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070213 planning commissionCITY OF NEW HOPE 4401 XYLON AVENUE NORTH NEW HOPE, HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA 55428 PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES July 2, 2013 City Hall, 7:00 p.m. CALL TO ORDER The New Hope Planning Commission met in regular session pursuant to due call and notice thereof; Vice Chair Schmidt called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. OATH OF OFFICE The oath of office was administered by Curtis Jacobsen, director of community development for newly appointed planning commissioners Wade English and Greg Gehring and they were welcomed to the Commission. ROLL CALL Present: Mikel Dumonceaux, Wade English, Greg Gehring, Jeff Houle, Sandra Hunten, Roger Landy, Christopher McKenzie, Ranjan Nirgude, Tom Schmidt Absent: Jim Brinkman, Steve Svendsen Also Present: Curtis Jacobsen, Director of Community Development, Steve Sondrall, City Attorney, Jeff Sargent, Community Development Specialist, Pamela Sylvester, Recording Secretary CONSENT BUSINESS There was no Consent Business on the agenda. PUBLIC HEARING Planning Case 13 -03 Vice Chair Schmidt introduced Item 4.1, an ordinance amending Section Item 4.1 4- 3(e)(14) of the New Hope city code establishing the requirements for bicycle parking in all commercial zoning districts, city of New Hope, petitioner. Mr. Jeff Sargent, community development specialist, explained that the Active Living Hennepin County (ALHC) initiative promotes active and healthy living, bicycling as an alternative transportation mode, safe bicycling within commercial site planning, and bicycling parking as a design standard to insure it is planned for in commercial sites. Bicycle parking requirements would only be applicable to commercial land uses at this time. The Codes and Standards Committee discussed the proposed ordinance amendment earlier this year. The committee was generally agreeable to the proposed changes, but was hesitant to require existing businesses to provide bicycle parking by a given date. The compromise was that bicycle parking would only be triggered by new site plan review applications. The proposed ordinance would require usage of bicycle racks. The placement of bicycle parking should not interfere with other on -site vehicles or pedestrian traffic. The new City Center District requires bicycle parking based on building size and the recommendation was to utilize the same standards city -wide. A building up to 40,000 square feet would require one bicycle space per 20 automobile parking spaces. A building 40,001 to 80,000 square feet would require one bicycle space per 30 automobile spaces, and a building over 80,000 square feet would require one space per 40 automobile spaces. Staff proposes that, due to the ALHC initiative, the city provide for bicycle parking throughout the entire CB, community business, district. Commissioner Houle questioned whether or not specific bicycle parking locations were part of the Design Guidelines. Mr. Sargent replied that a specific location was not written into the ordinance. Each business would be reviewed on a case -by -case basis through the site review process, with flexibility allowed for placement. Commissioner Houle stated he felt that bike racks near the front entrance of a business promoted bicycle usage. He was concerned that the city would suggest that the business provide bicycle parking in a specific location, but could not enforce it, such as the CVS at Midland Center. Mr. Sargent stressed that at the time there were no bicycle parking requirements and CVS did provide bicycle parking, although not in the location the city would have preferred. This ordinance would provide specifics that the applicant would need to follow for new construction projects. Commissioner Dumonceaux raised the question whether a business would have to provide two bicycle racks if its employees were required to park at the back of the building. Mr. Sargent replied that it may depend on the business and whether it wanted to provide two racks or have employees and customers utilize the same bicycle rack near the front entrance. Commissioner English pointed out that more space may be required for three - wheeled bicycles and whether or not there were ADA regulations regarding bicycle parking. Mr. Sargent responded that ADA parking regulations were for automobiles. The provision for bicycle parking would be above and beyond to give customers an alternate mode of transportation. It would be up to the businesses to determine whether they wanted to design bicycle parking for three - wheeled or tandem bicycles or those with a child carrier attached behind the bicycle. Commissioner Houle added that through the site plan review and building permit process there were mechanisms in place to insure accessibility would be met. Commissioner Nirgude inquired whether adjacent communities were requiring bicycle parking. Mr. Sargent stated that the requirements in the city's proposed ordinance were consistent with neighboring communities. Commissioner Nirgude suggested adding sample photos of bicycle racks and locations in the Design Guidelines for businesses to follow. He added that he was concerned for the safety of bicyclists in New Hope. Mr. Sargent stated that forums he had attended related to bicycle usage in Planning Commission Meeting 2 July 2, 2013 the Twin Cities area indicated there are many trails that connect cities together If a user bikes to a place of business and there is no bicycle parking he won't bike there again. However, if the same customer drives to the same store and sees bicycle parking, he may be apt to ride his bike the next time he goes to the same destination. The purpose of ALHC is to promote alternative transportation. The city needs to be part of the solution in getting customers to their destination. Mr. Sargent explained the bicycle to automobile parking ratio by stating a 10,000 square foot retail center would be required to provide 45 automobile parking spaces and two bicycle spaces. The ratio for a 40,000 square foot building would be 180:9; for an 80,000 square foot building the ratio would be 360:12; and a building over 120,000 square feet the ratio would be 540:14. Commissioner Houle interjected that bicycling ties in with complete streets and the work Hennepin County completed in changing Medicine Lake Road from four lanes to two and providing a wider shoulder for a bicycle lane. He suggested the city look at other means to encourage more bicycle ridership. Commissioner McKenzie initiated discussion on the minimum number of bicycle parking spaces. For example, a very small business may only need to provide one bicycle parking space, however, if a family came together, there would be nowhere for all of them to park. He stated he felt every business should provide at least two spaces or possibly four spaces. Several commissioners concurred with a minimum of two spaces. Commissioner Hunten suggested a central location for bicycle parking at a strip mall. Discussion ensued on the designs of bicycle racks and what type would be allowed. Mr. Sargent indicated this would be reviewed on a case -by- case basis. A question was raised whether other cities have minimum requirements. Mr. Sargent responded that the planning consultant had checked with various cities when he prepared the ordinance. A change could be made to have a minimum of four spaces for any building up to 40,000 square feet, with a sliding scale for larger buildings. Commissioner Nirgude stated he felt strongly that the ordinance should require bicycle parking at city facilities, such as the parks and swimming pool. Mr. Sargent stated that the Codes and Standards Committee had discussed including other areas of the city, however, decided that since the bicycle parking was initiated in the City Center District, to concentrate on all of the city's commercial areas first. In the future, the city could look at adding institutional facilities, city parks, churches, and industrial areas. Vice Chair Schmidt stated he did not feel that the city code should dictate how to run the parks. Planning Commission Meeting 3 July 2, 2013 Mr. Jacobsen pointed out that most of the parks have very small buildings and the ordinance was based on building size, so only the minimum number of spaces would be required. Parks and the swimming pool would have to possibly be based on volume of users. Mr. Sargent added that bicycle parking at industrial buildings would have to be based on different standards than a commercial building. Commissioner Hunten questioned how many automobile parking spaces a bicycle rack would utilize. Mr. Sargent responded that a standard automobile stall could fit 15 bikes on a rack. If the sidewalk by the building is wide enough, the bicycle rack could be located there. Mr. Steve Sondrall, city attorney, questioned whether the intent of the ordinance was to pertain to the square footage of the entire strip mall or if bicycle parking was to be required for each tenant in the mall. Mr. Jacobsen stated that the site plan review for a multi- tenant building would take into account the square footage of the entire building and require bicycle parking on that number and not require parking spaces in front of each tenant based on the square footage of each individual tenant bay. Vice Chair Schmidt wondered whether the ordinance would allow a business to put a bicycle rack out in spring and take it down in fall. Mr. Sargent replied that matter would have to be considered, however, there would then be enforcement issues for the city to be sure the business put the rack out every spring. He suggested that for new building construction, the site be designed to include bicycle parking, keeping in mind that it would be placed in an area that would not impede traffic or pedestrian use during the months in winter when it may not be utilized. Commissioner Houle stated he was not in favor of temporary bicycle parking stalls. The Design and Review Committee would be reviewing all new applications through the site plan review process and would look at each case. He stated he was in favor of the ordinance as written with changing to a minimum of four stalls. Mr. Sondrall clarified that every building in the R -O, R -B, LB and CB zoning districts would be required to have a minimum of four bicycle parking stalls and increase depending on building area and the number of automobile parking stalls required for that building. Mr. Sargent reiterated that the ordinance was based on total building area not individual tenant bays. There was no one in the audience that wished to speak at the public hearing. Motion by Commissioner Landy, seconded by Commissioner Houle to close the public hearing. All voted in favor. Motion carried. Motion Motion by Commissioner Landy, seconded by Commissioner Houle, to Planning Commission Meeting 4 July 2, 2013 Item 4.1 approve Planning Case 13 -03, an ordinance amending Section 4- 3(e)(14) of the New Hope city code establishing the requirements for bicycle parking in all commercial zoning districts with a minimum requirement of four bicycle parking spaces, city of New Hope, petitioner. Voting in favor: Dumonceaux, English, Gehring, Houle, Hunten, Landy, McKenzie, Schmidt Voting against: Nirgude Absent: Brinkman, Svendsen Motion approved. Vice Chair Schmidt stated that the City Council would consider this ordinance amendment at its July 22 meeting. COMMITTEE REPORTS Design and Review Mr. Jacobsen reported that two pre - application meetings were scheduled. Committee Committee members would be contacted if a meeting is necessary next Item 5.1 week. Codes and Standards Mr. Sargent stated the Codes and Standards memo included in the Committee planning packet was an update of what the city had done recently Item 5.2 regarding code issues and upcoming issues for the Commission to discuss. NEW BUSINESS Vice Chair Schmidt explained the subcommittees for the new commissioners and assigned Commissioner English to the Design and Review Committee and Commissioner Gehring to the Codes and Standards Committee. OLD BUSINESS Approval of Minutes Motion by Commissioner Landy, seconded by Commissioner Houle, to Item 7.1 approve the Planning Commission minutes of March 5, 2013. All voted in favor. Motion carried. ANNOUNCEMENTS Mr. Sargent stated that the closure of the intersection at 42nd and Winnetka avenues would be delayed by two additional weeks to July 22 due to the recent storms and then one lane in each direction would be open for an additional five weeks. Mr. Jacobsen reported that the contractor was nearly complete with the demolition project at the Kmart site. City staff is waiting for developers to submit proposals for council review possibly by the end of July. The closing for the Winnetka Learning Center was delayed due to the submission of a grant application for demolition and cleanup. One stipulation of the grant was that the city could not already have purchased the property. The city received one grant in the amount of $200,000 for asbestos cleanup, and additional grant money was received from Hennepin County to complete a new Phase I and Phase II, which Planning Commission Meeting 5 July 2, 2013 was required for another grant application. Two developers have submitted proposals for this site, however, a developer would not be selected until the city owns the property. Mr. Jacobsen reported that the city opened the southwest portion of the former Kmart lot for residents to take storm debris until July 15. Public works staff is in the process of picking up debris from boulevard trees. ADJOURNMENT The Planning Commission meeting was unanimously adjourned at 8:10 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Pamela Sylvester, Recording Secretary Planning Commission Meeting 6 July 2, 2013