Loading...
6.1. PCSR 03-23-2021 Request for Action Cir•ci Elk - River= To Item Number Planning Commission 6.1 Agenda Section Meeting Date Prepared by Public Hearings March 23, 2021 Chris Leeseberg, Senior Planner Item Description Reviewed by Lillian Soza— 14296 214th Ave. NW, Zack Carlton,Planning Manager Conditional Use Permit for agricultural animals, Reviewed by Case No. CU 21-04 Action Requested Recommend, by motion, approval of the Conditional Use Permit with the following conditions to satisfy the standards set forth in Section _ 30-654: 1. Submit drawings/exhibits demonstrating compliance with Section 30-803 (d). 2. Agricultural fencing shall be installed three feet from adjacent cR33 properties. Background/Discussion The property is 2.22 acres in size and is zoned Rla where agricultural RR animals on lots smaller than 5 acres require a Conditional Use Permit (CUP). The applicant is seeking a CUP to have 2 goats, 2 pigs, and 12 _Htwy io f y additional chickens (24 total). _ CR 12 The applicant will be fencing the southern 1.1 acres of the property for their agricultural animals. City ordinances allow one animal unit per acre and based on the request they will not exceed the 1.1 animal unitsP permitted based on the size of the fenced-in area. y 'oma Applicable Regulations In approving a Conditional Use Permit,the council may impose such Figure I specific conditions with regard to the development or operation of the proposed use as it considers necessary to satisfy the seven standards set forth in Section 30-654 and the requirements contained in this article and to promote compatibility with and minimize any potentially adverse effects upon adjacent properties, the neighborhood or the city. The issuance of a Conditional Use Permit can be ordered only if the use at the proposed location: 7. mill not endanger, injure, or detrimentally affect the use and enjoyment of other property in the immediate vicinity or the public health, safety, morals, comfort, convenience orgeneral we are of the neighborhood or the city. The Elk River Vision P O N E R E o R Y A nrelcoming community avith revolutionary and spirited resourcefulness, exceptional [NAWR service, and community engagement that encourages and inspires prosperity. Updated.August 2020 Section 30-803 (d) outlines standards for the keeping of chickens in all residential parcels. Standards include coop and run size, setbacks, design requirements and food storage. With compliance of these standards the use will not endanger,injure, or detrimentally affect the use and enjoyment of other property in the immediate vicinity or the public health, safety,morals, comfort, convenience, or general welfare of the neighborhood or the city. Staff has included a condition of approval requiring the applicant to provide drawings/exhibits demonstrating compliance with Section 30-803 (d). The fencing defining the pastureland for the proposed agricultural animals shall be setback 3-feet from any property line adjoining a neighbor. 2. W1711 be consistent nvith the comprehensive plan. The property is guided for residential where the keeping of agricultural animals are allowed. The use will be consistent with the comprehensive plan. Staff does not see a need to impose specific conditions to satisfy this standard. 3. Will not impede the normal and orderly development and improvement of surrounding vacant property. The surrounding properties are developed like the subject site. The use will not impede the normal and orderly development and improvement of surrounding vacant property. Staff does not see a need to impose specific conditions to satisfy this standard. 4. mill be served adequately by and avill not adversely affect essential public facilities and services including streets,police and fare protection, drainage, refuse disposal, nater and sen.,er systems,parks, and schools;and twill not, in particular, create traf c congestion or interference with traffic on adjacent and neighboring public thoroughfares. The use will be served adequately by and will not adversely affect essential public facilities and services including streets,police and fire protection,drainage, refuse disposal,water and sewer systems,parks, and schools; and will not,in particular, create traffic congestion or interference with traffic on adjacent and neighboring public thoroughfares. 5. W1711 not involve uses, activities,processes, materials, equipment, and conditions of operation that mill be detrimental to any persons or property because of excessive traffic, noise, smoke,fumes,glare, odors, dust or vibrations. The use will not involve uses, activities,processes, materials, equipment, and conditions of operation that will be detrimental to any persons or property because of excessive traffic, noise, smoke, fumes,glare, odors,dust, or vibrations. 6. lYlill not result in the destruction, loss, or damage of a natural, scenic or historic feature of major importance. The use will not result in the destruction,loss, or damage of a natural, scenic or historic feature of major importance. Staff does not see a need to impose specific conditions to satisfy this standard. 7. Will fully co*ynvitb all other requirements of this Code, including any applicable requirements and standards for the issuance of a license or permit to establish and operate the proposed use in the city. The use will fully comply with all other requirements of this Code,including any applicable requirements and standards for the issuance of a license or permit to establish and operate the proposed use in the city. N:\Departments\Commiuiity Development\Plamung\Case Files\CUP\CU 21-04 Soza\4-Plaiumig Commission\6.1 sr.docx Staff does not see a need to impose specific conditions to satisfy this standard. If denial of such a permit should occur,it shall accompany recommendations or determinations by findings or a report stating how the proposed use does not comply with the standards set forth in Section 30-654. Financial Impact None Mission/Policy/Goal ■ Support property owner needs and goals Attachments ■ Location Map ■ Applicant's Narrative and site plans N:\Departments\Commiuiity Development\Plamung\Case Files\CUP\CU 21-04 Soza\4-Plaiumig Commission\6.1 sr.docx 40` r C%4 CJ41410�'7E� rfp f ; N 0 L us ] a) a r � r o � m yry t w in L I- N LO 4--x LO Ln r �+ - Ln{y ew 1. Request: Be approved to keep 2 goats, 2 pigs, and 12 additional chickens on our property. 2. Scope of Project: We plan to fence in the back portion of our property, giving us about 1.119 acres of fenced in land. Screenshot of property Screenshot of property from from Sherburne County Sherburne County website website showing entire showing close up of proposed property with proposed fencing line on the southern fencing line in red. portion of the property. 75-55 492243 75 5- '-3 3 0 r'-3370 We would use 1.07 animal units if we were to implement our proposed plan, which places us below the acreage requirements. Animal Units Individual Total Units for Animal Unit Requested Swine over 55 pounds 0.4 0.8 Goats (Nigerian Dwarf Goats—avg. 75 lbs .075 0.15 Chickens over 12 limit .001 0.12 Total Animal Units = 1.07 Regarding the pigs,we would build a covered shelter for them in a l Oft by 40ft pen. We plan on using chain link and electric fencing. We would keep the pigs about 5 months, until the autumn, before taking them off the property to be processed. Regarding the goats, we would build a structure for them in a 25ft by 50ft pen. We plan on using chain link and electric fencing. We plan to give them access to the fenced in, wooded area for grazing. Regarding the chickens, we would add them to the coup and run that is currently in use on our property. We plan on storing the food for the animals in lockable, metal, 55 gallon barrels inside their respective areas. 3. Reasons for Requesting this Conditional Use Permit: Our request for a Conditional Use Permit stems from our desire to take more responsibility for our family's needs. We have been working toward a goal of self-sufficiency since we were married in 2012. In 2014 we moved from California to Minnesota to pursue the possibility of purchasing a house instead of continuing to pay rent,which was our only option for where we were living in California. In 2018 we moved from our previous home in St. Michael to our current home in Elk River in search of more space to grow our own food and due to the restrictive codes we encountered in St. Michael regarding keeping chickens. Since then we have cultivated a garden and planted several fruit trees in the attempt to provide for a larger portion of our family's needs. Last year, with the scarcity issues surrounding the pandemic, we realized that there were still areas for improvement in our attempts to be more self-sufficient. And so we are requesting a Conditional Use Permit in order to be able to keep 2 goats to gain a dairy source, 2 pigs to gain a meat source, and 12 additional chickens to increase our egg production. We believe that this request is entirely consistent with the City of Elk River Comprehensive Plan for many reasons: -It is in line with the identity of the rural residents of Elk River, which is the very reason we chose to move here from St. Michael. Elk River still allows freedom for its residents to make choices to develop and enhance their property. -Our small neighborhood consists mainly of the families on our block and it is out of the abundance from our land that we often share with each other. We have given gifts of extra eggs to our neighbors and received gifts of homemade maple syrup and garden produce from their property. We hope to strengthen our neighborhood bonds as we have more to share. -We also plan to preserve and maintain our environment as we use the compost created from these animals' byproducts to grow healthier plants and create more biodiversity on our land. When we moved to this property, it was mostly grass. Since then we have added a garden patch, fruit trees, and berry bushes, and this year we are planning to convert some of that grass to a wildflower garden. In the past we have purchased manure and compost for these enhancements but we are hoping that this plan will allow us to produce our own manure and compost in order to conserve our financial resources instead of bringing it in from other areas. -As parents of 5 children, we believe that the priorities we are instilling in our children while they are young will allow them to be respectful, competent residents in the future. We homeschool in order to take advantage of the opportunity to teach our children not only in an academic setting but also expose them to skills that are being lost to many. Having children who understand the food system, all the work that goes in to having bacon and eggs for breakfast, will create adults who are more careful with their resources. As children learn responsibility and service through caring for animals on a regular basis, they learn skills that will help them be responsible and service oriented. Those traits definitely contribute to the safety and completeness enjoyed in any neighborhood or city. We love living in Elk River. We want to create future residents who will care for their surroundings and communities and we believe that this is started in the home. As we give the example of setting up systems that will provide for the needs of our family, we hope that our children will have their physical needs met, will learn important life lessons, and that those around us will be uplifted from our efforts.