Agenda Packets - 2009/08/24 - Laserfiche WebLink

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The Station staff report August 24, 2009 Page 2 Relationship with the Comprehensive Plan: The Comprehensive Plan encourages the expansion of existing businesses and introduction of new businesses within Mounds View when compatible with surrounding uses. The Station is surrounded by a variety of zoning designations and land uses, including single family residential, high density residential, a church, office space, and a neighborhood grocery store. If the City approves the requested zoning code amendment, this CUP could be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan “neighborhood commercial” land use designation. The Geographical Area Involved: This business is located on County Road I, where it has operated as a fuel station for 50 years. County Road I is the City’s only other commercial corridor aside from County Highway 10. Depreciation: The Station has been a neighborhood fuel station in Mounds View for many years. The owner is happy doing business in Mounds View and wants to remain here and wants to improve his business and property. It is unlikely that The Station is depreciating the area in which it is located and it is unlikely that a car wash would further depreciate the area. Approving a conditional use permit for a car wash, which would be an accessory use to the fuel station, will not change the current primary use of the property, nor should it change the neighborhood property values. The Character of the Surrounding Area: This area of Mounds View has a variety of housing types, a church, and a few small neighborhood businesses. The Station is located on County Road I, which is a busy 4-lane road running through the city and is near Pinewood Elementary and the I-35W connections. The character of this area should not change with the addition of a car wash. A concern with this proposal would be the noise from the car wash and the close proximity of multi-family housing. The Station’s property does not directly abut any housing, but there are three apartment buildings (8 units each) one lot to the west of The Station. There are 2 garages and Fedor’s Market surrounding the car wash which should block much of the noise from getting to the apartment buildings. The primary noise would be from the dryers at the exit on the east side of the building facing Adams Street, away from the apartment buildings. The Station is not open 24 hours a day and the car wash would not be open all night. Staff proposes to limit the car wash hours of operation to the noise ordinance hours, which are 7am to 10pm. Traffic: There is some traffic around The Station, particularly during the weekday rush hours, due to County Road I being a main thoroughfare of the City and the close proximity to I-35W. The Station does produce customer traffic, but it has not been a problem from a public safety standpoint. The traffic in the area would likely only change a small amount with the addition of a car wash. The owner anticipates that he will have a small increase in customers since if someone wants a car wash, they could now come to The Station, where previously they would have had to go to one of the other gas stations in the City. There will be curbing and signage directing traffic into the car wash, which would then exit straight onto Adams Street.