PC Packet 07-17-2012 - Laserfiche WebLink

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N—Existing Conditions Survey/Proposed Site Plan FINDINGS Section 6-140. Specially Permitted Uses in an I-2 District. Section 8-130. Special Use Standards. Section 8-460. regulations as to Type 4 Nonconformities. Chapter 11. Parking Standards. SITE CHARACTERISTICS Location: 401 1st Street SW Lot Size: 260,204 SF (5.97 acres) Topography: Generally Flat Comprehensive Plan Designation: HI, Heavy Industrial Zoning: I—2, Heavy Industrial Surrounding Land Uses: North: Wolkerstorfer & Estes Express Lines (manufacturing & truck terminal respectively) South: New Brighton Warehouse (warehouse use with rail service) East: I-3 5 W West: railroad & Wakirkpatrick LLC (trailer storage) SPECIAL USE PERMIT ANALYSIS Zoning Code Section 6-140 lists "truck terminals" as a specially permitted use in the I-2, Heavy Industrial zoning district. As mentioned in the introductory paragraph, the City Attorney was consulted to confirm that bus terminal is essentially the same a truck terminal and the applicants have a right to apply for a special use permit. Because the applicant proposes to occupy an existing site requiring virtually no major improvements, the typical zoning analysis of building setbacks, height, floor area ratios, etc. does not apply. However staff examined the following applicable zoning issues: Parking Chapter 11 of the Zoning Code does not provide for an off-street parking ratio for a truck terminal or a bus terminal. Anecdotally, one would assume at least one parking space should be provided for each driver operating a bus, as well as parking spaces for employees. The applicant has provided a site plan illustrating how 63 big buses and 40 smaller buses could be parked on the property. Additionally, 130 surface parking stalls are shown. The applicant's narrative indicates the contract with Mounds View schools is for 54 big buses and 31 Type-A or smaller buses. This suggests there is at least one parking stall for every driver of every bus (which exceeds the contracted amounts of buses) as well as 27 additional parking stalls for any employees. The applicant has not specified how many employees (non-bus drivers) would reside at the site, but based on the narrative and the small office space allotted on the property, it would likely be less than 27. Lastly, the site isn't currently striped as depicted on the proposed Site Plan. Staff finds the amount of off-street parking to be adequate, but that if the request is approved, a condition of approval should include the striping of the lot as depicted on the proposed Site Plan.