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Planning Commission
Brookings, South Dakota
February 3, 2026
OFFICIAL MINUTES
Chairperson Jacob Limmer called the meeting of the Planning Commission to order on Tuesday,
February 3, 2026, 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, Emily Braun, Billie Jo Hinrichs,
Kyle Jamison, Scot Leddy, Jacob Limmer, Nick Schmeichel and Roger Solum. Debra Spear was
present via conference call. Also present were Community Development Director Michael Struck and
City Planner Ryan Miller. Also present were Mason Winterboer, Kyle Rausch, Matt Weiss, Sandra
Callies, Justin Bucher, Wade Price and Jason Peterson from the public.
Item #1 – Roll Call
Item #2 – Approval of Agenda
(Solum/Schmeichel) Motion to approve the agenda. All present voted aye. MOTION CARRIED.
Item #3 – Approval of Minutes
(Hinrichs/Aiken) Motion to approve the January 6, 2026 Minutes. All present voted aye. MOTION
CARRIED.
Item #4 – Open Forum
Item #5 – Convene as the Board of Adjustment
Disclosures – Limmer disclosed that he is a neighbor to the property in Item 5b but has no financial or
personal interest in the outcome of the vote and is able to participate. Hinrichs also noted that she lives
near the property in Item 5b and does not receive any financial or material benefit from the project or
the church, and therefore feels comfortable participating in the vote. Jamison disclosed that his
employer provided services related to Item 5b; however, he was not personally involved in the work
and is comfortable participating in the vote. Spear recused herself from Item 5b.
Item #5a – Mason Winterboer requested a variance to construct an accessory building beyond the
allowable square footage on Block 5 Clites Addition, also known as 1231 W 8th Street S. Staff
recommends denial.
(Schmeichel/Hinrichs) Motion to approve the amended accessory structure variance. Aiken, Braun,
Hinrichs, Jamison, Solum, Spear voted aye. Leddy voted nay. MOTION CARRIED.
(Aiken/Jamison) Motion to amend the request to allow 3,000 square feet of enclosed structure. Aiken,
Braun, Hinrichs, Jamison, Solum, Spear voted aye. Leddy voted nay. MOTION CARRIED.
Item #5b – Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church has made a request for variances on Lots 8, 9, 10 and 11 in
Block 2 of the Morehouse Addition, also known as 621 and 629 9th Avenue. The first request is for an
expansion greater than 25 percent of gross floor area for a nonconf orming use. The second request is
for a reduced front yard setback. The minimum required front yard setback in the Residence R -2
District is 25-feet. The third request is for reduced off-street parking. The fourth request is for reduced
landscape requirements including the placement of parking and garbage receptacles within the required
landscape area. Staff recommends approval of all requested variances.
(Solum/Schmeichel) Motion to approve all 4 requested variances. All present voted aye. MOTION
CARRIED.
Item #6 – Reconvene as the Planning Commission
Item #6a – Legacy Storage Condo LLC has submitted a Preliminary Plat of Lots 1 & 2 in Block 2 and
Lots 1 - 3 in Block 3 of Legacy Addition. Staff recommends approval with the condition that 34th
Avenue right-of-way must be increased to 40-feet.
(Schmeichel/Hinrichs) Motion to approve the preliminary plat including staff recommendations. All
present voted aye. MOTION CARRIED.
Item #6b – PMVK LLC has submitted a Preliminary Plat of Block 1 of South Haven Addition. Staff
recommends approval with the conditions that Kalani Place must be a private roadway and Main
Avenue South right-of-way must be increase to 40-feet.
(Hinrichs/Schmeichel) Motion to approve the preliminary plat including staff recommendations. All
present voted aye. MOTION CARRIED.
Item #6c – The City of Brookings has submitted a proposal for the amendment of Chapter 94, Article
VI, Division 5, Sec. 94-473 - projecting signs in the Business B-1 Central District to allow one
projecting sign for every 25-feet of street frontage facing a public street. The current ordinance allows
only one projecting sign per face regardless of the width of the building. Staff recommends approval.
(Hinrichs/Schmeichel) Motion to approve the ordinance amendment. All present voted aye. MOTION
CARRIED.
Item #6d – Amendments to Sec. 94-362-Home Occupations
Item #6e – 2025 Annual Report
Item #7 – Adjourn
(Schmeichel/Jamison) Motion to adjourn. All present voted aye. MOTION CARRIED
The meeting adjourned at 6:55 p.m.
_______________________ ______________________________
Ryan Miller, City Planner Jacob Limmer, Chairperson
Planning Commission
Brookings, South Dakota
February 3, 2026
OFFICIAL SUMMARY
Chairperson Jacob Limmer called the meeting of the Planning Commission to order on Tuesday,
February 3, 2026, 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, Emily Braun, Billie Jo Hinrichs,
Kyle Jamison, Scot Leddy, Jacob Limmer, Nick Schmeichel and Roger Solum. Debra Spear was
present via conference call. Also present were Community Development Director Michael Struck and
City Planner Ryan Miller. Also present were Mason Winterboer, Kyle Rausch, Matt Weiss, Sandra
Callies, Justin Bucher, Wade Price and Jason Peterson from the public.
Item #1 – Roll Call
Item #2 – Approval of Agenda
Item #3 – Approval of Minutes
Item #4 – Open Forum
Item #5 – Convene as the Planning Commission
Disclosures – Limmer disclosed that he is a neighbor to the property in Item 5b but has no financial or
personal interest in the outcome of the vote and is able to participate in the vote. Hinrichs also noted
that she lives near the property in Item 5b and does not receive any financial or material benefit from
the project or the church, and therefore feels comfortable participating in the vote. Jamison disclosed
that his employer provided services related to Item 5b; however, he was not personally involved in the
work and is comfortable participating in the vote. Spear recused herself from Item 5b.
Item #5a – Mason Winterboer requested a variance to construct an accessory building beyond the
allowable square footage on the Block 5 Clites Addition, also known as 1231 W 8th Street S. The
property is a 3-acre parcel located within the Residence R-1B single family district. Mature trees exist
on the north, west, and south side of the property, providing natural screening from nearby residences.
Winterboer, applicant, stated that he intends to reside in Brookings permanently and respects the
Planning Commission’s role in keeping Brookings aesthetically pleasing. He clarified that the
calculated square footage in the staff report included the covered patio. The applicant had explored
attaching the garage to the dwelling but that require the relocation of septic and utility services,
removal of 30-year-old trees and relocation of ingress and egress to the dwelling. He went on to say
that the code should have a provision for larger properties that exceed the “hard cap” currently in the
ordinance. In his own assessment and conversations with neighbors, the structure will match the
dwelling and not be an eye-sore. Schmeichel asked if the applicant was opposed to reducing the total
square footage by eliminating the covered patio or other areas. Winterboer was open to the idea and
went on to explain that the covered patio was added to maintain the aesthetics of the dwelling and
added that the structure was primarily storage. Hinrichs asked how the applicant planned to use the
office in the structure. Winterboer said that it is a personal office for him to work remotely. Hinrichs
asked if that was an area that could be compromised to meet the square footage. Winterboer stated he
would not see clients on the property. Schmeichel asked if the example properties provided were in
Joint Jurisdiction. Miller confirmed that they are. Winterboer stated that even though they are zoned
differently, they are very close to his property. Hinrichs explained that staff has to review the request
based on how the property is currently zoned. Aiken pointed out that if you calculated the square ft per
acre as the ordinance is written and scaled it to the property size in the request, a 3,000 square foot
structure would be the same scale. Aiken motioned to amend the request to allow 3,000 square feet of
enclosed structure. Jamison seconded the motion. Winterboer agreed with the amendment.
Item #5b – Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church has made a request for variances on Lots 8, 9, 10 and 11 in
Block 2 of the Morehouse Addition, also known as 621 and 629 9th Avenue. The first request is for an
expansion greater than 25 percent of gross floor area for a nonconf orming use. The second request is
for a reduced front yard setback. The third request is for reduced off -street parking. The fourth request
is for reduced landscape requirements including the placement of parking and garbage receptacles
within the required landscape area. The fifth variance is to exceed the maximum allowable building
height of 35 -feet. The expansion will include the demolition of a parsonage home located at 621 9th
Avenue, to the south of the current church. The church, which is located within the nationally listed
University Residential Historic District, has presented their plans to the State Historic Preservation
Office (SHPO) and the Brookings Historic Preservation Commission (BHPC). The BHPC accepted the
plans as presented noting the difficulty of applying historic design standards for a residential district to
a church structure. The SHPO determined that the expansion would encroach upon the historic district,
however, SHPO noted that no feasible and prudent alternatives exist and that all possible planning to
minimize harm to the historic district has been considered. Miller noted that the site plan was modified
and a height variance is no longer being requested.
Rausch and Weiss were present to represent the request. Rausch stated that the congregation wanted
the architecture to compliment the historic neighborhood and included neighbor feedback. They
previously had designs that didn’t require variances but amended them per community input. Weiss
explained that the church focused on safety and accessibility with this project. Callies, neighbor, spoke
in support of the reduced parking and sited the “Strong Town Movement” hoping to open a broader
discussion with the City reducing mandated parking requirements. Miller added that staff received a
call expressing concerns of the trash enclosure location and drainage in the alley. Schmeichel asked
what direction cars would enter the drop-off. Rausch said they would come from the North. Aiken
asked if on-street parking had been approved in the past. Miller noted that it is reviewed on a case-by-
case basis and some had been approved recently. The boulevard parking shown on the site plan is not a
given and would need to be reviewed by staff. Hinrichs asked the impact on the plan if boulevard
parking was not approved. Rausch stated that they may need to amend the design. He had worked with
City staff to consider the homeowners’ requests and said that on-street would create additional parking
for the neighborhood except during certain church hours. Leddy asked if traffic counts were done.
Rausch said they had been but he did not have them available. The parking lot size is remaining the
same, just being relocated. Leddy asked Rausch to address the trash enclosure and drainage concerns.
Rausch stated that they do have alternative ideas for the trash enclosure. Miller stated that if the trash
enclosure was within a side or rear yard but not within the required landscape area, it would be an
approved location. If it was within the required landscape area it would require a variance. Hinrichs
confirmed that even without boulevard parking there is on-street parking around the block. Hinrichs
also asked staff review updating parking requirements. Leddy expressed safety concerns with
boulevard parking. Limmer asked for the landscaping plans. Rausch stated that they will meet or
exceed the current landscaping quality. Jamison expressed support of reducing parking requirements.
Item #6 – Reconvene as the Planning Commission
Item #6a – Legacy Storage Condo LLC has submitted a Preliminary Plat of Lots 1 & 2 in Block 2 and
Lots 1 - 3 in Block 3 of Legacy Addition. Staff recommends approval with the condition that 34th
Avenue right-of-way must be increased to 40-feet.
Bucher, project engineer, was available for questions.
Item #6b – PMVK LLC has submitted a Preliminary Plat of Block 1 of South Haven Addition. Staff
recommends approval with the conditions that Kalani Place must be a private roadway and Main
Avenue South right-of-way must be increase to 40-feet.
Price, applicant, and Peterson, civil engineer, were available for questions. Peterson stated that the
applicant was accepting of the staff recommendations.
Item #6c – The City of Brookings has submitted a proposal for the amendment of Chapter 94, Article
VI, Division 5, Sec. 94-473 - projecting signs in the Business B-1 Central District to allow one
projecting sign for every 25-feet of street frontage facing a public street. The current ordinance allows
only one projecting sign per face regardless of the width of the building.
Hinrichs asked what the maximum number of signs downtown would be if every business maximized
their sign allowance. Miller used an example of two 25-foot building faces that were combined into
one building face that would require a variance for a second sign under the current ordinance whereas,
with the amendment, a second sign would be allowed by right on a 50-foot face. He went on to say that
most downtown businesses have a 25-foot face so there are not many cases where the amendment
would apply. Limmer asked for clarification on when a second sign would be allowed. Miller detailed
that one sign would be allowed on building faces up to 25-feet and a 26-49 foot face would allow up to
two projecting signs. Jamison asked if this would apply to corner lots. Miller confirmed that it would.
Jamison requested the wording be changed to account for multilevel businesses. Miller referenced 94-
473.b and asked if that was what Jamison was requesting. Jamison said it was similar. Limmer asked
how often this variance has been requested. Miller stated that the example property is the only one that
has currently requested it. Struck discussed multitenant buildings becoming more common and
referred to a restriction on the percentage of the face that could be covered with signage. Limmer asked
how projecting signs interacted with the overall allowable signage. Miller stated that they increase the
overall allowable signage.
Miller noted that there was another meeting scheduled to convene at 7:00 pm. Members moved the
remaining items to a future agenda.
Stuck reminded Planning Commission Members of February 17 Study Session on Conflicts of Interest.
Item #6d – Amendments to Sec. 94-362-Home Occupations. Discussion moved to a future agenda.
Item #6e – 2025 Annual Report. Discussion moved to a future agenda.
Item #7 – Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 6:55 p.m.
_______________________ ______________________________
Ryan Miller, City Planner Jacob Limmer, Chairperson