[0:04] The January 27th uh 2026 meeting of the
Stillwater Planning Commission will now
[0:09] come to order. It will be the process
this evening to call for items on the
[0:13] agenda. The commission will hear briefly
from staff first, then the applicant
[0:18] and/or their representative, then open
the public hearing and hear from those
[0:21] in favor and/or in opposition to the
request. When you come to the podium,
[0:25] please clearly state your name and
address for the record. And then before
[0:28] closing the public hearing, both staff,
the applicant and or their
[0:32] representative will be provided an
opportunity to respond to provide
[0:35] additional information and answer
questions. After all interested parties
[0:39] have spoken, the public hearing will be
closed. We will hear closing remarks and
[0:43] alternatives from staff.
So the first item this evening um on
[0:48] under public hearings is to receive
public comment regarding a text
[0:52] amendment to the Stillwater City Code.
And we shall hear from staff.
[0:57] Yes, ma'am. Good evening, um,
commissioners, chair. Um, my name is
[1:02] Henry Velheimer with development
services, and tonight we're looking at a
[1:06] text amendment. This text amendment was
tabled at the last planning commission
[1:10] meeting as there was some recommended
changes. Um, so we went ahead and made
[1:14] those changes so we can present that to
you. We know ahead of time there has
[1:17] been one other change since then based
on meetings we've had um with the Greek
[1:20] ne Greek neighborhood association. So,
we'll get into that as we go. I'm going
[1:24] to do kind of a summarized presentation
compared to, you know, what I did last
[1:28] time. Um, so definitely feel free to
jump in if you have any questions. So,
[1:32] this is a text amendment to the RMI and
RMU zoning districts. Um, specifically
[1:37] updating the way we regulate Greek
houses.
[1:40] Here's the current definition, which is
in 237. It's a generally defined term in
[1:44] our code. We are moving this to section
2396 and adding in this green portion.
[1:49] I'll go ahead and read that green
portion. Um, but this is requiring that
[1:53] a Greek or a fraternity or sorority be
affiliated with a university recognized
[1:58] chapter of a fraternity or sorority. And
it's moving the section to 2396, which
[2:03] is our use definitions. What this means
is we're defining a fraternity or
[2:07] sorority as a use. Since we're now
defining it as a use instead of a
[2:11] general term, it means we must then say
what zoning districts it's allowed in.
[2:15] So, we're adding it to 23140, which is
the RMI or residential multif family
[2:20] intermediate zoning district as an
allowed use.
[2:23] We're also adding it to 23141, which is
RMU, residential multif family urban um
[2:29] to again allow fraternity or sority
house as a use in that zoning district.
[2:33] We're also changing those sideyard
setbacks. So, I'll go ahead and read
[2:36] that section outlined in green.
fraternity or sorority house. When a
[2:40] sideyard has a common boundary with
property in any single family
[2:43] residential district or use, the minimum
minimum setback is 15 ft. When a
[2:48] sideyard has a common boundary with a
property in any district or any other
[2:52] district or use, the minimum setback is
5 ft. Um, functionally what this is
[2:56] saying is throughout the Greek
neighborhood, it's very common for the
[2:59] Greek houses to be beside the Greek
houses. There's a few scenarios, there's
[3:03] like two or three that we could find
where a Greek house is abuing a single
[3:06] family um district or use. Um our intent
was not negatively affect that single
[3:11] family house or district. So that would
have the same 15t side setback if you're
[3:16] abing that single family house. But if
you're a Greek house, abuing a Greek
[3:19] house, um there have been multiple
variances to decrease that side setback.
[3:22] So, we've decreasing this to the 5-ft
side setback, which mirrors the
[3:27] requirements in RMI, which is that
multif family intermediate district. Um,
[3:32] one caveat I will add to that is there's
still a 3-ft additional side setback
[3:37] added to that 5-ft for each story above
the first story. So, if you're a
[3:41] two-story house, you would have an 8ft
setback. If you're a three-story house,
[3:44] it would be 11.
Moving on to the exceptions. These are
[3:49] the exceptions that are written into
both RMI and RMU. These are for both
[3:53] districts. Um, so starting from the top,
residential structures not divided into
[3:57] dwelling units shall have densities
determined as each four beds shall be
[4:01] deemed to constitute one dwelling unit.
To make that makes sense, when we use
[4:05] this as calculating density, each zoning
district has a maximum dwelling units
[4:09] per acre that are allowed. It's really
easy to calculate with that when you
[4:12] have like an apartment complex. There's
10 apartments in it. That is 10 dwelling
[4:16] units. Easy to calculate. gets more
tricky when you're looking at a
[4:19] fraternity house because although that's
one kitchen, that's not one dwelling
[4:22] unit. You know, there's a lot more
people living in there. So, the way
[4:26] we're calculating that is four beds
shall be deemed as one dwelling unit.
[4:30] The previous calculation was very
similar, but just more confusing. So,
[4:33] this was just for clarity. Uh, moving on
to that second bullet point, a structure
[4:37] being built for a fraternity or sority
house shall be built to have a
[4:40] residential appearance, which shall
include a front porch. Um, street facing
[4:46] facades shall be constructed of masonry
material which shall include brick, cast
[4:50] stone, stone or ephus and stucco. Um,
and at least 50% of which shall be brick
[4:56] or stone. Um, again that's just that
facade requirement trying to have that
[5:00] quality residential appearance. And that
last point is a landscape plan shall be
[5:05] submitted which meets the require
requirements of 23230F.
[5:09] Um, based on the discussion we had at
the last planning commission meeting,
[5:12] um, we heard your feedback that the
landscaping requirements should be in
[5:15] the landscape plan, which we agree with.
Um, so we've added in 23230F, which
[5:19] we'll look at in just a second. Um, and
lastly, all fraternity and sorority
[5:23] houses shall have a maximum height of
two stories for any portion of a
[5:26] structure that is within 30 ft of a
single family residential zoning
[5:30] district or use. Um, in the meeting we
had with the Greek Neighborhood
[5:34] Association, there was some confusion on
this requirement. So, just to clarify
[5:38] real quick, um
if you're building a house beside a
[5:42] Greek house beside a single family
house, which we did find, I think two
[5:46] instances where this would apply. Um
the Greek house already has that side
[5:51] setback of 15t since you're abing a
single family house. So, you would have
[5:54] have that setback of 15t. Let's say
you're building the house right up to
[5:58] the setbacks as generally is done. Um
that means that first 15 foot of the
[6:03] structure has a maximum height of 30
feet of two stories or 30 feet.
[6:10] Two stories so sorry. So only the first
15t of that structure would be within 30
[6:15] ft of that property line. Any portion of
the structure within 30t of the property
[6:19] line has a maximum height of two
stories. The rest of the building has
[6:22] the maximum height of 50 foot which is
the the maximum height for RMI or RMU.
[6:27] So, it's not affecting the entire
building, just that portion within 30
[6:30] foot of the single family house.
And then 23230F landscaping. Ignore the
[6:37] red for now. I'll talk about that in
just a second. Um, but this is the
[6:40] section we're adding in. The verbiage is
very similar to that which we proposed
[6:43] last time, which is that a fraternity or
sority house, a landscape plan with at
[6:47] least one tree, and 10 shrubs per 30 ft
of lineal frontage. Um, reading this
[6:53] without the red first. Corner lots shall
provide landscaping for both front
[6:58] yards. Landscaping shall be a minimum
requirement for the lot which can be
[7:01] clumped or spread throughout the parcel.
I've mentioned that neighborhood, the
[7:05] meeting with the Greek neighborhood
association. Their primary concern was
[7:09] the landscape code being um negatively
affecting the Greek neighborhood. Um
[7:15] they pointed out that the decks are a
big part of Greek row um specifically
[7:20] for homecoming and that happens in the
front yard. So, they wanted to make sure
[7:23] that this didn't negatively affect the
neighborhoods. Um, especially since most
[7:27] Greek houses, which we did look and
they're correct, most Greek houses are
[7:31] on two frontages. Some of them even have
three frontages as they reach from one
[7:34] street to the other. Um, so with that in
mind, to make sure that this landscape
[7:39] code didn't negatively affect the Greek
houses, staff is proposing the changes
[7:43] in red, which is that corner lots shall
provide landscaping for the primary
[7:48] front yard, which is the front yard that
the property is addressed from. Um to
[7:53] make that clear, that's just setting the
requirement for the parcel. As in if you
[7:57] have 100 foot of frontage onto
university and university is what you're
[8:01] addressed on, that sets the landscaping
requirement for the site, which is one
[8:05] tree and 10 shrubs per 30 foot of that
100 foot. Um the landscaping can still
[8:11] be on your other frontages or even your
backyard. It just that that's the
[8:15] requirement for the site. Um, so that
was the change that was proposed to not
[8:21] negatively affect those neighborhoods.
Any other changes can of course be
[8:25] discussed. I'm open to answer any
questions if you have any.
[8:42] » I have a couple questions.
>> Yes, ma'am. Um, so when you're talking,
[8:46] we're talking about the setback and the
restriction of the two stories. What is
[8:51] the definition of portion
to limit the height of any portion
[8:57] that's within 30 ft of single family
zoning district to use two stories? What
[9:02] would what breaks up a portion so that
could it could then another portion of
[9:08] the house go up three
or is this saying a portion is the
[9:14] entire structure or a portion is a
structural bay or a portion is 3 ft.
[9:19] » Yes ma'am.
>> Um so it's not we don't actually have a
[9:24] definition of a portion of a structure.
Um, but the way it was intended to be
[9:29] interpreted when we wrote that is that
like
[9:32] » so you would have that 15t setback from
the side property line and this is
[9:36] generally from the side property line
because that would be beside the single
[9:39] family house. So then the first 15t of
that structure if the structure was
[9:43] built right up to that setback line
would have to be two stories because
[9:46] that would be within 30t of the property
line.
[9:48] » So a portion would be equal to the
setback distance.
[9:52] » It would be 30 foot from the property
line. So if you had a 30-ft setback, you
[9:57] wouldn't have any restrictions here.
It's just if you're within 30 foot of
[10:00] the property line of that single family
use or district.
[10:05] So it's just that
>> that was intended to be the the line
[10:10] there is if you're within 30 30 foot of
the property line, that portion that is
[10:14] within 30
>> portion within the 30 ft.
[10:17] » Yeah. The the intent is the rest of the
structure that is more than 30 foot
[10:20] would have the same maximum height as
the rest of the houses, which would be
[10:23] 50 foot. Okay,
got it.
[10:28] And then I want to clarify the landscape
requirement for corner lots.
[10:33] » Yes, ma'am.
>> So now we're recognizing a front lot.
[10:38] We're not recognizing
both frontages. We're just saying one's
[10:42] a frontage. So
[10:47] I'll just use it for instance of one
that's currently under construction.
[10:52] So if university is the addressing
street then it would be required to have
[10:59] one tree and 10 shrubs per 30 lineal
feet of frontage if there is frontage
[11:06] along say Monroe.
>> Mhm.
[11:08] » Nothing would be required over there.
>> Yes ma'am.
[11:13] And the landscaping is not required to
be along university. It's just required
[11:16] to be on the parcel and that would that
front university dilute it. Yes, ma'am.
[11:39] » And that that's that's deemed a hardship
by the Greek neighborhood.
[11:45] » I would say a concern more than a
hardship.
[11:50] I think that that depends on the design
of the house as well because the thing
[11:54] is is like
>> you're referencing a very specific
[11:58] house.
>> Well, I was just the first neighborhood
[12:01] that came to or the first corner that
came to mind.
[12:03] » If that house is facing if that house is
angled facing the intersection,
[12:10] » I would think that they're going to
probably use symmetrical landscaping on
[12:16] each side regardless. But for example,
the house across the street,
[12:21] » correct,
>> is different and faces directly towards
[12:25] university. And it kind of does make
sense for them not to have to have the
[12:30] landscaping on the Monroe side because
of the way that that house is oriented
[12:35] on that corner.
Mhm.
[12:41] And I can and I can see for house
decorations wanting to preserve an area.
[12:46] Um but shrubbery
can be adjacent to could be next to the
[12:52] building. It wouldn't have to have
clearances say like a tree would
[12:56] » right
>> tree needs more space,
[13:04] » you know? So I mean is there I I was
thinking about this as well as you
[13:08] mentioned that is there a specific
definition of a tree versus a shrub.
[13:14] » What is a tree? [laughter]
>> Um I do believe in our code it has
[13:20] different it technically defines small,
medium and large trees. We don't have um
[13:26] like an approved tree list um like some
cities have of this is what we would
[13:30] consider an approved tree and we don't
have them broken into separate
[13:33] categories. Um that's one thing we're
considering to get more specific. Um
[13:37] » don't we have like a recommended list of
trees
[13:42] recommended for
longevity or something? I thought we had
[13:46] a list.
>> That list sounds like something that
[13:49] might exist but not something that I'm
aware of. So I can't say for sure. I I
[13:53] don't believe it's in our code. If it is
there,
[13:55] » may not be in the code.
>> Um
[13:57] » there's a tree definition,
>> but um I know for example it gets a
[14:01] little tricky looking at stuff like
crate myrtle which
[14:04] » is defined is technically a tree
>> um but for example that's a small tree
[14:08] that functions more like a bush in some
scenarios. So
[14:11] » there's a definition in here
>> of a tree. Perfect
[14:17] » tree
[14:31] shrubs also defined.
[14:41] » Sorry for the distraction there, but I
was just thinking about that. So,
[14:45] continuing on what you were saying with
>> the front yard versus sideyard more or
[14:52] less,
>> right?
[14:55] » But it's it's like of of the fraternity
and sority houses, the way it typically
[14:59] works here in Still Water,
generally speaking, the fraternities are
[15:04] the ones that have that host the house
decorations, and so they'd like to
[15:08] preserve a sideyard.
There are
[15:12] several in my mind for sorority houses
that have sideyards.
[15:18] Um, they wouldn't have to be preserving
something for a house decoration.
[15:24] I mean, I would think most of them would
want to still
[15:28] have the landscaping to look nice.
[15:36] So, let me let me let me pose this
question. So out of the
[15:42] one tree and the
shrubbery as is defined, how does that
[15:48] correlate to our current point system?
Is that would that meet the requirements
[15:52] of the current point system or is it
greater or less than what we would
[15:56] typically do?
[16:00] » I hate to say for sure off the top of my
head, but um in any scenario that I've
[16:04] seen, this would meet those
requirements. Um,
[16:08] » so it wouldn't it wouldn't exceed what
we're currently asking and it's not
[16:12] » it would
it would likely exceed.
[16:15] » Yes, ma'am.
>> I'm just trying to figure out are we are
[16:17] we creating something that's more or
less than what we would currently have
[16:21] in place. So, um, David Bar, Development
Services. Um, you know, we asked our
[16:27] consultant to help us with this and we
did a comparative analysis, um, looking
[16:31] at Lawrence, Kansas, Columbia, Missouri,
other um, college towns um, and looking
[16:37] at um, specifically zoning uh,
requirements for Greek houses. And um we
[16:43] felt like and and their recommendation
was if we were going to reduce the
[16:48] setbacks for these fraternities and
sororities that are right next to each
[16:51] other that um one thing that we might
want to consider is to require some
[16:57] additional landscaping to soften that.
And so all this particular section does
[17:03] is establish a requirement. The
requirement can be on the sideyard. It
[17:08] could be in the front yard. They could
put all the trees on the side. all of
[17:11] them on the front. They could all it's
saying is for that frontage though you
[17:15] need to add 10 shrubs and one tree per
30 ft of frontage but it doesn't tell
[17:20] you where you put those items. And so
what we have noticed is some of the
[17:24] newer Greek homes are and um well
actually you asked a question about our
[17:29] landscaping code. Right now our
landscaping code in most instances
[17:32] people can meet the point requirement by
using grass and so there is no
[17:36] requirements necessarily to have trees
or shrubs. Um, but you know, people do
[17:41] do that because it looks nicer. And so
what we were trying to do instead of a
[17:44] of a big fraternity just putting sound
sod and meeting their point system, we
[17:49] were wanting them to actually have to
have some, you know, vertical um
[17:54] vertical landscaping.
Um,
[18:00] I was going somewhere and then I or
I I went back to your landscape plan and
[18:06] what was I talking about right before
that? Um,
[18:11] » you
[18:16] right
>> that that we were looking at trying to
[18:19] soften what we have. So, if we were
going to if you're going to
[18:23] » decrease the setbacks and have greater
density, then having the plant material
[18:28] is going to soften.
>> Oh, I know what I was saying. So, what
[18:31] we we we've actually looked at some of
the newer Greek houses and they've got
[18:35] trees, but they're these like spruce
trees that are really tall and small
[18:40] diameter right up in the build against
the building um with shrubs next to
[18:45] them. Well, those would still work and
they wouldn't combat with your house
[18:48] decorations. Um, and yeah, we've noticed
that most of the sororities have a lot
[18:53] more landscaping than the fraternities.
And I think for the reason that they're
[18:56] trying to protect that yard for their
house decorations. Um, and we're not
[19:00] trying to, um, inhibit that in any way.
Um, but we would like to see, I mean, I
[19:05] can think of one fraternity, um, it's
probably the biggest one, um, right on
[19:09] university that has almost zero
landscaping in front of it. Um, I mean,
[19:13] they've got a nice lawn, but there's
nothing else. And so, um, we would like
[19:18] to see, um, you know, as we as we make
some adjustments here, we would like to
[19:22] see some more landscaping. Um, but we're
not saying that it has to be out there,
[19:27] um, in harm's way of every year's
homecoming. Uh, so
[19:34] that's all I have.
>> Thank you.
[19:37] And so then the setback on the front
yard is, remind me again.
[19:44] Are we at 25?
on the front yard.
[19:48] » Don't remember off the top of my head.
So, sorry.
[19:52] Um,
[19:59] I was just looking at the short notes.
We can go back and look at the section.
[20:26] Sorry, I thought I had a faster way to
get there and it's taking me longer.
[20:32] » Front yard.
>> Front yard 20 ft.
[20:36] » RMI
>> abetting the right away.
[20:41] and you
>> it's also 23.
[20:51] [snorts]
[20:55] » So I guess what I what I'm gathering is
what we're asking for here is more than
[21:00] we would currently have and it's
addressing
[21:04] the setbacks
being tighter.
[21:08] Okay.
[21:11] Thank you for indulging that discussion.
>> Of course,
[21:18] » those were the questions I had. Does
anybody have any other questions?
[21:21] » Yeah, I have one. How how does the staff
ensure if it's even possible that that
[21:26] these reduced setbacks remain limited to
fraternity and sorority houses and don't
[21:30] create pressure to extend similar
standards to other high occupancy
[21:35] residential uses?
>> It's a good question. Um
[21:41] to your first point, um it would only
apply to fraternity or sorority houses.
[21:45] And then that's kind of why we tightened
up that definition to say it has to be
[21:48] with a university affiliated fraternity
or sorority. Um so for example, if you
[21:54] were building an apartment complex, you
would still have those 15t side
[21:57] setbacks. Um, but to the second point of
your question that like it could
[22:01] increase pressure to decrease the
setbacks for those other types of
[22:05] highdensity housing. Um,
I could see that. Um, and I think that's
[22:10] just something we'll have to work with
moving forward specifically with that
[22:13] bigger picture code update. That would
be one of the questions we'd have to
[22:16] look at is whether for like a multif
family we would want those smaller
[22:20] setbacks as well.
>> Yeah, I could see a developer would try
[22:23] to use that as an argument if they
needed it.
[22:26] But the fact that you've put it as
specific to sorities and fraternities
[22:30] has got to be helpful.
>> Yes, sir. At at least for this point,
[22:33] the way this update is written, it would
only affect fraternities or sorities,
[22:36] but I could see it putting pressure for
us to update the code to decrease it for
[22:41] others. And
>> yeah.
[22:43] » Yeah,
that's all I had.
[22:50] Any
[22:55] other questions for staff?
[22:59] Thank you. We open the public hearing
and ask if there's anyone in the
[23:03] audience who would like to speak in
favor of this item to come forward.
[23:08] Seeing none, we'll ask if there's anyone
in the audience who would like to speak
[23:11] in opposition of this item to please
come forward.
[23:15] Seeing none, we'll close the public
hearing and ask staff to present
[23:18] findings and alternatives. Yes, ma'am.
So, our findings are um the proposed
[23:26] text amendment updates the how the city
regulates fraternity and sorority
[23:30] houses. The proposed text amendment
updates the definition of fraternity or
[23:33] sorority house and moves the definition
to the use categories. The side setback
[23:38] for fraternity and sorority houses in
the RMU zoning district is proposed to
[23:41] be reduced to align with the sideyard
setback requirements in RMI. Design
[23:46] standards for fraternity and sorority
houses are proposed to be incorporated
[23:49] into the RMI and RMU districts to ensure
quality of residential design.
[23:55] Um so your alternatives tonight are to
um accept findings and recommend the
[23:59] city council approve the proposed text
amendment to conditionally approve the
[24:02] proposed text amendment to table
discussion or um deny it. Recommend city
[24:08] council deny it. Staff recommends
alternative number two, which is what I
[24:11] was changing as I was rushing down here
last minute. Um, with the proposed
[24:16] changes to 23230F as presented. Um, so
that would be to accept findings and
[24:21] recommend the city council conditionally
approve the text amendment with those
[24:25] proposed changes as presented.
>> I'll have to [clears throat]
[24:30] recommend that you include the change
specifically.
[24:33] » Okay. So, um, with the changes to
23230F,
[24:38] um, to apply to the primary front yard
only for corner lots.
[24:41] » Okay.
>> Yeah. The wording of that is what I was
[24:45] trying to get right with like the last
minute. I was like, I'll just go
[25:02] Anyone
entertaining a motion?
[25:07] » I would if I could figure out how to say
it. [laughter]
[25:12] » I can give you a recommendation.
>> Option two as they recommend it would be
[25:16] what I would
>> Okay. So, um
[25:19] » if go ahead.
>> A re I think I got it.
[25:22] » Okay.
I would motion that we approve the text
[25:27] amendment as presented with the changes
made to 23230F
[25:33] regarding the sideyard
landscaping requirements.
[25:41] » Is that good enough? No. Just to
slightly amend it to apply to the
[25:45] primary front yard only for corner lots
>> to 23230F
[25:50] to the primary front yard for corner
lots landscaping requirements.
[25:58] » Fantastic. Do I hear a second?
>> Second.
[26:01] » We have a motion and a second. We shall
now vote.
[26:06] » Motion passes 5-0.
The next uh item on the agenda is the
[26:13] meeting summary for review and possible
action. We have the um meeting summary
[26:17] for the regular meeting on January 6th.
Are there any uh corrections or
[26:22] additions to the draft?
[26:36] I move to accept the summary as
presented.
[26:39] We have a motion. Do we have a second?
[26:44] » Second.
>> We have a motion and a second. We shall
[26:46] now vote.
[26:50] » Motion passes 5-0.
Next item on the agenda is miscellaneous
[26:54] items from staff, planning
commissioners, or the city attorney for
[26:57] discussion and possible action.
>> Nothing for me.
[27:01] » All right. Seeing none, uh we do have a
note here that says the next uh regular
[27:05] meeting is scheduled for February 3rd.
And the last item on the agenda is
[27:10] adjournment. Do I hear a motion to
adjurnn?
[27:12] » So moved.
[27:15] » Second.
>> We have a motion in a second. We shall
[27:17] now vote.
[snorts]
[27:21] Motion passes 5-0. We now stand
adjourned.