5.3. PCSR 02-27-2024 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Vireo Health Conditional Use Permit – Project Narrative 10700 165th Ave. NW, Elk River, Minnesota Submitted: 1/29/2023 This Conditional Use Permit request seeks to develop a cannabis cultivation facility within a leased portion of an industrial building located east of Highway 10 at 10700 165th Ave. NW, Elk River, Minnesota. Vireo Health will remodel and refurbish approximately 75,800 SF of the 116,330-square- foot structure for cannabis cultivation, processing, and distribution. The proposed development site is a former waste transfer station operated primarily as a storage facility by the owner, DM Enterprises. The improvements and use as proposed for this portion of the building supports The City of Elk River’s Comprehensive Plan regarding industrial and business park development: Bolster Elk River’s economy through the retention, attraction, and expansion of a diverse mix of office and industrial businesses. Vireo Health will develop a highly secured, state-of-the-art, energy-efficient cultivation facility to provide products to the Minnesota cannabis market. The ~8,000 SF, existing office building, will consist of secured entry, security, IT, locker rooms, and office space similar to the current layout. The ~10,000 SF interior portion of the structure will contain plant processing rooms, vault storage space, and secured shipping and receiving bays. The interior of the ~58,000 SF adjoining structure will consist of sealed cultivation rooms. The use of positive-pressure HVAC systems will ensure that cannabis odor will be undetectable outside of the structure. As a power and water-conscious development, this proposal supports the City of Elk River’s Comprehensive Plan by preserving and maintaining the environment. Vireo Health’s focus on safe and secure cannabis cultivation facilities supports the City of Elk River’s Comprehensive Plan by keeping Elk River a “safe” place. The entire facility will have onsite security during operating hours and 24/7 surveillance, with employees operating the facility between 5 am and 12 am. This new business will require approximately 80 employees. The 56 parking stalls are sufficient, given that the Vireo employees will operate over two shifts. However, additional stalls could be added in the areas designated in the image provided, with parking space north and south of the structure and east of the connected office building. This facility will have no outdoor storage relative to the Vireo leased space. The only exterior modifications in this proposal are to add egress points to the exterior walls and reduce the size of existing overhead doors. All egress and overhead doors will conform to applicable design standards. It is anticipated that one metal sign of approximately 18” x 24” will be located on a metal pole at the intersection of the driveway and interior crossway nearest the southwest corner of the eastern portion of the structure, indicating a right turn is required for Vireo Health receiving a second sign of similar size and makeup will be affixed to the building adjacent to the receiving overhead door to indicate this area of the building. The City of Elk River has approved cannabis cultivation in I1 and I2 zones. This property is designated as an I1 zone. The existing industrial site conforms to the screening recommendations