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<br />Item No: 1 <br />Meeting Date: April 5, 2004 <br />Type of Business: Worksession <br />Administrator Review: _____ <br />City of Mounds View Staff Report <br />To: Honorable Mayor and Mounds View City Council <br />From: James Ericson, Community Development Director <br />Item Title/Subject: Review and Discuss Issues Associated with Temporary <br />Tents and Membrane Structures in Commercial Districts <br /> <br />Introduction: <br /> <br />The Mounds View Zoning Code does not currently address the issue of temporary tents and <br />membrane structures in commercial districts. In order to address this deficiency, the <br />Planning Commission held multiple meetings on the issue and on February 4, 2004, the <br />Commission approved Resolution 752-04, a resolution recommending an amendment to the <br />Zoning Code by adding “Temporary Outdoor Tents and Membrane Structures” as a <br />permitted “Interim Use” in commercial and industrial districts. <br /> <br />Discussion: <br /> <br />To reach their decision, the Planning Commission reviewed Mounds View’s City Code, the <br />Fire code and the Building Code; it reviewed Mounds View’s parking requirements as well as <br />requirements from other communities and considered design and location issues. The <br />Commission was presented with a number of options, which included the following: <br /> <br />1. Should temporary tents and membrane structures be allowed in commercial use <br />districts? <br /> <br />2. If so, should they be allowed by right? Should they require a permit? <br /> <br />3. Should such a structure be allowed only with an Interim Use Permit (IUP) or a Conditional <br />Use Permit (CUP)? <br /> <br />The Planning Commission felt that such structures could be allowed under certain <br />circumstances such as with an IUP or CUP. In this case, an IUP would seem more <br />appropriate since, as the title implies, the approval would be for a specific period of time; as <br />opposed to a CUP which would run with the land forever until formally revoked or terminated. <br />An Interim Use Permit, like a CUP, may have conditions attached to it. The Planning <br />Commission agreed that the following conditions would be suitable: <br /> <br />a. The tent or membrane structure would need to comply with all provisions of the <br />Fire Code and receive an annual fire permit issued by the Fire Marshal. <br /> <br />b. Adequate parking to accommodate the occupancy would need to be provided at a <br />ratio of one parking space per 40 feet of tent area. (The City Council may waive <br />the parking requirement if it is shown the site has sufficient existing parking <br />capacity.)