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North Metro Motors CUP Report May 13, 2013 Page 3 Discussion: North Metro Motors plans to purchase the property at 2975 County Road and open an automotive repair shop. They currently operate an auto repair and bodywork shop in Ham Lake, and the Mounds View store would be their second location, but with only auto mechanical work. No body work or painting would be done at the Mounds View location. The property at 2975 County Road 10 is zoned B-3, Highway Business, and 0.58 acres in size. The 1,421 square foot building was built in 1959 and has always been auto-related businesses, most recently as a Thrifty Car Rental. The building has two garage bays and an office/sales area. There is room for more than twenty parking spaces in the existing parking lot. The CUP will remain in effect indefinitely so long as there are no changes to the operation, and there have been no problems or reasons which would warrant the City Council to re-examine the CUP. CUP Considerations: Chapter 1125 of the Zoning Code requires that the Planning Commission and City Council review and address any potential adverse effects which include, but are not limited to, relationship with the Comprehensive Plan, geographical area involved, potential depreciation, the character of the surrounding area and the demonstrated need for such a use. Each potential adverse effect is addressed below. Relationship with the Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan encourages existing businesses to remain in the city along with the introduction of new businesses within Mounds View when compatible with surrounding uses. 2975 County Road 10 is zoned B-3, Highway Business and has always been used for auto related businesses, and is designated as “Neighborhood Commercial” in the Comp Plan. If the requested conditional use permit were approved, this CUP would be in line with the Comp Plan land use designation for this site. The Location and Character of the Surrounding Area. The property is located on the northwest corner of County Road 10 and Spring Lake Road. It is immediately adjacent to single and two- family residential land uses. Across County Road 10 there are commercial uses, including an auto repair and sales business (which are in Spring Lake Park). All traffic for this business will be using Spring Lake Road for access. This property has been various types of automotive businesses since it was built in 1959, and the proposed auto repair business should not change the existing character of the neighborhood. Depreciation. A car rental business purchased the property in 1999, but the building has been mostly unused for the last couple of years. The auto repair business will be a more intense use than car rentals, and will likely bring more regular traffic to the site. The applicant plans to paint the building and sealcoat and stripe the parking lot. There is an existing privacy fence on the north and west sides to screen the adjacent duplex homes from the business. The new business will be a change from how quiet this site has been over the last couple of years, and there hasn’t been an auto repair business here for over fourteen years. If the new business maintains the property and limits the amount of vehicles parked on-site, any adverse effects upon the surrounding area should be minimal.