Minnetonka planning commission approves parking expansion at 11501 Keitel Drive

The Minnetonka Planning Commission on Dec. 18 approved a revised site plan allowing a parking-lot expansion at 11501 Keitel Drive to serve Big River Encore Park and tenant Rainbow Tree Companies.

Staff recommended adopting a resolution rescinding and replacing Resolution 2024-11, and commissioners voted 5-0 to approve the updated site plan. Chair Maxwell said the decision is final and reminded those aggrieved that written appeals to city staff must be filed within 10 days.

Staff presentation and recommendation Staff described the project as a revision to a September 2024 approval: the current owner and tenant asked for changes so the site would meet the tenant’s operational needs. Staff said the plan increases the site’s impervious area and adds surface parking and stormwater controls; it also proposes the removal of seven protected trees. Staff recommended adoption of the updated resolution and told the commission it received no public comments on the project.

Stormwater and tree protections Commissioners asked about stormwater treatment and tree impacts. City staff explained the plan includes infiltration measures—described during the meeting as underground chambers and, later, explicitly as an above-ground ponding and infiltration basin—intended to reduce the rate and volume of runoff and to meet city engineering and natural-resources standards. Staff said those protections were reviewed by engineering and natural-resources staff and that they meet the city’s stormwater rules.

On trees, staff said the property has 255 protected trees and that the proposal would remove seven trees (described as about 5% of the site’s high-priority trees and under 1% of the significant trees on the property), which staff said complies with the tree-protection ordinance.

Applicant’s case and operational needs Applicant representatives said the property owner and tenant are aligned on the revision. Greg Crockstead, identified as CEO of Rainbow Tree Companies, said the company has a long-term lease at the site and that the revised plan satisfies operational needs while aiming to preserve more significant trees than a previously approved design. “This is Rainbow’s headquarters … we absolutely can fulfill our operations with this,” Crockstead said.

Crockstead and the applicant team also said part of the site’s function is staging trees for future urban-forest plantings and storing larger equipment; they said the revised design kept larger trees and used underground storage to avoid removal of more significant specimens.

Commissioner perspectives Several commissioners supported the plan as a net improvement over the existing, informal conditions on the site. Commissioner Henry said the project “keeps your company in Minnetonka” and noted Minnetonka’s high tree canopy; Commissioner Minion and others said formal paving and stormwater controls are preferable to the current practice of equipment and material stored on unpaved surfaces. Commissioner Banks emphasized that the plan brings the site into compliance with city code.

Chair Maxwell expressed concern about the long-term effect of converting green space into additional parking, noting other recent conversions of green space in the city, and asked for clarity on whether the use was primarily parking or equipment staging. The applicants responded that the area will be used for employee parking, equipment storage and staging of trees for planting.

Vote and next steps Commissioner Bridal moved to adopt the resolution rescinding and replacing Resolution 2024-11; Commissioner Henry seconded. Commissioners Banks, Brink, Henry, Minion and Chair Maxwell voted yes and the motion carried. The commission chair stated the decision is final and that parties who are aggrieved may file a written appeal with city staff within 10 days.

Votes at a glance - Consent item 7a (Oakland Woods Estates preliminary and final plat, 2203 Oakland Road): Approved (consent). Appeals due in writing to staff within 10 days. - Item 8a (11501 Keitel Drive site-plan review; rescind/replace Resolution 2024-11): Approved, motion carried 5-0.

What remains unclear in the record Staff cited several numeric measures during the presentation (current and proposed impervious-area figures and percentage calculations). Those figures were presented in slides during the meeting; the commission discussion confirmed that the site has roughly 7,000 square feet of remaining allowable impervious expansion under the current code limits. Where exact square-foot and percentage figures in the staff packet appeared inconsistent on the record, staff indicated they would rely on engineering calculations and the project plans.

The commission adjourned after concluding other business.