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9.c Redeemed Farm Annual Operating PermitMemorandum To: Scandia City Council Copies To: Neil Soltis, City Administrator Brenda Eklund, City Clerk Jeff and Julie Gacek, Applicants From: Sherri Buss, RLA AICP, Planner Date: August 8, 2017 Reference: Redeemed Farm 2017-2018 Annual Operating Permit (AOP) Project No.: 16322.016 Routing: SUBJECT: Redeemed Farm Rural Event Facility Annual Operating Permit for 2017-2018 MEETING DATE: LOCATION: APPLICANTS: ZONING: 60 -DAY PERIOD: ITEMS REVIEWED: August 15, 2017 12680 Scandia Trail Jeff and Julie Gacek Agriculture Core (AG C) District September 30, 2017 Application and Annual Report received August 1, 2017 The City Council approved an Interim Use Permit (IUP) and Annual Operating Permit (AOP) for Redeemed Farm to operate a Rural Event Facility in October, 2017. The Development Code requires that operators of Rural Event Facilities apply for an AOP at least 60 days prior to the expiration of the current AOP. The 2016-17 AOP for Redeemed Farm will expire on October 18, 2017, and the Gaceks have therefore applied for a new AOP for 2017-18. The ordinance requires that applicants submit an annual report describing operations during the past year and proposed operations for the next year. If the operator's application conforms to An employee owned company promoting affirmative action and equal opportunity 444 Cedar Street, Suite 1500 Saint Paul, MN 55101 651.292.4400 tkda.com Mi TKDA Memorandum To: Scandia City Council Copies To: Neil Soltis, City Administrator Brenda Eklund, City Clerk Jeff and Julie Gacek, Applicants From: Sherri Buss, RLA AICP, Planner Date: August 8, 2017 Reference: Redeemed Farm 2017-2018 Annual Operating Permit (AOP) Project No.: 16322.016 Routing: SUBJECT: Redeemed Farm Rural Event Facility Annual Operating Permit for 2017-2018 MEETING DATE: LOCATION: APPLICANTS: ZONING: 60 -DAY PERIOD: ITEMS REVIEWED: August 15, 2017 12680 Scandia Trail Jeff and Julie Gacek Agriculture Core (AG C) District September 30, 2017 Application and Annual Report received August 1, 2017 The City Council approved an Interim Use Permit (IUP) and Annual Operating Permit (AOP) for Redeemed Farm to operate a Rural Event Facility in October, 2017. The Development Code requires that operators of Rural Event Facilities apply for an AOP at least 60 days prior to the expiration of the current AOP. The 2016-17 AOP for Redeemed Farm will expire on October 18, 2017, and the Gaceks have therefore applied for a new AOP for 2017-18. The ordinance requires that applicants submit an annual report describing operations during the past year and proposed operations for the next year. If the operator's application conforms to An employee owned company promoting affirmative action and equal opportunity Redeemed Farm AOP Staff Report Scandia City Council Page 2 August 15, 2017 the Development Code requirements, and the City's facility inspection indicates compliance with the current AOP and IUP, the City may issue the AOP for the next year. EVALUATION OF THE AOP REQUEST: The primary requirements for the approval of the AOP for 2017-18 are compliance with the conditions of the IUP and current AOP, whether the proposed operations in 2017-18 comply with the IUP, and any findings from the City's site visit. The items below review the applicants' compliance with the requirements. IUP Conditions 1. The event activities on the site shall occur only within the areas identified on the Site Survey and Building Layout submitted with the application. Complied—per staff observations during events. 2. Each event shall be limited to a maximum of 150 attendees. Annual Report states that weddings and other events had 80-150 attendees. 3. The applicants shall provide adequate on-site septic facilities. Any new or upgraded holding tank or other subsurface septic system facilities shall obtain a Washington County permit. Complied—per staff observation. 4. All access to and from the rural event facility shall be from Meadowbrook Avenue. Complied. 5. The applicants shall carefully review soil conditions for the proposed grass parking areas. If the applicants decide to add a gravel or paved surface to the parking lot at any time, they shall obtain the required City and Watershed District permits for the proposed improvements. Complied. 6. No parking is permitted on public streets, including TH 97. Complied. 7. Security staff shall be present if alcohol is served. Complied. 8. Outdoor sound application of ceremonies only is permitted. Outdoor sound amplification may include voices and music that are part of the ceremony. Parties or celebrations preceding or following the ceremony shall not include outdoor amplified sound. Outdoor amplified sound shall be directed toward the applicant's home and interior of the Rural Event Facility site rather than surrounding properties. Complied. 9. Sound amplification for events is permitted in the barn. All sound associated with events shall meet State Rules and the City's ordinance requirements (Ordinance 65). Complied. 10. Events shall not generate noise that unreasonably annoys, disturbs, or endangers the comfort or peace of any persons, or precludes their enjoyment of property or affects their property's value. Complied—the City received no complaints regarding noise. 7 Redeemed Farm AOP Staff Report Scandia City Council Page 3 August 15, 2017 11. The operating hours for the Rural Event Facility shall be 9 AM to 10 PM, seven days per week. All amplified sound shall conclude by 10 PM. All guests shall be off the site by 10:30 PM. Complied—no reports of hours of operation extending beyond limits. 12. The signs for the Rural Event Facility shall meet the current requirements of the Sign Ordinance. Complied. 13. The applicants shall obtain a watershed district permit if required for the new parking area or other facilities. Applicant obtained Watershed District permit. 14. The IUP shall terminate with a change in ownership of the site or if the use is discontinued for one year. Not applicable—no change in ownership. 15. The City may inspect the site if needed and with appropriate notice to the applicants. Sheriff's Department personnel were present at events, and the City Administrator visited the site in 2017. 16. The applicants shall pay all fees and escrows associated with this application and future AOP applications. Complied. AOP Conditions 1. The applicants shall revise the survey and layout and submit a final Site Layout that includes accurate, scaled locations and dimensions of all proposed facilities. All elements of the facility shall be setback a minimum of 100 feet from the parcel boundaries. Complied. The applicants shall complete a lot line adjustment of the eastern boundary so that the barn meets the setback requirement and submit the information required by the ordinance for the Landscape/Screening plan. Complied. 2. The final plan shall address the Engineer's comments included in his memo dated July 13, 2016. Compliance reviewed by Engineer and noted in items 3-7 and 11. 3. The final driveway location shall be reviewed by the City Engineer. The Engineer shall determine whether a culvert shall be required. Complied—no culvert required. 4. The parking lot entry shall be a minimum of 32 feet wide to accommodate 2 -way traffic, and the driving lanes in the parking area shall be a minimum 24 feet wide. Substantial compliance—The Engineer noted that the constructed driveway width entrance is suitable for emergency medical vehicles and two-way traffic though it was not constructed to the 32' in the original condition. The Engineer recommended that the 2017-18 AOP include conditions that 1)the driveway width shall not be reduced, and that 2) parking shall be prohibited on Meadowbrook Avenue North and on the emergency vehicle access. 5. The applicants shall secure and record right-of-way along the entire southern boundary of the property consistent with the parcel to the south of Highway 97, and reviewed and approved by MnDOT. Complied. 7 Redeemed Farm AOP Staff Report Scandia City Council Page 4 August 15, 2017 6. The applicants shall secure and record right-of-way along the entire western boundary of the property 33' east of the section line along Meadowbrook Avenue North. Complied. 7. The proposed emergency vehicle access from Meadowbrook Avenue shall be constructed to support emergency medical vehicles and include a turnaround at the east end of the access route. The City's Fire Chief shall review and approve the proposed emergency vehicle access. The emergency vehicle access shall be improved to meet City requirements. Complied. 8. The applicants shall install a stop sign at the emergency vehicle access. Complied. 9. The City and MnDOT shall monitor traffic impacts of the event facility at the intersection of TH 97 and Meadowbrook. If the City and MnDOT determine that improvements are needed, the applicants shall work with the City to implement improvements such as temporary signing, avoiding peak traffic periods on TH 97, or providing police for traffic control. The City shall evaluate the monitoring to determine the potential need for a right turn lane and/or left turn lane on TH97 at its intersection with Meadowbrook Avenue. City staff did not identify needs for improvements based on traffic during 2016- 2017. The Sheriff's Department was informed of events and reported no issues regarding traffic impacts. 10. The City shall monitor three events that are expected to have 100 or more guests during the first year of operation of the event facility. The events shall include at least one Friday event, and events scheduled on other dates and times. The owners shall inform the City of when 3 events that are expecting 100 or more attendees are scheduled, so that the City can complete the required monitoring. Sheriff's Department staff were present at 4 events with more than 100 guests during 2016-2017 and reported no violations of the IUP or City ordinances. 11. The first 75 feet of the driveway shall be paved or constructed with an alternative surface such as trap rock that has been approved by the City Engineer. The applicant shall submit the final plan for the driveway to the City for Engineer approval identifying the area of impervious surface. The total impervious area on the parcel may not exceed 25% of the parcel area. The applicant has not completed this improvement. The Engineer stated that the condition was included in the AOP to minimize the amount of sediment tracked onto Meadowbrook Avenue. He recommended that the 2017-18 AOP include a condition that "the applicants shall perform sweeping on Meadowbrook if traffic from the event facility results in sediment deposited on the roadway." 12. The number of events shall be limited to a maximum 75 events per year. Six events were held during the 2016-2017 operating year. 13. The applicant shall submit a final landscaping and screening plan for the site that shows the number, species, size at planting, and spacing of all proposed plantings. All landscaping shall be located outside the MnDOT right-of-way and highway easement on TH 97. Complied. I Redeemed Farm AOP Staff Report Scandia City Council Page 5 August 15, 2017 14. The AOP shall terminate one year from the date of approval of the 2016-2017 AOP. The applicant shall submit an application for a new AOP a minimum of 60 days prior to the expiration of the current AOP. Complied. Site Visits Sheriff's Department staff attended several events at the site during 2016-2017 when alcohol was served. The City Administrator also visited the site during 2017. City staff did not identify issues with IUP or AOP compliance during the site visits. The City did not receive any complaints about the site operations in 2016-2017. The applicant requested that immediate neighbors provide feedback about their operations during the past year. The request and responses are included in the Annual Report. Proposed Operation for 2017-2018 The applicants' Annual Report states that operations of Redeemed Farm will be similar in during the next year to operations from 2016-2017. The facility will continue to hold weddings, retreats, and worship activities in the barn and Event Center. Events will continue to include activities with and without alcohol, and the facility will continue to have an off-duty Washington County Deputy on the site when alcohol is served for a paid event. The applicants anticipate scheduling up to 75 events during the year. The Annual Report includes a statement that the applicants would like to increase the guest count from 150 to 185, and that the site has sufficient parking to accommodate those guests. An amendment to the IUP would be needed to permit an increase in the number of auests. STAFF FINDINGS Staff find that the applicants were in substantial compliance with the conditions of the IUP and 2016-2017 AOP. Staff recommendations include modification of some conditions for the 2017- 18 AOP, based on the discussion of compliance with the 2016-2017 AOP. ACTION REQUESTED: The City Council can take the following actions for the AOP request: 1. Approval 2. Approval with conditions 3. Denial with findings 4. Table the request STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: The City Staff recommend that the City Council approve the Annual Operating Permit for the Rural Event Facility located at Redeemed Farm, 12680 Scandia Trail, beginning October 19, 2017 through October 19, 2018, with the following conditions: 7 Redeemed Farm AOP Staff Report Scandia City Council Page 6 August 15, 2017 1. The applicant shall comply with the conditions of the Interim Use Permit granted on October 18, 2016. 2. The parking lot entry width shall not be reduced from the current width. All parking for the Rural Event Facility shall be accommodated within the parking lot. No parking shall be permitted on the emergency vehicle access or Meadowbrook Avenue North. 3. The City and MnDOT shall monitor traffic impacts of the event facility at the intersection of TH 97 and Meadowbrook if traffic issues are identified during the 2017-18 operating year. If the City and MnDOT determine that improvements are needed, the applicants shall work with the City to implement improvements such as temporary signing, avoiding peak traffic periods on TH 97, or providing police for traffic control. The City shall evaluate the monitoring to determine the potential need for a right turn lane and/or left turn lane on TH97 at its intersection with Meadowbrook Avenue. 4. The applicants shall perform sweeping on Meadowbrook Avenue if traffic from the Rural Event Facility results in sediment deposited on Meadowbrook. 5. The number of events shall be limited to a maximum 75 events per year. 6. The AOP shall terminate on October 19, 2018. The applicant shall submit an application for a new AOP a minimum of 60 days prior to the expiration of the current AOP. I 7.31.18 O REDEEMED A Farmstead City of Scandia, Redeemed Farm Annual Report for Renewal of the Annual Operating Permit. VENUE Redeemed Farm, 21325 ScandiaTrail, Scandia, MN 55073 COMPLIANCE Redeemed Farm met all requirements in conformance with the IUP and AOP issued and the conditions approved by the City of Scandia and received it's Building Occupancy Permit in May 2017. There are no outstanding requirements that have not been made or completed. SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS DURING THE PAST YEAR 2017. As of August 1, 2017, we have had seven events since opening our Rural Event Center on May 19th, 2017 May 19, 2017 Redeemed Farm Dedication 150 Guests - Dinner Alcohol with deputy on site Program 9am- I I pm May 21, 2017 Scandia Fire Department 80 Guests - Dinner Alcohol with deputy on site Program 3pm-8pm June 3, 2017 Wedding 150 Guests Ceremony Dinner Alcohol with Deputy on site Reception 9am- I I pm June 24, 2017 Wedding 150 Guests Ceremony Dinner Alcohol with Deputy on site Reception 9am- I I pm June 30, 2017 Date Night 140 Guests - Dinner Alcohol with deputy on site Program 9am- I I pm July 8, 2017 Wedding 150 Guests Ceremony Dinner No Alcohol Social 9am- I I pm July 26, 2017 Open House/Grand Opening 275 Guests Ribbon Cutting Food Alcohol with deputy on site Social 9am- I I pm We have 13 more events scheduled as of July 31, 2017 between August I and October 28th PROPOSED OPERATIONS FOR THE COMING YEAR 2018 Operations of Redeemed Farm will be similar to 2017 in that we will continue to have weddings, retreats, worship in the barn and other events utilizing our Rural Event Center. We anticipate up to 75 events will occur in 2018.We will have events with and without alcohol and will continue to have an off duty Washington County Deputy on site whenever alcohol is served for a paid event. We would like to increase the guest count from 150 to 185 and already have enough parking to accommodate the additional 35 people. CLOSEST NEIGHBORS FEEDBACK We have sought out our closest neighbors north of hwy 97 for feedback after the first four events. Here are their responses. Closest neighbor to our East: Brittany and Denver. Hi Brittany, Hope you're doing well. We've had four events now and wanted to reach out. We want to make sure it's OK for you as neighbors. Do you have any feedback or requests? Best, Julie Hi Julie, I'm doing well, hope you are too! We had no idea you have had 4 events. I think that's a good sign! We have no complaints and haven't seen or heard anything out of the ordinary. It hasn't been an issue at all for us.We think you have done a WONDERFUL job accommodating neighbors, etc. Closest neighbor to our West: Tim & Bobby. Hi Tim, Hope you're doing well. We've had four events now and wanted to reach out. We want to make sure it's OK for you as neighbors. Do you have any feedback or requests? Best, Jeff Jeff, I appreciate your operational strategy, since it seems to be addressing all of my earlier concerns. No issues so far, and I appreciate the no right turn sign. If we have any issues we will let you know, but keep doing what you are doing:) Thank you for the opportunity to be part of the Scandia area development. r Jeffrey Gacek Redeemed Farm jag@redeemedfarm.org I C: 612.701.9991 1 0:612.757,3597 1 www.redeemedfarm.org 1 21325 MeadowbrookAve N, Scandia, MN 55073 REDEEMED A Farmstead SITE PLAN If OYE45roCY-pEClOuous rR[ES - 0) tG' * Cv) i&'wnm Y� EJ£RGRfEN-cONiftXouS reds qqtt LANDSCAPE PLAN ofirahamsonk jag@redeemedfarm.org I C: 612.701.9991 1 O: 612.757,3597 1 www.redeemedfarm.org 1 21325 Meadowbrook Ave N, Scandia, MN 55073