4.a Draft minutes 02-06-2024 Planning Commission
February 6, 2024
The Scandia Planning Commission held their regular monthly meeting on the above date. The
meeting was conducted in-person and virtually over an electronic platform. All participants who
joined the meeting remotely could hear each other and contribute to discussions.
Chair Travis Loeffler called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. The following were in attendance:
Commissioners Jan Hogle, Kirsten Libby, Travis Loeffler and Perry Rynders. Absent:
Commissioner Laszlo Fodor. Staff present: City Planner TJ Hofer, City Administrator Kyle
Morell and City Clerk Brenda Eklund. City Council member liaison Steve Kronmiller was also
present.
PUBLIC FORUM
Rynders, second by Libby, moved to open the public forum. Motion carried unanimously.
There were no public comments.
Rynders, second by Libby, moved to close the public forum. Motion carried unanimously.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA, MINUTES
Hogle, second by Libby, moved to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried
unanimously.
Hogle, second by Libby, moved to approve the December 5, 2023 minutes as presented.
Motion carried unanimously.
ELECTION OF PLANNING COMMISSION CHAIR AND VICE-CHAIR
Rynders, second by Libby, moved to elect Travis Loeffler as Chairperson of the Planning
Commission and Jan Hogle as Vice Chairperson from February 2024 to January 2025.
Motion carried 4-0 by roll call vote.
The recommendation on Chair and Vice Chair is subject to City Council approval at their
meeting on February 20, 2024.
PUBLIC HEARING: COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT, ZONING MAP
AMENDMENT, AND A VARIANCE FOR A NONCONFORMING LOT TO
CONSTRUCT A SINGLE-FAMILY DWELLING AT 13429 MAYBERRY TRAIL
NORTH. APPLICANT NATALIE ROMLESKI ON BEHALF OF PROPERTY OWNER
RITA AMBOURN
Natalie Romleski, on behalf of property owner Rita Ambourn, is seeking approval to remove
Agricultural Preserve guidance with a Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPA), to rezone
property from Agricultural Core to General Rural, and an after-the-fact variance to approve a
nonconforming lot at 13429 Mayberry Trail North. These approvals would allow for the
construction of a single-family dwelling on the property which is approximately 22.5 acres in
size.
Scandia Planning Commission
February 6, 2024
Page 2 of 3
Planner Hofer explained that in 2020, the City Council approved a petition to remove the
property from Agricultural Preserve zoning to coincide with an administratively approved lot
split of 13407 Mayberry Trail, but the City’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan was not changed so that
the property remains both Agricultural Preserve and as it was automatically rezoned to
Agricultural Core. Hofer stated that the lot split was in error because the resulting property of
13429 Mayberry Trail does not have the minimum required road frontage, having only 29 feet
along an area of prescriptive easement, making the property nonconforming. To approve the lot
split, a variance would have been required. The applicant is now requesting a variance for the lot
to correct the past approval so that the property can be developed with a new single-family
residence. Hofer noted that for a dwelling to be constructed on the parcel, the zoning must be
changed to allow for the higher density level in the Rural Residential General zoning district.
Planner Hofer described the standards of the Unified Development Code for which a zoning map
amendment and Comprehensive Plan amendment should be evaluated, and found that the
standards are met and that the proposal is consistent with the Comp Plan. The lot is guided
General Rural in the Comprehensive Plan.
Planner Hofer evaluated the variance request and also found the variance meets the standards for
a practical difficulty; the variance should have been addressed in 2020 and an after-the-fact
variance is an appropriate measure. Hofer concluded with a recommendation of approval with
findings and conditions in a prepared resolution.
Commissioner Hogle asked if the applicant is required to pay anything now that they did not
have to pay in 2020 because of this error. Planner Hofer replied no, these same approvals would
have been necessary at the time of the lot split.
Rynders, second by Hogle, moved to open the public hearing at 7:12 p.m. Motion carried
unanimously.
There were no public comments.
Rynders, second by Hogle, moved to close the public hearing. Motion carried unanimously.
Commissioner Rynders asked about the property’s 29 feet of road frontage. Planner Hofer
described the area on the submitted survey showing frontage along a prescriptive easement right-
of-way along Mayberry Trail, measured as 33’ from the center of the road. An ingress and egress
easement is recorded for the portion of the property’s driveway that lies across the property
directly to the north.
Rynders, second by Hogle, moved to recommend to the City Council approval of a
Comprehensive Plan Amendment to remove Agricultural Preserve guidance, a Zoning
Map Amendment to rezone the property from Agricultural Core to General Rural, and an
after-the-fact Variance to approve a nonconforming lot. Motion carried 4-0 by a roll call
vote.
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February 6, 2024
Page 3 of 3
The recommendation of approval will be presented to the City Council at their meeting on
February 20, 2024.
GENERAL BUSINESS
Commissioner Rynders questioned staff on their research of variance approvals, last discussed at
the October 3, 2023 meeting.
Planner Hofer said he consulted with the City Attorney regarding an expansion of a legal
nonconforming use, who concluded that a variance needs explicit language to not allow for a
future expansion, but to consider when this is necessary depending on the situation. If a blanket
change were to be made to the development code, it could affect every nonconforming use and
trigger a variance for situations where an expansion could be administratively approved instead.
Administrator Morell said that staff will research situations and examples of where this would
help or hinder future decisions, so there can be a better understanding of language to insert into
variance documents. Staff will report back at the next meeting. The Commission also requested a
review of potential new ordinance language that would require tree replacement on riparian lots.
CITY COUNCIL UPDATES
At their December 19th meeting, the City Council approved the UDC ordinance amendment
regarding density standards. At the January 16th meeting, the Council re-appointed Laszlo Fodor
to a 5-year term on the Planning Commission, and approved Council member Kronmiller as the
Planning Commission liaison for 2024.
Council member Kronmiller reported that the City is participating in a Washington County
transportation study, and asked for the Commissioners’ input.
The Commissioners cited enhanced bicycle lanes, a roundabout at Manning and Highway 97,
school safety crossings, and a walking path connection from the industrial park to downtown.
FUTURE ITEMS: Next meeting – March 12, 2024
Staff reported that there are no pending applications at this time.
ADJOURNMENT
Rynders, second by Hogle, moved to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried unanimously.
The meeting adjourned at 7:37 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Brenda Eklund, City Clerk