7.b 1 draft minutes of the November 1, 2016 Planning CommissionNovember 1, 2016
The Scandia Planning Commission held their regular monthly meeting on the above date. The
following were in attendance: Chair Christine Maefsky, Commissioners Travis Loeffler, Tom
Noyes and Dan Squyres. Commissioner Walt Anderson arrived at 8:30 p.m. Staff present: City
Planner Sherri Buss, City Administrator Neil Soltis and Deputy Clerk Brenda Eklund. Council
member Chris Ness was also in attendance. Chair Maefsky called the meeting to order at 7:00
p.m.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA, MINUTES
Loeffler, seconded by Noyes, moved to approve the agen resented. The motion
carried 4-0.
Noyes, seconded by Squyres, moved to approve tober 4, 2016 meeting minutes as
presented. The motion carried 4-0.
PUBLIC HEARING: VARIANCE FROM RWAY AND BL SETBACKS FOR A
GARAGE AT 20919 QUINT AVENUE. MIC ANDA&M SMITH APPLICANTS
PC RESOL UTION NO. 11-01-16-01 VF
Planner Buss described the request . rom Michael and . Smith to replace two xisting
structures with a new garage on their property at 20919 Quint Avenue, which is located in the St.
Croix Riverway District. The existing structurese 95' from the river's OHWL and built into
the bluff. The ordinance re fres a 200' �verway setback and 100' from the bluffline. The plan
for the garage is desig at it will be na°closer to the er thathe existing structures and
built into the hillside t commodate a depth of 24'. Ad variances are needed from the
regulations prohibiting, construction, land alteration and gradin , and removal of trees on slopes
that are greater than 256/o.
Ad
Planner Huss astaftteftie rationale of the re t.NNearall of the property is located on a bluff
above the river. Ther`d-is no location that cou d accommodate a garage where the building would
meet the required setbacks,.of the riverway and bluff. The applicants have been working with the
National Park'Service and the. DNR for,their approval to minimize impacts on views from the
river. The structure would be patted dark�green in color with existing and new vegetation
planted to screen building fr view.
Planner Buss recomm al of the variance with findings and conditions written into a
resolution. Buss explain e request is reasonable and the practical difficulties are unique
to the property. Conditions flected the Engineer's comments to require a grading permit,
retaining walls and erosion control. Comments from the NPS, DNR and Carnelian -Marine -St.
Croix Watershed were addressed in the conditions of approval. Buss noted that Condition #4
would add "erosion and sediment control permit"; Condition #9 language would add "use of
native species for the vegetation management and replacement plan"; Condition #13 was added
to require use of colors matching the existing home (dark green) to blend in with surrounding
vegetation. Correction to Condition #5 to "slopes over 4-ZOA 25%" was also noted.
Chair Maefsky opened the public hearing at 7:12 p.m.
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Scandia Planning Commission
Page 2 of 5
Pam Smith, 20919 Quint Avenue, Applicant: Ms. Smith explained a conversation which she had
that day with Carl Almer, Car -Mar Watershed Engineer. The area of disturbance was
overestimated in his review of the plan, and he indicated that the applicants could obtain a
watershed permit at the time they apply for a building permit.
There were no further comments and Chair Maefsky closed the hearing at 7:14 p.m.
Commissioner Loeffler asked about the requirement of providing engineered plans for the
retaining wall. Planner Buss explained that retaining walls over 4 feet in height, in this case the
walls of the garage built into the bluff, must be signed bya p ional engineer as part of the
code requirement for the building permit.
Commissioner Noyes questioned Condition �
before issuing a building permit. He reasone
the removal too far in advance could impact
remove this requirement.
The Commissioners also noted at the site vis
and recommended that it be retainehe G
language of Condition #3 to allow t e histori
by the NPS.
ing walls
id doing
ment to
nature
the
approval
Loeffler, seconded by Vis, moved to approve Resolution N&41-01-16-01, Approving a
Variance for 20919Ukin
t Avenue, as amXd,m4*
4-0.
The recommendation for ap roval will be pthe City Council at their November 15th
meeting.
AT 21509 LSWON AdOLNUE. HOOLE TWIN PINE FARM. DUANE
02)
Planner Buss pr ted the request from Tuane Hebert, Novel Energy Solutions, for a
Conditional Use Mmit to develop a 40 kW Community Solar Garden at 21509 Lofton Avenue.
The property is owned by Donald and Marilyn Hogle Trust and is 74.4 acres in size located in
the AG Core District. The area of the solar installation is less than one acre, set back 650 feet
from Lofton Avenue, and accessed by the existing driveway. The proposed system is laid out in
two rows of 48 solar panels each with a 6' chain link fence surrounding it. Interconnection to
Xcel Energy will be via a utility pole with a transformer/meter, with the pole approximately 32'
above ground level. Buss explained that the Washington Conservation District is not requiring
wetland delineation and that staking the wetland boundaries is adequate to maintain setbacks.
Planner Buss recommended approval of the CUP with findings and conditions written into a
resolution. The use complies with the performance standards for solar gardens and meets the
criteria for a CUP with 16 conditions for approval. A Development Agreement must be entered
November 1, 2016
Scandia Planning Commission
Page 3 of 5
into with the city, a native seed mix as recommended by the DNR must be used for vegetation in
the project area, and an interconnection agreement with Xcel completed before issuance of a
building permit. Buss asked the Commissioners to discuss landscaping and screening and the
proposed fencing.
Chair Maefsky opened the public hearing at 7:35 p.m.
Duane Hebert, Novel Energy Solutions, Applicant: Mr. Hebert explained that subscribers to the
community solar garden will be local residents benefitting from
height of the panels will be 9'8" from the ground and a topog�
not be visible to existing residences. A
Gary Hogle, 21509 Lofton Avenue, said that his farm
food processing facility and he must maintain A
project will not impact.
There were no further comments and Chair
project. He clarified that the
analysis determined they will
the Dept of Ag/USDA as a
61 conditions that this solar
hearing at 7:42 p.m.
IN.
The Commissioners discussed theosed fencing agreW that the small solar area is an
extension of the farm buildings so that wile friendly'standards such as leaving a 12" gap at
the bottom is not required in this case. Jan` Wogle stated that she would prefer it be totally
enclosed so that her free range guinea fowl do not he to be ch d out of the enclosure.
Views of the propose Pfrom Lofton Avenue we ed,"nd the Commissioners
concluded that sere 50% of the view within 2 years usi nts from the City's
recommended list of vegetation would be adequate for the small solar array. A landscape plan
must be approved before any penni .ssued.
Chair y aske how screening the pro iews of any future development of lots
adjace the southeast of Hogle's land would rovided for. Mr. Hebert stated that if there
are cone bout this, he would wo th the neighboring landowners to provide additional
vegetative s ing as necessar
Loeffler, s
CUP for a
Squyres, moved to approve Resolution No. 11-01-16-02, Approving a
Solar Garden at 21509 Lofton Avenue, with Condition #10
amended that 50% screening be obtained within 2 years using trees and shrubs from the
City's allowed list of vegetation species. The motion carried 4-0.
The recommendation for approval will be presented to the City Council at their November 15th
meeting.
DISCUSSION OF AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 2, SECTION 4.32 RURAL EVENT
FACILITY
At the last meeting, Chair Maefsky asked for a review of the Rural Event Facility ordinance for
potential amendments to address concerns that were identified in granting a CUP for the Gacek
November 1, 2016
Scandia Planning Commission
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event facility at 12680 Scandia Trail. Planner Buss provided a draft ordinance which addressed
some changes for consideration.
Section (5)(A), AOP application requirements, was amended to replace the November 30
calendar date with a time frame of 60 days prior to the expiration of the current AOP as the
deadline for application.
To clarify Section (6)(F) regulating amplified sound, "outdoor" was added throughout the
paragraph and a statement that the event facility must comply with the City's noise ordinance.
"Parking areas" was added to Section (6)(G) to make
site and must be at least 100 feet from the property b<
requiring security staff be present if alcoholic bevera;
Regulating the number of events allowed an
stated that limits should be set so that the ev
the property being residential. She said it is
Iiiis area is part of the rural event
Language was also added here
discussed at length. Chair Maefsky
remains subordinate to the primary use of
ie that a_fixll-time business can become the
primary use in a residential and agricultural area, and'tl
event center can be secondary. Corriissioner Squyres
considered as a full-time business for the amount of we
Maefsky said that she surveyed the reguonser com:
of events and guests allowed, wd that Scandia is more 1
neighborhoods shoul rotected from impacts from noise
small gatherings ma be bo'X ther4me, but 1 e events sh
each year.
iting the number of events the
t a bed and breakfast can be
to operate and maintain.
and found limits on number
�t regard. She said that
ic. Maefsky stated that
limits on the number held
Planner Busswill craft language for 'mit ed on research of surrounding
special event permits for further
Administrator Sol, explained that changes to the County's septic ordinance allow for the City
to approve land spreading of septage, an agricultural use. Agriculture is an allowed use in the
Agricultural, General Dural and Village Neighborhood zoning districts, and Soltis questioned if
land spreading of septage should be designated as an allowable or conditional use. Smaller
properties in the VN and GR districts may be impacted by the odors of septage land spreading.
The County program is primarily looking for large agricultural fields to spread the septage as
fertilizer.
Commissioners were in agreement that land spreading of septage should be limited to large
agricultural properties in the AG Core and AG Preserve zoning districts only since there are
plenty of sites with active farming in these districts. Staff will research the setbacks from lakes
and wetlands for this use, and bring back a draft ordinance to review at a future meeting.
November 1, 2016
Scandia Planning Commission
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PROPOSED ORDINANCE NO. 178 — AMENDMENTS RELATED TO EXTERIOR
STORAGE AND PARKING
The Commission continued the discussion on amendments to the City's ordinances that regulate
parking of vehicles and exterior storage. Planner Buss prepared a draft ordinance that addressed
the key issues of defining recreational vehicles, number allowed and location of parking.
Buss provided a diagram of yard areas as defined by the current code and a comparison to
Hugo's code. Buss said that Scandia's definitions are still based on the old County ordinance. It
was agreed to redefine front yard so that side yards are not closer to the street than the house and
the front yard encompasses the whole width of the lot from t11j1&cipal building to the street.
Definition changes to impervious surface, abandoned a sed vehicles and large
recreational vehicles were described by Planner Buss. ni Vs removes canoes and
kayaks from the definition. Chapter 2, Section 3. er Nuisan ad language added to
clarify unlicensed vehicles for enforcement.
The Commissioners had asked for a table based on parcel size that would describe the number
and allowed locations for parking large recreational ve icles (LRV), but thought this to be
confusing and directed Buss to simify the table for nexth's review. It was agreed that
limits on number of LRVs should be set, but the locations e not so critical as long as setbacks
from the street and side lot lines are defined. Setbacks of 10 het from the public right-of-way
and 5 feet from side lot lines were noted, as long as the vehicles Ore parked on an impervious
surface. Not exceeding coverage was stated as a factor in limiting storage on small lake
lots. It was agreed to e of docVn lift theregulations for storage of
recreational equipm
Steve Toensin 19553 P ew A c, pa sketch of his preference for defining yards
and was tat is the change to the ordinance that will be recommended. He stated that zoning
codese in place—for the mitigation of blightand the City shouldn't allow junkyard syndrome to
take o r. He said that he has priorA rs of expe*ence with zoning codes and the
Commissioners asked that he provid en suggestions for further consideration.
The draft ordinance will be further reviewed next month with the Deputy's input on enforcement
using the amended la uage.
ADJOURNMENT
Loeffler, seconded by An on, moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried 5-0.
The meeting adjourned at 9:18 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Brenda Eklund
Deputy Clerk