10-23-2019 Workshop & Council Packet

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STAFF REPORT TO: Mayor Keis and Members of City Council FROM: Chris Heineman, City Administrator DATE: October 23, 2019 RE: Public Hearing to Consider a Planned Unit Development (PUD) Amendment for a 3-foot Increase in the Allowed Height of Outdoor Storage for Pallet Service Corporation located at 3213 Country Drive. BACKGROUND: Pallet Services Corporation (PSC) is seeking an amendment to their existing PUD to accommodate an increase in the maximum height of storage for stacks of lumber at 3213 Country Drive. The current PUD allows for a maximum storage height of 14 feet, and the applicant is requesting an amendment to a maximum storage height of 17 feet. This request is in compliance with Section 1909 of the Minnesota State Fire Code, as it pertains to storage of finished lumber products which reads: "Exterior Lumber Storage shall be arranged to form stable piles with a maximum height of 20 feet". The existing use was originally approved as an Interim Use Permit in 2010 for approximately 12,000 square feet of storage area and included a 9-foot limitation of the stack height. In 2011, the applicant was granted approval of a Planned Unit Development (PUD) for up to 60,000 square feet of coverage area and 14-foot high stacks. This approval included the following conditions: 1) 60,000 square feet of storage area, 14 feet maximum storage height for industrial grade lumber, measured as total storage area not including access and fire lane area; 2) Trucks and trailers to be used only for loading and transportation (not for storage); 3) One trailer allowed on site for dust collection; 4) Review and approval by City of Little Canada Fire Marshall; 5) Subject to the conditions listed in the Council approval; and 6) Extension of requirement/approval of additional buildings according to an approved site plan. In 2014, the applicant applied for an amendment to the PUD requesting both an increase in the stack height and an expansion of outside storage, but withdrew their application when the City Engineer and Fire Marshal raised concerns about hydrant locations and emergency access to fire suppression. In order to comply with Minnesota State Fire Code, the Fire Marshal indicated that the fire lane dimensions may need to be increased and should be designed and maintained to support the imposed loads of fire apparatus and shall be surfaced so as to provide all weather driving capabilities. Since that time, the applicant worked with Little Canada Fire Marshal Jim Lee and has made significant improvements to the site. The entire yard area was paved in 2019, making it safer to increase the storage height and designating storage areas to maintain adequate fire lanes. The current request to amend the PUD to allow an increase in the stack height from 14 feet to 17 feet does not expand the footprint of the outside storage area beyond the previously approved 60,000 square feet.