Workshop Item - Sheila Sellman, City Planner
Title
Title
Rezoning Discussion for the Area on the West Side of Highway 65 between 99th Avenue and 105th Avenue
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Background
The area north of 99th Avenue to 105th Avenue on the west side of Highway 65 has been identified in the City’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan as a priority redevelopment area. It has also been identified as one of the four priority areas by the city council through the visioning process that occurred in early 2021. The other three areas (125th Avenue/Lexington Avenue, 105th Redevelopment area, and Northtown) have been reviewed and various master planning and rezoning actions have occurred.
The city council has identified the desire to be proactive regarding zoning and development to encourage businesses and uses that meet the wants of the Blaine community. This approach was taken when creating a new commercial zoning district for the 125th Avenue/Lexington Avenue area in 2021. A similar approach will occur for the subject area where the city council will provide feedback to staff on the desired land uses and overall design expectations as the properties develop.
The overall area being reviewed is approximately 70 acres. Most of the parcels in this area are zoned I-1 (Light Industrial) except for the two northern parcels that are zoned B-2 (Community Commercial). A majority of the I-1 zoning has existed since at least 1979 with various zoning modifications to portions of the overall area occurring in the 1980s and 1990s. The existing zoning for the overall area has been in place since the late 1990s. The 2040 Comprehensive Land Use plan has identified the parcels in this area as Planned Commercial (PC), Community Commercial (CC) and Manufactured Home Residential (MHR). Much of the existing zoning is not consistent with the 2040 land use designations and needs to be changed to prepare the land for future development consistent with the vision of the city council. Having a clear understanding of the preferred uses will provide clarity to landowners, developers, and city staff as to what uses are desired in the area.
Current uses in the area include a pool store, retail doll store, Blaine International Village manufactured home park and vacant land. Historic uses included Gasoline Alley and the Hi-65 Drive-in theatre. The Blaine EDA owns 4.38 acres in the middle of the subject area.
At the workshop, staff would like to discuss the boundaries of the district and potential zoning (see map). For discussion purposes on uses, staff would like to review the Planned Business District (PBD) and B-5 (Town Commercial) zoning for this area. The B-5 district was created for the 125th Avenue/Lexington Avenue area that was rezoned in 2021. The intent for each district is the same with slight deviations. The italicized portions are in the PBD and not B-5:
(a) To promote a planned environment for integrated industrial, office, commercial uses and multi floor residential uses which feature design continuity. A development shall reflect a common theme using compatible architectural design and consistency in signage, landscaping, and lighting.
(b) To encourage orderly development of property through conditional uses, since proposed uses may be traditionally considered incompatible or may present special problems in an environment of mixed uses.
(c) To provide opportunity for greater flexibility in arranging land uses according to relative compatibility, convenience, and community needs.
(d) To encourage patterns of development in harmony with the objectives of the city's comprehensive plan.
(e) To encourage more attractive and enduring business neighborhoods.
(f) To encourage development compatible with the environmental values of the area and to preserve natural vegetation, wetlands, natural topography, and other such features of the district.
(g) To accommodate uses requiring access to major highways.
(h) To provide a uniform set of standards to be applied equally to all owners and developers in this district.
The attached table lists the uses allowed in both districts. The items in bold are allowed in one district and not the other. The city council should consider whether these are the types of uses envisioned for this area.
An alternative to the PBD and B-5 zoning district is to create a new district like what was done for the 105th Avenue Redevelopment District. The proposed zoning should consider uses consistent with the PC comprehensive plan designation. The PC designation in the comprehensive plan is described as follows: “The purpose of this land use category is to accommodate commercial, retail and office uses in a planned, cohesive style of development. Planned commercial areas are in aeras with good visibility and access from major roadways and are sufficiently sized to accommodate larger scale planned design and concept”. If housing is a desired use by the city council, the land use designation would need to be changed to add HDR (High Density Residential) to the PC designation.
Blaine International Village was sold in 2021 to a national manufactured home park owner. Staff is aware of potential expansion plans by the company on land that is zoned both R-4 (Mobile Home) and B-2 (former Gasoline Alley site), however entirely guided for MHR in the comprehensive plan. The preferred Highway 65 plan identifies impacts to the former Gasoline Alley site which is part of the property owned by the manufactured home park. The potential park expansion would occur west of the frontage road. Staff would recommend the northern most parcel of the review area be rezoned from B-2 to R-4 to be consistent with the 2040 Comprehensive Plan land use designation of MHR.
Staff Recommendation
Provide feedback on district boundaries and uses. Staff will receive the feedback and bring back further information to the city council at the workshop on November 14. It is anticipated that formal changes would come forward to the Planning Commission and City Council in early 2023.
Attachment List
Current Zoning Map
2040 Land Use Designation Map
PBD and B-5 table
Preferred Highway 65 Frontage Road Design