e e e e e e e e e e
e e e e e e e e e e I would like to call the meeting of the
Planning Commission to order Matt would you please take role uh commissioner Kip present commissioner Oaks present commissioner sigre present commissioner Kelly present next on the agenda is approval
of the minutes from the January 14 regular meeting um is there any discussion on the minutes if not is there a motion to approve I move to approve I will second
it all those in favor say I I all those opposed motion carries next on the agenda are public hearings there are no public hearings and then old business there are
no no old business I think I said that right anyway okay then next on the agenda is new business we are considering a final plat for Barker's ELP school edition submitted by the Stillwater area public schools
Independent School District 834 planning consultant Dan please present the details of this application thank you madam chair good evening Planning Commission members uh the applications that are before you are the next step in the process for the new
Elementary School uh you'll recall which was approved back in November of last year the city considered annexation petition a comprehensive plan Amendment zoning map Amendment and then specific to development of the site conditional use permit and two variances uh the
current application is for a final plat and with that goes a development contract this is really a nuts and bolts technical uh do the eyes cross the tees type action most ofi these don't even have these come before the Planning Commission and when they get to council uh they're typically a consent agenda
item there's not to be really much discussion about it because it's is everything in order and ready to move forward with the project so um just to review quickly we're talking about the 10 acre property located south of Fifth Avenue North adjacent to Barker Alps Park surrounded by the adjacent Anderson
property to the West on the state property and fire department to the north side of the property uh the school will obviously integrate with Barker's Alps Park as part of the site development what the final plat is is really the detail drawing of how the
property is being subdivided so it establishes the boundaries of the property down to aund of a foot uh and then provides for dedication of RightWay to Washington County for Fifth Avenue North provides for dedication of the drainage and utility easements at the
perimeter as part of this the developer is also required to extend utilities to the property and through the property to provide uh future connection to the Bay Haven development and they'll also be required to make dedication to uh the city for Park uh purposes that would be
in cash form uh versus land dedication for this application developers also in this case the school district required to enter into a development contract with the city this basically requires them to perform the public improvements that are included as part of their project
approvals that were uh given in November last year they're required to put up a Financial Security to ensure that those are completed in a timely manner uh and then the city through administrating the contract both from City staff as well as the Consulting engineer will provide inspection and observation of the
construction as it proceeds through the project there are a number of fees and charges that the developer pays to the city including those for utility area charges and those are set forth in the contract as well specific to the approvals from November are four easement agreements that are necessary
for the project uh that includes the school district's use of Barker's Alps Park both for off street parking as well as uh the use of the park facilities itself uh reciprocal easement for the shared use of the off street parking areas both on the school property and on
Barker's Al Park uh the emergency access drive that is around the back side of the the project uh needs to have an access easement over it so that the fire department can access that at all times and then there's storm water maintenance agreements necessary to maintain storm
water basins on the property as well as um other areas of the the Landscaping Etc so the site plan has been being worked on uh primarily with the city engineer uh with regards to construction plans and some details uh there are a
number of changes being made to the landscape plan as recommend mented by City staff to diversify the uh materials within the site some minor changes to the lighting plan to lower the uh intensity of the light make it a more natural warm color versus a true LED
white and then finalization of the construction plans for all the improvements uh the Middle St Croy watershed management organization approval also is uh being reviewed in in process so with that City staff is recommending approval of the final plat done consistency with the approv
preliminary plat and the other zoning approvals from November the final plat does comply with the subdivision ordinance the development contract which was drafted by the city attorney's office is to be approved in form and then uh the final numberers entered prior to consideration by the city
council our recommendation is subject to the 18 stipulations listed in our report to the Planning Commission right thank you uh at this time I would like to entertain discussion or questions from the Planning Commission on the final
plat does anyone have any questions for the school district or Dan is I just so why is it coming to the Planning Commission if we were not I mean approving a variance easement all
that that's because the Bayport subdivision ordinance has in the processing of a final plat that it still goes to the Planning Commission so we essentially have to follow the procedure set forth by the ordinance okay so we're we're not it's it's not a variance or anything
like that it's just part of this this process for this situation really just a technical analysis of by the engineer and planning and other City staff as to whether the final plat complies with the conditions of preliminary plat approval and requirements for final
plat and then the 18 items that um were talked about back in November all of those were addressed I know one was parking hand cap access all of that that's all been addressed with the city
and the um school yes it has been so there were actually 30 some conditions back in November okay um now we're down to 18 and a lot of those are mainly routine items that we just list as part for the course so that then they get incorporated into the development
contract for performance reasons okay any other questions okay I move to recommend to the city council to approve a final pla for Barker's ELP school edition submitted by the Stillwater Public Schools
Independent School District 834 subject to the findings of fact and conditions of approval recommended by staff do I have a second I second that motion all those in favor say I I all
those opposed motion carries all right uh next on the agenda is the open Forum the open forum is a portion of the meeting for the public to ask questions
or comment on subjects related to land use that are not part of the meeting agenda anyone wishing to comment shall State their name and street address for the record do we have anybody who wants to make a
comment sidewalks fth Avenue uh sorry uh you have to come up to the this Podium so please all spth 4283 McDonald drives to the water I'm is it's happy I'm just want to
you know we from I'm from the u United St Cy United Church where we sold the land to the school and it's kind of fun for us to see this whole thing proceed and it's uh I have a question though that I thought the planting commission should look at or someone should look at
is uh if you um look at this plot of the of the um um final plat it shows Prairie shows Prairie around the periphery and uh into the trees into the
and basically Prairie isn't really designed for Forest really it just it just it's a question that I've had and and um I don't know what the uh plan is
for Prairie I planted some prairies myself and you know prairies are basically grasses and Forbes and not a lot of trees or it's pretty much generally open um field areas and so it shows on the
Plaid the whole lot of prairie around the edges even into the forest so I just kind of don't understand that and um want just ask the Planning Commission look at that um my understanding from the last meeting
was you guys were going to cons the school district and the city were going to consult with the U ofm horiculture like the the people who know about plants and what as good as
that and N you were going to use native stuff and it was I mean it was changing the look of the landscape I thought or having it reviewed is that has that been done or is that are you working on that still with
hello my name is Greg bukal i'm the civil engineer for the project I'm not the landscape architect so I'll try to answer your question but uh yes they they did consult I believe with the University of Minnesota that memo or email that was sent around we've been working closely with the city staff too
to work through those issues I believe they're being addressed okay what do you have any input on that ma'am Madam commissioner yeah we definitely work with uh the school district and all the Consultants on to
make sure that the property is um properly located for pray restoration um we're kind of doing the same thing in Barker's apps currently where um we're trying to turn it back to some Oak Savannah so um if that's what
has to get incorporated into the tree area potentially um that's always a possibility too so Madam chair yes um so the area shown in green would be all the area that needs to be restored after grading of the site
um so that's where they're showing planting prairie grasses Etc all right well it seems like it's in hand to keep talking and making the decisions that are support of what we all want which is
kind of native plants and and Madam chair in anticipation of another question that may come from the audience um so it was discussed in part of the uh conditional use permit approval sidewalk along Fifth Avenue North uh the city's intent is to pursue
a safe routes to school project moving forward um so that we can receive state money for that effort uh and construct the sidewalk connection to the school separate in the school project itself are you looking at putting um sidewalks
on Second Avenue as well which is where the walking path to Barker's Els connects there's no sidewalks there Madam commissioner I can I can answer that one at at this time there are currently no plans for sidewalks there
we would um probably look at that when a street project would be um Incorporated there um I did talk to a couple of residents there who indicated that um that they didn't think sidewalks were needed there
so so some of it will may depend on once there's the actual walking traffic going to and from the school what is needed yeah I think uh once we learn where people tend to go and different stuff like that right um a couple of those
people can probably walk right across their backyards to the school potentially um how many people will access it on Second Street there where it enters um the park that'll be interesting to know um and how many
actually go on Fifth Avenue but yes um the city has submitted as far as Fifth Avenue is concerned um we have submitted the um Grant application for um safe routs to school we should know in uh
April I believe so really anybody from right here who lives in this area including myself and Aon I'm close now oh you are so you might go but everybody who lives right around here would go up Second
Avenue so but it's that's going to be seasonal and I don't know but yep so it it's it's not in the works for anything but I mean you have it as like this is going to be once it gets going we're
watching it or what for safety and for Madam commissioner um the intent is whether we get the safe roads to scho project um Grant or not Fifth Avenue would definitely be a priority right um immediately as far as the other ones um
I think we would fall back on what the demand is for those areas in what we're seeing as far as participation and walking and stuff like that currently I believe we have 40 what do you think Mark is it 40 students who walk to
school was that the number oh right somewhere in there so whether that increases or decreases depending on you know where the school is located it will be interesting to know thank you Dan uh I just want to give anyone else
in the audience uh if you want to come up and ask a question please state your name and street address for the record please uh Mark pelleter we own property at 817 fth Avenue and who's going to pay
for the sidewalk are we going to be assessed who's going to maintain it yeah Mark I can answer those questions so obviously with the safe routs to school Grant the intent would be to have the entire construction amount paid for by um State money um and
then any of the uh um design costs like that would be um paid for by the city essentially the taxpayer but um no assessments at this point are being considered um as far as maintenance
technically any sidewalk in front of a property is the uh um the property owner is required to Main maintain it as far as snow shoveling things like that okay and so when the county comes by three times we
going to have to maintain it three times that's probably open to discussion and the city council I know we walk here and there's many sidewalks that are not shoveled I agree with you yep I will tell you being on the corner right by
the school we have to shovel two to three times each snow fall because of the snow plow coming past so I'm very familiar with question is how many times are we going to have to shovel it if if it's our
responsibility if the count if we do it before the county comes or after their first pass and they come by two more times we have to shovel it two more times I think you are going to have to decide that for yourself I will tell you that we shovel
the sidewalk part that's on our property that's fine how many times you said you do it three times two or three two or three depending on the all right sometimes we wait till the second pass have to do it but I I I know what you're
where you just want to figure it out yeah well once the sidewalk place we talked to Matt and one thing Mark with with the one on Fifth Avenue I think we will try or do our best to keep it as far off of Fifth Avenue as possible so
that when the county is coming through that it it's farther back so that there's more snow storage in that uh median area yeah we talked us 5 ft yeah yeah okay we're just wondering out yeah I mean if if we don't do it three times
are we going to get fine for that or I doubt it pardon I doubt it okay all right are there any other questions or comments on any subjects
related to land use that are not part of this meeting hi state your name and address please C price 923 Second Avenue I'm at the end of Second Avenue right by the park couple things I want to bring up um
the Second Avenue that would uh the sidewalk talk there is drainage that they put in when they redid the road because of uh on the North and the South side of the road um you know for sidewalks you know that really wouldn't
be content you know very good for putting a sidewalking because of the drainage ditches um the one thing uh that I want to bring up too is runoff from I know I've seen you walk through the park lot
of uh people have that I've talked to have really been taken back with uh what they've been doing out in the park you know it's just drastic tree cutting down up uh in the park a lot of the stuff is evasive I understand that to take that down is is good I wish they would take
all the cotton Woods down and get rid of all that fuzz and stuff but uh I understand you know they took down a lot of pine trees that were up there that were planted um my big concern is that where does the taking of the park and
you know the park was set aside to stay the way it was back in 1985 when the school goes in what's stopping them from well we need this we need that to make the school or you know for the school purposes making the park
smaller and smaller um well uh the school is being built on private land I understand that but so um I would think and Matt or Dan can correct me but that any change they want
to make to the park would have to come through the Planning Commission and the city council right because it would be wanting to make a change on city land yeah but you know once school's built
there and it's adjacent to the the park you know what's the best you know route of you know the they're going to want to do something you know and that's a park you know the next thing it'll be hey let's put in a hockey rank or something
you know because that won't one won't be used you know and I I just have real concern about the park because I grew up in Bayport I live there yeah it's in my backyard so I have a vested interest but get a lot of people that live in Bayport that walk by
and what are they doing to our Park you know so Matt could you I don't am not familiar with the um tree work there that is has happened or is happening in the park could you yeah Madam Comm that
uh those concerns were definitely brought up the last couple of uh City Council meetings so um attending those would definitely be um if you want to stay informed um but as far as what they're doing to the current Park um
it's essentially turning it back to Oak Savannah what it was at one time right so that includes removal of Buckthorn a significant amount of removal of Buckthorn uh removal of non-native species um and then yes removal of pine
trees um then when they come back um the next year or this spring or this summer um they will be seeding um for Native grasses um which will definitely help with infiltration in there rather than having it run off
um buckthorne is notorious to for killing just about everything under the canopy and actually causing erosion problems so um we have a actual a local um landscape contractor who does this
work um significantly around the metro area um he actually lives up by the park um on Fifth Avenue Fifth Avenue Fifth Street one of those two um so he's very invested in this project so and this
came about all this stuff was because you got a grant or because you went to like who decided we're doing this yeah the possibility for Grant work with that was related to I believe buckthorne
removal specifically um allowed us to to do this process and all of these detail like the pine trees whatever had to get approved by all of that was in the detailed plan that was approved by the city council yep but not like a
um State Park and recck Sport you know what I mean like somebody besides the C I mean the city council can say take down all these trees but was it like okay these are invasive we have to take those from like a horiculture person I guess is what I'm
saying yeah the landscape architect here or not architect but the landscape uh person helped us with it and so did um uh who was instrumental and it Washington County has done this in a couple of spots um down in Cottage Grove
and it's Ravine National par or Ravine park down there something like that um so we definitely worked with them on what we wanted to include in the proposal and then what was the what is the end result on like what he was
talking about how how do we as a city protect what is there now from the school coming in and oh we need a another baseball field yeah Madam commissioner that that that was
discussed in detail um at quite a few meetings um essentially any change in use any change or proposal from the school would have to come back to to the Planning Commission and the city council for
approval so the the one baseball field has been built up and that's by St Cy prep they got a grant in the city of H Council agreed to let them like make it nicer
and whatever fences and the yeah I wasn't just saying I was just using baseball stuff like what that's it's already happened in the past that Y and I didn't want to I just wanted to come back up and just say it's kind of
to different subjects the one subject is the park cutting down the trees that's that's one thing but the question that I you know it just had to bring up because of the you know it's very shocking when you go up there and I give you you know
that is exactly what it needed is a good cleanup but it's very drastic you know even with the pine tree is coming down but the thing that that I wanted to press was you know the it's pretty hard to say no once everything gets rolling
that okay well we want to put a hockey rank in well sure the schools right there you know so then it you know it's pretty hard to say no you know so but we still have the ability to say no and that's that's why we're here for che
balances and right right yep but it just uh you know when this I I actually this was part of a a meeting that I went to when I was in grade school right across the street in ' 85 that when I watched
this all happen that it was set aside to be a park and now it's going through the rules you know and it's going to become we have no say because it is in private it is owned by private they they bought the land next to it but they they could
have also the city could have also o said we're not going to allow you to have what they're doing you know approving the deviation of letting them have the the parking lot too but you know it's the best would we want the
school in the park no it's so don't really have much to say when they they bought it from private seller but I and it looks like you're on the same page too is just you know it's just i' rather give them as as little as they need
Madam chair it's quite simple the property is the city's property city has the right to decide what happens on that property before this got anywhere there was negotiation between the city and the school district as to the memorandum of understanding as to the extent the city
was willing to share use of Barker's elves Park nothing is going to happen on the city's property unless the city council decides as such if they do proceed to make other improvements that is when it would need to come back through the planning Comm Mission and city council it would be no different
than for example the school district going to commissioner Kelly and saying your house is on Fifth Avenue we're going to build ocky rink on your lot it's private piece of property city has absolute right to say no but he is just saying how do we stop it from
snowballing into their taking over the whole park saying no that's not that's not an issue for discussion this evening and it's not really an issue for the Planning Commission it's when it City Council issue in the future and it's not on the table now because the Council
made very clear the extent to which they were willing to share access to Barker Els park I think it's being a citizen and paying attention and coming and making your voice heard when things come up absolutely you bet and I can be
drowned out by somebody you know like you know yes you you're correct I'm I'm just voicing my yeah which yeah anyone else have any questions or comments on subjects related to land
use okay then that concludes the business on tonight's agenda do I hear a motion to adjourn the meeting I motion to adjourn the meeting I second the motion all those in favor I all those
opposed motion Carri carried carries the meeting is adjourned thank you thank you e