PUBLIC HEARING: Consider Ordinance #18-09 Amending Conditional Uses in the H-1 Highway 10 Business District (Project No. 18-113); Case of Baker White Inc.

The City of Ramsey has received an application for an ordinance amendment to allow light manufacturing as a conditional use in the H-1 Highway 10 Business District.

Staff has intended to look at the permitted and conditional uses in this district as part of the larger Highway 10 corridor effort. This application has prompted moving this topic forward sooner than previously anticipated. After the Comprehensive Plan Update, Staff will still look at the corridor as a whole and consider permitted, conditional, and accessory uses.

Staff attempted to notify all property owners within the H-1 Highway 10 Business District via standard U.S. mail and published the Notice of Public Hearing in the Anoka County UnionHerald.

 

City Code Section 117-120 (H-1 Highway 10 Business District) currently outlines permitted, conditional, and accessory uses in the district. The intent of the H-1 Highway 10 Business District is to allow for uses that minimize traffic, vehicular access, and facilitate orderly transition of the corridor while allowing the property owners the ability to utilize their property for economic benefit until such time as the U.S. Highway 10 transportation system improvements are initiated.

Staff has researched similar ordinances in Brooklyn Park, Blaine, and Champlin and created an exhibit (attached) outlining their ordinances related to light manufacturing along a major highway corridor. Brooklyn Park allows manufacturing with no outdoor storage in their Highway Industrial District. Blaine allows manufacturing with no outdoor storage in their I-1 and I-2 districts along Highway 10. Champlin also allows manufacturing in their I-1 district along Highway 169.

The H-1 District presently does allow, as an accessory use, outside storage for materials and equipment accessory to the principal use under certain conditions. Conditions include:

• Shall not constitute more than 20 percent of the gross lot area.
• Shall be screened on all sides with 100 percent opaque screening of wood, masonry, or maintenance free material, or other means of screening as approved by the city council. Chain link fencing of any type will not be permitted.
• Shall be surfaced with bituminous or concrete if to be located in the side yard.
• Shall be located in the side or rear yard only.
• Storage area may be surfaced with Class V Gravel in the rear yard provided that:
  • The gravel depth must be at least two inches.
  • The storage area must be setback at least 20 feet from public rights of way.
  • The storage area must be setback at least 35 feet from adjacent residential properties.
  • The gravel surface must be kept free of vegetative cover and routinely maintained.
  • The size of the gravel surface may not exceed the size of areas surfaced with concrete or bituminous on the property or 30 percent of the gross lot area, whichever is less.

Staff would like feedback from the Planning Commission regarding the existing outdoor storage regulations. Staff is recommending no outside storage for uses related to light manufacturing. Staff is open to a small amount of outside storage if completely screened and in the rear yard. Staff notes that a key goal of the City Council is to improve the image of Highway 10, and any outside storage must be carefully managed to achieved that goal.

Alternatives

Alternative #1. Recommend City Council adopts Ordinance #18-09. This would update the Zoning Regulations to allow light manufacturing as a conditional use in the H-1 District. Staff supports this alternative.

Alternative #2. Recommend City Council denies Ordinance #18-09. This would leave the Zoning Regulations as-is, which does not allow light manufacturing in the H-1 District. Staff would not support this alternative.

Alternative #3. Table the current application in order to have Staff research additional topics or draft ordinance amendments. Staff would support this alternative if there was specific language or other case studies the Planning Commission felt necessary to review before making a recommendation to City Council.

The Applicant is responsible for all costs with processing the Application.

Staff recommends Alternative #1, recommending the City Council adopt ordinance #18-09.

Motion to recommend the City Council adopt Ordinance #18-09.