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PL 04/16/2008 - 30942F _ } PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Apri116, 2008 Chairperson Savage called the Planning Commission Meeting to order at 7:38 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT: Dean Saba, Diane 5avage, Brad 5ielaff , Jack Velin, Brad Dunham, David Kondrick, and Leroy Oquist OTHERS PRESENT: Stacy Stromberg, City Planner APPROVAL OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES: April 2, 2008 MOTION by Commissioner Saba to approve the minutes as presented. Seconded by Commissioner Sielaff. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON SAVAGE DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 1. PUBLIC HEARING Consideration of a Special Use Permit, SP #08-06, by Joe Papa, on behalf of Hitching Post Real Estate, LLC, to allow a repair garage (service use) for the motorcycles and recreational vehicles that are sold as part of the business, generally located at 7651 Highway 65 NE. MOTION by Commissioner Kondrick to open the public hearing. Seconded by Commissioner Velin. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON SAVAGE DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED AND THE HEARING OPENED AT 7:40 P.M. Stacy Stromberg, City Planner, the petitioner is seeking a special use permit to allow for a repair garage within the existing building (service use) for the motorcycles and recreational vehicles that are sold as part of the Hitching Post Motorsports business which is located at 7651 Hwy 65 NE. Ms. Stromberg, stated the subject property is zoned C-3, General Business, and is located on the Highway 65 Service Drive, south of Osborne Road. The existing building was constructed in 1998 as a restaurant with indoor volleyball courts. The property remained as a restaurant with volleyball courts until 2005 when the Hitching Post purchased the property. Recently City staff discovered there were several recreational vehicles being stored in a fenced in azea north of the existing building. After discussions with the petitioner, it was determined this azea is primarily used for customers to drop off their recreational vehicles while they were waiting to be serviced. Once the vehicles aze serviced, then the customers typically picks them up. The petitioner has also articulated that this area is used to store seasonal Jet Ski's that the Hitching Post has winterized for their customers. Ms. Stromberg sta.ted the CiTy Code allow repair garages as a permitted special use in the C-3, General Shopping zoning district. Repair garages are defined as a place where major repair of motor vehicles is conducted, including engine rebuilding or reconditioning. Though this business does not repair motor vehicles, it repairs recreational vehicles which aze similar enough to allow the use through a special use permit. Ms. Stromberg stated as a result of this special use permit request, staff took a field trip to analyze what other communities require for similar type uses. Though Fridley has a few small businesses that sell recreational vehicles, there is not one that is that close of a comparison. Tousley Motorsports in Gem Lake would be considered a close comparison as it is a similaz type business in that it has a service/repair/storage business that is associated with their retail sales of recreational vehicles. In order to mitigate any negative impacts that may occur as a result of the storage area on the particulaz site, sta.ff is recommending that the petitioner screen the area in a similar fashion as Tousley Motorsports has at their location in Gem Lake. Ms. Stromberg showed a picture of the screened-in area at Tousley Motorsports. There is a screened fence that already exists on the subject property with a gate which will be required to be screened so the vehicles cannot be seen from the public right-of-way. Ms. Stromberg stated the Hitching Post does have enough pazking to meets its required parking located to the west of the subject building. Due to the fact that this parking is not going to be used for storage, it is not hindering the ability for customers to park outside of the building. Ms. Stromberg stated the commercial zoning code requires that all materials and commercial equipment stored outside is screened so as to not be viewed from the public right-of-way or neighboring properties of different zonings. By requiring the Hitching Post to screen their outdoor service area, they will be meeting City Code requirements. Similar examples of Fridley properties that received special use pernut approvals for a use that allowed them to have an outdoor use or storage area are Chopper City Sports located just south of this property, Wal-Mart, anci Menards. In the cases of Wal-Mart and Menazds, those businesses were required to build screening walls that were architecturally compatible with their existing buildings to ensure proper screening. Ms. Stromberg stated staff recommends approval of the special use permit request with stipulations as repair garages are a permitted special use in the C-3 zoning district. Staff recommends that if the special use permit is granted, the following stipulations be attached: 2 ♦ - f • 1. Fenced-in area shall be screened in order to comply with code requirements by December 31, 2008. Gate sha11 also be screened and remain closed, except when being used for access to the yard, to ensure proper screening. 2. Site shall remain free of debris, vehicle parts, and junk (inoperable) motor vehicles, motorcycles and recreational vehicles. 3. Items in the outdoor storage area shall not exceed the height of the fence. 4. Refuse container shall be screened and located in the side or rear yard. 5. Fence material sha11 be reviewed and approved by City staff prior to installation. Chairperson Savage asked the petitioner if he had any problem with the stipulations including the screening which has to be obviously more than a chain link fence and not visible to the outside? Joe Papa, General Manager of Hitching Post, stated he know he needs to do it. His only question is what sides of the storage azea would need to be screened? They have owned the property for two years. Ms. Stromberg replied the west side and the north side of the storage area would be required to be screened. Mr. Papa stated but it was not like that in the past. Ms. Stromberg replied, correct, however it was not used as a storage area by the previous owner. Chairperson Savage asked Mr. Papa whether he understands that the screening requirement is part of the Fridley Code? She asked whether he had any idea what kind of material will be compatible with the building? Mr. Papa replied he assumes it would be a vinyl. Commissioner Kondrick asked regarding the petitioner was planning to refabricating the chain link fence to shield the view from the public right-of-way or would they be constructing a solid wa11 that would be similar to the existing building? Ms. Stromberg replied, the City is telling the petitioner that they have to build a mansory wall that is compatible with the existing building like they did in the cases of Menazds and Wa1-Mart. However, the petitioner will have to decide if they'd like to install slats within the existing fence or slats with some type of landscaping around the front. In the example from Tousely Motor Sports, they have a chain link fence and it has vinyl fencing over that. It is up to the petitioner as to what he would like to see and what he would like to do. The last stipulation, however; is that staff would approve it before installation. 3 : F , Commissioner Oquist stated he read about a repair garage. Are they going to build a garage? Mr. Papa replied, no, they do the repairs inside the building itself. It holds a service bay. Ms. Stromberg stated the Code specifically states that repair garages are allowed in this district with a special use permit. This category best describes the use proposed. So basically it is just a service use within the existing building, which is categorized as a repair garage due to the language in the City code. Chairperson Savage asked whether there have been any complaints from the public? Ms. Stromberg replied, no. MOTION by Commissioner Saba to close the public hearing. Seconded by Commissioner Kondrick. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON SAVAGE DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED AND THE HEARING CLOSED AT 7:50 P.M. Commissioner Saba stated he did not have any problem with this. Chairperson Savage sta.ted she agrees. Commissioner Kondrick sta.ted he drove by there and he did not see any problem with it at a11. MOTION by Commissioner Kondrick approving Special Use Permit, SP #08-06, by Joe Papa, on behalf of Hitching Post Rea1 Estate, LLC, to allow a repair garage (service use) for the motorcycles and recreational vehicles that are sold as part of the business, generally located at 7651 Highway 65 NE with the following stipulations: 1. Fenced-in azea shall be screened in order to comply with code requirements by December 31, 2008. Gate shall also be screened and remain closed, except when being used for access to the yard, to ensure proper screening. 2. Site shall remain free of debris, vehicle parts, and junk (inoperable) motor � vehicles, motorcycles and recreational vehicles. 3. Items in the outdoor storage area shall not exceed the height of the fence. 4. Refuse container shall be screened and located in the side or rear yard. 5. Fence material shall be reviewed and approved by City sta.ff prior to installation. Seconded by Commissioner Saba. n � _ - - �. _ UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON SAVAGE DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNA1vIMOUSLY. 2. Receive the Minutes of the March 3, 2008, Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting. MOTION by Commissioner Kondrick to receive the Minutes. Seconded by Commissioner Oquist. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON SAVAGE DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNA1vI1Vi0USLY. 3. Receive the Minutes of the March 6, 2008, Housing and Redevelopment Authority meeting. MOTIUN by Commissioner Oquist to receive the Minutes. Seconded by Commissioner Saba. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON SAVAGE DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. OTHER BUSINESS Ms. Stromberg stated the next meeting is May 7 and starting in May a11 ow meetings will begin at 7 p.m. ADJOURN MOTION by Commissioner Kondrick adjourning the meeting. Seconded by Commissioner Velin. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON SAVAGE DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNAMOUSLY AND THE MEETING ADJOURNED AT 7:53 P.M. � - .- . -� � � �r,� , �'� ���/� �� � � i � / � % � Denise M. Johnson Recording Secretary 5 CITY OF FRIDLEY SIGN-IN SHEET PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING t I , I � �' Name Address/Business