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Item No: 6A Meeting Date: November 17, 2010 Type of Business: Other Planning Activity City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Planning Commission From: Heidi Heller, Planning Associate Item Title/Subject: Discussion about Permitted Uses in a B-2, Limited Business Zoning District Introduction: City staff recently received a sign permit application for a new Chinese restaurant (dine-in, take-out and delivery) that was preparing to move into Silver View Plaza. City Staff was unaware that a new tenant was going to be moving into this mall. After reviewing the details about the new restaurant, determined that it would not be allowed in the mall because of the existing B-2 zoning. This is because it would be a full operation restaurant and not a delicatessen as allowed by the city code in a B-2 location. Kraus Anderson continues to struggle to get tenants in Silver View Plaza and the City does want to help where it can. City Staff decided to bring this discussion to the Planning Commission to discuss if the Commission would be open to adding more permitted or conditional uses to the B-2 zoning code, particularly relating to restaurants. Discussion: Kraus Anderson built Silver View Plaza and continues to own and manage the property. This mall opened in 1988, and at some point that same year, a rezoning was requested from B-2 to B-3. The City denied the request due to concerns regarding inadequate parking availability. Despite this, for many years the facility experienced full or nearly full occupancy. Kraus Anderson requested to rezone the property again in 2005, but was denied for the same reasons as in 1988. The current zoning designation, B-2, allows for less intense commercial and service oriented businesses such as laundromats, locksmiths, delicatessens, financial offices, florists, sporting goods and hardware to name a few. The present tenant mix at Silverview Plaza includes Domino’s pizza, a laundromat, Curves (exercise facility), a specialty auto accessory store and Fantastic Sam’s hair salon. Other tenants in the past have included a private school, Subway, tool store, flower shop, and a chiropractor. Currently, well over fifty percent of the retail area is vacant. According to the Zoning Code, the purpose of the B-2 district is as follows: PURPOSE: The purpose of the B-2, Limited Business District is to provide for low intensity, retail or service outlets which deal directly with the customer for whom the goods or services are furnished. The uses allowed in this District are to provide goods and services on a limited community market scale and located in areas which are well served by collector or arterial street facilities at the edge of residential districts.