08.b3 Staff Report LaBelle Map Amendment
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Memorandum
To: Scandia City Council Reference: LaBelle Comprehensive Plan
Amendment Request
Copies To: Brenda Eklund, Clerk
Ken Cammilleri, City
Administrator
Michael LaBelle, Applicant Project No.: 18407.000
From: Evan Monson, Planner Routing:
Date: July 7, 2022
SUBJECT: Comprehensive Plan Amendment request to amend the Future Land Use
designation of a parcel from Mining to General Rural
MEETING DATE: July 19, 2022
LOCATION: PID 17.032.20.21.0005
APPLICANT/OWNER: Michael LaBelle, LaBelle Real Estate Group
ZONING: General Rural (GR), Mining Overlay
REVIEW PERIOD: 60 day period ends July 24, 2022
ITEMS REVIEWED: Application and plans received May 25, 2022
DESCRIPTION OF THE REQUESTS
The property owner is looking to develop the subject parcel as a single family residence in the near
future. The property is currently vacant. The property is zoned (GR), and is als o within the Mining Overlay
zone.
In order to use the site for residential use, the parcel must be rezoned out of the Mining Overlay, as the
Mining Overlay does not permit residential use. Before rezoning out of the overlay, the site’s future land
use designation must be amended. An amendment of the Comprehensive Plan requires review by the
Planning Commission, and approval by the City Council with a 2/3 majority. Any city approval would be
contingent on approval by the Metropolitan Council, who would review the request for consistency with
their regional 2040 Plan.
LaBelle Staff Report July 19, 2022
Scandia City Council Page 2
PROPERTY INFORMATION
Parcel description: The subject property consists of one parcel 10.16 acres in size, and is located west
of the intersection of Lofton Avenue and 218th Street North in the northwest side of the city. The property
is east of the Dresel Mine operated by Martin Marietta (formerly operated by Tiller Corp.). The subject
property slopes down from 218th Street, with the north half of the parcel wooded. Apart from the mine,
nearby properties are predominantly large-lot single family residential or agricultural in use.
Land use: None/vacant
Figure 1: Aerial of subject property and surrounding area, from Washington County GIS
EVALUATION OF REQUEST
Comments on the Request
Martin Marietta/Tiller Mine
Staff for the mine noted that the subject parcel is not included in future mining plans, and had no
objections with the requested change of the future land use designation for the parcel. If the request is
approved, the AOP and CUP for the mine will have to be updated at the time of renewal to no longer list
this parcel as part of the mine.
Staff also noted that 21820 Lofton Avenue was also not included in future mining plans, and would not
object to a future change of the future land use designation of that parcel.
LaBelle Staff Report July 19, 2022
Scandia City Council Page 3
Development Code Requirements
Zoning District Requirements
The base zoning of the subject parcel is General Rural (GR), which permits single -family residential and
agricultural uses as permitted uses. The parcel meets the lot requirements of the Development Code
(Chapter Two, Section 2.6) for the GR zone. As a result of being within the Mining Overlay zone, though,
the parcel is not permitted to be used for single-family residential (Chapter Two, Section 2.12). In order to
use the parcel for residential use, the parcel must be rezoned out of the Mining Overlay. The Mining
Overlay zone matches the extent of the Mining Zone in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan.
Amending the Future Land Use Map of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan
An amendment to the Comprehensive Plan follows a similar process as amending the Development
Code. For this request, the proposed change would be to have the Future Land Use Map designate the
subject parcel as ‘General Rural’. The Comprehensive Plan describes the General Rural future land use
designation as:
“The General Rural area land use category is a residential area of mixed lot sizes. It recognizes areas of
Scandia that have been developed in the past at densities of ten acre or less and areas that have larger
parcels still used for agriculture. The area includes 10-acre parcels, but also a number of existing smaller
parcels and some parcels enrolled in the Agricultural Preserves Program. Single -family residential
dwellings are the primary land use for the General Rural area at densities of 4 units per 40 acres.
Secondary land uses include agricultural production, including small-scale production, parks and
recreation, and public and private institutions. Recreational commercial uses are allowed as a conditional
use. This designation corresponds with the General Rural District in the current zoning ordinance.”
The size (10.16 acres), current base zoning (GR), and proposed use of the site (single -family residential)
would be consistent with the General Rural future land use designation.
The site’s use for mining is no longer applicable; the subject parcel has been identified in past AOP
submittals as already reclaimed. In conversations with Martin Marietta staff, the subject parcel is not
planned for future mining activity.
If the City approves of changing the designation, it would then be required to be reviewed by the
Metropolitan Council for “conformance, consistency, and compatibility” with their regional 2040 Plan. If the
Comprehensive Plan amendment is approved, the applicant is then able to request a rezoning to no
longer be within the Mining Overlay zone.
Future Comprehensive Plan Amendments
As noted previously, the Mining Overlay does not permit single-family residential use for parcels within
that zone. For parcels actively being mined, this is not an issue. An issue does arise though when a
parcel is not used for mining but the zoning and future land use designation have not been updated to
reflect the correct use.
The property to the east of our applicant’s site, addressed as 21820 Lofton Avenue North, is currently
used for single-family residential. The parcel is also within the Mining Overlay, and is also designated in
the Future Land Use map as ‘Mining’. Since the house and use of the house predates our D evelopment
Code, it is a legally nonconforming use. As noted in the Development Code (Chapter One, Section
13.4(2)), a nonconforming use may continue, but is not ab le to be enlarged or increased.
LaBelle Staff Report July 19, 2022
Scandia City Council Page 4
In order to alleviate this from becoming an issue for the landowner in the future, staff discussed the need
to change the designation of this property in the future with the Planning Commission. The
commissioners made and approved a motion to consider a change to the future land use map
designation of 21820 Lofton Avenue North at an upcoming Planning Commission meeting. That change
would have to follow the same review process as this request, so if it were approved it would go to the
City Council for approval, contingent on approval by the Metropolitan Council.
ACTIONS REQUESTED
The Scandia City Council can do one of the following:
1. Approve
2. Deny, with findings
3. Table the request
If the City Council approves the requested amendment, city staff will forward the City Council’s resolution,
and the applicant’s request, to the Metropolitan Council for their review and approval.
RECOMMENDATION
The Planning Commission recommends that the requested amendment to the Future Land Use Map be
approved by the City Council. Findings by the commissioners for approval were:
1. The requested amendment would ensure consistency with the future use map and the current
base zoning designation of the parcel of General Rural (GR).
2. The proposed amendment would be consistent with the designation of other adjacent and nearby
properties.
3. The requested future land use designation amendment would not conflict with the future mining
activity of the nearby Scandia Pit.