08-24-2016 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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16.022.1 Lapham Hickey Steel 2 of 2 current use of the building as well as placement for future expansions. The proposed location of the breakroom is centered on the existing and planned expansion to facilitate easy access for the workers. Having the break/lunch/restroom combination at the north end of the east most bay will allow employees to access those facilities without having to navigate the full length of the building and potentially exposing them to more hazards such as overhead objects and manufacturing processes. Throughout the building processes are carried out that require overhead cranes to travel with loads weighing multiple tons to different machines and storage. Giving the employees access at the midpoint of the plant aids in safety. This breakroom cannot be located in the bounds of the production floor area because of the overhead cranes that would traverse over the breakroom with the potential for accident. Lapham Hickey is dedicated to finding any way possible to reduce the risk to employees and this location of the breakroom has been identified as an opportunity to reduce risk for all employees. In additional to safety another factor for the placement is it will not interfere with potential future expansions to the north and west of the building. Lapham Hickey plans to stay at this site and needs flexibility to expand as their business expands. During the process of planning the proposed addition, we have spoken to the fire marshal Jim Lee and the city building official Steve Westerhaus to identify any building code issues. In our investigation, the only imperative with regards to this variance is the need for a one hour building assembly along the property line. This will be easily achievable with our concreate wall panel assembly that is consistent with the zoning code. Lapham Hickey Steel has been a good neighbor throughout the years. Their operation has a low impact on surrounding properties. In order to prevent materials from rusting, they do not store steel outside other than scrap which is dealt with on a daily/weekly basis. This is another reason they are in need of indoor storage to protect their raw materials and finished product. The proposed expansion to the yard will be fenced in to provide a visual barrier between the yard and the street. In general the yard is used to prep materials for transportation and storing trucks overnight. These variances for Lapham Hickey Steel will have very little impact on the surrounding area. The objectives of the industrial park are about the efficient harboring of manufacturing. The site in question is bordered on one side with industrial buildings and on the other side with a large wetland that cannot be developed in the future. This proposal is in perfect keeping with the industrial park’s zoning code with regards to making sure that established companies of the community continue to be prosperous.