MORGANTOWN PLANNING COMMISSION
MINUTES
March 14, 2001
6:30 p.m. Council Chambers
Members Present: Mary
Templeton, Ray Hicks, Jr., James Lattanzi, Ken Martis, Teresa Miller, Marca
Paparozzi, Barbara Rasmussen, Jennifer Selin, Stanley Wearden
Members Absent: None
City Staff: Jim Wood, Planning Director
and Lisa Martin, Assistant Planner
February minutes – Motion to approve minutes by J. Lattanzi, seconded by B.
Rasmussen. Motion approved unanimously.
OLD BUSINESS:
CU02-03 & CU02-07 / Family Dollar / 40 High Street: Request by Family Dollar for
conditional use approval for a sign over twelve square feet and for a freestanding sign in
excess of twelve square feet in the B-4 District at 40 High Street. Tax Map #28 Parcel
#75; a B-4, General Business District.
L. Martin read the staff report. She stated that Family Dollar would like approval for two signs larger than twelve square feet, one of which is freestanding. She added that one sign is a free-standing monument style sign with a sandblasted face, and a brick base and that it will be 15 square feet in size, and one-sided, facing High Street. She also stated that the second proposed sign is an aluminum wall sign that is 2' x 14' (28 square feet), and would be placed on the building façade facing High Street.
Dot Duffer presented the request to the Commission.
M. Templeton asked for public comment. There was none. The public portion was
closed.
No discussion ensued.
M. Paparozzi made a motion to forward a recommendation for approval to the Board of
Zoning Appeals, seconded by J. Lattanzi. Motion approved unanimously.
F02-02 / Family Dollar / 40 High Street: Request by Family Dollar for site plan approval for lights at 40 High Street. Tax Map #28 Parcel #75; a B-4, General Business District.
The staff report was read and reviewed in conjunction with the requests for conditional use. L. Martin summarized the request by stating that the proposed lights would be affixed to the building, providing external illumination for the building sign.
M. Paparozzi made a motion for approval, seconded by J. Lattanzi. Motion approved
unanimously.
CU02-05 / Castle / 1117 University Avenue: Request by Michael Castle for conditional use approval for shared parking at 1117 University Avenue. Tax Map #28A, Parcel 2, 3, 4; a B-4, General Business District.
J. Wood read the staff report. He stated that Mr. Castle is concurrently asking for site
plan approval (S02-03) and conditional use approval (CU02-06) for a multi-family
dwelling in the B-4, General Business District. He also added that the proposal involves
construction of a 6-story apartment building on the site of the old Bland’s Auto
Wrecking. J. Wood stated that the building would ordinarily require 78 parking spaces
and with the reductions the applicant potentially qualifies for the adjusted parking
requirement becomes 54 stalls; the applicant is proposing to provide 56 automobile stalls.
J. Wood distributed information on the traffic impact of the proposed development.
Discussion ensued on the impact of additional traffic on University Avenue and the effect of reducing parking for residential uses.
Michael Castle presented the request to the Commission.
J. Lattanzi commended Mr. Castle for making an investment in a blighted area and stated that a parking reduction would ultimately be a risk to be borne by the investor.
J. Lattanzi made a motion to approve the shared parking request with the conditions outlined in the staff report, seconded by R. Hicks. Motion approved unanimously.
CU02-06 & S02-03/ Castle / 1117 University Avenue: Request by Michael Castle for conditional use and site plan approval for a multi-family dwelling in a B-4 District. Tax Map #28A Parcel 2, 3, 4; a B-4, General Business District.
The staff reports were read and reviewed in conjunction with the request for conditional
use. J. Wood stated that Mr. Castle would be required to go back to the Design Review
Committee, to resolve outstanding issues related to materials and windows.
M. Templeton asked for public comment.
Michael Corrigan, 22 Walnut Street, spoke in support of the requests.
John Duarte, 460 Grove Street, expressed his views and suggested a moratorium on development along University and Beechurst Avenues until the transportation plan is approved.
T. Miller made a motion to approve the conditional use and site plan request with the
condition that the project is returned to the Design Review Committee for final façade
approval, seconded by J. Lattanzi. Motion approved unanimously.
NEW
BUSINESS:
RZ02-01 / Dawson / 1757 Sturgis Avenue: Request by Juanita Dawson / 1757
Sturgiss Avenue: Request 0by Juanita Dawson for a zoning map amendment for
property located at 1757 Sturgiss Avenue from R-1A, Single-family residential to IND,
Industrial District. Tax Map #33 Parcel #17.
J. Wood read the staff report. He stated that the applicant’s property was most recently
used as a duplex, and she would like to be able to use it for commercial purposes. He
added that the applicant elected to ask for Industrial zoning to avoid spot-zoning since
there is an existing industrial district across Sabraton Avenue. J. Wood affirmed that the
current land use mix in the area suggests that there is an importance in retaining the residential designation of the subject property and that area roads seem to serve as a dividing line between the residential and industrial zones. He added that the subject property is immediately adjacent to a single-family residence.
Discussion ensued on the current zoning of the Sabraton area and on the various land
uses that are permitted in an Industrial District.
Juanita Dawson presented the request to the Commission.
M. Templeton asked for public comment.
Nicholas Romanoli, area property owner, spoke in favor of the request.
Don Trevorrow, 512 Milford Street, spoke in opposition.
The public portion was closed.
B. Rasmussen made a motion to forward a recommendation for denial to City Council,
seconded by K. Martis. Motion approved unanimously.
CU02-08 & CU02-09 / WV Hitt / 22 Walnut Street: Request by WV Hitt, LLC, for conditional use approval for the modification of conditional use CU00-22, to allow for the division and/ or establishment of two separate condominiums to be located on the 2nd floor, and, a one owner-occupied condominium unit to be located on the 3rd floor at 22 Walnut Street. Tax Map #26A Parcel #16; a B-4, General Business District.
L. Martin read the staff report. She stated that the request is for the subdivision and/ or
establishment of two separate condominiums to be located on the 2nd floor of the
building and for one owner-occupied condominium unit to be located on the 3rd floor.
Michael Corrigan presented the request to the Commission. He stated that the Mon Art Gallery formerly occupied one space in the proposal, which is no longer present.
M. Templeton asked for public comment. There was none. The public portion was closed.
No discussion ensued.
M. Paparozzi made a motion to forward a recommendation for approval to the Board of Zoning Appeals, seconded by B. Rasmussen. Motion approved unanimously.
MNS02-02 / Craig / 1218 Chalfant: Request by James Craig for minor subdivision approval for property located at 1218 Chalfant. Tax Map # 24 Parcel # 32; an R-2 Single-family and Two-family District.
J. Wood read the staff report. He stated that the request is for a minor boundary adjustment to convey twenty (20) feet of the eastern
side of his parcel to the owners of parcel 33.
He added that the subdivision would create a 100' x 100' lot for parcel
32, and a 100' x 100' lot for the adjoining property owners.
K. Martis excused
himself from voting on the request due to conflict of interest.
Mr. Craig was not
present for questions.
M. Templeton asked
for public comment. There was
none. The public portion was
closed.
J. Lattanzi made a
motion to approve the minor subdivision with the condition that the applicant
submits an acceptable formatted survey to the Planning Department within 30
days, seconded by T. Miller. Motion
approved unanimously.
F02-03 / Rees / 467 Chestnut Street: Request by David Rees for the permanent placement of a steel structured shell with a white canvas cover to be located on the deck at 467 Chestnut Street. Tax Map #26 Parcel #55; a B-4, General Business District.
J. Wood read the staff report. He stated that the request is for the erection of a permanent steel structured shell with a white canvas cover on the deck of Bent Willey’s. He added that the tent was originally considered temporary, to be used during colder weather months, but due to the expense and difficulty of taking it down and putting it back up multiple times, Mr. Rees is asking permission to leave it as a permanent feature.
Rob Lapinto presented the request to the Commission.
B. Rasmussen stated that the Design Review Committee had concerns that the tent would eventually weather and look unappealing.
Discussion ensued on the precedence an approval would set.
M. Templeton asked for public comment.
John Duarte, 460 Grove Street, questioned the implications from a fire code perspective, but did not speak in opposition of the request.
M. Paparozzi made a motion to deny the request, seconded by B. Rasmussen. Motion passed on a 7:1 vote; K. Martis cast the dissenting vote.
MNS02-03 / Platinum Properties, LLC / One Water Front Place: Request by Platinum Properties, LLC and associates for minor subdivision approval Tax Map #37A Parcels # 1, 2, 4 and Tax Map #37 Parcel # 3 & 4; a B-4, General Business District.
J. Wood stated that the applicant would like to table the request.
Motion made by T. Miller to table the request until the April 11, 2002 meeting at the applicant’s request, seconded by J. Lattanzi. Motion approved unanimously.
TX02-01
/ Plan Unit Development: City
initiative to create a Plan Unit Development Zoning District and establish
regulations thereto.
J. Wood briefly described the ordinance.
Discussion ensued on the importance of the ordinance encouraging development and redevelopment.
M. Templeton asked for public comment.
John Duarte, 460 Grove Street, spoke in favor of PUD’s.
Don Trevorrow, 512 Milford, stated that he would like a 100 foot green space buffer.
T. Miller made a motion to forward a recommendation of approval to City Council, seconded by K. Martis. Motion approved unanimously.
Executive session:
T. Miller made a motion to go into executive session with the City Attorney to obtain attorney advise on pending legal matters under authority granted by Section 6-9A-4(12) of the West Virginia Code and Peters v. County Commission, seconded by R. Hicks. Motion approved unanimously.
When the Commission reopened the regular meeting, T. Miller made a motion to reverse the decision made at the February 14, 2002 Planning Commission meeting to initiate a rezoning of property at 3590 Collins Ferry Road because the material facts in the case have not changed, seconded by R. Hicks. Jennifer Selin abstained from voting due to lack of historical knowledge on the topic because it was her first meeting as a member of the Planning Commission. Motion approved 5:1; B. Rasmussen cast the dissenting vote.
OTHER BUSINESS
Public
Comments-None
Staff Comments - update on Zoning Ordinance progress
J. Wood stated that
the first draft of the ordinance should be ready in April and public input
meetings would be scheduled accordingly.