HomeMy WebLinkAbout1990-05-14 NAC Ltr to Cosmopolitan State Re Proposed Mini Storage Use rN Northwest Associated Consultants , Inc .
AC
URBAN PLANNING . D E S I G N • MARKET RESEA RC H
14 May 1990
Mr. James Gillespie
Cosmopolitan State Bank
P .O. Box 225
Stillwater, Mn 55082
RE: Oak Park Heights - Chavez Property
(Storage Facility)
FILE NO: 798 . 02 - General
Dear Mr. Gillespie:
Ms . LaVonne Wilson, City Administrator/Treasurer of Oak Park
Heights, contacted me last week in regards to an earlier
conversation you had with her about an interest to develop the
above referenced Chavez property for a mini-storage type
facility.
Currently this property is zoned R-B, Residential/Business
Transitional District. The purpose of this district is to allow
for high density residential development and for a transition in
land use from residential to low intensity business allowing for
an intermixing of such uses .
Within the R-B District, storage uses such as that described to
me by Ms . Wilson are not allowed. Such uses are only allowed
within the City' s Industrial Zoning District.
If it is still your intent to pursue a storage use on this
property, two options are available . The first option would be
to request a rezoning to "I" , Industrial . This would allow you
to establish the use via a conditional use permit within the "I"
District. This method is not recommended, however, due to the
remote chance the City would rezone the property to an industrial
district in the midst of a residential neighborhood.
4601 Excelsior Blvd.• Suite 410• Minneapolis, MN 55416• (612) 925-9420• Fax 925-2721
Mr. James Gillespie
14 May 1990
Page Two
The second option would be to request the City amend its Zoning
Ordinance to allow mini-storage facilities as a conditional use
within an R-B District . If such an amendment is approved, then
an application could be made to develop the property for a
storage use subject to the regulations of the conditional use
amendment . In essence, this option would consist of a two step
process, first the ordinance amendment, then the CUP application.
While the second option would hold more potential for being
acceptable to the Council, it would still consist of a certain
element of uncertainty due to the nature of storage uses in
relation to the purpose of the R-B District and the character of
the neighborhood. The Council would need to decide, after an
analysis has been completed, if storage uses allowed via a CUP in
an R-B District are in the best interest of the City as a whole.
Should you wish to discuss this matter further or require
assistance in initiating one of the processes described, please
feel free to call .
Very truly yours,
NORTHWEST ASSOCIATED CONSULTANTS, INC.
C ,. -i,
Curtis -Gutoske
Senior Designer
CLG/nd
cc : LaVonne Wilson
Lyle Eckberg
Mark Vierling
Frank Leier