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Page 2 of 3 From this initial work session, the City Council also identified additional concerns with building façade requirements. In 2019 and 2020, the City Council held two more work sessions whereby providing feedback and direction to staff on revisions for consideration in the B-2 District. The Council requested staff review the transparency requirements for commercial developments as well as the use of other types of coating on glass as a means of complying with ordinance requirements. At the work session meeting on December 21, 2020, the City Council discussed the Staff suggested amendments regarding front yard setback and removal of design standard language in order to allow more flexibility in placement of the buildings in B-2 District. The consensus was to remove a sentence within Commercial Façade Transparency, Section 1325.05, Subd. 8, F.1 that allowed discretion for waiving the transparency requirements. The rational was that this flexibility already exists through the Planned Unit Development review and a Developer could suggest alternate considerations. For façade transparency, the City will continue to require 50% of all first level building facades that front a public street to be comprised of transparent windows or doors. The language to be removed was a second requirement of 20% for all facades that are reasonably visible from the right-of-way. With the language amendments to the building and parking setbacks it is anticipated that there will be fewer issues on design challenges with building orientation and the back side of a building facing the public street. The proposed changes still ensures that the appearance of blank walls would not face the street. Following the discussion, Staff was directed to bring forward the proposed ordinance amendments to the Planning Commission and to hold a public hearing which was completed on October 6th. Discussion of Ordinance Amendments Staff has prepared draft ordinance language with amended and striking of language as shown in red font for your review (Attachments A and B). The following are the sections and language amendments proposed: • Amending – 1320.06 District Requirements Chart: o Front Yard Setback requirement from 20 feet to 50 feet • Amending - 1325.05 Design Standards, Subd. 8, F.1.A: o Fifty percent (50%) of all first level building façades that front a public street shall be comprised of transparent windows or doors in order to allow views of interior uses and activities. Transparency requirement may be waived by the City where privacy concerns warrant. • Striking - 1325.05 Design Standards, Subd. 8, F.1. B: o Twenty percent (20%) of all other first level building facades that are reasonably visible from the public right of way shall be comprised of window or door openings. Simulated or opaque windows may be used on service areas. • Striking - 1325.05, Subd. 8, M. Parking (1) (2): o Placing parking between the street right-of-way and a building shall be discouraged.