9.0 HPSR 01-10-2005ITEM ~~ 9.
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MEMORANDUM
TO: Housing and Redevelopment Authority, Economic
Development Authority and Heritage Preservation
Commission
FROM: Stephen Rohlf, Building 8~ Environmental Administrator
sjZ
DATE: January 10, 2005
SUBJECT: Joint Meeting to Discuss the Establishment of Historic Districts
Background
There are certain areas in Elk River that do have local historic significance. The Heritage
Preservation Commission has been discussing the potential of encouraging the designation
of historic districts in these areas to restore or preserve their integrity. The logical place to
start is certain area of the downtown.
Issue
The HPC's would like to discuss the issue of establishing a historic district(s) in the
downtown to make sure their efforts don't conflict with the HRA's plans for the area.
Section 30-1836 titled, "HPS heritage preservation site overlay district", which explains the
details of creating a historic district is attached to this memo for your review. In addition,
the HPC would like to discuss potential financial mechanisms with the EDA that could be
used as incentives for restoring and rehabilitating buildings in a historic district. The HPC's
next step would be to talk to the Rivers Edge Downtown Business Association for their
support.
Recommendation
The purpose of the meeting is for prelunuiary discussion on a possible project to engage
downtown businesses in restoring and rehabilitating their buildings with financial incentives.
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LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS
Sec. 30-1836. HPS heritage preservation site
overlay district.
(a) Purpose. The purposes of the heritage pres-
ervation site overlay zoning district are to:
(1) Safeguard the heritage of the city by pre-
serving sites and structures which reflect
elements of the city's cultural, social, eco-
nomic, political, visual, or architectural
history;
(2) Promote the preservation and continued
use of historic sites and structures for the
education and general welfare of the peo-
ple of the city; and
(3) Foster civic pride in the beauty and nota-
ble accomplishments of the past.
(b) Effect of oUerlay zoning. Heritage preserva-
tion site overlay zoning shall be applied to and
superimposed upon all zoning districts contained
in this article and the official zoning map. The
regulations and requirements imposed by heri-
tage preservation site overlay zoning shall be in
addition to those established for the base zoning
districts, which jointly apply. Under the joint
application of standards, the most restrictive re-
quirements shall apply.
(c) Studies and reports by city staff. The city
council may direct the city staff to prepare studies
which catalog buildings, land, areas, districts, or
other objects to be considered for rezoning to the
heritage preservation site overlay district. The
building and zoning administrator shall instruct
the appropriate staffpersons to prepare technical
reports where applicable, and provide general
assistance in preparing a recommendation on the
action to the city council.
(d) Standards for establishment of district. The
heritage preservation commission shall recom-
mend to the planning commission that an area,
building, district, or object be rezoned to the
heritage preservation site overlay zoning district
upon determining that such site meets one or
more of the following criteria:
(1) It has character, interest, or value as part
of the development, heritage or cultural
characteristics of the city, the state, or the
United States;
§ 30-1836
(2) Its location is the site of a significant
historic event;
(3) It has yielded, or is likely to yield, infor-
mation important in prehistory or his-
tory;
(4) It is associated with a person who signif-
icantly contributed to the culture and
development of the city;
(5) It embodies distinctive characteristics of
an architectural style, period, form, or
treatment;
(6) It represents the work of an architect or
master builder whose individual work has
influenced the development of the city;
(7) It embodies elements of architectural de-
sign, detail, materials, or craftsmanship
which represent a significant architec-
tural innovation; or
(8) Its unique location or singular physical
characteristics represent an established
and familiar visual feature of a neighbor-
hood, acommunity, or the city.
(e) Communications with Minnesota Histori-
cal Society. A copy of the heritage preservation
commission's recommendation on a proposed her-
itage preservation site, including boundaries, and
a program for the preservation of the heritage
preservation site, shall be sent to the Minnesota
Historical Society in accordance with Minn. Stats.
§ 471.193, subd. 6.
(fl Site alteration permit.
(1) Work requiring permit; application. A her-
itage preservation site alteration permit
- is required to do any of the following in,
on, or to a structure on property located
within a heritage preservation site over-
. lay zoning district in the city:
a. Remodel, alter, or repair in any kind
or manner that will alter the exte-
rior appearance of .a historic build-
ing, site; or landmark.
b. Erect a building or any structure.
c. Erect signs.
d. Demolish any building in whole or in
part. This 'does not apply to struc-
CD30:149
§ 30-1836
ELK RIVER CODE
tares required to be demolished in such hearing, the city council shall cause
accordance with Minn. Stats. ch. 463. to be published, in a newspaper of general
circulation, notice of the hearing, at least
e. Alter or remove a landform in whole ten days prior to the date of. hearing:
or in part. Notice of the hearing shall be sent to all
The application for a site alteration per- property owners within 350 feet of the site
mit shall be accompanied by detailed plans, of the proposed heritage preservation al-
including asite plan, building elevations teration.
and design details, and materials neces-
(7) Time limit for action by council. An appli-
sary to evaluate the request. The city cation for a site alteration permit shall be
council shall make the determination acted on by the city council within 60
whether to approve or disapprove the days. If the heritage preservation commis-
permit.
. sion cannot make a recommendation of
(2) Reports by city staff. The building and approval or disapproval to the city council
zoning administrator shall instruct the within this timeframe, the application shall
appropriate staff persons to prepare tech- be forwarded to :the city council for ap-
nical reports where applicable, and pro- proval or disapproval of the permit with-
vide general assistance in preparing a out the heritage preservation commission's
recommendation on the action to the city recommendations.
council.
(g) Emergency repairs. In emergency situa-
(3) Recommendation by heritage preservation tions where immediate repair is needed to protect.
commission. The heritage preservation the safety of the structure and its inhabitants, the
commission shall review each application building and zoning official shall have the author-
and make its recommendation to the city ity to enforce the city building code, and may
council relative to the request for a heri- approve the repair without prior heritage preser-
tage preservation site alteration permit. ~vation commission or city council action.
(4) Criteria for approval. The city council (h) Custody of reports and other documents.
shall approve,. disapprove, and/or impose The office of the city clerk is designated as the
conditions on a heritage preservation site repository for at least one copy of all studies,
alteration permit after consideration of reports, recommendation, and programs required
the heritage preservation commission's under this section.
program for preservation and the Secre-
(i) Procedure for establishment of district.
tart' of the Interior's standards for reha-
bilitation, as revised, and, if applicable, (1) Establishment of heritage preservation
the recommendation of the planning com- site overlay zoning on a specific parcel of
mission. land shall be by amendment to the city's
(5)
Findings by council. The city council shall zoning map as provided by this article
and pursuant to the procedure set forth in
make findings as to whether a site alter- section 30-575. The heritage preservation
ation permit application should be ap- commission shall make findings as to
proved or disapproved, or conditions im- whether a proposed heritage preservation
posed, as determined by the criteria site is eligible for heritage preservation
specified in subsection (f)(4) of. this sec- site overlay zoning as determined by the
tion. standards specified in subsection (d) of
(6) Hearing. Prior to the city council making this section. If the heritage preservation
its decision regarding an application fora commission determines the site meets the
site alteration permit for a heritage pres- standards in subsection (d) of this section,
ervation site, the city council shall hold a it shall forward its finding to the planning
public hearing on the application. Prior to commission with its recommendation that
CD30:150
LAND DEVELOPMENT REGiJI.ATIONS
§ 30-1837
the site be designated for heritage preser- Wireless telecommunication towers shall not be
vation site overlay zoning and its pro- permitted nor allowed as conditional uses in any
posed program for the preservation of the other zoning district. This section shall apply to
site. all towers over 60 feet in height.
(2) The planning commission shall recom-
mend approval, rejection, or modification
of the proposed rezoning to the city coun-
cil. Such recommendation shall be based
upon, but not be limited to, the following
factors:
a. The provisions of section 30-575.
b. Any other planning considerations
which may be relevant to the pro-
posed rezoning upon the surround-
ing neighborhood.
c. Any other planning considerations
which may be relevant to the pro-
posed rezoning.
The planning commission may make such
modifications, changes, and alterations to
the proposed rezoning as it deems neces-
sary in its recommendation to the city
council.
(Code 1982, § 900.12(21))
Sec. 30-,1837. AT antenna tower overlay dis-
trict.
(a) Purpose. The purpose of the antenna tower
overlay district is to protect the public health,
safety, general welfare, and to accommodate the
telecommunication needs of residents and busi-
nesses by providing a specific zoning district for
the use of land for the establishment and opera-
tion of wireless telecommunication towers. Since
this use is unique, a special zoning district is
appropriate, and the city reserves the right to
determine the suitability of a rezoning request to
antenna tower overlay district based on criteria
which includes the following:
(1) The compatibility of the rezoning request
with surrounding land uses.
(2) That the proposed rezoning is necessary
in order to provide effective wireless tele-
communication coverage for the city.
(3) The rezoning is in accordance with the
comprehensive plan for the city.
CD
(b) Findings. In order to accommodate the
communication needs of residents and businesses
while protecting the public health, safety, and
general welfare, the city council finds these reg-
ulations necessary in order to:
(1) Establish standards which permit a rea-
sonable and equitable opportunity for the
establishment of wireless telecommunica-
tion service in the city.
(2) Avoid potential damage to adjacent prop-
erties from tower failure through struc-
tural standards and setback require-
ments.
(3) Minimize adverse visual effects of towers
through careful design and siting stan-,
dards which attempt to screen and/or cam-
ouflage towers and antennas from adja-
cent private and public property.
(4) Maximize the use of existing and ap-
proved towers, buildings and other struc-
tures to accommodate new wireless tele-
communication antennas in order to reduce
the number of towers needed to serve the
community.
(c) Uses. The antenna tower overlay district
(AT) is an overlay zoning district; land zoned into
the AT will also maintain its original zoning
classification. 911 permitted, accessory, and condi-
tional uses allowed in the underlying zoning dis-
trict will continued to be allowed on land rezoned
to AT, subject to all restrictions and requirements
applicable in the underlying district. In addition
to the uses allowed in the. underlying district, the
following uses shall be allowed as a conditional
use in the AT: antenna arrays,. including radio,
television, commercial wireless telecommunica-
tion, and microwave transmitting and receiving
equipment, supporting towers, buildings and en-
closures accessory to the tower and antennas:
(d) Collocation requirements. All commercial
wireless telecommunication towers erected, con-
structed, or located within the city shall comply
with the following requirements:
(1) A proposal for a new commercial wireless
communication service tower shall not be
30:151
fiver
MEMORANDUM
TO: Heritage Preservation Commission
FROM: Stephen Rohlf, Building and Environmental Administrator
S~
DATE: January 10, 2005
SUBJECT: Joint Meeting with Housing and Redevelopment Authority and
Economic Development Authority to Discuss the Creation of
Heritage Preservation Site Districts
A joint HRA, EDA and HPC meeting has been scheduled for Monday, January 10, in the
Upper Town Conference Room at Elk River City Hall. The agenda for the EDA meeting,
which starts at 5:30 pm, is included with this memo. The HPC should be at City Hall by
around 5:45 for the joint meeting.
The purpose of the meeting is to have preluninary discussion with the HRA and EDA
regarding the creation of Historic Preservation Site Overlay Zoning Districts. A memo
regarding the meeting is attached. It's important to have as many HPC members as possible
attend. Please let me know if you can't make this meeting.