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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.