11-09-2016 PC - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

______________________________________________________________________________ City of Arden Hills Planning Commission Meeting for November 9, 2016 P:\Planning\Planning Cases\2016\PC 16-028 - University of Northwestern - CUP & Zoning Code Amendment - 1265 Grey Fox Road\Memos_16-028 Page 5 of 9 Purpose of I-Flex District According to Section 1320.04, Subd. 14 of the Zoning Code, the stated purpose of the I-Flex District is as follows: A. To preserve, protect, enhance and perpetuate existing development in the district. B. To attract new development that is compatible with existing development in the district in terms of use, performance, character, quality and appearance of buildings and sites. C. To permit only those uses that will have traffic generation characteristics that are compatible with existing development in the district and that will ensure reasonable traffic operation on streets in the vicinity. D. To encourage new site development that will be compatible with existing site development standards of existing development in the district. E. To promote flexibility in land uses and site development standards to achieve the objectives of the I-Flex District. Existing development in the I-Flex District includes International Paper, Intricon, Powder Technology, United Technologies, and the Red Fox Business Center, a light industrial business park. These businesses are largely comprised of manufacturing, office, and warehousing uses. The proposed amendment to allow higher education school uses in the I-Flex District would not further the goal of preserving, protecting, enhancing, and perpetuating existing development in the district. The amendment would allow any property within the district to be acquired for a higher education school use with an approved Conditional Use Permit, which could reduce the industrial land base in the area. Businesses may be more reluctant to move into the area knowing an academic campus is located in the district and that complaints could arise due to the impacts of their industrial activities. Compatibility of Uses To evaluate the compatibility of higher education schools with other uses in the I-Flex District, it is helpful to review which uses are currently allowed as a permitted or conditional use in the district: • Permitted Use: business service; medical office clinic; sports & fitness clubs; daycare facility for over 10 people; financial institution and service; manufacturing & processing (Class I); office; research and development facility; utility distribution line • Accessory Use: personal services; and retail sales and services • Conditional Use: hotel or motel; micro-brewery; micro-distillery; multiple occupancy building; public use; thrift store; utility transmission; and warehousing. • Conditional Accessory Use: antenna, dish, or tower