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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/15/2001 CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE PLANNING COMMISSION Minutes of Meeting February 15,2001 ORIGINAL 1. CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Chair McNAMEE at 7:30 p.m., February 15,2001, in the City Council Chambers of the Municipal Building, 7500 West 29th Avenue, Wheat Ridge, Colorado. 2. ROLL CALL Commission Members Present: Paulette Cooper Dick Doyle Dean Gokey (left meeting at 9:05 p.m.) Don MacDougall Marian McNamee Nancy Snow Janice Thompson Commission Members Absent: Jerry Collins Staff Members Present: Alan White, Planning Director Gerald Dahl, City Attorney Ann Lazzeri, Secretary 3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The following is the official set of Planning Commission minutes for the public hearing of February 15,2001. A set ofthese minutes is retained both in the office of the City Clerk and in the Department of Planning and Development ofthe City of Wheat Ridge. 4. APPROVE ORDER OF AGENDA It was moved by Commissioner SNOW and seconded by Commissioner GOKEY to approve the order of the agenda as presented. The motion passed 7-0 with Commissioner . COLLINS absent. 5. APPROVE MINUTES It was moved by Commissioner GOKEY and seconded by Commissioner COOPER to approve the minutes of February 1,2001 as presented. The motion passed 6-0 with Commissioner DOYLE abstaining and Commissioner COLLINS absent. 6. PUBLIC FORUM There was no one to appear before the Commission Planning Connnission February 15,2001 Page 1 7. PUBLIC HEARING A. Case No. ZOA-OO-ll - (continued from February 1,2001) An ordinance repealing and re-enacting Chapter 26 of the Wheat Ridge Code of Laws. Alan White invited discussion on his memorandum of February 8, 2001 which sununarized changes suggested by the Planning Commission at the hearing of February I, 200 I. Private streets were discussed. The City's Public Works Department prefers not to have private streets in the city. Anything that serves over four homes would be considered a public street. Although the Commission did not reach an agreement as to whether or not private streets should be allowed; there was consensus that, if private streets are allowed, they should be built to city standards. Commissioner SNOW referred to page 149 of the zoning code and questioned why accessible parking spaces are required to be 8 feet in width and regular parking is required to be 8 Y, feet. There was a consensus of the Commission to require 8 Y, feet for parking spaces whether accessible or regular. There was a consensus to support the changes set forth in Alan White's memorandum of February 8, 2001. There was discussion concerning sight triangles. There was consensus that sight triangle regulations should apply to class one through five streets as well as frontage roads. At the request of Planning Commission, stafflooked into landscaping requirements for multi- family housing developments in other jurisdictions. The findings indicated a very wide range in landscaping requirements from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. There was consensus of the Commission to recommend 30% landscaping for multi-family developments. There was discussion regarding issuance of variances with special use permits. There was consensus of the Commission to leave the special use permit process as written. Having the Planning Commission hear the special use permit portion of the case and the Board of Adjustment hear the variance portion has only caused confusion in the past. There was discussion regarding signs for home occupations. There was a consensus of the Commission to leave the regulations as written. Commissioner SNOW questioned whether the last sentence regarding special use permits (page 76, paragraph A under Section 26-214) is enforceable. There was a consensus ofthe Commission to remove the sentence: "Special use permits are required where compatibility between adjacent land uses could be a concern." Planning Commission February 15,2001 Page 2 There was further consensus of the Commission to add wording on page 76 to provide that an A-2 lot, less than one acre in size, could only be used for residential purposes. Commissioner SNOW recommended that car and truck sales lots be allowed only under special use permits. There was a consensus of the Commission to forward this recommendation to City Council. Alan White reminded the Commission that special use permits are already required if a car lot wants to locate within 1500 feet of an existing car lot. Alan White referred to discussion by the Economic Development Committee concerning allowances for nonconforming structures in redevelopment areas. For example, if a structure were to be destroyed by fire, it couldn't be re-established on the current footprint and meet all setback requirements. Jerry Dahl suggested that if a business owner is going to demolish and reconstruct a building that overlay district requirements could be used. However, ifthe structure is demolished by fire or other "act of God", the nonconforming rule would not apply. There was a consensus of the Commission to agree with Jerry Dahl's suggestion. Commissioner McNAMEE inquired about possible limitation to the amount of vehicles that may be parked at a residence and perhaps even commercial buildings. There was a consensus of the Commission that this matter could be handled ways other than a zone change. Commissioner SNOW submitted a memo pointing out that there are eight uses regarding group homes, rest homes, etc. listed in the code that are similar and for which definitions can overlap. There was discussion regarding the number of residents allowed in residential group homes. Commissioner SNOW moved and Commissioner DOYLE seconded that a limit of fourteen residents be placed on group homes. The motion failed. There was a consensus to move congregate care homes and nursing home to the category of residential group homes (page 49). There was a consensus to direct staff to simplify definitions as much as possible. For purposes of the use chart, there should be a distinction between special and permitted uses dependent upon the number of persons in the home. There was also a consensus to remove the words "owner occupied", "nonprofit" and "facility" from paragraph (b) on page 49. In regard to group homes for children, there was a consensus that a family foster home should be a use by right in all residential and agricultural districts. 8. OLD BUSINESS There was no old business to come before the Commission. Planning Commission February 15,2001 Page 3 9. NEW BUSINESS There was no new business to come before the Commission. 10. COMMISSION REPORTS There were no commission reports. 11. COMMITTEE AND DEPARTMENT REPORTS There were no committee or department reports. 12. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Commissioner THOMPSON and second by Commissioner DOYLE to adjourn the meeting at 10:45 p.m. The motion passed unanimously. v1taua/lIK~. ARIAN McNAMEE, Chair 12 0 1 / ~rJ. ~::?~.eM- Ann Lazzeri, Recording Secre ary Planning Commission February 15,2001 Page 4