Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Okay

We have a copy of the meeting. Sorry, the minutes from our last meeting in July. Is there any questions or do we have a motion to accept the minutes?

Chairman, I move to approve the minutes.

Okay, we have a motion. Is there a second?

Aye. Calvin Freeman, second.

Freeman. All right, roll call, please.

Kirby Carter. Mark Crawford, Peter Fox, Calvin Freeman, Maurice Taylor, Janice Fidel, Dan Carroll.

All right, motion passes. Next on the agenda is all business and there is none. So we'll move on to our new business and turn it over to Billy.

Thank you and appreciate you stepping in tonight, Ms. Carter. So these first two cases are both for the same project. So case 2026-100 is a request by Benjamin Hargett of BL Companies for a variance from the city's fence height requirements for the existing Amazon MEM3 facility at 1615 Commerce Parkway. The property is approximately 50.9 acres, zoned PVP, planned business park. It's located within the DeSoto 55 Logistics Center at the end of Commerce Parkway. The other warehouse properties within the logistics center are also zoned PVP, while residential properties along Sharon Drive and Chelsea Circle are located to the west. This request is related to case 2026-101, which concerns proposed access control and site security improvements to the Amazon facility. As part of these improvements, the applicant proposing new fencing and gates that will connect to the existing security perimeter. City regulations limit fences inside and rear yards to six feet in height. The applicant is requesting a two-foot variance to allow the fencing and associated gates to be up to eight feet high. The applicant states that the existing perimeter fence at the Amazon facility is already eight feet high and includes three strands of barbed wire. They are requesting a variance so that the new fencing and gates can match and connect to the existing security perimeter. The applicant also states the adjacent warehouse properties within the same logistics area have eight foot fence with chain link. In reviewing the required variance criteria, staff finds that the request is directly related to the existing configuration security function of the property. Requesting new fencing to remain at six feet would result in the fence sections and gates being lower than the existing eight foot perimeter they are intended to connect to. The requested variance does not seek fencing higher than what already exists on the property and is limited to the additional two feet necessary to maintain consistency in the secured perimeter. So based on the existing site conditions and information submitted by the applicant, planning staff recommends approval of case 2026-100 subject to compliance with all other applicable city requirements.

thank you um is the are they present sorry we do like it well first of all does the board does anyone have any questions for billy you're good okay um can we have the applicant come forward there's any questions or thank you sir good evening

Good evening. I'm Troy Daniel. I'm senior engineer with BL Companies representing Amazon here.

Thank you. Can you give your address as well for the minutes?

Yes. It's 1530 Corporate Woods Parkway, Suite 150, Uniontown, Ohio, 44685.

Thank you, sir. Any commissioners have any questions for the applicant?

No.

I shouldn't have had you come up, but that's okay. It was nice to meet you face-to-face closer.

Ours is next, too, I think.

I was going to say, do you have any input or anything that you need to give to the board while you're there?

No, I think, Billy, you covered everything. It's already existing.

Okay. Thank you so much, sir.

Thank you.

Okay, if there's no questions or comments, do we have a motion?

Chairman, I make a motion. After review of case number 2026-100, the Planning Commission approves a variance to allow fencing and associated gates up to eight feet in height at the Amazon MEM3 facility located at 1615 Commerce Parkway as depicted on the submitted site concept plan subject to the compliance with all the applicable city requirements.

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Moving on to case number 2026-010. This is a site plan vision for 1615 Commerce Parkway, located at 1615 Commerce Parkway in Ward 2. And we'll turn it back over to Billy.

Thank you. So this is the associated site plan case from the variance that was just passed at 1615 Commerce Parkway. Zone PVP in the Minnesota 55 Logistics Center The request does not involve an expansion of the warehouse or a change to the existing use of the property. Instead, the proposed revisions are primarily intended to improve access control on the property, circulation, and security around the facility. The proposed improvements include a new guardhouse and revised control vehicle entrance, card readers with intercoms, and arm bars protected by bollards. modification to existing pavement and traffic striping, and demolition and reconstruction of portions of the existing concrete islands. The plan also includes a new concrete ramp, relocation of existing lighting, and removal of several parking spaces to accommodate a new paved island. Additional improvements are proposed along the perimeter of the facility, including a designated drop-off area, pedestrian gates, and a turnstile, as well as new sliding and swing gates and modifications to existing fencing. The site plan depicts the proposed eight-foot fence that was considered as part of the previous case. Approval of the site plan does not replace separate approval for that fence variance. The submitted site plan is identified as a site concept plan and applicant notes that final survey and construction information will be provided as the project moves forward. Final construction and permitting documents therefore remain subject to city review. Planning staff finds that the proposed revisions are consistent with the continued operation of the existing facility and recommends approval of case number 2026-01.

Okay, is there any questions for Billy from commissioners? Any questions or anything for the applicant? All right, do we have a motion?

I'd like to make a motion, Chairman.

Okay. Commissioner Fox.

After review of case number 2026-101, the Planning Commission approves the site revision for the Amazon MEM3 facility located at 1615 Commerce Parkway as depicted on the submitted site concept plan subject to the separate approval of the proposed eight-foot fence under case number 2026-100. final construction, and permitting documents conforming to the approved site plan in compliance with all other applicable city requirements.

We have a second.

Second. Second.

Okay.

Roll call, please. Mark Crawford?

Yes.

Keita Fox? Yes. Calvin Freeman? Yes. Maurice Taylor?

Yes.

Janice Fidelius. Son, Carl.

Yes.

Okay, motion passes. Moving on to case number 2026-098. This is a site plan for Horn Lake Soccer Complex on Lot 1, Stencil Square, Outback Drive East, and Ward 5. And we'll turn it back over to Billy.

All right, so this may be a familiar case to people that have been on the Planning Commission for a while, but I think this is the one that's gonna happen. So it's 2026-098, request by Roger Alvier for site plan approval for the Horn Lake Soccer Complex on lot one along Outback Drive East. The property is located on the west side of Highway 51, just north of Goodman Road, zone C4, planned commercial. The surrounding area is also predominantly commercial. Bowe's development consists of a 300 by 180 foot soccer field together with spectator bleachers, team and coaching areas, a concession building, field house, sidewalks, fencing and netting, landscaping and lighting. Concession building and field house use a coordinated design consisting primarily of white masonry veneer, black standing seam metal roofing, and black metal canopies. The property itself is not located within the designated floodplain. However, Horn Lake Creek borders the northern side of the site and has experienced erosion in the past. Because of the amount of grading and site work proposed near the creek, staff believes creek bank stability erosion control should receive particular attention during final engineering review. Final grading, stormwater, and erosion control plans will therefore need to be reviewed by the city engineer. Staff identified two other items that should be corrected on the final plan. First, one parking row currently contains 12 consecutive standard parking spaces. City regulations require a landscaped island to break up the rows containing more than 10 adjacent spaces. So an additional landscape island will need to be incorporated into that row. Second, staff recommends additional pedestrian infrastructure. The plans provide sidewalks within the complex, but there's a McDonald's located directly across Outback Drive East, and it's reasonable to expect pedestrians to travel between the soccer complex and nearby businesses. Staff therefore recommends sidewalks along the perimeter of the site as well as clearly defined and accessible pedestrian connection from the internal sidewalk system to Outback Drive East. The submitted plans also include a 50-foot field lighting poles and separate parking lot lighting. These fixtures should be installed and aimed in accordance with the submitted photometric plans to minimize unnecessary light spillover onto surrounding properties and toward Horn Lake Creek. So overall staff finds a proposed soccer complex compatible with the surrounding commercial area and can satisfy the city site plan review criteria. So staff recommends approval of case number 2026-098 subject to four conditions. City engineer final review and approval of grading stormwater erosion control plans revision of the 12 space parking road to include a landscape island provision of perimeter sidewalks and pedestrian connection outback drive and the approval of the final landscape plan by staff.

Okay, does any commissioner have any questions for Billy?

Me, I have something. To the best of my knowledge, this plan was already approved earlier, I'm sure. And I noticed we have put a number of new conditions.

Right, so this is a revised version of that. Okay. So this would be considered separately from the previous plans that were approved. Okay.

I'm not seeing what it's called, but the concession stand, the kitchen, the dining area. What's the goal of having the dining area? Is this going to be used outside of soccer season?

I think the applicant can speak to that better than I can.

I don't think so. Is the applicant present? Can you come forward, please, sir, and state your name and address for the minute?

A community problem rather than a soccer field problem. So I think for to require Roger to go in there and improve this creek is beyond the scope of what is required for everybody else that's developed along the creek. I guess that's what I'm getting at. So I'd just like to leave that open for discussion with you and with the engineer and see if we can work something out with that. I just didn't want to agree to it, okay?

Yeah, the intention from my comments is more that Not that he would improve that creek bank, because I know that the Corps works on that, but more so that the work being done to construct the soccer field wouldn't have a negative impact on that bank.

Well, that's the great thing about this is because even when I was brought on, Roger's already done all the grading for the soccer field. So all he wants to do now is to put turf on it. Not grass, but he's going to put turf on it. So there will not be, other than the little field house back in the back, there won't be any major grading. It's already graded. Like you said, apparently he had an application before and he went out there and did some grading on it, so all that's already been completed. So there won't be any major disruption of the ground near the creek. We were aware, are aware, of the 10 space rule for parking islands, but knowing the crowds that may be here, we felt like that the extra space was worth more than that little bit of landscaping. Since we've got this huge island out here by the street, we felt like that it was more important to have that space than that additional 10 feet. Because see, that white space out there is all grassed areas. That'd be all landscaped area. So I would, again, that's not major, but that was just our thought process with that. Billy, you mentioned a perimeter sidewalk. Would you explain what you mean by that, please?

I was hoping to get a sidewalk that connected to Outback Drive because I anticipate that there will be people, pedestrians, trying to walk off the site and back onto the site from surrounding businesses. Sure. So just a sidewalk to the perimeter.

sure we can do that yeah not necessarily like a walking track around the whole site yeah so we don't have room for that for the walking track around the whole thing right just access to the road is what i'm asking right um to answer your question about the concession what i understand is it's only going to be available um when they have the soccer tournaments and so forth. But his vision is his wife is a cook and to have a place to prepare meals and give a place for people to sit inside where it's cool or heated and eat. And the front of the building is gonna be glassed so that they can continue to watch the soccer matches as they go on. And then we also added some picnic tables out there so that somebody could sit outside and eat also. Other than that, I don't really have any questions. I think it's a great project for the city.

Thank you, sir.

I've got a question. Yes, sir.

Speaking about the cafeteria or that venue, talking about the full venue, my question is, is this going to be just for games only or going to be working as a regular business out working out of that area?

Just for the games only. Okay. Okay.

And I think that's a great idea because if you go to a local soccer game like at Lake Cormorant, first thing they do when they get there, everybody hits the concession stands. So I think that would be very wise for them to have something like that in there.

Well, Roger said concession stand. I had in mind the fold-up wood and you walk up to it. And he said, oh, no, no, no, I want something nice. I want my wife and my daughter to be able to cook. I want people to be able to sit down. and eat and enjoy it. Maybe they don't have a game. Maybe they're in between games or whatever. So that's the reason behind that.

Mr. Carroll, for context, in the past when Mr. Elvier has proposed this, it's been for renting the field out for league games and things like that rather than it being open to the public all the time like a park would be. So I think hours of operation relative to activity on the site is consistent with that.

It's not going to be open to the general public. It'll be fenced off and locked during when it's not being used. Roger has significant connections to the professional soccer world. And he has talked about having these high-ranked players come in and teach clinics to children and things like that. And so not only will there be tournaments and matches here, there will also be training clinics and things like that that he's got planned. I can't speak much to it. I'm not a big soccer fan, but I can only tell you what he's told me.

I think that would be correct. I have one more question.

Okay. The access to the – gaining access and exit off the soccer field, they're the only two areas we could look at that you have. It's coming off on 51 and getting off on Goodman. That's the only way to get in this field?

That's the only way. That's the only way, yes, sir. There's no other access except off of Outback Drive right there. It doesn't have any access to 51 or Goodman. It's all internal to the subdivision.

It'll be like how everyone does at rush hour. They're going to cut around and go through McDonald's or by the storage or something like that.

Right. He doesn't own that lot, that gravel lot. Mr. Wilson still owns that. He doesn't.

Right.

Mr. Carroll, did you have something else?

So you mentioned when you said the front of the concession stand you called is going to be glass, but it's sitting in the corner. So what's facing north is going to be glass that people could still be watching the game?

Correct.

So the picnic tables, you said, are they going to be on the west side of these windows?

Correct. Those green circles are the existing trees out there. There's 25 or so pine trees and sawtooth oak trees out there that we're going to try to maintain. And so these picnic tables will be on the west side underneath those trees.

With no discernible view of the soccer field.

I mean, that's arguable because they're right there in the corner of the field, so you'd be able to turn around and see it. True. True, but the picnic tables were placed there for a place to sit down and eat, not to sit down and watch the game. That's why we put spectator bleachers over behind on each side.

Okay, two more things. One of them, so the access to the field from the parking lot, is it going to be completely open? Or is there going to be a gate that goes in on one side?

That's what he was talking about, the removable panels. I couldn't think of a better way to explain that because we didn't want just gates there. So I showed an area there in front of the... concession stand where we'll be able to, I don't know whether the gates will fold up in an accordion fashion or something like that, but there will be a wider area there that is used for access to the field.

So to piggyback that, with the gate and the access, is there going to be a charge to someone coming and watching a tournament as opposed to a city field?

can't answer that i don't know in the past i think that that was that was discussed yeah that these would be league games that i think that they would sell tickets to sometimes but not all the time i don't i don't know how that works if if the team plays you know the organizer pays the fee to roger or the team pays the fees to roger or individuals pay i don't know how that works This is a business proposition for him. So all I can say is it won't be free. I don't know. And he's got to work it out somehow.

But I don't know how it's collected.

One last thing about the parking lot. Billy, what's the code for like an ordinance on parking?

It's based off of area I'm not not familiar with the ratio off the top of my head, but I know that the Access that they provided here is adequately sized for what the parking is It's it's 1 to 50 is 1

And then 5,200 is two, and I'm going by memory. And above that, it's based on number of parking places totally in the parking lot.

He's good on number. I appreciate the size of the parking too. So many want to do it just where they have just enough room, and nobody can get a ramp and stuff out when they have those handicap vans and stuff. So I appreciate that spacing of 12 feet. Does anyone else have any questions? Okay. Thank you, sir.

Thank you.

Okay. If there's not any questions, do we have a motion?

I'll make the motion. After review of case number 2026-098, the Planning Commission, approve the site plan for the proposed Horn Lake Sucker Complex on Lot 1, Stansted Square along Outback Drive East, subject to the following conditions, 1 through 4. Any addition?

Do you want to allow them to have the 12 spaces along the front since they have the big island? That's what he was requesting.

Yeah, to have no parking space.

Do we include that in the motion? You can exclude that one condition.

Which one?

About the extra parking island.

Okay. All right.

Which one? You want to exclude that? Mm-hmm. That's fine.

Okay. All right. Do we have a motion? I'm sorry, a second? Second. Second by Commissioner Fox. Roll call, please.

Mark Crawford. Yes. Akita Fox. Yes. Calvin Carter. Calvin Freeman. Yes. Sorry. Morris Taylor. Yes. Janice Vidal. Yes. Stan Carroll.

No.

Okay. Okay.

Okay, motion passes.

Thank you very much. Yes, sir.

Thank you. Thank you for your time. Moving on to case number 2026-102. This is a site plan for Legacy Holdings Mini Storage Facility at 7850 Highway 301 North in Ward 1. And we will turn this back over to Billy.

Okay, so case 2026 that 1 0, 2 is request for site plan approval for the proposed legacy holding mini storage facility at 7850 highway 301 North approximately 8 acre properties located. On the East side of highway 301 South of the set of road along the Western edge of the Baker's estates development. The proposed the property is zone Pud as part of the baker's estates plane unit development. In 2021, the board of alderman approved the Pud or amended the Pud to specifically allow many warehouse and self storage usage on this portion of the development. The proposed use is therefore consistent with the approved baker's estates Pud. The development is proposed in phases. Phase one includes approximately 58,000 square foot indoor climate controlled storage building. Later phases include conventional storage buildings, open sided storage buildings and accessory outdoor storage and parking areas. The site will have gated access from Highway 301, paved internal circulation, landscaping and screening. Because the property adjoins existing residential development to the east and southeast, screening is an important component of the site plan. The submitted landscape plan provides substantial landscaping along highway 301 frontage. All landscaping should comply with the approved species list provided by the city. Planning staff also discussed pedestrian access with the applicant. Currently no sidewalks along this portion of Highway 301. However, the city expects new development to provide sidewalk infrastructure. Staff is therefore recommending that the final site plan include a sidewalk along Highway 301 frontage as well as pedestrian connection from that sidewalk into the storage facility. This will establish a new segment of pedestrian infrastructure that can eventually connect with future development along this corridor. The proposed climate control building utilizes a combination of brick veneer and metal wall panels. Final exterior color and material schedule will be required prior to construction. After review of the site plan, architectural plans, Baker Estates PUD amendment, and applicable development requirements, planning staff finds that the proposal is consistent with the and city site plan review criteria planning staff recommends approval of case number 2026 dash 1 0 2 subject to the addition of the sidewalk and pedestrian connection. and final approval of screening details, and approval of the final exterior color and material schedule, and compliance with all other applicable city requirements.

Okay, does anyone have any questions for Billy? Do we have any questions for the applicant? Applicant here. Can you come forward, please? Can you state your name and address for the minutes, please? I do. It's one simple question. Are you okay with doing the sidewalk and stuff as Billy proposed? Because that's a very big push in our city right now is making sure we have pedestrian walkways and stuff. Okay, wonderful. All right. Go ahead. Are there any other questions? No, just me? Okay, thank you so much. Okay, do we have a possible motion? Okay, Commissioner Fox.

After review of case number 2026-102, the Planning Commission approved the site plan for the proposed Legacy Holdings mini storage facility at 7850 Highway 301 North, subject to revision of the final site plan to include sidewalk along the Highway 301 frontage and a pedestrian connection from the sidewalk into the facility. A submission and staff approval of final perimeter fencing slash screening details Submission and approval of the final exterior color slash material schedule and compliance with all the other applicable city requirements Okay, do we have a second?

second Mar Crawford, yes, Keita Fox Calvin Freeman. Yes, Maurice Taylor. Yes

Yes.

Janice Vidal. Yes. Stan Carroll.

Yes.

All right, motion passes. Thank you so much. Okay. And moving on to other business. I'll turn it back over to Billy, Planning Commissioner Training from August.

Yeah, so on August 19th, we had a countywide Planning Commissioner Training at the Mississippi Realtors Association building on Highway 51. Mr. Freeman was able to attend And I sent the handouts that were presented at the meeting to you guys, I think, the next day, something like that. So if you ever have any questions about those, feel free to reach out. But they can be a good resource for evaluating cases going forward.

You could include those in the folder when you have a chance.

I thought that was actually our packet. I thought this is really early. Like, okay, wow. And then I was like, okay, nevermind. Okay. All right. Um, have a motion to adjourn. Second. Okay. Um, all in favor say aye. Okay.