10/13/2010 P&Z Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Search

The property that staff is considering for the first Lino Lakes Community Garden is located at the corner of 77th Street and Lake Drive. It is a vacant site owned by the city, and zoned General Business. Ultimately, the site is intended for development with appropriate commercial uses, and the city is actively advertising the availability of the site for purchase /development. The site provides an excellent opportunity to not only establish a use that is sought after by its residents, but also to have a higher profile with which to build interest in the program. Interest that may lead to the establishment of community gardens elsewhere in the city. The zoning ordinances and city codes of the surrounding communities contacted are silent in regards to the issue of community gardens. This is largely based on the fact that the use is civic in nature with the community gardens operated by the cities themselves on municipal lands. City staff would recommend that rather than remaining silent on the issue, the use be addressed in the zoning ordinance through the addition of the following definition and inclusion of the use `Community Garden' in every zoning district as a permitted use. Community Garden. A facility operated by the city for the noncommercial cultivation of fruits, flowers, vegetables, or ornamental plants by more than one person or family. FARMER'S MARKETS AND TEMPORARY OUTDOOR SALES Farmer's markets in Blaine, Forest Lake, White Bear Lake, and Hugo are all permitted through a Special Event Permit process, something that Lino Lakes has within its city code. In most cases, those cities also allow temporary outdoor sales through their zoning ordinance with an administrative permit. The Lino Lakes City Code currently contains both a Special Event Permit section and a Transient Merchant section, though both may need to be updated to serve the needs of these types of uses specifically. Staff would envision city code language that will include some performance standards to make sure that any temporary outdoor sales or farmer's markets can be held to a standard that will protect the public health, safety and welfare. Tentatively staff would propose allowing this type of use within any GB, PSP, LI and GI zoning district with an administrative permit (in the form of a Special Event Permit, a Transient Merchant license, or just a zoning administrative permit for those selling strictly produce). It would also be allowed as an accessory use within all residential and rural zoning districts when associated with an institutional building /site. MOTOR VEHICLE SALES In addition to the changes mentioned above, staff would like to then take this opportunity to clarify the use currently listed in the Zoning Ordinance as `Outdoor Sales Lot (not outdoor • • •