Consider a Time Extension for Site Improvements Related to Northstar Truck & RV Parking - 15861 Jarvis St. NW

In March of this year, the City Council approved a rezoning and Site Plan Review related to a business that leases out parking spaces to trucks and recreational vehicles at the western edge of Ramsey.  The property is partially in Ramsey and partially in Elk River.  The property owner, Northstar Truck and RV Parking LLC, has been working with both communities on getting the necessary approvals to operate the business.  In Elk River, the use is a conditional use and all that was needed was a conditional use permit (CUP).  In Ramsey, the proposed use is not permitted in any zoning district.  The solution to allowing the use, which started prior to obtaining approvals, was to zone the property Planned Unit Development (PUD).  The PUD ordinance spelled out the uses allowed on the site and the accompanying Site Plan Review resolution specified the compliance date.  Since this project had been going through the Elk River process longer, their compliance date was set for November 1.  Ramsey's approvals matched their date, though shorter than the typical one-year period given to projects.  The applicants verbally agreed to this timeline at both the Elk River and Ramsey City Council meetings.

Since then, the business' engineer has been trying to prepare construction plans that address both cities' standards and for the Lower Rum River Watershed Management Organization (LRRWMO).  To date, the plans have not received the required LRRWMO approval before construction can begin.  The next LRRWMO date is November 20.  There have been several missteps that have resulted in the delays.  Ramsey staff feels that the design deficiencies are close to being corrected.  However, given the time of year and closeness of the deadline, grading and paving will not get done.  

Northstar has requested an extension until June 1, 2026, to complete the grading, storm water management, paving, and landscaping.  They have also been working with Elk River on a time extension.  

Code Enforcement Issues
The approval resolution and PUD ordinance state that there shall be no inoperable vehicles, junk vehicles, vehicles without proper licensing, dealer vehicles, or salvage vehicles on site.  In the past year, there have been several documented incidents of these vehicles being on the property.  The applicant has made assertions that the vehicles are fine there as long as they are removed by the compliance date of November 1.  These vehicles are not allowed on any property in Ramsey, so the compliance date argument is not valid.  Several of these vehicles were removed in the past week, but there are several damaged commercial vehicles remaining that would not be considered roadworthy by DOT standards (missing bumpers, flat tires, etc).  Staff wants to make it clear that the expectation is that the approvals granted for this business are only for roadworthy vehicles.  All improper vehicles must be removed from the property.


 

Notification is not required for time extensions.

Alternatives to Consider:
1.  Adopt the resolution granting the time extension.
2.  Adopt the resolution with some other date for the extension.
3.  Deny the time extension request and set a date for which the property use shall be vacated.  

Staff recommends approval of the time extension with the expressed condition that all unlicensed, inoperable, and/or damaged vehicles must be removed from the property by November 1.  

Per discussion.  Should the Council wish to grant a time extension, a resolution has been prepared and the following motion should be made:

Motion to adopt Resolution #25-256 approving a time extension for a site plan review at 15861 Jarvis St. NW.

Should that motion fail or if the Council would like to make a motion to deny the time extension instead, then a motion must be made to specify a date that the use of the site must be vacated (at least 30 days recommended).