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Planning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes April 21, 1998 Page 4 1 the Town & Country Store building with a conditional use permit as opposed to rezoning. 2 Ms. Moore-Sykes reported that the commercial district allows a conditional use permit to be 3 granted to a''company who performs computer research and program development. 4 Mr. Alvite welcomed the opportunity for the Commission to visit the Robodyne site. He 5 explained that all welding, painting and fabrication is performed at the North Dakota site. The 6 work performed at the St. Anthony site is clean and efficient and the waste is minimal. He stated 7 he has an interest in two future expansion capabilities including a packaging company and an 8 component fabrication company. 9 10 Chair Bergstrom stated he did not believe that the concern of the Planning Commission or the I I City was the waste generated or the smelter. The concern was with moving a light industrial 12 business into a.commercial zone. A group of commercial buildings is synergistic. 13 Mr. Alvite stated that in the future he would like to make the entire St. A nthony Shopping Center 14 area into a light industrial, high-tech computer center. He hoped to negotiate with other 15 companies to make the entire area into a high-tech corridor. 16 Chair Bergstrom encouraged this concept. He then noted a concern that rezoning to light 17 industrial would block the potential future development of the Northgate complex to the south. 18 Commissioner Kaczor asked how many people were employed by Robodyne in St. Anthony and 19 asked if Mr. Alvite anticipated outgrowing the Town& Country building. . 20 Mr. Alvite reported there are 35 people employed at the St. Anthony location. He stated that he 21 does not foresee outgrowing the building for at least 5 to 6 years. But if the company does, he 22 hopes there will be other buildings available in the immediate area. 23 Mr. Warner stated he was not against a conditional use pen-nit. His only concern was that Mr. 24 Alvite would ultimately be able to own the building. Mr. Alvite may not be interested in 25 investing the capital in the building if the opportunity to purchase.is not available.- 26 Chair Bergstrom stated he did not know what the future will hold for the Town& Country 27 building. In five years there may be a completely different plan for the area. However, he could 28 not imagine what the City could do that would preclude Mr. Alvite's option to buy t he building. 29 Mr. Warner asked if the Commission had a sense of their decision. He noted that Mr. Alvite's 30 current lease has expired and he is paying 200% of the normal rent for the site. Mr. Alvite is 31 looking for direction rapidly. 32 Chair Bergstrom stated he did not know that there was consensus on either the Planning 33 Commission or the City Council. Some are reluctant to locate anything in the building other