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Motion Carried. Voting Yes: Chairperson Anderson, Commissioners Johnson, Kociscak, <br />Dempsey, Jensen, and Nixt. Voting No: None. Absent: Wivoda <br /> <br />Case #3: Request for Site Plan Review of Fire Station; Case of City of Ramsey <br /> <br />Community Development Director Frolik stated that the City of Ramsey has engaged the <br />services of SEH Architects to prepare a site plan for the new fire station to be developed west of <br />Armstrong Boulevard, across from 150th Lane NW. The site is approximately five acres in size <br />and a minor subdivision must be processed to create a separate lot of record. The property is <br />zoned R-1 Rural Residential, for which Code was recently amended to include fire stations as <br />permitted uses. The facility is proposed to have two accesses onto Armstrong Boulevard NW. <br />The site is not in the Metropolitan Urban Service Area and will be serviced with an on-site well <br />and septic system. The building is proposed to be 10,856 square feet in size. The structure <br />meets all of the setback requirements and will be constructed of brick, pre-cast stone panels, and <br />some decorative metal panels. The structure complies with the 35 foot height restriction, except <br />that there is decorative, metal facade that is proposed to be attached to the front facing wall only <br />of the hose tower. This decorative piece extends the height of the building to 37 feet. Because it <br />is a decorative piece of architecture attached to the front wall only of the hose tower, staff is not <br />requiring a variance to the height restriction. The Fire Chief is willing to have this architectural <br />addition removed from the plans if the Planning Commission and City Council so direct. A <br />sufficient number of parking spaces are proposed and they will be surfaced with bituminous. <br />Staff is not requiring that the west end of the parking lot not be finished with B-612 concrete <br />curbing due to the possibility of expansion. <br /> <br />Fire Chief Kapler noted that there will also be a second access onto Armstrong Boulevard for <br />emergency vehicles only. <br /> <br />Motion by Commissioner Johnson, seconded by Commissioner Dempsey, to recommend that <br />City Council approve the proposed site plan for the fire station on Armstrong Boulevard NW, <br />with no curbing on the west side of the parking lot and removal of the trees in the same location, <br />and contingent upon compliance with City Staff review letter dated January 27, 2000. <br /> <br />Further discussion: Commissioner Kociscak stated that he has a problem with the height of the <br />hose tower since the City should follow its own regulations. Commissioner Nixt inquired as to <br />how far over on the height restriction the tower is. Community Development Director Frolik <br />replied two feet. Sam Bontrager, SEH Architects, 3535 Vadnais Center Drive, St. Paul, noted <br />that house towers are excluded from the height requirement. Commissioner Kociscak removed <br />his concern regarding the hose tower. Commissioner Jensen inquired as to the type of lighting <br />that will be used since the station will be located in a residential area. Mr. Bontrager reviewed <br />the lighting that will be used. <br /> <br />Planning Commission/February 1, 2000 <br /> Page 6 of 10 <br /> <br /> <br />