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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-11-04 Planning Report n r N Northwest Associated Consultants, Inc. A C U R B A N P L A N N I N G • D E S I G N • M A R K E T R E S E A R C H PLANNING REPORT TO: Oak Park Heights Mayor and City Council FROM: Dan Licht /Scott Richards DATE: 4 November 1994 RE: Oak Park Heights - A -1 Maintenance Conditional Use Permit FILE NO. 798.02 - 94.17 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Background The City has received a request from A -1 Maintenance, Inc. for a conditional use permit to allow limited warehousing associated with a lawn care /snow removal business. The site is zoned R -B, Residential - Business Transitional District. Limited warehousing is allowed within the R -B District as a conditional use. As such a conditional use permit is required. The site is approximately 15,000 square feet and located at 5845 Stagecoach Trail in Oak Park Heights. The site contains an existing 3,480 square foot commercial style building which is in a state of disrepair. This parcel has been the subject of complaints from neighboring residents in the past due to a trucking business which was located at the site. Attached for Reference: Exhibit A: Site location Exhibit B: Site plan /elevation Exhibit C: Recommended parking layout 5775 Wayzata Blvd. • Suite 555 • St. Louis Park, MN 55416 • (612) 595- 9636•Fax. 595 -9837 Recommendation Our office believes that the granting of Conditional Use Permits is a policy matter to be decided by City Officials. However, based upon the considerations outlined within this report, our office recommends the City approve a Conditional Use Permit as requested by A -1 Maintenance, Inc. subject to the following conditions: 1. No outside storage of equipment or materials is allowed. 2. The applicant shall submit plans for the storage of gasoline. These plans are subject to review and approval of the City Building Official. 3. No unattended vehicles or equipment shall be left idling at any time. 4. Hours of normal business operation shall be limited to not before 6:00 A.M. and not after 6:00 P.M. and not on Sunday. One exception to this condition is business operations may occur at times other than those listed above in the event of snowfall and the need for the business to commence snow removal operations. 5. The applicant submit a revised landscape plan which illustrates the number and size of plantings. To be included in this revised landscape plan shall be additional low level vegetation along the front lot line in front of the proposed fences. 6. The applicant submit a site plan illustrating nine (9) 8' x 20' parking spaces and one (1) 16' x 20' handicap accessible space. 7. The applicant submit a schedule for when proposed improvements are to be undertaken and completed. Said schedule is subject to review and approval of the City. 8. The applicant provide a security valued at one hundred fifty (150) percent of the estimated cost of the proposed improvements. 9. The parking and driveway areas are surfaced with a asphalt material to control dust. 10. Other comments of City officials or staff. 2 ISSUES ANALYSIS Site Conditions. The site is located at 5845 Stagecoach Trail. The site is approximately 15,000 square feet in size. Located to the west of the site, across Stagecoach Trail, is an area of low density residential use. A trucking business located at the site raised compatibility issues with regards to the residential use. To the north and south of the site are open space areas. To the east of the site are industrial type uses. The use proposed by the applicant would provide an effective transition between the residential and industrial areas. Zoning. The subject property is zoned R -B, Residential - Business Transitional District. The purpose of this district is to provide for the transition in land use from residential to business /industrial uses. The use proposed by the applicant, limited warehousing, is allowed as a conditional use within the R -B District. The use proposed by the applicant can be considered low intensity as the primary operation of the business is done off site. The site would be used for the storage of equipment overnight or when not in use. Because of the nature of the applicant's business, traffic to and from the site would be minimal and concentrated in the morning and late afternoon. This traffic would be comprised of employees arriving /departing work and employees departing /arriving from job sites. As a result, there would be little activity at the site for the majority of the day. The applicant does intend to have a small business office located at the site. The applicant currently employs eight people. Conditional Use Permit. The limited warehousing use proposed by the applicant is allowed within the R -B District as a conditional use subject to the following conditions: 1. Limited warehousing operations that include offices shall be subject to the additional conditions found in Section 401.09.D.2. The office use will need to comply with the conditions specified in Section 401.09.D.2. These conditions are outlined below: a. The site and related parking and service entrances are served by an arterial or ' collector street of sufficient capacity to accommodate the traffic which will be generated. The site has access onto Stagecoach Trail which is has sufficient capacity to accommodate the traffic which would be generated by the proposed use. 3 n � b. Adequate off - street parking is provided in compliance with Section 401.03.E of the Zoning Ordinance. Refer to the detailed discussion of parking later in this report. c. Adequate off - street loading is provided in compliance with Section 401.03.F of the Zoning Ordinance. Sufficient space exists for loading and unloading of equipment and materials within the interior of the existing building. d. Vehicular entrances to parking or service areas shall create a minimum of conflict with through traffic movement. Entrances to parking or service areas is not anticipated to create conflict with through traffic movement. e. When abutting an R -1, R -2, or R -3 District, a buffer area with screening and landscaping in compliance with Section 401.03.B.7 of this ordinance shall be provided. Refer to item 7 of this section of this report for a detailed discussion of landscaping issues. f. All signing and information or visual communication devices shall be in compliance with Section 401.03.2 of the Zoning Ordinance. Refer to the detailed discussion of signs contained later in this report. g. The provisions of Section 401.16.A.5 of the Zoning Ordinance are considered and have been satisfactorily met. When considering an application for a Conditional Use Permit, the City Council must consider six possible adverse affects of the proposed conditional use. These affects and their relation to this conditional use are as follows: 4 n n i. Relation to the City's Comprehensive Plan. The proposed use is compatible with the City's Comprehensive Plan. ii. The geographical area involved. The proposed use will not negatively impact the geographical area. iii. Whether the proposed use will tend to or actually depreciate the area in which it is located. The proposed use is not anticipated to depreciate the area. iv. The character of the surrounding area. As a transitional district use, the proposed use is appropriate to the surrounding area. v. The demonstrated need for such use. The proposed use is a compatible and efficient use of a property which has proven difficult to develop with a compatible use in the past. 2. Limited warehousing operations that include retail commercial activities shall be subject to the additional conditions found in Section 401.09.D.5. This condition does not apply as the applicant is not proposing any on site retail commercial activity. 3. No outside storage of goods and materials is associated with the use. All business related materials shall be completely enclosed within a permanent structure. A 3480 square foot building currently exists on site which should provide sufficient space for the storage of equipment and business related materials. No outside storage of equipment or materials will be allowed. 5 n � 4. Warehousing goods and materials shall be non- explosive. The applicant has not indicated how or where gasoline associated with equipment is to be stored. The applicant therefore shall be required to submit plans for the storage of such materials. These storage plans shall be subject to review and approval of the City building official. 5. The architectural appearance and functional plan of the building and site shall not be so dissimilar to the existing buildings or area as to cause impairment in property values or constitute a blighting influence. The applicant is proposing improvements which would improve the appearance of the existing building and site. These improvements include the following: 1. Awning for building front with logo. 2. Paint building exterior 3. Install small bay window on building front 4. Install fencing to screen site from street. 5. Asphalt driveway / mark parking areas. 6. All lighting shall be hooded and so directed that the light source is not visible from the right -of -way or from a residential zone or use. The site plan and building elevation drawing submitted by the applicant does not indicate any lighting. Our office would recommend, but not require, that the applicant install lighting to illuminate the areas near the front of the building for security purposes. The lighting would need to be designed so as not to create an issue for adjacent residential properties. ,7. Adequate screening and landscaping from neighboring residential districts is provided in accordance with Section 401.03.B.7 of the Zoning Ordinance. The applicant has submitted a site plan which illustrates landscaping located along the front lot line of the property. The landscaping consists of two maple trees and two fences, which extend around the corner of the lot, on ether side of the centrally located access drive. Our office recommends that the applicant provide additional low height vegetation in front of the fences. Such low height vegetation could include evergreen shrubs 6 n or other bushes. These shrubs should provide additional screening of the property for the residential use located west of the property across Stagecoach Trail. The property to the north and south are designated natural open space and the property to the east is industrial use. Therefore, no additional screening would be required. 8. There shall be no idling of unattended vehicles allowed on the premises at any time. As stated previously, the majority of traffic associated with the proposed use will be employees arriving or departing and traffic to and from job locations in the morning and late afternoon. Therefore, our office does not anticipate any conflicts with this condition. 9. Business activities shall not be permitted before 6:00 A.M. or after 6:00 P.M. or on Sundays. The applicant has indicated that normal working hours during summer operations is from approximately 7:00 A.M. to approximately 6:00 P.M. However, snow removal operations are dependant upon the weather and thus unpredictable with regards to hours of operation. However, because business operations occur at areas other than the site, our office does not anticipate any conflicts with this condition. Parking. The site plan submitted by the applicant illustrates five 8 feet x 20 feet parking stalls and one 16 feet x 20 feet stall which is handicap vehicle accessible. However, the applicant has indicated that the business employs eight people plus the owner. The City Zoning Ordinance does not provide specific parking space requirements for the type of use proposed by the applicant. However, the Zoning ordinance reserves the City's right to establish parking requirements for any use not specifically provided for within the Zoning Ordinance. Our office recommends, therefore, that the applicant be required to increase the number of parking spaces to at least nine 8 feet by 20 feet spaces. Because — of the limited size pf the lot, our office suggests placing the additional spaces parallel to the driveways which extend to the garage doors on either side of the building (refer to exhibit C). Additional parking space may be provided by having some employees park their vehicles within the building while equipment is out on jobs sites during the day. Signs. The awning located above the central folding door is painted with the company name and is thus subject to the R -B District sign standards, Section 401.03.I.4.c of the Zoning Ordinance. The area of the awning which depicts the company name measures approximately 15 feet by 2 feet, or 30 square feet. Under 7 n n Ordinance provisions, 40 square feet of sign is allowed. Thus the proposed sign is compliant with Ordinance requirements. Improvement Timeline. The applicant has indicated that the proposed improvements are to be completed over a period of three years. However, the applicant has not indicated a schedule or priority for projects to be undertaken and completed. The City should require the applicant to submit a timeline for the undertaking and completion of the proposed improvements. If the conditional use permit were approved, the City would require that the proposed improvements be completed in a time period much shorter than three years. The City would require the proposed improvements be undertaken as soon as conditions allowed. This timeline would be subject to City approval. In addition, the City should require a security equal to one hundred fifty (150) percent of the cost of the proposed improvements from the applicant to ensure that the proposed improvements are completed in accordance with the approved schedule. CONCLUSION The granting of a Conditional Use Permit is a policy decision to be determined by City Officials. However our office's review indicates the proposed use to be a good and efficient use of the property due to the considerations outlined in this report. Therefore our office recommends that the City approve the conditional use application of A -1 Maintenance, Inc. subject to the conditions outlined in the Executive Summary of this report. pc: LaVonne Wilson Mark Vierling Joe Anderlik Jim Butler Jon Nelson 8 O IIII�,„ II tl I p �� ' J L _ J���I ST l�t_�.'I��LJ1 \-\ TILLWATER� if I, I ... .. ST = N . . .,_. . _ . off. 61.4 31 N ' W ° 6346 ' 31. N . . I a STtLLWATER • C l N { �' — • • N. 6 =M I ST \ Y ..p... WPM \ _ -----4, 1 %,_ o • sm Is N a { J F I % L49J� r ' bow st t o m sic ra to • ». ! � x STN i ° W .t_ M © ST 4i V 1 Y 1 tit, ST 7 7 i, \ _ 1. II , L� 1 + SITE LOCATION ° ° SBw S1N . S ]6w ST N. ST.. s iti '''''' - \\ .,N) \ . S) ST a: N e � g N K JJJ "' � ' s 4 56w ST N. I Si N. R 1 ] 6 w S TN ] / �� 1 u = R ° r 126w `R ST. M r 56S. ST N I W yj N OINK ' Z t © t r '�•► S]w ST. N. '� yo.......---- 1 ]S ST ( This map is for planning p p g purposes _p t6 III only and should not be used when precise measurements are required. Oak Park Heights, Mn. 500' 0 1000' North 10.86 m northwest X assoc ated = consultants, Inc. CO I 4A'O . (n.,, ,,e ,00 "MI ( 19',' O 4•.00 me.y,uH., i,1 AmmuNeeZ D NOT1 =-S: WT Q . co 1, p�J� °rat LitiE N _ Q � 0 N �. Z O 2 Exl 1 1�:1 BJ -i w w cn Q ; 3 �XI�fIt �GI P�UI _DI .Y �' J 7 LL� CC¢. �1� �wm SJ' '�.12x1� D�Ei ri iL G� YJ 0 W V E • - N ` u 4: GIRAVE— DRr./Ew < \Y L^ 5. 1JJILriltill Et�T1.Y � E w U •�O W CD. 12�c12 OVERHEAD D�O� y � E 3 n o ° -° 5 H - d z \� 7. ASP{ IAt.T FY*(�KItJGt �T C Ld , A-I MAINTENAI�f �S ' io m 0• �IArJ AGL�SSIB -� '. _ 8i A y __� I} V I�aJUICAP PARKI�Iq SPhGE A c z - I ,j o- l J G, vF-21F MIS. SErl3ACtc _ - - — n 3 u J ?' y TT .0 3 � m 0 E -. b T p ILI 0, 12 12. T2ErcS CMAPt_E� I -- _ r d m _ \ — I I� 13 ENT'K.`� CWvE IL Fj it>TiKiC fLJAJwAY uuF� m W J U 14 S i .AGE GOA H TRAIL O CQ W CL {--- O Z CL . r y m SITE- FLAN ELEW T10 N r 'I 1 , IL A EXHIBIT B „,`, , 77 . C 8 ® 1 i a JA )) • ❖ — , — ��•. %..�.•�•�� 9 , j 111 ” ii 11111 MIMI -.., MS i 1 t 1 ffin ,,-- _ m 7 L Q,1 d �� 11 . T„---- ' i 1 '. * /• I - -- .•\ ' `� �` 1! IR *• • • • •• HANDICAP VEHICLE PARKING ►� ❖ .. EXHIBIT C