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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL – JUNE 24, 2019 7 A. Resolution 2019-022 Supporting the Amendment to the Rice Creek Regional Trail Master Plan Scott Yonke, Director of Planning and Development with the Ramsey County Parks and Recreation Department, requested the Council support the amendment to the Rice Creek Regional Trail Master Plan. MOTION: Councilmember Holden moved and Mayor Grant seconded a motion to adopt Resolution #2019-022 – Supporting the Amendment to the Rice Creek Regional Trail Master Plan. The motion carried (5-0). B. Ordinance 2019-044 Amending Chapter 13, Zoning Code Section 1305 – Rules, Scope, Interpretation, and Definitions of the Arden Hills City Code Community Development Manager/City Planner Mrosla stated 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 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. Community Development Manager/City Planner Mrosla indicated 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. A habitable space is an area for living, sleeping, eating or cooking. Habitable spaces do not include bathrooms, toilet rooms, closets, halls, storage or utility spaces. In 2015 the Minnesota Building Code updated the section of the code regarding ceiling heights and habitable space. Prior to 2015, the code made it impossible to add code-compliant spaces in older existing homes with low basement ceilings. For example, if you had a basement with a ceiling height of 6 feet 10 inches and you would be unable to modify the space to a livable area. As the table shown in the table, the updated building code states various minimum ceiling height requirements depending on what is constructed in the basement. Community Development Manager/City Planner Mrosla stated after speaking with city staff and the city attorney, it was determined to remove the height requirement and reference the Minnesota Building Code instead. This way, if minimum ceiling height is modified again in the future, staff doesn’t need to revise the zoning code. Additionally, the definition was also reworded for clarification and consistency with the building code and other municipalities.