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<br />ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - December 8, 2008 <br /> <br />5 <br /> <br />Approve Publishin2 a Summary of Ordinance 2008-012 <br /> <br />City Planner Meagan Beekman stated on October 27, 2008, the City Council <br />adopted the "Guiding Plan for the B2 District." Chapter 5 of that Plan included <br />design guidelines for development and redevelopment in the B2 District. Staff <br />drafted Ordinance 2008-010, which adapted the design guidelines in the Guiding <br />Plan and integrated them with existing standards into the City's Zoning Code. The <br />City Council approved the B2 District design standards at their November 24, 2008, <br />meeting. During the process of drafting and approving the B2 District design <br />standards, Staff recognized an opportunity to apply the same standards to the B3, <br />Service Business District, as well. The B3 District is located north of the B2 <br />District along Lexington Avenue to Highway 694. Both the B3 and B2 Districts are <br />primarily commercial in nature and have a similar purpose as defined in the Zoning <br />Code. The B3 District is currently without any meaningful design standards. As a <br />result, it is difficult for the City to ensure the quality design and architecture that <br />will now be required in the adjacent B2 District. Section 1320.09 of the City's <br />Zoning Code describes the special requirements for the B3 District. Section one <br />outlines the procedures for evaluating new development, redevelopment and <br />significant modifications to a site, which will now be require to go through a PUD <br />process. In order to promote other minor improvements and upgrades to a site, <br />certain types of changes are nor considered significant modifications and are <br />recommended to be exempt from the PUD Process. In addition, "drive-up <br />windows" in the B3 District would now be subject to the same special regulations <br />for drive-up business and fast food restaurants. The most significant amendment <br />being proposed to 1325.05 Subdivision 8 is to add the B3 District to the design <br />standards. <br /> <br />Mayor Harpstead asked if drive-up window regulations will be improved. <br /> <br />City Planner Beekman stated that the B3 District was not part of the study area for <br />the B2 District Guiding Plan and it is not proposed to be included in the long-range <br />vision of the B2 District. Staff feels that the B3, B4, and I-Flex Districts require <br />their own long-range visioning processes. At this time Staff is not recommending <br />any changes until a study can be completed. <br /> <br />Mayor Harpstead clarified that drive-up windows would be addressed with a study <br />of the district. <br /> <br />Councilmember McClung asked if the City would just be extending the design <br />standards that the City adopted for the B2 District to the B3 District. <br /> <br />City Planner Beekman stated that this was correct. <br />