HomeMy WebLinkAboutPCMinutes_2022_03_01Planning Commission
Brookings, South Dakota
March 1, 2022
OFFICIAL MINUTES
Vice -Chairperson Justin Borns called the meeting of the City Planning Commission to order on
Tuesday, March 1, 2022, at 5:30 PM in the Council Chambers Room #310 on the third floor of the
City & County Government Center. Members present were Tanner Aiken, James Drew, Jacob Mills,
Lee Ann Pierce, Nick Schmeichel, Roger Solum, and Borns. Absent were Greg Fargen and Gregg
Jorgenson. Also present were Community Development Director Mike Struck, City Planner Ryan
Miller, Kyle Rausch, Justin Bucher, and Rachel Flaskey.
Item #1— Roll Call
Item #2 — (Pierce/Schmeichel) Motion to approve the agenda. All present voted aye. MOTION
CARRIED.
Item #3 — (Aiken/ Mills) Motion to approve the February 1, 2022 Planning Commission Minutes. All
present voted aye. MOTION CARRIED.
Drew arrived at 5:33.
Item #4a — Northern Plains Professional Properties LLC submitted a preliminary plat of Blocks 1, 2
and 3 in Northern Plains Addition.
(Mills/Solum) Motion to approve the preliminary plat contingent upon submission and approval of a
preliminary drainage plan. Schmeichel, Drew, and Solum voted yes. Mills, Pierce, Aiken and Borns
voted no. MOTION FAILED.
Item #5a - Northern Plains Professional Properties LLC submitted a petition to rezone Block 3 in
Northern Plains Addition from Business B -2A Office District to Residence R-2 Two -Family District.
(Pierce/Solum) Motion to table the rezone request. All present voted aye. MOTION CARRIED.
Item 96a — Northern Plains Professional Properties LLC submitted an application for a Conditional
Use Permit on Block 3 of Northern Plains Addition for townhouses in a Residence R-2 Two-family
District.
(Schmeichel/Mills) Motion to table the Conditional Use Permit request. All present voted aye.
MOTION CARRIED.
Item #6b — Dakota Land Design, LLC submitted an application for approval of a Commercial Corridor
Design Review Overlay District site plan on Lot 1 in Block 2 of Reserve Fourth Addition, also known
as 1927 Christine Ave.
(Pierce/Aiken) Motion to approve the Commercial Corridor Design Review Overlay District site plan.
All present voted aye. MOTION CARRIED.
Item #6c — Discussion on Family Definition. No action needed.
Item #6d — 2021 Planning Commission Annual Report.
(Schmeichel/Mills) Motion to approve the 2021 Planning Commission Annual Report. All present
voted aye. MOTION CARRIED.
The me 'ng adjourned at 6:49 p.m.
Ryan Miller, City Planner
Justin Borns, Vice -Chairperson
Planning Commission
Brookings, South Dakota
March 1, 2022
Planning Commission
Brookings, South Dakota
March 1, 2022
OFFICIAL SUMMARY
Vice -Chairperson Justin Borns called the meeting of the City Planning Commission to order on
Tuesday, March 1, 2022, at 5:30 PM in the Council Chambers Room #310 on the third floor of the
City & County Government Center. Members present were Tanner Aiken, James Drew, Jacob Mills,
Lee Ann Pierce, Nick Schmeichel, Roger Solum, and Borns. Absent were Greg Fargen and Gregg
Jorgenson. Also present were Community Development Director Mike Struck, City Planner Ryan
Miller, Kyle Rausch, Justin Bucher, and Rachel Flaskey.
Item #4a — This is a 5.75 -acre parcel on South Main that will consist of three blocks. A rezone
request will be heard to rezone these blocks into Business B -2A for Block 1, Business B -2A for Block
2 and Residence R-2 Two Family zoning for Block 3. The applicant is proposing two private drives on
Main Avenue for this development. Approval is recommended by staff contingent upon a submitted
and approved preliminary drainage plan.
Mills asked Bucher what the size difference will be for the drainage pond if the pipe doesn't get
installed. Bucher doesn't feel that this will have a significant impact on the pond size. Bucher stated
that they are working with the owner to the north regarding a drainage easement and the owners are
receptive to the easement so they are proceeding for the time being. Mills asked if they would then tie
into the City storm sewer with this pipe. Bucher said yes, there is storm sewer on 15th Street. Mills is
wondering how this site will drain to the east, where the pond is going to be located, when the
topography shows that this site naturally flows to the north. Mills would like to know how they plan to
address getting the water into the pond. Bucher stated that the building on Block 1 will be
significantly higher than existing grade and most likely Block 2 will be also. There will likely be some
storm sewer in the private roads and parking lots and this should take care of the drainage.
Pierce asked how the City feels about the private drives and if this is standard for this type of
development. Miller stated that there are other private streets in the City. Pierce wondered if there
will be sidewalks in this development. Miller stated that there is an existing sidewalk along Main
Avenue but there would not be any requirements to install sidewalks along the private drives.
Rachel Flaskey, 511 Cardinal Drive Circle, is concerned about the drainage. This property used to
have trees and when they were removed, it nearly flooded their property/house.
Drew recalls the Commission having discussion on this property about a year ago and the applicant
then stated that the buildings on this property were going to be office buildings but now the request is
for business and residential. He isn't in favor of increasing the density on this parcel. Mills concurs
with Drew, he recalls the prior discussion and feels that a drainage plan needs to be provided and
verified before this plan is approved. The drainage could have an impact on the roads and could
potentially move a lot line that could change this preliminary plat. Borns agrees with Drew and Mills
and would like to see detail on the drainage before approving this plat. Aiken recalls neighbors being
concerned about higher density in this area and how it will affect the drainage.
Mills wondered about the dead end and private drives. Would a turn -around be required for service
trucks? He also wondered if the two access drives on Main Avenue would be the only allowed access
points or could they request an additional access point in the future? Miller explained that the two
planned would be the only two allowed for the development, there would be no -access easements
applied between these two drives on the final plat. Miller will need to look into regulations regarding
turn-arounds and lengths to a dead-end for a private drive.
Mills asked if access easements needed to be noted on this plat. Miller stated that those items will be
required on the final plat.
Item #6a — Item tabled.
Item #6b — Item tabled.
Item #6c — This application is for a dental office located at 20th Street South and Christine Avenue.
The proposed development includes a 3,560 square foot structure. The building will be placed at the
25 -foot front yard setback line along both Christine Avenue and 201h Street South. This plan meets the
parking, zoning and the landscaping standards. This plan meets the standards of the commercial
corridor design review overlay district.
Aiken asked what the plan is for the sidewalk around the utilities box and if the landscaping around the
utility box will be screened? Rausch explained that they are still working out the details on this. They
will need to have conversation with Northwest Energy to decide what will be done. Mills agrees with
Aiken and he would like to see that the sidewalk go around the utility box on the owner side of the box
to move the sidewalk away from the road.
Item #6d — Miller explained that the current zoning ordinance has been enforced since 1994. Jonathon
Sundet, 710 Napa Valley Street, is a lifelong citizen of Brookings. He is a Student Association Senator
and this is an issue that they have been looking at and has noticed a significant number of students
affected by this requirement by not allowing for more than three unrelated people in a unit. They feel
that changing this definition could make housing more affordable to people. He has heard that parking
could become an issue if more people are allowed in a residence, but that isn't necessarily the case
because a family of more than four people could live in a residence and that could create more parking
issues. He has heard from many people that are unsatisfied with the current ordinance.
Schmeichel asked Sundet if the Student Association looked into or talked to other college towns about
this situation. Sundet stated no, but they did meet with a rental property owner/management company
in Brookings that felt that this could lower the cost of living.
Drew is concerned about the parking issue that the increased density could cause. If a plan could be
brought forward with a solution for the parking issue, he would entertain a future discussion about
increasing the occupancy.
Pierce is concerned that if you were to increase the number of people in a residence, this could create
more noise issues. It isn't only parking that will be affected.
Aiken asked if defining family is the only way to enforce density when it comes to rentals. Struck
stated that the issue is with how you define single-family dwelling.
Mills feels that there is probably already a significant amount of over occupancy going on since there
are a significant number of residences that have four bedrooms.
Mills wondered if there could be a parking permit program implemented? Struck recalled this being
discussed years ago and there wasn't much support for a program like this.
Item #6e — Miller reviewed the progress of key projects that the Planning Commission worked on in
2021. Also reviewed the requests and other items that the Planning Commission heard during 2021.
Pierce wondered if they could add an item to the "Looking Ahead" section, and that would be to
clarify the Roles and Responsibilities of the Board of Adjustment.
The m 'ng adj urned at 6:49 p.m.
i
Ryan Miller, City Planner
Justin"Borns, Vice -Chairperson