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Planning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes <br />May 15, 2012 <br />Page 4 <br />Mr. Ali stated that Muslims pray five times a day but nobody would come to the Center except <br />on Fridays from 1:00 -2:00 p.m. so that is the only time there would be a crowd. He added that <br />during Ramadan there would be less activity. He stated the rest of the time, the building would <br />be an office building and they are hoping to get more tenants. <br />6 Mr. Robert Lundeen, 3912 Fordham Drive, reared before the Planning Commission and stated <br />7 there is a mosque on Central Avenue and 26` that is crowded on weekends and people walk <br />8 across the street without worrying about traffic. He stated that Old Highway 8 is not an area <br />9 where people should be walking across the street and did not believe there was sufficient parking <br />10 available. He asked if the City Ordinance allows a church in a light industrial area. <br />11 <br />12 City Attorney Lindgren stated the application is for a place of assembly within the Light <br />13 Industrial District within the residential areas of the City where there is a specific CUP that <br />14 allows places of worship to exist. He explained that this designation does not exist in the Light <br />15 Industrial or Commercial District; however, there is a category for a CUP for a place of <br />16 assembly. He stated the application is for a place of assembly and because a place of assembly is <br />17 not necessarily a religious assembly, the City Council requested a study on the regulation of <br />18 assemblies which it will take up at their June 12, 2012, City Council meeting; at that time, the <br />19 City Council will have a recommendation about whether or not assembly should be further <br />20 defined in Light Industrial and the City Council will take action on that study and any Ordinance <br />21 changes it deems advisable and will take that into account in response to this application. <br />22 <br />23 Mr. Lundeen asked how real estate taxes will be applied if part of the building is used for <br />24 assembly. <br />25 <br />26 City Attorney Lindgren stated that presumably a place of religious assembly would qualify as tax <br />27 exempt like any other religious use within the City. He added he believed the assumption would <br />28 be that that portion of the building would become exempt from property taxes. <br />29 <br />30 Chair Heinis closed the public hearing at 7:31 p.m. <br />31 <br />32 Mr. Michael Medina appeared before the Planning Commission and stated all parking will be <br />33 contained on the site with no off -site parking. He indicated that a lot of people will not drive to <br />34 the Center and he did not believe parking would be an issue. He stated they are marketing the <br />35 building for tenants and if they can get more of a tax base in the building, it will help the <br />36 community. <br />37 <br />38 Mr. Ali stated that a nonprofit organization has a right to be exempt from taxes and they intend <br />39 to exempt only the portion used for religious purposes. He stated they will lease to any tenants <br />40 as long as the use is allowed and they will pay taxes. <br />41 <br />42 Chair Heinis recited a written statement to the Planning Commission stating that unless there was <br />43 an objection, he did not intend to have the Planning Commission take action this evening. He <br />44 stated the study authorized by the City Council is not yet finalized and the Planning Commission <br />45 intends to hold a special meeting on June 4, 2012, to review the study and take action on the <br />46 CUP request. He added the study will be publicly available the week of May 28, 2012, and the <br />