This is a transcript of the **Lakeville Planning Commission** meeting from April 4, 2024. Based on the context provided and the internal dialogue, I have identified the speakers, including Chair Zimmer, Planning Manager Jensen, and the applicants. [0:29] [Music] [0:52] **Chair Zimmer:** I call the April 4th, 2024, Planning Commission meeting to order and ask you to rise for the flag pledge. [1:19] **Chair Zimmer:** States our next item is the swearing in of our newest planning commissioner, Mark Traffas. Okay, so raise your right hand and repeat after me: I, [state your name]. **Mark Traffas:** I, Mark Traffas. **Chair Zimmer:** Do solemnly swear. **Mark Traffas:** Do solemnly swear. **Chair Zimmer:** That I will support the Constitution of the United States. **Mark Traffas:** That I will support the Constitution of the United States. **Chair Zimmer:** And the State of Minnesota. **Mark Traffas:** And the State of Minnesota. **Chair Zimmer:** And faithfully discharge the duties. **Mark Traffas:** And faithfully discharge the duties. **Chair Zimmer:** Of the office of Planning Commissioner. **Mark Traffas:** Of the office of Planning Commissioner. **Chair Zimmer:** Of the City of Lakeville. **Mark Traffas:** Of the City of Lakeville. **Chair Zimmer:** In the County of Dakota and State of Minnesota. **Mark Traffas:** In the County of Dakota and the State of Minnesota. **Chair Zimmer:** To the best of my judgment and ability. **Mark Traffas:** To the best of my judgment and ability. [2:06] **Chair Zimmer:** So help me God. **Mark Traffas:** So help me God. **Chair Zimmer:** Congratulations. **Mark Traffas:** Thank you very much. **Chair Zimmer:** And welcome to our newest commissioner. We ask Secretary Morrow to please take a roll. **Secretary Morrow (calling roll):** Zuzak? **Commissioner Zuzak:** Here. **Secretary Morrow:** Kluzza? **Commissioner Kluzza:** Here. **Secretary Morrow:** Zimmer? **Chair Zimmer:** Here. **Secretary Morrow:** Enck? **Commissioner Enck:** Here. **Secretary Morrow:** Hensley? **Commissioner Hensley:** Here. **Secretary Morrow:** Traffas? **Commissioner Traffas:** Here. **Chair Zimmer:** Next item is the approval of the minutes from our March 21st, 2024, Planning Commission meeting, and if there are no changes, then we will accept them as presented. Thank you. Do we have any announcements from Planning Manager Jensen? [2:53] **Planning Manager Jensen:** Thank you, Chair Zimmer. Yes, there are several handouts that the Commissioners have in front of them. They include the April 3rd, 2024, Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources Committee meeting motion regarding the Autumn Hill preliminary plat. We also have amended stipulations for that same plat as well as the revised tree inventory landscape and foundation planting plans for the same project. Those are the three handouts, and there are no additional announcements. [3:38] **Chair Zimmer:** Excellent. Thank you so much. Um, if you haven't already and you do wish to speak tonight, please sign up at the back of the room because this is a public hearing. And since this is a public hearing, um, we'll get that started, and I invite Mr. Bob Weager to come forward and to present your project. [3:38] **Bob Weager (Paramount Engineering):** Chair, members of Planning Commission, again I'm Bob Weager with Paramount Engineering. And as your packet indicated, the project's located in the southeast quadrant of Dodd Boulevard and 185th, consisting of 54 twin units and one detached townhome. The proposal currently has three different pad types from a rambler to a lookout to a full walkout. The builder is proposing four different building types or plans. [4:26] **Bob Weager:** After approval, the intent is to do the site grading infrastructure all in one phase. We think it's a great addition to the City of Lakeville. Also tonight is the builder, Joey Miller, and with that, we'll stand for any questions you may have. Thank you. [4:26] **Chair Zimmer:** Thank you so much, and we'll have Planning Manager Jensen come forward for us. [5:13] **Planning Manager Jensen:** Thank you, Commissioners. As we've said, this is the Autumn Hill preliminary plat. It is located at the southeast corner of 185th Street and Dodd Boulevard. 185th Street in this area was recently constructed and opened to the public last fall. And this area to the east is the future phase of the Klelano development. The proposed plat is zoned RST-2 for which detached and attached townhomes or Twin Homes—excuse me—are a permitted use. This is the existing conditions map. There were two parcels, north and south, with a home, outbuildings, and then the land has previously been used for agricultural purposes. And the preliminary plat shows the 54 attached Twin Homes and there is a single detached home right in this location. Existing streets will connect from the south in this location. There is an access off of 185 in the northeast corner here and then a future connection to the future Klelano development again to the east. And outlot here is for stormwater ponding, which we can see here on the grading plan. As Mr. Weager mentioned, there are a mix of home styles within the plat, so both slab on grade, walkout, and lookout home styles depending upon the location. This is the tree inventory plan. It is slightly different than the one that was in your packet. That one indicated that there would be some save trees along Dodd; that was an older version of the plan. There were changes made to the grading in this area which now necessitates the removal of those trees due to the limits in the slope that can be behind the home. There are a couple of save trees down here in the corner, but this plan has been updated from the one that was provided to you. This is also an updated landscaping plan which you have a copy of as well. There is buffer yard planting along 185th Street and Dodd as required. There is plantings along the south property line as required as well to buffer from the Feldman Heights development to the south. Front yard trees are shown pretty much in front of all of the different units and then some additional plantings throughout the site as well. The table has also been updated; there were some tree sizes that needed to be corrected as well, and that has been done. This is the final other plan that was provided for you and updated. The initial plan had just plantings at the front of each home—excuse me—the plan was updated to include plantings more around the entire perimeter of the site as was required by ordinance. And this is an example of one of the twin home sets; there are two models here, the Redwood and the Mulberry, showing the front and the rear elevations. You can see that in these particular cases, these are lookouts, but one is a two-story, the other is a single level with a lower level, variety of roof lines for some visual interest. And then these are the other two models, the River Birch and the Teak, which again have the different—you know, one is a two-story, one is a single story and then the varying roof lines there. That is what I have for you. If the Planning Commission recommends approval of the Autumn Hill preliminary plat, staff does recommend the nine stipulations included with the staff report. The additional stipulation from your original report is the one related to the requirement that an HOA has to be created for the maintenance and ownership of those common areas. That was addressed in the staff report, but it was missed in putting it down as a stipulation. And the developer was aware that we made that change, and they had no opposition to that. So this is a public hearing, and I'll stand for any questions you may have. [9:03] **Chair Zimmer:** Great, thank you. And since it is a public hearing, do we have anyone that wishes to address the Planning Commission, whether on the phone or from the [room]? [9:03] **Commissioner Kluzza:** Madam Chair, Commissioner Kluzza. Motion to close the public hearing. **Commissioner:** Second. **Chair Zimmer:** All those in favor please say "Aye." **Commissioners:** Aye. **Chair Zimmer:** Opposed? Good. The public hearing is now closed and now we're open for discussion. And if any Planning Commissioners have some questions... Commissioner Zuzak? [9:52] **Commissioner Zuzak:** Madam Chair, I just want to verify: there is an HOA, but what does it cover? You said common area, but does it cover anything else—water, garbage, management? [10:39] **Planning Manager Jensen:** The ordinance, the city ordinance, requires that the HOA have ownership of the common area properties, and in this case, it would require maintenance of the Twin Home buildings. We don't require that HOAs provide maintenance for detached townhomes; it's up to the developer in that case how they want to set that up. As far as the garbage, things like that, we don't stipulate that. That's up to the developer how they want to set up their HOA. [10:39] **Commissioner Zuzak:** Thank you. **Planning Manager Jensen:** Yep. **Chair Zimmer:** Other questions from Commissioners? I had a couple questions I would like to ask, and I'm not sure, maybe it's for Mr. Weager... I always ask the question about the garage sizes and are they regular size and can you open both of your car doors when you're parked inside the garage? And if not Mr. Weager, then Mr. Joey Miller. [11:44] **Joey Miller (Builder):** Joey Miller. Thank you. Yes, some of the [plans] have a—it's a standard two-car garage, and then some of them have a third stall or part of a stall going forward. So we did, depending on each plan, but most of the plans do have more than just a two-car; they have a little area in front of that, so we did want to consider that. [11:44] **Chair Zimmer:** Excellent. And then width-wise you can open the doors when you're parked in the garage? I assume if it's a two or three car? **Joey Miller:** Yes, it is. **Chair Zimmer:** Yes, it is always a good thing. Okay, thank you. Build usable houses. Thank you, Mr. Miller. Commissioner Kluzza? [12:30] **Commissioner Kluzza:** I don't have a question; I just have a comment. I think, you know, this is a great product. I always appreciate Lakeville having a diversity of housing types. And, you know, I think it's a testament to our community that we continue to see builders wanting to build here and offering different housing products. And that's why we're one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, and I plan to support this project. [12:30] **Chair Zimmer:** If we don't have any other questions, then I think we're ready for a motion. [12:30] **Commissioner Kluzza:** Madam Chair, Commissioner Kluzza. I motion to recommend approval of the Autumn Hill preliminary plat subject to the nine stipulations listed in the March 28th, 2024, planning report as amended. **Commissioner:** Second. [13:16] **Chair Zimmer:** Thank you. Secretary Morrow, will you please take the roll? **Secretary Morrow:** Zuzak? **Commissioner Zuzak:** Aye. **Secretary Morrow:** Kluzza? **Commissioner Kluzza:** Aye. **Secretary Morrow:** Zimmer? **Chair Zimmer:** Aye. **Secretary Morrow:** Enck? **Commissioner Enck:** Aye. **Secretary Morrow:** Hensley? **Commissioner Hensley:** Aye. **Secretary Morrow:** Traffas? **Commissioner Traffas:** Aye. [13:16] **Chair Zimmer:** Thank you very much, everybody. Want to say good luck with the project. Very pleased to have you here. And then I would ask Ms. Jensen, when will this be at City Council? **Planning Manager Jensen:** At their April 15th meeting. **Chair Zimmer:** April 15th, okay. Are there any other staff notices we need to air tonight? **Planning Manager Jensen:** None. Nothing else. **Chair Zimmer:** Okay. The next Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for April 25th, and with that, we stand adjourned. [13:50] [Music] [14:13] [Music]