DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS - Bryan K. Schafer, Planning and Community Development Director
Title
GRANTING PRELIMINARY PLAT APPROVAL TO SUBDIVIDE 18.64 ACRES (2 EXISTING PARCELS) INTO ONE (1) LOT AT 9843 NAPLES STREET NE, TO BE KNOWN AS J.W. BLAINE YARD ADDITION. CROWN IRON WORKS. (CASE FILE NO. 18-0032/LSJ)
Schedule of Actions
|
Planning Commission (Public Hearing) |
06/12/18 |
|
City Council (Preliminary Plat) |
06/21/18 |
|
City Council (Final Plat) |
TBD |
|
Action Deadline |
07/08/18 |
Planning Commission Action
The Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve the preliminary plat. There were no comments at the public hearing other than explanations from the applicant.
Background
Crown Iron Works Company is a global industrial equipment and engineering services provider for the oilseed processing and edible oil refining industries. In order to sustain its research and development activities, Crown is proposing to move its world headquarters to Blaine. The site they have chosen is the former Mortenson Buildings site on Naples Street. The company will be relocating 102 jobs with an average income over $90,000 to the new facility in Blaine. Crown Iron Works was previously in Roseville.
In order to facilitate the construction of the site and building, the applicant needs to secure several approvals from the City before obtaining a grading/building permit. A preliminary plat is required to combine two lots into one lot and secure all necessary easements on the site. A variance is required to the exterior materials requirement of the I-1 (Light Industrial) Zoning District. A conditional use permit is required for multiple buildings on one lot, and for a structure exceeding 100-feet in height. These requests are outlined further in the following paragraphs.
Preliminary Plat
Crown is buying two properties from Mortensen in order to meet site requirements. These two sites are combined into one 18.6 acre lot on the proposed plat of J.W. Blaine Yard Addition. Because it is torrens property, the Lot is shown as two lots still but the lots are shown as Lot 1 and Lot 1A. This is typical of torrens property and the creation of the plat allows the City to issue permits over the lot line between the two properties.
Park dedication has never been paid for this property so it needs to be paid at this time. The current industrial park dedication rate is $6,702 per upland acre and the fee is required prior to release of final plat mylars for recording at Anoka County.
Variance
The I-1 (Light Industrial) section of the Zoning Ordinance requires that buildings cannot have more than 35% metal on the exterior of the building. Crown is proposing to construct three building on this lot: a principal building, an extraction building and a tower. The principal building will meet this requirement. Because of the function of the extraction building and the tower, the buildings need to be constructed of all metal wall panels.
The extraction building and the tower need to be separate buildings because they have specific processes involved inside the building that trigger the need to be separated according to the National Fire Protection Association standards. The activity in these buildings also requires them to be constructed of light, non-combustable materials. Crown is proposing to include metal paneling on the majority of the exterior of these buildings to meet the NFPA standards. The metal paneling will match the color of the principal building and will include design elements to match that building as well. Creatively, the metal paneling will have a graphic texture that is a subtle reference to the forms of chemical compounds. The tower will also include elements of glass to provide more of a dynamic appearance.
Staff is amenable to approving a variance of this type because this is a very unique request because of the uniqueness of the processes taking place in these buildings. It is doubtful that these types of building would ever be constructed elsewhere within the City.
Conditional Use Permit
There are two elements of this request that require a conditional use permit. The first is related to the fact that there is more than one building being proposed on a lot. The other is related to the height of the tower, which is 100 feet. The Zoning Ordinance requires a conditional use permit for any structure over 50 feet.
The principal building that Crown is proposing to construct would be 61,740 square feet. This building would contain the office space required for the business as well as labs and warehouse space. The extraction building would be 5,000 square feet and would contain only equipment related to the extraction process. The tower is proposed to be 576 square feet and would also contain only equipment related to the pilot plant for the Liquids group. More details on the floor plan, equipment and processes related to the tower are provided in the narratives attached to this report. The extraction plant and tower, because they contain only equipment and have very specific processes that they house, must be separated from the main building.
The principal structure on site is comprised of precast concrete wall panels, glass and aluminum elements. There is also an overhead conveyor belt system between the extraction building and the principal building.
The total building square footage on site would be 67,000 square feet. For this square footage, 133 parking stalls would be required on site, and the applicant has proposed 193 stalls on site with proof of parking.
The landscape plan that has been provided does not meet the requirements prescribed by the Zoning Ordinance. The following trees are required on site, and the calculation is based on the greater of the perimeter and square footage tree requirements:
Overstory trees: 33
Conifer trees: 28
Ornamental trees: 28
The landscape plan must be amended prior to issuance of site plan approval. It should also be noted that ornamental trees must be at least 2 inch caliper when they are installed. The landscape plan provides a good tree buffer between the buildings and I-35W.
There is also a 4-foot high concrete wall surrounding the extraction building. Details of this wall should be presented during the site plan approval process.
It is not clear how trash will be handled for this site so the details of trash storage should be presented during the site plan approval process.
All lighting on site must meet the requirements of the Zoning Ordinance. All lighting shall be downlit and shielded to prevent glare or spill. Freestanding light poles are limited to 20-feet in overall height.
All signage is issued under a separate permit process.
Site plan approval is required before any work can begin on site.
Recommendation
By motion, approve the Resolution.
Attachments
Zoning and Location Map
Preliminary Plat
Site Plan
Grading Plan
Utility Plan
Landscape Plan
Floor Plan
Building Elevations
Narratives
Public Comment
New Narrative 6/12/18
Body
WHEREAS, an application has been filed by Crown Iron Works as subdivision Case File No. 18-0032; and
WHEREAS, said case involves the division of land described as follows:
Parcel 1:
Beginning at the Southwest corner of the North Half of the Southwest Quarter of the Northwest Quarter of said Section 26, Township 31, Range 23; thence Northerly along the West line of said Section 26 a distance of 350 feet to a point; thence Easterly along a line parallel with the South line of said North Half of the Southwest Quarter of the Northwest Quarter of said Section 26 a distance of 350 feet to a point; thence Southerly along a line parallel with the West line of said Section 26 to its intersection with the South line of said North Half of the Southwest Quarter of the Northwest Quarter of said Section 26; thence Westerly along said South line to the point of beginning and there terminating.
Parcel 2:
The North Half of the Southwest Quarter of the Northwest Quarter of Section 26, Township 31, Range 23, EXCEPT 2 tracts described as follows:
1. The South 350 feet of the West 350 feet, as measured along the West and South lines respectively, of said North Half of the Southwest Quarter of the Northwest Quarter.
2. That part of said North Half of the Southwest Quarter of the Northwest Quarter lying Southeasterly of a line 184 feet Northwesterly of, measured at a right angle to and parallel with, the following described line:
Beginning at a point on the North line of said Section 26 distant 571.10 feet East from the Northeast corner of said Northwest Quarter of Section 26; thence Southwesterly, deflecting to the left 46 degrees 08 minutes 30 seconds from the North line of said Section 26, a distance of 3000 feet and there terminating.
WHEREAS, the Blaine Planning Commission has reviewed said case file on June 12, 2018; and
WHEREAS, the Blaine Planning Commission has recommended subdivision Case File No. 18-0032 be approved subject to certain stipulations; and
WHEREAS the Blaine City Council has reviewed said case file on June 21, 2018.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Blaine that preliminary plat approval per Section 74-42 of the subdivision regulations is hereby granted for J.W. Blaine Yard Addition permitting preparation of a final plat for approval per Section 74-43 subject to the following conditions:
1. Park dedication has never been paid for this property so it needs to be paid at this time. The current industrial park dedication rate is $6,702 per upland acre and the fee is required prior to release of final plat mylars for recording at Anoka County.
2. The Mayor, City Clerk and City Manager are hereby authorized to execute
any and all necessary documents, agreement and releases related to the approval, recording or administration of J.W. Blaine Yard Addition.
PASSED by City Council of the City of Blaine this 21st day of June, 2018.