goes on sale. >> All right. We're going to start this uh meeting off uh planning and zoning commissioning meeting uh Monday, April 20th, 2026. It is now 700 p.m. Um let's go ahead and rise and do the pledge
pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
>> All right, we'll uh move on to roll call. >> Uh thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh Mike Harding >> here, >> Mike Conu >> here, >> Reagan Anderson >> here, >> Jeremy Briner >> here, >> council member Vika >> here, >> and uh Mr. Chair Tim Kesh is not here
tonight, but he did reach out and notify me that he would not be in attendance of this meeting. >> Okay. So, did everybody have a chance to uh review the agenda? >> Yep. >> Yep. >> Anything to add?
If not, I'm looking for uh a motion to approve it. >> Motion to approve. >> Motion by Mike Con. >> Second. >> Seconded by Mike Hardy. All in favor? >> I I oppose. No. All right. But the
approval of last last meeting minutes, right? >> Correct. >> So, everybody had a chance to review those last >> last month. Any ads, deletions? All right. Now, if none, uh, let's go
ahead and I'll I'll take a motion to approve it. >> Motion. >> Motion by Mike Harding. >> Second. >> Second by Reagan. I'll approve. I >> I >> un opposed carried forward. All right. So, public hearing uh public hearing for
ordinance 2026-341 and ordinance amending ordinance 2025-332 and ordinance amending city code 153.079 signs. >> Uh thank you, Mr. Chair, and good
evening planning and zoning commission. Uh, at the March 16th, 2026 meeting, the commission approved staff to schedule a public hearing for ordinance 2026-341, an ordinance amending Ordinance 2025 332, an ordinance
amending city code 153.079 signs. Staff issued the mandatory 10-day public hearing notification which was advertised in the Lawndale news review commencing April 7th, 2026. Uh, Mr. Mr. Chair, unfortunately, uh staff did not receive uh any public
comments at this time. Uh at the previous meeting, the uh the commission discussed and have recommended the following updates to city code 153.079 signs. Uh in your attachment with the staff report is a redline version of the
working ordinance. And I try to make this as simple as possible with page numbers. Uh meaning page four add standalone to the freestanding definition. Page 9 L5 delete any part of and insert
neighboring. Page 10 L7 delete freestanding sign shall not encroach into drainage or utility easements unless an easement agreement is approved by the city administrator. Page 10 L8. Delete building signs and
insert signs. Page 11, N1B, insert base to freestanding signs. Page 11, N D2, change one to two. Page
11, ND6, delete drive-thru restaurant menu signage shall be approved by the city by the city administrator. Page 12, delete. Uh there shall be only one sandwich board sign allowed per each entity.
And then page 12, change 6 to 8 square ft. Page 13 B or 9B, change building to street frontage. Uh Mr. Chair, um that concludes my public hearing report. Uh we'll open it
open it up for public comment. >> Okay. There's >> And then Mr. Chair, I will be seeking a motion to close this public hearing. >> Okay. So, I will entertain a motion to close the public hearing. >> Motion. Motion by Mike Kanye.
>> And second, Mike Harding. Second. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Sorry. >> You're good. All in favor? >> I I opposed. Public hearing is closed. Uh presentation of citizens petitions and comments. Does anybody have any
comments? If none, we can close that out and we will move forward. Um, there's no approval of consent agenda. So, we're going to move right on to old business. Consider approval of ordinance 2026-341
and ordinance amending ordinance 2025-332 and ordinance amending city code 153.079 signs. >> Uh, thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh this ordinance was uh reviewed prior to this agenda item under public
hearing. The commission consider public comments received prior or at the meeting. The commission discussed and have recommended the following updates. I can read these back to you again. I just read them 30 seconds ago uh to you, but this is a time to make uh the
planning commission to uh take a look at my at the red lines and to recommend or suggest any changes changes before this is moved forward to the April 30th city council meeting for final approval.
>> We made all we need to make. You >> did. >> I did see them, too. I looked at them. I didn't have any changes. So, >> if there are none, I uh will entertain a motion to move this to city council. >> Motion move. >> Motion by Reagan. Second. >> Second by Mike Harding or I mean Mike
Tom. Sorry. Apologies. >> We have two mics here. >> Yeah. >> All right. So, I had a motion by Reagan and then uh Connie second. >> Second. Yes. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Chair. >> All right. All in favor? >> I >> I. >> None opposed. Moves forward. So, moving
on to new business. Uh, review and consider approval of land use application 2026-02 site plan for technical meth methods incorporated. >> Uh, thank you, Mr. Chair. I I mentioned this staff report and this project um at
the last meeting. Uh there's a great urgency to move this forward to city council um due to the beginning of con of the construction season and uh we have the applicant uh technical methods uh the applicant is technical methods
incorporated uh Justin Low uh has submitted land use application 2026-02 for the addition of 100x 100 foot buildout uh connecting to the south of the existing building at 1951 Commerce Mars
Drive Southeast. The subject property is guided shown as I2 medium industrial according to city code 153.040 zoning districts L I2 medium industrial special requirements. All applica all applications for building permits in the
case of new construction or expansion or certificate of occupancy in case of existing facilities for improvements within the I2 district shall be subject to submission of complete building plans including landscape design to the planning commission. The commission shall review and approve before a
building permit and certificate of occupancy uh um by being issued. The landscape design must identify and uh and size of all screening uh within 60 days of the submission of such plans and designs. The planning commission shall recommend
approval or disapproval of such plans and designs to the city coun or to the city council which shall make the final determination to to as as to approval or disapproval. Uh as I mentioned in the staff report here uh zoning the subject
property zoned I2 medium industrial permitted use lot size uh is 3 acres uh 130,680 square ft. Minimum uh requirements and setbacks is standards left column for both lot buildings requirement right
column are listed as follows. Uh max lot coverage uh 30 or 75% with proposed addition it's 35 front setback 45 ft new building 45 ft set back uh side set back west 30 ft side set back east 30 ft both of those
are compliant rear set back 25 ft it's greater than 25 ft height uh 40 ft uh max uh their plans are coming at 14 ft parking ing setback is 5 ft. They're meeting that requirement. Trees uh with
the the landscape design uh they're replacing the or they're adding 12 more trees based upon the square footage of the building. The proposed building uh material pre-cast concrete wall panels and then required parking of the 12 stalls and that is one stall per
thousand square ft of the building. addition uh building design and construction materials proposed uh building addition will match the previously approved sorry guys I have a typo in there um building
uh the site served by the city sanitary site is served by city sanitary uh sewer and water uh grainage uh grading grading drainage and storm water storm water from the proposed paved areas will drain toward the east curb line and then flow
south leaving the pavement through a curb opening at the southeast corner of the parking lot expansion. Rip wrap will be placed at this outlet to slow the water, reduce its energy and prevent erosion from here. Uh the storm water will continue through
a gently graded swale and wraps around the south side of the building edition and directs flow to the north west. This swale ultimately contains runoff to the existing storm sewer located at the south end of the access drive. So recommendation uh I want to go on record
and say that uh the tmi team has been awesome to work with. Um I do have them our guests are here tonight. Um and after I conclude the staff report, we'll invite them up for um for questions. Be nice for a nice warm welcome here
tonight uh with this team. But they have been excellent to work with. Uh recommendation based upon zoning requirements staff city engineer are recommending the commission to consider approval land use application 20 2026-02 for the April 30th 2026 city council
meeting with the following conditions. Uh encroachment agreement agreement applicant is responsible for retaining wall when Garfield Avenue is expanded. Light pole applicant is responsible for relocation of impacted light poles and
to work with steel witha cooperative electric. And then a simple note impacted trees applicant is responsible to replace or relocate relocate any impact or existing impacted trees. Uh in the in your attachments for this staff
report uh there's a beacon aerial uh photo map. Uh tmi is a neighbor of city uh city hall right down here in commerce. A land use the completed land use application 202602 site plan application 20262
completed uh I2 medium industrial zoning district uh the survey site plan civil plan and then city code 153.066 for site plans and city code 153.062 062 landscaping and turf establishment
uh planning and zoning commission. Uh all these attachments are in your packet tonight and uh this is a perfect time to introduce you to Justin Laauo and Jim Conley. Uh Justin Laauo is the is the
owner of TMI and uh Jim Connley has helped him through this process. So Mr. Chair, does the planning and zoning commission have any questions for uh Mr. Laauo here tonight? >> Well, I think it's uh great that you
guys have worked so uh well with our uh our office here, you know, with Lansdale. So, awesome news that you guys want to expand, too. So, thank you. >> Yeah, absolutely. So, you know, Technical Methods has been here for about 10 years
now. So, I think this is our 10th year here in Lawale. um for everything, you know, I got involved in the business just roughly three years ago, but everything I've heard has been that it's been a phenomenal partnership between the city and the business. Um we have
roughly 19 employees at this point. Um you know, with high paying jobs and um and you know, we couldn't be happier with uh kind of where we're situated in terms of hiring and employment and and trying to find the right uh people to
join our ranks. And so, uh, we've been really happy here. We're excited to expand. Um, this has been something that, uh, we've been working on for for quite some time and and contemplating. Um, and it's finally becoming real. So, um, you know, I'm excited and, uh, and I
hope you guys are are happy to be on board this journey with us and, uh, you know, we'll see where it takes us, but uh, I think this will be a very positive thing for the community and and for our business. >> Awesome. Anybody else? uh have any
questions for him? >> Not really. I mean, >> doubling the size of their operations. >> Yes. >> So, will you be adding employees as well >> or >> Yes. So, our plan will be to be adding employees. Part of the reason why we need the expanded floor space is just to
meet the demand that we're currently seeing. >> Yes. Um we we basically deploy a skilled trade right now that um is is very hard to come by. They don't really teach it in in trade schools anymore. So it's incumbent upon us to to train our own
workforce. Uh and as part of that, you know, we need workstations and and uh space to put people. So we we're maxed out of workstations right now for for our pattern makers uh that work for us. Um, and so as part of this expansion, we're we're looking at being able to add
some of those workstations so that we can um, you know, as is appropriate, add to our, you know, what we'll call an apprenticeship program um, here with our our company. So um, it gives us more options to do that and our plan would be to hire more.
>> Awesome. Awesome. Good to hear. It's nice to hear apprenticeships >> that are not college oriented, that are more physical oriented. >> Do you need to get anything? >> Nope, I'm good. >> This is simple. I'm good. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. So, I'm done. So, we're good. >> Yeah. Everything you're doing is positive. So, >> yeah. You all I appreciate it. And uh I invite you all to come out and visit anytime you guys are curious. So, >> so what do you guys bake? So, we build patterns. They're called patterns.
Basically, it's a form of tooling for foundaries. >> Oh. We specifically serve the aerospace and defense industry. Oh. >> Um, and they're pouring of aluminum and magnesium castings. These are fairly, you know, complex geometrically
geometrically complex parts um that require a certain level of skill in this trade that um is not very common anymore. So, not only do we, you know, have a shortage of people that are in the pattern making field, um, but what we do in particular requires a certain
level of expertise even beyond, you know, what an entry- level pattern maker might know how to do. So, um, very proud to support this industry. I'm an Air Force vet myself and so it's an industry that I'm I'm very much tied to, I feel
like. Um, and so it's it's very proud work and I'm proud of everything that our employees do. >> Awesome. Good to hear. >> Yeah. >> Hope that answers your question. >> It does. >> It's great. You know, it's a good good problem to have is that you have to
expand because of the demand. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> That's good. >> I don't have nothing else. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> So, Mr. chair. Uh before these guys leave, I want to make sure that they hear it that you guys are making the
motion to approve um >> to approve the land use application um land use application 2026 uh O2 and also you're approving the conditions the encroachment agreement applicant is responsible for retaining
wall when Garfield Avenue is expanded. Light pole applicant is responsible for relocation of impacted light poles and to work with steel with cooperative electric and then impacted trees applicant is responsible to replace relocate impacted existing trees. Okay, >> that's the motion I'm looking for.
>> All right. >> I happily as an Air Force EOD vet myself uh move to approve it. >> So motion made by Mike Ku. >> I will second. >> Mike Harding is seconded. All in favor? >> I I none opposed. Carries forward. Thank
you, gentlemen. Congratulations. >> Have a nice evening. Congratulations. >> Hope I can build a rocket in my backyard. >> Are you making the patterns for F-16 uh F-16 parts? Because I know they're using magnesium composits. >> Um
potentially. I haven't seen the So, I think that would be the I haven't seen that come across our desk, but we do frequently make parts for fire. >> So, >> cool. Well, that's just me being curious. >> No, that's a it's a good question.
>> Right. Were you attached to >> that was Yeah. Uh 20th Fighter Wing SH Force Base. >> Oh, okay. >> So, we were had Operation Noble Eagle, which is the the F-16s that would uh do the patrols in emergency over DC. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yep.
>> So, I was an Awax pilot. So, >> Oh, cool. U airborne security and Overwatch was those types of missions were something we were pretty much >> right on. >> Thanks for coming out, man. Appreciate it. >> Thanks. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, guys.
>> So I can build an F60. >> All right, so moving on to uh >> new business. Consider approval of an intern or o or ordinance 2026-342 prohibiting the location, establishment, and operation of data centers in the
city of Lansdale. Uh thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh during the review of city code 153.040 zoning districts, the commission and mayor Burke directed staff to work with the city attorney in creating a data center moratorum.
The city attorney recommended the city start with a moratorum due to it due to it serving as a ban and it is guaranteed to last for one year during which time a city can amass information
to adjust potential continuation of the ban on a legally defensible basis. Otherwise, the city could be engaged in a regulatory uh taking or inverse condemnation of your residents property. Uh if the city is going to try to
completely ban residents abilities to use their property, the city must give valid and defensible reason for that or the ban will overturn or you will have to pay them damages for the value of the city property rights uh the city took. And gentlemen, this is all the attorney
uh recommendation language that I'm relaying to you tonight. >> I have no idea what you just said. >> So, which should be in the multi-millions of dollars of damages for the value of the property rights uh the city took? Okay. Which would be
uh multi-millions of dollars if you're uh talking about the land to be used for data center. Uh if the city just bans data centers without detailed information and findings of fact to support how they impact public health, safety and welfare and someone in law gets multi-million dollar deal offer to
use their property for a data center, it would be worthwhile for them to sue the city to try to overturn the ban and the ban will be subject to being overturned because it will not be supported by sufficient information to justify it. So basically gentlemen just to summarize
this really quick uh what I just read to you it's a recommendation by our city attorney to move into this moratorum that was recommended by the planning and zoning commission because it does create a one-year ban. Uh the catches is that
um we are responsible for a study but the study can be done inhouse and during that study time and year it's basically staff and the planning commission just monitoring what's going on legally with databases what we're
seeing out there what other cities are doing. Okay. uh then if the city will have the data center in town that you're trying to avoid or you will be paying them the same amount of money for the property that the data center will be buy to
them. All right. The moratorum which is not subject to litigation because it is statutory authorized and this statute has withtood legal challenge and moratorum has been upheld. During the time of the moratorum is in place. The state of Minnesota and other uh entities
will develop studies, information, and facts which will hopefully support a longerterm regulation. The city will be able to use all the information in one year to support whatever future action we want to take. For the purpose of the interim ordinance and the scope of application, the term
data center shall mean the following. And gentlemen, this is also what the city attorney recommended for the definition. A facility or complex of buildings and facilities used primarily for storage, management, processing and transmission
of digital data including cryptocurrency, mining, AI generation and support of the internet. internet which houses computer and/or work equipment system, servers, appliances, other associated components related to
digital data operations. The facility may also include air handlers, power generators, water cooling systems, and water storage facilities, uh, utilities, substations, and other associated utility infrastructure to support sustained operations at a data
center. A data center complex campus may include data management or storage buildings and accessory and thank you ancillary support buildings and
structures including secure and controlled entrances, perimeter fencing, >> sallyports and cargo screening buildings. Uh a moratorum note a moratorum must be done by the council by ordinance and it cannot be resolution. Uh no public
hearing is necessary for this interim ordinance. So I know that was a lot of information thrown at you. Uh but this was the direction of the city attorney to enter this ban for a year. And if you just think about that definition, I wonder
how many more chain times that's going to change within the next year or so. >> Yeah. >> So, is this a one-time thing or can you just keep expanding? >> There's the study has to be uh staff need to conduct a study. >> Okay.
>> Before you can ban it basically, right? >> Well, to continue the ban. So, at the end of the ban, >> we will have to approve a study. This is just a hold off to say, hey, let's look at this and actually see the environmental impact, the health health impact, uh, city impact, all that stuff.
>> You are 100% correct. >> So, you said we could do a lot of this in house. I know Farmington's fighting one right now. >> Could we use their information also? >> It's public information and it could be information that could be uh conformed into this report.
>> Okay. I know I've read a lot about it online. So >> yeah, as the mayor said, uh, you know, they're they're they were exploring it in Northfield, exploring it in Fairbold. I know that Egan, I think council member Vaseka, I think you informed me that
Egan just entered a moratorum database or data center moratorum. >> They probably did, Northfield did a net neutral, net positive environmental impact. So, um, if you're wasting water, um, electricity, that's a no-go for
their developments. The drawback is what they did in Farmington is they bought a golf course. So, to offset their water usage, they just used what the golf course was using and saying, "Hey, we're going to use less water than this golf course that is irrigating 24 or every
day of the week all summer long." So, >> they got net positive on the water flow that way. Mhm. >> The drawback is they cap two wells on the golf course and they're going to go on city water. Your green fees are about to go up. >> Water a day for a data center.
>> Yeah. >> And it's nonreusable, is it? That's that's some of the question that's out right now is because there's and some of it's unsubstantiated reports coming in especially on Ohio because they have they're expanding them in Ohio, right, >> of uh bodies of water getting
contaminated from >> the waste. Yeah. >> So it it there's there's not a lot of information right now. There's complaints of uh humming noises, background noise from the facilities. Uh there's the human impact or impact on humans being from EMR. High EMR can have
effect on human beings including being cancerous burnage because they have to burn that diesel off every few months that they have for storage for their generators. >> Mhm. >> And >> yeah, because if they get a power outage, you have to have to run those and keep everything running. Yep.
Mhm. >> So my question is is like does it is there a renewal or or do we have to revisit this at the planning commissioning? >> Uh there is an option to continue the moratorum >> just automatic. >> It won't be automatic. We'll have to
we'll definitely have to put this on our calendar. >> Okay. >> Uh to swing back to well uh the following or next uh March basically. >> Mhm. Okay. because the proposed uh moratorum expiration is I believe in the
staff report April 30th 2027. >> So we'll have to swing back to it in March and then uh bring it forward again to council. Okay. >> Uh council member Vaseka this is the direction of of the council. That's
correct. Um, twothirds of the council wants to get rooted data centers in this way. If they can come into town, not use any water, and hardly drain any electricity, we're more power to them.
But as they are right now, they're a waste in natural resources. >> I don't think you can get a data center that doesn't use power. >> Got a guy on a bike. For cooling though in Amsterdam they're putting them in the canals. So they put it in the canal
which is constantly moving water and they're using but then put in the creek metal poisoning and water and >> one of the big questions is too is the uh the economic side of it is that you you know you had the dotcom boom right everybody was making all these companies
and it the whole bubble imploded. Now you have everybody jumping into AI because that's the new that's the new future on that. And with that, when is that bubble going to pop too? And you'll have who's going to come out on top. And so if you bring in a facility that then ends up being >> a defunct company
>> or abandoned >> or abandon. Yeah. >> Or Skynet comes to get us. >> Well, we got other problems at that point. So, >> but I mostly from what I've heard about data centers and I've worked in a couple is the high metal poisoning. Um the
diesel burnoff. A lot of the neighbors do not like it when they run those diesel engines for long periods of time to burn off that because you can't that fuel can't sit forever. >> Yeah. >> Nope. >> Especially >> and if you don't use it, they have to burn it and it takes an entire day to burn off of even with two locomotive
engines running in there. >> Mhm. >> And they're allowed. >> So, what are you looking for us? Is it >> I just want to make sure that everybody has had a chance to take a look at the mor more. the uh the actual ordinance. I want to make sure that um like I said
every the planning and zoning commission has reviewed it. Uh this was drafted by the city attorney and I am looking uh tonight I want to I'm uh would like a motion from the uh planning and zoning commission to
consider approval of interim ordinance 2026 342 prohibiting the location establishment and operation of data centers in the city of Lndale. And then once that's uh approved we're moving that to the April 30th city
council meeting. So, uh, Mr. Chair, I'm looking for a motion. >> Motion. >> All right. Motion by Mike Tany. >> Second. >> Second by Reagan. >> All in favor? >> I. >> I approve. So, >> thank you. Getting business done here
tonight. Thank you very much. >> Now, uh, under other business, upcoming regular meeting will be Monday, May 18th, 2026. And then, um, update. >> Yeah, Mr. Chair, with the upcoming meeting, I will be bringing a variance. >> Okay.
>> Uh to that one or two variances to that meeting, >> okay? >> Uh one is a deck setback. Uh unfortunately, uh a resident uh purchase a home uh with the corner of the house being at the exact setback or required setback of 30
ft from the property line, but it's on a corner lot and it property line curves. M. >> So, meaning that uh the builder uh um the sliding door is right at that corner
and basically his deck can only go out about 12 in. Oh, and then must go over I think about 10 ft and then butt out. >> So, that that that variance is coming and there may be one more variance also.
>> Okay. >> So, we'll we'll have that uh coming our way. Um, going back going to B, Mr. Chair, uh, the updated ordinance 2026 340, ordinance amending city code 153.040, zoning districts.
Gentlemen, this has been a task. Uh, this has not been forgotten about. Uh, Joel and I have been working with the attorney's office constantly in the thorough review of this. Uh Joel was like, "Well, you should add in your staff report all the comments that we
received from the attorney's office to address." So, this is still in the works. I'm hoping to have everything wrapped up or bring this forward. But before I could do that, uh next month we have to jump into
uh the um review of definitions because there's many incon uh inconsistencies with our definitions uh in our city in a zoning districts compared to their actual definitions
chapter. >> Okay. Um, of course the city attorney would find that and point out those differences. >> That's important. >> It is very important. >> Y one word could equal a lawsuit. >> Yep. >> So, it's this is all about consistency.
We're trying to get this done as soon as possible, but there's a many things on the back end that sorry you guys aren't seeing. Okay. Uh, Mr. uh chair, anything else you want to discuss or bring forward to a future
meeting? I know that our city administrator uh has mentioned a few times uh we should be bringing up a a rental city code. I know that's been discussed and I know that and this is working from the
currently the city does not have one. >> Okay. And this would be a possible or potential addition to our city code. And this is for rental properties and renters and um and the the the people
that lease their properties. We get several calls. Well, we get calls during the month about oh how come is does the city what is the city how does the city enforce this or what is the policy for renters? And at this time we respond
there is not a rental uh p or rental city code. >> Okay. >> So uh that's something else or that's another topic that's coming our way. >> Okay. A question about that too. What what do other cities like our size do they have stuff?
>> Uh I have not jumped into it yet. I'm curious to see what Elco New Market does. >> I'm curious if Montgomery has something. >> Sure. But we'll be bringing those examples to the plan. I'll be bringing those examples to the planning commission just to help formulate where
we want to go. >> Perfect. >> Yeah, it'd be nice to have some to go off of sitting there in the blind, you know. >> Uh I I agree with >> a hornets nest, >> but otherwise, Mr. Chair, do you have uh anything else for tonight's meeting?
>> I do not. Does anybody else have anything? >> No. >> So, I'll be looking for an adjournment. >> I'm looking for a motion for adjournment. >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Motion by Mike Harding. >> Second. >> Second by Mike Conu. All in favor? I I
>> Thank you.