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ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION – April 5, 2023 10 <br /> <br />within this district. On November 27, 2000, the City rezoned seven sites, including the Subject <br />Property, to NB, Neighborhood Business District. Today, the Subject Property is considered legal <br />nonconforming in this district. <br /> <br />Community Development Director Jagoe explained the Applicants are applying for Site Plan <br />Review for evaluation of the site layout and parking modifications that are being proposed as a <br />result of the operational changes impacted by the County Road E/Old Snelling Avenue <br />Roundabout project. There are no changes to the restaurant operations or the building as part of <br />this application. As a legal nonconforming site, the County has allowed the continuation of use of <br />the two driveway accesses along Old Snelling Avenue and one access off of County Road E. The <br />access off of County Road E is a smaller commercial/residential driveway. With the roadway <br />project, the Applicants are required by Ramsey County to eliminate one of the driveway accesses <br />along Old Snelling Avenue in order to bring the property closer to conformance with current <br />County standards. Thus, the proposed parking lot improvements have triggered the Site Plan <br />Review process for reconfiguration of the site layout. <br /> <br />Community Development Director Jagoe reported the Subject Property is approximately 1.5 <br />acres which includes both a restaurant, a residential home, and a detached cottage. The main <br />parking lot is located in the western and central portions of the lot. The site has significant tree <br />canopy coverage with more green areas on the southern and eastern portion of the property. The <br />parking lot reconfiguration will occur essentially within the same footprint that exists today with <br />the exception of the addition of parking spaces between the building and eastern property line. <br />For the Site Plan review, the proposed improvements include elimination of the southern most <br />access on Old Snelling Avenue, upgrading the driveway access off of County Road E to full <br />commercial standards, and the addition of parking stalls and a trash enclosure. <br /> <br />Community Development Director Jagoe reviewed the surrounding area, site data, the Plan <br />Evaluation and provided the Findings of Fact for review: <br /> <br />1. The Applicants have submitted an application for Site Plan Review at 3610 Snelling <br />Avenue N. to resurface and reconfigure their existing parking lot that would include as <br />part of the project scope the addition of a parking area along County Road E. <br />2. The Subject Property is located within the Neighborhood Business (“NB”) District and is <br />guided as Low Density Residential on the 2040 Land Use Plan. <br />3. The Subject Property was developed prior to the City’s adoption of the Neighborhood <br />Business District and is considered legal nonconforming as the existing parking lot does <br />not comply with current city code requirements. <br />4. Through the Site Plan Review, the Applicants are seeking approval to resurface and <br />restripe the existing portion of the parking lot within the same footprint. <br />5. The Applicants are proposing to add approximately 7,073 square feet of new impervious <br />surface for an additional 13 parking spaces on the east side of the Subject Property. <br />6. Flexibility through the Site Plan Review process as allowed in the NB District is <br />requested for the following areas: buffer yards, parking setbacks, sidewalks, and <br />perennials and shrubberies. <br />7. The proposed plan does not conflict with the general purpose and intent of the Zoning <br />Code or the Comprehensive Development Plan for the City. <br />8. The application is not anticipated to create a negative impact on the immediate area or the <br />community as a whole.