07-09-09 Planning Comm. Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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NORYHWEST ASSOCBATE® CC+NSULTAPiTS, IIVC. 4300 OL.^,on Memorial Highway, Suite 202, Golden Valley, MIV 55422 7elepho ne: 763231.2655 Facsimile: 763.239.2569 planners@nac planning.com PLANNING REPORT TO: Little Canada Planning Commission FROM: Bob Kirmis /Stephen Grittman DATE: July 2, 2009 RE: Little Canada -Little Canada Mini Storage -Zoning Ordinance Amendment and CUP FILE NO: 758.09 - 09.17 Background Little Canada Mini Storage LLC. has requested City approval to allow a caretaker apartment within their existing self storage facility located south of County Road C and west of Park Street. A caretaker apartment presently exists within the storage facility, however the City has no record of approving such an activity. The applicants are seeking to establish the facility with proper legal footing. To do so, an amendment to the zoning ordinance is necessary, as the City's zoning regulations no longer reference storage as an allowed use in the B-3 District. Moreover, there is no provision for caretaker apartments. As such, two actions are necessary if the City wishes to accommodate the caretaker facility. First, a zoning district amendment will be necessary to both re-establish the use in the B-3 District, with conditions relating to the caretaker residence. A draft amendment that would accomplish this by Conditional Use Permit is attached to this report for consideration. Second, a CUP would need to be issued subject to the terms of the new ordinance. If the City decides against the caretaker facility, the existing mini-storage could continue as a legal non-conforming use. Such facilities are permitted to remain, with rights to renovation, repair, and reconstruction, without expansion. The site appears to be fully developed, so expansion is not likely in any case. At the time the self storage facility was developed in 1979, a PUD was processed to accommodate multiple principal buildings upon the subject property. Because self storage facilities are not however, presently listed as a permitted use in the B-3 District, question exists regarding its intended allowance (in the district) in the long term.