Brookings Planning Commission Meeting - April 1, 2025
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Brookings Planning Commission Meeting – April 1, 2025
The Brookings Planning Commission met on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, at 5:30 PM in the Chambers Room of the Brookings City & County Government Center. The meeting included a Board of Adjustment session for a variance, followed by the Planning Commission agenda covering annexation, a future land use map amendment, a revised preliminary plat, a conditional use permit for a home occupation, a commercial corridor design review, and a discussion on forming a governance and engagement subcommittee. All actions except the variance are recommendations to the City Council.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Agenda: Motion carried unanimously.
- Approval of Minutes: March 4, 2025 minutes approved unanimously.
Discussion Items
- Variance (Vrchota/Bakker) – Side Yard Setback, 334 32nd Ave: The applicants requested a 10-foot side yard setback (required 20 feet) in the I-1 Light Industrial district to allow truck maneuvering between an existing building and a proposed new building. Staff recommended approval with conditions to remove a chain-link fence from required landscape areas. The Board of Adjustment approved the variance unanimously (6-0).
- Annexation – Lots 1 & 2, Clark 2nd Addition: The Verna J. Clark Revocable Trust petitioned to annex 51.2 acres (Lot 1) and a 1.7-acre parcel (Lot 2) located east of 34th Avenue. The property is contiguous to city limits and mostly in a Phase 1 annexation priority area. Staff recommended approval. The Planning Commission voted unanimously (7-0) to recommend approval to the City Council.
- Future Land Use Map Amendment – 34th Avenue: The applicant requested changing the future land use designation for Lots 1 and 2 of Clark 2nd Addition from Urban Medium Intensity to Business Park Light Industrial. Staff also recommended correcting adjacent areas, including a voided area to the west and a Brookings Municipal Utilities parcel to the east, to the same designation. The commission voted unanimously (7-0) to recommend approval.
- Revised Preliminary Plat – Reserve Fourth Addition: CD Properties LLC proposed revising the preliminary plat for Lots 2 and 3 in Block 2 and adding Block 3, located near 20th Street South and Christine Avenue. The revised plat meets subdivision ordinance requirements. Staff recommended approval. The commission voted unanimously (7-0) to recommend approval.
- Conditional Use Permit – Major Home Occupation (Gunsmithing), 2505 Larkspur Ridge Drive: Applicant Tyler Brockel requested a conditional use permit for a gunsmithing business in an R-2 Two-Family district. The business would operate out of his residence. Staff recommended approval with conditions: the permit is non-transferable, no build/assembly classes at the residence, and proof of licensing renewals every three years. Discussions raised concerns about proximity to Dakota Prairie Elementary School, federal gun-free school zone laws, and liability. The commission voted to table the item (7-0) to allow the applicant to attend a future meeting and to seek further legal review and input from the school district.
- Commercial Corridor Design Review Overlay District Site Plan – 600 Main Avenue: Central Bank proposed redeveloping the site at Main Avenue and 6th Street. The plan includes a new bank building, drive-through, and parking. Staff noted two variances related to minimum landscape area and non-living ground cover (artificial turf). The applicant explained that mature trees would be preserved and that artificial turf is designed to drain. The commission voted unanimously (7-0) to recommend approval.
- Governance & Engagement Subcommittee: Commissioner Debra Spear introduced a proposal to form a subcommittee to improve transparency, collaboration with city leaders, recruitment, and onboarding of new members. Staff noted that the city attorney is reviewing the proposal against the city’s Governance and Ends policy. Commissioners discussed challenges such as board vacancies, lack of training, and the need for standard operating procedures and mentorship. No formal action was taken; the topic will be revisited at the next meeting.
Key Outcomes
- Variance approved (6-0) by the Board of Adjustment with conditions.
- Annexation recommended for approval (7-0) to City Council.
- Future Land Use Map Amendment recommended for approval (7-0) to City Council.
- Revised Preliminary Plat recommended for approval (7-0) to City Council.
- Conditional Use Permit tabled (7-0) to allow applicant presence and further research.
- Commercial Corridor Site Plan recommended for approval (7-0) to City Council.
- Governance subcommittee discussed; no vote taken. Next meeting scheduled for May 6, 2025.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everyone. We'll um open the City of Brookings Planning Commission meeting. Um roll call, please. Ryan Roll is noted with Schmeichel Limmer, Jameson Speer, Heinrich, and Letty present. Solemn and Aiken are absent. Thank you. Um motion to approve the agenda. So all in favor. Thank you. Um approval of the minutes, uh, approval of the March 4th, 2025 minutes. Thank you. Second. Second. All in favor. Opposed. Thank you. We will now um convene as the Board of Adjustments. Board of Adjustments is a seven-member board, which has the power to hear requests for variances and special exceptions. The concurring vote of two-thirds of the full membership is necessary for approval of any action by the board. A seven-member board requires five votes, a six-member board requires five votes, and a five member requires five votes. In accordance with Robert Rules of Order, we require a motion to approve a request before the request can be debated. As a matter of policy, all motions are made in the positive. The board under specific powers granted it by the state shall authorize variances from the zoning requirements where special conditions existing on the land will result in unnecessary hardship for the applicant. Umtices hereby given that Andrew Ricoda and Josh Baker have made a request for a variance on lot one in block one of Kilkerson 2nd edition, also known as 334 32nd Avenue. Notice is further given that said request will be acted on by the Board of Adjustments at 5 30 on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, in the chamber room. Any person interested may appear and be heard on this matter. Thank you, Mr. Chair. The first item is a variance uh for a side yard setback at 334 32nd Avenue. The applicants are Andrew Ricoda and Josh Baker. It's located in an industrial I-1 light district. The applicants are requesting a ten-foot side yard setback. The required side yard setback in the I1 district is 20 feet according to section 94136. For variances, we use the hardship test due to special conditions, a little enforcement of the provisions of the ordinance will result in unnecessary hardship, and the variance shall not violate the spirit of the ordinance, and substantial justice may be achieved as a result of the variance. Unique circumstances apply to the property which do not apply to other properties in the same vicinity or district. The variance is necessary for the preservation of a property right that is substantially the same as that possessed by other owners of property in the same district. The variance requested is the minimum variance, which would alleviate the hardship and reasonable use of the property is not permitted under the terms of this chapter, would be examples of uh hardship requests for a variance. As mentioned the property is 334 32nd Avenue, shown here in the uh yellow outlined box. It's on 32nd Avenue south of 6th Street. Site plan shown here is the request. There is an existing structure currently on the property on the southern portion of the property with a uh 24 or 25 foot setback to the south. The applicant would like to construct a new building for their um business on the north end of the lot. They are requesting a 20-foot uh a seven uh sorry, a 10-foot setback to the north where the 20-foot setback would be required. Uh the request for that reduced setback is due to the placement of the new building uh in proximity to the existing building. Um the 10-foot setback would leave 65 feet of room between the buildings there. Uh stating that that is necessary for the movement of truck traffic for the nature of the business to enter the garages. You can see there's a garage shown on the eastern half of that building. Uh for truck movement, they would need the additional space. Uh, therefore, the reason for the the 10-foot reduction of the setback. Uh elevation drawing and site plan or floor plan for the building shown here.
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