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The kitchenand food assemblyuse is defined in the Zoning Code as “manufacturing and processing”.Uses that are considered “manufacturing and processing”are allowed only as accessory uses in the B-2 Zoning District.By definition,an accessory use must be incidental to the principaluse of the property, which meansthat the accessory use must directly support the principaluse.The applicant’s current plans are to use the kitchen and food assembly area to support off-site catering events, wholesale production/distribution to institutional or corporate clients, and retail sales of café meals and takeout to consumers. The applicant estimates that once the retail portion of the business is established, the retail will comprise approximately 35% of business, and the wholesale/catering will comprise 65% of business. Given this information and after conversations with the City Attorney, staff believes that thekitchenand food assembly area is not an accessoryuse to the café/retail store. The former Carroll’s Furniture is a unique and challenging property.Its large size and small amount of parking limit the number of uses that could successfully occupy the existing building. The property is located on one of the City’s primary commercial corridors and the building’s current condition is a detriment to the rest of the B-2Zoning District.City staff recognizes the importance of finding a reuse for this property, but believes that additional Council direction is necessary.Staff believes that a zoning code amendment is required to allow this proposal to move forward. SidewalkConstruction The City has an easement over part of the area where a sidewalk connection is proposed (AttachmentC), however,the City does not currently have easements to allow sidewalk construction across the entire frontage. The applicant has indicated that she would be willing to provide the necessary easements, but staff has concluded that the current proposed use will need all of theavailable35 parking spaces. It would be possible to construct a sidewalk between the curb and the parking lot. The City would request pedestrian easements in the event that the property eventually redeveloped. TrafficMovements The current proposal suggests that traffic would move through the site in a one-way fashion from east to west. Customers or clients would enter the site near the east property line and proceed through the parking lot where upon exit, on the west side of the property, a right-out only would be permitted. As with each proposal, traffic and pedestrian safety will need to be evaluated and the City will need to determine what type of access is appropriate. City of Arden Hills City Council Work Session for March 31, 2014 P:\Planning\Planning Cases\2014\PC 14-003 -Creative Catering -Site Plan Review\Memos_Reports_14-003 23 Page of