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Memo to the Mayor and City Council <br />August 18, 1997 <br />Page 4 <br /> <br />car dealership which are allowed under the existing highway commercial <br />zoning. <br /> <br />The business park district includes performance standards such as increased <br />setbacks for buildings and parking areas, architectural standards, and <br />landscaping and sign requirements that are not found in the highway <br />commercial district. These performance standards, in addition to those <br />relating to screening and buffering of parking areas, loading areas and other <br />non-residential uses, will help mitigate the impacts on the adjacent <br />residential district. <br /> <br />Allow development at a major intersection (Main Street / Highway 169) while <br />minimizing increases in traffic <br /> <br />The proposed land use amendment and rezoning will allow this area to be <br />fully developed while minimizing increases in traffic. The retail and shopping <br />centers, convenience stores and car washes currently allowed under the <br />existing zoning generate high levels of traffic; these types of uses would not <br />be allowed in the proposed BP district. The goal would be to attract uses such <br />as business offices and research and development facilities which need access <br />to highways but do not generate the high levels of traffic. <br /> <br />Planning Commission Meeting <br /> <br />At the Planning Commission meeting held on July 22, 1997, the two affected <br />property owners, Earl Hohlen and Dr. Howard Johnson, spoke out against <br />the proposed rezoning; they both would like their property to stay zoned <br />highway commercial. Dr. Johnson, owner of the chiropractor office, felt that <br />there would be access problems; it is likely that access to this area would be <br />through his property and he did not want truck traffic going through his <br />property. Mr. Hohlen also questioned access to his property, he said his <br />property was setup to accommodate commercial development, not the type of <br />development allowed under zoning as business park. Steve Stewart, resident <br />of Elk River, also spoke against rezoning these properties to business park. <br /> <br />The Planning Commission agreed that there is a need for additional acreage <br />to accommodate the type of development allowed in the business park <br />district. They discussed the property owners concern regarding access and <br />felt that access would be less of a problem if the properties were zoned <br />business park than it would be if zoned highway commercial. After a <br />discussion regarding the affected property owners desire not to have their <br />property rezoned the Commission voted 4:2 to recommend approval of the <br />rezoning to business park; the 2 dissenting Commissioners voted against the <br />rezoning because of the property owners were against the rezoning. <br /> <br />\\elkriver\sys\shrdoc\planning\scott\zc97-5cc.doc <br /> <br /> <br />