09-13-11specialPlanningCouncil CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
RICHFIELD Richfield, Minnesota
Special City Council/Planning
Commission Worksession
September 13, 2011
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Goettel at 6:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Council Members Debbie Goettel, Mayor; Sue Sandahl; Pat Elliott; and Tom Fitzhenry.
Present:
Council Members Fred Wroge
Absent:
Planning Members Rick Jabs, Chair; Tom Rublein; Gordon Vizecky; Joshua Root; Robert Hall;
Present: Daniel Kitzberger; Dennis Schuller
Planning Members Maureen Scaglia
Absent:
Staff Present: Steven L. Devich, City Manager; Mike Eastling, Public Works Director; Jeff
Pearson, Transportation Engineer; Melissa Poehlman, City Planner; Corrine
Heine, City Attorney; and Cheryl Krumholz, Recording Secretary.
Item # I DISCUSSION REGARDING MENARDS DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL FOR
77TH STREET AND NICOLLET AVENUE AREA
Theron Berg, Menards representative, reviewed and discussed the revised site plan and
elevations for the proposed Menards development, which contains some difficult issues needing to be
addressed.
City Planner Poehlman stated staff is comfortable with the number of parking spaces and had
asked for a reduction in spaces to add more landscaping.
Community Development Director Stark explained staff is supportive of the Menards project,
there are code enforcement and other applicable requirements, including non-compliance with many
provisions of the Comprehensive Plan or Zoning Ordinance and the location of ingress/egress into
the site not meeting engineering guidelines from Hennepin County and City's Public Works staff.
Special Worksession Minutes -2- September 13, 2011
Planning Commissioner Root expressed concern regarding the aesthetic aspect of the non-
windows on the building wall along 77th Street and that the ingress/egress as presented appears
difficult.
Mr. Berg explained MnDOT and Hennepin County are conducting a traffic study for Nicollet
Avenue and the 494 frontage road and there are threshold issues to get past to allow the project to
proceed.
Community Development Director Stark stated no developer for a site this large could meet
every issue and that's why there are planned unit development and variance options. He explained
several options related to the 494 Comprehensive Plan.
Community Development Director Stark suggested a conditional use permit with stipulations
and conditions of what makes this development different. He added the 494 Comprehensive Plan
should be reviewed if the issues related to this project become a recurring theme.
Mayor Goettel stated she did not want to tie a developer's hands with the Comprehensive
Plan.
Council Member Sandahl agreed with the conditional use permit (CUP) process because it
provides flexibility.
City Planner Poehlman explained the mixed use district allows existing buildings to expand.
Mr. Berg explained the timeline with the process being fully approved by the end of 2011.
City Attorney Heine reviewed options from the legal perspective. She suggested permitting
the expansion as a non-conformity because it benefits the community as a unique site and setting
conditions to bring the project closer to the vision but not hold to the restrictions that were in place
after the business was already there. This would not be setting a precedent for other developments
because no similar situation in the corridor exists.
Planning Commission Chair Jabs expressed concern that the side of the building along 77th be
secure and pedestrian friendly.
City Manager Devich discussed the importance of the look of properties along 77th Street.
Planning Commissioner Hall expressed support for the proposal.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned by unanimous consen 7:00 •. •
Date Approved: September 27, 2011 +. _
De" •oettel
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Cheryl Krumholz / -n L. De ich
Recording Secretary City Manager