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Planning Commission • 11/23/04 Item 2 ITEM: Discussion of storage as a legal use in Falcon Heights zoning districts SUBMITTED BY: Deborah Jones, Planning and Zoning Coordinator REVIEWED BY: Heather Worthington, City Administrator EXPLANATION: Summary: In June, 2004, the Falcon Heights Planning Commission considered an application from TIES, Inc. for an amendment to the City Code that would add rental of storage space as an interim use in the B-3 zone, the Snelling/Larpenteur business district. At that time, Commissioners, the applicant and residents present at the hearing all expressed an interest in further discussion of issues related to storage as a legal use (permitted, accessory, conditional, interim or other) in zones of the City. The Commission is invited to take up that discussion at this time. In question are the following uses or potential uses: • • Storage, indoor or outdoor, as a principle use (permitted, conditional or interim) of land, as opposed to storage that is accessory or incidental to a permitted or conditional use. The Falcon Heights code does not presently include storage as a principle use in any zone. • Rental of indoor or outdoor space for storage of vehicles, equipment and various kinds of material, including mini-storage or self-storage. This is not a presently a legal use in any zone of the City. • Storage of vehicles, equipment or materials accessory or incidental to a principle use (permitted, conditional or interim) in any zone. Does our code address this as thoroughly as it needs to? Staff research is in progress on how other cities handle these uses. That material will be presented by Staff at the Commission meeting. The findings to date can be summarized as follows. • Warehousing, mini-storage and similar uses are allowed as permitted or conditional uses, if they are allowed at all, in industrial zones and certain regional mixed-use business zones. • These uses are generally not legal in neighborhood or community commercial and retail districts, including large shopping centers, or in residential districts. • Some city codes are more restrictive than Falcon Heights, or at least more detailed, about storage as an accessory use. Commissioners may wish to prepare by reviewing the following sections of Chapter 9 of the City Code: • 9-1.02 Subd. 2 Definitions -for definition of different kinds of uses and businesses • • Sections 4 through 11 -zoning for residential and business districts in Falcon Heights • Section 14 Design and Performance Standards, especially on Exterior Storage, Storage of Hazardous Materials and Explosives, and Home Occupations. Staff Report: Discussion of storage as a legal use in the City Zoning Code Page 1 of 2 November 23, 2004