HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-06-01 NAC Memorandum to OPH Re ZO & Design Guidelines Amendments •
N NORTHWEST ASSOCIATED CONSULTANTS
INC COMMUNITY PLANNING - DESIGN - MARKET RESEARCH
MEMORANDUM
FILE COPY
TO: Tom Melena
FROM: Cynthia Putz -Yang / Scott Richards
DATE: June 1, 1999
RE: Oak Park Heights - Zoning Ordinance and Design Guidelines
Amendments to Address Development Review Process
FILE NO.: 798.04
BACKGROUND
This memorandum describes issues and options related to the development review
process for commercial and industrial projects. Currently, all commercial and industrial
projects require Planning Commission and City Council review, even if the plans meet all
City requirements. The City Council and Planning Commission may wish to change the
Zoning Ordinance and Design Guidelines to allow projects that meet all requirements to
either be reviewed by staff and approved by the City Council or reviewed and approved
only by staff.
As per the direction of the City Council at their May 25, 1999 meeting, the Planning
Commission will hold a public hearing at their June 17, 1999 meeting to discuss the
development review process. The Planning Commission discussed the matter without a
public hearing at their May 20, 1999 meeting. An unofficial motion was made to
recommend to the Council that site plans not requiring a CUP or Variance be addressed
only by the City Council. The motion failed with two Commissioners supporting the motion
and three Commissioners feeling that the Planning Commission should continue to review
all commercial and industrial projects. The matter will be discussed again at the June 17th
public hearing.
Attached for reference:
Exhibit A - Page 2 of the Design Guidelines
Exhibit B - Pages 15 -26 and 15 -27 of the Zoning Ordinance
5775 WAYZATA BOULEVARD, SUITE 555 ST. LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA 554 1 6
PHONE 61 2- 595 -9636 FAX 61 2- 595 -9837 E -MAIL NAC @WINTERNET.COM
ID •
ANALYSIS AND OPTIONS
The options of having commercial and industrial projects that meet all City requirements
be approved by only City Council and staff or only staff is being considered due to the
amount of time required to receive Planning Commission and City Council review and
approval. The Planning Commission meets once a month and a development application
is required 20 days in advance of a meeting, making approval of even a simple building
addition a longer process than may be necessary. Staff recommends approval of one of
the following options.
OPTION 1
The Design Guidelines language would be revised as follows to require review by City staff
and approval by the City Council. Option 1 would not require a revision to the Zoning
Ordinance.
Revise page 2 of the Design Guidelines as follows:
Applicants must submit plans and drawings to the City in accordance with the
processing requirements for amendments and conditional use permits (Section
401.03) of the Zoning Ordinance. In cases where an amendment, conditional
use permit, planned unit development, and /or variance is required, all
materials must be submitted to the City no fewer than twenty (20) days prior to the
Planning Commission's regularly scheduled or special meeting in order to appear
and make a presentation at the public meeting. In cases where a project meets
all City requirements, all materials must be submitted to the City no fewer
than twenty (20) days prior to the City Council's regularly scheduled or
special meeting in order to appear and make a presentation. Submission
materials shall include a site plan, planting plan, architectural plans and elevations,
signage plans, lighting plans and any other plans as requested by the City staff,
Planning Commission, or City Council. Perspective sketches are desirable. Site
and planting plans shall include all existing and proposed site elements.
Architectural and sign plans shall include elevations of all exposed sides and
identification of all materials and colors. Material samples will be required few
In cases where an amendment, conditional use permit, planned unit
development, and /or variance is required, the Planning Commission shall review
the submitted materials and make recommendations on the site and building design
elements subject to the guidelines stated herein. In cases where a project
meets all City requirements, City staff shall review the submitted materials
and make recommendations on the site and building design elements subject
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• • •
to the guidelines stated herein. The City Council shall make any final decisions
on site or building design.
OPTION 2
The Design Guidelines and Zoning Ordinance language would be revised as follows to
require review and approval by City staff only.
Revise page 2 of the Design Guidelines as follows:
Applicants must submit plans and drawings to the City in accordance with the
processing requirements for amendments and conditional use permits (Section
401.03) of the Zoning Ordinance. In cases where an amendment, conditional
use permit, planned unit development, and /or variance is required, all
materials must be submitted to the City no fewer than twenty (20) days prior to the
Planning Commission's regularly scheduled or special meeting in order to appear
and make a presentation. In cases where a project meets all City requirements,
City staff shall make a decision within twenty (20) of receiving all required
submission materials. Submission materials shall include a site plan, planting
plan, architectural plans and elevations, signage plans, lighting plans and any other
plans as requested by the City staff, Planning Commission, or City Council.
Perspective sketches are desirable. Site and planting plans shall include all
existing and proposed site elements. Architectural and sign plans shall include
elevations of all exposed sides and identification of all materials and colors.
Material samples will be required
In cases where an amendment, conditional use permit, planned unit
development, and /or variance is required, the Planning Commission shall review
the submitted materials and make recommendations on the site and building design
elements subject to the guidelines stated herein, and the City Council shall make
any final decisions on site or building design. In cases where a project meets all
City requirements, submitted materials and site and building design elements
shall require City staff review and approval subject to the guidelines stated
herein.
Revise the last sentences of Zoning Ordinance Section 401.15.E.8.a and 401.15.E.8.b as
follows:
a. A green belt planting strip ... The planting plan and type of plantings shall
require the ::::._ : -- :.- ..:: - - - :.
the-Gitr staff review and approval of the City staff.
3
• • •
b. A required screening fence . . . The design and materials used in
constructing a required screening fence shall be subject to the approval -of
- • :. .. :: _ . _ - - • - = review and
approval of the City staff.
pc: Kris Danielson
4
• •
Process
Applicants must submit plans and drawings to the City in accordance with the
processing requirements for amendments and conditional use permits (Section
401.03) of the Zoning Ordinance. All materials must be submitted to the City
no fewer than twenty (20) days prior to the Planning Commission's regularly
scheduled or special meeting in order to appear and make a presentation.
Submission materials shall include a site plan, planting plan, architectural plans
and elevations, signage plans, lighting plans and any other plans as requested
by the City staff, Planning Commission, or City Council. Perspective sketches
are desirable. Site and planting plans shall include all existing and proposed
site elements. Architectural and sign plans shall include elevations of all
exposed sides and identification of all materials and colors. Material samples
will be required for Planning Commission review.
The Planning Commission shall review the submitted materials and make
recommendations 011 the site and building design elements subject to the
guidelines stated herein. The City Council shall make any final decisions on
site or building design.
Oak Park Heights, Minnesota Design Guidelines 1998
2
EXHIBIT A
• • •
6. Non - Conforming Fences. It is the intent of this Ordinance to allow the
continuation of such non - conforming fences until they are discontinued as provided
herein. However, it is not the intent of this Ordinance to encourage the survival of
non - conforming fences and such fences are declared to be incompatible with
permitted fences within the City. Such fences shall be regulated by the following
provisions:
a. No existing fence not permitted by this Ordinance in the district within which
it is located, except when required to do so by law or ordinance, shall be
enlarged, extended, reconstructed or structurally altered unless such fence
is changed to one permitted in that district. Maintenance of a non-
conforming fence will be allowed, however, when this includes necessary
repairs and incidental alterations which do not expand or intensify the non-
conforming fence.
7. General Landscaping and Maintenance. All exposed ground areas surrounding
or within a principal or accessory use, including street boulevards, and not devoted
to parking areas, drives, sidewalks, patios or other such uses shall be completely
landscaped with grass, shrubs, trees or other ornamental landscape materials
before the Building Official issues the certificate of occupancy or if construction is
completed during the Winter, no later than May 31 of the year or following year of
construction completion. All landscaped areas shall be kept neat, clean and
uncluttered, and where a landscape plan is required by City approval any plant
material which is diseased or dies shall be replaced with like kind of the original
size. No landscaped area shall be used for the parking of vehicles or for the
storage or display of materials, supplies or merchandise. Fences and /or plantings
placed upon utility easements are subject to removal by the City or utility company
if required for maintenance or improvement of the utility. Trees on utility easements
containing overhead wires shall not exceed twenty (20) feet in height, which it shall
be the property owner's responsibility to maintain.
8. Required Fencing and Screening. Where any business or industrial use (i.e.,
structure, parking or storage) abuts property zoned for residential use, that
business or industry shall provide screening along the boundary of the residential
property. Screening shall also be provided where a business or industry is across
the street from a residential zone, but not on that side of a business or industry
considered to be the front (as determined by the Building Official). All the fencing
and screening specifically required by this Ordinance shall be subject to Section
401.15.E.3. and shall consist of either a fence or a green belt planting strip as
provided for below.
15 -26
EXHIBIT B
• •
a. A green belt planting strip shall consist of evergreen trees and /or deciduous
trees and large shrubs and shall be of sufficient width and density to provide
an effective visual screen. This planting strip shall contain no structures
other than supplementary fencing. Such planting strip shall be designed to
provide complete visual screening to a minimum height of eight (8) feet.
Earth mounding or berms may be used but shall not be used to achieve
more than three (3) feet of the required screen. The planting plan and type
of plantings shall require the approval of the City Council based upon a
recommendation of the City staff.
b. A required screening fence shall be constructed of masonry, brick, wood or
metal. Such fence shall provide a solid screening effect and not exceed
eight (8) feet in height or be less than six (6) feet in height. The design and
materials used in constructing a required screening fence shall be subject
to the approval of the City Council based upon a recommendation by the
City staff.
9. Required Landscaping - General Residential. The lot area remaining after
providing for off - street parking, off - street loading, sidewalks, driveways, building
site and /or other requirements shall be landscaped using sod in the front and side
yards, and ornamental grass, or other acceptable vegetation or treatment generally
used in landscaping in the rear yards. Fences or trees placed upon utility
easements are subject to removal if required for the maintenance or improvement
of the utility.
10. Required Landscaping - Semi - Public and All Income Producing Property Uses.
Prior to approval of a building permit, all above referenced uses shall be subject to
a mandatory landscape plan requirement. Said landscape plan should be
developed with an emphasis upon the following areas:
The boundary or perimeter of the proposed site at points adjoining another existing
or proposed site or sites; the immediate perimeter of the structure or building at
points of its placement on the site; and the public boulevard areas at points of
interface with streets or sidewalk areas of the City.
All landscaping incorporated in said plan shall conform to the following standards
and criteria:
15 -27