Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

I will now Good evening. I will now call the meeting to order. Our first agenda item is the evening's open forum. The open forum is an opportunity for anyone to address the commission on an item that is not on the agenda and that is not an applicant form that will be coming to the commission at a future date. Is there anyone in the audience who would like to address the planning commission on an agenda and is not an applicant application that will be coming before the commission at a future date. It's a little echoey. Feels a little echoey, if I may say. Seeing no one is uh no one, we will now move on to adopting the final agenda. Commissioners, our next item is to adopt the final agenda. May I have a motion to adopt the final agenda? So moved. So moved. Can I get a second? Second. All right, we have a motion made by Auditor and a second by uh Shower. Um all those in favor and Ooh. I got to check. Thank you. Okay. Um any opposed? Uh all So, all those in favor?

I. I. Um thank you, the motion carries. Our first item is item 4.1. Approve the planning commission meeting minutes from April 7th, 2026. May I have a motion to approve the minutes? So moved. May I get a second? Second. Okay, we have a motion made by it's Shower, and uh second by No, Clod. Anthony Clod. Anthony Clod. Okay, I'm sorry. I said that wrong. My apologies. Um all those in favor? I. I. Any opposed? Hearing none, the motion carries. Uh our second item uh for discussion tonight is item 4.2, which is the sketch plat request for the Dairy Queen site. The sketch plat review is the initial stage of review that the planning commission reviews and considers regarding development proposals. There are no formal actions or recommendations to be taken by the planning commission at the sketch plat review. The sketch plat review process is intended for the applicant to receive initial feedback from the planning commission and from the city council in advance of any necessary preliminary plat or rezoning applications. I will now turn it over to the city planner, Brian McCann, for staff presentation. Thank you, Chair and Commissioners. Wow, that mic is sensitive. Um So, yes, um I'm actually going to look to our IT manager just to make sure we are broadcasting the presentation for all the Commissioners.

[clears throat]

Almost there. Here you go. Here we go. Great. Thank you. Uh so, yes, we are considering a sketch plat application tonight for the former Dairy Queen located at 2120 Arboretum Boulevard. Uh as the Chair mentioned this evening, they have submitted a sketch plat for consideration by the planning commission to the council, but there aren't any approvals to be taken during this meeting. Uh it's just to provide guidance to the applicant as they work through any subsequent preliminary plat submittals in the future. Um I will note that in this presentation, you'll see some exhibits that are different than the ones that were in your case. We did receive a revised plan set uh after, so you'll see all the latest and greatest plans in this presentation this evening. Then for the location and existing conditions, as I mentioned, it's at 2120 Arboretum Boulevard. It's about 0.88 acres in size. Uh currently consists of a vacant building, formerly the formerly the Dairy Queen site, and it also has 37 parking stalls on site. It is adjacent to the future Downtown West development and the daycare that is existing today to the north. It also has uh access points to County Road 11 or Victoria Drive to the west and Highway 5 to the south. And right now, the property stands at about 67% impervious coverage. So, this is the updated sketch plat with the latest revisions that I mentioned. Uh you might remember previously that the western building was shifted about 90°. Um counterclockwise, so they are still proposing two commercial buildings, the first one being 1,900 square feet here, and the second being 2,300 square feet here. Uh the western building is proposed to

have a drive-through with dual lane uh stacking here with capacity up to 15 vehicles. They are also proposing 43 parking stalls throughout the site. They are taking away that access that exists right now onto Highway 5, but they're retaining the access to County Road 11. The property is currently zoned central business district and guided downtown mixed use in our 2040 comprehensive plan. This means that um your typical commercial uses are generally uh permitted or conditional within these districts. Uh specifically, drive-throughs and permanent outdoor dining areas, those are two uh uses that we require conditional use permits for per our zoning code. So, we anticipate that those will be applied for with the preliminary plat plans. Moving on, this is also within our shoreland overlay district because it's within 1,000 feet of Auburn Lake. Commercial uses within the shoreland district are another conditional use, so we anticipate three conditional use permits with the preliminary plat submittal. Um they also have a maximum 80% impervious surface requirement. The site, as I mentioned, right now is about 67% impervious. They are proposing 78.7% in this latest plan, so we don't anticipate any variance being required. For building materials, lighting, and signage, we will require site plan and building materials applications so that we can see renderings and proposed exterior materials for the buildings and also confirm that they meet our elevated design requirements in our central business district. They are proposing eight street lights with this project, so the area should be sufficiently lit, but we'll want to evaluate any building lighting that may be considered in

future revisions, as well as any signage plans uh regarding development signage, monument signage, wall signage. So, we anticipate all those with future submittals, as well. Moving on to landscaping and tree preservation, they did provide some landscaping plans uh with their sketch plat submittal, showing tree plantings around the proximity of the site, and then a lot of shrubs and perennials within the development, specifically around the foundations. In accordance with our code, uh the central business district, though, is exempt from open space and minimum planting requirements. And then with the tree preservation plan, there are four larger significant trees on the site. They are proposing to remove 100% of the existing significant trees. And uh the applicant has noted that they would be seeking an exemption, similar to our Downtown West development, which received an exemption for um replanting requirements due to the urban development nature that's occurring downtown. Then for parking and drive aisles, they do have a 26-ft wide drive aisle, which would basically serve as an extension of the main street with the Downtown West development. Uh they are also looking at um retail and food uses for these two buildings, as noted on the plan here. Um I took this in three different ways. So, if you were to evaluate the entire 4,200 square feet as retail, they would need only 16 parking stalls for the entire site. If both were restaurants, for example, they would need 76 parking stalls for the entire site. Uh likely what could happen here is a blend of retail and restaurant. So, we'll evaluate that further when we know

what the uses are specifically, but they are providing 43 stalls within the site. And then also, uh in case they do have a larger restaurant footprint or they exceed that 43 uh stalls, we know that this building I'm highlighting here with my cursor was previously planned to be a drive-thru restaurant. We anticipate that that's going to go away since they're no longer showing uh drive-thru in the latest renderings for this building. So, we anticipate retail, and there could be some additional parking capacity that can make up for that change. Then, regarding pedestrian connections, they are showing a concrete sidewalk as well as a concrete patio for outdoor dining for the retail food building here on the west. And then, they are also showing a connection on County Road 11 to the regional trail in this area that also runs along Highway 5. Regarding parkland dedication, our code exempts commercial developments less than an acre in size from parkland dedication requirements. So, we don't anticipate any fee or land with this uh development, but it also is in close proximity to uh the future Central Green and Public Plaza with Downtown West. So, it's not entirely needed. Then, for wetlands, uh stormwater management and site utilities, it is within the MCWD's area. So, it's um up to the applicant to comply with their rules and regulations, but we don't anticipate any uh wetland impacts given the current condition of the site. They are also proposing additional stormwater, which you may remember from the Downtown West development, and they are hoping to also tie that into uh the Highway 5 system. Our engineering team is looking at that more closely. And then, lastly, they are proposing to extend sewer and water to the site um

from the Downtown West development and interconnect with the existing systems out here. So, with that, I do have some questions for the Planning Commission to help guide the discussion if needed this evening. These were included in your packet. Um just some high-level questions to help guide the discussion if needed. And then, I will go back to that slide, but then just for the general audience and for the Planning Commission's knowledge, next steps for this, it is uh tentatively scheduled to go to our City Council meeting on Monday, May 11th, as part of their workshop meeting. Uh if you wanted to attend to listen to the conversation, you're more than welcome, but the City Council will likely not be taking any comments during that meeting. And then, if the applicant receives favorable feedback, they'll likely work on preliminary plat plans, which you guys will review in the coming months if it all works out. So, with that, staff can stand for any questions you have, and there are representatives of the application in the audience this evening. Okay. Thank you. Um

[clears throat]

Does the applicant wish to speak? Sure. I am Carl Runck, Monarch Development. Um Um Planning Commissioners, uh we thought it was really important for Downtown West, which you saw Downtown West and approved, and now it's under construction, as you can see over there. It was really important to acquire the Dairy Queen property uh to incorporate into the larger vision of Downtown West, especially as a gateway site driving west uh for all the growing neighborhoods going that direction west. Um so, we're we're excited that we have control. It was difficult uh to to get control uh contractually with that property owner. Uh but, we're looking right now at um the reason we don't have architecture there yet is we're trying to solve the site plan to integrate with these uses and with Downtown West and a connection point to the new Main Street we platted. Um so, the the uses are when we come for preliminary plat, uh we'll have more architecture to find then regarding uh the brand standards for the It's a coffee two coffee users we're talking to right now for the corner. And then, uh fast casual um for the building next door. Uh that's meant to blend in with the overall design uh theme for Downtown West, which is why the buildings are closer to Highway 5 and not set back, you know, like a typical suburban project. So, the parking's behind and connects to Main Street is the big idea. So, wanted to share that background before we go into further discussion. Thank you for that. Um

[clears throat]

So, excuse me. Thank you. I will now open the floor to the Planning Commission for discussion. Commissioners, are there any questions or comments? Well, I guess I'll start off. I'm a little worried if we're already discussing having one be a coffee shop and one being a fast casual of the parking situation, which I know it always sounds like a broken record when we talk about parking in downtown. Um but, I just get a little concerned right off the bat if we already know that that's going to be two food options, the parking around that area. It's just my first thought. So, yeah. Uh the the uh the actual amount of seats inside the coffee shops, both being are it's more drive-thru driven than it is indoor seating. So, I you know, we we also have a in Downtown West on Main Street, we have a bakery concept that has coffee. So, that's more of a sit-down environment. So, we're we intentionally did not want to see a coffee user here that is um more of a sit-down option than more of This is more auto-oriented in that case. So, we're we're optimistic in a way that it'll be the fast casual restaurant is where most of the parking's used and overflow parking that's exist in the building to the west side of Downtown West um that we'll talk about as well. Thank you. Thank you. And I think one of the things is yeah, it's like what is our restaurant to me definitionally, yeah, it's 76. If it's What's the What are our definitions on more of that fast food or drive-thru? Um Other questions? I know I had one about tree that I read about. I had a question about um the uh the entryway. Uh is there a possibility of putting an entryway on the like north

uh what would it northeast side? Like cuz I think the future for this place is um the the rest of it's going to be developed, right? Between Victoria Drive and Highway 5. So, if the entrance were on the north east side, then it would not really cause traffic jams like it would on Victoria like I'm like there's potential for right now, it seems. Uh overall map that shows us how it connects to Downtown West. The final plat then. I do not have the final plat on hand at the moment.

Or the site plan. I can find something really quick if you just give me a minute. If you want other questions in the meantime. Yeah, just just for for background, when this site plan was being conceived, we worked with these two and Mark Holste as a consulting landscape architect of how to integrate the Dairy Queen site with Downtown West. And there's 10 iterations, and this is iteration that made the most sense, which there's some more When he shows the overall image, you'll it'll make a little more sense, I think, too, in that case. So, it'll be right in, right out? Um off Highway 5, right in, right out. And then, yeah, same thing off Highway 11, right in, right out um in that case. I have the same concern as Commissioner Shower. Parking is something we'll be watching closely as this advances. And that in turn depends on the uses of Building A and Building B, which I'm guessing you don't know quite yet. Right. We don't we don't know exactly the the parking demand of each um other than these concepts exist in in Downtown Wayzata together in the same building. And we're observing how all the markets respond to parking needs there. So, I'm Very good. Mhm. I guess one of the ones that I remembered, too, when you were when you get that up or when we're done with um the visual was a tree that I read about, maybe in a placement on a corner. Did I read that right in the minutes or the notes? Um Chair and Commissioners, yes, I know which tree you are talking about, and that tree has since been relocated. Um there was a tree placed a little bit closer here where staff had some concerns about sight lines coming off of um the roundabout and off of Victoria Drive here. They did relocate that a little bit closer to the stall to help clear up that sight triangle. Thank you. And then, going to the final plat here, uh plans are a little bit slow to load. So, I'll just go to

the plat um for the benefit of everyone's knowledge, here are the four commercial buildings that are within the Downtown West Third Edition final plat. Outlot D here is anticipated to be another building in the future. That was that one that I had stated earlier in my presentation that was going to be a drive-thru user. Um it's now anticipated to be converted to retail. So, um modifying the layout of Main Street here to curve up through the northeast corner of the Dairy Queen site just wouldn't work based on how the plat approvals occurred for the previous edition, which Commissioner Cloud is new and wasn't part of those conversations. So, I I get why the confusion was there. But, that's just background knowledge for everyone and I hope that clarifies things. You know, on the big picture question, I don't have the answer to this, but in terms of it would be deemed a separate project. So, therefore, it wouldn't have the commonality of the parking kind of in the within walking distance if it was overflow. I'm sure that conversation is going to come up at some point. I just add a bit of background here. Again, that we plan to come with the preliminary plat application with the Dairy Queen site and the western building that's currently an outlot that's platted. We're currently designing that western building there he's pointing out lot D with architecture that looks more like Main Street, the four buildings that are being built out there. So, we plan to come back with that folded into the Dairy Queen application, you know, with that building along with the two Dairy Queen buildings, the Dairy Queen site buildings and parking, how it all

connects that way. Okay. Cuz yeah, I I know you're the same developer, so I was wondering what Yeah, it's a this is yeah, all meant to knit together between the the type of uses, the parking, the landscaping. It's just it's harder to explain it when when Brian just had just the Dairy Queen site. We need to really see it in its totality. So, Right. And when you drive about there, you definitely get a sense for where it's headed. Yes. Yeah, and even including the power lines that are on the Dairy Queen site, we're going to relocate those, bury them, and just make it feel more seamless between the Main Street we're building and spending all this time on with Dairy Queen or the former Dairy Queen site. Are there other comments or questions? Thoughts for guidance. The other thought I had is in the drive-thru, as people pull out, I'm a little concerned because that the right in right out on what is that? West of it on the left side of the image, I'm worried about cars speeding in there and then people also trying to get out of the round out of the drive-thru as well. And all the people parked right there. So, it just seems a little congested on that area. Um just makes me concerned for one, how people drive, and uh two, just how much we're going to be packing in that section. It does look like there's a right in and then people have to go past the intersection within the parking lot and then loop around. And so, the right in is conflicting with the left that they have to take uh to then go right out onto Victoria Drive. I recommend for the preliminary plat application is a traffic if you think so, like some kind of diagrams that show traffic flow at different times of the day of how this works cuz it might be helpful

because of the curb cut and moving as Brian said from the Dairy Queen site over to the main artery into downtown West that that, you know, how does that flow then with people driving off Highway 5 or off Highway 11 and coming into the coffee drive-thru or to the fast casual or to building five or the outlot building and then over to Main Street. So, there's a lot going on over here that would be helpful to show maybe in a traffic flow diagram in that case. Yeah, in my mind I'd starting with the idea of, you know, maybe it turning the traffic flow just the opposite cuz then it would be a turn right in. But, I think what you're getting at is there's going to be more traffic coming from the right side. There's going to be more flow coming I think so. That that there's um the roundabout's going to change traffic patterns over there, too, once it's in. But, it's a lot of people are going to if they're coming from the west to the roundabout to Highway 11 and turn right in or if they're coming westbound, we'll do right in at the the artery coming into downtown West, which is a large parking lot, and then to the right is Main Street, the four buildings and the public plaza, and to the left, the new building plus the two the coffee coffee building and the fast casual building. I would have mentioned there's more traffic going to be coming in from that side to that

Yeah. Side. Yeah. Yeah, my other thought, too, is if if there's a morning backup of coffee orders, where are all those cars going to be going? Off into the parking area and Yeah. I just want to make sure that like as we are looking at this whole design and that this is just preliminary, so these are just thoughts and opinions and all that, but I think really taking a look at the whole area and that traffic study and seeing, you know, that roundabout that's going to be coming in. People are going to be flying in on the right, pulling right in. Um there's just going to be a lot going on right there. So, Yeah, we've all been in coffee drive-thrus that get really popular and we're trying to avoid stacking that goes all the way out to Highway 5, which Minda doesn't want, we don't want. Highway 11, we don't want the same thing, either. So, it's that's one of the reasons why we designed for now two two lanes of yeah, versus one just to overcome that if there's a 8:00 in the morning, it's really really backed in there. So, Well, there won't be much other retail open at that hour, anyway, so Right. Right. Yeah, at this point, it's really let's say it's 8:00 in the morning on a weekday with our merchandising plan of 12 tenants we're working with right now, it would really be coffee user and this bakery user that'd be open. And we don't foresee others. Maybe the Pilates studio, you know, the fitness place would be, but that's about it. So, nighttime is really what we're trying to solve for just like downtown Victoria now, where how does this function with three restaurants at night and the fast casual if they're if they have traffic at night. Um so, we're thinking more about that right now with peak traffic times. Any other any other ideas? Okay. Um Well, commissioners hearing no more discussion, this request is not required a formal motion. So, this this concludes

our discussion item. Moving on to the miscellaneous section of our agenda. Are there any reports from staff? Yes, thank you, Chair. A few updates for everyone. We do not have any discussion items for the May 19th meeting, so we will be canceling our next Planning Commission meeting. I believe the next one is on June 2nd. I'm pulling up the calendar on the computer just to be sure. Yep, Tuesday, June 2nd. So, keep that one open. We might have some items for that one. Also, just a heads-up, we do have the one vacancy for an alternate position on the Planning Commission. The City Council is holding interviews for that on Monday evening during their workshop along with this Dairy Queen item. So, if you're curious about that, feel free to tune in. Um and then lastly, I had on my list that Victoria in Bloom is next Saturday, May 16th. Uh that will be an all-day event with downtown businesses open and spring activities. So, be sure to get out here and visit our downtown during that time. That's all from staff. All right. Thank you. Are there any reports or updates from commissioners? Has there been any more updates on that missing middle or have they gone silent on that lately? Uh Commissioner Shower, that is a good question. It did make its way up the works a little bit further, um but at that stage, it actually did not pass. I believe it was a four to five vote. So, I'm guessing that will still come back at a future date, but as of right now, it's halted. Thank you. Anything? Anything? It'll be a quicker meeting tonight, then. Um Commissioners, there are no more items

for this evening. Can I get a motion to adjourn? Moved. Can I get a second? Second. So, uh those in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Thank you. The motion carries. We are adjourned. Thank you.