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September 14, 2020 - Regular Meeting Agenda
The Hastings Planning Commission of the City of Hastings, Minnesota met in a regular
meeting on Monday, September 14, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom Meeting.
Chair Johnson called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
1. Call Meeting to Order
Planning Commissioners Present: Messina, Best, Romens, Halberg, Johnson, and Matzke
Planning Commissioners Absent: Siebenaler
Staff Present: Community Development Director John Hinzman, and City Planner Justin
Fortney
2. Approval of Minutes
Motion by Commissioner Halberg to approve the August 24, 2020 Planning Commission
meeting minutes as presented, seconded by Commissioner Best. Roll call vote: Ayes 6; Nays
0; abstentions 1 (Johnson). Motion approved.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
OTHER ACTIONS
3. TABLED - Villas at Pleasant - Rezoning, Preliminary Plat, and Final Plat #2020-36 -
Pleasant & Northridge
Hinzman provided a summary of the staff report.
Stuart Simek, developer of the Project stated that the City Engineering Department does not
want to stray from their guidelines for public cul-de-sacs, but would allow smaller ones if
they were going to be privately maintained. Simek said there is no benefit to the developer
for building public vs private streets, but the long-term burden of private streets could be
difficult for a home owners association. He added that they have added a privacy fence and
additional landscaping along the cul-de-sacs to provide the neighbors with screening.
Commissioner Matzke said the cul-de-sacs themselves are still items of concern.
Commissioner Romans said it seems the original site design is causing the need for the cul-
de-sacs rather than the city standards. Simek said the site was designed this way to
accommodate the neighbor concerns raised at the public open house, as they did not want the
homes close to the property lines.
Eli Rupnow, project engineer for the applicant said removing the cul-de-sacs and connecting
the roads together will affect the designed drainage, which had taken the existing topography
into consideration.
Todd Siewert of 1441 Brooke Court said the City Engineering Department is too black and
white. He added that there is already precedent for smaller cul-de-sacs, but they still won’t
allow them.
Hinzman said it is within the preview of the Planning Commission to recommend approval,
which may be contrary to city staff’s recommendation.
Commissioner Messina motioned to recommend approval of the preliminary plat as
presented by staff with the following change, seconded by Commissioner Matzke. Roll call
vote: Ayes 4; Nays 2 (Romans & Halberg). Motion approved.
- The two western cul-de-sacs named Orchard and Melody are to be reduced in size.
Commission Chair Johnson motioned to recommend approval of the final plat consistent with
the recommendation of the preliminary plat, seconded by Commissioner Matzke. Roll call
vote: Ayes 4; Nays 2 (Romans & Halberg). Motion approved.
4. House Move - move an existing house onto the parcel at 535 35th St W - Al Sieben
#2020-42.
Fortney provided a summary of the staff report and shared the recent opposition received by
several residents to the south of the subject property. He explained they commented on issues
with existing renters in the apartments to west of the subject property, along with concerns of
drainage and property values. He added that two of the citizens provided written opposition
which was forwarded to the commissioners prior to the meeting.
Commissioner Matzke asked if the structure was going to be a rental, part of the adjacent
apartment building, and if it was too dense for the location. Forney said he didn’t know if the
applicant was planning on renting out the house. He added the site is zoned R-3 Medium-
High Density Residential and is twice the size of the district minimum. Fortney said the
zoning would allowed more than one unit on the parcel.
Commissioner Messina said the physical characteristics of the proposed house are what the
commission is supposed to be reviewing. He added that other considerations related to
zoning are already in place.
Commissioner Romens said the subject property is a separate lot from the apartment
building. Fortney confirmed it is a separate lot from the adjacent apartment building and
added that the applicant replatted it in 2014 to move a house to the lot.
Messina said the valuation difference is fairly extreme. Commissioner Halberg said it is not
as extreme when you factor in the construction of a garage as many of the surrounding homes
already have in that valuation.
Chair Johnson said the home would provided good neighborhood screening to the
commercial areas to the east.
Messina asked what the distance was from the house to the condos. Fortney measured it and
stated it was about 70-feet.
Commissioner Romens motioned to recommend approval of the house move, seconded by
Commissioner Johnson. Roll call vote: Ayes 2; Nays 4 (Messina, Best, Halberg, and
Matzke). Motion denied.
6. Other Business
Fortney provided an update of passed City Council actions.
5. Adjourn
Commissioner Halberg motioned to adjourn at 8:45 p.m., seconded by Commissioner Best.
Roll Call: Ayes 6; Nays 0. Motion approved.
Next Meeting – September 28, 2020
Respectively Submitted:
Justin Fortney
Planning Commission Secretary