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12-18-2001 PC MIN - SPECIAL . . . MEETING OF THE ELK RIVER PLANNING COMMISSION HELD AT ELK RIVER CITY HALL TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18,2001 Members Present: Chair Pederson, Commissioners Baker, Mesich, Ropp and Schuster Members Absent: Commissioner Franz Staff Present: Michele McPherson, Director of Planning; Scott Harlicker, Senior Planner; Debbie Huebner, Recording Secretary 1. Call Meeting To Order Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the meeting of the Elk River Planning Commission was called to order at 6:30 p.m. by Chair Pederson. 2. Consider 12/18/01 Planning Commission Agenda COMMISSIONER MESICH MOVED TO APPROVE THE DECEMBER 18,2001 PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA. COMMISSIONER BAKER SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 3. Consider 12/04/01 Planning Commission Minutes COMMISSIONER BAKER MOVED TO APPROVE THE DECEMBER 4, 2001 MINUTES. COMMISSIONER MESICH SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 4. Planning Commission Representative to Attend January City Council Meeting Commissioner Ropp will attend the January 22,2001 City Council meeting. 5.1. Request by Bart Boese for Conditional Use Permit for Home Occupation and Outdoor Storage of Equipment for Excavating Business. Public Hearing - Case No. CU 01-38 Staff report by Scott Harlicker. Bart Boese is requesting a conditional use permit for a home occupation and outdoor storage of equipment for an excavating business at 20377 Auburn Street. Mr. Harlicker provided information regarding layout of the site, type of equipment and where it would be stored on the property, types and location of existing vegetation, and surrounding uses. Staff recommends approval of the request with the 3 conditions listed in the staff report. Chair Pederson opened the public hearing. There being no public comment, Chair Pederson closed the public hearing. Commissioner Mesich questioned whether the additional trees recommended by staff were necessary, since there were no residences nearby. Mr. Harlicker stated that the adjacent 20 acre parcel is zoned RIa and could be subdivided into 2 ~ acre lots. Planning Commission Minutes December 18, 2001 Page 2 . Commissioner Baker stated he did not have a problem with the request. Chair Pederson stated he also did not feel that significant screening was required and that 3 foot trees would be adequate. COMMISSIONER BAKER MOVED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE REQUEST BY BART BOESE FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR A HOME OCCUPATION, AND OUTDOOR STORAGE OF EQUIPMENT RELATED TO THE BUSINESS, CASE NO. CU 01-38, WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: 1. PROVIDE AN IMPROVED SURFACE, SUCH AS CLASS-5, ASPHALT OR CONCRETE, FOR THE OUTDOOR STORAGE AREA. 2. IF MORE THAN 3 PIECES OF EQUIPMENT, ASIDE FROM THE TRUCK AND TRAILER, ARE TO BE STORED OUTSIDE, THE APPUCANT SHALL APPLY FOR AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT. 3. PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SCREENING BY PLANTING 3-FOOT TALL CONIFEROUS TREES, AT 15 FEET ON CENTER, ALONG THE NORTH PROPERTY UNE FROM THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE TO THE REAR UNE OF THE POLE SHED. COMMISSIONER MESICH SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED 5-0. . 5.2. Request by City of Elk River for an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance Section 900.12(16) Business Park District, relating to warehouse space, Public Hearing - Case No. OA 01-09 Staff report by Michele McPherson. Ms. McPherson reviewed the proposed ordinance amendment which was reviewed by the Commission at their October 23rd meeting. She noted that the Commission directed staff to research other cities' ordinance and to solicit comment from key industrial brokers. Staff received no comment from the industrial brokers. In reviewing information from other cities, staff found that no city limited the amount of warehouse space. Trucking terminals that are primarily warehouse uses were found in heavy industrial zoning districts, while light industrial and business park districts allowed manufacturing and warehousing as permitted uses. Ms. McPherson stated that the EDA has no concerns with the ordinance amendment, and staff recommends approval of the proposed language. Chair Pederson opened the public hearing. Rick Martens, Brookstone, Inc. , stated that he does not intend to build pure distribution warehouse and that the City's ordinance prohibits truck terminals in business park districts. He felt the City's recently-adopted business park building standards will prevent the City from getting the types of businesses they do not want. . Mark Huus, AmCon representative, reviewed photographs of office/warehouse, office/showroom, manufacturing and distribution buildings which AmCon has constructed in the Twin Cities area. He felt that the Commission would agree that these are attractive Planning Commission Minutes December 18, 2001 Page 3 . buildings. Mr. Huus eXplained that many of these buildings would not be allowed by the City's ordinance, or would at least require a conditional use permit, due to the amount of warehouse space. Jeff Gongoll, President of the Economic Development Authority, felt the ordinance amendment proposed is a good compromise and that it supports the EDA's mission statement to provide jobs and tax base for the City. He felt the ordinance provides the mechanism to market and promote the City of Elk River and asked that the Commission support staff's recommendation for approval. There being no further public comment, Chair Pederson closed the public hearing. Commissioner Baker thanked Mr. Martens for his input in the ordinance amendment process. He asked if the Commission felt they need to address the ceiling height. Ms. McPherson stated that the current ordinance does not regulate the ceiling height. She stated that the ordinance would not allow a pure distribution use in the business park zoning. She also noted that if a prospective tenant wanted more that 50 percent warehouse space, the Commission would review the request through the conditional use permit process. Chair Pederson stated that he was comfortable with the proposed ordinance amendment. Commissioner Baker stated that he felt the changes were in line with the purpose statement of the existing ordinance. . COMMISSIONER BAKER MOVED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE REQUEST BY THE CITY OF ELK RIVER FOR AN AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE SECTION 900.12(16) BUSINESS PARK DISTRICT RELATING TO WAREHOUSE SPACE, CASE NO. OA 01-09. COMMISSIONER ROPP SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 6. Other Business 6.1. Update on 12/17/01 City Council Meeting Commissioner Schuster provided an update on the December 17, 2001 City Council meeting. 8. Adiournment There being no further business, COMMISSIONER MESICH MOVED TO ADJOURN THE MEETING. The meeting of the Elk River Planning Commission adjourned at 7:15 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Debbie Huebner . Recording Secretary