Request of Orthopaedic and Fracture Clinic for an amendment to the Planned Unit Development to allow for a use to operate outside the completely enclosed structure for an outdoor physical therapy area at the existing building within the medical campus. The subject property is described as Lot 1, Block 1, Mankato Clinic First Addition, etal (1431 Premier Drive).
 

The applicant is the Orthopaedic and Fracture Clinic.

The applicant is requesting an amendment to the Planned Unit Development to allow for a use to operate outside the completely enclosed structure for an outdoor physical therapy area at the existing building within the medical campus.

The subject property is described as Lot 1, Block 1, Mankato Clinic First Addition, etal (1431 Premier Drive).

The property is currently used for The Orthopaedic & Fracture Clinic.

The property is zoned OR, Office Residential District.

The following items directly pertain to previous actions taken on the subject site:

Mankato Clinic, LTD, requested annexation, a planned unit development, rezoning, and a final plat on November 6, 2000. These requests were presented to and approved by the City Council on this date. The final plat was CY 41-00. 

CY 48-02: A Preliminary and Final Plat Review for Amended Planned Unit Development of the Wickersham Addition was presented to and approved by the City Council on October 9th, 2002.

CY 11-13: A resolution amending Planned Unite Development and approved Certificate of Design compliance and Vacating Utility easements for the expansion of Wickersham Health Campus was presented to the planning commission and approved on April 8th, 2013. A final plat review of Mankato Clinic Second Addition was also approved on this date. 

CY 25-24: A resolution amending the Planned Unit Development to allow for an approximately 5,000 square foot addition to an existing building within the medical campus and for a certificate of design compliance for the proposed modifications to the property located within the Highway Gateway Overlay District was approved by the Planning Commission on 06/26/2024 and was later approved by City Council on 07/08/2024. 
- The amendment being proposed was originally part of this item but was removed shortly before the PC meeting. 

The applicant is requesting an amendment to the previously issued Planned Unit Development. The amendment would allow for a use to operate outside of a completely enclosed structure for an outdoor physical therapy area at the existing Orthopaedic and Fracture Clinic building within the Wickersham medical campus in the OR Zoning District.

The planned unit development provisions in City Code allow the City Council the authority in approving any planned unit development to change, alter, modify, or waive any portion of the applicable standards as they apply to the proposed planned unit development. In allowing flexibility, the City Council shall find that the proposed planned unit development will achieve the purpose of a planned unit development and will not violate the general purpose, goals, and objectives of this chapter and of any plans adopted by the Planning Agency or the City Council. 

The applicant is requesting that the Planned Unit Development be amended to allow for an exception to Mankato City Code Sec. 10.52. Subd. 2. Permitted Uses, which states: "Except as specifically limited herein, the following uses are permitted in the O-Office District. Every use shall be operated in its entirety, within a completely enclosed structure, including the storage of all materials, products, and equipment". The use of the property as a medical clinic is considered a Permitted Use in the OR Zoning District, although this only applies to those uses that operate entirely within a completely enclosed structure. The aforementioned exception, despite its relation to a permitted use in a Planned Unit Development, could be viewed as conforming on the basis that 'Sec 10.93. Subd. 4. B. Uses Allowed.' of the Mankato City Code be considered applicable in this context. The language of this ordinance, as it pertains to use, reads: "... Uses not listed as permitted or conditional in a specific district shall not be allowed in a Planned Unit Development unless it is found that the use is complementary to the functionality of the development and the other uses found therein.". The applicant's narrative states that the operation of physical therapy on a dedicated exterior turf area would be complementary to the functionality of the development as a medical clinic and physical therapy operations. This is not dissimilar to outdoor operations for child-care facilities or restaurants.

The applicant makes a case for its complimentary use in their narrative, stating that: "The amendment is to accommodate a new synthetic turf area for the benefit of OFC patients. The added exterior turf area allows for enhanced on-campus rehabilitation opportunities by mimicking an actual outdoor experience. A combined indoor/outdoor therapy setting enhances rehabilitation efforts and results for patients. The goal of this request is to provide a more comprehensive rehabilitation experience with a connection to the outdoors, allowing patients to learn to adapt to the external conditions they will face when they have completed their physical therapy. Different surfaces allow patients to simulate navigation of the many terrains they will encounter, such as sidewalks, curbs, pavement, natural grass, and synthetic turf. Due to the unique medical use of this property, special considerations for spaces and materials must be made to accommodate the therapy setting for recovering patients. The outdoor synthetic turf area is meant to simulate outdoor environmental conditions as a rehabilitative therapy tool. This indoor/outdoor therapy experience better prepares rehabilitation patients for life after recovery."

As previously stated, the applicant's submission states that the code allows for unlisted uses that are complimentary to the functionality of the planned unit development. The applicant states that the outdoor turf area to be used for enhanced physical therapy should be considered as complimentary to the development's function as an Orthopaedic and Fracture Clinic. This modification would be allowed as an amendment to the Planned Unit Development on the basis that the modification of the regulation will achieve the purpose for which a planned unit development may be approved pursuant to this section, and that it will not violate the general purpose, goals, and objectives of this chapter and of any plans adopted by the Planning Agency or the City Council. The Code also offers the limitation that no change can be made unless the regulation expressly authorizes such a change, alteration, modification or waiver. The aforementioned excerpt from the section regarding 'uses allowed', which permits unlisted uses to be approved if they are found to be complimentary to the functionality of the development. 

The applicant's narrative states that the outdoor turf will be for patient use and that it will provide a more comprehensive rehabilitation experience with a connection to the outdoors, allowing patients to learn to adapt to the external conditions they will face when they have completed their physical therapy. They explain that different surfaces allow patients to simulate navigation of the many terrains they will encounter, such as sidewalks, curbs, pavement, natural grass, and synthetic turf. They stated that the added exterior turf area allows for enhanced on-campus rehabilitation opportunities by mimicking an actual outdoor experience. A combined indoor/outdoor therapy experience enhances rehabilitation efforts and results for patients. This enhanced physical therapy experience is something they believe is not currently available in the Mankato area. They also believe that synthetic turf, in lieu of sod, would provide better performance under expected use by patients during their rehabilitation activities. The proposed hours of operation for the outdoor area are from 8:00am to 8:00pm and would be based on pre-scheduled appointments. It is expected there will be no increased noise levels or impacts to surrounding properties. During extremely cold temperatures and inclement weather, the outdoor turf space will not be utilized on a frequent basis. However, the clinic advocates for allowing patients the opportunity to train for maneuvering in adverse weather, with the intention that this will also provide benefits to their rehabilitation and recovery efforts. 

Lighting of the area will be indirect and minimal, as the only exterior lighting of the area will come from the previously approved lighting, located above the entrance door to the south of the turf area. No additional lighting of any kind is proposed in or for the outdoor turf area.

A condition will be included that prohibits the storage of all materials, products, and equipment used in the operation of physical therapy in the outdoor synthetic turf area. The applicant confirmed that there will be "no storage of materials, products, or equipment on the exterior turf area" in the originally provided narrative.

Regarding physical changes proposed in the amendment, the creation of an outdoor area of synthetic turf is shown on the site plan and other associated documents. The synthetic turf area is shown to be 60-feet long by 14' wide, or 840 square feet. The area projects out of the Northeastern corner of the recently approved addition to the physical therapy area of the Orthopaedic and Fracture Clinic toward the new parking area. All this is shown in the rendering provided. 

The applicant is proposing to screen the outdoor turf area from the parking area using landscaping and a 4' ornamental fence. The fence will fully enclose the outdoor turf area and limit access to the area. Access to the turf area will only be available from the garage-type door of the physical therapy. Therefore, access to the external use (physical therapy) will only be provided in conjunction with the internal, complementary use (physical therapy).