5.2. PCSR 11-26-2019 - Laserfiche WebLink

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salvage yards require a Conditional Use Permit (CUP). This will be the second phase of Copart’s business plans in the City of Elk River and would expand their total footprint to approximately 45 acres. At full build-out and operational capacity, the Copart operation will include a new 12,800 SF office and shop facility and 14 full-time employees. The hours of operation will remain Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and will be closed on weekends. The additional parcels total 28 acres and are currently vacant/undeveloped outlots. The application package includes a request to vacate the undeveloped right-of-way through the property, and a final plat combining the existing outlots into one buildable lot. Staff again has similar concerns regarding the storage of damaged motor vehicles, and the hazardous materials that accompany them. However, due to the type of business Copart is classified, state and county regulations for salvage yards do not apply. Staff addressed this with the last project by requiring additional pollution control measures through the CUP process, and those same standards are again required for this phase. Applicable Regulation In approving a Conditional Use Permit, the council may impose such specific conditions with regard to the development or operation of the proposed use as it considers necessary to satisfy the seven standards set forth in Section 30-654 and the requirements contained in this article and to promote compatibility with and minimize any potentially adverse effects upon adjacent properties, the neighborhood or the city. The issuance of a Conditional Use Permit can be ordered only if the use at the proposed location: 1. Will not endanger, injure or detrimentally affect the use and enjoyment of other property in the immediate vicinity or the public health, safety, morals, comfort, convenience or general welfare of the neighborhood or the city. The site is currently vacant so any improvements will change the character of the area. The addition of motor vehicles and the associated potentially toxic chemicals will require additional oversight from the city, which has been included as a condition of approval. Staff also has concerns regarding traffic impacts on the surrounding streets and intersections with US Highway 10. Staff has also included a requirement to complete a traffic study to identify those impacts. The application also includes a proposal to install an 8 foot tall 100% opaque fence around the entire property. This is consistent with the requirement from phase 1. 2. Will be consistent with the comprehensive plan. The property is guided for industrial uses and the use is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. Staff does not see a need to impose specific conditions to satisfy this standard. 3. Will not impede the normal and orderly development and improvement of surrounding vacant property. The city owns a large piece of developable land west of the project area. To ensure the long-term viability of this site, Copart has included a dedication of public right-of-way through the north section of their site, extending to the city-owned lot. Staff is also in discussions with Copart regarding a land-swap that would exchange approximately 15 acres of land to provide both sites with direct access to the existing culs-de-sac. As the access concerns are addressed in the final plat, staff does not see a need to impose specific conditions to satisfy this standard. N:\\Departments\\Community Development\\Planning\\Agendas\\PC Packets\\2019\\11-26-2019\\LASERFICHE\\5.2 sr PC Copart 2.docx