDA to make purchases possible. The EDA and Council make decisions based on information and recommendations from the Planning Commission and consultants. Chair Houle indicated that residents, the Planning Commission, staff, or one of the council members could suggest to the EDA that it be more aggressive in redevelopment. Commissioner Brinkman stressed that the Commission and Council drafted this Vision together. Everyone believed in it and after approval the Council should follow through to make redevelopment happen in the city. Chair Houle cautioned that this is a long -term document and the market is not strong for development at this time. He stated he felt the roundtable would be a good first step in the process. Mr. Jacobsen reminded the commissioners that a dialogue with the council was scheduled in June and the commission could initiate discussion on this topic. Discussion ensued on the expenditure of a portion of the TIF money. The Council approved pedestrian street lighting on Bass Lake Road. The city is considering burying the lines in the future. Additional street lighting is being considered at Medicine Lake Road /Winnetka, 36th /Winnetka, and 42nd /Winnetka which would utilize some of the TIF money. The city is Planning Commission Meeting 4 June 7, 2011 looking into obtaining the vacant gas station at 62nd /West Broadway under the tax forfeiture law with Hennepin County. The gas station property could then be combined with the three city -owned parcels to the west for a development project. Other potential sites are at 8001 Bass Lake Road, the balance of the Hosterman /Winnetka Learning Center site, vacant bank building, Gas 'N Splash, vacant gas station on 42nd Avenue, and Kmart. Currently, the Council does not want to acquire land unless there is a plan for the reuse of the land. Commissioner Brinkman stressed that developers would take the city more seriously if it had land to offer for redevelopment. The city needs to develop a partnership with the developers. Several commissioners wondered whether it was too soon to conduct a developers' roundtable due to the fact that there is no land to develop. Mr. Weiss mentioned that developers may inform the Council that to be a partner the city needs to first acquire the land. Developers have to meet their requirements and propose a project that would be financially feasible. Commissioner Onadipe added that developers prefer to see concrete intentions. He suggested conducting an open house for developers to get feedback on what may be viable and then talk privately with interested developers to come to an agreement. Commissioner Hunten suggested that the commissioners discuss this document and how to move forward to accomplish redevelopment goals when the Commission meets with the Council in June. Motion by Commissioner Landy, seconded by Commissioner Hunten, to close the public hearing regarding the City Center Transit Oriented Development Study. All voted in favor. Motion carried. MOTION Motion by Commission Svendsen, seconded by Commissioner Landy, to Item 4.1 recommend approval of the City Center Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Study. Voting in favor: Brinkman, Houle, Hunten, Landy, Onadipe, Skalland, Svendsen Voting against: None Absent: Anderson, Johnson, Nirgude, Schmidt Motion approved. The City Council will discuss the document on June 13. COMMITTEE REPORTS Design and Review Commissioner Svendsen reported the Design and Review Committee did Committee not meet. Item 5.1 Codes and Standards Chair Houle stated that the Codes and Standards Committee had not met Committee recently. Mr. Jacobsen asked the committee to review the memo in the Item 5.2 planning packet and prioritize the list of code issues for discussion. The Planning Commission Meeting 5 June 7, 2011 consensus was to discuss the new variance legislation, sewer access charges, and cell towers at the next meeting. Complete streets and the TOD study would follow in the near future. The other issues would be discussed as time allows. A suggestion was made to review wind and solar energy together. Mr. Weiss stated that a group of businesses were intending to send correspondence to the city requesting leniency for temporary business signage and the consensus was to wait to discuss the sign code until the city received the letter. The Design and Review Committee volunteered to review a couple of the issues, if needed. A meeting date (on a Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.) will be selected and forwarded to the committee. NEW BUSINESS Approval of Minutes Motion by Commissioner Landy, seconded by Commissioner Svendsen, Item 6.1 to approve the Planning Commission minutes of February 1, 2011. All voted in favor. Motion carried. OLD BUSINESS There was no old business. Miscellaneous Issues ANNOUNCEMENTS Mr. Jacobsen announced that the city of Brooklyn Park was providing training for their commissioners and invited New Hope's commissioners to attend. The topic is "Your Role as a Planning Commission Member," which would be presented by John Shardlow. The cost would be free of charge to New Hope attendees. Commissioners Hunten, Brinkman and Svendsen stated they would be interested. Commissioner Svendsen commented that he enjoyed reading the city manager's Friday memo which is being sent to all commissioners and found it very beneficial. ADJOURNMENT The Planning Commission meeting was unanimously adjourned at 8:25 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Pamela Sylvester Recording Secretary Planning Commission Meeting 6 June 7, 2011