DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS - Bryan K. Schafer, Planning and Community Development Director
Title
GRANTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO ALLOW FOR DEVELOPMENT OF A TRUCK TERMINAL/TRANSFER FACILITY AT 9949 NAPLES STREET NE. CROWN ENTERPRISES, INC. (CASE FILE NO. 15-0051/BKS)
Schedule of Actions
|
Planning Commission (Public Hearing) |
10/13/15 |
|
City Council (Conditional Use Permit) |
12/10/15 |
|
Action Deadline |
01/07/16 |
Planning Commission
The Planning Commission voted 4-1 (Commissioner York) to deny the rezoning, comprehensive plan and conditional use permit based on the rationale stated in the staff report. Public comment from the adjacent light industrial property to the south included support for denial of the request including concern with setting a precedence of this type of request in the future.
Background
Issue Summary: Crown Enterprises Inc wishes to purchase a 40 acre parcel of land located between Naples Street and 35W and construct a 67,000 sq foot cross dock transfer facility as well as a 12,000 sq foot truck maintenance building. The site in question is not zoned for this use as it is I-1 (Light Industrial). The applications therefore include a request by the applicant to reguide and rezone the property to I-2A (Heavy Industrial). This is not an action that is supported or recommended by staff as it believed to be detrimental to the City’s development goals for this area along 35W as well as possibly harming other developed light industrial/office uses in the neighborhood.
Project Details
Crown Enterprises is a national truck freight company with a facility located in the City of Mounds View. They have outgrown their space and have looked for alternative sites around the north metro including sites in Blaine. The use requires I-2A (Heavy Industrial) zoning and while there are several vacant I-2A sites in Blaine they are too small for this facility. Their decision to pursue the Naples Street site was made knowing that the site was not zoned or guided properly and that the City staff position was not favorable. Their proposal was also presented to the City Council at a workshop in June of this year and the council concurred that there was not support for the project. Regardless of that direction provided at the workshop, Crown chose to make formal applications and take it through the full process.
The site is just over 40 acres in size with significant wetland areas scattered around the site. As you can see from the site plan, they are proposing to build on the western portion of the site and utilize the eastern side for wetland mitigation. The site (hard surface area) is just over 10.5 acres in size. Wetland impacts are estimated at just under 3 acres. Approximately 27 acres of storm water improvements and wetland mitigation is proposed along the east half of the site. While applications have been made to the Rice Creek Watershed and the US Army Corp of Engineers, no agency concurrence or permits have been issued. Because of that, this application package should not be presented to the City Council until concurrence has been received from those two agencies.
The site utilizes one primary access point from Naples Street to access both the terminal as well as the areas used for vehicle maintenance and employee parking. The terminal building will contain a small office on the front of the building and a 112 door cross dock facility with 56 doors on each side. The 12,000 square foot maintenance building will be used to perform work on the truck and trailer fleet owned by Crown. The site is proposed to be landscaped to meet the City’s zoning standards. The buildings will be consistent with other masonry heavy industrial buildings with the front of the office designed at a higher standard with a nice mix of materials and architecture.
Crown would be expected to employ approximately 70-80 employees split between management, office staff, drivers (over 50%), dock personnel and vehicle maintenance. With 80 employees they would have an employment base of eight (8) employees per acre (based on their 10 acres of developed site) which is in the range of other heavy industrial uses.
Recommendation
If the City Council approves the required land use and rezoning for this site it would then be appropriate to, by motion, approve the attached Resolution setting the conditions for the CUP.
Attachments
Zoning and Location Map
Crown Business Narrative
Site Plan
Landscape Plan
Grading Plans
Building Plans
Body
WHEREAS, an application has been filed by Crown Enterprises, Inc. as Conditional Use Permit Case File No. 15-0051; and
WHEREAS, a public hearing has been held by the Blaine Planning Commission on October 13, 2015; and
WHEREAS, the Blaine Planning Commission recommends said Conditional Use Permit be denied; and
WHEREAS, the Blaine City Council has reviewed said case on December 10, 2015.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Blaine that a Conditional Use Permit is hereby approved per Section 39.1984 of the Zoning Ordinance to allow for development of a truck terminal/ transfer facility with outside storage of semi tractors and semi trailers at 9949 Naples Street NE based on the following conditions:
1. The applicant shall submit and meet the requirements of formal Site Plan Approval prior to commencing any site work.
2. Any subsequent expansion of the site or facility shall require a CUP amendment.
3. Outside storage is limited to operable and licensed semi tractors and semi trailers. Any changes in the scope of outside storage will require a CUP amendment.
4. Applicant to provide a financial guarantee to cover completion all site improvements as part of the execution of a SIPA (Site Improvement Performance Agreement) prior to any site work.
5. Since this will be a 24-hour operation all site and exterior building lighting to be downlit and screened as necessary to eliminate glare and light spill.
6. Permits are required from the Rice Creek Watershed District and US Army Corp of Engineers prior to issuance of Site Plan Approval.
7. Site plan review by Minnesota Department of Transportation required prior to issuance of Site Plan Approval.
8. WAC (Water Access Charge) is due and payable based on the 10.5 acres at the acreage rate in effect at time of Building Permit.
9. SAC (Sewer Access Charge) is due and payable with the Building Permit as determined by Metro Waste.
10. Park dedication payment is required as neither site has paid. Payment to be calculated at the industrial rate in effect at time of Building Permit and based on the proposed 10.5 acre site.
11. Applicant to dedicate 33 feet of Right-of-Way for Naples Street and combine parcels required prior to issuance of Site Plan Approval.
12. Additional landscaping may be required to adequately screen site activity from Naples Street as well as 35W. This will be reviewed as part of formal Site Plan Approval.
PASSED by the City Council of the City of Blaine this 10th day of December, 2015.