05-23-2007 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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NORTHWEST ASSOCIATED CONSULTANTS, INC. 4800 Olson Memorial Highway, Suite 202, Golden Valley, MN 55422 Telephone: 763.231 .2555 Facsimile: 763.231.2561 planners(o>nacplanning.com MEMORANDUM TO: Little Canada Planning Commission FROM: Stephen Grittman DATE: May 4, 2007 RE: Little Canada — TEMO Sunrooms — Country Drive PUD FILE NO: 758.09 - 07.17 Background and Analysis The applicants are the owners and occupants of the office /warehouse building at 2905 Country Drive. The property is zoned PUD, and was developed as a part of a City - initiated tax increment financing project to provide high quality office and office - warehouse space along I -35E. Over time, a total of four buildings have been built in this area, with future plans for additional redevelopment to the south of the subject property. The applicant is requesting the ability to construct a detached accessory garage building in the parking lot behind the principal building. The application also includes a request for the construction of a gazebo that would be located in the front parking lot. The purpose of the garage building would be storage of company equipment which the applicant indicates is often stored outside. It should be noted that outside storage is not permitted in this district, and there is an existing garage building near the proposed location. The purpose of the gazebo is as a sales display — the applicant markets this product to retail purchasers. With regard to the garage, the zoning ordinance typically permits a commercial accessory building of up to 30% of the size of the principal building in the business and industrial districts. The proposed garage would result in two accessory buildings, although the 30% threshold would not be an issue. The existing accessory is typical of a residential garage, and occupies what was initially programmed to be parking space. The new garage building would occupy an additional 4 parking spaces. With the current use of the building, parking is not necessarily an issue. Staff would be concerned, however, with a further loss of parking supply in the future in the event that a more office- intensive user were to occupy the facility. In such a case, the loss of parking would result in a problem with parking lot capacity.