10-29-07 Item 4K, Floor Area Definition

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~ ~~HILLS MEMORANDUM DATE: October 29, 2007 CC Agenda Item 4.K TO: Mayor & City Council FROM: James Lehnhoff, City Plann# SUBJECT: Planning Case #07-026 Zoning Code Amendment: Floor Area Definition City of Arden Hills 1245 West Highway 96 Reauest Motion to Approve Ordinance 387 in Planning Case 07-026 to Amend the Definition of Floor Area in Section 1305.04 Subd 67 of the Zoning Code as Presented in the October 29, 2007, Planning Case Report. Backe:round In November 2006, the City re-codified the Zoning Code, which included a number minor and legally required updates. However, the Zoning Code is an evolving document that needs to be reviewed, updated, and clarified to ensure the spirit, intent, and goals of the Code are being met. As time allows, Staffwill be proposing updates and changes the Zoning Code to make it clearer and more effective. The floor area ratio (FAR) is one of the primary tools that are used to limit the bulk of a principle building on a property. The other tools include minimum landscaping requirements, impervious coverage limits, setback requirements, and building height limits. FAR manages the bulk of a structure by limiting how much total floor area can be constructed on a property. While the intent of the floor area ratio regulation is fairly straightforward and the calculation itself is not complicated, applying the regulation in Arden Hills is cumbersome because of the Zoning Code's definition for what is included in floor area. Therefore, Staff and the Planning Commission are recommending amending the definition of floor area as follows: Subd. 67 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 \1Metro-inet.us\ardenhillslPlanninglPlanning Cases\2007\07-026 Far Defn Zoning Amendment (PC Approval)\J02907 - CC Report - FAR Ordinance amendment. doc Page 10f2