This transcript appears to be a meeting of the **Farmington Planning Commission**. Based on the context provided and the dialogue within the recording, I have identified the speakers, including the staff members (Jared and Tony), the commissioners, and the applicant representative. Note: The roll call at the end uses phonetic spellings (Snowback, Windshadow, Tesy); I have corrected these to the likely intended names (Schmack, Winshuttle, Chesky) based on the dialogue. *** **[0:02] [Music]** **[0:49] Chair:** All right, we'll call the meeting to order. On behalf of the planning commission, I'd like to welcome our residents and viewers to this regular meeting of May 13, 2025. On tonight's agenda, we have one public hearing and we have three discussion items. Uh, before we get into our agenda, we have a housekeeping item and that would be the minutes from our regular meeting of April 8th, 2025. Are there any additions or corrections to those minutes? If not, is there a motion? **Commissioner:** I'll make a motion. **Chair:** We have a motion. Is there a second? **Commissioner:** I'll second. **Chair:** Motion and second. All in favor say aye. **Commissioners:** Aye. **Chair:** The minutes are approved. Move into a public hearings. With that then, this is a conditional use permit for CrossFit Calypso. Um, the applicant has requested that this application be withdrawn. So with that then, I'd look for a motion to close a public hearing. **Commissioner:** Motion to close. **Chair:** We have a motion. Is there a second? **Commissioner:** I'll second. **Chair:** Motion and second. Call the roll, please. **Shirley Buecksler (City Clerk):** Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. **Chair:** With that then I'd look for a motion to withdraw the conditional use permit for CrossFit Calypso. Is there a motion? **Commissioner:** Motion to withdraw. **Chair:** We have a motion for withdrawal. Is there a second? **Commissioner:** Second. **Chair:** Motion and second. Any more discussion? If not, call the roll, please. **Shirley Buecksler (City Clerk):** Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. **Chair:** All right, we'll move into our discussion items. The first discussion item is a site plan review for a commercial daycare at 4640 Knudson Drive. The applicant is Insight Development. And Jared, you're going to take this. **Jared (Staff Planner):** Yes. Thank you, chair, planning commission members. Uh, the request before you tonight is uh for a site plan review uh for proposed construction of a single level um 10,000 foot commercial daycare to be located at 4640 Knudson Drive. Uh the applicant is Insight Development. Uh currently this property is zoned uh Spruce Street mixed use with the Spruce Street overlay district. Um commercial daycares are permitted use in this district. Uh the 2040 comp plan designates this property for commercial. Um and currently it is uh 1.37 acres of vacant land um platted as lot three of the Vermillion River Crossings development. As the commission may be aware, uh back in October of 2024, the same applicant um received a front yard setback variance uh for proposed building or daycare building be located at this site. Um, I'll get into that um more as we move on into the actual uh site specifics as well. So, up here is the site plan um and the bulk and density standards proposed. Uh the proposed site plan here on the right uh meets all of the bulk and density standards besides that front yard setback um requirement. In the Spruce Street mixed-use zoning district, this requirement is at least 50% of the building front must be within 20 ft of the public right-of-way. Uh this is a variance they um got approved for back in October to have 0% of the building front be within 20 ft. Uh there were kind of two main reasons for that variance that they requested—was so they can fit two access drives to the north there off Knudson Drive um and ensure you know circulation within the parking lot and to ensure that the playground um stays within the back of the building and wouldn't be um adjacent to the parking lot or uh Knudson Drive. So, getting to more specifics of the site plan, uh, there's three main components of it. You have Knudson Drive here to the north. There's two access drives on each end of the site, um, going directly into the parking lot, uh, for circulation. The building itself is set back towards the center of the site, and then you have the playground to the rear, um, a fenced playground to the rear of the site. Some site details: As I mentioned, there's two access points off Knudson Drive uh to provide for parking lot circulation. Um, as far as parking goes, city code requires uh one space per employee on maximum work shift plus one space per 10 children. Uh, 22 employees max are proposed with around 150 children. Uh, this would require 37 parking spaces. Um, they are proposing 41. So, they are exceeding this requirement. Uh they did submit an exterior lighting plan. Um they're showing two uh exterior um or two uh dual mounted light poles proposed for the parking lot on each end over here. Um the western light on their um lighting plan shows uh a spill light of 1.6 ft candles on the western side property line here. Um per our exterior lighting code um on the property line on the west side there, it cannot go over a maximum of one. Um so as a condition of approval um we are asking the applicant submit at building permit time that they revise the lighting plan to make sure that they're meeting that threshold. Uh they did provide a landscaping plan. Now the landscaping plan um shows a combination of trees and shrubs to be planted along the exterior um property lines as well within the parking medians and as well in front of the building. Uh there's a roughly a 9,000 square foot fenced playground here located uh to the south of the building um denoted in this darker gray area. Um the playground is proposed to be separated in different age groups. There's also a trash enclosure um proposed on the southeast corner of the parking lot. The trash enclosure and the playground... more specific details on the fencing um and then the fencing of the trash enclosure itself will be reviewed at time of building permit and will um staff will—this is included as a condition of approval um to make sure that um those requirements are met at that time. And as far as storm water goes, storm water runoff will be drained into the existing um storm water pond that is located uh to the east of the site. Um back when um this development was first put in, this pond was sized to accommodate any future development on this site. Um so it's fully adequate uh to accommodate any runoff uh from this site. So proposed elevations um and or exterior uh materials uh for the building: the materials are considered of a synthetic stucco, a concrete base, brake metal trim, and asphalt roof. Um and you'll note it is a single level um facility but on the front exterior they are including some false facade windows um to just give that upper level appearance on it but is a single-story uh facility. The action requested for you guys tonight um is to approve the proposed site plan conditioned on the following: 1. That all necessary building permits are obtained. 2. Any sign permits are obtained. 3. Satisfaction of any outstanding engineering comments and requirements. 4. Final architectural details for the trash enclosure and playground fencing shall be included um at the time of building permit submittal. And then lastly, a revised photometrics plan shall be submitted at the time of building permit submittal showing a spill light maximum of one foot candle on the western side property line. And we do have uh reps from Insight here too if you have any questions for them. **Chair:** Thank you, Jared. Well done. There are representatives from the applicant. Mr. Amani, did you have anything to add or anybody of your staff have anything to add? **Cyrus Amani (Insight Development):** Yeah. Thank you, Jared. Um, I thank you guys, everyone, for being here. Jared did mention quite a bit of everything that I was going to say, but you know, I'll keep it brief. Um, so I'm a licensed architect. My name is Cyrus Amani with Insight. I'm also a project manager for them. Uh, Insight is a national developer of commercial and industrial real estate throughout the country. Uh, I myself, I'm on the commercial team and we have been focused on daycare development the last four years or so because we see a growing demand for that in the market specifically in the Twin Cities market. This is our fourth development in about two years. Um and as Jared mentioned we are platted as lot two block three of the Vermillion River Crossing development. Proper address is 4640 Knudson Drive. Uh we are proposing a roughly 10,000 square foot commercial daycare permitted by right. The site plan has been designed to conform with city standards um except for that variance that was approved in October of 2024. So in summary, we're excited about this project and we hope to have you guys' support. I'm here to answer any questions you may have. **Chair:** We appreciate it. Mr. Amani, if you could stay available for questions. Um this isn't a public hearing. We have several or at least one person. Do you have any comments regarding uh this final plat? Okay. Commissioner Chesky. **Commissioner Chesky:** Yeah. Um I think this looks good. Thank you. Um I just want to say this is a very—it's a growing community, so I think the community will embrace this and it's it's welcome to see another daycare option in the community. So great job and thank you. **Chair:** Commissioner Winshuttle. **Commissioner Winshuttle:** Do we know the name of the daycare or is that... **Cyrus Amani:** Uh I'm not allowed to disclose that at this time. **Commissioner Winshuttle:** All right. Um, just a question back on the the fencing for the playground. Does that fence—it goes all the way around the back part of the playground? Does it connect to the building then? **Cyrus Amani:** Uh, it does not connect to the building, but or actually it does. Yes, it goes all the way around. Um, it's going to be a um kind of like a wrought iron fence, but those details are still in progress. **Commissioner Winshuttle:** Where is it going to connect? **Cyrus Amani:** I can... okay. **Commissioner Winshuttle:** Is it going all the way out to the front to connect or is it... **Jared (Staff Planner):** I do not believe it's going all the way up to the front. I know it's hard to see. Kind of hard to see, but yeah, there's the gate. Yeah. Right at the two front corners here. So, it is proposed to surround. **Commissioner Winshuttle:** So there'll be concrete blocks on each side because I see the gate on the east side there, but I just don't see one on the the west side. **Cyrus Amani:** The west side there... uh it's it's covered up by a dimension, but there there will be a gate on both sides. A little opening above this dimension by the access parking. **Commissioner Winshuttle:** Okay. You can see a little flap. Sure. Okay. No, other than that, it looks good. Thank you. **Chair:** Mr. Schmack. **Commissioner Schmack:** No, it looks—it looks good. Thanks for your time and it's all I got. **Chair:** Thank you, Commissioner Berg. **Commissioner Berg:** Um, the only question I have—and Jared, this is probably more for you—is around traffic. Thinking about the flow in and out of out of the building. Um, that's a pretty busy street at certain times of the day, certainly in the morning. I know I drive by there every every morning and the amount of traffic going to to McDonald's and the doctor's office there is... has there been any concern or study around the traffic flow and the in-and-out because there's only one in and out there? **Jared (Staff Planner):** Sure. Um, engineering and fire have um looked at it and signed off on it. So, um we should be all good to go on that front and no concerns for traffic. **Commissioner Berg:** Great. That was my only question. Other than that, looks great. **Chair:** All right. Thank you. You know, I had a similar question of Commissioner Winshuttle is, you know, and part of this I know you're a prep company. You know, you kind of do the engineering design and get it ready for the the company. Our residents, our viewers, you know, they kind of want to say, "Okay, who is it? I you know, I might be interested or I will be interested, but I need to know more." So, some of our questions are trying to get at that. So, I know you can't release the name. Um but I suspect you know the timing of the project if it upon approval of the city you know when you're planning to start and finish. **Cyrus Amani:** Yeah we are anticipating construction I believe in August with an eight-month construction duration. Um so that would put us at about May next year of completing construction. **Chair:** Yeah. So this time next year the the parents could start enrolling their uh their children and possibly... **Cyrus Amani:** Yeah. Possibly earlier. I'm not exactly sure on the, you know, the specifics of when to enroll kids, but yes, if all goes to plan, we will be wrapped up hopefully before May. **Chair:** And I want to tell you it's a beautiful building. I think you're going to do a nice job. As uh [Commissioner Chesky] mentioned, it's a need that this community has now and and we'll have even more so in the future. Um some of my questions are from a—and I'm not a parent, you can tell—but um like the playground, what do you know what the base will be? What will the kids be playing on? **Cyrus Amani:** Yeah. So, we have a synthetic turf surface. Okay. Um and then you can see in the kind of circular portion of the playground is a tricycle path. So, that'll be concrete, but most of it is a synthetic. **Chair:** So, then for inclement weather days, you have room inside where they're going to be able to get rid of some of their energy? **Cyrus Amani:** Yes. Correct. We do. **Chair:** Okay. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, that's—that's necessary. I got to believe. **Cyrus Amani:** I totally agree. **Chair:** Um, and then something that you know I know parents may be wondering, will there be—and you and I suspect you know the company and you hopefully you know the background of who you're doing business for. Do you know if they have some sort of educational service plan or what what they do for their uh young children at different ages? **Cyrus Amani:** Yeah, they certainly do have a curriculum. Um, you know, I think it's—it's very focused on kind of the high-end getting those kids ready for um—kindergar—or sorry um getting those kids ready for kindergarten and onward in school and their education. Um so they certainly do have a curriculum that's kind of tailored to what they're trying to do in their morals and and their um the way they like to tailor their curriculum. **Chair:** Oh, perfect. Yeah. You know, I again I it's a great looking building. I want to welcome you to this community and the future company that's that's going to have the name up on the sign. Um we appreciate it. And uh I have no other comments or questions other than I fully support this and with that then we have—we'll have a recommendation uh to our city council and Jared listed five contingencies that I agree with. Do you agree with all those contingencies that staff has prepared? **Jared (Staff Planner):** Just—just to um just to clarify this would be approved by the planning commission. No recommendation would be needed. **Chair:** Sounds good. We'll take it ourselves then. Um do you agree though with all the contingencies the staff has recommended? **Cyrus Amani:** Yeah, certainly you do. **Chair:** Okay. With that then I'll look for a motion. **Commissioner:** I'll make a motion. **Chair:** We have a motion for approval of the proposed site plan for a commercial daycare at 4640 Knudson Drive with the five contingencies agreed on from the applicant. Is there a second? **Commissioner:** Second. **Chair:** Motion and second. Any more discussion? If not, call the roll, please. **Shirley Buecksler (City Clerk):** Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. **Chair:** All right. Before we get into the next one, I'm going to ask um—that's it. Thank you. Thank you guys. Thank you. All right. Um sir, are you with Vita? Okay. Um, and the commission talked briefly about it. You know, I think what we're going to do, Tony, just because uh we want to make sure that, you know, we give opportunity for John to come is with the commission's permission. Do you want to move to the last discussion item? Is that acceptable? **Commissioners:** Yes. **Chair:** And we'll see if he shows up. Then this is a uh a zoning amendment request from Miss Barb Ackerman, Pilot Properties, 5465 212 Street West. **Tony (Staff Planner):** Yeah, thank you uh Mr. Chair, commission members. Uh yes, uh Miss Barbara Ackerman had contacted me uh about a week or so ago. She's the owner of 5465 212th Street West. Um so right at the northeast intersection of Pilot Knob Road and County Road 50. Uh the property consists of three uh separate buildings uh that she leases to various businesses, one of which is currently uh vacant. Um the property is zoned MUCI which is our mixed-use commercial industrial um which I included all of that that entire code in your memo for your reference. Um, Miss Ackerman does have a prospective tenant uh that would like to lease space in one of those uh buildings um for specifically auto restoration and collision repair. Uh this type of use would fall under the city zoning definition of major auto repair uh which is general repair, rebuilding, reconditioning of engines, motor vehicles or trailers including bodywork, framework, welding and major painting services. Currently, auto repair major is neither a permitted or conditional use within that specific zoning district. Uh to allow that prospective tenant to occupy existing building at that location, it would require amendment to the zoning uh district um to include that specific use either as a permitted or conditional use. Do want to note that under the current code provisions, major auto repair is conditionally allowed in three zoning districts. Those being the B2, which is our downtown business, B3 general business, and our Spruce Street mixed use, which uh in particular must be—that use must be confined within the interior of a principal building. Um, as the commission may or may not be aware, a handful of years ago, we had a fairly substantial discussion on um, auto related businesses. So, those being auto sales and auto repair, both major and minor. Um, and through that discussion, it was determined that we would limit where we would place those uses. Um, and the the districts that are listed in your memo are what we came upon, right? Um, just wanted to make you aware that that was a intended change that we made um, based off of some past uses that had popped up. Um, wanted to bring this to the commission, get your opinion on it. Um, I did not promise anything to Miss Ackerman at this point in time. Um, but wanted to have that discussion whether or not the commission felt reasonable um to change the code to allow that use. Um, keep in mind that if we do change and add that use, it not only affects this property, but every other property that's zoned and guided MUCI. **Chair:** Tony was kind. It was a little more than just a—a small discussion of other sites. I can attest to that and I'm sure a couple of others can too. Uh Phil, what do you think? **Commissioner Schmack:** [Music] That's a good question. What's the—what's there now? Like what type of business? **Tony (Staff Planner):** Uh one of the—the building that was up front used to be a tax preparation um office building and then the two pole buildings if you will have been used mainly for storage. **Chair:** Is the main building—isn't that where JTN Communications is? **Tony (Staff Planner):** I think they are in one of those—I think they're in the front building I believe so. **Chair:** Internet providing, you know. And after all the discussion we had on the previous topic, yeah I guess I would say leave it the way it is um you know just based on the previous conversations and topic that we had and the problem. **Commissioner Schmack:** Yep. **Chair:** Mitch, what do you think? **Commissioner Winshuttle:** Uh did Miss Ackerman talk about attending today? Kind of give some insights on it or was she unable to attend the meeting? **Tony (Staff Planner):** She I believe lives in Arizona. Okay. Um so it's hard for her. I—I think she was here about a week or so ago for other things. Um I do believe she's back in Arizona though. **Commissioner Winshuttle:** So yeah I mean it's—changing in the zoning might change a lot of different properties in—in Farmington. So I hesitate to make a sweeping change um for this specific um placement of that um business. So, yeah, I hesitate to make a big change on that and um I would have liked to pick her brain a little bit and and see where she—she's coming from, but uh yeah, I kind of feel like we should kind of stick with the previous discussions of what you guys had because there's purpose behind that. Um so, that's all I have. **Chair:** Andy? **Commissioner Chesky:** Yeah, I'm kind of along the same lines as Mitch, especially given what's happened in the past year around MUCI property. I think it's probably prudent and wise for us to tread real lightly with any change to MUCI properties. Um, so I would personally—I'd probably have some hesitation about making a—a change to include something like this. **Chair:** Christa? **Commissioner Berg:** Yeah, I would agree with as the others have stated. I mean, we—it's been a sensitive topic for a while and so to—to change it now doesn't make sense to me. Um, you know, the current co-provisions are there for reasons. So... **Chair:** And—and I agree with the other commissioners and I will take it to the uh standard itself and that if you look at the uses whether they be uh permitted or—well are they all—let me see—well they're all anyway the permitted uses this does not match those. It—it kind of stands out being very unique and being much more heavily type of—not—I don't want to use the word industrial but—but um just doesn't fit with those uses that are currently in here. Um so for that reason I would um recommend that we do not add um this use to this district at this time. Tony, what do you need any formal action or do you got... to me it's the consensus of this commission that not at this time. **Tony (Staff Planner):** Yeah, I don't need a formal—formal—I don't need a formal motion. I—I've got a—a feel for what the commission... **Chair:** Okay. Then I'm going to go back then to the previous uh topic on our agenda and we've been pretty consistent about um you know if we don't have a representative to answer our questions or the residents questions that may be interested that we've been delaying them. What is your opinion on the one that we have on our left on our agenda? It's a final plat. **Tony (Staff Planner):** Um well that has been the commission's recent um process. Um both of the plats are fairly—in my mind—fairly straightforward. Um albeit the fourth edition does have some bigger things like the extension of Pilot Knob um which was part of the original development agreement for that plat um that—that extension be done as part of their final phase which this is their final phase. Um the road—way—that's proposed meets county and city guidelines. Um we're working with a consultant on the uh relocation and repurposing of the street lights. Um so that will all be done as part of this overall project as well. Um overall the overall layout meets what the preliminary plat was um previously—both the town homes and the um single family lots. Um so but really it's up to the commission if you feel comfortable or not. **Chair:** I agree. I understand that. I just wanted to get your opinion before I asked the commissioners what their thoughts are. Um again, we did one just a few months ago or that we just said, you know, we're going to delay it. What are your thoughts, commission? And I'm not looking at anyone specific, but anybody has anybody got any reason one way or the other why you we should handle it tonight or set it for our next meeting? **Commissioner Schmack:** Well, I think consistency is key. You know, I think, you know, we've liked the party to be here, you know, the developer, whoever it is, you know, to ask questions. Yeah. Um, so I—I—I don't see a reason to deviate from what we've done in the past. **Chair:** I agree. It's hard to pick and choose if you start doing that too. And that's what—you know that's— **Commissioner Schmack:** Yeah, that's—and that's going to be their argument is picking and choosing on what... **Commissioner Winshuttle:** Yeah. What's the timeline like? I mean, do you have idea what they're... **Tony (Staff Planner):** Well, they would like to start construction yet this summer. So, because that road is a big—big question, you know. **Commissioner Berg:** I was going to say given the impact Pilot Knob, I... yeah. Are they, you know, do you know—is the road going first? Are they doing that first versus to get in? **Tony (Staff Planner):** Well, it would be all part of that overall construction. So, they'll do it all in tandem. **Commissioner Berg:** Well, I'm just wondering even for the purpose of devel—making—doing the development like so are they going to have Pilot Knob done into the development to for all the construction vehicles or likely not. No. **Chair:** Yeah. So these are questions that we could ask the developer, you know, which I mean that's attached to phase four, isn't it? If I remember right, it is correct. Yep. So I mean, and then phase five is the town homes, the 16 town homes. So, you know, so I—I'm still guys, you know, we—I—I think we got to be consistent. I really do. I feel bad for cause the individual who Tony you thought might be here is had a lot of our meetings. **Tony (Staff Planner):** Yeah. He's been at the last meeting. Yeah. So, I mean, I maybe forgot maybe or maybe just had had something else going on. I—I don't know. **Commissioner Winshuttle:** Well, I'll kind of tag on to what [Commissioner Schmack] was going with there—if with the daycare being approved with all the construction already going on in Duchaine with—with Spruce being shut down and if they're going to start this with—with Pilot Knob and everything, too. That's a whole lot of construction traffic in a pretty small area there, too. timing. **Chair:** Yeah, it's and you know the internal parts of the Vita TV out there fairly often. Um but it's—it's the Pilot Knob. It's the uh the Spruce Street. It's everything else when and timing and all that. So, you know, I'm hearing Mitch, what are your thoughts? **Commissioner Winshuttle:** I agree totally. **Chair:** Okay. Christa? **Commissioner Berg:** I would agree. I just think we need... **Chair:** We have a consensus and uh Tony, what kind of motion would you like to do on this? Is it just motion to table? Okay. Is there a motion to table? Um, let me find this one. Final plat of Vita at South Creek fourth and fifth editions to our next regular meeting. **Commissioner:** I'll make the motion to table. **Chair:** Have a motion. Is there a second? **Commissioner:** I'll second. **Chair:** Motion and second. Call the roll, please. **Shirley Buecksler (City Clerk):** Schmack, yes. Berg, yes. Winshuttle, yes. Chesky, yes. **Chair:** Doesn't get that time. It's okay. Dirk doesn't get to vote on that one. All right. Anything else from staff? **Tony (Staff Planner):** I have nothing, sir. **Chair:** Anything else from the commission? No. If not, I'll remind our uh residents and viewers our next regular meeting is June 10th, I believe. And with that, I'd look for a motion to adjourn. **Commissioner:** Motion to adjourn. **Chair:** We have a motion. Is there a second? **Commissioner:** I'll second. **Chair:** Motion and second. All in favor say aye. **Commissioners:** Aye. **Chair:** We're officially adjourned. Thank you, everybody. **[28:58] [Music]**