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7.3 PCSR 03-11-2014 Ordinance,Section30933936.Inadditiontotheplannedbufferofadditionaltreesandfencing,the existingmaturetreeswillnotbedisturbednorthoftheVernonCemeterySitewhichwillprovidean additionallevelofnoiseandvisualbufferfromtheproposeddevelopment. Finally,accordingtoSection301292oftheElkRiverCodeofOrdinances,the{L1districtshallserveas atransitionbetweenmoreindustrialusesandresidentialandotherbusinessuses.Thisdistrictis appropriateformanufacturing,warehousing,andsimilarindustrialÒ;vw;;areasareintendedto encouragethedevelopmentofindustrialuseswhichareclean,quiet,andfreeofhazardousor objectionableelementssuchasnoise,odor,dust,smoke,glare,orother¦Ò··u|TheGREparcel standsasabufferbetweentheindustrialfacilitiestothesouth,thebusinessparktotheeastandthe residentialusestothewest.Dw9xdevelopmentwillprovideforamoreattractiveandefficientuseof thecurrentlyvacantparcelwhileminimizingtheaestheticeffectstoresidentsandbusinesses.The intendedstorageusebyGREisalsocompatiblewiththecleanandquietindustrialusesintendedby theZoningOrdinance. WhatarethebenefitstotheCity? TheCitywillbenefitbyallowingtheWastewaterTreatmentFacilitytoexpandsothatthefacilitycan meetthenecessarystateguidelineswhilealsoallowingforamoreefficientuseoftheGREproperty. TheCityalsobenefitsbyreachingoneoftheirgoalswhichistohavetheirlandusedistrictbemore compatiblewiththeirzoningdistrictsbyrezoningtheexpansionparcelfromresidentialtoindustrialto matchthelanduseplan. AdditionalQuestionsfortheCUP HoursofOperation:Thesiteoperatesfrom7:00a.m.to3:30p.m. Numberofemployees:10employees Numberofparkingstalls:Noparkingstallsareproposed Screeningofthesite: Themajorityoftheexistingtreesalongtheeastern,westernandnorthernportionsofthesitewillbe preserved.Thereissinglefamilyresidentialpropertiesadjacenttothenorthwesternpropertyline.A denseplantingofconiferous,overstoryandornamentaltreeswillbeplantedalongthisedgetoprovide avisualbufferbetweenthestorageareaandtheresidences.Thislandscapescreenwillconsistof approximately64treesmixedwithintheexistingtreesinanarea,approximately xwidex xlong, runningnorth/southalongthewesternpropertyline.Thetypicalscreeningsectionwillstaggerthree rowsofplantingswithinthe xwidthtoprovideadenselandscapebuffer.Amajorityofthe additionalplantingwithinthebufferwillbeconiferoustreestoprovideyearroundscreening. Proposedbuildingmaterials&standards:Nobuildingsareproposedforthissite. Page4|5 GreatRiverEnergyOutdoorStorageNarrative . 1 im iii 1p /iralprININPMEOWAIllir. I ,1, 100 7 i OP ":5 <0=Z I. pr ' I \ M ammo S�1id� NIMl J st 0 ri T 7 Q a) i Ea __ N I op J</ ago N- o L a' a"\ ,i0 -,. IS 3NVZ 1 4g ;,,\ ,..,-- ---- - VI .11, V • 4.: ,.., ZPtyE: S. - 69l �b ,....... _ _ _ ,. , . _, ., ,_ . . d td 0 Illi , '''' 'a AL, 7, ,..0 NpSd p i . ' V.., I•stvo 1 — 1, „,c,- A v-S\C) kia ..a ma,._.. ' +I ' + ' -I- ' - -• 0 ..... —0,,,,,,„.......?:_a,,,, , _, 4. +. , -.. , , 11,„ , _1 Rip .....;." ........I.,. _,,,,,,,++ ; , 4." ,,,i(<,,CC1' 4 1 + + + \ \S as -"rim limilliri INN■J „, ..-.:' V 4/ o . _ I— x �. CO --- 11011.(7 tj �■ _IlIi ..!n lif. GREAT RIVER ENERGY Outdoor Storage Project Narrative Project Description Great River Energy ("GRE") proposes to change the zoning classification of a portion of its Elk River Headquarters Generating Plant from R3 (Townhome District) to I1 (Light Industrial District). GRE has also applied for a Conditional Use Permit to request that the expansion parcel be used as an Outdoor Storage Area which is an allowable conditional use within the II Zoning District. The expanded GRE parcel contains approximately 5.51 acres. The project area includes storage areas and a crushed rock surface and a small detention pond to the east of the storage area. The total impervious area is 2.34 acres or approximately 42%of the site leaving 57%or 3.17 acres of the site as wooded landscape area. No development is proposed north of the Vernon Cemetery property leaving approximately 2.18 acres wooded and undeveloped as shown on the Site Plan. The proposed detention pond will contain all of the runoff for the storage area and there are no proposed utility extensions or buildings planned for this site. See the attached Grading and Utility Plans for all specific design details. An eight foot high chain link perimeter fence is shown on the site plan surrounding the storage area to secure the site. From the Landscape Plan and Illustrative Plan, you can see that 64 additional trees will be planted on-site to further screen the existing Vernon Estate homeowners from the storage area. The GRE Plant operates between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. and the expanded storage area could have fork lifts or front end loaders moving materials during those hours. Reason/purpose of the zone change The Great River Energy Plant is located adjacent to the City of Elk River's Wastewater Treatment Facility as shown on the Vicinity Map. (See Figure 1) Recently,it was determined that additional land Page 115 Great River Energy—Outdoor Storage Narrative is required so the City of Elk River can expand their -- __ - existing treatment facility to meet new effluent permit F, limits from the MPCA and also accommodate growth. The new permit limits and planned growth will require m the City to expand existing processes "" w, and add new treatment processes. The existing wastewater treatment facility site is not large enough to accommodate the proposed improvements and x Expansion Site requires the City to expand their facility to the south to , accommodate the new processes. The expansion of v the Wastewater Facility will consume an area currently '� used by GRE for their outdoor storage of materials. Therefore, ,: GRE needs to construct another area on their site for outdoor storage. Great River Enerty Plant What has changed to warrant the zone change? • GRE is requesting to expand their property use at this time due to the City's Wastewater Expansion Project Figure 1- Vicinity;1,1,p that is set to be constructed in the summer of 2014 which will eliminate their current outdoor storage ;. area. Site , Is the change consistent with the City of Elk River Comprehensive Plan? The City of Elk River's Comprehensive Plan shows the Industrial Land Use expansion project area for GRE as a part of a large industrial corridor along the east side of Highway 169. (See Figure 2) Industrial properties span from Main Street,just north of the expansion site,south to 165th Avenue NW. The site outlined near the northern edge of this industrial corridor has a future land use of Industrial and is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. The proposed use also contributes to several of the overall goals and Vision outlined in the Comprehensive Plan; Page 215 Great River Energy—Outdoor Storage Narrative 1) Community and economic development policies will seek to attract employment opportunities and goods and services needed by the community. 2) Providing community facilities that meet the needs of Elk River residents 16• Commerical & Industrial Zoning 3) Rezone property to a zoning district compatible with a land use plan category si 4)Locate industrial development next to adequate transportation systems 5) Ensure capacity is reserved for potential high demand industrial or office uses that may provide positive economic development opportunities to the community. 6) Support collaborative solutions for local facility needs Is the proposed use compatible with 1 surrounding properties? \\\ Vernon Estates is located along 1st Street NW and the Vernon Cemetery are zoned R3 and are located to the north and west of the proposed site. The nearest townhome is approximately 180'from the proposed site improvements. The Carson Business Park,which is zoned C3,is located to the east of the site and the Great Figure 3 - Current Zoning Map— Commercial River Energy Plant and Elk River Wastewater Treatment Industrial Corridor Facility are located to the south of the site and are zoned I1. (See Figure 3 &4) co The proposed expansion site is compatible with the t3# C3 existing C3 uses within the Carson Business Park which P U D include the back side of three commercial buildings,20- GRE-Expansion Site 30 parking stalls, and Carson Court NW. The proposed site is also compatible with the existing Wastewater Treatment Facility and the rest of GRE's existing plant. The Vernon Cemetery and Vernon Estates are uses that need to be provided with an appropriate level of buffer to be compatible. As you can see from the Landscape Plan, Tree Preservation Plan, and Illustrative Plan, a 30'wide x 450'long buffer with approximately 64 new trees will be established to buffer the outdoor storage area from both northern uses. The buffer will follow the guidelines established in Elk River Zoning Figure 4 -Sznrounding Zoning Map Page 315 Great River Energy-Outdoor Storage Narrative Signagehowmany,sizes,locations,type:Nosignsareproposedforthissite. Outdoorstorage:Thefollowingisalistofpotentialequipmentstoredonsite.Thequantityofthese itemscangoupanddownastheyareusedduringthecourseofayear. transformers,poleanchorassemblies,circuitbreakers,wire,controlbuildingfoundations, substationcontrolfoundations,switches,poletopassemblykits,circuitswitcher,xãxãx aluminumbuilding,crossarmsinvariouslengthsupto xrbraces,sparehardware, meteringsets,andaluminumcrates. Page5|5 GreatRiverEnergyOutdoorStorageNarrative