DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS - Bryan K. Schafer, Planning and Community Development Director
Title
VARIANCE TO THE 25-FOOT PARKING/DRIVEWAY FRONT YARD SETBACK ALONG A PORTION OF XYLITE STREET NE, LOCATED AT 8600 XYLITE STREET NE. LORENZ BUS SERVICE. (CASE FILE NO. 17-0042/NBL)
Schedule of Actions
|
Planning Commission (Public Hearing) |
03/13/18 |
|
City Council (Variance) |
04/05/18 |
|
Action Deadline |
04/09/18 |
Background
Conditional Use Permit
Lorenz Bus has operated their bus service garage and parking facility from this site for over 30 years. The business has grown over the years and they have run out of parking areas for both buses as well as employee vehicles. The use was issued a CUP (Conditional Use Permit) in 1988 for an expansion that will now be amended to allow for continued operation as well as the significant expansion of parking areas for buses and cars.
The new site plan shows two large parking expansions. The bus parking lot will be expanded to the rear (west) of the buildings and will be sized to handle 95 full size buses (generally 45-feet). This will eliminate most if not all of the bus parking that occurs up around the building sites and along Xylite. The new employee parking lot will be placed along the south side of the site closer to 85th Avenue. This new lot will access Xylite Street and will be sized to handle 200 stalls. This is larger than what is needed on a day to day basis but is sized to better handle the peak employee parking that occurs every August during the MN State Fair as well as other large metro wide events such as the recent Super Bowl.
The site plan has been designed to:
• address storm water run-off by providing new pond areas and appropriate site grading.
• new parking and drive surfaces with concrete curb and gutter
• site landscaping
• new fuel dispensing area and canopy (for bus refueling)
• shows potential future building areas (not part of this approval)
There is a small wetland area located in the northwest corner of the new bus parking area. The plan proposes to fill a portion of that wetland and provide off-site mitigation through the purchase of credits. This is being reviewed by the Rice Creek Watershed District and their permit is necessary before any Site Plan Approval is issued by the City.
The site work will remove a significant area and number of trees to the west of the building areas. The landscape plan that has been shown will meet the tree replacement requirements.
This site has never paid Park Dedication as part if it’s development. This expansion is almost exclusively about adding additional parking rather than a significant building expansion. Because of that park dedication has not been added as a requirement at this time. However at the time any of the “future buildings” are proposed it would be appropriate to calculate and collect Park Dedication as part of those permits.
The water loop that is being routed around and back of the buildings will be required to be an 8-inch loop to provide adequate coverage for multiple buildings.
Variance Request
The existing parking and driveway along Xylite (between the building and east property line) is placed very near the property line with little or no setback. The setback requirement along this front yard area is 25-feet. The site plan for the new construction shows a consistent 12-5 foot setback between the new south driveway and middle driveway. This area will be curbed and landscaped. Staff is also recommending that this frontage receive a 7-foot high PVC coated chain link fence. The fence would be placed at or just inside the property line and would help screen/buffer the reduced setback. The variance that has been requested would allow the 12-5 foot setback and is supported by staff given the need to provide adequate paved surface to allow buses reasonable access to the overhead doors on the building.
Recommendation
By motion, approve the Resolution.
Attachments
Zoning and Location Map
Site Plan
Landscape Plan
Grading Plan
Body
WHEREAS, an application has been filed by Lorenz Bus Service as Case File No. 17-0042; and
WHEREAS, a public hearing has been held by the Blaine Planning Commission on March 13, 2018; and
WHEREAS, the Blaine Planning Commission recommends said Variance be approved; and
WHEREAS, the Blaine City Council has reviewed said case on April 5, 2018.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Blaine that a variance is hereby approved per Section 27.05 of the Zoning Ordinance to allow a 12.5 foot variance to the required 25-foot front yard parking setback standard required by Section 31.15 (j) along Xylite Street at 8600 Xylite Street NE, with the following rationale:
1. The applicant is not being given any special privilege by granting the
Variance, as many other existing older sites in the City have been granted similar setback variance approvals in order to properly use or redevelop older nonconforming sites.
2. The variance is critical for the redevelopment of this site based on the need for reasonable and adequate turning movements of buses.
3. The granting of the variance will not be detrimental to the ordinance because
the variance is being used a redevelopment tool.
4. The variance requested is the minimum necessary to achieve the re-development goals of the property.
PASSED by the City Council of the City of Blaine this 5th day of April, 2018.