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Item No: 7B Meeting Date: July 9, 2007 Type of Business: CB Administrator Review: _____ City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: James Ericson, Community Development Director Item Title/Subject: Second Reading and Adoption of Ordinance 793, an Ordinance Amending the Mounds View Zoning Code Relating to the Former Public Facilities Zoning District Introduction: In October of 2003, in response to a recommendation from the City Attorney’s office, the City adopted Ordinance 720 which eliminated the Public Facilities (PF) zoning district from the City’s zoning map. Each of the seventeen parcels which had been zoned PF (including all City parks) were rezoned to be included in another appropriate district. In the case of City parks, the parcels were rezoned R-1, Single Family Residential. An unintended consequence of the rezoning of the parks was that telecommunication towers and antenna, which had been a conditional use in the PF district, were no longer permitted. Background: In July of 2003, the City Attorney prepared an opinion to the City Council which recommended that the City re-evaluate the PF zoning district. Based upon the attorney’s recommendation, the City Council asked the Planning Commission to comprehensively review the PF district and prepare a recommendation regarding the status of the district. The Planning Commission reviewed potential alternative zoning districts for affected properties and agreed upon a supported comprehensive rezoning of the PF properties. Based on the Planning Commission’s recommendation, the Council adopted Ordinance 720 on October 13, 2003. Discussion: It was recently determined that the Code governing the siting of telecommunications towers (Chapter 1124) is out of date in that it still references the PF district. The regulations originally contemplated allowing towers in City parks with a conditional use permit. However since all parks are now zoned R-1, Single Family Residential, towers and antenna are prohibited (except as allowed on churches, schools or public buildings, but even then no more than 10 feet above the height of the roof.) Staff brought this issue to the City Council on May 7, 2007. The City Council expressed a desire that the Code should be corrected relating to the PF district and telecommunications towers, in that, if towers were conditionally allowed in parks before 2003, the Code should be amended to clarify that they are still conditionally permitted in parks today. In addition, the Council requested that any other remnant inconsistency resulting for the 2003 comprehensive rezoning of PF districts be identified and resolved.