Good evening and welcome to the city of Prior Lakes Planning Commission meeting on Monday, February 2nd, 2026. Will call me into order and please rise for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. We have a first we do approval of the agenda, right? Okay. Look for motion to approve the tonight's agenda as listed. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Got a motion and a second. All in favor? >> I >> I >> I. >> And now on to item number two, election of officers. >> Yep. Uh sorry. Uh Commissioner Fster Macker. Um, let's do approval of the meeting minutes first and then we'll do >> getting ahead of myself. >> Officers. Yep. Oh, I'm sorry. Hang on. Okay, we can do that. I was reading it upside down. The agenda. So, yeah, the first item on your agenda is election of officers. So, the first meeting of the year, the planning commission bylaws state the committee will elect amongst its membership a chair and a vice chair uh for a one-year term. This term will expire at the end of October. Um all regular voting planning commission members are eligible eligible to serve as chair or vice chair. The main duties of the chair are presiding over meetings and then uh if needed doing presentations to the city council uh and then the vice chair serves in those roles in the chair's absence. So, if you would like to discuss amongst yourself, if you're interested in serving as the chair or vice chair, uh, make that noted or if you would like to nominate another one of the commissioners, uh, feel free. We'd be looking for a motion and a second for a chair and a vice chair and then that term would begin immediately today. I think we're kind of briefly talking about here, but um Kate missed the briefly meet discussion. Um look for a a recommendation or someone wants to step in for put their hand in for chair. >> So this is awkward because um I'm the most I like to think I'm the most humble person on the planet. Um, but I would be honored to to step in and serve as chair along with my colleagues. Um, I believe my my record, my past record, uh, speaks for itself um, as a leader on this body. So, I would be happy to represent us in the good work of the city and I happy I was um, basically saying the same thing. I I I didn't say as much as what you were just saying, Brian, but um I've been on this uh this particular commission for I don't even know how long now, but I think I'm the most senior of the current group of after Brian. So, >> three years, I believe. >> Three years. So, I'd be happy to serve as vice chair. So, look for a motion. So move. >> Second. >> Second. >> Got a motion and a second. So we got a motion for Brian to be chair and myself, Commissioner Fencmaker as vice chair. All those in favor? >> I >> I >> I. So move. hand it over to chair then. >> Yeah. And tada. >> All right. >> We will uh now move to item number three which is approval of the agenda and I'll turn it over to commissioners. Are there any additions or um edits to the agenda? Hearing none, I'll ask for a motion and a second to approve tonight's agenda. Is there a motion? >> So moved. >> We have a a motion. Is there a second? >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. All those in favor of approving tonight's agenda, please signify by saying I. >> I. >> I. I. >> That motion passes. Um we've approved the um meeting minutes. Now we'll move to uh staff for item number five. This is a a public hearing. This is 5A a combined preliminary and final platmont Avenue Southeast. So I'll turn it over to staff for the report. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh here's a location map of the subject property in between Ridgemont Avenue Southeast and Mitchell Circle Southeast. Um it's also north of Hope Street Southeast and south of Condan Street Southeast. Lisa Burnham on behalf of Kathleen Ahoff, the owner of the property is requesting approval of a combined preliminary and final plat to be known as Hoff Edition. They're currently proposing to subdivide the property to create two equally sized lots. Um, lot one is existing with a single family home. Lot two is proposed for future development. Access is currently available from Ridgemont Avenue Southeast to the west and Mitchell Circle Southeast to the east. Um, the comp plan guides the property for lowdensity residential and it's currently zoned R1 lowdensity residential. The request conforms with the comprehensive plan land use map. Utilities are currently available and appropriately sized to serve the area and no changes to grading or storm water are proposed as part of this action. The property is located within the shoreland district. Um so 30% maximum impervious surface coverage applies to both lots and both lots appear to be under this 30% post posts split. There are no parks or trails proposed as part of the project and related trunk utility service charges have already been satisfied with the original plat. The property will be subject however to an additional parkland dedication fee for the creation of an additional residential unit. Staff comments are as follows from the engineering department. Uh standard drainage and utility easements of five feet will be dedicated to the public. Um, a private drainage and utility easement over the north 30 feet of lot 2 in favor of the existing lot shall be dedicated prior to the issuance of any permits. There's an existing shed located within one of the proposed easement areas that shall be removed um in conformance with the Prior Lake City code prior to issuance of any permits. And the rightway on Ridgemont Avenue and Mitchell Circle Southeast shall be dedicated to the public on the final plat on those following measurements. So, the recommendation for you guys tonight is to first hold a public hearing. Um, then staff will recommend a motion and a second to recommend city council approval of the combined preliminary and final plat for the Hoff edition subject to those comments listed in the community development public works memorandum. >> Thank you, Jake. Uh, on behalf of my fellow commissioners and staff, I'd like to welcome everyone and review the public hearing procedure we'll follow this evening. staff has presented its report on the request on this request or issue at hand and planning commissioners will have an opportunity to post questions about the staff report. Next, the applicant, if there is one, will have an opportunity to address the commission and commissioners will respond to the applicant with comments or questions. Following the applicant's presentation, we will open the floor to public comment. If you wish to address the commission, I'd ask that you please approach the podium, press the red button to turn on the microphone, and then clearly state your name and address for the official record. So that everyone will have a chance to speak, we ask that you limit your comments to 5 to seven minutes in length and that you make concise statements of fact pertaining to the specific application. This meeting is the official public hearing and your primary opportunity to be heard on the matter. The city council has no obligation to accept further public comment. In many cases, they do not. So, please do not hesitate to speak. So, I'll entertain a motion and a second to open the public hearing. >> So, move. >> Is there a second? >> Second. All those in favor of opening the public hearing on this item, please signify by saying I. >> I. I. >> Public hearing is officially open. So, if there's anyone um in the chamber that would like to address the commission, please step forward to the podium. Note takers. I'm requ I'm required by statute to ask three times. So, going once, going twice, going three times. All right. Seeing as there are no takers for this hot ticket item, um I will entertain a motion in a second to close the public hearing. Is there a motion? So moved. >> Have a motion. Is there a second? >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second to close the public hearing. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. >> I. >> I. The public hearing is closed. So we'll move to commissioner questions and comments. I'll start on my far. >> Seems pretty straightforward to me. >> None for me. >> No questions, >> I guess. Um with the uh you the uh easements, will that five and 10 foot then suffice for the setbacks? >> Correct. So the the lots themselves, they'll have uh their standard conforming lots. So they'll have a 10-ft setback on either side and 25 feet in the front and the rear. The five feet on the side and the 10 feet on the front and the rear would be standard city easements. In in addition, as Jake mentioned, there they will be dedicating a 30 foot private utility easement because the sewer and waters run parallel to the northern property line. So in from lot one, I'm sorry, from lot two in favor of the owners of lot one will have a private easement as well. >> Wonderful. Thank you. Do you know what the buildable area is then left on the lot after the easements? >> Um it'll be limited to that 30% of total. Also, I believe it's in the 4,000 to 4500 square foot. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Other commissioner comments, questions. >> I have no other comments. >> I have a just a minor question on the um the accessory structure. At at what point in the process will that structure be required to move? Is there like a a specific point in time >> prior to any building permit submitted for construction? >> All right, great. All right, if there are no uh further questions or comments um any additional comments or for staff. All right, then I will entertain a motion and a second to recommend the city council approve the combined preliminary and final plat for Hoff edition subject to the comments listed in the January 20th, 2026 community development public works memorandum dated January 20th, 2026. Is there a motion? >> So move. >> We have a motion. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Motion and a second. All those in favor of approving the alternative number one, please signify by saying I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> Thank you. That item is passed. We'll move now to Should be a fun one, too. Um, agenda item, consider amendments to Prior Lake City Code section 10-789, section G regarding election signs. I'll turn it over to staff. >> Uh, no presentation for this item. Uh background just staff have identified a section of the city zoning code which might be over overly restrictive related to election signs which has resulted in numerous complaints uh to code enforcement staff during the 2025 election season. The term election sign is defined by Prior Lake City code as a temporary sign promoting the candidacy of a person running for governmental office or promoting an issue to be voted on at the governmental election. Um section 1079 or 789 sorry G lists the conditions associated with permitting election signs in the city including uh a setback of 5T from all property lines. In most cases, city staff does not have the ability to locate these property property lines to verify um whether that sign meets the five foot setback requirement. Further staff doesn't feel it's a great use of time or resources to investigate collection signs on private property only to ultimately have the sign moved a few feet if it is found to be in violation of city code. So staff are re recommending uh city code update to remove that 5-ft setback condition in its entirety. So, our recommendation for you tonight is to hold a public hearing. Um, and then we'll request you guys to recommend approval of the proposed amendments associated with the section 10789G of the Prairie Lake zoning code. All right. Any further comments from staff? Okay. I will um take a motion in a second. Hold on just a second. There's nobody here. >> Okay. I'll take a motion, entertain a motion in a second to open the public hearing. Is there a motion? >> So, move. >> You have a motion. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Have a motion and a second to open the public hearing at 6:16 uh p.m. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. >> I. >> I. Public hearing is open on agenda item 5B. Seeing that there is no one in the chamber, I will not ask three times. Um, but we don't have any um folks or residents in the chamber on this this item. So, I'll entertain a motion in a second to close the public hearing at 6:17 p.m. Is there a motion? >> So moved. >> We have a motion. Is there a second? >> Second. We have a motion in a second to close the public hearing. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. >> I. >> I. >> Public hearing is closed at 6:17 p.m. So, we'll move to uh Commissioner questions and comments. I'll start my far right. So, if I'm understanding it is is just it becomes ownorous for city staff to try to investigate every single one of these being within five feet when you don't know where the property lines really are. >> Yeah. Uh, Commissioner, thank you for the question. That's This hasn't been an issue in previous election seasons, but this one there was 15 or 20 complaints on signs being on private property, but the caller or the complaintant did not think they were 5t from the property line. they weren't interfering with traffic visibility. They weren't uh causing any of their obstructions. Um it seemed from a staff level that it was retaliatory against uh different candidates. And so uh in our mind, we did not feel that was a good use of staff time and resources to be investigating potentially moving an election sign three or four feet. >> And from what I'm reading, the general requirement now is just it must be on private property. >> Correct. That's what we're proposing. >> Yep. Okay, >> thank you. Other commissioner comments questions. >> Okay, >> so just to confirm it there's nothing you don't feel like if we remove this there'll be any safety related blowback before impeding line of sight. >> Thank you uh for the question commissioner. We do not. So we have um in our city code a requirement essentially a sight triangle from intersections where you can't have an obstruction higher than 30 inches. So that would still apply to election sign. So basically 50 feet back on the curb line two ways from an intersection and then you connect those dots that forms a a sight triangle. So we can't have any visual obstructions above a height of 30 inches in there. So if an election sign was causing a a traffic visibility issue, we would still enforce it through that language. >> Okay, >> those are the questions. >> Okay, >> one one more additional. Um, so if someone uh does have a issue with it being too close to their property, is there any avenue for them to do anything or is it just a matter between two property owners? That would just be a private property owner item >> that was going to be that's a good variation on the question I was going to ask which is what's the worst thing that we could imagine would happen without but so um it sounds like I think we'll be okay it'll be interesting to see um what happens next cycle sort of you know visible encroachment ments or disputes we we are made aware of. All right. So, um staff is asking us to uh approve alternative number one, which requires a motion and a second to re recommend approval of the proposed amendments to section 10-789 subsection G of the Prior Lake Zoning Code. So, I'll entertain a motion. So move. >> We have a motion. Is there a second? >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. All those in favor of approving the proposed alternative alternative number one, please signify by saying I. >> I. >> I. >> That item carries. And I believe staff, is there any old business? says none on the agenda, but sometimes things bubble up at the last moment. >> Uh, no old business, just one announcement that this we are in the the winter schedule, so this is the only planning commission meeting in February. And so the next meeting will be coming up in March. >> Great. Julie noted. Um, I see there's no new business. So, with that, I'll entertain uh a motion and a second to adjourn tonight's meeting on January 2nd at 6:21 p.m. Is there a motion? >> So, moved. >> Have a motion. Is there a second? >> Second. >> All those in favor, please signify by saying I. I. >> I. We are journed. Thank you everyone. Thank you. your kids when it happens. Will they know what to do?