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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/01/2009♦~~i City of l WheatRdge PLANNING COMMISSION Minutes of Meeting October 1, 2009 1. CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Chair REINHART at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers of the Municipal Building, 7500 West 29 h Avenue, Wheat Ridge, Colorado. 2. 3. 4. 5. ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS Commission Members Present: Commission Members Absent: Staff Members Present: Anne Brinkman (arrived 7:05 p.m.) Jim Chilvers John Dwyer Henry Hollender Dick Matthews Davis Reinhart Steve Timms Marc Dietrick Ken Johnstone, Community Development Director Sally Payne, Senior Planner Ann Lazzeri, Recording Secretary PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE APPROVE THE ORDER OF THE AGENDA It was moved by Commissioner MATTHEWS and seconded by Commissioner HOLLENDER to approve the order of the agenda. The motion passed unanimously. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - September 17, 2009 It was moved by Commissioner MATTHEWS and seconded by Commissioner DWYER to approve the minutes of September 17, 2009 as presented. The motion carried 6-0 with Commissioners BRINKMAN and DIETRICK absent. Planning Commission Minutes 1 October 1, 2009 6. PUBLIC FORUM (This is the time for any person to speak on any subject not appearing on the agenda.) There was no one present to address the Commission. 7. PUBLIC HEARING A. Case No. WPA-08-03: A resolution adopting the Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan, Envision Wheat Ridge. (Commissioner BRINKMAN arrived at 7:05 p.m.) The case was presented by Sally Payne. She entered all pertinent documents into the record and advised the Commission there was jurisdiction to hear the case. She gave a brief overview of the process leading up to the formulation of the Plan. City Council directed staff to initiate an update to the Comprehensive Plan in the summer of 2008. Clarion Associates, a consulting firm specializing in comprehensive plan development, was chosen to assist the City in the planning process. Ms. Payne then introduced the consultant. Ben Herman Clarion Associates On September 21, 2009, City Council and Planning Commission met jointly to study the proposed Envision Wheat Ridge Draft Comprehensive Plan (September 4, 2009 version). Several changes were suggested to enhance and clarify the plan. Those suggestions were included in a separate memo to Planning Commission dated September 23. Mr. Herman reviewed the Plan. Commissioner DWYER offered two amendments to language in the plan. Page 2, paragraph 2, "should shall" be changed to "shall." Page 71 should be changed to reflect that the railroad line is owned by Burlington Northern Santa Fe rather than Union Pacific. Denise Balkas Wheat Ridge 2020 3798 Marshall Street Ms. Balkas stated that the WR2020 Board and staff have participated closely in development of the Plan. She commended the City for taking steps to position itself in a post-recession economy which sets the stage for Wheat Ridge to prosper. Real estate and city planning journals indicate that inner ring suburbs and close-in locations, such as Wheat Ridge, will prosper in a post recession economy. Planning Commission Minutes 2 October 1, 2009 Drew Filchak Mr. Filchak represented Wheat Ridge Manor Nursing Home and businesses along the 2900 block of Fenton Street. He expressed concern about the effect of the Plan on the businesses there. He wondered if the area would remain mixed use. Ken Johnstone stated that the land use map is intended to be a strategic plan rather than a parcel-based plan and is not a zoning map. He explained that Mr. Filchak's neighborhood is defined in the structure plan as a neighborhood area, but within these neighborhood areas, there can be commercial and mixed uses. There is also a process to establish a revitalization area if a neighborhood wishes to pursue more mixed uses. Kim Calomino 4070 Dover Street Ms. Calomino was appearing as a citizen and a WR2020 Board member. She read the following resolution unanimously adopted by the Board in support of the adoption of the Comprehensive Plan: Resolved that Wheat Ridge 2020 supports the passage and implementation of the proposed Comprehensive Plan, commends the City of Wheat Ridge, elected officials, city staff, Planning Commission and citizens for participating in a thorough process and creating a visionary plan inclusive of the key principles of the Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy. Further, this Board encourages the development ofspecific timelines and measures of success to mark the implementation of the Comprehensive Plan. Chair REINHART asked if there were others present who wished to address the Commission. Hearing no response, he closed the public hearing. Commissioner CHILVERS stated that he was very pleased with the process involved in formulating the Comprehensive Plan. He believed it is a good document and the best he has seen in a long time. The plan should help to attract families and shoppers to Wheat Ridge. Commissioner HOLLENDER commented that he appreciated the flexibility allowed by the Plan. Commissioner MATTHEWS commented that former comprehensive plans have established boundaries and borders. This plan establishes criteria about where lines would be drawn. Commissioner DYWER commented that this process went much better than the last Comprehensive Plan. There was more public involvement with staff incorporating suggestions received from the public. He expressed appreciation to city staff, consultants, citizens, the Citizens Advisory Committee and fellow Planning Commission Minutes 3 October 1, 2009 Planning Commissioners for the efforts made in formulating this plan. He was pleased with the Plan that not only has vision but is useable. Commissioner BRINKMAN commended city staff, the consultants and citizens in formulating the Plan. She commented that the last Comprehensive Plan process was more isolated while this process was very open. She was pleased with the outcome. Her concerns were alleviated when she read the implementation plan. Commissioner TIMMS expressed appreciation to the citizens who took time to be involved. He also thanked the staff for the great amount of work involved in overseeing a project like this one. He believed that the Plan recognizes the strengths of the City, addresses exterior boundaries as well as the interior of the City and sets a good framework for the future. In response to a question from Commissioner REINHART, Sally Payne stated that this Plan does supersede the Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy. There are some minor conflicts with sub-area plans and those plans will be amended accordingly. Commissioner REINHART stated that he is very supportive of the Plan that he believes is a step forward in how we look at land use in the City. He stated that he was astounded at how much time the city staff spent in efforts to make good planning decisions while working with the previous Comprehensive Plan. The fact that there was not a single person speaking in opposition to the Plan speaks highly of the involvement of the community and the vision of the document. It was moved by Commissioner MATTHEWS and seconded by Commissioner DWYER to adopt Resolution 03-2009, a resolution recommending adoption of the Envision Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan, and forwarding this recommendation along with the Resolution to the City Council for their consideration. The motion carried 7-0 with Commissioner Dietrick absent. 8. NEW BUSINESS Ken Johnstone informed the Commission that the Planner II position in the Community Development Department has been filled. 9. OTHER ITEMS There were no other items to come before the Commission. Planning Commission Minutes 4 October 1, 2009 10. ADJOURNMENT It was moved by Commissioner CHILVERS and seconded by Commissioner DWYER to adjourn the meeting at 7:45 p.m. The motion passed unanimously. E A6 Davis Reinhart, Chair e ..tid Ann Lazzeri, Se re ry Planning Commission Minutes 5 October 1, 2009