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ZONING AMENDMENT TO ALLOW PLACES OF WORSHIP <br /> IN THE I-FLEX ZONING DISTRICT <br />Grove Community Church is requesting a zoning code amendment to allow Places of <br />Worship to be allowed as a conditional use permit in the I-Flex zoning district. The <br />zoning amendment will allow our church to buy and occupy the building at 1275 Red <br />Fox Road. We have been looking for the right building to purchase since 2018 and are <br />very excited about the opportunity to be part of the Arden Hills community. <br />The dream of Grove Community Church originated in 2009 and became a reality when <br />we officially launched the church in 2015. Our mission as a community is to empower <br />everyday people to live a holistic lifestyle of following Jesus. The property at 1275 <br />Red Fox is the church home that we hope to see future generations experience <br />spiritual development. <br />We reviewed the city zoning codes and comprehensive plan to determine the <br />allowance and standards required for a church. We learned that although places of <br />worship are allowed as a conditional use permit (CUP) in the neighboring B Districts, <br />they are not designated within the I-Flex zoning district. However, other public uses <br />such as: hotels microbreweries, club sports and daycares are allowed in both the I- <br />Flex and B-Districts. <br />Further, in looking at the Comprehensive Plan we noticed that the neighboring B <br />districts and the northern area of the I-Flex district, which includes 1227 Red Fox <br />Road, are guided Mixed Business. With both areas guided for the same purpose we <br />believe it is reasonable for them to share similar land uses, especially a CUP use that <br />must meet specific standards and are subject to conditions that uphold public safety <br />and compatibility. <br />To further justify the zoning amendment request we considered the benefits of having <br />a Place of Worship within the I-Flex district. We wish to point out the following <br />observations: <br />!The building has been vacant for over 2 years and showing signs of maintenance. <br />!The industrial park could benefit with new activity. <br />!The park is a natural extension of the neighboring B districts as they share the <br />same streets and traffic patterns. <br />!Places of worship tend to have compatible traffic volumes with mixed-use <br />industrial/businesses parks as services are on weekends and/or evenings while <br />most businesses commonly have weekday am/pm traffic volumes. <br />!A place of worship provides patrons to surrounding local businesses during typical <br />non-business hours. (weekday evenings and weekends)