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City of Arden Hills Planning Commission Meeting for June 5, 2019 P:\Planning\Planning Cases\2019\19-006 - Zoning Code Amendment – ZA Page 1 of 3 MEMORANDUM DATE: June 5, 2019 PC Agenda Item 4.A TO: Planning Commission Chair and Commissioners FROM: Mike Mrosla, Community Development Manager/City Planner SUBJECT: Planning Case #19-006 – Public Hearing Required Applicant: City of Arden Hills Request: City Code Amendment – Chapter 13 – Zoning Ordinance Definitions Requested Action Consider approval of Planning Case 19-006 for proposed amendments to Chapter 13 – Zoning Code floor area definition of the City Code, as presented in the June 5, 2019 Report to the Planning Commission. Background The City has initiated proposed amendments to Chapter 13 – Zoning Code to revise the existing “Floor Area” definition of the City Code. The amendment would address the following: 1. The existing language below is not consistent with Minnesota State Building Code requirements. Floor area. The sum of the gross horizontal area of all floors of a building as measured in square feet from the exterior sides of the exterior walls, or from the centerline of party walls separating attached buildings, but not including covered porches that meet the requirements in Section 1325.03 Subd 2.D; decks; any space where the average floor-to- ceiling height is less than six feet; attached or detached garages; and other detached accessory structures. The definition for Floor Area was amended in 2007 to include an average height limit of less than six feet. The intent of adding a height limit was to clarify what is a non-habitable basement. However, in 2015 the Minnesota Building Code updated the section of the code regarding ceiling heights and habitable space. The updated code states various ceiling height requirements depending on what is constructed in the basement. For example, the minimum height for finished