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4.a Draft minutes 04-02-2024 Planning Commission April 2, 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 7:02 p.m. The following were in attendance: Commissioners Laszlo Fodor, Jan Hogle, Kirsten Libby, Travis Loeffler and Perry Rynders. 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 There were no public comments. APPROVAL OF AGENDA, MINUTES Rynders, second by Fodor, moved to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried unanimously. Hogle, second by Libby, moved to approve the March 12, 2024 minutes as presented. Motion carried unanimously. PUBLIC HEARING: PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY OF SCANDIA 2040 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, REGARDING DENSITY, DENSITY FLEXIBILITY, AND PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENTS City Planner Hofer presented proposed amendments to the city’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan as directed by the City Council in June of 2023 because of an error regarding density standards in the Village Neighborhood guided area. Further direction was given in August of 2023 for additional changes to the Comp Plan to reflect the adoption of the Unified Development Code for the names and standards of the zoning districts created when the UDC was adopted in September of 2022. Council reviewed the draft changes to the Comp Plan in January 2024 and authorized staff to proceed with the necessary review to 19 surrounding communities and organizations affected by the comprehensive plan. The review ended on March 30th, with nine responses received. Hofer said the responses mostly had no comments, or comments could be addressed with future updates. Hofer said staff will address relevant comments as needed. Planner Hofer described the proposed changes related to density differences within the Village Neighborhood District to align with the intent of the City Council. The change in the Comp Plan will lower the density from one dwelling unit per 2.5 acres to four dwelling units per 40 acres, as well as to allow higher densities of one dwelling unit per 1.5 acres if the site can manage wastewater with a community system. Hofer stated that the amendment is to ensure that the city’s adopted land use documents are consistent going forward. Hofer explained that staff became aware of the discrepancy when a concept plan for a development was submitted for review last year. Planner Hofer described changes to the future land use map that were identified for an update to move the western edge of the Village Neighborhood District further to the east, and to reflect Scandia Planning Commission April 2, 2024 Page 2 of 4 renamed and modified zoning districts as adopted by the UDC. Hofer said a few minor edits will be completed by staff before submitting it to the Met Council. Planner Hofer explained that the amendment will clarify future land use descriptions for the use of planned unit developments and the bonus density that can be gained for developments that meet certain conservation standards. Planner Hofer led the Commissioners through the staff report attachment of the affected pages from the Comp Plan with the proposed amendments. The changes relate to density, resulting calculations from changes to densities, and referenced the UDC zoning ordinance adopted in September 2022. Land use descriptions had language added stating: “The City’s zoning and subdivision ordinance should allow density bonuses up to 75% will be considered for single-family developments if providing community value through agricultural land protection, life-cycle housing, natural resource protection or other amenities.” Planner Hofer explained that the UDC does not reflect a bonus for lifecycle housing and will need a future update to add this standard. Commissioner Rynders said this sentence seems confusing; Hofer said an edit will be made to make it clearer. In the Village Mixed Use description, the Commission recommended “higher” be struck from the sentence “Higher densities up to one five units per acre may be permitted through Conservation Design or Cluster Development, Conditional Use Permits, or Planned Unit Developments on a case by case basis, depending on the land use intensity and the ability of the site and/or system to manage wastewater.” Hofer agreed, noting the district is guided as 5 units per acre. In the Village Neighborhood description, the Commissioners identified confusing language regarding minimum lot size and density references. Planner Hofer said lot dimensions do not need to be identified in a comprehensive plan, and the sentence “The zoning ordinance requires a minimum lot size of 12.5 acres per unit.” can be removed. Planner Hofer explained the updated Table II-M – Residential Density Increase Calculations regarding densities of the districts, and said he adjusted the numbers as needed. The VN has 2 categories of density dependent if water and sewer are provided. Chair Loeffler said he disagrees with the changes to density in the VN, as this appears to be going backwards with development until municipal sewer and water are available. Loeffler said this is saying Scandia doesn’t want growth because sewer and water will be years away. Council member Kronmiller said the intent is higher density per acre if sewer and water is available, but right now there is no Met Council or city initiative driving this infrastructure. Commissioner Libby said that if Scandia is to grow, there must be investment in infrastructure for sewer and water, which also drives economic growth. Libby said she understands that the Scandia Planning Commission April 2, 2024 Page 3 of 4 goal for this meeting is trying to match the Comp Plan to the UDC, and not changing anything else here. Council member Kronmiller said the goal is to get the two documents to align by allowing lower density with infrastructure. Kronmiller noted that it doesn’t have to be a city run system, but rather a developer can install a system to serve the development. Planner Hofer said he needs more direction on defining a public system -- does this mean private as well? Discussion concluded to define a water or sewer system serving users as a shared system; eliminate the word “public” because the city is not assuming ownership. A developer can install a shared system and not wait for a public system in order to gain more density. Planner Hofer noted that in the VN with a shared septic system, lots can be developed at one unit per 1.5 acres. Planner Hofer concluded the review with the updates to Table X-A to reflect and reiterate the UDC zoning districts. Commissioner Libby said she is comfortable with this exercise to review the staff amendments, but the Commission has gone outside of our lane for this particular discussion by recommending to strike “public” sewer and water and replace it with “shared”. Libby said the Commission hasn’t had enough conversation about it, and that she doesn’t have a problem with the word “public”. In the future, a developer may abandon then force the city to take over a system; a city- owned system is not a bad thing because they can be run more efficiently and properly maintained. Commissioner Rynders said the Commission can recommend this to the Council, but the Council can certainly change it back. Commissioner Hogle said replacing “private” with “shared” is not limiting this to only developer systems; a public system can still be an option. Chair Loeffler said that a public sewer system may not happen for many years and this can encourage increased growth, as the city needs to communicate that a shared system is okay for developers to install. Commissioner Libby said she supports everything in the recommendations except for removing “private”. Rynders, second by Hogle, moved to open the public hearing. Motion carried 5-0. There were no public comments. Rynders, second by Hogle, moved to close the public hearing. Motion carried 5-0. Planner Hofer provided two draft resolutions of approval for the Comp Plan amendments, and summarized the recommended changes as discussed. Scandia Planning Commission April 2, 2024 Page 4 of 4 Rynders, second by Hogle, moved to recommend approval of the resolutions with amendments as described by staff. By a roll call vote, the motion carried 4-1, with Libby opposed for reasons stated in the record. The recommendation to approve the Comprehensive Plan amendments will be presented to the City Council at their meeting on April 16, 2024. GENERAL BUSINESS: DISCUSSION ON EXPANSION OF NONCONFORMING USES At previous meetings, the Commissioners discussed the process in the Unified Development Code that allows for the expansion of nonconformities through an Administrative Permit, and their concerns that there should be limits on the ability to expand after approval of a variance. The UDC allows for the expansion of buildings and structures through an administrative permit provided the structural nonconformity is not increased and the expansion complies with all other performance standards. At the last meeting, Planner Hofer was directed to define what a structural non-conformity is. Planner Hofer said he consulted with the City Attorney for defining structural nonconformity, which is related to what the nonconformity is; i.e. height, setback, or lot area. Planner Hofer said language will be added as a condition for future variance approvals to clarify the variance intent is not for future expansions, and that a structure cannot expand without an administrative permit. FUTURE ITEMS: Next meeting – May 7, 2024 Planner Hofer reported that the Laurel Ridge preliminary plat will be on the May 7th agenda. ADJOURNMENT Rynders, second by Libby, moved to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:20 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Brenda Eklund, City Clerk