PC Packet 07-17-2012 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

PLANNING REPORT DATE: July 13, 2012 CASE: SP2012-002,NC2012-001 SUBJECT: Special Use Permit & Nonconforming Use Permit to permit a school bus terminal at 401 1st Street SW APPLICANT: American Student Transportation of Mounds View, Inc. REQUEST&BACKGROUND The applicant is requesting a Special Use Permit to allow operation of a school bus terminal from 401 1st Street SW. Per the I-2, Heavy Industrial zoning district standards, truck terminals are a specially permitted use. While "bus terminal" is not listed as a use allowed in the I-2 district, the City Attorney confirms that a bus terminal is similar enough to a "truck terminal" to allow consideration through a special use permit. The applicant's narrative explains their operations would be conducted on school days, which consists of 167 days a year from 6am to 6pm. The applicant explains that the Mounds View school's contract calls for 54 big buses and 31, Type-A or smaller special education buses and spares. The proposed site plan illustrates the keeping of 63 big buses (10' x 40' in dimension) and 40 smaller buses (10' x 20' in dimension) on the property. The primary layout consists of keeps as many buses as possible parked under an existing large open-air shed structure measuring approximately 120' x 370'. Additionally, an existing garage structure with 6 overhead doors would provide a location to conduct routine maintenance on the buses. The proposed site plan shows outdoor parking (uncovered) of 16 bus buses and stripping of the lot to provide for 130 surface parking stalls to accommodate employee parking. The applicant would also utilize an existing office space in the northwest corner of the large open-air shed structure. The property was originally developed for New Brighton Lumber in 1993-1994. At some point New Brighton Lumber vacated the site and it became occupied by Waco Scaffolding, who left the site sometime earlier this year. The only land use approval on file is a Site Plan request from 1993 for New Brighton Lumber, which developed the site in roughly the manner it exists in today. While this site has been redeveloped relatively recently, the area off 1st Street SW and 5rh Avenue SW is one of the oldest and most heavily-used industrial areas in the City. There are many uses in this area that were developed in the early 1960's (or earlier) and do not meet current Zoning Code requirements. As will be explained later in this report, there are already problems with traffic and on-street parking in the immediate vicinity of this site on 1st Street SW. ATTACHMENTS A—Project Location Map B—Zoning Map C—Aerial Photo D—Neighborhood Notification Map E—Applicant Narrative F— Special Use Permit Criteria Worksheet G—Marketing Flyer H—Request for Further Information letter I—Interoffice Memorandum from the Public Works Director(with attachments) J—Email from Mike Spack(applicant's traffic consultant) K—Bus log from Valentine RD site (from April 10, 2012) L—Email for January of 2011 (concerning traffic concerns on 1st ST SW) M—Email from Estes Express ownership