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2.3 Section 1005.0 I A I states that a building must have a 30-foot front yard setback. 2.4 Section 1005.0 I A2 states that. on a corner lot, a building adjacent to a side street must have a 30-foot side yard setback from a right of way line. 2.5 Section 1005.0 I D5b states that a parking lot may be no closer than 15 feet to any right-of- way line in a business district. Based on past records. City staff previously interpreted the Code to state that storage of displays also must be setback a minimum of 15 feet from the right-of-way. 2.6 The variance process (Section 10 I 3.02 of the City Code) requires the applicant to demonstrate a physical hardship and to demonstrate that no practical alternatives exist that would reduce the need for a variance. 3.0 Staff Comments 3.1 The site is located in Comprehensive Plan District No.9, south of Oak crest Avenue and west of the frontage road along Snelling Avenue. This property is part of the James Addition area. To the north is the Knights of Columbus Hall site; west of the site are single family homes; to the east is Snelling Avenue. South of the site is the Rainbow Foods and Best Buy shopping complex. The site is located in the Rice Creek Watershed. 3.2 The site is zoned B-1 (Business); the Comprehensive Plan designates this site "B" for a limited amount of business activity. Greenhouses, as well as lawn and garden centers, are permitted uses in a "B-1" zone. Lawn and garden centers are defined, in the zoning code, as: A retail establishment with sales limited to lawn, garden and indoor horticultural products and tools, equipment and supplies reasonably related to the care, construction and maintenance oflawns and gardens. The term does not include a retail establishment where other types of merchandise are sold even though the sale of such other types of merchandise is not the primary business of the establishment. 3.3 In order to construct an outdoor display, sales, and storage area in a business district, the Zoning Code (Section 1005.01G3) requires a conditional use permit. Based on staff estimate, the outdoor display and storage would be contained to the north, east and south sides of the building and consist of approximately 14,000 sJ. in area. The staff interprets the Code to state that sales, display, storage should not be allowed closer than 15 feet to a right-of-way line, similar to car storage and parking on a lot. A trellis, 85' in length on the front and 140 feet along the north side, will be constructed on the site for display of hanging plant materials. A Phase 2, greenhouse front display will be added along the Snelling Avenue (east side) of the building at a future time. The customer entrance to the building will be rrom the west side of the building. A new trellis entry will be constructed at this west entrance. To exit the building or the exterior display/storage area, a customer must walk through the building and exit to the west into the parking lot. In the future, with the Phase 2 greenhouse, building code exiting requirements may require additional emergency exits. PF3096 - RCA (02-22-99) - Page 2 of 6