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10-13-15KALISPELL CITY PLANNING BOARD & ZONING COMMISSION MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OCTOBER 13, 2015 CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL The regular meeting of the Kalispell City Planning Board and CALL Zoning Commission was called to order at 7:00 p.m. Board members present were: Chad Graham, Charles Pesola, Matt Regier, Steve Lorch, Ka3rlene Osorio-Khor and Doug Kauffman. Rory Young was absent. Torn Jentz, Jarod Nygren and P.J. Sorensen represented the Kalispell Planning Department. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Osorio-Khor moved and Regier seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the September 15, 2015 meeting of the Kalispell City Planning Board and Zoning Commission. VOTE BY ACCLAMATION The motion passed unanimously on a vote by acclamation. PUBLIC COMMENT No one wished to speak. IMMANUEL LUTHERAN A request from Immanuel Lutheran Corporation, for a conditional CORPORATION — use permit for five phases of development at their senior CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT living/me facility. Construction of the five phases of development includes approximately 92,370 square feet of new construction, 68,240 square feet of renovations to existing buildings, surface parking lot expansions, relocation of water/sewer lines, new sidewalks, elevated street crossings and landscaping over the next 5 1/2 years. STAFF REPORT — KCU-15-05 Jarod Nygren, representing the Kalispell Planning Department reviewed staff report KCU-15-04 for the board. Nygren made a correction to the staff report on page 1 — Size and Location — should read "The property can be described as Lot 1 of Highland Park No 3, Lots 1 & 3 of Highland Park No 4, together with Lots 13 & 14 and the NW corner of Lot 12 of Block 2 of Highland Park in Section 7, Township 28 North, Range 21 West..." Nygren noted these properties are Iocated within the Health Care Zoning District (H-1) and health care and multi -family uses as proposed are permitted within this zone provided a conditional use pen -nit is obtained. The property is approximately 13 acres with Claremont Street that runs north and south through the middle of these properties. He reviewed the surrounding zoning, land uses and further described the 5 phases of development. Most of the new construction will be on the west side of the campus and the east side will include some smaller additions and mainly renovations. Kalispell City Planning Board Minutes of the meeting of October 13, 2015 Page d Nygren said the board received a letter today from Public Works regarding the applicant's request that Claremont Street be approved with bulb -outs in three locations. The applicant wants to create a campus atmosphere with traffic calming devices so clients can cross easily. Public Works had indicated that they do not approve bulb -out primarily for maintenance reasons as they create problems with snow plowing. Public Works suggested narrowing the street and not allowing parking on Claremont instead. Nygren added the conditional use permit and all phases of development are consistent with city zoning and the growth policy. Staff recommends that the Kalispell Planning Board adopt staff report KCU-15-04 as findings of fact and recommend to the Kalispell City Council that the conditional use permit be approved subject to the 13 conditions listed in the staff report. BOARD DISCUSSION Kauffman asked for information on daily vehicle trips for the facility and Nygren said since the number of beds is being reduced elsewhere on campus the addition of the 36 units shouldn't increase the number of trips with this development. Graham asked if there would be problems with the bulb -outs in other areas in the city and Nygren said yes, there could be and they will indicated they will work closely with Public Works on this issue. There are currently bulb -outs on 1t Avenues East and West that are being plowed around but they are wider streets. Jentz said they are three lanes but with the proposed design on Claremont Street there isn't a boulevard on one side so they tend to plow the snow to the center of the street and then the road grader has to maneuver around the bulb -outs. Osorio-Khor asked if the applicants feel that the bulb -outs would provide more safety, access from one building to another and the feeling of a campus and Nygren said yes. Osorio-Khor asked where is the parking for the residents and guests of the residential homes on the south side of Crestline Avenue and Nygren said in their driveways or along the street. Osorio-Khor asked if that parking will be taken away and Nygren said no, except for the possible temporary restrictions during construction. Nygren explained further. Graham said the idea may be the closer the curbs come together the less amount of time is spent on the road for residents and pedestrians to go from facility to facility. PUBLIC HEARING I Don MacArthur of MacArthur, Means & Wells Architects in Kalispell City Planning Board Minutes of the meeting of October 13, 2015 Page 12 Missoula, stated he is representing Immanuel Lutheran Communities. He said they are focused on unifying the campus with landscaping and connecting the campus for pedestrians across Claremont Street. MacArthur said in the future the city has plans for a trail that runs along Highway 93 that will connect to the larger community and from the campus to the trail system to create a loop around campus. They want safe crossings and the bulb -outs shorten the distance for the pedestrians as they cross but even more important is the bulb -out signals to the drivers that it is a place where pedestrians are likely to be and they should slow down. The only condition of approval they have issues with is Condition #7 and they want to work with Public Works to ensure that the design they come up with maximizes their ease in maintaining the street but also makes sure that pedestrians have a great connection across that street. The best balance is what they have proposed in the design they submitted. Osorio-Khor asked why they are proposing the 60 foot height and MacArthur said the slope of the site is quite steep and if you start on the north side on grade to Crestline there is probably a 12-14 foot drop. With 36 apartments they needed three stories and want the level of this facility to tie into the existing Buffalo Hill Terrace building, to provide seamless integration for people who have mobility challenges. MacArthur explained further. MacArthur added they do not anticipate an interruption of the residential street parking as they have carefully identified where the staging of the construction and construction vehicle parking will be. They do not want to create any undue burdens on the neighborhood. Osorio-Khor noted the plan is a real change for this neighborhood and MacArthur said yes they are putting a big new building on the site but they are also reducing the number of beds in another part of the campus so some of the impact is also reduced. Kauffman asked if they want to keep the parking on Claremont and MacArthur said they are anxious to keep as much parking on the site as they can. Obviously if the street were narrowed it would make the crossing the same as with the bulb -outs, but it doesn't signal the slowdown of traffic. Lorch noted at the very southwest corner of the campus when leaving the parking garage and jumping onto Crestline Avenue a lot of traffic will be directed to the "really bad" intersection - Highway 93 and Mission Drive. MacArthur said they have thought about that intersection and they may propose that this intersection Kalispell City Planning Board Minutes of the meeting of October 13, 2015 Page13 be changed to a left -turn only or other devices to improve safety. They also want to try and direct traffic back up through the area to one of the hospital lights, which will be safer. He added there is good visibility when coming out of the parking garage, in both directions. Lorch noted since a traffic study isn't required at this point it doesn't really allow those issues to be addressed. Further discussion was held. Jason Cronk, CEO of Immanuel Lutheran Communities said to follow-up the day in the life of the community is one that they have residents on the left-hand side of Claremont who are largely independent and more mobile. The campus is designed so as the residents' age in place, and their needs become greater, a lot of their needs are met on the right-hand side of the campus. There is a steady stream of spouses and friends traveling across Claremont every day to visit with their loved ones or friends in the nursing home or in the short -stay therapy rehab facility. This is the opportunity to design a pathway that is in the residents' best interests for safety. Margaret Davis stated she is a homeowner of 160 Charlotte Avenue, the street just south of Crestline Avenue. She uses these streets and travels this area often. Davis said she is fully in support of developing the Immanuel Lutheran Home Community but not fully supportive of the traffic and pedestrian proposals in this plan. The city and the Immanuel Lutheran Home have an opportunity to plan for the future do regarding accessibility, public safety, and increasing traffic in the area. The campus theory is good, but we all know that hospital is approved for two more floors and this is becoming a rapidly urbanizing zone not a campus. She read from her prepared statement, a copy of which is attached to these minutes. Davis said because there are no possibilities for sidewalks on Mission between Charlotte and Crestline there is no place to walk so perhaps changing Mission Street to a one way should be considered. MOTION Regier moved and Larch seconded a motion to adopt staff report KCU-15-04 as findings of fact and recommend to the Kalispell City Council that the conditional use permit be approved subject to the 13 conditions listed in the staff report. BOARD DISCUSSION Lorch said in terms of the traffic calming on Claremont he struggles to see how it makes it that much more difficult to plow snow. They still have a significant amount of the street that they can plow to the middle and the bulb -outs themselves become sidewalk so they would be managed by the tenant. It is a well proven tool that is used to provide safety for pedestrians. He Kalispell City Planning Board Minutes of the meeting of October 13, 2015 Page 14 would like to see the bulb -outs incorporated into the design. Larch continued when driving through this area there have been times that he couldn't even find his way using Claremont Street and Burns Way. It is a wonky evolution of a transportation system and there is room for improvement. There should be a better connection to get to Highway 93 and using Mission Street, as everyone would agree, is less than ideal. Osorio-Khor said looking at the bulb -outs she immediately saw a way to provide more safety for pedestrians. She has been in the area and it is a maze and it is easy to get mixed up as to where one is going. She thinks that the bulb -outs should be allowed because they provide a continuity and integrity to the campus look that they are trying to present, provides safety for their clients and those who are driving on these streets. She added it is always good to hear from Ms. Davis as she knows her neighborhood and points out things that the board wouldn't know because they don't live there. Osorio-Khor said a traffic study should be discussed. Graham agreed the bulb -outs should be considered or perhaps a compromise between the two and suggested using seasonal parking in the area to restrict parking in the winter on one or both sides of the street to allow for snow storage. Kauffinan said he finds the bulb -outs to be a nice design element and should be kept as well. And the compromise that was suggested by Graham could be the route to go. Jentz suggested a motion could be made to remove Condition #7 and replace it with a condition that reads, "On Claremont the street design, including bulb -outs, is recommended to be approved as shown in the applicant's site plan." Regier noted Public Works states multiple times that this design doesn't meet the city standards and suggested perhaps It should read that other options should be explored. Jentz said the board is recommending the amendment and the city council will weigh in on the recommendation, based on information provided to them from the board, Public Works, and staff. Pesola asked by deleting Condition i#7 and allowing the bulb -outs would the board be recommending an exception to the standards? Jentz said not necessarily. The city's transportation plan suggests certain types of techniques to calm traffic to provide pedestrian access. At the same time there is a standard that says that a street should be 28 feet wide so there is a conflict and the board needs to decide if it makes sense. Kalispell City Planning Board Minutes of the meeting of October 13, 2015 Page15 Further discussion was held. MOTION — CONDITION #7 Lorch moved and Osorio-Khor seconded a motion to amend Condition #7 to read: "Roadway and access improvements shall comply with Kalispell Design and Construction Standards except that the proposed traffic calming bulb -outs should be allowed in order to allow for connectivity and pedestrian safety." ROLL CALL The motion passed on a roll call vote of 5 in favor and 1 opposed. BOARD DISCUSSION Osorio-Khor asked if there is something that should be done with regard to a traffic study. Jentz said the city has a requirement that when more than 300 vehicle trips are generated a traffic study is required. Nygren said that was included in the staff report where it states that if it is ever shown that this project has exceeded the 300 vehicle trips that a traffic study would be required. At this time Public Works has looked at this and with the reduction in beds, even with the increase living units, it is a wash as far as the increased vehicle trips. Jentz said there is a traffic issue near the hospital but if an applicant in front of the board isn't contributing more to the traffic impact it is questionable that you could have them try and solve the greater issue. Further discussion was held. ROLL CALL The original motion, as amended, passed unanimously on a roll call vote. KALISPELL CENTER MALL A request from WSPGB Mall, LLC for a text amendment to — PARKING TEXT remove subsection "a" and modify subsection "b" within the AMENDMENT Special Parking Management Maintenance District No. 2. The zoning text amendment would effectively allow all properties north of Center Street within Special Parking Management Maintenance District No.2 to have one parking space for every 400 square feet of gross floor area, rather than one parking space for every 250 square feet of gross floor area. The only properties affected by the text amendment are the properties within Special Parking Management Maintenance District No. 2, north of Center Street. STAFF REPORT — KZTA-15-02 Jarod Nygren, representing the Kalispell Planning Department, reviewed staff report KZTA-15-02 for the board. Nygren noted a change to the staff report on page one Section 27.12.020 it should read 27.24,040. Nygren reviewed a map of the parking district. He noted Kalispell City Planning Board Minutes of the meeting of October 13, 2015 Page 16 historically the mall would typically be allowed 1 space for every 250 square feet because of the retail nature of the property. He said the mall is an extension of downtown and the heart of the Core Area Plan. The plan calls for significantly reducing off-street parking requirements, in order to help facilitate redevelopment, and reducing the requirement for the mall to 1 space for every 400 square feet would allow for a significant amount development on the property. Staff recommends that the Kalispell Planning Board adopt staff report KZTA-15-02 as findings of fact and recommend to the Kalispell City Council that the text amendment be adopted as provided in the staff report. BOARD DISCUSSION Lorch asked for clarification, which Nygren provided. PUBLIC HEARING No one wished to speak. MOTION Kauffman moved and Pesola seconded a motion to adopt staff report KZTA-15-02 as findings of fact and recommend to the Kalispell City Council that the text amendment be adopted as provided in the staff report. BOARD DISCUSSION None. ROLL CALL The motion passed unanimously on a roll call vote. OLD BUSINESS: Nygren reported on the work session for the casinos text amendment and noted the amendment will be scheduled for November 2, 2015. The planning board recommendation will move forward and if the council members want to make any amendments they can. Councilman Guiffrida recommended allowing casinos in B-5 zones only, as was discussed by the board. NEW BUSINESS: Nygren said the agenda for the next planning board meeting includes a review of a preliminary plat that has been submitted for a portion of the Westview Subdivision north of Three Mile Drive. This is the same location where townhouses were approved earlier this year. There was discussion regarding the connectivity issues and future development/infrastructure in the H-1 zone. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:35 p.m. NEXT MEETING The next regular planning board meeting is scheduled for December 8, 2015 beginning at 7:00 p.m and located in the Kalispell City Council Chambers, 201 Ist Avenue East, Kalispell. The November meeting has been cancelled. Kalispell City Planning Board Minutes of the meeting of October 13, 2015 Page 17 eC C ad Grah Michelle Anderson President Recording Secretary APPROVED as submitted/corrected: //2015 Kalispell City Planning Board Minutes of the meeting of October 13, 2015 Page 18 16 Oct 2015, by email TO: City of Kalispell Council, City Manager, Planning Department FROM: Margaret S Davis, homeowner 160 Charlotte Ave, 59901, blems aol.com 250-3984 RE: Immanuel Lutheran Corp CUP application Please consider the following in reviewing the Immanuel Lutheran Corp's application for expansion and rebuilding of its two campuses in the H-1 zone: 1. Confirm that the applicant will build a sidewalk on the north side of Crestline Ave west of Claremont. This is shown on the Bruce Boody LA site plan, but not on the architectural plans. 2. Require the applicant to maintain vehicle access to Conway Dr via Mission, Crestline and Claremont during all phases of construction. Residents on Charlotte and Crestline need this assurance, so that they can safely access Highway 93 southbound at all times with the traffic light at Conway and 93. 3. The applicant proposes an improved service road/alley extending from the north side of Buffalo Hill Terrace south to the corner of Mission St and Crestline. This element of the application should be subject to a traffic impact study that includes the intersection of Claremont and Crestline. a. This road would expand the existing private driveway and serve the parking garage for the proposed 36 unit independent living building. b. On the architect's aerial schematic, Mission St is labeled as meeting Ryder Dr within the BHT property. c. It is not clear whether BHT guests, employees, emergency vehicles, and service and delivery vehicles would also use this driveway. The applicant will maintain the semi -truck capable loading dock during construction. Semis (SYSCO, etc) should be considered regular users of the neighborhood streets. d. The use of this road as a "loop road" would greatly impact Mission St, the single-family residences on Crestline, and through traffic on Mission St. e. Mission St issues: i. This narrow, steep street will not accommodate a pedestrian sidewalk or a crosswalk. ii. It is heavily used by ILH staff and community members, northbound hospital and medical office employees and patients, church and Brendan House visitors, and others transiting through the south end of the H-1 zone. iii. Larger trucks are prohibited on Mission St. Creation of an intersection at the north end of Mission St where it meets Crestline means vehicles leaving BHT will be turning across traffic both coming up and going down the hill. In winter conditions vehicles try to make it up the hill without slowing down. Also, cars accessing the BHT property from Mission will be crossing traffic headed south or exiting the BHT property onto Crestline. g. Will the width of this access road tempt through -traffic to use it rather than Claremont? h. Appropriate signage is required at the corner of Mission and Crestline. 4. Claremont St should not be narrowed to accommodate bulb outs or other traffic calming designs. a. Snow removal is high priority public service in the H-1 area. b. The elimination of all on -street parking on Claremont is the preferred alternative for directing H-1 zone traffic to its destination. c. Bulb outs should be considered for selected cross walks linking the ILH properties. One or two main crosswalks could be designed with bulb outs. The cross walk at the intersection of Claremont and Crestline should not have any bulb outs in order to preserve adequate turning radii off Crestline onto Claremont and vice versa. d. A middle turn Iane may be an important option on Claremont as adjacent properties develop. e. Crestline serves an acute care facility and single family homes and is not (yet) a through -street. This is in contrast to Claremont, which (for better or worse) is more than a local street and serves multiple high density users and acts as a connector between two major facilities. S. Determine and deliver an easement for a public path on the east side of Highway 93 in consultation with MT Dept of Highways as a condition for granting this CUP. a. This should be done now because the rights of way between Mission St and Highway 93 are problematic at best. b. It is unclear from the landscape plan where this path would meet Mission and/or Crestline. c. A portion of the easement may have to go through the BHT property along either side of the planned new service road. Cc: Donald MacArthur; MacArthur, Means & Wells Architects PC, mmw@mmwarchitects.com