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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/17/2008 ",U,<t' ~ ~ City of ?WheatR!9ge PLANNING COMMISSION Minutes of Meeting July 17, 2008 1. CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Chair BRINKMAN at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers ofthe Municipal Building, 7500 West 29th Avenue, Wheat Ridge, Colorado. 2. ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS Commission Members Present: Anne Brinkman John Dwyer Dick Matthews Kim Stewart Steve Timms Commission Members Absent: Jim Chilvers Davis Reinhart Jerry Scezney Staff Members Present: Ken Johnstone, Community Development Director Meredith Reckert, Senior Plauner Jeff Rirt, Planner II Ann Lazzeri, Recording Secretary 3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 4. APPROVE THE ORDER OF THE AGENDA It was moved by Commissioner STEWART and seconded by Commissioner DWYER to approve the order ofthe agenda. The motion passed unanimously. 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - June 5, 2008 It was moved by Commissioner MATTHEWS and seconded by Commissioner STEWART to approve the minutes of June 5, 2008 as presented. The motion passed 4-0 with Commissioners TIMMS abstaining. 6. PUBLIC FORUM (This is the time for any person to speak on any subject not appearing on the agenda.) Planning Commission Minutes I July 17, 2008 Claudia Worth 4650 Oak Street, Wheat Ridge Claudia Worth announced that the Wheat Ridge Historical Park would be open free-of-charge from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. during the Democratic National Convention. 7. PUBLIC HEARING A. Case No. ZOA-OS-03: An ordinance amending Article IX of the Wheat Ridge Code of Laws concerning historical landmark designation. The case was presented by Meredith Reckert. She advised the Commission there was jurisdiction to hear the case and then reviewed the staff report. Commissioner DWYER stated that he had researched other municipalities in the Denver area and Wheat Ridge appears to be the only one that does not have a board or commission to act as an advisory body in regard to historical designations. He favored such an advisory body to be appointed by the City Council. Mr. Johnstone stated that research will take place in order to corne up with recommendations for an advisory body. Mr. Dwyer commented that he would prefer to have that information before making a decision to reduce or eliminate the Historical Society in the local landmark designation process. Commissioner MATTHEWS stated that he was opposed to anyone, other than the property owner, requesting historic designation for a property. He was also in favor of giving a new property owner the option to "opt out" of an existing historical designation on the property. He was in favor of an advisory board. Commissioner STEWART agreed that the property owner should be the only one to pursue historical designation. She suggested that City Council and the Historical Society work together to create an advisory body. Commissioner BRINKMAN was opposed to City Council pursuing historical designation on any property not owned by the City. Mr. Johnstone commented that this was the intent of the amendment and the wording would be changed to reflect that intent. Commissioner TIMMS commented that Section 3, paragraph D. did not include information regarding referrals from other agencies. Mr. Johnstone explained that the Community Development Department may administratively request referrals. Chair BRINKMAN asked to hear from members of the public. Planning Commission Minutes 2 July 17, 2008 Claudia Worth Wheat Ridge Historical Society Ms. Worth gave a brief history of the Wheat Ridge Historical Society since its creation by City Council in 1973. The Society has a contract with the city to perform such duties as taking care of historical artifacts and keeping the historical park open. The Society has nominated two properties since its inception (the Baugh property and the Olinger mansion). She stated that she helped the city attorney draft the original ordinance. She suggested that an amendment should be made on page two of the ordinance to include the State Register of Historic Places in addition to National Register of Historic Places. She was also in favor of requiring a super majority vote of Council. Commissioner STEWART asked if Ms. Worth envisioned the Historical Society serving as an official city board. Ms. Worth replied it would probably work. Charlotte Wetzel Wheat Ridge Historical Society In response to a question from Commissioner TIMMS, Ms. Wetzel stated that she is not in favor ofthe proposed changes because they were made as a result of animosity and good decisions are not made under those types of circumstances. Ken Johnstone stated that the city manager would be the person to apply for designation on behalf of a city-owned property unless City Council were designated to do so in the ordinance. Commissioner DWYER commented that there seemed to be a conflict of interest if City Council were to initiate a designation when it is also the body to vote on it. It was moved by Commissioner MATTHEWS to recommend approval of the proposed ordinance amending Article IX of chapter 26 of the Wheat Ridge Code of Laws concerning historic landmark designation. The motion died for lack of a second. It was moved by Commissioner STEWART and seconded by Commissioner DWYER to recommend denial of the proposed ordinance with a recommendation that City Council postpone hearing of an ordinance until such time as they can hold meetings with the Historical Society to work out a compromise where the Historical Society would become a city board or commission. The motion passed 3-2 with Commissioners BRINKMAN and MATTHEWS voting no and Commissioners CHIL VERS, SCEZNEY and REINHART absent. Planning Commission Minutes 3 July 17, 2008 S. STUDY SESSION A. Short Term Code Amendments Ken Johnstone introduced the short term code amendments. It has been recommended that, as a major implementation component ofthe Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy (NRS), additional amendments be made to Chapter 26 of the Municipal Code. City Council has voiced its general support for this effort. Staff intends to have a draft of the short term code amendments ready in late 200S. JeffHirt reviewed the staff report. Research was conducted on sixteen comparable jurisdictions related to some of the following issues: Density; residential front setbacks; parking; extended stay lodging; zoning district boundary discrepancies; assembly of multi-family land in the R-3 zone district; city-initiated "up zoning"; floodplain administer duties; residential group home densities; and amendments to plauned developments as it relates to owner consent. The following issues were discussed: . Some proposed amendments from the staff report seemed to be actions rather than amendments. . More direction is needed from staff. . Seems like a lot to do in two years, but the amendments seem to be on the right track. . Public outreach is important. Targeted communication with city groups to explain details should be done before a general outreach. This should start right away. Wheat Ridge 2020 can get the word out. Might be a good idea to reinstate district meetings. Business owners as well as residential owners should be targeted and meetings plauned in the daytime as well as evening to accommodate both. Photographs could be used to depict different densities. . Re-examine R-3 zoning for high density some time in the future. . Driveways and side yard drives should be examined. . Parking by permit should be examined. . Consider eliminating some restrictions to allow flexibility. . Zoning district boundary discrepancies could be solved by designating the zoning that is over 51 % of the property. . Difficult to implement a subarea plan without the city's ability to initiate zonmg. . Some concern about changing requirement that written consent of all property owners within a plauned development to amend the plan. Things such as cross access situations would be taken under consideration. Maybe a simple majority vote could be used. Planning Commission Minutes 4 July 17,2008 Public outreach plans will be discussed further at the August 7, 2008 meeting. 9. OTHER ITEMS A. State APA Conference Ken Johnstone aunounced that funds are available for a couple of Commissioners to attend the AP A Conference in Breckeuridge, September 10-13. Anyone wishing to attend should contact Meredith Reckert. 10. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 10:15 p.rn. {2u~"E-ruJU)'l~ Anne Brinkman, Chair a~~ Ann Lazzeri, Secre ary Planning Commission Minutes 5 July 17, 2008