EDA Packet 01.16.18 - Laserfiche WebLink

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TGK Automotive, Sketch Plan Page 2 neighborhood. The NS District provides for those neighborhood commercial uses, but it does not allow for restaurants, auto sales, or other uses intended primarily to draw traffic from outside the neighborhood. The NS district does allow for neighborhood food service, different from restaurants, which has several regulations in regards to hours of operation and outdoor noise. The purpose of the Central Business (C-1) zoning district is to provide for the establishment of a downtown which is a blend of cultural, recreational, civic, entertainment, retail, sales, and office uses. The C-1 district allows restaurants and taverns as well as a series of other uses that are not allowed in the NS District. The C-1 District allows more commercial uses, with a lesser amount of restrictions than the NS district. A motor vehicle repair business is not allowed in the C-1 zoning district. The General Business (C-2) is the zoning that is being proposed by the applicant. The purpose of the C-2 zoning district is to provide for the establishment of service and freestanding commercial businesses, including retail sales, offices, and restaurants, which are oriented toward motorists and require high volumes of traffic and visibility from major roads. The C-2 district allows restaurants and auto oriented businesses as well as a series of other uses that are not allowed in the NS District. The C-2 district allows more commercial uses, with a lesser amount of restrictions than the NS district. A motor vehicle repair business, excluding an auto body shop, paint shop, or tow lot, is allowed in the C-2 zoning district. The NS and C-2 zoning districts have different permitted, accessory, and conditional uses. The C-2 district allows for more intense commercial uses that may include additional traffic, lighting, and noise. The construction limitations are the same, except the lot coverage requirements. The applicant has stated that he would like the property to be zoned C-2 because of the expanded uses, which allows for the motor vehicle repair business, compared to the NS zoning district. The property to the north at Highway 61 and 1401h St (CSAH 8) was rezoned in 2012 to C-2 from NS. The property to the west across Highway 61 has a conditional use permit for an auto body shop, but is zoned NS. These uses would be allowed in the C-2 zoning district. The property has been marketed by a commercial real estate firm as a NS zoning district. The property now has a purchase agreement for a use that is not allowed in the NS district. The expanded uses may help occupy the vacant property. The property is close to an important intersection adjacent to Highway 61 and 140th Street (CSAH 8), with high traffic counts. Any use on the property would likely draw people from several areas of the City, other than the surrounding neighborhoods. The area is consistent with what would be desired for uses in the C-2 district to locate. Rezoning the property General Business (C-2) would be in compliance with the land use guide plan. While the properties to the east are developed with town homes, they are separated from this property by a wooded area, that with additional work on transitions in the site layout, could serve as an acceptable transition to a proposed commercial development. The properties to the north and south are vacant, zoned NS, and will likely be developed as commercial uses. The property to the west, across Highway 61 are occupied by Schwieters Companies and are zoned General Industrial (I-3). It's staff opinion that this property can accommodate the expanded uses without having an adverse impact on the surrounding properties.