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Home My WebLink About01-27-00 Letter to P&Z CD OMMUNITY EVELOPMENT DATE: JANUARY 27, 2000 TO: PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION FROM: JOE HOLLMAN, CITY PLANNER RE: ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT REGARDING AUTO SALES Issue Statement: At their regular meeting on December 7, 1999, the Columbia Heights Planning and Zoning Commission moved to direct staff to initiate the necessary process for a zoning text amendment to allow five for sale vehicles to be displayed at any time in the Central Business District as opposed to two which is currently allowed. A proposed amendment was discussed during the January meeting and the proposal was eventually denied, as the Commission decided that it would be beneficial to examine applicable regulations for auto sales in all zoning districts, not just the Central Business District. Analysis: Staff has reviewed all the sections of the Zoning Ordinance, and auto sales are allowed, as follows: CBD, Central Business District , as a Conditional Use Permit. 9.112(2)(o) Car Sales/Fleet Sales/Advertisement provided that: (1)The lot is surfaced and graded according to a plan submitted by the applicant and as approved by staff. (2)The for sale or fleet vehicles cannot eliminate required parking spaces. A@A@ (3)No more than two (2) cars will be permitted for such use at any time. (4)No for sale or fleet vehicle can remain on the lot for more than fourteen (14) A@A@ days at any one time. RB, Retail Business District, as a Conditional Use Permit. 9.113(2)(k) Vehicles not to exceed 2 tons, for sale in conjunction with only automobile repair businesses which do not sell fuel, provided that the following requirements are met: 1)Parking area for car sales cannot eliminate required parking spaces for primary use. 2)No more than ten (10) vehicles can be displayed for sale at any one time. 3)Traffic flow on lot, lighting, parking lot striping must be approved through the Conditional Use Permit process before approval for such operation can be granted. 4)Size, type and style of any signage for such vehicle must be within the vehicle at all times and approved by staff. 5)All required state and local licenses must be obtained. GB, General Business District, as a Permitted Use. Planning and Zoning Commission January 27, 2000 Page 2 9.114(1)(c) Auto and truck sales, auto repair. I-2, Industrial Business District, as a Conditional Accessory Use. 9.115A(2)(b) Auto sales, subject to the following conditions: (1)The use of the property for auto sales must be accessory only to auto repair or auto reduction yards. (2)The permitted and accessory uses must be on a site plan approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission or by the City Council. (3)An open auto sales lot must comply with the provisions of Section 9.116(14). (4)All autos presented for sale must be parked on an impermeable to oil and water surface in good repair, such as asphalt or concrete and on parking spaces no smaller than twenty feet (20') in length by ten feet (10') in width. (5)No more than fifteen (15) cars may be available for sale at any given time. (6)All cars offered for sale must be stored within a securely fenced area. (7)All customer and employee parking must be located on a parking lot with a surface impermeable to oil and water, such as asphalt or concrete, said surface must be maintained in a condition of good repair. The following provides a summary of some of the issues that will need to be resolved prior to drafting an ordinance amending the various sections of the Zoning Ordinance. Parking - Staff recommends that the requirements stating that vehicles cannot eliminate $ required parking spaces and they must be parked entirely on a privately owned parking lot(s) with a surface impermeable to oil and water be consistently stated in every district that allows vehicle sales. Traffic Circulation - Staff will recommend that a site plan illustrating access aisles, $ parking locations for for-sale vehicles, storage areas, and other applicable features be submitted for review as part of the approval process. This will help ensure that safe traffic circulation and emergency vehicle access will be maintained. Number of Vehicles - Currently the Ordinance allows 2 vehicles to be displayed for sale $ in the CBD, 10 vehicles in the RB District, and 15 vehicles in the I-2 District. There is not a limit in the GB District. As you know the requested amendment was to allow 5 vehicles to be displayed for sale in the CBD. Does the Commission want to stay with these regulations? If so, the issue of repossessed vehicles will need to be clarified. You may recall that the question was raised during the January meeting whether repossessed vehicles were counted as part of the number of vehicles allowed to be displayed for sale or if they were separate. The Ordinance does not currently address this issue. Also, by limiting the number of vehicles allowed to be displayed for sale, the Ordinance prevents a large-scale auto dealer, such as Friendly Chevrolet in Fridley, from operating in the City. Planning and Zoning Commission January 27, 2000 Page 3 Length of Time - As the Ordinance currently exists, for-sale and fleet vehicles can remain $ on the lot for no more than 14 days in the CBD. The other districts do not specify a length of time. Questions arise whether this should be consistent among districts and also why the 14 day requirement was initiated. What is the benefit of limiting the length of time a vehicle can be displayed for sale if the City allows only a certain number of cars to be displayed at one time? This requirement is difficult to enforce because staff does not know when vehicles are first displayed. If the Commission decides it is necessary to continue with this requirement, it may be beneficial to require that the business owner register the vehicle with the City so the length of time for its display can be monitored. Signage - The section of the Ordinance regulating auto sales in the RB District currently $ requires that size, type and style of any signage for such vehicle must be within the vehicle at all times and approved by staff. Staff has some concerns with this specific language. It states that the signage must be approved by staff, but there are no regulations on which to base an approval. Staff recommends that specific signage regulations be included in any amendment. Also, from a business perspective, only allowing signage inside a vehicle may seem restrictive as the business owners would want the for-sale vehicles to attract attention. Accessory vs. Principal Use - The I-2 District only allows vehicle sales as an accessory $ use to auto repair or auto reduction yards. Should this remain a requirement? Auto sales could be a principal use in the CBD, RB and GB Districts. One condition to consider is the possibility of requiring a principal structure on the lot in which to conduct business as opposed to having a lot that is vacant of structures being used only to store and sell for- sale vehicles. Landscaping and Fencing - The I-2 District currently requires that all cars offered for $ sale be stored in a securely fenced area. Should the City continue to require this, or should it be left up to the business owner? Also, Section 9.116(14) Open Sales Lots of A@ the Zoning Ordinance requires that the required yard abutting a public right-of-way shall be landscaped and said landscaping shall be separated from the usable portion of the lot by a curb or fence. Is this a condition that should be required for auto sales lots in all zoning districts, and how should it apply if auto sales is not the principal use of the lot? Lighting - Section 9.116(14) Open Sales Lots also requires that the outdoor lighting $A@ system shall be so designed that no direct source of light is visible from the public right-of- way or adjacent land. Is this a condition that should be required for auto sales lots in all zoning districts, and how should it apply if auto sales is not the principal use of the lot? In an effort to provide a comparison of regulations, staff has contacted the City of Fridley, and Planning and Zoning Commission January 27, 2000 Page 4 they allow Agencies selling or displaying new and/or used motor vehicles in their C-2, General A@ Business District, and their C-3, General Shopping Center District, as a special use permit. As an example the following summarizes the stipulations that they imposed on their approval for Friendly Chevrolet. 1.Curbing to be installed around blacktop parking and driveway areas located in front of building. 2.Parking spaces on parking area to be marked for cars. 3.Curbing to be provided along blacktop area along Fireside Drive sometime in the future. 4.Landscape and planting to be approved by the City. 5.Slats in existing bullpen area. 6.Provide security lighting. 7.10' radii on all blacktop corners. 8.Provide 30' planting strip directly in front of building. 9.Provide 15' planting strip along west side of 2 parking lots located to the north and south of building. 10.All remodeling to be subject to Fire Codes. Summary: Based upon the discussion that occurred during the January 4, 2000, Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, the information presented above has been assembled to be used as a basis for discussion at the February 1 meeting. Staff will be seeking direction from the Commission regarding which issues and regulations should be addressed in the Ordinance amendment prior to going through a public hearing process. Attached: Staff Report for Case 2000-0101