Memo

To:	Planning Commissioners

From:

Cary Teague, City Planner

Subject:

I-1, Light Industrial and I-2, Heavy Industrial Zoning Ordinance Amendments - Outside Storage
Date:	March 16, 1999

BACKGROUND

The Planning Commission is asked to consider a Zoning Ordinance Amendment to Chapter 6 of the City's Zoning Ordinance regarding the regulations on outside storage of materials within the I-1, Light Industrial Zoning District, and the I-2, Heavy Industrial Zoning District.

The following memo includes an analysis of a proposed Ordinance Amendment (attached), followed by an examination of existing outside storage within the I-1, Light Industrial District within New Brighton, and a survey of how other Cities regulate outside storage within industrial zoning districts,

ANALYSIS

1.	Regulation on Outside Storage.

Per Section 6-929 of the Zoning Ordinance, the intent of the I-1, Light Industrial Zoning District is to "Provide and encourage industrial users that are aesthetically pleasing in appearance, have all processing within buildings, are complimentary to surrounding land uses, and have reasonable amounts of truck traffic." As the intent of the Light Industrial District is to encourage industrial users that are aesthetically pleasing in appearance, staff believes that outdoor storage of materials should be regulated by the City.

Under the current regulations of the I-1 District, outdoor storage of materials is not regulated, in fact it is considered a permitted accessory use as follows: "Uses which are definitely necessary for the successful operation of the permitted uses of the district." Therefore, if the primary use of a site located within the principal structure is a permitted use, outside storage could be considered an accessory use.

Consideration had been previously suggested for placing additional conditions on outside storage in the Light Industrial District, such as restricting the area to 30% of the gross floor area of the building on the site.

By placing the 30% restriction within the I-1, Light Industrial District, several businesses within the I-1, District would become nonconforming. Staff performed an inventory of all property zoned I-1, Light Industrial, and found that ten (10) sites (about half of all I-1 property) would become nonconforming. The following chart demonstrates the specific sites:

Site/Use	Percentage (%) of Gross Floor Area of Principle Structure Used For Outside Storage*	Material Stored	Zoning
Bel-Air	100%+	Gravel/Dirt	I-1
Thermo-King	50%	Trucks/

trailers	I-1
USWest (Utility Equipment Leasing)	300%+	Spools/

wire/trucks	I-1
Business Data Center	40%	Trucks/

trailers	I-1
Welders Spot Co.	50%	Trucks	I-1
D-Rock	50%	Landscape material	I-1
Precision Built (Old Highway 8)	80%	Appliances/ tools	I-1
Highway Equipment	100%+	Trucks/

trailers	I-1
Delaria	100%+	Trucks/

trailers	I-1
Ryder Trucks Sales	100%+	Trucks	I-1
* Percentage based on an inspection of the site and review of aerial photographs

Surrounding City Survey

Staff also contacted surrounding cities to see how they regulate outside storage. The following were the results:

LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS
City	Outside Storage Regulation
New Brighton	Permitted Accessory Use (no size restriction)
Fridley	Conditional Use (no size restriction)
Roseville	Not Allowed
Moundsview *	Conditional Use (no size restriction)
Arden Hills	Conditional Use (no size restriction)
Eagan	Conditional Use (no size restriction)

HEAVY INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS
City	Outside Storage Regulation
New Brighton	Permitted Accessory Use (no size restriction)
Fridley	Conditional Use (no size restriction)
Roseville	Conditional Use (no size restriction)
Moundsview *	Conditional Use (no size restriction)
Arden Hills	Conditional Use (no size restriction)
Eagan	Conditional Use (no size restriction)

* Moundsview only has one (1) Industrial Zoning District

As demonstrated above, the City of New Brighton is less restrictive compared to the surrounding communities in terms of allowing outside storage as a permitted accessory use rather than by special permit.

Based upon the above information, staff suggests regulating outside storage in both the I-1, Light Industrial and I-2, Heavy Industrial District, by requiring a Special Use Permit in each instance. That way specific conditions can be attached to such uses, such as landscaping and screening from adjacent properties and public right-of-way.

RECOMMENDATION

The Planning Commission is asked to review the proposed Ordinance Amendment, make any additions/revisions felt necessary, and forward it to the City Council with a recommendation for official adoption.