Agenda - Planning Commission - 09/03/2020

Home

Regular Planning Commission 6.3. Meeting Date: 09/03/2020 By: Chloe McGuire Brigl, Community Development Information Title: PUBLIC HEARING: Review Resolution #20-188 and Ordinance #20-17 Considering Allowing Event Center on Residential Property, Case of Blue Cottage Farms (Project 20-122) Purpose/Background: The purpose of this case is to review a request from Blue Cottage Farms, Rachel and Christopher Massmann, (the "Applicant") to operate a wedding and event venue at 5552 179th Ln NW (the "Subject Property"). Events onsite would include weddings, graduation parties, reunions, birthday parties, bridal showers, etc. The Subject Property has a barn that would be used for smaller events, and larger events would take place outside and utilize the barn as a backdrop. No events would take place in the home on the property. The site is approximately 13 acres and zoned R-1 Rural Residential. Notification: The City attempted to notify Property Owners, as reflected in the Anoka County Property Records, within 350 feet of the Subject Property of the request. Observations/Alternatives: Summary Blue Cottage Farms has proposed an event venue on a residential property with a home at 5552 179th Ln NW. The Property Owners, Rachel and Christopher Massmann will own and operate the site, while living in the home on the Subject Property. The City became aware of the event center through the City's Code Enforcement program after a graduation party was hosted onsite. The owners were aware of the need for a special permit in the future for events such as weddings. Blue Cottages Farms has a public Facebook Page available at: https://www.facebook.com/bluecottagefarms The Subject Property abuts 6 residential lots on the east property line, each one acre or less, and 2 north of the Subject Property, each one acre or less. The Subject Property abuts a religious institution, Cross of Hope Lutheran Church, to the west, as well as part of an 8 acre residential lot. There is a 40 acre residential property with wetland on the shared property line to the south. Event Information Logistics . Parking: The Applicant proposes to have parking on the north side of the site, north of the existing row of trees in the field area. The Applicant proposes to allow guests to park on the grass with a parking attendant onsite (likely a child residing on the Subject Property) to help direct traffic during events. Staff agrees that requiring a large parking pad in this area could be intense given the low frequency of events. Staff has currently drafted the Conditional Use Permit to allow parking on the grass only during events, and requiring that the site is kept up to City Standards (reseeded with grass seed as necessary, mowed, etc.). If there is continued wear and tear shown on the grass, the City could require it to be paved/graveled. The grass should survive given the low number of events per year and if the parking areas are shifted/alternated throughout the large parking area.