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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION – OCTOBER 19, 2015 2 Associate Planner Bachler stated this was not necessarily the intent of staff. He noted that the outdoor display and sales area would be limited to retail and service station uses that typically do not have additional stories. He said that City staff will go back and amend this language. Councilmember McClung suggested using the gross floor area of the existing retail area only of a business as generally businesses would not have a retail area located on the second floor. Mayor Grant asked for clarification of a display area. He asked if it included the area for people to walk through the display or is it the actual dimensions of the display itself. Associate Planner Bachler stated that the display area just refers to the dimensions of the display itself. He added that the current recommendation made by City staff is that all businesses that desire an outdoor display must submit a site plan detailing the display area and obtain an administrative permit. Mayor Grant asked how City staff arrived at 300 square feet as the maximum display area. Associate Planner Bachler stated in review of other cities, only two have set limitations on the size of the display area for all businesses regardless of size. He said a number of cities allow display areas based on the square footage of the building, some up to 10% of the total square footage. Associate Planner Bachler indicated that the recommendation to increase the minimum display area from 200 square feet to 300 square feet was in part due to a review of the Holiday Station Store and the Shell Station. An aerial review of the Holiday property showed that a 200 square feet display area would not cover what they currently have on display. Increasing the minimum area to 300 square feet allowed more space to accommodate this building’s current display needs. Councilmember Holden asked about a temporary display in the Cub Foods parking lot, such as a fireworks tent. Associate Planner Bachler stated this type of seasonal, temporary display is allowed under Cub Foods’ original PUD that was approved for their site. Mayor Grant suggested capping the allowable display area between 1,000 and 1,200 square feet. Discussion ensued regarding the Frattallone’s Ace Hardware business and their outdoor display area. Discussion continued regarding various scenarios, the minimum square footage and a potential cap of the allowed display area. Also discussed was limiting the type of display items as the recommendation by staff would allow any items that are incidental to the primary use of the property. Councilmember Holmes referenced the City of Maple Grove’s restrictions on the types of display, which limit items to those which require an outdoor sales location (plants, fuel) and items that because of large volume/weight are more easily housed outdoors (salt, fertilizer).