PLAN COMMISSION

April 8, 2004                                                                          

 

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

 

Others present:  Mary Ashbach, Matt Frisbie, Charles Rothstein, Alex Young, Rodney Bahr, Dennis Safe, Joe Krengel, Norm Cole, Eric Rolland, Bill Webber, Dick Clark, Denny Darnold and others.

 

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

 

Moved by Koch, seconded by Mailloux to approve the meeting minutes of 3/25/04.  Motion carried.

 

Public hearing – Application for conditional use permit for seasonal garden center at 1400 Gateway Blvd. (Menard’s parking lot) – Hermes Floral Company, Inc.  Breault called the hearing to order.  Breault asked if there were any comments from the audience.  No comments were received.  Moved by Yoerg, seconded by Caruso to close the public hearing.  Motion carried.

 

Public hearing – Application for conditional use permit for 41 unit elderly assisted living (community based residential facility), west of Heggen St. and Hosford St. intersection – Comforts of Homes Assisted Living.  Breault called the hearing to order and asked if there were any comments from the audience.  Bill Webber expressed concern about the trees located between the street and the west facing slope being removed to accommodate the building site.  He also expressed concern about the additional storm water that may be generated due to the project as the storm water level has reached levels above the 100 year flood elevation for the storm water pond south of Crest View Drive and west of Heggen St.  No other comments were received.  Moved by Caruso, seconded by Gilbert to close the public hearing.  Motion carried.

 

Conditional use permit, seasonal sales area, 1400 Gateway Blvd. (Menard’s parking lot) – Hermes Floral Company, Inc.  Darnold commented that the enclosed greenhouse (designated as ‘hoop house’ on the plans) may create concerns for cars exiting the parking lane moving north and having their vision blocked looking to the right for traffic within the parking lot maneuvering lanes.  Darnold suggested moving the structure 15 feet to the south or moving the structure to the east side of the designated area of the garden center.  Darnold asked if the garden center is proposed for more than one year.  Mary Ashbach noted that the current agreement with Menard, Inc. is for one year and may be extended. 

 

 

 

 

 

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Moved by Yoerg, seconded by Caruso to recommend approval of the conditional use permit for the seasonal garden center by Hermes Floral Company with the following conditions:

a)      The greenhouse (hoop house) be relocated 15 feet to the south or moved to the east side of the proposed seasonal sales area.

b)      Application will be reviewed in three years (2007).

c)      The permit is restricted each year for the period of April 1 to July 15.

Motion carried.

 

Conditional use permit, 41 unit senior assisted living residential development (community based residential facility), west of intersection of Heggen St. and Hosford St. - Comforts of Home Assisted Living.  Chuck Rothstein, Comforts of Home Assisted Living, Inc., stated they have residences in Baldwin, St. Croix Falls and Chippewa Falls.  Rothstein noted that this is a 24 hour care facility with three employee shifts ranging from three to five persons per shift.  Currently there are no community based residential facilities (CBRF) of this type in the Hudson community.  Don Gilbert asked if this residence is intended to be occupied exclusively by the elderly.  Rothstein noted that although persons of age 50 years and over are eligible most of the residents are in the range of 70 to 80 years old. 

 

Bill Webber stated that he had understood that the city had restricted cutting of the trees on the site.  Darnold explained that a plan for nine townhomes had previously been approved with the trees to be removed to allow placement of the building on the flat area at the northeast part of the site and that the trees on the west facing slope will remain.  Rothstein stated that it is in their interest in saving as many trees on the site as possible to provide a pleasing atmosphere for the residents.  Webber noted that if he had known that there was consideration of a project on the site previously that considered removing trees he would have objected.  Darnold commented that some trees must be removed to accommodate development of the site.  Darnold also commented that the previous review of the nine-unit townhome project by the plan commission required additional trees to be planted on the north side of the building and that trees on the west side of the proposed building would not be removed.  Bieraugel commented that the proposed silver maple trees proposed along the east property line be replaced with a different species.

 

Yoerg asked about the accessibility to Heggen St. for senior citizens that may live at or come to visit the residence.  Yoerg suggested that many of the persons accessing the site will be elderly and that the Heggen St. access be designed to make turns into and out of the development as easy as possible. 

 

 

 

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April 8, 2004

 

Dick Clark asked about the materials that will be used for the building.  Matt Frisbie, project engineer, stated that the building will be 1 ½ stories, hardy plank siding with earth tone colors and have asphalt shingles.  Retaining walls will be built using natural stone Frisbie explained.  Lighting on the west side of the building will be limited to the required exit lighting at the back access, and the parking lot is proposed to have only one light.  Frisbie stated that the project, if approved, is scheduled to begin in July or August and open in early 2005.

 

Yoerg reiterated that the city engineer needs to review the site access to accommodate senior citizens. 

 

Moved by Gilbert, seconded by Caruso to recommend approval of the conditional use permit and concept development plans for the 41 unit senior assisted living residence (community based residential facility) with the following conditions:

a)      Approval of the final development plans with incorporation of city engineer and fire department recommendations.

b)      City engineer review of access.

Motion carried.

 

Koch reiterated that the number of trees removed to accommodate the building should be kept to a minimum.

 

Final development plans, Hudson Crossing Professional Building, 28,418 sq. ft. office facility, Hudson Crossing commercial development, southeast quadrant of Hanley Rd. and Carmichael Rd. – MSP Commercial (Carmichael Professional Building, LLC).  Alex Young, representing MSP Commercial, reviewed the general location, site plans and building plans with the plan commission.  Darnold stated that he had visited with the project engineer regarding amendment to plans per the city engineer and fire department comments and that the plans have been revised, but not re-reviewed by the city engineer. 

 

Moved by Caruso, seconded by Mailloux to recommend approval of the final development plans for the 28,418 sq. ft. office building as proposed by MSP Commercial with the condition that the plans be revised to address the concerns expressed by the city engineer and fire department prior to issuance of a building permit.  Motion carried.

 

Concept development plans, 80 unit multiple family residential development, Red Cedar Canyon Condominiums, north of Hanley Rd. and east of O’Neil Rd. – Klingelhutz Companies.  Dennis Safe, representing First Financial Capital and speaking in behalf of the Klingelhutz Companies, introduced project architect Norman Cole to review the project.  Cole stated that 80 total units are proposed comprised of two, 40 unit structures.  Each building will have 50 underground parking spaces.  Cole noted that in discussions with Hans Hagen Homes the berms that exist on the site will remain with

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some modification of the west or south side of the berms to allow for the fire lane and above ground off-street parking.  A storm water pond will is proposed on the southwest corner of the site.  Breault asked about connecting the proposed walkways with the pathway system developed by Hans Hagen Homes.  Cole stated the connections are proposed and would be made.

 

Neighbors from Red Cedar Canyon asked if access from this proposed development is limited to only Hanley Rd. and O’Neil Rd.  Darnold stated that is correct, that there is no direct access proposed to West Canyon Drive. 

 

Breault asked what the sale price of a unit will be.  Joe Krengel noted that is still being reviewed, but approximately $160,000 to $250,000, with an average of less than $200,000 per unit.  Krengel commented that most of the units they have marketed similar to this project have been purchased by empty nesters and young professionals.

 

Moved by Yoerg, seconded by Gilbert to approve the concept development plans for an 80 unit multiple family residential development north of Hanley Rd. and east of O’Neil Rd. as proposed by Klingelhutz Companies with the condition that the plans be amended per the city engineer’s recommendations.  Motion carried.

 

Final plat, 37 one-family lots, Sunset View Development, part of Section 8, Town of Troy (extraterritorial subdivision review) – B&L Development.  Darnold stated that the proposed subdivision is located near the south end of the city’s extraterritorial subdivision review area.  The lots range from one to over seven acres in area.  Minimum lot size is one acre with an average lot area of two acres.  Moved by Yoerg, seconded by Bieraugel to approve the final plat of Sunset View Development as proposed by B&L Development and located in the Town of Troy (extraterritorial subdivision review).  Motion carried.

 

Certified survey map, three industrial lots, Lot 12, St. Croix Business Park – Nancy Lawton-Shirley.  Darnold stated this proposed subdivision was reviewed with the concept plans for the Special Children Center and Helmer Dance Studio building improvements on Lot 12 of the St. Croix Business Park.  Gilbert questioned why the forty foot area is necessary.  Darnold stated that allows the lots to have street frontage as required.  Lots 1 and 2 will be developed with one shared driveway.  In the future, the lots could have individual driveways if desired by the property owners.

 

Moved by Bieraugel, seconded by Caruso to approve and recommend approval to the Common Council of the three lot certified survey map as proposed by Nancy Lawton-Shirley subdividing Lot 12 of the St. Croix Business Park.  Motion carried.    

 

 

 

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April 8, 2004

 

Discussion of office classification for west of Coulee Rd. / Colonial Drive intersection – Eric Rolland.  Darnold stated that Eric Rolland had requested the city consider changing the land use classification of his property abutting Coulee Rd. from residential to office to allow office development similar to the existing Hopkins Insurance office or the proposed office on the Voth property (former Karras property).  Darnold commented that he has been working with the WisDNR and plan groups for several years to achieve flexibility in zoning considerations in the riverway district.  Breault asked that more information about the proposed office development be submitted.  No action taken.

 

Downtown parking – Plan Commission.  Breault commented that parking continues to be a concern expressed by downtown businesses.  Yoerg stated that signage directing traffic to and identifying public parking lots needs to be enhanced.  He opined that the lack of public parking comes at a few peak periods during the weekends and that needs to be addressed.  Yoerg expressed concern about the proposed public parking on the west side of First St. and the impact that may have on Lakefront Park; he noted he is opposed to the proposed plan. 

 

Caruso reiterated that to improve the parking environment in the downtown area the city needs to address the signage and to review and identify additional lots that may be available for development of parking lots.

 

Breault commented that the Chamber of Commerce parking committee has been able to address some short term concerns such as removing meters where possible, improving security lighting, providing additional spaces and signage, and development of parking information.   Gilbert suggested that better signage at each individual lot should show where that parking lot is relative to the other parking lots in the downtown area as well as the specific parking restrictions for that lot.

 

No action was taken.

 

Tree preservation ordinance – Plan Commission.  Discussion concentrated on what information was necessary to address the preservation of trees and to try to keep the ordinance easy to understand.  Koch suggested that a tree inventory is necessary to identify trees that will be removed and more importantly trees that will be retained.  Bieraugel suggested identifying an area including the area(s) proposed for disturbance by the development and to inventory trees within a designated distance of that development area and no other trees can be disturbed.  Mailloux questioned how many times this type of ordinance would have assisted in saving trees.  Darnold commented that it probably would have been a good resource twice in the past two years.  No action taken.

 

Darnold noted the plan commission meetings remaining for April / May will be scheduled for April 22, May 13 and May 27, 2004. Yoerg asked that the plan

 

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commission not have a meeting on May 27^th due to the proximity to the Memorial Day weekend.  Darnold stated he would monitor the plan review submittals and determine scheduling for the second meeting in May.

 

Moved by Yoerg, seconded by Caruso to adjourn.  Motion carried.  8:15 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Dennis D. Darnold, Secretary