08.b Draft minutes 06-04-2024 Planning Commission
June 4, 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
There were no public comments.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA, MINUTES
Libby, second by Hogle, moved to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried
unanimously.
Hogle, second by Libby, moved to approve the May 7, 2024 minutes as presented. Motion
carried unanimously.
PUBLIC HEARING (CONTINUED FROM MAY 7, 2024): ZONING MAP
AMENDMENT TO REZONE 13952 205TH STREET NORTH FROM RURAL
RESIDENTIAL GENERAL TO VILLAGE NEIGHBORHOOD, A SITE PLAN REVIEW
FOR A MAJOR PROJECT, A PRELIMINARY PLAT, AND A WETLAND REVIEW TO
DEVELOP THE PROPERTY AS LAUREL RIDGE DEVELOPMENT. APPLICANT
DWAYNE SIKICH, CONTINUUM DEVELOPMENT GROUP, ON BEHALF OF
PROPERTY OWNER MITCHELL JOHNSON
The applicant is requesting approval for a zoning map amendment (rezoning), site plan review
for a major project, preliminary plat, and wetland review to subdivide a single 39.47-acre parcel
for single-family residential development to be known as Laurel Ridge. The proposed
subdivision would create eight lots for development. Access to the lots would be via new
individual driveways along 205th Street North.
The Planning Commission held a public hearing at their meeting on May 7, 2024 and moved to
continue the hearing to June 4th to allow the applicant time to address the City Engineer’s
concerns regarding stormwater management and to address safety concerns. Planner Hofer
reported that staff did receive an updated submittal but not in time to review it for this meeting,
and recommended tabling the application to the July 2, 2024 Planning Commission meeting.
Chair Loeffler said the Commission can continue to receive comments and any new information
from the public, including 2 letters received on June 4th that will be added to the July 2nd meeting
packet.
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June 4, 2024
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Rynders, second by Hogle, moved to open the public hearing at 7:05 p.m. Motion carried
4-0.
There were no comments.
Rynders, second by Hogle, moved to table the application to the next meeting on July 2,
2024. Motion carried 4-0 by roll call vote.
VARIANCE AT 13566 230TH STREET NORTH TO ALLOW IMPERVIOUS SURFACE
WITHIN THE SETBACK FROM THE ORDINARY HIGH-WATER LEVEL OF A
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT LAKE. APPLICANT TROY CRIEGO.
Troy Criego and Jennifer Schankereli own five lots in north-central Scandia and are proposing to
use an existing farm road at 13566 230th Street North to access a new home to be built on PID
03.032.20.32.0004. The existing farm road to the proposed home site runs through three of their
five lots that contains a natural environmental lake and wetlands. All lots are zoned Agricultural
Core (AG-C) and are within the Shoreland Management Overlay (SM-O). The combined acreage
of the applicant’s five lots is approximately 75.04 acres.
Planner Hofer explained that the water body is a DNR recognized natural environment lake with
a setback of 200’ from the ordinary high-water level. The wetlands on the property have a
setback of 75’. The existing farm road, approximately 1,500’ in length, will be converted to a
private driveway and is 50’ from the lake and 75’ from the wetland at its closest points. Hofer
stated that the driveway is considered an impervious surface and will not meet the minimum
setback standards from a natural environmental lake and therefore requires a variance in order to
be developed. The existing farm road has been used for many years to access the ag land and is
considered legal, non-conforming.
Planner Hofer explained that state statute and the City’s shoreland ordinance require that
contiguous nonconforming lots under the same ownership within shoreland must be combined to
achieve as much conformity as possible. Since all five lots have the same owners, are
contiguous, and share only one access to 230th Street North they must be combined.
Planner Hofer reviewed the standards from the Unified Development Code for a variance and
determined that a practical difficulty is established for this case and recommended approval of
the variance to allow the existing driveway within the OHWL setbacks from the existing natural
environmental lake with findings and conditions written into a draft resolution. The road is an
existing feature passing through three of the five lots creating a unique circumstance where an
improved impervious surface is needed within an existing roadway.
Planner Hofer noted the conditions that a survey of the location of home and private utility
facilities shall be submitted to the City prior to obtaining a building permit, all five lots must be
combined and recorded into one tax parcel, and the approved nonconforming driveway shall not
be allowed to expand through the process established in the UDC. Condition #5 addressed the
Fire Chief’s comment that a turnaround within 200 feet of the home will be required to
accommodate a fire apparatus and the driveway must be a minimum of 12 feet in width and be
able to support the weight of the fire equipment.
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June 4, 2024
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Rynders, second by Hogle, moved to open the public hearing at 7:15 p.m. Motion carried 4-
0.
There were no comments.
Rynders, second by Hogle, moved to close the public hearing. Motion carried 4-0.
Commissioner Rynders said this is a straightforward request. Commissioner Libby stated her
agreement.
Commissioner Hogle said she agrees it is straightforward and the staff conditions of approval are
reasonable.
Chair Loeffler verified that the Fire Chief is not requiring bump-outs every few hundred feet to
accommodate clearance for passing emergency vehicles along the lengthy driveway. Planner
Hofer noted that the driveway cannot expand any closer to the lake.
Rynders, second by Hogle, moved to approve the variance as recommended by staff.
Motion carried 4-0 by roll call vote.
The recommendation to approve the variance will be presented to the City Council at their
meeting on June 18, 2024.
GENERAL BUSINESS: SITE PLAN REVIEW FOR A MAJOR PROJECT – SCANDIA
PLAZA EXPANSION, 21190 OZARK AVENUE NORTH (PID 1403220430008 AND
1403220430010). APPLICANT JAMB ARCHITECTS ON BEHALF OF PROPERTY
OWNER STEV STEGNER
The applicant is requesting approval of a site plan review for a major project located at 21190
Ozark Avenue North to expand the Scandia Plaza with an addition on the west end of the
building. The proposed use of the expansion is for a clinic, which is permitted in the Village-
Core District. The Unified Development Code (UDC) classifies the proposed project as a major
project for the city to verify that the project is consistent with the standards of the UDC,
including Character Area Standards for the Village Districts.
Planner Hofer explained that the application submittal has a significant amount of missing
necessary information to allow for a complete review, but the applicant is looking for feedback
and any high-level comments for areas of improvement.
Planner Hofer reviewed lot standards for the proposed expansion. Lot 1, Block 1 of Hawkinson
Business Park contains the existing structure, with the addition being constructed on a portion of
Lot 3, Block 1. The submittal proposes a lot line adjustment, but a letter was included from the
owner of Lot 3 that they would sell this parcel to Stegner based on City approvals for the
expansion. Hofer said approval of the site plan will be contingent on either a lot line adjustment
or Stegner acquiring Lot 3 and combing it with Lot 1. The plan shows a storm pond, drainfield,
and parking located on Lot 3.
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June 4, 2024
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Planner Hofer noted that the proposed dimensional standards for the project are met, other than
impervious lot coverage of 65.5% on Lot 1 (maximum is 65%) as shown on the proposal. If the
lot is combined with adjacent Lot 3, the lot coverage will not exceed 65%.
The structure is served by individual well and septic. The expansion will require a larger septic
system. A septic permit approval from Washington County will be needed prior to a building
permit being issued.
Planner Hofer explained that a parking analysis found that roughly 90 parking stalls will be
adequate for the existing businesses and clinic addition; the applicant is proposing 147 parking
stalls, but additional information is needed before final approval.
Landscaping requirements are determined by the UDC; one tree per 1,000 square feet of gross
building area. Hofer said this calculates to 20 to 22 trees depending on the final design. The
applicant is proposing 13 trees onsite and 10 trees offsite, but the offsite trees do not count
toward tree requirements. Planner Hofer said the City Council can decide on flexibility from the
standards. Based on the existing vegetation on the site, a Woodland Preservation Plan is not
needed.
No details have yet been submitted for signage, but will need to comply to UDC standards.
Planner Hofer said the proposal is mostly consistent with the Character Area Standards for
architectural design, but Hofer noted that those in conflict will need to comply with the final
design. The windows should be designed to have a wooden appearance. Off-street parking must
be sited outside of front-yard setbacks, but can have an exception from this standard with
additional screening.
Planner Hofer said that a performance agreement and financial guarantee will be needed to
ensure landscaping and other improvements.
Other entity reviews were summarized, but nothing from the Watershed at this point; a review
will be needed as plans develop.
Planner Hofer concluded with staff findings that the project is consistent with the
Comprehensive Plan, with conditions to be added to make the expansion compliant with the
UDC. Hofer recommended tabling the request to get more information from the applicant, but
the Commission should provide feedback on the project tonight.
Commissioner Rynders said he likes what he sees, and asked about a potential lot line adjustment
as shown on the plans.
Applicant Jerry Anderson, Jamb Architects, said Lot 3 is being purchased by HM Enterprises
and will be combined with all of Lot 1 into one parcel. The plans originally showed a lot line
adjustment if the bank was not amenable to selling the entire Lot 1. Planner Hofer added that this
lot combination will resolve issues that staff noted for parking, storm management and lot
coverage.
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June 4, 2024
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The Commissioners had no other questions.
Rynders, second by Hogle, moved to table the Site Plan Review to the next meeting on July
2, 2024. Motion carried 4-0 by roll call vote.
CITY COUNCIL UPDATES
Council member Kronmiller reported that the Council approved Comprehensive Plan updates
regarding density at their May 21st meeting, and the amendments have been sent to the Met
Council for their review. Planner Hofer said the next step will be the UDC amendments going to
the Planning Commission for action.
FUTURE ITEMS: Next meeting – July 2, 2024
The public hearing for Laurel Ridge development will continue, as will the Site Plan Review for
the Scandia Plaza Expansion.
ADJOURNMENT
Rynders, second by Hogle, moved to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried unanimously.
The meeting adjourned at 7:41 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Brenda Eklund
City Clerk