PLAN COMMISSION

May 24, 2005

 

Members present:  Breault, Koch, Yoerg, Mailloux and Caruso

 

Others present:  Ron and Karen Olson, Jeff and Tina Cooper, Robert Geisel, Gordon Conard, Kevin Vance, Scott Wang, Tom Orderick, An Seoak, Mark Lewis, Tom Springer, Dennis Kroll, Jim Zeller, Matt Frisbie, Todd Zwiefelhofer, Denny Darnold and others.

 

The meeting was called to order by Chairman Breault at 7:00 p.m.

 

Moved by Mailloux, seconded by Caruso to approve the meeting minutes of May 5, 2005.  Motion carried.

 

Review of status of an unimproved alleyway extending from Pitt Street to Fillmore Street between 11th Street and 12th Street and an unimproved alleyway that is an extension of Pitt Street right-of-way between 11th Street and 12th Street –  Referred from Common Council.  Darnold commented that this issue was referred from the Common Council as a result of the receipt of a letter from Ron and Karen Olson to be able to access the back of their lot at 906 11th Street.  Darnold stated that he received two phone calls in support of retaining the alleyway, from Jerry Warnken, 915 12th Street and

Jeff Selvig, 917 12th Street.

 

Ron Olson, 906 11th Street commented that the steep bank resulted from a borrow pit and that the residents have used the unimproved alleyway for 20 to 40 years to access their lots without incidence.  He noted that the residents at 903 12th Street have obstructed the alleyway.  Olson felt the alleyway is important for fire access to the rear of his lot and to be able to gain access to trim trees on his lot.  Olson noted that he has been harassed by the neighbors at 903 12th Street and not been able to gain access to the rear of his lot.

 

Jeff Cooper, 903 12th Street noted that the unimproved alleyway is not obstructed, and they request that the city vacate the alleyway.  He noted that the city had given him permission to plant grass seed in the alleyway area.  Breault asked who provided that authorization.  Darnold responded that he authorized Mr. Cooper to plant the grass seed.

 

Robert Geisel, 817 12th Street voiced support in abandoning the alleyway.  He noted that he owns property south of the Pitt Street extension from 11th to 12th Streets.

 

Tina Cooper noted that there will be no outlet to the alleyway.  She commented that the best access would be from Fillmore Street.  Breault commented that area is very steep and is not a likely alternative.  Cooper questioned if the city could determine the location of the alleyway.  Darnold stated that a survey may be necessary to confirm the alleyway location.

 

 

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Don Mailloux asked what is the width of the north / south alleyway?  Darnold commented that a 1938 city map shows the alleyway width to be 16.5 feet.

 

Tim Caruso noted that he believes the issue needs to be postponed so that the commission members could review the site and so it can be documented which owners are for or opposed to vacating the alleyways.  Moved by Caruso, seconded by Yoerg to postpone consideration of this issue and schedule a special meeting to meet at the alleyway location.  Motion carried.

 

Final development plans, Hudson Ice Center, Hanley Rd. and Industrial Street – Hudson Hockey Association.  Darnold reviewed the final development plans noting that the overall development is proposed in three phases.  Darnold commented that the city engineer comments dealt primarily with details of the utilities and that the fire department has reviewed and issued approval of the plans.  Yoerg asked about the use of the two ice facilities at similar times.  Darnold noted that the city of Hudson Board of Appeals reviewed a request for a variance that would be needed for off-street parking if the second and third phases of the expansion plans are implemented and that the board of appeals restricted the combined use of the facilities.  Kevin Vance representing the Hockey Association noted that the primary issue regarding the variance is the potential attendance at the varsity hockey games.

 

Mailloux asked about the landscape plans and if they conformed to the city’s landscaped standards.  Darnold commented that he has reviewed the proposed landscape plans and that they are providing landscaping in conformance with the landscape standards and are proposing additional landscaping along the two street frontages and southwest property line adjacent to the residences. 

 

Moved by Yoerg, seconded by Mailloux to recommend approval of the final development plans for the Hudson Ice Center addition with the community development review of the landscape plans for conformance with landscape regulations, that plans be amended per the city engineer’s comments and that a letter of credit be provided, in the amount of $10,125 to assure the restoration of street, curb and gutter and boulevard improvements and city inspections.  Motion carried.

 

Final development plans, M&I Bank, bank and office facility, 2417 Monetary Boulevard, lot 7 Hanley Office Park – Jim Zeller / Greystone Development.

Darnold noted that the engineering issue that remains is the abandonment of a set of existing water and sanitary sewer services and the abandonment, per city specifications, needs to be denoted on the development plans.  Also, the city engineer recommends that a letter of credit in the amount of $7,460 be required to assure the restoration of street curb and gutter and boulevard area and the payment of inspection fees.

 

 

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Mailloux asked if the landscape plan coordinated with the other plans abutting Hanley Road?   Darnold stated the plans do coordinate and are in compliance with the city’s landscape standards.

 

Moved by Caruso, seconded by Mailloux to recommend approval of the final development plans for M&I Bank facility at 2417 Monetary Boulevard with the condition that the plans be amended per the city engineer recommendations and that a letter of credit for the amount of $7,460 be provided to assure restoration of street, curb and gutter and boulevard and city inspection costs.  Motion carried.

 

Concept development plans, 65,000 sq. ft., industrial facility, 2701 Harvey Street, lot 4, St. Croix Business Park – Bond Pro / Scott Wang.  Scott Wang noted that they plan to relocate and expand their business in the St. Croix Business Park.  He stated that the business has expanded six times in recent years, and the proposed facility will address their continued expansion needs.  Tom Orderich, Cedar Falls Building Systems reviewed the building and site plans and the comments / recommendations received from the city engineer.  Orderich commented that they are agreeable to installing a fire hydrant near the back of the building to enhance fire suppression, but wants the hydrant to be a public hydrant.  Darnold commented that request would need to be reviewed by the Water Utility.   Orderich also commented on the fire access issue noting that he felt there is adequate room to maneuver fire trucks in the docking area in the back of the building.

 

Darnold expressed concern about the percentage of slopes of the dock and truck maneuvering area on the north or rear side of the building.  Orderich noted he felt the percentage of slope indicated on the plans was less than calculated by the city engineer.

 

Wang commented that an outdoor tank for the storage of hydrogen may be installed in the rear of the building or inside the building.  Darnold commented that if the tank is proposed outside of the building that the tank facility should be shown on the revised development plans for final plan review.

 

Moved by Caruso, seconded by Yoerg to approve the final development plans for Bond Pro, 2701 Harvey Street, lot 4 of the St. Croix Business Park with the condition that the plans are revised per the city engineer’s comments and that the fire department review the fire accessibility issue.  Motion carried.

 

Concept development plans, 12,050 sq. ft. facility for Hudson School of Gymnastics and Tae Kwondo, 2760 Enloe Street, westerly part of lot 15 of the St. Croix Business Park.  Mark Lewis, Cedar Falls Building Systems reviewed the site and building plans and commented on the recommendations forwarded from the city engineer.  Lewis noted that the building is proposed to be 12,000 sq. feet in area.  He explained that the fire

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inspector recommends that the building have a sprinkler system, if over 12,000 sq. ft., and they are reviewing the possibility of reducing the area of the building to less than 12,000 sq. ft. to avoid installing a sprinkler system. 

 

Caruso asked what are the building facade materials.  Lewis explained that it will be concrete walls, probably with a raked finish.  Breault asked if the proposed bans would be highlighted to bring additional interest to the building.  Lewis stated yes.  Lewis reviewed the comments from the city engineer regarding the entrance location asking if the entrance must be located across from the access to Woolford Engineering or located near the east property line.  Darnold commented that he felt the location near the east property line would be acceptable.

 

Moved by Yoerg, seconded by Koch to approve the concept development plans for the 12,000 sq. ft. School of Gymnastics and Tae Kwondo, 2760 Enloe Street with the condition that the plans be revised per the city engineer’s and fire inspector’s comments.  Motion carried. 

 

Concept development plans, office facility, 86 Coulee Road – Elliot Architects.

Todd Zwiefelhofer, Elliot Architects reviewed the building and site plans for the proposed two-story, 3,550 sq. ft. office facility.  Yoerg asked if the site would have multiple tenants.  Zwiefelhofer stated yes, probably with two offices on the main floor and one office on the upper level.  The basement will be used for storage for the tenants.  Yoerg asked if the initial proposal was a one-story facility.  Zwiefelhofer stated that he did not recall that the proposed facility reviewed at the time of rezoning was proposed as a one-story facility.  Yoerg questioned if the architecture proposed complimented the neighborhood in that the adjacent offices are more residential in appearance.  Caruso commented that the architecture proposed may be “too modern.”

 

Moved by Yoerg, seconded by Koch to approve the concept development plans for the Elliot Architects’ office facility, 86 Coulee Road, contingent on plans to be revised per the city engineer’s comments.  Motion carried.

 

Final development plans, St. Croix Business Center, 28,000 sq. ft. office and warehouse facility, 2001 O’Neil Road, lot 1, St. Croix Business Park – John Wold / St. Croix Business Center.  Todd Zwiefelhofer, Elliot Architects reviewed the plans for the 28,000 sq. ft. office and warehouse facility to be located on lot 1, St. Croix Business Park noting that they have reviewed the city engineer’s comments and agree to modify the plans per the engineer’s recommendations.  Darnold commented that the engineer’s comments include the developer providing a letter of credit for $7,750 to assure the restoration of street, curb and gutter and boulevard area and payment of associated inspection costs.

 

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Mailloux asked if the landscape plans were compliant with the city’s regulations.  Darnold answered yes.

 

Moved by Caruso, seconded by Yoerg to recommend approval of the final development plans for a 28,000 sq. ft. office and warehouse facility, lot 1, 2001 O’Neil Rd., lot 1 St. Croix Business Park per the city engineer’s recommendations and that a letter of credit in the amount of $7,750 be provided by the developer to assure the restoration of street, curb and gutter and boulevard area and city inspections.  Motion carried.

 

Concept development plans, office and apartment building, 720 Second Street – STS Properties.  Dennis Kroll, project architect reported that STS Properties propose to raze the existing residence and construct a three floor office and apartment facility.  The lower two floors will be reserved for office use, and the third floor is proposed for one apartment unit.  Kroll noted that the access driveway is steep, but similar in grade to sections of Elm Street and Vine Street west of Second Street.  He commented that those streets must be maintained by the city of Hudson during the winter time.  Kroll explained that rain gardens will be located in the rear lot area and designed to manage the storm water through infiltration.

 

Darnold expressed concern about two issues; access and storm water management as the proposed driveway is only ten feet wide and not sufficient to allow a two way access.

Darnold commented that the rain gardens are a good idea, but it is not demonstrated that they will function to control the storm water within a ten year and 100 year storm event.

 

The plan commission expressed concern about the safety of the access and asked about the possibility of a joint access with Mr. Kroll’s property to the west or Nor Lake’s property to the north.  Springer noted that he had discussed that issue with Nor Lake in the past and that they were not receptive to a shared access.

 

Moved by Yoerg, seconded by Mailloux to postpone action on the concept development plans for STS Properties to allow more review of the access and storm water management issues.  Motion carried.

 

Final plat, Cottage Meadows, 15 residential lots, south of Tower Rd. and on both sides of STH 35 (extraterritorial subdivision review, Town of Troy) – Todd Bjerstedt.  Darnold noted that the plan commission had discussed this proposed subdivision earlier in the year and had concerns regarding the possible provision of sanitary sewer to the lots in the future.  Yoerg suggested that lots 8 – 11 should have a berm constructed in the rear yards to reduce the noise from STH 35.  Moved by Yoerg, seconded by Caruso to approve and recommend approval of the final plat of Cottage Meadows located in the Town of Troy as proposed by Todd Bjerstedt with the

 

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recommendation that a berm be developed in the rear yards of lots 8 – 11 to mitigate the highway traffic noise.  Motion carried.

 

Preliminary plat, Hudson Business Center, 13 commercial lots, east of USH 12 and north of I-94 (extraterritorial subdivision review, Town of Hudson) – Richmar Industries.  Darnold noted that the subdivision is located north of Exit 4 and east of USH12.  Darnold commented that the city engineer commented that the developer should consider a wider street section based on the amount of commercial traffic that will exist.

Moved by Yoerg, seconded by Caruso to approve the preliminary plat of the Hudson Business Center with the developer to review the street section to accommodate commercial traffic and provide a berm / screening on the north side of the subdivision to provide a buffer between the commercial and residential properties.  Motion carried.

 

Comprehensive plan update, projected schedule – Community Development Director.  Darnold presented a tentative schedule to complete the comprehensive plan by the end of 2006.  Darnold explained this will be subject to retaining a planning consultant to assist in the preparation of the plan.  Darnold suggested that the plan commission set aside one meeting per month to work on the comprehensive plan exclusively.

 

Other matters for discussion purposes only or placement on future agendas.  Darnold noted that he had forgotten to place the discussion of metal buildings on the agenda and stated it would be added to the next meeting’s agenda.

 

Yoerg commented on the public hearing for the amendment to the zoning ordinance regarding off-street parking.  Yoerg asked how the minimum number of off-street parking spaces could be added by a change of use before additional off-street parking spaces could be required, six, was derived .  Darnold commented that number was proposed by the Common Council with the provision proposed to avoid businesses from coming to the city to obtain a waiver for only a few spots.  Yoerg expressed concern on the accumulative effect.

 

Moved by Caruso, seconded by Mailloux to adjourn.  Motion carried.  8:10 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Dennis D. Darnold, Secretary