Loading...
6.7. SR 09-18-2000Item # 6.7. City of River MEMORANDUM TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: Mayor and City Council Scott Harlicker, Senior Planne .~r~% September 18, 2000 Case No. OA 00-7 Request by City of Elk River for Ordinance Amendment to Design Standards for the BP (Business Park) Zoning District- Public Hearing Request Consider a request by the City of Elk River to amend the design standards for the BP (Business Park) zoning district and to eliminate multi-tenant buildings as a conditional use. Attachments · Existing ordinance · Ordinance No.00- Overview As a result of recent proposals for the development of business park property, staff has been considering amendments to the Business Park District design standards and the need for a conditional use permit for multi-tenant buildings. Architectural Standards The BP district was established to allow certain industrial, office and commercial uses that are compatible with surrounding land uses. Those surrounding land uses are often residential and commercial. When looking at setting a theme for a zoning district, the architectural design and exterior building materials are as important as the uses that go in the buildings. The BP district was intended to represent high-end research, office and light 13065 Orono Parkway · P.O. Box 490 · Elk River, MN 55330 · TDD & Phone (763) 441-7420 · Fax (763) 441-7425 Memo to Planning Commission/OA 00-7 Page 2 August 22, 2000 manufacturing. In order to better set the stage for those types of uses, staff is suggesting amending the design standards. Existing Architectural Standards "Major exterior surfaces of all walls shall be face brick, stone, glass, stucco, architecturally treated concrete cast in place or pre-cast panels, decorative block, or architectural metal, or approved equivalent, as determined by the Zoning Administrator." The above existing standards are too broad and give the Zoning Administrator too much latitude in determining appropriate building materials. Developers should know up front exactly what exterior building materials are allowed. The existing standards would also allow plain gray, smooth or rake faced concrete cast in place or pre-cast tip up panels and metal pole buildings. This type of material might be suitable for our I1 or 12 districts but not in the BP district. Proposed Architectural Standards All buildings shall be constructed of material listed as either Class I or Class II materials. At least 60% of each building wall facing or visible from a public right- of-way, other public property or a residential district must be of Class I material. Portions of the building not facing or visible from a public right-of-way, other public property or residential district may be constructed of a greater percentage of Class II materials, not to exceed 60%, if the structure otherwise conforms to all City ordinances. If a wall is visible but not facing a street, residential district or public facility, the developer may use the greater percentage of Class II material provided the wall is screened from view. The mixture of building materials must be compatible and integrated. Class I Materials: Brick, marble, granite or other natural stone, textured cement stucco, copper, stainless steel, porcelain, glass and integral colored split face (rock face) block Class II Materials: Exposed aggregate concrete panels, burnished concrete block, exposed aggregate concrete block, architecturally treated cast in place concrete panels (smooth or raked faced panels are not acceptable), artificial stucco (E.I.F.S., Drivit), artificial stone, pre-finished architecturally detailed metal and wood, provided the surfaces are finished for exterior use or is wood of proven exterior durability is used, such as cedar, redwood or cypress S:\PLANNING\SCOT'r~OA0007CC.DOC Memo to Planning Commission/OA 00-7 Page 3 August 22, 2000 The proposed standards specifically list which walls have to consist of materials from the approved list. Those walls that face or are visible from streets, residential districts and public facilities, including parks, have to consist of approved materials. The proposed standards would eliminate the need for staff to make subjective determinations about what are appropriate exterior materials. The proposed standards also eliminate smooth faced concrete masonry units and smooth or rake faced concrete cast in place or pre-cast panels from the list of approved exterior materials as well. Planning Commission Discussion At the Planning Commission meeting held on August 22nd, no one spoke at the public hearing regarding architectural standards. The Commission held a lengthy discussion on exterior building materials. Discussed at length were the terms "facing" and "visible". The Commission discussed whether Class 1 materials would have to be the predominant material on walls that face a public street, residential district or public facility or are visible from a public street residential district or public facility. Situations will come up where a building wall might not face a public street but it would still be visible from the street. The Commission felt that it might be difficult to determine if a building wall is visible from a street, residential district or public facility. To address this issue, the Commission included both the terms "facing" and "visible". Also, it may be possible to screen the wall from the street so that it is not fully visible. To address the issue of a wall being visible but not facing a street, residential district or public facility, the developer could use the greater percentage of Class II material provided the wall is screened from view. There was also some discussion regarding the lists of Class 1 and Class 2 materials. The Commission discussed the possibility of allowing concrete tip-up panels as a conditional use. A majority of the Commission felt that tip-up panels were not an appropriate Class I material for the Business Park district. They also discussed the need to require a mix of materials when using split faced block or stucco. For aesthetic reasons, they did not feel a building consisting entirely of spilt faced block or stucco is appropriate. They felt that stucco or rock faced block should not exceed 50% of the wall. The proposed ordinance includes a sentence restricting the use of stucco or rock faced block to 50% of the wall but does not include allowing tip-up panels as a conditional use. S:\PLANNING\SCOTT~OA0007CC.DOC Memo to Planning Commission/OA 00-7 Page 4 August 22, 2000 Loadin_q Docks and Overhead Doors Existing Ordinance Loading Spaces / Overhead Doom "Loading spaces/overhead doors shall be located primarily in designated rear yards and secondarily in designated side or front yards, as approved by the Zoning Administrator Loading spaces and overhead doors should be designed to be compatible with the principle building. Architectural techniques should be employed to reduce visual impacts from adjacent properties and roadways" When staff started looking at amending the exterior material standards it was also noted that there were similar problems regarding loading areas and overhead doors. The existing standards are too broad and give the Zoning Administrator too much latitude in determining the appropriate location of loading areas and overhead doom. The existing ordinance allows loading areas/overhead doors in front yards and gives the Zoning Administrator too much discretion regarding their placement. It also does not specifically require that loading areas/overhead doors be compatible with the principle building or be screened from adjacent properties and roadways. Proposed Ordinance Loading Spaces / Overhead Doors "Loading spaces/overhead doors shall be located in designated rear yards and secondarily in designated side yards. Loading areas/overhead doors located in designated front yards shall require a conditional use permit. Loading spaces and overhead doors shall be designed to be compatible with the principle building. Architectural techniques and landscaping shall be employed to reduce visual impacts from adjacent properties and roadways." The proposed amendment specifically requires the loading areas/overhead doom be located in the rear, and if that is not possible they could be located in the side yard. They would not be allowed in the front yard. Loading areas/overhead doom would have to be compatible with the principle structure. They would also have to S:~PLANNING\SCOTr~OA0007CC.DOC Memo to Planning Commission/OA 00-7 Page 5 August 22, 2000 be screened from adjacent properties and roadways with architectural techniques and landscaping. The proposed amendment would also eliminate staff's ability to make discretionary determinations regarding the placement of loading spaces and overhead doors. The proposed amendment to the loading areas/overhead doors section applies only to the Business Park district and not to the I1 and 12 districts. The I1 and 12 districts will be evaluated sometime in the future. Planning Commission Discussion At the Planning Commission held on August 22nd, no one spoke at the public hearing regarding this manner. The Planning Commission's discussion focused on loading areas/overheads door being located in front yards. The Commission felt there might be situations where loading areas in the front yard are the preferred alternative or the only alternative. This would be the case with the storage silos for ANC. When the situation is warranted, they wanted to give developers the option to put loading areas/overhead doors in front yards without going through the variance process. The option they came up with was the conditional use process. Multi-Tenant Buildinqs The code currently has multi-tenant buildings as a conditional use. Staff could not find out why it was included as a conditional use and not listed as a permitted use. No other districts have multi-tenant buildings listed as a conditional use. Should a specific tenant want to locate in a multi-tenant building and that use requires a conditional use permit, they will have to go through the conditional use process. Planning Commission Discussion At the Planning Commission meeting held on August 22nd, no one spoke at the public hearing regarding this matter. The Commission concurred with staff that multi-tenant buildings be eliminated as a conditional use and reviewed based on the type of uses proposed to occupy the building. Recommendation The Planning Commission and staff recommend the City Council approve the attached Ordinance No.00- regarding loading areas/overhead doors, architectural standards and eliminate multi-tenant buildings as a conditional use. S:\PLANNING\SCOTT~OA0007CC.DOC b. Licensed day care facilities c. Retail shops and stores which compliment and serve the Business Park subject to the standards set forth in 2(j) below. d. Motor vehicle specialty service stations e. Multiple buildings on a lot f. Multiple tenant buildings g. Restaurants (Class I) STANDARDS: A. Minimum lot size - one and one-half (1 1/2) acres B. Building setbacks (minimum) i. Front Yard - Thirty-five (35) feet, or one-half (1/2) the total building height whichever is greater. ii. Side Yard - Twenty (20) feet, or one-half (1/2) the total building height, whichever is greater. iii. Rear Yard - Twenty (20) feet, or one-half (1/2) the total building height, whichever is greater. iv. Ail setbacks shall be determined from the planned right-of-way (ROW), as designated~in the City, County, or State Transportation Plan, and normally defined in the subdivision regulations. C. Parking Lot Setbacks (minimum) i. Front Yard - Twenty-five (25) feet. ii. Side Yard - Twenty (20) feet. iii. Rear Yard - Twenty (20) feet. iv. Ail setbacks shall be determined from the planned right-of-way (ROW), as designated in the City, County, or State Transportation Plan, and normally defined in the subdivision regulations. Loading Spaces/Overhead Doors i. Loading spaces/overhead doors shall be located primarily in designated rear yards and secondarily in 9.42 designated side or front yards as approved by the Zoning Administrator. ii. Loading spaces and overhead doors should be designed to be compatible with the principle building. Architectural techniques should be employed to reduce visual impacts from adjacent properties and roadways. DumDsters/Refuse Enclosures i. Ail dumpsters shall be completely screened from public view by using enclosures constructed of similar material as the principal building. ii. Refuse enclosures shall include gates and be located in designated rear or side yards. Roof-Top/Ground Electrical Equipment Ail utility equipment shall either be: i. Screened from the eye level view of adjoining properties by use of exterior wall(s) and/or landscaping; or, ii. Painted to match or complement the building structures; or, iii. Incorporated into an architectural design, as approved by the Zoning Administrator. Architectural Standards i. Major exterior surfaces of all walls shall be face brick, stone, glass, stucco, architecturally treated concrete cast in place or pre-cast panels, decorative block, or architectural metal, or approved equivalent, as determined by the Zoning Administrator. Landscaping i. Not withstanding the provisions of Section 900.30, the following requirements shall be met: a. Of the total number of overstory trees required, a minimum of twenty-five percent (25%) shall be ornamental trees and twenty five percent (25%) shall be conifer trees. b. A landscaping credit of up to twenty-five percent (25%) may be given to a site plan which contains exterior sculptures, fountains, ponds beyond those required for storm drainage and 9.43 ORDINANCE CITY OF ELK RIVER AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ELK RIVER AMENDING SECTION 900.'12(16) OF THE CITY CODE OF ORDINANCES CASE NO. OA 00-7 The City Council of the City of Elk River does hereby ordain as follows: Section 1. Section 900.12(16)(C) titled, "B-P Business Park District - Conditional Uses, of the City of Elk River Code of Ordinances shall be amended to read as follows: i. Conditional uses allowed when the underlying land use is light industrial: c. Loading areas/overhead doors when located in front yards. ii. Conditional uses allowed when the underlying land use is highway business: e. Loading areas/overhead doors when located in front yards. Section 2. Section 900.12(16)(D) titled, "B-P Business Park District- Loading Spaces/Overhead Doors, of the City of Elk River Code of Ordinances shall be amended to read as follows: Loading spaces/overhead doom shall be located in designated rear yards and secondarily in designated side yards. Loadinq areas/overhead doom shall not be located in desiqnated front yards unless approved as a conditional use. Loading spaces and overhead doom shall be designed to be compatible with the principle building. Architectural techniques and landscaping shall be employed to reduce visual impacts from adjacent properties and roadways. Section 3. Section 900.12(16)(G) titled, "B-P Business Park District- Architectural Standards, of the City of Elk River Code of Ordinances shall be amended to read as follows: All buildings shall be constructed of material listed as either Class I or Class II materials. At least 60% of each building wall facing or visible from a public right-of-way, other public property or residential district must be of Class I material. Portions of the building not facing or visible from a public right-of-way, other public property or residential district may be constructed of a greater percentage of Class II materials, not to exceed 60%, if the structure otherwise conforms to all City ordinances. If a wall is document2 visible but not facinq a street, residential district or public facility, the developer may use the greater percentage of Class II material provided the wall is screened from view. The mixture of building materials must be compatible and integrated. Class I Materials Brick, marble, granite or other natural stone, textured cement stucco, copper, stainless steel, porcelain, glass and integral colored split face (rock face) block. The building face may not be comprised of more than 50% integral colored rock faced block or stucco. Class II Materials Exposed a.qgregate concrete panels, burnished concrete block, exposed a.q.qre.qate concrete block, architecturally treated cast in place concrete panels (smooth or raked faced panels are not acceptable), artificial stucco (E.I.F.S., Drivit), artificial stone, pre- finished architecturally detailed metal and wood, provided the surfaces are finished for exterior use or wood of proven exterior durability is used, such as cedar, redwood or cypress law. Section 4. That this ordinance shall take effect upon publication as provided by Passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Elk River this 18th day of September, 2000. Stephanie Klinzing Mayor Sandra A. Peine City Clerk s:\document\ordinance\oa97-1.doc