6.7. SR 06-17-1996ITEM 6.7.
City of
MEMORANDUM
iverT°:
FROM:
DATE:
Mayor and City Council
Scott Harlicker, Planning Assistan -~'/'
June 17, 1996
SUBJECT: Conditional Use Permit Request by
Independent School District #728,
Public Hearing Case No. CU 96-10
Request
Independent School District # 728 has requested a conditional use permit for
outdoor storage at their maintenance grounds facility.
Location
19072 Triangle Road, Lot 8, Block 1 Elk River Industrial Park
Zoning/Land Use
I1 (Light Industrial) / LI (Light Industrial)
Attachments
· Report to Planning Commission dated May 28, 1996
Overview
The school district is proposing an outdoor storage area adjacent to the loading
area in the rear of their maintenance facility. They indicated that they plan on
storing trailers which will contain mowing and other maintenance equipment.
A chain link fence with slats is proposed to enclose the storage area.
The maintenance facility was issued a conditional use permit in October 1995.
At that time outdoor storage was not included but it was indicated as a possible
future use. During the review for the conditional use permit for the maintenance
facility, the appropriateness of outdoor storage in this industrial park was
questioned by representatives of Tescom and Dick Pommeroy, an adjacent
property owner. Concerns regarding screening of the storage area were also
raised by the Planning Commission, EDA and the City Council. A condition of
13065 Orono Parkway · P.O. Box 490 · Elk River, MN 55330 · (612) 441-7420 · Fax: (612) 441-7425
Memo to Mayor and City Council Page 2
June 17, 1996
approval was that screening shall be included to better protect neighboring
properties.
At the May 28, 1996 Planning Commission meeting, the Commission discussed
the Conditional Use Permit for outdoor storage; a pubhc hearing was held and
two neighboring property owners spoke out against the request.
Issues
Issues raised relating to this application were similar to those raised during the
initial review for the maintenance facility, appropriateness of outdoor storage,
screening of the storage area and surfacing of the storage area.
Appropriateness
Representatives from Tescom spoke against outdoor storage at this site and
in the industrial park in general. They did not beheve it was keeping with
the intended image of the park, that of a "clean industry" park. They were
concerned about the impact the storage area will have on the image they
need to attract high tech customers. They felt that fencing and screening did
not adequately address the problem and they requested the apphcation be
denied. Dick Pommeroy also expressed similar concerns regarding the image
of the park and the image he has to maintain in order to attract high tech
firms. He also felt it was unfair to require him to enclose his storage area and
not require the school district to do the same. There are two other facilities in
the industrial park that currently have outdoor storage visible from the
street; All Tool and Nary Manufacturing have pallets and trailers that they
are storing outdoors near their loading area. Custom Conveyor Corporation
has some metal that they are storing in the rear of the building that is not
visible from the road.
Screening
Adequate screening was discussed at length. The Planning Commission felt
that a chain link fence with slats would not be adequate and requested that a
wood fence be placed on the east and west sides and that a chain link fence
with slats would be acceptable along the railroad tracks. The Commission
expressed some concern regarding the proximity of the storage area to
Tescom's picnicking and visitor parking area. One to way address this
concern would be to increase the landscaping in the area between the storage
area and Tescom's property. It was noted that additional landscaping should
be planted along the east and west sides, adjacent to the wood fence. There
was also some concern regarding the height of the fence and the possibility
the material being stored could be visible above the fence. It was noted that
the height of the material stored should not exceed the height of the fence.
s:\planning\scott\cu96- lOc.doc
Memo to Mayor and City Council Page 3
June 17, 1996
The applicant has indicated that they would like to enclose the area with a
chain link fence with vinyl slats. They feel that the chain link fence would be
more durable and require less maintenance, and when combine with
landscaping, would provide an effective, attractive and long lasting screen.
· Paving
The issue of what material should be used to surface the storage area was
discussed. Two options were considered. The applicant requested that class 5
gravel be used and staff recommended that the storage area be paved. There
was some discussion regarding past practice and the implications on future
projects. The Commission opted to require paved surface.
Please refer to Planning Commission report for additional information.
Recommendation
The Planning Commission recommended approval of the conditional use permit
to allow outdoor storage at the I.S.D. # 728 maintenance facility located at 19072
Triangle Road with the following conditions:
1. The applicant shall submit fence details of a decorative wood fence to be in
place on all sides except the frontage along the railroad track, which shall be
chain link with slats. The fence shall be a minimum of 8 feet high
2. The approved fence and landscaping shall be in place prior to the utilization
of the outdoor storage area.
3. Bituminous surfacing be installed in the outdoor storage area.
4. The height of items stored shall not exceed the height of the fence.
Staff supports the Planning Commission's recommendation, but feels that
further consideration should be given to the suitability of utilizing a chain link
fence with slats to screen all sides of the proposed storage area, not just the side
facing the railroad tracks. The landscaping plan should include the following:
Landscaping should be increased along the west side of the storage area.
Sixteen conifers planted 15 feet on center in two rows would provide a
substantial landscape screen between the storage area and Tescom's
property.
The zoning code requires conifers to be 6 feet in height; consideration should
also be given to requiring the trees to be a height that will provide an
immediate screen.
s:\planning\scott\cu96-10c.doc
Memo to Mayor and City Council Page 4
June 17, 1996
· The maples and ashes proposed for inside the fenced area should be relocated
to the east side of the storage area. Four additional conifers planted with the
deciduous trees on the east side would provide some additional year round
screening of the storage area.
s:\planning\scott\cu96-10c.doc
'~ity of
ITEl4 5.6.
iver
MEMORANDUM
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
Planning Commlssion
Scott Harlicker, Planning Assista~~
May 28, 1996
SUBJECT:
Request by Independent School District
#728 for Conditional Use Permit, Public
Hearing Case No. CU 96-10
Request
Independent School District #728 has.requested a conditional use permit for
outdoor storage at their maintenance grounds facility.
Location
19072 Triangle Road, Elk River, MN., Lot 8, Block 1 Elk River Industrial Park
Zoning/Land Use
I 1 (Light Industrial) / LI (Light Industrial)
Attachments
· Location Map
· Zoning Map
· Site Plan
Background
In October 1995, I.S.D. #728 was granted a Conditional Use Permit to construct
a 21,000 square foot public works building at this site. The approved site plan
showed an area that was going to be utilized at a future time for outdoor
storage. One of the conditions of approval was that no outdoor storage would be
allowed unless a CUP amendment was approved by the City Council. At the
public hearings two adjacent property owners objected strongly to the outdoor
storage part of the facility. A representative from Tescom was concerned that
13065 Orono Parkway · P.O. Box 490 · Elk River, MN 55330 · (612) 441-7420 · Fax: (612) 441-7425
Memo to Pl~nnlng Commission
May 28, 1996
2
given the nature of their business, they had an image to uphold and they did not
want to be located next to a storage facility. Nix. Pommeroy, owner of Pommeroy
Tool, was also opposed to the facility and the outdoor storage in particular. He
was concerned that the outdoor storage would detract from his property. The
Economic Development Authority (EDA), the initial owner of this site, had some
concerns regarding outdoor storage at this site. They were concerned about
screening the storage from view and that the screening be consistent with the
intent of the Zoning Ordinance.
Evaluation of Request
Pavin~ and Access
The applicant has indicated that they wish to use class 5 aggregate to surface
the storage area. The zoning code requires that access and parking areas be
paved and loading areas surfaced with a hard, all weather, dust free, durable
surfacing material. Essentially, all areas used by vehicles shall be surfaced with
material as setforth in the ordinance. The zoning code does not specifically
address surfacing for outdoor storage areas.
The surfacing of outdoor storage areas is a 3if~cult issue to pin down. It could be
viewed as a continuum with a company like Kober Excavating, which will use
the storage area to store track vehicles, at one end and someone storing
automobiles or contractor's material at the other. Kober Excavating has a
strong case for class 5 surface of the storage area and the automobile or material
storage does not. In the middle of this continuum would be this application. In
this particular instance the school district will be utilizing the storage area to
park trailers. The decision regarding the type of surface required for this
outdoor storage area could be interpreted as setting a precedent. This could have
implications beyond just this application for outdoor storage; there is the
situation at Taflwind Trailers which is a commercial use involving outdoor
storage of trailers on a gravel surface. The Commission may wish to give staff
some direction with respect to surfacing material for future outdoor storage
applications.
Staff does not believe the storing of trailers in this area would be detrimental to
a bituminous surface. The concern about trailer supports sinking into the
pavement could be addressed by inst~lling concrete pads on which the supports
could sit. The plans show a type D4 surmountable curb around the parking and
loading area adjacent to the outdoor storage area.
Memo to Planning Commission
May 28, 1996
3
Screenin~ and Landscapin~
A chain link fence with slats is proposed around the outdoor storage area. It will
extend from the west side of the loading area, around the outdoor storage area
and retention pond, along the east side of the driveway to a gate that crosses the
driveway and finally attaches to the east side of the building. No details
regarding the height or color of the fence have been provided. The zoning code
requires a fence to be 100% opaque and not less than five feet high.
Landscaping is also required and should be used to supplement the screening
that the fence provides. Five conifers along the west property line, adjacent to
the rear loading area and four deciduous trees to the rear of the storage area are
proposed as part of an overall landscaping plan for the site. However, two of the
four deciduous trees are to be planted in the area that will be utilized for the
retention pond. No landscaping is shown around the storage area. Given the
concerns raised by adjacent property owners, the EDA, the City Council and the
Planning CommissiOn during the review of the Conditional Use Permit for the
public works facility, landscaping should be included as part of the screening for
the storage area. In order to best screen the storage area from ~ffected property
owners, landscaping should include approximately 20 scotch pine and white
pine planted along the east and west sides of the proposed fenced area and along
the east side of the driveway leading back to the loading and storage areas.
Recommendation
This request was compared to the seven criteria listed in Section 900.20 of the
Zoning Ordinance and it was found to be in compliance with those criteria. Staff
is recommending approval of the conditional use permit to allow outdoor storage
to be located at 19072 Triangle Road in the Elk River Industrial Park with the
following conditions:
1. The applicant shall submit fence details and a landscape plan for approval.
The fence details shall include height and type of durable slats and landscaping
plan shall include number and types of trees.
2. The approved fence and landscaping shall be in place prior to the utilization
of the outdoor storage area.
3. Bituminous surfacing be installed in the outdoor storage area.
s:\pla n nih g\scottX, cu96- lO.doc
CITY
LOCATION
ORONO
LAKE
0RONO
City of
LOCATION
MAP
13065 Orono Parkway. P.O. Box 490 CASE:
Elk River, MN 55330
CU 96-10
LOCATION
City of
River
ZONING
MAP
13065Orono Parkway.P.O. Box 490 CASE:
Elk River, MN 55330
/g
91,¢
FENCE
SLATS
°Uroooe
Sroe~¢.c
/
I