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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/21/2000 ORIGINAL CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE PLANNING COMMISSION Minutes of Meeting September 21, 2000 1. CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order by Chair MacDOUGALL at 7:35 p.m., September 21,2000, in the City Council Chambers of the Municipal Building, 7500 West 29th Avenue, Wheat Ridge, Colorado. 2. ROLL CALL: Commission Members Present: Jerry Collins Paulette Cooper Dick Doyle Don MacDougall Marian McNamee Nancy Snow Janice Thompson Commissioners Absent: Dean Gokey (excused) Staff Members Present: Alan White, Planning Director Meredith Reckert, Sr. Planner Ann Lazzeri, Secretary 3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The following is the official set of Planning Commission minutes for the public hearing of September 21, 2000. A set of these minutes is retained both in the office ofthe City Clerk and in the Department of Planning and Development of the City of Wheat Ridge. 4. APPROVAL OF ORDER OF THE AGENDA It was moved by Commissioner SNOW and seconded by Commissioner COLLINS to approve the order of the agenda as presented. The motion passed 7-0 with Commissioner GOKEY absent. 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES It was moved by Commissioner COOPER and seconded by Commissioner SNOW to approve the minutes of September 7, 2000 as presented. The motion passed 5-0 with Planning Commission September 21, 2000 Page 1 Commissioners MacDOUGALL and THOMPSON abstaining and Commissioner GOKEY absent. 6. PUBLIC FORUM There was no one to appear before the Commission. 7. PUBLIC HEARING A. Case No. WZ-OO-ll: An application by Tony Ficco for Legend properties, LLC, for approval of a rezoning from Residential-Two (R-2) and Restricted-Commercial (Re) to a Planned Commercial Development for the purpose of building a retail and service center. Said property is located at 97 51 West 44th Avenue. This case was presented by Meredith Reckert. She distributed copies of two letters to members of the Commission. The first letter from Connie Nelson of 4281 Jellison, indicated objection to the application. The second letter from James and Nell Cluck of9890 West 44th Avenue, indicated support of the application. The letters were entered into the record and made a part of the case file. She reviewed the staff report, presented slides and overheads ofthe subject property. All pertinent documents were entered into the record and she advised the Commission they had jurisdiction to hear the case. Staff recommended approval of the application with conditions as outlined in the staff report. Commissioner THOMPSON referred to the fence on the west side of the property. Could Mr. Ficco remove the fence at his discretion? Meredith said a note could be added that would allow him to remove the fence should the adjacent residential property to the west develop into commercial uses. Commissioner SNOW expressed concern about limiting retail space to 25%. Alan White explained the purpose for limiting the retail space related to concern about traffic generation and parking. Commissioner THOMPSON suggested a formula which would require a certain percentage of parking spaces if more than one modular unit in the development is combined to make larger units. Tony Ficco 12425 West 38th Avenue Mr. Ficco, the applicant, was sworn in by Chair MacDOUGALL. He stated that his proposed development would be for a retail service center rather than for high level retail use. He has worked with city staff to streamline the uses since the last time this case was considered before City Council. He indicated that he would be in favor of adding a note to the plan which would allow removal of the fence on the western edge ofthe property should the adjacent property develop commercially. Planning Commission September 21, 2000 Page 2 Commissioner SNOW asked Mr. Ficco how he felt about the 25% retail space limitation. He stated that, while he would prefer to have more retail if the parking limitations could be met, he was comfortable with the present requirements of 25% retail space. It was, moved by Commissioner THOMPSON and seconded by Commissioner COLLINS that Case No. WZ-OO-11, a request for a zone change from Residential-Two and Restricted-Commercial to Planned Commercial Development and for approval of a combined outline and f"mal development plan on property located at 9751 West 44th Avenue, be recommended for APPROVAL for the following reasons: 1. The existing zoning has affected the developability of the parcel. 2. The PCD zoning and permitted land uses are consistent with the Village Center designation on the Comprehensive Plan. 3. The proposal has been modified to more accurately reflect appropriate land uses. 4. All requirements for a Planned Commercial Development combined outline and final development have been met. With the following conditions: 1. All rooftop mechanical equipment be screened from view. 2. Two additional street trees be provided along the West 44th Avenue frontage. 3. A note be added regarding the redesign of the parking and drive layout relative to the cross-access easement when the property to the west redevelops commercially. 4. An additional handicapped parking space be provided. 5. A sidewalk and signage easement be provided for maintenance of public improvements by the city. 6. At the discretion of the developer and city, the cedar fence on the west side of said development could be removed when commercial development occurs to the west and the single family home has been removed. Commissioner SNOW offered a friendly amendment to include an additional condition that wording be changed on numbers (11) and (35) ofthe plan to include the words" and sales". The amendment was accepted by Commissioners THOMPSON and COLLINS. In response to a question from Commissioner DOYLE, Alan White stated that this development would be affected by the recently imposed building permit moratorium. Conimissioner DOYLE then offered an amendment that the condition requiring all rooftop mechanical equipment to be screened from view would not be enforced until the City of Wheat Ridge has screened mechanical equipment on its recently constructed recreation center building. This amendment was not accepted by Commissioner THOMPSON. Commissioner SNOW offered an amendment to change items (3) and (7) on the plan to change the ratio to allow 30% space for office/retail. Planning Commission September 21, 2000 Page 3 Commissioner McNAMEE questioned whether the proposed ratio would affect the required number of parking spaces. Chair MacDOUGALL declared a brief recess at 8:50 p.m. to allow staffto recalculate parking requirements. The meeting was reconvened at 9:05 p.m. Commissioner SNOW asked if there would be sufficient parking with the 70-30% ratio. Meredith Reckert replied that there would not be sufficient parking. Commissioner SNOW then withdrew her amendment. A vote was taken on the motion. It passed by a vote of 7-0 with Commissioner GOKEY absent. B. Case No. ZOA-00-I0: An ordinance amending Section 26-30(T) of the Wheat Ridge Code of Laws concerning Commercial Mobile Radio Service (CMRS) facilities. This case was presented by Alan White. He reviewed the staff report and the proposed ordinance which would allow rooftop or building-mounted CMRS facilities to be located in Planned Residential Districts on properties containing a non-residential use. Freestanding CMRS towers would still be prohibited in Planned Residential Districts, Applications for building and structure mounted facilities would be decided through an administrative process, Rooftop mounted facilities would be subject to the conditional use process. Herb Quintana 5453 S. Ulster, Denver Mr. Quintana, representing Nextel Communications, was sworn in by Chair MacDOUGALL, He invited questions from the Commission. Commissioner THOMPSON asked if the present large boxes required for building mounted CMRS facilities would be replaced as technology improves to require smaller boxes. Mr. Quintana stated Nextel's policy would be to replace them. However, that policy is subjective and depends upon the desire of the landlord and whether or not the existing equipment is cost- effective to N extel. In response to another question from Commissioner THOMPSON, Mr. Quintana stated that his company works with building owners to provide architecturally pleasing facilities. Commissioner SNOW expressed concern about administrative approvals and felt that neighbors should have opportunity to voice objections to building- or roof-mounted CMRS facilities through a public hearing process. Commissioner COLLINS expressed his opinion that CMRS facilities, which are commercial facilities, should not be allowed on non-commercial buildings such as churches or schools in residential areas. Planning Commission September 21, 2000 Page 4 It was moved by Commissioner SNOW and seconded by Commissioner COLLINS that the Planning Commission recommend to City Council that Case No. ZOA-00-I0, an amendment to Section 26-30(T) of the Code of Laws pertaining to Commercial Mobile Radio Service facilities not be approved at this time unless there is an amendment to the ordinance which would require a special use permit for any CMRS facility in residential areas. The motion passed 7-0 with Commissioner GOKEY absent. 8. CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING Chair MacDOUGALL declared the public hearing closed. 9. OLD BUSINESS There was no old business to come before the Commission. A. Screeninl!: of RooftoD Mechanical EQuiument - It was moved by Commissioner DOYLE and seconded by Commissioner SNOW that Planning Commission recommend to City Council that funds be appropriated to carry out screening of the mechanical equipment on the top of the new recreation center as well as any future buildings that are constructed by the city. The motion passed 7-0 with Commissioner GOKEY absent. 10. NEW BUSINESS 11. COMMISSION REPORTS There were no Commission reports. 12. COMMITTEE AND DEPARTMENT REPORTS There were no committee or department reports. 13. ADJOURNMENT It was moved by Commissioner SNOW and seconded by Commissioner McNAMEE to adjourn the meeting at 9:40 p.m. The motion passed 7-0 with Commissioner GOKEY absent. ~ ~ ecretary Planning Commission September 21, 2000 Page 5