Minutes: Planning commission: Jan 2013

City of Evansville Plan Commission Regular Meeting Thursday, January 3, 2013, 6:00 p.m. City Hall (Third Floor), 31 South Madison Street MINUTES 1. Call to order. The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. by Mayor Sandy Decker. 2. Roll call. Members present: John Gishnock (arrived late), Mason Braunschweig, Sandy Decker, Bill Hammann (arrived late), Matt Eaton, Carol Endres, and Jim Brooks. Others present: Community Development Director Nicole Sidoff and City Administrator Dan Wietecha. 3. Approval of agenda. Brooks made a motion, seconded by Braunschweig, to approve the agenda. Motion approved 5-0. 4. Approval of minutes. Braunschweig made a motion, seconded by Eaton, to waive the reading of the minutes from December 3, 2012 regular meeting and approve them as printed. Motion approved 5-0. 5. Citizen appearances other than agenda items listed. None. 6. New Business A. Introductions. Plan Commission board members and new Community Development Director Nicole Sidoff introduced themselves. B. Agricultural Service Uses. Wietecha explained that when property was annexed into the city in 2006 for the biodiesel plant, it was zoned as Heavy Industrial (I-2) District. It appears there was little, if any, discussion about Landmark Service Cooperative’s existing grain handling facility on the property. Agricultural Service Uses are not permitted in the I-2 District, and Landmark’s facilities are well over the district’s height limit. The existing facilities are “grandfathered” and allowed to remain as a non-conforming use. Landmark is interested in constructing additional grain bins and a dryer, with the potential for further expansion in the future. Gishnock arrived. Wietecha recommended amending the I-2 regulations to allow Agricultural Service Uses in the I-2 District with a conditional use permit (CUP) and to allow a height limit of 200 feet for Agricultural Service Uses within an I-2 District as part of a CUP. Plan Commission asked about increasing setbacks for taller structures. Plan Commission said that the Fire Department should comment during review of such a CUP. Braunschweig and Brooks said they would sponsor an ordinance to amend the Zoning Code. Hammann arrived. 7. Report on other permitting activity by City Planner. No report. 8. Report on the Unified Land Development Code Committee. No report. 9. Report of the Evansville Historic Preservation Commission. Decker said that City Council has an ordinance before it to recognize the new historic districts and to clarify the historic preservation approval process. 10. Report on Common Council actions relating to Plan Commission recommendations. Wietecha said the City Council had approved the ordinances to consolidate the agricultural districts and to clarify the annexation process. 11. Report on Board of Appeals actions relating to zoning matters. No report. 12. Enforcement Report. Wietecha said a complaint about a sign without a permit would be followed up. 13. Introductions. Late arriving Plan Commission board members and new Community Development Director Nicole Sidoff introduced themselves. 14. Meeting Reminder. The next Plan Commission meeting is Monday, February 4, 2013. 15. Adjournment. Braunschweig made a motion, seconded by Endres, to adjourn at 6:14 p.m. Motion approved 7-0. The minutes are not official until approved by the Plan Commission at their next regular meeting.