3.a Minutes 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
PC RESOL UTION NO. 11 -01 -16 -
Planner Buss described the request om"Michael and 'Smith to replace two#isting
structures with a new garage on their property at 20919 Quint Avenue, which is located in the St.
Croix Riverway District. The existing structures hre 95' from the river's OHWL and built into
the bluff. The ordinance requires a 200' riverway setback and 100' from the bluffline. The plan
for the garage is desig o thatitwill be no ;closer to the er thag;the existing structures and
built into the hillside, to commodate a depth of 24'. Ad variances are needed from the
d
regulations prohibiting con structioland alteration and gradin , and removal of trees on slopes
that are greater than 25%o.
Planner ss s ate the rationale of the request.NNe'ar'all of the properly is located on a bluff
above e river. There is no location that could 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 thQ DNR for.their approval to minimize impacts on views from the
river. The structure would be`pAted dark green in color with existing and new vegetation
planted to screen\explain
from view.
I
Planner Buss recproval of the variance with findings and conditions written into a
resolution. Busst tfie request is reasonableand the practical difficulties are unique
to the property. ected 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
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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 pr�ional engineer as part of the
code requirement for the building permit.
Commissioner Noyes questioned Condition #3 to requw f the shed and retaining walls
before issuing a building permit. He reasoned tha is part o uilding process, and doing
the removal too far in advance could impact er The Commiss s were in agreement to
remove this requirement.
The Commissioners also noted at the site visit tha the ice house structure is istoric nature
and recommended that it be retaine�Fhe Commissioners were in agreement t ange the
language of Condition #3 to allow the historic ice house foundation to remain subject to approval
by the NPS. vNq%h."
Loeffler, seconded by Sys, moved
Variance for 20919 Quint Avenue, as ;
The recommendation for
meeting.
AT 21509
val will be pres
N 7MWLNUE. H
tion No. 11-01-16-01, Approving a
;i= carried 4-0.
to the City Council at their November 15th
TWIN PINE FARM. DUANE
02) Planner Buss presented the request from IT Hebert, Novel Energy Solutions, for a
Conditional Use Pgrmit 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
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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 the project. He clarified that the
height of the panels will be 9'8" from the ground and a top analysis determined they will
not be visible to existing residences.
Gary Hog -le, 21509 Lofton Avenue, said that his farm is lifflnslftthe Dept of Ag/USDA as a
food processing facility and he must maintain stri environ conditions that this solar
project will not impact.
There were no further comments and Chair Ma closed th hearing at 7:42 p.in.
The Commissioners discussed the p� osed fencing agree that the sin :`11 area is an
extension of the farm buildings so that wildlife friendly'standards such as leaving a 12" gap at
the bottom is not required in this case. Jan Hogle stated that she would prefer it be totally
enclosed so that her free range guinea fowl do not have to be chd out of the enclosure.
Views of the propose ro from Lofton Avenue we 0 ed, d the Commissioners
concluded that screening 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 permits are issued.
Chair y WasRe how screening the pro e om views of any future development of lots
adjacelWthe southeast of Hogled would be provided for. Mr. Hebert stated that if there
eriir�•r���rKti.
vegetative
Loeffler, s
CUP for a
this, he would
amended that 50% s
City's allowed list of
the neighboring landowners to provide additional
Squyres, moved to approve Resolution No. 11-01-16-02, Approving a
hkolar Garden at 21509 Lofton Avenue, with Condition #10
be obtained within 2 years using trees and shrubs from the
n 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
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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 clear is area is part of the rural event
site and must be at least 100 feet from the property bou ries. Language was also added here
requiring security staff be present if alcoholic bevera e served.
Regulating the number of events allowed annually s discussed at length. Chair Maefsky
stated that limits should be set so that the eve*t center remains subordinate to the primary use of
the property being residential. She said it is bothersome that Mull -time business can become the
primary use in a residential and agricultural area, and that b ting the number of events the
event center can be secondary. Corissioner Squyres ri at a bed and breakfast can be
considered as a full-time business fob- the amount of work takes to operate and maintain.
Maefsky said that she surveyed the regulations r comm 'es and found limits on number
of events and guests all d that Scandia is more ge ro;ave
at regard. She said that
neighborhoods should be d from impacts from not affic. Maefsky stated that
small gatherings ma t be both me, but 1 events sh limits on the number held
each year.
Planner B it craft language for appl imit ed on research of surrounding
comm and in the manner that the City require or special event permits for further
discus ext month. `
DISTRICT —11
SPREADING
Administrator Soi 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 Rural and Village Neighborhood zoning districts, and Soltis questioned if
land spreading of septage�hould 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 tl]icipal building to the street.
Definition changes to impervious surface, abandoned a nsed 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 hat would desekibe the number
and allowed locations for parking large recreational vehicle V), but thought this to be
confusing and directed Buss to simify the table for next 's review. It was agreed that
limits on number of LRVs should be set, but the locations are not so critical as long as setbacks
from the street and side lot lines are defined. Setbacks of 10 deet from the public right-of-way
and 5 feet from side lot lines were noted, as long as vehicles are parked on an impervious
surface. Not exceeding coverage was stater ctor in limiting storage on small lake
lots. It was agreed to e of doc n the regulations for storage of
recreational eauinm
Steve Toensin�, 1 553 Pew Avenue, i
and was IpId that is the change to the ord'
codes are in place for the mitigation of blig
take over. He said that he MLs prioXwrs of
Commissioners asked that
The draft ordinance will be
using the amended lWuag
sketch of his preference for defining yards
K11 be recommended. He stated that zoning
ty shouldn't allow junkyard syndrome to
.e with zoning codes and the
suggestions for further consideration.
next month with the Deputy's input on enforcement
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