2012-12-11 PC MinutesUNAPPROVED
PLANNINGand ZONINGCOMMISSION
MINUTES
December 11,2012
CALL TO ORDER
1.
Chair Kocon called the meeting to order at 7:00p.m.
2.ROLL CALL
CommissionersKocon,Lindberg, Olson, Totman,werepresent.Council representative Dan
Wagner was present. Commissioner Edgren was absent.
Staff memberpresent: City Planner AlanBrixius.
3.APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
The agenda was approved as submitted.
4.APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
September 11, 2011
Planning and Zoning Commission meeting minutes were reviewed. Chair Kocon noted that the
minutes note Commissioner Lindberg was absent, while she attended the meeting. He asked that
the minutes be corrected to represent that Commission Lindberg was present for the September
11, 2012 meeting.
Olson moved, secondedby TotmantoapprovetheSeptember11, 2011minutes.Motion
carried unanimously.
5.PUBLIC HEARINGS:
AMENDMENT TO THE ASHLEY FURNITURE PUD/COMPREHENSIVE SIGN PLAN
Chair Kocon opened the public hearing to consider the Ashley Furniture PUD/Comprehensive
Sign Plan. City Planner Brixius presented the December 5, 2012 planning report that analyzed
the Comprehensive Sign Plan amendment request as follows:
Ashley Furniture was constructed in 2001 on Outlots B and C of the Outlets of Albertville, and is
part of the larger Albertville Premium Outlet Mallplanned unit development (PUD) that was
established in 1999. The lot is unique in that it is visible from I-94 and County Road 19, though
it is accessed via a private road and has not public street frontage. In 2002, the City approved a
PUD Comprehensive Sign Plan for Ashley Furniture, including a north façade wall sign (114
square feet) and name plat sign (1 square foot), a south façade wall sign (319 square feet), and a
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Planning & Zoning Commission Minutes
December 11,2012
ground sign (64 square feet); all of these wall signs fell below the 15% of wall façade sign area
limit.
With the opening of the I-94 C-D road and the exit ramp at County Road 19, Ashley Furniture
decided to pursue an amendment to their PUD Comprehensive Sign Plan permit to request
additional signage to give the site exposure to the traffic at the exit ramp. They would like an
expanded wall sign for the north façade (238.6 square feet or 3% of the north wall façade), to
move the existing north façade wall sign to the east building façade (114 square feet or 4.1% of
the east wall façade), and to add a new manual changeable copy sign on the east wall (200 square
feet).
The Ashley Furniture store is a single occupancy building and under standard regulations, it
would be allowed two wall signs per street frontage, not to exceed 15% of the building walls
fronting on the public right-of-ways. As described, the store doesn’t front on a public right-of-
way, but as described in the planning report dated December 5, 2012, planning staff believes that
the number and location of the requested signs are reasonable based on the property’s unique
circumstances, the size of the building, and the limited sign areas being requested. Planning staff
recommended approval of all requested signs for the updated PUD Comprehensive Sign Plan
permit. Once approved, the sign permit will allow:
South Wall –Wall Sign (Existing)319.0 square feet
North Wall –Wall Sign (New)238.6 square feet
East Wall –Wall Signs (New)114.0 square feet
East Wall –Changeable Copy Sign (New)200.0 square feet
Staff recommended approval of the Comprehensive Sign Plan amendment based on the findings
and conditions of the December 5, 2012 planning report.
Chair Kocon opened the public hearing to public comment.
Joe Fisher of Ashley Furniture explained that the new signs on the east sign of the building were
intended to provide a business identity to traffic at the new I-94/County Road 19 ramp and to
provide a changeable copy sign to advertise sale events.
Olson moved to close the public hearing, seconded by Totman.Motioncarried
unanimously.
Lindberg moved, seconded by Olson to recommend approval of the Ashley Furniture
PUD/Comprehensive Sign Plan based on the materials and conditions of approval outlined
inthe December 5, 2012 planning report. Motion carried unanimously.
ADOPTION OF CENTRAL PARK MASTER PLAN
Chair Kocon opened the public hearing to consider the adoption of the Central Park Master Plan
report dated November 21, 2012.
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Planner Brixius presented the Central Park Master Plan emphasizing the following elements:
1.The plan includes the expansion of the Albertville Ice Arena with a variety of options to
provide required parking.
2.The east end of the park, off of Main Avenue, emphasized the following features:
a.The park design is intended to be attractive and flexible in accommodating
community events such as Friendly city Days, Music in the Park, and Lion’s
Farmers Market. The plan intends to maintain and enhance the events at this
location.
b.Establish a pronounced and attractive park entrance from Main Avenue. This
entrance is intended to improve the appearance of both the park and Main Avenue
streetscape.
c.Soften the appearance of the Burlington Northern railway.
d.Provide attractive and functional parking for park events.
3.Entrances/Trails. The master plan intends to establish recognizable park entrances at
th
Main Avenue, Lander Avenue, 57Street, and the Ice Arena parking lot. The entrance
will be connected by a trail system to provide both access and recreational walking.
4.Playground area has a nice location on the east side of the park, shaded by mature trees.
The area is intended to be maintained. Annual assessment will be conducted to
determine if equipment is inneed of repair or replacement. A splash park is identified as
a future improvement at the north side of the playground area.
5.Sliding Hill. The plan identifies a location at the west side of Central Park for the
creation of a sliding hill.
PlannerBrixius also presented the concept plan for the north community playfields. He
indicated that the concept provided a spatial analysis that is intended to illustrate how the site
may be used for alternative sports facilities(i.e., baseball, softball, or soccer/lacrosse). The
design flexibility is critical in light of the City not decided if this site will be used as a playfield
or has alternative land uses in the future. The north community playfield emphasizes the
following components:
Design Flexibility
BaseballFacility with Bleachers and Concessions
Proper Park Access and Parking
Integration with City Trail System
Provision of a Playground Area
Retention of the Compost Site
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In summary, Planner Brixius explained that the Central Park Master Plan provides a design
concept for futureimprovements. This document is intended to give the Park Committee and
City Council a tool for evaluating future parks improvements, budgeting, and capital
improvements.
At the conclusion of the presentation, Chair Kocon asked for public comment. There was no
public comment.
Totman moved, seconded by Olson to approve the Central Park Master Plan study dated
November 21, 2012 as part of the City’s Parks and Trails Plan. Motion carried
unanimously.
6.OTHER BUSINESS
There was no further business.
7.ADJOURN
Olson moved, seconded by Totmanto adjourn the meeting at 8:15p.m. Motion carried
unanimously.
_______________________________________
Alan Brixius, Acting Recording Secretary
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