6. Staff Report-PCMemoIndustrialParkDistrict8 4 15
Memorandum
To: Scandia Planning
Commission
Reference: Industrial Park (IP) District
Copies To: Kristina Handt, City
Administrator
Brenda Eklund, City Clerk
Project No.: 15745.000
From: Sherri Buss, RLA AICP,
Planner
Routing:
Date: July 21, 2015
The City’s Economic Development Authority (EDA) has been reviewing zoning requirements
that they believe may be a challenge for encouraging economic development in Scandia. They
reviewed the ordinance section on the Industrial Park (IP) District and similar districts of other
communities, and noted that the list of Permitted uses (those that don’t require a CUP or
administrative Permit) is limited in Scandia’s IP District in comparison to the ordinances of other
smaller cities. Many of the uses that require a Conditional Use Permit in Scandia’s IP District do
not require permits in other communities, such as Hugo, Forest Lake, Chisago City, and
Columbus. Those uses include Light Manufacturing, Warehousing and Distribution, Storage,
Nursery/Greenhouse/Landscaping businesses, Contractor Operations and Offices, Print Shops,
Recreational Facilities, and Wholesaling.
The EDA requested that the Planning Commission review the uses permitted in the IP District,
and consider amending Scandia’s ordinance to include the uses listed above as permitted uses
that do not require a conditional use permit.
Conditional Uses—General Guidance
A conditional use is a land use that is allowed in a zoning district as long as certain standards
are met. Zoning ordinances typically include both general standards that apply to all uses such
as the Environmental Regulations included in Chapter 2, Section 3.3 of the Zoning Ordinance),
and specific standards that apply to all conditional uses and/or particular conditional use in a
given zoning district.
A use is typically classified as a Conditional use rather than a Permitted use because of hazards
inherent in the use, impacts it may have to other uses, or because of special problems that its
location may present. The conditional use permit includes conditions to regulate those hazards,
impacts, or potential problems. The requirements for CUP’s for a particular use may vary by
zoning district—a use that is surrounded by other industrial or business uses may not have the
same potential for impacts that it could have if surrounded by residential uses.
Sign Regulations Memo Page 2 August 4, 2015
Scandia Planning Commission
As Planning Commissioners review the draft amendment attached, think about the uses that are
proposed to be added to the “permitted” list, and whether those uses have some specific
hazards, impacts or problems that would require special conditions if located in a zoning district
where they will be adjacent to other industrial uses.
Staff have drafted some “performance standards” for the IP district that are included in the draft,
in order to have general standards for all of the industrial uses. Other sections of the ordinance
that would apply to the uses in this district include the performance standards in Section 3 and 4
of the Development Code. Section 3 includes standards that apply to all uses (environmental
regulations, stormwater, lighting, screening, signs, etc.) Section 4 includes specific standards
for uses, including some that are permitted in the IP district by right or by permit, including:
Essential Services, Utility Substation
Light Manufacturing and Assembly
Motor Vehicle Repair
Self Service Storage Facility
Warehousing and Distribution
Wind Energy Conversion Systems
Wireless Communication Antennas and Towers
Ordinance Update
The draft ordinance amendment includes the following:
Revised list of permitted uses that includes some transferred from the list of uses that
currently require a CUP in Scandia but that typically do not in other communities similar
to Scandia. The list also includes some additional common uses in Industrial Districts
that staff identified when reviewing ordinances of other communities.
Some new performance standards for uses in the IUP district. Some of these are similar
to those included in the Environmental Regulations section, but more detailed. Others
are borrowed from the other ordinances the EDA and staff reviewed.
The Performance Standards in Scandia’s ordinance are typically placed in Chapter 2,
Section 3 or 4. If the Commission decides that it wants to add some standards for
Industrial Uses, they could go in Section 2.10, or be placed in Section 3 or 4.
Commission Discussion
The EDA requests that the Planning Commission review Section 2.10 of the Development
Code, and consider whether the list of permitted uses can be expanded to include uses that are
similar to those permitted in the Industrial Districts of other similar cities.