screens don't work. So, we're going to do this the oldfashioned way. We don't have all the old fashion that we used to have like maps displays. >> So, you're going to have to listen to me. I would try to use a louder voice.
I don't know if you can hear me now. I feel like I'm yelling. >> Okay. I will try to yell so you can hear. >> All right. >> You guys are gonna have to let me know if my phone is loud enough. Sean is
absent. So I'm Sean. Um I'm Liz Foster. I be the vice chair for another two years and then I'm done. Mental note. Um, I'm just going to do a quick roll call um to help Jen since she
is a little uh sideways on a few things right now. Eric M. >> Nancy is absent. Liz is here. Andrew Gay >> here. >> John Carlson is absent. Jenna >> here. >> Chris Nord.
>> Kelsey Momes absent. And Dan Joseph >> here. We have identified our roll call. We have four present. Um so we will call this commission meeting to order at 5:31
on Thursday, April 23rd. Um just to inform everyone and hopefully you can hear me, the commission and those in attendance, um that item considered today meeting would also be addressed on Monday. Make sure I have
the dates right guys. May 11th for the community development meeting followed by the city council meeting on Tuesday, May 12th. Did I have that correct? >> Correct. >> Thank you. Okay. So, our first order of business is the approval of the minutes.
So, I'm going to make the call for the approval of the minutes. >> I'll make that motion. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion on the minutes? All in favor say I.
>> I. >> Motion carries. Okay. So, our next item on the agenda is our public hearing section. Um, members of the commission and the public will be open to a public hearing to give consideration to the items presented. Our community
development director, Larry Reman, will present the consideration. Follow the comm Following the commission may ask questions of staff. Then following that, the owner present and following that the public may speak. We
ask that attendees come to the podium especially tonight and speak their full name and address for the public record. We also limit comments if possible to three minutes. After this the hearing will be closed and the commission will
act upon the request at hand. Okay. So given consideration, our first item of public hearing tonight is to give consideration to amended variance which allowed 343
parking spaces instead of the required 48 spaces and a waiver and this is a mouthful a waiver of payment in lie of spaces to remove two conditions related
to the 048 acre lot at 1300 1317 West Highway 10 at 1305 West Highway 10, Two Bulldogs LLC.
So now I'll have Larry introduce the project. >> Okay, first thing I want to say is my new title as community development director is planning and zoning director. >> Thank you very much, Larry. With that, the Boys and Girls Club
thrift store was granted an amended variance back in 2021 to allow 343 parking spaces instead of 48 spaces. The planning commission I think wisely granted that variance
because we're trying to redevelop a big box store and I think this was a good way to do it. They got split off that grocery store and Then there was this track next to the bank which American
National Bank purchased in order to do an addition to their bank and have this for their parking. No longer planning to do that and so now we're looking at an allow space to be sold
coffee shop there and parking requirements on that site. So there's request to change a couple of the conditions that were on the original variance.
Condition three would be eliminated. Conditions three and four. Number three was addition additional 34 parking spaces be provided with American National Construction addition
or before September 14th, 2026. And number four was that the green space beared to the area where the mature evergreens are located. Those two conditions will be eliminated under this request. So the prop
conditions three and four to allow this 48 acre track to be sold as a stand consideration should be given to the following findings of fact. First, the variance is in harmony with with the purpose and intent of the ordinance.
Property is currently retail use. Also, the existing parking spaces will meet the parking needs of the business to be served. Number two, the variance is consistent. proposal puts the property to use in a
reasonable manner as the existing park space the needs of the existing businesses there are circumstances property this is the redevelopment of the big box retail property requirements
for the area. And just as an aside, we have a group of planning commissioners that's looking at amending the zoning ordations to reduce the number of categories and also to reduce.
And finally number five will maintain the essential charact. discussion then on expanding that to at least have a third lane for people going west to turn left so it's not stopping traffic so it's already terrible as it
is then adding in another >> we did have the city engineer take a look at that and we did not recommend that but we did recommend that be done at that entrance so that people know where they're supposed to be
discussed currently with the new scooters. >> Yes. >> Yeah. Good to see you all again. I'm Scott Walls with Middleland Surveying here here on behalf of Two Bulldogs LLC. Ben and Sarah are here also the owners of Two Bull Logs LLC. Um the bank they
is looking to sell this piece of property and they asked that uh Ben and Sarah do the work for getting to be its standalone track right now as when the sale was done from um 50 Investments to the bank. it was done so that be
attached to the bank property because the bank was going to expand and put a drive-thru in and all that and now the bank has decided they're not going to do that and so they'd like to sell it as a standalone tract. Um and with that one, we've already submitted the work for the the lot to be subdivided as a standalone
track, but then also to eliminate this from the variant, the parking variance um in 2021 that showed uh as part of this the thrift store owned all this whole area, the their building, the current Aldi's building, and the current proposed or the current Snap Fitness
building. They sold off the Aldi's piece. They sold off the SNAP piece and SNAP sold um that this green space to um to the bank. So that's why they're here. Um and I think it's been demonstrated over the last 5 years none of the
parking improvements have been done since uh since the variance was granted in 2021. And I uh to my knowledge there's no parking issues out there at all. Um the owner from Snap Fitness is here. I guess if he if he sees there's a parking issue on his property, he can speak to that. But the Boys and Girls
Club doesn't have any issue with having enough parking for their facility. Um so they're asking that this be released um from their property. It is part of when the property was deed to American National Bank, it came with the this cross easement that allowed for access
um over the Boys and Girls Club property and then a cross easement that they all could share each other's parking spaces and stuff. So, their access they do have um in their deed deed access to come in um on the Boys and Girls Club property just to the east of the bank there. So, with that, I guess if you have any
questions, I'd be happy to answer them. >> I have a quick question, Scott. There's no intention of putting up any barriers to the east of the proposed parking area. Correct. Is there any plans for green space? Is
there any plans for um curbing, nothing like that. It's all going to be open up to that area. Correct. >> To to this to what's going to be the scooters. >> Yeah. >> No, they will have their own curbing. They try it's it's a drive-thru only
coffee shop. It doesn't have any seating in it. Um so it would have its own they're going to make their own entrance into it. Um do the drive-thru exit. So they'll be they'll have to meet the the city's parking requirements which does require a certain percentage of green
space interior to it and it does have some green space on the plan. Yes. >> And it did look like Larry said that this is done. >> No. Um >> for this business.
>> Got it. Thank you. that was the variance was that they were going to make 34 more spaces on this particular piece of property and that's what we're asking is to be released from that 34. um their business I think will be required seven parking spaces for a drive-through business and their site plan will will
meet the city's ordinance if this is approved >> with the green space being utilized can that not then leave the pine trees that are there >> right where they're going to be entering the property is right where those pine trees are yes so no they would they
would have to But it does look like it's developing other space. >> Yes. >> Uh now I guess >> trees and grass. >> Trees and grass. >> Right. Did you wish to comment?
>> Um, if you guys have the packet, I don't know if everyone has this. >> So, in the packet, there's a drawing of what the facility would look like on the lot. So, yeah, this as Eric was getting to this, we're not asking for approval of
their site plan at we're just can this be released and be a standalone parcel. >> Okay. Any other comments or questions for All right. Any other public comments? >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Robert Strand. I own uh 1315
Highway 10 West. Um try to make this quick. Back in 2021 when I bought the property, I own that green space. Um, at the time I was told that that had to be a parking lot where everybody was granted easement. So that's where all the overflow parking would go. Um, that
was the condition that was put on it at that time. Um, I backed out of the deal um cuz I wasn't going to put in a parking lot that I didn't need cuz I had adequate parking for what I had at the time. Um, that being said, uh, the bank
approached me and said, "No, we'll buy that from you because we need to expand." Um, you know, and the big thing is the parking requirement. The parking requirement. Um, so I sold that half acre to the bank.
Um, so here we are. I'm not opposed to businesses coming in the town at all. I just think that if we're going to switch the conditions um of that piece of property that none of us will have access to anymore because we lose our
easement to that parking spot. um if my business expands, I can't use that as overflow parking anymore. Uh which was a condition that I had when I bought the property that that was available to us cuz we all had granted easement to that. Um
on that frontage road, we have a camera, the police department has a camera that points into the east entrance to Walmart. On a daily basis, there's 7,700 cars that go through that east entrance. That's not including the cars that are
going to uh pro resources, the strip mall, um all these, the Boys and Girls Club, the gym, the bank, uh the other strip mall on the corner, the other credit union, the car wash, Menard's Weber.
So, traffic there is is uh heavy. Um, I guess I would recommend that if they're going to switch this and grant this property be built that access to that back lot be through the driveway,
the west driveway to the bank. They should they're the ones that are going to benefit from this. Um, we shouldn't the other business owners shouldn't absorb uh the congestion and the backups, the potential of the backups. We shouldn't have that burden. That should be on them. they're the ones
coming here asking for the variance to add on or to sell that property outright. Um, so I think if they reconfigure it where it's even if it's one way in, they enter from off the frontage road and they can
exit and make it a oneway out. But if we bottleneck that up, um, all these is going to be affected. I'm going to be affected. The Boys and Girls Club is going to be affected. There's semis that come in uh to do drop offs for the Boys and Girls Club. There's people that pull
trailers in uh to do donations for the Boys and Girls Club. Um I'm not opposed. I just wish that they would reconfigure this so we don't have to bear the burden of the additional traffic in our main entrance.
>> I'm going to ask you question. So when they come off roads like to come in on the west side of the property, go through the drive and out on the existing east side. >> Correct. Am
>> I correct? >> It's designed for them to come in and exit. >> Enter the same And there's not a lot of space from where they're proposing their entrance
and exit is to the frontage road. If they reconfigure that, they can stack up along the west side of the bank. >> What's that? >> The drive-thru. They could probably extend their queue too to more than 10 cars
which will eliminate any backup potential backup. >> Any other comments? >> That's all I got. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Um any other public comments?
Uh, good evening. My name is Ben. Um, regarding the backup, we have a 10 car stack in here. I don't know if you guys can see that. So, coming in, we can hold 10 cars on the property. So, um, if we have more than 10 cars on the property,
we're not doing our job. Uh, the goal for scooters is 2 and a half minutes through. So, um, by the time they order and the time they're gone should be less than two and a half minutes. So, our goal would be never to have, and I'm not up here to say it's never going to
happen because it potentially could. Um, but more than likely we shouldn't have more than 10 cars in a line. Uh if you guys have been to Caribou here, um that can be a disaster over there. And that's kind of what we're trying to prevent here is have it on our own property and not spilling out into um there's an
easement. Uh I don't know if you guys know that there's an easement that runs through there. That's kind of why we have the building twisted the way we do. Um if we twisted it the way Robert would like us to do it, uh we're going to impede the parking lot for the bank. Um,
so just looking at this, uh, I understand his concerns, too, and we've talked to Boys and Girls Club on this as well. Um, to try to be neighborly. I probably should have picked up the phone probably prior to Robert. I didn't know he owned that property back there. But,
um, that that is not our goal is to impede any traffic in this area. So, um, it's kind of what the reasoning. The building's rotated the way it is just due to the easement. And there's no easement currently through the bank. Well, there is an easement through the
bank currently too, the way I understand it. So, any other questions you guys have in regards to layout of it currently? I I just uh he brought up Caribou and I did some measuring on Caribou. Um from
their um ordering all the way back out to get to Home Street there. It 14 cars could fit before you'd be spilling out to Home Street. And I don't think it's ever even come close to >> to getting out to Home Street that they've had 14
>> a lot. I have come up to it and you just drive by they're all the way back to Is that all from Caribou? It's nothing to do with Miguel's or anything else that it's all >> down aisle. >> Okay.
So, anyhow, um they can fit 10 cars on site to get all the way out to where it cause congestion on the on the to the frontage road. It they'd need 18 cars to get out to there. Just just to give you some numbers and perspective to to >> Caribou,
you mentioned rotating the way Would you be able to plan your parking spots then with the bank? >> Um, I guess we haven't talked to them about that, but the concern is the bank has talked about selling. So, I don't
know what would go there and then that may change things again at a later point. So, >> there is no property on property. There might be through the bank. I'd
have to talk to the bank if that actually is there in place. Currently, I know there's one we had a lawyer look at the easement that runs back through to allow access to Robert's building and the Boys and Girls Club. So, there's an
easement through there. I would point out that they come in right on the access issues. >> I would also at this point just point out that you're not approving a site plan. You're not designing their project. Your job is to decide whether
or not they meet the requirements of the ordinance or the requirements to get a variance, not whether or not their site project looks good, whether or not you like it, um, or whether or not it it uh is the way the choice you would use. So,
just keep that in mind. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Any other comments? >> Okay. >> Thank you. I will move close the public hearing and look at the commission as far as
consideration for the variance that's in front of us. Does anybody have any additional questions after conference? Not that second.
>> Second. Last call for discussion hearing. None. I'll call for a motion to approve. Say >> I. I. >> I. >> A. Andrew,
right? What I heard were correct. Okay, here we go. Items. All right, we are on to our next public hearing consideration.
This open the public hearing at 5:55 to give consideration to amending the subdivision ordinance of the city relative to >> so the city council has entered into a
joint powers agreement with township to exercise it subdivision authority in certain designated areas of the township. This was done because the township and the city both wanted to
join planning which the city has in order to do that so that we can address that in order to make this work well. We felt it would be good to revise jurisdiction
that city attorney's office has include this langage at the beginning of the secondary adoption by the town of Lakeance. goes on to say these regulations. So that's the kind of information
Okay. >> There's not really any negative impact. We would still The joint powers just clarify this agreement between Just
my head. This is just kind of like a couple years ago. We lost control of that as well. Well, in Lakeville because they obviously signed that
people. >> That sounds idea. There's a good reason why people are interested in Lake Township of Lakeot. I would just make a motion to
the ordinance because a lake township already makes sense to just recognize that the
motion next. >> Okay. So, I will any other comments hearing none. public hearing and at this point in time I'll either call for a motion or further discussion. I'll make motion to approve the
amendment as presented here. Do we have a second? Second. All in favor say I. >> Opposed.
Motion carries. All right. Last item on the agenda. I only have one other comment. We need to update our website. >> She doesn't have access to it. So we are relying on others.
>> I'm actually so anything else.