Minutes - Council - 03/24/1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Case #8: Request for a Conditional Use Permit to Establish Accessory Outdoor Recreational Uses to a Restaurant and Bar; Case of Diamonds Sports Bar & Grill, Inc. City Engineer Jankowski stated that the City of Ramsey has received an application for a conditional use permit from Diamonds Sports Bar & Grill, Inc. to establish outdoor recreational uses including softball, volleyball and broomball as an accessory use to a restaurant and bar proposed to be developed on Outlot C in tooth Acres. The proposal is for three outdoor fields and five volley ball courts for use in the summer and three broomball courts for winter use. The property is properly zoned for eating and drinking establishments. The City has made it a practice to require conditional use permits for outdoor recreational activities in the commercial districts. The surrounding parcels to the east and south are part of the Mississippi West Regional Park, the property to the west is also zoned commercial, and the property is bounded on the north by Highway #10. There is approximately 1,000 feet between the nearest point of the subject property and the Mississippi River; however, the property is not included in the Critical River Overlay District. There is approximately 1,100 feet between the nearest residential neighborhood and the proposed facility. Mr. Jankowski explained that the ballfield lighting and the noise from the outdoor activities have the potential to become nuisances and staff is proposing to curb them by limiting the hours of operation of the outside games. The proposed conditional use permit specifies the type of lighting to be used on the ballfields per the recommendation of the Anoka County Parks Supervisor. The permit also proposes that ballfield lighting be shut off by 10:30 p.m. Councilmember Haas Steffen noted the paragraph that states that the Ramsey Police Chief has had conversations with the Anoka County Sheriff's Department and the Blaine Police Department regarding similar uses in Andover, Oak Grove and Blaine - those being Pov's, SRO and Be Bop Cafe. They have indicated that they do not feel they have been required to respond to a number of calls exceeding that which would be considered normal for those types of operations. City Attorney Goodrich called attention to Condition #4 relating to hours of operation. He recommended that the condition state that all softball, volleyball and other outside recreational activities shall cease by 10:00 p.m., plus the Police Chief had a comment about ceasing earlier on Sundays. Police Chief Gustafson stated that the words from the other police departments dealing with Pov's, etc,, were to give special consideration to Sunday hours. He stated he has had conversation with Mr. Gruber and he (Gruber) has no aversion to quiet Sunday evenings. Mr. Gruber stated their request is that Monday through Thursday, all outside activities will cease by 10:00 p.m. with lights off at 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday all softball activities will cease by 10:00 with lights out at 10:30. The volleyball would go until 11:00 with lights off at 11:30 and he had no aversion to outside activity ceasing by 9:00 p.m. Mayor Gamec suggested things should be uniform, therefore, conditions for Diamonds and the Super Bowl should be the same. City Council/March 24, 1998 Page 9 of 18