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7.1 PCSR 04-24-2018 The Elk River Vision A welcoming community with revolutionary and spirited resourcefulness, exceptional service, and community engagement that encourages and inspires prosperity Request for Action To Planning Commission Item Number 7.1 Agenda Section Work Session Meeting Date April 24, 2018 Prepared by Chris Leeseberg, Senior Planner Item Description Extreme Motor Park (ERX) – 21591 US Highway 169  Planned CUP and Ordinance Amendments Reviewed by Zack Carlton, Planning Manager Reviewed by Action Requested Discuss the proposed expansion at ERX and the proposed additions to the permitted uses in the Extreme Commercial Recreation (XCR) District. Background/Discussion The applicant received a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for the ERX track (CU 16-30) on January 17, 2017. One of the 17 conditions stated an amendment to the CUP will be required for future expansions/additions not shown on the site plan dated January 17, 2017. They would like to expand the scope of the approved area on the property and introduce new uses to better utilize the property on non- race days. The applicant is seeking comments on two proposals: 1. Their proposed expansion plans. 2. Their proposal of amending the ordinance to allow several new conditional uses in the XCR. City Council The City Council reviewed this at their work session on April 16, 2018, and had no issues with what was being proposed. They directed staff to continue working with the applicant. Attachments  Location Maps  Applicant’s Narrative  Approved Site Plan 1-17-17  Concept Plan 4-16-18  Combined Plans  Proposed Uses CONCEPT REVIEW NARRATIVE – 21591 US HWY 169 NW Background ERX was launched in the winter of 2008 and is recognized today as one of the fastest -growing motorsports facilities in the Midwest. With a focus on family -friendly events and grassroots motorsports activities, ERX has been quickly embraced by motorsports enthusiasts of all kinds. ERX was created by Todd Plaisted and Chris Carlson, two Elk River businessmen who are long- time powersports enthusiasts. Plaisted and Carlson both enjoy participatin g in powersports activities with their families. They saw an opportunity to create a facility which would address their love for racing as well as provide value for the Elk River community. Their original intent was to provide a facility for snocross racing and training. Today, ERX is a year-round complex hosting both snowmobile events in the winter and off-road truck, car, and ATV racing in the summer months. ERX hosts events for local and regional organizations and non-profits such as Day of the Dozers (Children’s Hospital fundraiser) and the Cow Pie Festival (benefiting the Elk River and surrounding area school districts). Future uses of the facility may include concerts, festivals, product demonstrations, and endurance events such as “Tough Mudders” or “Running with the Bulls.” In June of 2008, ERX received an IUP to operate, and in July of 2015, to accommodate our long- term vision, the city approved a new zoning district titled XCR extreme commercial recreation. In November 2017, ERX staff met with Elk River Planning staff to discuss ERX; during this meeting, staff asked us to submit a CUP amendment and ordinance amendment for this site to continue operations at our current location, 21591 US Hwy 169 (PID: 75-110-2405). In July of 2016, City Council approved a CUP for the original 13.29 acre parcel with conditions. In July of 2016, ERX platted another area to house our “Power Shops.” In November of 2016, ERX finalized the purchase of an additional 80 acres. (PID:) Looking ahead, we’d like to include the new 80 acres (PID: 75-110-4400 ) to the south of the off-road track (PID: 75-825-0010 ) to be used for pits and spectator viewing for our off-road truck racing events. There is also access to this property from Highway 169. We would use this access as another area for ingress and egress of racer vehicles and trailers, which was supported by MnDOT and the DPS. In September of 2016, ERX, City staff, and Anderson Engineering proposed a plan that would combine the 13.29 acre parcel (PID: 75-110-2405), the go-kart track (portion of PID: 75-825- 0040), and the new off-road truck track (portion of PID: 75-825-0010) onto the same plat and Page 2 under the same conditional use permit. This would meet the 300’ right of way requirement without dedicating 217th Avenue. Additionally, this also preserves 217th Avenue for Outlot A, for future development. By doing this, we will void the approved CUP (CU 16-15) on the 13.29 acre ERX site and transfer those conditions, for the ERX track, to this new permit. In a meeting with City staff on September 14, 2016, staff informed us the city attorney indicated it was allowable for ERX to include special event camping on Outlot A under this CUP application. At this time, special event permitting occurs twice a year, during our larger special events (i.e.: Red Bull events, Off-Road Truck Racing, etc). Since this land is not platted, ERX Properties would still be able to apply for additional special event permits until this land is developed. On December 19, 2017, ERX staff had a meeting with Tyffani Maresh with the MDH to develop a strategy for camping at ERX and to determine if we needed to offer a full campground, or if there was a way to offer other companies utilizing ERX to be able to apply for their own permits at ERX. It was determined that the Special Event Camping Area License (SECA) can be applied for by any organization and that the SECA license is not land-specific. This means that ERX Motor Park can utilize their two camping events twice per year, but if we choose to rent out the facility, as long as the company renting the facility applies for and is able to obtain a camping permit following all guidelines, that it would be allowed. ERX would like to move forward with this process. ERX Motor Park would also like to utilize land on property owned by Plaisted Companies (PID: 75-110-1105) for a SECA License during large events. Because of the incredible success of the events ERX has hosted thus far, we applied and obtained a CUP that would combine all track elements (off-road and snocross) on a single plat. During our meeting with City staff on September 14, 2016, it was indicated once approved, this would eliminate the need to apply for a special event permits in the future for our larger events that stay within land boundaries with the exception of our possible two events per year that would allow special event camping on Outlot A. Detailed Description From the very beginning, Mr. Plaisted and Mr. Carlson have implemented a few fundamental principles which have been consistently used to guide the organization through the years :  ERX will be family and community focused. o It will be a facility which will provide safe, family-friendly activities, with the ultimate goal of creating value within the local communities and within the powersports industry.  ERX will utilize an operating philosophy grounded in integrity, and benevolence and charitable activities will be a key part of the operation. o Free admission has been, and will continue to be offered to charities, ministries, schools and non-profits. ERX is proud to have partnered with a number of Page 3 outstanding non-profit organizations through the years, including but not limited to Big Brothers and Big Sisters, MN Adult and Teen Challenge, Boys and Girls Club of MN and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Three River’s Community Foundation and Children’s Hospitals of MN . Most recently, ERX has donated the use of their property to the YMCA of MN for their summer youth motorcycle training program, the “National Youth Project Using Minibikes (NYPUM).”  ERX will encourage development. o Since the beginning, ERX has hosted events designed to promote improved skills and safety. Some of these events have include the ERX Learn To Ride Clinics (Snocross), Motocross Clinics, YMCA Youth Motorcycle training, Avalanche Awareness Classes, Youth Snowmobile Safety Training and Day of the Dozers. Brief overview of vision ERX is recognized as the top testing and development facility in the country for amateur and professional Snocross racers. As a direct result, the large manufacturers supporting this industry, such as Polaris, Arctic Cat, Honda and BRP, are investing in the Elk River area as well as ERX through corporate events and leased shop space for their factory teams. At least two of the manufacturers have expressed interest in moving part, or all, of their corporate racing operations to Elk River to gain improved access to ERX. ERX has built a national caliber off-road truck track that has been quoted by Professional drivers as being the “most fun they have had racing, ever.” ERX strives to become the number one track of this nature in the nation. During our meeting with city staff on July 28, 2016, ERX indicated that we would like to offer overnight parking and campin g to spectators for these events. City staff indicated it wouldn’t be a problem being it was only a couple times a year. In August, City Environmental Technician sent over the requirements from the MNDH for the rules of special event camping. Scope of Project/Proposal Currently five buildings/structures are on the 43.7 acre site that also includes the off-road truck track and regional snocross track, (county map attached) including:  A 624 square foot office  A 2,400 square foot shop  A 1,320 storage facility  A 3,250 square foot facility (chalet)  A 240 square foot shed Future facility expansion plans include an addition to the existing ERX Chalet which would house bathrooms and concessions, as well as an additional storage shed. Page 4 Future improvements near the off-road truck track include a two level announcing tower which would house an announcing booth on the upper level, and a concession stand on the lower level. A scoring shelter, grandstand bleachers and a semi-permanent viewing structure on the east and south side of the off-road track will also be added, in addition to a storage shed. In the meantime, we will continue to utilize temporary/portable bleacher units , and portable shipping containers. The 13.29 acre site (housing our regional track) has been operating as ERX since 2008 and has served as a feeder system to ISOC, the national Snocross racing series. Riders who were introduced to the sport of snocross at ERX are now winning national championships and are recognized as some of the best emerging racers in the world. As a direct result, ERX is quickly acquiring a reputation as a facility which develops and builds future champions. In the spring of 2016, the ERX team built an off-road truck racing track which has hosted one national race as well as testing sessions for professional teams. In 2017, ERX hosted two national races and testing sessions. ERX is slated to host an additional two off-road truck races in the summer of 2018. Because of the success of the off-road truck racing events, we are applying for a CUP Amendment to include the additional 80 acres to the south of the off-road truck track for pit parking and endurance races. We’re also applying to update camping guidelines so that we may continue operations at this location, in conjunction with all other applicable land use applications deemed applicable by city staff (i.e.: Preliminary Plat, Final Plat, etc.). In addition to providing a safe, yet challenging track for testing and training, ERX provides the following events on a regular basis: 1. ERX Grassroots Snocross Series This series will be entering its 10th year this year, and is hosted on Thursday nights, focusing on first-time, amateur and youth racers. The largest classes are youth oriented, and the largest specific groups of racers are the 120cc class, which features riders from ages 4 to 12 years old. Competitors follow the six race series with hopes of capturing the ERX Season Points Championship. We have racers traveling from Ontario, Manitoba, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa and Ohio. Average attendance for this race is approximately 1,000 people; we don’t anticipate attendance to ever exceed 1,500 people. 2. Summer Beater-X Series This series features compact cars, light trucks, ATVs and UTVs competing on an all-dirt track. The track layout consists of rolling jumps, elevation changes, tight corners and provides an exciting and challenging extreme form of racing, with a focus on low - budget racing for amateurs and first-time racers. Page 5 Future motor events at ERX could include grassroots off-road truck racing, regional off-road truck racing, and motocross racing. Future non-motorized events at ERX could include concerts, festivals, dealer demo shows, trade shows, and physical endurance events. In 2017 ERX completed the EAW process as required by the city; this is in part triggered by our anticipation of hosting events in the future which would exceed 5,000 participants. To date, the largest attendance at any of our events was approximately 4,500 at peak attendance. We anticipate future off-road truck races and larger extreme Snocross races to exceed 5,000 participants and spectators. In the event we were to consider hosting an event on this site which would exceed 19,999 peek participant and spectator atten dance, we will work with the city to ensure all necessary requirements are put into place prior to the event. Hours of Operation Monday through Thursday 7am to 10pm, Friday and Saturday 7am to 12am, Sunday 8am to 8pm. Number of Employees ERX Motor Park is staffed by a dedicated team of 20 employees from Plaisted Companies, Sportech, and Carlson Motorsports. We also utilize a community of volunteers during our larger events. Traffic Traffic and other key elements have been addressed in further detail in our completed EAW. Based on these findings, ERX will work with MnDOT and City staff to ensure safe entrance and exit with Hwy 169. Number of Parking Stalls (existing & additional) There are 260 parking stalls on the upper paved lot, 200 parking stalls on the bottom lot near the chalet, and another 700 parking stalls in the areas to the south and east of the upper paved lot of ERX. We also have over 500 parking spots located directly adjacent to ERX on property owned by Envision (Carlson Family, PID: 75-833-0105). Over 1,000 additional spots are also available approximately 0.25 miles to the NE on property owned by Plaisted Companies (PID: 75-110-0105). Signage/Outdoor Storage There are two permanent signs on the property. One of the signs is 14 foot high by 4 foot wide. The other sign is 15 foot high by 8 foot wide. ERX will have event sponsor signs up during and in between events. ERX will comply with all city codes set forth in the Elk River Zoning Ordinance. Page 6 In the future, we anticipate constructing a monument sign on ERX Properties that would exceed 30 square feet of changeable copy. We are including a changeable copy sign in this CUP application. We will work with city staff and apply for any applicable sign permit(s). Utility Plan This property isn’t currently in the Urban Service District therefore we don’t require city services at this time. Wetland Delineation In 2016, Anderson Engineering performed wetland delineation on the rest of this property. All wetlands have been preserved. Grading With the exception of the off-road truck track and the special event camping area, there will be no grading changes from the current state, at which time, ERX will apply for necessary permit(s). Camping As part of this CUP, per City staff’s request, ERX is including unplatted Outlot A (PID: 75-725- 0010) as a special events camping area. ERX will ensure all codes are met with the Minnesota Department of Health. "Special event recreational camping area" means a recreational camping area which operates no more than two times annually per event planning company and for no more than 14 consecutive days. Economic Impact for the City of Elk River Athletes, sponsors, business owners, attendees and event planners come to Elk River, MN from all over the US, Canada and several Scandinavian countries to ERX Motor Park. As these individuals travel here for ERX, the Elk River area experiences a significant positive financial impact. The impacts are most significant during the winter snocross seasons as teams and athletes continue to call Elk River “home” in their attempts to locate near the ERX track. Teams support local businesses by utilizing local restaurants, hotels, municipal liquor stores, grocery stores and gas stations. During large ERX events, the Elk River community is filled with teams, families and spectators as they spend multiple days in the area participating in events at ERX . Since our inception, there’s been a handful of families who have purchased land in the Elk River area to be closer to ERX, thus: 1) providing part-time housing for their family and team, 2) operating their respective business(es) and racing team operations 3) leasing available space and 4) patronizing local businesses. OUR CONCEPT REVIEW NARRATIVE – 21591 US HWY 169 NW Background ERX was launched in the winter of 2008 and is recognized today as one of the fastest -growing motorsports facilities in the Midwest. With a focus on family -friendly events and grassroots motorsports activities, ERX has been quickly embraced by motorsports enthusiasts of all kinds. ERX was created by Todd Plaisted and Chris Carlson, two Elk River businessmen who are long- time powersports enthusiasts. Plaisted and Carlson both enjoy participating in powersports activities with their families. They saw an opportunity to create a facility which would address their love for racing as well as provide value for the Elk River community. Their original intent was to provide a facility for snocross racing and training. Today, ERX is a year-round complex hosting both snowmobile events in the winter and off-road truck, car, and ATV racing in the summer months. ERX hosts events for local and regional organizations and non-profits such as Day of the Dozers (Children’s Hospital fundraiser) and the Cow Pie Festival (benefiting the Elk River and surrounding area school districts). Future uses of the facility may include concerts, festivals, product demonstrations, and endurance events such as “Tough Mudders” or “Running with the Bulls.” Scope of Proposal ERX would like to amend the current Zoning Ordinance to include the following Conditional Uses. Conditional Uses  Active Recreation and Physical Endurance Facility o Leisure activities, often requiring equipment and taking place at prescribed places, sites, or fields. Recreation requiring some constructed facilities and organized activities.  Live Entertainment Establishment o Any musical act (including karaoke), theatrical act (including stand-up comedy), play, revue, scene, dance act, or song and dance act, or any combination thereof, performed by one or more persons.  Festivals o The sale of ethnic specialty, regional, and gourmet foods, arts and crafts, live musical entertainment, in an outdoor setting. A recreational, social, educational, or cultural activity, open to the public or a designated part of the public. The provision of rides, games, food and amusements outside of permanent structures. The use shall have a duration of no more than 10 days in a mo nth. Page 2 Events such as amusement rides, animal events, art shows, concerts, craft fairs, itinerant shows, and religious revival meetings.  Research and Development Facility o Research, development, and testing laboratories, that do not involve the mass manufacture, fabrication, processing, or sale of products. Such uses shall not violate any odor, dust, smoke, gas, noise, radiation, vibration, or similar pollution standard.  Conference and Event Center o A facility used for service organizations, business and professional conferences, and seminars limited to accommodations for conference attendees. The accommodations can include sleeping, eating, and recreation. A conference center is not designated to be only utilized by the general public for overnight purposes.  Swap Meet o Occasional or periodic commercial activities held in an open area or an enclosed structure where 1) groups of sellers rent space on a short -term basis to display, barter, or sell goods to the public; or 2) one or more sellers bring goods for auctioning to the public.  Outdoor Sales Display o An outdoor arrangement of objects, items, products, or other materials, typically not in a fixed position and capable of rearrangement, designed and used for the purpose of advertising or identifying a busine ss, product, or service.  Outdoor Sales, Seasonal o Any business use that is conducted primarily out of doors, which may include but not limited to: retail sales of garden supplies and equipment; roadside stands for sale of fruits and vegetables, plants, flowers, Christmas trees, fireworks; and other similar business uses Impact to ERX Motor Park As ERX Motor Park continues to grow, it has become apparent that we need additional events to sustain growth. We need to diversify, to be able to use the property t o its fullest. The additional Conditional Uses will allow us to be able to put on additional events, entertain new customers, and introduce a whole new crowd of spectators, sponsors, and participants to the Elk River Community. Economic Impact for the City of Elk River Athletes, sponsors, business owners, attendees and event planners come to Elk River, MN from all over the US, Canada and several Scandinavian countries to ERX Motor Park. As these individuals travel here for ERX, the Elk River area experiences a significant positive financial impact. The impacts are most significant during the winter snocross seasons as teams and athletes continue to call Elk River “home” in their attempts to locate near the ERX track. Teams support local businesses by utilizing local restaurants, hotels, municipal liquor stores, grocery stores and gas stations. During large ERX events, the Elk River community is filled with teams, families and spectators as they spend multiple days in the area participating in events at ERX. Page 3 Since our inception, there’s been a handful of families who have purchased land in the Elk River area to be closer to ERX, thus: 1) providing part-time housing for their family and team, 2) operating their respective business(es) and racing team operations 3) leasing available space and 4) patronizing local businesses.