08-23-2017 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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outdoor storage is limited by code to properties which are zoned I-1, Light Industrial and then the materials stored must be from a business located within an I-1 or I-P zoning district. This provision to allow rental outdoor storage is not provided for in general PUD zoning, any other PUD District, or any of our other commercial zoning districts. With this property being zoned PUD District D which is specific to this Parcel ID number; the standards approved would be applicable to this parcel only. The request being reviewed would not change the standards for the I-1 District or any other commercial zoning districts. It would be staff’s recommendation that if consideration is given to modifying the Interim Use Permit provisions, then we should consider that for both the PUD District D and for the I- 1, Light Industrial District. This should not be reviewed as one property, but rather what standards would be considered acceptable for the I-1 District given this parcels uses are reflective of that district. The site plan submitted by the applicant shows the outdoor storage being used entirely as non-tenant rental outdoor storage area. It is my understanding from the applicant that this is based on the current tenants of the building not having a need for any of the outdoor storage area. Therefore, this is the current outdoor storage area available to rent. In my discussions with the applicant, I think they would like the flexibility to use the outdoor storage area for either tenants or non-tenants of the building based on current needs. So if a future tenant of the building comes along that would need outdoor storage then Mr. Schwalbach could rent to this business without having to process a PUD Amendment. The applicant is seeking the ability to divvy up the outdoor storage area to occupants and non-occupants of the building on an as needed basis rather than having dedicating specific square footage areas on a site plan. This flexibility for how outdoor storage is dedicated on a site plan was how the City transitioned the standards in the I-1 District in 2008. (See attached City Council minutes from 2007 & 2008 meetings that discussed outdoor storage and interim use permits.) Previously, Conditional Use Permits in the Industrial Districts were specific to certain areas/square footages and then what type of equipment would be stored on the property. This created concerns with code enforcement as tenants in the Industrial areas and the equipment used tended to change frequently. Having these very specific conditions then triggered the need for CUP amendments in most scenarios every time a tenant changed over. The current provision in the I-1 District for tenants of the building reads “The storage area in question occupies an area no greater than sixty (60) percent of the gross square footage of the subject parcel.” This is the more liberal version that came out of the review of outdoor storage in 2008. Additionally in 2008, the City added the Interim Use Permit provision to the I-1 District that allowed for rental outdoor storage to another business in the I-1District. This provision was an amendment processed by Lee Rossow for Q3 on the property at 3164 Ryan Lane. The property at 3164 Ryan Lane was the original location of Comfort Bus Company, owned by Lee Rossow, who has since built a larger location in Maplewood. Mr. Rossow still owns the property today. The outdoor storage area that was needed for bus storage exceeds the square footage that most potential renters have been interested in leasing. This led to the discussion about allowing the neighboring business (Q3 Contracting) to use a portion of the outdoor storage area. The Interim Use Permit provision has been since amended from the permit expiring annually to the current allowance of a permit not to exceed more than five years. In addition, the current Interim Use Permit language allows for rental outdoor storage to a business in I-1, Light-Industrial, or I-P, Industrial Park (originally the Interim Use was I-1 zoned could rent to I-1 zoned only). This amendment occurred after discussions with Precision Tree and R&S Automotive on available outdoor storage area and potential needs of a Little Canada business to need additional outdoor storage only.