Agenda - Planning Commission - 01/09/2014

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Regular Planning Commission 5. 2. Meeting Date: 01/09/2014 By: Chris Anderson, Community Development Information Title: PUBLIC HEARING - Consider Ordinance #14-01 Amending City Code Section 117-114 (B-1 General Business District) to allow Indoor Commercial Recreation as a Conditional Use and Creating City Code 117-363 Establishing Performance Standards for Indoor Shooting Ranges; Case of Total Defense, Inc. Purpose/Background: The City has received a request from Total Defense, Inc. to allow an indoor shooting range at 6001 167th Ave NW, requiring an amendment to City Code Section 117-114 entitled B-1 General Business District. The effect of amending this section of City Code would impact all parcels within this zoning district. The topic of an indoor shooting range at this location has been discussed at the City level on multiple occasions over the past year, with preliminary indication of some support with the appropriate standards. Details of this review are include in the attached Statement of Goals. The B-1 General Business zoning district is intended to provide a commercial area for goods and services for the surrounding neighborhoods and community on a smaller scale than the B-2 Highway Business district. Notification: The Notice of Public Hearing was properly published in the City's official newspaper, the Anoka County Union. Additionally, City Staff attempted to notify all Property Owners within located within the B-1 General Business District and included an invitation to an Open House in advance of the Public Hearing to be held on January 9, 2014. Staff also attempted to hand -delivered notices of the Public Hearing to individual tenants within the 167th Avenue/Highway 47 retail node as well. Additionally, Staff attempted to notify all Property Owners within 700 feet of 6001 167th Ave NW of the Public Hearing via Standard US Mail. Observations/Alternatives: Over the past several years, the City has discussed various options to address permitted uses at the 167th Avenue/Highway 47 retail node, which is within the B-1 General Business District. This node has been a focus of City strategic goals due to high vacancy rates and concerns with property maintenance on some of the buildings. Expanding permitted and/or conditional uses would create greater opportunities for new businesses in this area. As part of a public engagement process, a Statement of Goals document was developed and adopted by the City in November of 2013 relating to the 167th Avenue/Highway 47 retail node. Outlined within that document is public input received through a collaborative process held on September 26, 2013 in which surrounding property owners identified, among other desired uses, a gun range. An indoor shooting range could be categorized either as indoor commercial recreation or listed out specifically as indoor shooting range. Staff recommends classifying the proposed use as indoor commercial recreation, as this language would be consistent with language in other sections of City Code. Other types of uses classified as indoor commercial recreation could include, but is not limited to bowling alleys, laser tag, paint ball, etc. The B-2 Highway Business District as well as the E-1 and E-2 Employment Districts currently include Indoor Commercial Recreation as a permitted use. If the use were identified specifically as indoor shooting range, it would imply that this type of use would not be permissible in those other zoning districts. The B-1 General Business District is generally more closely interrelated to residential uses then the other three (3) zoning districts listed above. Thus, identifying indoor commercial recreation as a conditional use would provide an additional layer of review to ensure compatibility with the surrounding residential uses. The Conditional Use