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Request for Action <br />To ItemNumber <br />Planning Commission 4.4 <br />Agenda Section Meeting Date Preparedby <br />Public Hearings July23, 2019 ZackCarlton, Planning Manager <br />ItemDescription Reviewedby <br />OrdinanceAmendment ChrisLeeseberg, SeniorPlanner <br />ReviewedbyWarehouseUsesintheBusinessParkZoning <br />District, CaseNo. OA19-06 <br />ActionRequested <br />Recommend, bymotion, noamendments/changes tothewarehouseregulationsdescribed inthe <br />Business ParkZoningDistrict. <br />Background/Discussion <br />OnJune3, 2019, CityCouncil directedstafftoevaluate a possibleordinance amendmenttoexpand <br />warehousing opportunities intheBusiness Park (BP) Zoningdistrict. <br />Warehousingiscurrentlyallowed asapermitted use, withoutlimits, inthe I-1 (LightIndustrial), I-2 <br />MediumIndustrial), andI-3 (General Industrial) zoningdistricts. TheBPand certainFAST District <br />subzones allowwarehousingasapermitted usewhentheareadedicated to theuseisbelow50% ofthe <br />totalbuilding floorarea, andasaconditionaluseforupto65% ofthetotalbuildingfloor area. An <br />applicant could also applyforavariance toexceed thewarehousing limit. <br />The current limit towarehousingin theBPdistrictwasadoptedbytheCity CouncilJanuary 22, 2002, and <br />wasanincrease from 30%. Theconcerns withthelimitat thattime, restricted leasingopportunities and <br />desiresformore warehousing fromthebusinesscommunity, arethe sameastoday. <br />WorkSession Discussions <br />TheCityCouncilandPlanningCommission havebothdiscussed thepossibleamendment duringawork <br />session. TheCityCouncil discussed theincreasing transition to onlinesales, reducingtheneedfor <br />storefront andofficespace andincreasing demand forwarehousing. They alsodiscussed thegoalsofthe <br />BPdistrict tocreate jobs inanindustrial settingwith higherdesignstandards andtheconcerns of <br />increasedtrucktrafficthat mayresult fromincreasedwarehousing. <br />ThePlanning Commission didnotfeelitwasnecessary toamend theordinance toincrease theamount <br />ofwarehouse spacepermitted underthecurrent ordinance. The Commission notedthatifanincrease to <br />thelimitisappropriateazonechange toI-1maybethebetteroption. Allowed usesinbothdistrictsare <br />verysimilar, but the BP wascreated toincludeahigherdesignstandardandallowindustrial areas closer <br />tocommercial andresidential areas. Concernswithtrafficandlossofjobgenerating businesseswerealso <br />aconcernnotedbytheCommission. <br />The ElkRiver Vision <br />Awelcomingcommunity withrevolutionary andspirited resourcefulness, exceptional <br />service, andcommunity engagement thatencourages andinspires prosperity