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i COUNCIL MINUTES FEBRUARY 24, 2003 APROVED 1 its own merit, and if the Council felt necessary they could add it in with a variance. She stated she 2 likes quality, not quantity, and there is an Oasis down the block, and another not more than 1000 feet 3 away. She indicated she does not mind the one on Birch and 49th coming in now, although she would 4 have preferred it had not. She indicated she has traveled in other cities, and what comes to mind is 5 Bloomington, on Old Shakopee Road, where all four corners had stations, and only one is left, but all 6 four corners are thriving. She stated she has seen in many communities where they have stations 7 across from each other, then they are left with with empty ones that cannot make it and the sites are 8 not pretty. She does not want that for Lino Lakes. She stated that City Planner Smyser went through 9 what could be potential sites for gas stations all over the city, and she does not think residential 10 development depends on commercial development. She is not in favor of every corner or every other 11 corner having a gas station, and she respects what Planning and Zoning did. She feels if it is legal, it 12 is a good idea. 13 14 Councilmember Dahl stated that it has been said a 1000 times before that commercial development is 15 not why people moved here, adding she could count three stations on her way to 35W and one to 35E 16 from where she lives. 17 18 Councilmember Carlson stated she does make a point of buying gas in Lino Lakes, reiterating there 19 are two issues; gas stations in Neighborhood Business districts and if the two sites should be specified 20 in the zoning ordinance. She indicated that Planning and Zoning had another option, with one 21 member asking about pursuing a distance between stations, but that line of thought was not continued 22 because Staff asked if it should be eliminated from the district and then proposed specific sites. She 23 indicated they had not heard from the City Attorney, but since Planning and Zoning recommended it 24 she assumes they had the legal opinion that this was feasible. 25 26 City Attorney Hawkins offered that he and City Planner Smyser had spoke, and he had a question on 27 the legality of setting up a distance requirement between gas stations, and the basis for doing that, 28 indicating if you could do it for gas stations could you do it for chiropractors, or nail salons, etc. He 29 indicated cities often do this for liquor stores, but you can see the reasons for regulating the frequency 30 of those. He stated that he had suggested eliminating it from the Neighborhood Business district uses 31 as an option. 32 33 Councilmember Carlson asked if specific sites could be designated as Neighborhood Business 34 districts. City Attorney Hawkins indicated if it was on the zoning map. Mayor Bergeson asked about 35 designating them in the ordinance. City Attorney Hawkins offered that zoning ordinances have a 36 zoning map attached. He indicated it may be more appropriate in the Comprehensive Plan, but he is 37 not eager to bring an amendment to the Metropolitan Council. He stated it would be unusual, but 38 agreed it could be put in the wording of the ordinance. 39 40 Councilmember Carlson asked if they could put in the zoning ordinance that sites not currently zoned 41 commercial will be zoned Neighborhood Business. City Attorney Hawkins indicted they could. 42 it43 Mayor Bergeson stated he was concerned they are making this much too complicated, and putting too 44 much in the ordinance. He indicated they would have a discussion about rezoning specific sites and 23