Planning & Zoning Minutes December 7, 2010

NORTH LIBERTY PLANNING COMMISSION
Minutes
December 7, 2010

ROLL CALL. At 6:30 p.m., Chairman Mausser called the December 7, 2010 Regular Meeting of the Planning Commission to order. Commission members present: Anderson, Detlefsen, Frost, Haack, Mausser, Moore, Wilkerson.

Others present: Dean Wheatley, Scott Peterson, Tracey Mulcahey, Erika Harper, Carter Kurdlre, Tom Salm, Brian Wayson, Mike Bails, Brian Crawford, Mike Hodge and other interested parties.

AGENDA APPROVAL. Moore moved, Wilkerson seconded to approve the agenda. The vote was: ayes – Haack, Frost, Wilkerson, Moore, Mausser, Detlefsen, Anderson; nays – none. Motion carried.

PUBLIC COMMENT. No public comment was offered.

SAINTS CORRIDOR COMMERCIAL PARK, PART TWO FINAL PLAT.
Staff Review. Wheatley presented the request of Saints Corridor Investments LC to approve the final plat for commercial property generally located east of Kansas Avenue and north of Lininger Lane, to be named Saints Corridor Commercial Park, Part Two. Wheatley reported that this case and the next one on the agenda are going forward jointly to extend Nick Drive through to make the property more marketable. The installation of the street creates new lots which require the subdivision. The lots are platted to be non buildable outlots with the intention that they will be replatted at the time of development.
Applicant’s Presentation. No presentation was offered by the project engineer upon the approval of city staff.
Public Comments. No public comments were offered.
Questions and Comments of the Commission. The Commission had no questions.
Recommendation to City Council. Moore moved, Frost seconded to recommend approval of the Final Plat to the City Council as presented. The vote was: ayes – Moore, Wilkerson, Frost, Detlefsen, Anderson, Mausser, Haack; nays – none. Motion carried.

PROGRESS PARK, PART ELEVEN FINAL PLAT.
Staff Review. Wheatley presented the Request of MAJ Properties to approve a final plat for commercial property generally located west of Alexander Way and north of Lininger Lane, to be named Progress Park – Part Eleven. Wheatley reported that this is accompanying the previous application for the construction of the eastern portion of Nick Drive.
Applicant’s Presentation. No presentation was offered.
Public Comments. No public comment was made.
Questions and Comments. The Commission had no questions or comments relating to this application.
Recommendation to City Council. Moore moved, Wilkerson seconded to recommend approval of the Final Plat to the City Council as presented. The vote was: ayes – Wilkerson, Frost, Detlefsen, Anderson, Mausser, Haack, Moore; nays – none. Motion carried.

OLNEY SUBDIVISION PRELIMINARY AND FINAL PLAT.
Staff Review. Wheatley presented the request of Olney Electric to approve a preliminary and final plat for an industrial development generally located west of Progress Street on 236th Street, to be named Olney Subdivision. This is a subdivision of the lot currently under construction by Olney Electric. Two lots will be created from a single lot.
Applicant’s Presentation. No presentation was offered.
Public Comments.No public commented on the application.
Questions and Comments. Commission member Moore stated that he would be abstaining due to conflict of interest in that the applicant may be entering into a service agreement for his Church.
Recommendation to City Council. Anderson moved, Haack seconded to recommend approval of the Final Plat to the City Council as presented. The vote was: ayes – Frost, Detlefsen, Haack, Anderson, Mausser, Wilkerson; nays – none; abstain – Moore. Motion carried.

M & H SECOND SUBDIVISION PRELIMINARY AND FINAL PLAT.
Staff Review. Wheatley presented the request of Sharon Sass to approve a county two lot subdivision of property generally located east of North Liberty on Mehaffey Bridge Road, to be named M&H Second subdivision. The property is about one half mile outside of City limits on Mehaffey Bridge Road. Staff recommends requiring an annexation agreement from property owner prior to Council Approval.
Applicant’s Presentation. No presentation was offered.
Public Comments. No public comments were brought forward.
Questions and Comments. The Commission had no question or comments.
Recommendation to City Council. Moore moved, Detlefsen seconded to recommend approval of the Final Plat to the City Council with the requirement that an executed annexation agreement be filed prior to Council consideration. The vote was: ayes – Mausser, Moore, Detlefsen, Anderson, Haack, Wilkerson, Frost; nays – none.
Motion carried.

HILLS BANK AND TRUST COMPANY COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT SITE PLAN.
Staff Review. Wheatley presented the request of Hills Bank and Trust Company to approve a site plan for property generally located at the northeast corner of Highway 965 and Forevergreen Road. The proposed building is masonry with a peaked roof. The facility will include a meeting and training location. Wheatley asked Commission to consider requesting improvements in landscaping along the Hwy 965 frontage such as converting a few spots into green space and landscaping, and to consider the window balance on the building.
Applicant’s Presentation. Brian Crawford of McClure Engineering and Mike Hodge of Hodge Construction
presented the site plan application. The applicant has worked with staff on the issues brought forward, proposing additional trees and berming on the Highway 965 side and additional landscaping throughout the site. The applicant added limestone features to the building design instead of adding windows. Hodge reported that the building is designed for expansion, which would be located where parking is proposed. Discussion topics included the HVAC system which will be geothermal, the trees on the plan, and the pedestrian area.
Public Comments. No public comments were offered relating to this site plan.
Questions and Comments. The Commission had no questions but stated that they like the plan.
Recommendation to City Council. Haack moved, Detlefsen seconded to recommend approval of the Hills Bank and Trust Company Commercial Development Site Plan to the City Council with no conditions. The vote was: ayes – Detlefsen, Wilkerson, Frost, Anderson, Moore, Mausser; nays – none. Motion carried.

ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS.
Staff Review. Wheatley presented the proposal from city staff to create a new commercial district (C-3), amend the design standards to include the new district, and to modify parts of the existing O/RP district. The new commercial district will require 90% masonry construction and provide encouragement for builders to work together with shared parking and reduced setbacks. The district is intended to be first implemented adjacent to I- 380, making it one of the most visible for the City. The design standard update includes the amendment to add the 90% masonry requirement. The other amendment includes minor text changes and a revision to the height maximum of buildings in the O/RP district from 45 feet to 75 feet. Wheatley suggested several minor wording changes during the discussion, and Commission asked for a more clear masonry requirement section in the design standards.
Public Comments. No public comments were offered relating to the proposed amendments.
Questions and Comments. Moore stated that he will be abstaining due to his involvement in the 380 Development Group. The Commission discussed the masonry requirements and some rewording of documents. Wheatley offered some minor changes to the documents.
Recommendation to City Council. Detlefsen moved, Wilkerson seconded to recommend approval of the Zoning Ordinance Amendments to the City Council with the changes proposed by Wheatley. The vote was: ayes – Anderson, Mausser, Haack, Frost, Wilkerson, Detlefsen; nays – none; abstain – Moore. Motion carried.

REVIEW OF URBAN RENEWAL AMENDMENT.
Staff Review. Heiar presented the recommendation from city staff to review the earlier endorsement of adding land known as “The Villas” to the city’s urban renewal area, and to make specific findings for City Council reference. Heiar asked the Commission for discussion on the plan.
Public Comments. No public comments were offered.
Questions and Comments. Moore reported that he will be abstaining from this conversation due to his participation in 380 Development Group. The Commission discussed the amendment.
Recommendation to City Council. Detlefsen moved, Haack seconded to recommend approval of the Urban Renewal Amendment to the City Council. After discussion, the vote was: ayes – Anderson, Mausser, Detlefsen, Wilkerson, Haack, Frost; nays – none; abstain – Moore. Motion carried.
MINUTES. Moore moved, Haack seconded to approve the minutes of the November 2, 2010 Commission meeting. The vote was: ayes – Moore, Anderson, Frost, Haack, Wilkerson, Detlefsen, Mausser, nays – none. Motion carried.

NEW BUSINESS. Wheatley presented that a special meeting will be held in two weeks on December 21, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. in a conference room at City Hall. There will be one item on the agenda, a one lot split into two for favorable financing opportunities for the developer.

CASES UNDER DEVELOPMENT. Wheatley reported that there is one case on the agenda for the January meeting.

ADJOURNMENT. At 7:35 p.m., Haack moved, Moore seconded to adjourn. All ayes. Meeting adjourned.
CH/DM