PUBLIC HEARING: Consider Home Occupation Permit for a Yoga Studio at 14941 Juniper Ridge Dr (Project No. 19-115); Case of Wendy Gutknecht

On April 22, 2019, the City of Ramsey received an application from Wendy and Michael Gutknecht, (the “Applicant”) requesting a home occupation permit to operate a yoga studio (the “Home Occupation”) on the property generally known as 14941 Juniper Ridge Drive NW and legally described as Lot 7, Block 4, Rum Acre Estates, Anoka County, Minnesota (the “Subject Property").

 

Notifications of this proposal were sent via Standard US Mail to Property Owners within 350 feet of the Subject Property, as reflected by Anoka County Property Records. A notice was also published in the Anoka Union Herald, the City's official newspaper.
 

General Background Information
The Subject Property is located along the Rum River, in the southeastern portion of the City of Ramsey. The Subject Property is located near a cul-de-sac on a standard residential street. The Subject Property is zoned R-1 (MUSA) and is 1.01 acres in size. The surrounding parcels are all zoned R-1 (MUSA). The Subject Property has ready access to both Alpine Drive NW and Sunwood Drive NW. The Subject Property is located within the Wild and Scenic Overlay District.

The Applicant is a certified yoga instructor through Yoga Alliance since 2018 and is currently CPI First Aid certified.

Summary of Requests
 

Request	Staff Recommendation
5:30 am - 7:00 pm hours of operation	7:00 am - 7:00 pm
3 classes per day	2 classes per day
8 students per class	4 students per class

Staff recommends these changes in order to keep the number of vehicle trips under 8 round-trips per day, and to ensure that there is adequate parking onsite. Staff believes that the Applicant can get approximately 2 cars on the parking pad next to the garage and up to 4 on the driveway at one time. Staff does not believe that 8 student vehicles, plus personal vehicles, could adequately park onsite.

Staff does believe there will be adequate off-street parking for the homeowner as the attached garage allows for 4 cars to be parked comfortably (2 cars deep and 2 cars wide). There is also a 30x30 detached garage onsite that can accommodate personal storage, but does not have a driveway attached to it, so it would not provide daily parking space.

The Applicant did note that they could run the business out of the detached garage, but due to lack of electricity, water, and insulation in that building, the Applicant chose to move forward with the request for the attached garage. The Applicant is open to requests from the Planning Commission related to moving it into the other building. Additionally, in the event that the yoga studio expands in capacity, the Applicant has indicated that they will seek to move to a commercial space.

The Applicant is responsible for all costs related to this request.

Staff Recommends Approval of Resolution 19-126 Approving a Home Occupation Permit a Yoga Studio at 14941 Juniper Ridge Drive NW.

Motion to Recommend the City Council Adopt Resolution #19-126 Approving a Home Occupation Permit for a Yoga Studio at 14941 Juniper Ridge Drive NW.