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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION – OCTOBER 19, 2015 4 <br /> <br />Associate Planner Bachler noted there are other provisions which would have the effect of <br />limiting the size of the overall display area, including that pedestrian access cannot be obstructed <br />and that the display must be located adjacent to the principal building. <br /> <br />Associate Planner Bachler provided examples of three local businesses and what their permitted <br />display areas would be, and stated the recommendations from September’s work session have <br />been updated to include the revised display area and prohibit display areas on service station <br />islands. He stated the next step would be for City staff to draft an ordinance to bring to the <br />Planning Commission for a public hearing. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holden asked for clarification of “gross floor area” as it would pertain to a two- <br />story building. She asked if this is the gross floor area of just one level of the building or the <br />combination of the two levels. <br /> <br />Associate Planner Bachler stated that gross floor area refers to the total square footage of the <br />building, so for a two story building it would include the second floor. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holden stated this would mean a building with more levels can potentially have <br />a larger display area than a building of the exact same size with only level. <br /> <br />Associate Planner Bachler stated this was not necessarily the intent of staff. He noted that the <br />outdoor display and sales area would be limited to retail and service station uses that typically do <br />not have additional stories. He said that City staff will go back and amend this language. <br /> <br />Councilmember McClung suggested using the gross floor area of the existing retail area only of <br />a business as generally businesses would not have a retail area located on the second floor. <br /> <br />Mayor Grant asked for clarification of a display area. He asked if it included the area for people <br />to walk through the display or is it the actual dimensions of the display itself. <br /> <br />Associate Planner Bachler stated that the display area just refers to the dimensions of the display <br />itself. He added that the current recommendation made by City staff is that all businesses that <br />desire an outdoor display must submit a site plan detailing the display area and obtain an <br />administrative permit. <br /> <br />Mayor Grant asked how City staff arrived at 300 square feet as the maximum display area. <br /> <br />Associate Planner Bachler stated in review of other cities, only two have set limitations on the <br />size of the display area for all businesses regardless of size. He said a number of cities allow <br />display areas based on the square footage of the building, some up to 10% of the total square <br />footage. <br /> <br />Associate Planner Bachler indicated that the recommendation to increase the minimum display <br />area from 200 square feet to 300 square feet was in part due to a review of the Holiday Station <br />Store and the Shell Station. An aerial review of the Holiday property showed that a 200 square <br />feet display area would not cover what they currently have on display. Increasing the minimum <br />area to 300 square feet allowed more space to accommodate this building’s current display needs.