Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutSP January 6, 2003 CØtA-LV::-- ClA..J w-u.)J:u'1 I ,~ -o3 CITY of ANDOVER ANDOVER CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION INTERVIEWS - JANUARY 6,2003 The Andover City Council interviewed fourteen candidates for the three positions on the Planning and Zoning Commission. Mayor Gamache started the interviews at 6:00 p.m. in Conference Room A. Councilmembers present: Don Jacobson, Mike Knight, Ken Orttel, Julie Trude Councilmember absent: None Also present: Community Development Director, Will Neumeister City Plarmer, Courtney Bednarz Wavne Marf!otto Mr. Margotto has been an Andover resident since 1976. He feels the largest issue facing the Planning and Zoning Commission in the next few years is growth of the city. His view of the role of the Planning and Zoning Commission is to identify issues related to growth, control placement of business and provide information to City Council concerning land and business Issues. Mr. Margotto stated he has a fair amount of experience and is known for his follow through skills. He feels Andover needs to increase their tax base and is very happy with the direction the city has been going concerning development. He asked the Council about the general time commitment, which is believed to be 3 - 4 hours per week, plus meetings. KristoDher Blanchard Mr. Blanchard is a recent Andover resident, moving here in 2002 from the Indianapolis area. He and his family chose this area because of the small town feel, good schools and good access to amenities. He feels the role of the Planning and Zoning Commission is to look at long range plans and make choices on development. . When asked whether he feels the city needs to look at alternative housing construction in view of the population growth, he indicated a balance was necessary, but certainly apartments and denser lots were needed in Andover as well as larger, more open areas. He has been involved in school mentoring programs and fundraising projects to benefit youth and teen programs. He sees himself as a team player who supports the final decision, even if it differs from his. Regular Andover City Council Meeting Minutes - January 6, 2003 Page 2 Jonathan Jasper Mr. Jasper has been an Andover resident for 3 years. He feels Andover's character is expressed by the high quality housing stock, and believes the Planning and Zoning Commission has a role to ensure that quality projects continue to be developed in the city. He feels the city should pursue quality developments while increasing their tax base to make it more stable. He sees the challenges before the Commission in the coming years to include Met Council issues, the MUSA line and maintaining a distinction between residential and commercial areas. In his personal life he is a mediator and arbitrator, skills he believes would enhance his ability to serve on this commission. Garv Lenzmeier Mr. Lenzmeier is a thirty year resident of Andover. He acknowledged that the Planning and Zoning Commission has to perform a balancing act, weighing the needs and benefit of the city with the desires of immediate neighbors. He has been happy with the expansion of business in the area but feels there will not be further extensive development due to the lack of a major thoroughfare. When asked what types of projects the city should pursue, he stated the population of Andover is getting older, and services or amenities that could be attracted to cater to that population would be beneficial. When asked about the role of the Planning and Zoning Commission, Mr. Lenzmeier stated he views it as handling road issues and taking care of small zoning problems. He feels his job for the Fridley police department provided a good background in interpreting ordinances and gave him a strong idea of how cities work. While preferring time to ponder decisions, he feels he could change his mind quickly when presented with new information and has no problem admitting he may have been wrong. Lee Warneka Mr. Warneka has been an Andover resident for 25 years. He views Andover as a bedroom community and feels it will continue to be so. Concerning the type of development the city should pursue, he feels it changes with time and the important thing is to stay in tune, making the highest and best use of the land. He sees Andover's biggest asset as the open spaces, but is in favor of proactive development. When asked his vision for the city in 20 years, he hopes to see more pathways and parks, but that he sees the city pretty much as it is today. As a manager he realizes you can't always please everyone and he has no problem making unpopular decisions if they are the right decision. Regular Andover City Council Meeting Minutes - January 6, 2003 Page 3 Tim Kirchoff Mr. Kirchoff is a previous member of the Planning and Zoning Commission and is hoping to serve another t=. He acknowledged that there is a learning curve involved in this position, determining what the City Council needs to make decisions. He feels the city should pursue more light industrial development to increase the tax base but prefers to stay away ITom high-density housing. He likes the larger lot residential character of Andover and knows that this often attracts others as well. He feels public hearings are helpful for the Planning and Zoning Commission to make decisions, however they can be difficult as the public is often affected and it isn't always easy to make unpopular decisions. He feels the role of the Planning and Zoning Commission is to shake out the issues before items reach the City Council and ensure they can make informed decisions. He feels workshops with the City Council are helpful and should be scheduled regularly so the Planning and Zoning Commission can provide useful information. Lance Kirschner Mr. Kirchner has lived in Andover for three years. He is a Sales Manager for a Market Research firm. He and his wife chose Andover because of the small town feel and convenience to major metropolitan 10cations. He feels the role of the Planning and Zoning Commission is to listen to builder requests and act as a liaison for the City Council. He likes the direction Andover has taken in development. When asked how he would handle variance requests, he stated he would be a stickler for ordinances. He feels making exceptions can create long-term problems. During his tenure on the Board of Directors for his Townhome Association he dealt with some variance issues and gained experience in remaining fair and coming to agreement with all parties involved. He feels Commissioners need to be able to listen, act on information received, do their homework and be professional. He stated that as a sounding board for the City Council, Commissioners need to be prepared to be overridden. He added that his father had served on the Planning and Zoning Commission in a small Minnesota town years ago. Suzanne Shromoff Ms. Shromoff has been an Andover resident for eight years. She is currently attending school and wants to be more involved in the community. She feels she learned many team skills during her management career and is very willing to learn the ins and outs of the Planning and Zoning Commission role. She feels it is important for the Planning and Zoning Commission to gather lots of information on each issue, and weigh the input of surrounding neighbors as well. She appreciates the development that has taken place in Andover and the increased conveniences development has provided while maintaining the wide-open spaces she loves. She believes it's important for the current growth rate Regular Andover City Council Meeting Minutes - January 6, 2003 Page 4 to slow in order for the city to catch up with the progress. She added that the people are Andover's greatest asset. She is in favor of the Community Center project but believes there is a little bit of everything else here already. Michael Casev Mr. Casey moved to Andover in 1995. He feels the role of the Planning and Zoning Commission is to provide forecasting information and input to aid in the growth of the city. He is in favor of additional retail development and believes negotiations with Target to be an anchor in that development is a good move. He realizes that irnrnediate neighbors of the area may be opposed but believes with proper structure it can work. When asked what issues he feels the Planning and Zoning Commission is facing, he felt the Met Council situation was one of the greatest. He believes that expanding the sewer lines will increase growth within Andover and views that as an exciting prospect. He added that he views the development in Andover as better planned than Coon Rapids, where strip zoning has been an issue, and acknowledged that proper planning is key to good development. Garv Nereson Mr. Nereson is a fourteen year resident of Andover. He understands the workings of the Planning and Zoning Commission as he has previously appeared before them. He believes Andover's largest asset is the quality of their developments but acknowledged that additional commercial development is necessary to balance the tax base. He sees the role of the Planning and Zoning Commission to review what staff has prepared and ask questions to determine what can be done better. He sees the Commission as a citizen's watchdog group. When asked what he would look for in commercial projects, he indicated environmentally friendly businesses, with a mix of commercial, light industrial and small retail. He feels his common sense and problem solving approach would be an asset to the Commission. While serving on several church councils he has often been approached for recommendations on handling sticky situations. He sees Andover's assets as their availability ofland, attractive area and developments pleasing to the eye. His impression is that Andover residents enjoy living here. Concerning variances he stated it was important not to set a precedent, but to weigh the issues, hear the concerns of citizens, then vote in the interest of the city. William Grav Mr. Gray has lived in Andover for fourteen years. He has attended several Planning and Zoning Commission meetings. He feels the role of the Planning and Zoning Commission is to investigate and analyze the information, weigh the importance of the project with the environmental impact and the good of the citizens, then pass that information to the City Council go they can make an informed decision. Regular Andover City Council Meeting Minutes - January 6, 2003 Page 5 He stated he is against higher density developments and would have trouble supporting them. His vision for the city in five to ten years is to have well planned development without too much commercial or industrial area, however meeting the needs of the residents. He acknowledged that continued growth is necessary but is a tightrope to avoid urbanization. He feels the positive image of Andover has grown over the last several years with some of the development that has taken place. Jerrv Putnam Mr. Putnam has lived in Andover for 24 years and previously served on the Planning and Zoning Commission. He feels the Commission operates similarly to how it did during his tenure however the developments are larger and more frequent He deals with conflict through common sense and letting his conscience guide him, indicating as a resident he has a personal stake in the development that takes place. He likes the streetscape plan that is shaping up and enjoys having businesses convenient to where he lives. He feels the biggest issue for the Planning and Zoning Commission is keeping a sense of what Andover is, balancing new development while keeping in mind the reasons people moved here. He feels transportation will continue to be an issue as growth continues. He sees the wetlands as Andover's largest asset and would like to see them maintained. He felt the biggest contribution he made during his previous term on the Commission was reviewing plats and making suggestions for improvement. He stated he always did his homework and tried to be informed prior to the meetings. Daniel Moblev Mr. Mobley moved to Andover in 2002. He sees the role of the Planning and Zoning Commission as meeting on development issues then presenting ideas to the City Council. When making decisions he feels he uses his best judgement and asks a lot of questions. He would look to some of the senior members of the Commission for guidance. He appreciates the additional retail development that is taking place and hopes to see more. Concerning variances, he doesn't believe in bending the rules, but would view the issues and be as fair as possible. He feels the city needs to examine road expansion as they continue to develop. He hopes to become more involved in the community and feels this is a good place to start. Dean Vatne Mr. Vatne has lived in Andover for 3 years. He is fascinated with the Planning and Zoning Commission web site and talked to current Commissioners concerning time requirements, duties, etc. prior to this meeting. He believes it is important that the Commission make wise choices about the direction of growth, both residential and commercial. He has a genuine interest in where the city is going and feels the Met Council, water treatment and sewer issues are important for Andover. He feels the rural feel of the northern portion of Andover is important to have available but can see that some development will continue to take place. He feels there is plenty of opportunity for growth Regular Andover City Council Meeting Minutes - January 6, 2003 Page 6 while maintaining parks and open areas. His skills at documenting decisions and using a logical thought process make him a good candidate for this position. He is able to look at data, reach a decision, and then articulate how that decision was reached. He acknowledged that while rules are important, there are often gray areas and he feels he would be able to express the rationale of interpretation of those gray areas. Council Discussion A lengthy discussion ensued. resulting in the appointment of Mr. Tim Kirchoff, Mr. Dean Vatne and Mr. Jonathan Jasper. Motion by Jacobson, Seconded by Knight to appoint Mr. Tim Kirchoff to the Planning and Zoning Commission for two years. Motion carried unanimously. Motion by Orttel, Seconded by Trude to appoint Dean Vatne to the Planning and Zoning Commission for two years. Motion carried unanimously. Motion by Orttel, Seconded by Trude to appoint Jonathan Jasper to the Planning and Zoning Commission for one year. Motion carried on a 4-yes (Gamache, Knight, Orttel, Trude) I-no (Jacobson) vote. Additional discussion ensued. Motion by Jacobson, Seconded by Trude to appoint Mr. Michael Casey as fIrst alternate for the Planning and Zoning Commission in the event a replacement is necessary. Motion carried unanimously. Motion by Jacobson, Seconded by Orttel to appoint Mr. Wayne Morgato as second alternate for the Planning and Zoning Commission in the event a replacement is necessary. Motion carried unanimously. Motion by Knight, Seconded by Jacobson to appoint Mr. Gary Lenzmeier as third alternate for the Planning and Zoning Commission in the event a replacement is necessary. Motion carried unanimously. Motion by Knight, Seconded by Orttel to name Dean Daninger as the chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission. Motion carried unanimously. Motion by Knight, Seconded by Trude to name Tim Kirchoff as Vice Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission. Motion carried unanimously. Motion by Knight, Seconded by Trude to adjourn the meeting at 9:54 p.m. The motion carried unanimously. Regular Andover City Council Meeting Minutes - January 6, 2003 Page 7 Respectfully submitted, Karen Whaley, Recording Secretary