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City Council Regular Meeting Minutes <br /> August 22, 2000 <br /> • Page 6 <br /> 1 Mr. Bergstrom stated the second public hearing related to the parking which, in the <br /> 2 Industrial zone, is based on"head counts" in the building. He noted that can fluctuate <br /> 3 quite a bit depending on the tenants but if the parking requirements are based on square <br /> 4 footage, it would be more consistent. Mr. Bergstrom advised that the applicant was <br /> 5 asked if he could acquire property from the railroad but after negotiations it is not yet <br /> 6 known if he can acquire it. Therefore, since he does not own the property, it could not be <br /> 7 included in the parking calculations. Mr. Bergstrom stated a lengthy discussion was held <br /> 8 with the Planning Commission including the light industrial parking requirements of <br /> 9 other cities but it is difficult to determine what the appropriate parking requirement <br /> 10 should be. He stated they reached a conclusion that even after research that"right <br /> 11 number" may not be known so they recommended approval of the rezoning subject to a <br /> 12 condition to change the square footage from 1,000 to 800 and recommendations of the <br /> 13 City staff and City attorney. <br /> 14 Mr. Bergstrom stated the third consideration was a rezoning of Apache Animal Medicine, <br /> 15 which is currently not zoned, to Commercial and the Industrial Custom Products parcel <br /> 16 rezoned to Commercial to be:consistent with the newly created parcel. The Planning <br /> 17 Commission recommends approval of the rezonings based on positive findings of fact. <br /> 18 Hodson questioned the parking element and if that is something which could be dealt <br /> 9.. with via a variance. Mr. Bergstrom stated the.application submitted was to amend the <br /> 0 Zoning Ordinance which is what the Planning Commission acted on. He stated the <br /> 21 Planning Commission shares the concern about a"global" consideration. <br /> 22 City Manager Morrison noted the resolution indicates going to 1,000 square feet but the <br /> 23 meeting minutes indicate 800 square feet. Mr. Bergstrom corrected that the minutes are <br /> 24 correct and the recommendation is for.800 square feet. <br /> 25 City Attorney Soth explained that a variance consideration is not appropriate since to <br /> 26 grant one, a hardship must b0ound which includes the ability to make reasonable use <br /> 27 without the variance. He noted-this property has been put to a reasonable use for many <br /> 28 years so that finding could not be met. He stated the applicant is making a case that 350 <br /> 29 square feet creates a parking requirement that is unusually high, although it is the same as <br /> 30 New Brighton. In this case,the building has about 72,500 square feet of floor area <br /> 31 requiring over 260 parking spaces and the question is whether this type of property needs <br /> 32 260 spaces. Using 1,000 square feet, it would require 72 parking spaces and the Planning <br /> 33 Commission determined that something in between those numbers (800 square feet) is a <br /> 34 better number. <br /> 35 Mr. Bergstrom stated the current owners lease and use of the railroad property so there is <br /> 36 ample area for parking if the railroad property can continue to be used. However, that <br /> • <br />