06-17-2009 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mounds View Planning Commission June 3, 2009 Regular Meeting Page 4 ________________________________________________________________________ Community Development Director Roberts stated they are going through the comprehensive plan and making sure the use designations are represented properly on the zoning map. Planning Associate Heller stated the next issue is flammable liquids in Industrial districts. She stated the Planning Commission began talking about this matter last year after an industrial business asked if they could install a 1,000-1,500 gallon propane tank on their property. Currently, the City Code allows the storage of flammable liquids in industrial districts (below ground storage only, not to exceed 25,000 gallons), or above ground storage (any amount) as a conditional use. City staff felt it was unnecessary for a business to go through the CUP process for a smaller tank but as the code reads, any amount of above ground storage requires a CUP. The Planning Commission came to a consensus to change the code to require conditional use permits only for flammable liquid tanks over 800 gallons in size. Initially staff and the Planning Commission were thinking of a single tank that is 800 gallons, but maybe the code should also specify that amount is a combined total amount. She gave an example of a business wanting to have three 700 tanks for a total of 2100 gallons, and the code only specified tank size of no more than 800 gallons, not the total storage amount. Commissioner Walsh-Kaczmarek stated she would like see the code amended to add the combined total limitation. Chair Stevenson suggested amending the code to read “on tanks less than 800 gallons or a combination of tanks totaling 800 gallons.” Consensus of the Planning Commission is to amend the industrial district zoning code to allow above ground flammable liquid storage, not to exceed a total of 800 gallons. Planning Associate Heller suggested amending the code regarding daycare centers in churches (Chapter 1106.04 Subd.1) – every church in Mounds View except for Bethlehem Baptist (PUD) is zoned R-1 since churches are allowed in R-1 districts as a conditional use. At least one of the churches currently operates a daycare center in their building, and the city code does not address daycare centers in church facilities. The city code allows licensed daycare facilities in R-1 districts as a permitted use but only if there are 12 or fewer persons, otherwise larger daycare centers are only allowed in R-2 or higher districts. The church daycare centers probably have more than 12 children in them, but they do not appear to cause problems for the neighborhoods. Staff recommends adding language to the R-1 zoning district conditional uses to allow daycare centers in church buildings. Commissioner Walsh-Kaczmarek questioned what prevents a resident from defining their home a church and adding a daycare. Planning Associate Heller stated the resident would need to apply for a CUP to be a church. Also, they would need to be licensed through Ramsey County and abide by the limitations of the county, and due to the size of a single family home, would probably be limited to the number of children that they could be licensed for.