Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

It's been there for 120 years or 110 years.

Yeah. Well, only makes sense. 20th 2025 Watertown area or Watertown Planning Commission meeting to order. Brandy, would you please do the role?

Yes. Dolly here. Kay here. Spy here. Gohane here. Albby here. Kakachek here. Tate here. And Alletki and Darus Johnson are absent. We have a quorum. And this is the simple majority um in for the affirmative to approve. I always struggle with that. Wonderful. I'd entertain a motion to approve the October 9th, 2025 meeting minutes. Make a motion. Second. Motion second. Uh any further discussions, amendments, changes that need to occur to the October 9th meeting minutes? [snorts]

Hearing none. All those in favor of approval say I. I. Oppose. Same sign abstaining. Motion passes. Disclosure of conflicts of interests or exparte communications. Has anyone had any discussions regarding anything that would be exparte? I don't think that applies given that this is an ordinance amendment. Uh declaration of new business. Any new business that the board members or staff would like to bring to our attention? Good. Thank you. Public comment sign up. Again, if there's anyone here, we know that doesn't really apply today either. No one's here. Uh I would make or I'd entertain a motion to approve the agenda. So moved. Second. Second.

We have a motion in a couple of seconds. Uh any changes that need to be made to the agenda? Uh hearing none. All those in favor of approval say I. I. Opposed. Same sign abstaining. Uh motion passes. That brings us to our regular agenda which is ordinance number 25-18 is owning text amendment. Go ahead.

Thank you Liam. So this ordinance amendment you all have seen before and that it was approved uh unanimously by the planning commission at the October 20th meeting. And this is in regards to the residential garage district as we discussed. um just really revamping it to make it more applicable to the type of buildings and structures that a storage um a storage shop or a storage unit type structure would be. Um the only thing with this district is it has to be within 300 ft of a residential district. So that's why we brought it back after discussions with the mayor um when it was going forward to city council of really thinking about the applicability of it and protecting residential neighborhoods nearby. Um, and then also what it was even discussed with the planning commission that we could even add a little more um, I guess specificity on the type of screening. Um, and so then I did add that additional language there. So you can see that for screening, vegetation, fencing, etc. shall be provided when a budding single family residential developed properties. Um that was the the previous language that we had. And then on here then we added additional information by saying fencing with less than 10% transparency burm or vegetation that is 6 feet in height shall be provided along the property boundaries that about R1 R1C R2 R2A um residential districts. So just added a little more detail there. And then also required that any sidewall that is um ab budding

a single family district has to be residentially sided. Obviously storage units are typically metal but where they do um abut that residential district we would ask that or we would find it appropriate that they would do residential siding um as far as staff's opinion. So with that, I will stand by for any questions. Mr. Chair, go ahead. Todd, just for my my recollection, do we define shipping containers currently in the ordinance? No.

Should we have a a definition of shipping containers added to the ordinance and interotal intermoal containers? Um, good question. I mean, do I know what a shipping container is. Do you know what a shipping container is? Yeah, shipping container. [clears throat] I can tell you I'm driving an old school bus and I'm shipping things in that old school bus and I've seen school buses used for storage. Is that a shipping container? If not, why? This is reminding me of the boat house discussions. Um, but we could

I would recommend that we would come up with something for a shipping container definition. Um, that was the only comment that I had. And then the other question was we do define residential siding in the ordinance. Okay. Yep. Um well I guess there are many different products that you can use but it is as approved by the building official. So that it's residential in nature. That's the same way that it's written in uh title 21 at the beginning in the chart. So yeah I was just curious. I mean, is is is it sticks and hay and brick? You know, that's why I [clears throat] was just curious.

Um, and I apologize, uh, Brandy and board because I was gone on the 9th. Um, but what what was the impetus for this originally? I mean, what was the purpose for? So when when we did the overhaul of title 21 in the beginning of January, it actually was added as an option because any time that the only option for storage units near residential neighborhoods or districts was to reszone to R3 and then getting a conditional use. Well, any time that someone reszoned to R3, there was that fear that it would be apartments rather than storage units because then they had to come after to get the conditional use. So, this was really creating the option for storage near residential neighborhoods because that makes sense

and certain huh and become certain with this. Yes. Yep. So then you know what is happening so there's not that that doubt. Okay. So this so RS replaces what was the RG district that still exists too. We just created another district. Okay. Okay. I'm just trying to track here. And what's what was the purpose or what what's the impetus from going from 30% coverage to 80% coverage on both in terms of like design standards under the structure? Um okay. So the what the RS what that started from was the RG district. Yeah. So then that has the 30% because that is truly a residential garage. Okay.

Where this is getting into more commercialesque with being able to rent these out. So then you would have more lot coverage. Okay. And that same with that subsection F formally subsection F that was strike through. Struck through. Yes. Okay. All right. Mr. Chair, I don't have any other questions. Go ahead, Mr. Case. As far as the surface material, the driving, the parking, is that going to have to be asphalt? Yeah. Uh or concrete has to be not gra. Yep. Yep. Any loading access and parking is required to be hard surfaced.

And lighting requirements would follow just our standard lighting requirements, shoe box lighting and things like that. Yep. Uh go ahead. Um on our discussion I thought we discussed minimum lot size and I see it says here it won't be more than 80% of the lot usage. Um it is actually on that top part where under the area. So no area should be eligible unless it contains at least one acre. Okay. And thank you for pointing it out. Appreciate it. And have or has a minimum of 100 foot of width. Good questions. Any other questions for staff?

Uh I uh Mr. Chair, I have a question.

Yep. Go ahead. on on uh in uh on section B when we're talking about screening um do we want to maybe this is addressed some in in some associated ordinance but um if somebody's got 12 foot sidewalls and they're putting in a 4ft hedge as their screening That's I don't know that that's really fair for the for the residential person, you know, yard next to it. Do we want to specify or provide guidance on the height of the screening?

So, Julia, we do have it is a requirement that it be six feet. So, if they're going to do vegetation, they have to bring in six foot trees or um or have that already established. So, and six feet is the residential um fence height and then the and then that sidewall would be residentially sided.

Okay. So I guess maybe the question is instead of do we want to uh include any specificity in this section so that you don't have to go back to some other part to figure out what does that actually mean? Would that be helpful? We do. Um and I because you can't see the screen, can you? I'm I'm looking at the um the uh the red line that was in the packet. Okay. Yeah. So that is I can't see the screen. Okay. Yeah. So, it is included in this section

on page 11 of 14 towards the bottom. Uh, Miss Tate, it says screening fencing with less than 10% transparency burm or vegetation that is 6 feet in height shall be provided. Good question. Thank you for pointing that. Okay, great. Thank you. Good questions. Uh, any other questions? Okay, then I will open the public hearing if there's anybody that wants to speak on this matter. Is there anybody that wants to speak on this matter from the public hearing? None. Uh I will close the public hearing and I'd entertain a motion. Mr. Chair,

go ahead. Um, I would like to motion to appro recommend approval to the city council the adoption of um, is it ordinance 2518? 25-18. Correct. With the following amendment that staff present to the city council in addition to this reg proposed regulation a definition that makes sense for a shipping container. Okay, we have an amended motion. Second. We have a second by Dolly. Motion by K. second by Dolly. Uh further discussion regarding the uh motion as amended, the amended motion.

And I'll maybe add that we will time that out. We'll get the definition cranked out and get that on the next planning commission. I'm comfortable so that we can bring it all together to council. Well, this isn't I'm comfortable with giving that to staff and not having to have the planning commission approve that and let the city council if that's chair. I would concur or no, we have to because it's title 21. Okay. But appreciate that. Does that change your opinion or your motion, Mr. Case? Um I Well, then we won't there's no point in making a recommendation D if we have to hear it again.

Oh, no. We can have this one can keep moving forward and then I will bring the definition to the next meeting so we can time them up when everything's approved with council at before prior to second reading and their public hearing because there's two readings at council. My motion stands, sir. Sounds good. Thank you, Mrs. Hton. Miss Hon. Uh, all right. Further discussion, more board discussion regarding the amended motion. Okie dokie. Then I'm just going to do a voice vote. All those in favor of the amended motion say I. I I Wow.

Opposed. Abstaining. Motion passes unanimously. Now it's time for open public comment. Does anybody want to say anything? You want to tell us about what a great time you had? [laughter] No, no new business. Any new business? Um, so you I see that I actually put my discussion item Oh, sorry. Under open public comment, which is not correct. It should be in a new business. So, okay,

we're good. Um, this is looking at adding the use that already exists in ordinance the service station for motor vehicles in to the I1 district. So through discussion in a meeting that Allan and I had um just looking at this use and a and a potential project that it's not included in the I1 district which is we feel um I mean it's we feel it's appropriate that it would be an option um and most likely it's going to be controlled by the market because so the service station for motor vehicle is convoluted word for a gas station in a sea store.

Yes. [snorts] So, a lot of the times that's going to be controlled by the market because typically you see them in C3 highway commercial districts or highway, you know, located off of highways for proximity and a lot of traffic. Um, but if somebody wanted to put one in the I1 district, we don't feel like that that would be inappropriate. Where's a map of all the I1 district locations within the community? That would be my first wondering. So they are they end up being um you know towards the perimeters. Um but you always see that transition from C3 to I1. So I1 being the light purple. Yes. Sorry, I should point that out. Light purple, pink,

whatever your eyes see. Would it be more appropriate to even limit that further? I1 areas adjacent to a highway. Do I want to be in, you know, I mean, that's where you're going to be wanting to be anyway, right? Yeah. From a from a traffic perspective. I mean, are there any I1 areas that maybe somebody says, "I'm just going to open up a service station," which I'm still think is somewhat a That's a very broad term, isn't it? The service station, motor vehicle. Yeah.

Yeah. Well, I could see the utility of having in general I1 just if uh like if you have diesel for trucks and it's closer to where truck, you know, trailer parking is and and that's an appropriate area and it' be [clears throat] a specialized service station, but I see general applicability. Yeah. Yeah. That is a consideration. You might look at just the overall master. Uh, so I could theoretically put a tra a service station if the property was available where the old Hubard Mill sat. Yeah. Yeah. Which I mean that would make sense. But you could do it if it was reszoned to C3 though, right? Right. Mhm.

Which it probably would be better suited for C3. That that location specifically. Yeah. Correct. Yeah. Okay. Anyway, uh, Miss Kasich, uh, yeah, I I guess I have a, you know, wandering into the definitions category as well. Um, you know, service station, motor vehicles, um, evokes a place of service rather than a retail establishment. Um, so that that line is a little is a little thin for me there. um a service station to to me and perhaps my definition is wrong evokes the image of repairs

um service and repairs rather than a gas station just wanting to see if there needs to be kind of a boundary on that definition um I1 generally you don't have the higher traffic retail type things because you don't want that extra car traffic comingling with that industrial ustrial traffic. So, just wanting to make sure that it's not like, okay, well, if we have a gas station now, we we want a fast food restaurant and and all of a sudden it it starts rolling from there. So, that would that would be my only concern is that that line between service station and straight up retail is sea store kind of

sea store. Yeah. So [clears throat] I definitely agree with that and honestly I'm just working with what we have because it's that's what what we have been using but again that can always be changed and we can make it more specific if we were to bring it forward and I agree. I mean now would be the time to to do that. I don't know when this definition a lot of our definitions are very antiquated 1983 probably yeah we're like some of the uses that are out there are comical service station motor vehicle also include auto body repair it specifically exempts it okay oh there it is I'm sorry to see it here it is got

so forgot about technology here if you guys feel like this would be appropriate for staff to look into that's what I'm kind of looking for is to initiate the ordinance amendment and then but I like that idea uh that you brought up Michelle. So, um then we could could look into this and bring forward an ordinance amendment.

Yeah, I think it's appropriate because generally with service station motor vehicles, you have outdoor storage of vehicles that are being repaired because there's just not just two vehicles and inside. So, it probably is better in an I1 zone even than even in the C3 in certain circumstances if you're trying to a nice look. Um, but I do think turning it into is it more service versus more retail? That's the situation. I think it's that's kind of where it gets a little gray. When I read that def definition, it I mean, the only retail that was allowed under that definition was accessories. Service related service related things and accessories, which gets a little bit hairy, but I mean, I don't think you can sell You can't be selling cheese puffs, I wouldn't think.

Well, accessory is it is it customarily accessory? If you drive by a lot of gas stations that do service work, they're also selling hot dogs on a spit. Yeah. So definitely where I think that that gets blurred where in a way it's like incidental, but you can't do retail. So it truly is just the sale of petroleum products. So that's where I think we just make it specific where I think service station motor vehicle how it's defined today is appropriate in the I1 district. But I think we need to be more specific on what a sea store is, a convenience store. Yeah. And create another definition there.

Yeah. Because through omission is what it ends up being. If we if we define it somewhere else and it's not listed here, then we just use the converse. Yeah. Wonderful. Good discussion. No, go ahead. Do you need more from us other than a thumbs up? No, that works. Coolio. All right. Thank you. Other new business? Any old business?

Um, I'll put a plug in for the mayor for his hunt to replace Dolly and Nitki as their terms are coming to an end. if anyone listening or to bring it to your your attentions of if you know anybody that you think would be a good fit for the board or that you would like to work with or who would be a wealth of knowledge to replace these tenured members that we will miss very much. So just we need to appoint those but in um at the first meeting uh for city council in December. So

are we having a party in December? Yeah, I think we should. I think we still have some budget for the for the planning commission. We have a line item for that, Alan. [laughter] There's a really big line item. $34. Entertainment. 34 bucks. 34 bucks. Um, all right. Well, so we're on the hunt for new members. Sounds good. Uh, any need for executive session? No. No. All right, then we're adjourned.