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Home My WebLink About01/10/12 City of Farmington 430 Third Street Farmington, MN 55024 AGENDA PLANNING COMMISSION January 10, 2012 7:00 P.M. CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a) December 13,2011 Regular Meeting 3. PUBLIC HEARINGS None 4. DISCUSSION a) Possible Variance Request for a Monument Sign - 511 Elm Street b) Draft ordinance - Exterior Solid Fuel-Fired Heating Devices 5. ADJOURN A Proud Past - A Promising Future Committed to Providing High Quality, Timely and Responsive Service to All Of Our Customers City of Farmington 430 Third Street Farmington, MN 55024 A Proud Past - A Promising Future Committed to Providing High Quality, Timely and Responsive Service to All Of Our Customers AGENDA PLANNING COMMISSION SUMMARY January 10, 2012 7:00 P.M. CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS 1 . CALL TO ORDER All Commission members were present. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a) December 13, 2011 Regular Meeting The minutes were approved as presented. 3. PUBLIC HEARINGS None 4. DISCUSSION a) Possible Variance Request for a Monument Sign - 511 Elm Street The Commission provided feedback to the property owner regarding the possibility of a variance for a monument sign. The Commission generally felt a variance could potentially be granted in this instance but that the signage should be in character with the surrounding neighborhood. Limiting the size and lighting of the sign should be taken into consideration by the property owner if they are to apply for a variance. b) Draft ordinance - Exterior Solid Fuel-Fired Heating Devices The Commission is interested in pursuing an ordinance regulating these types of devices. Staff will continue to compile research on this topic and will bring back to the Planning Commission at a later meeting for further discussion. c) Staff reminded the Commission of the January 24th workshop. The workshop is to discuss the 2030 Comprehensive Plan 2011 update. d) Staff and the Commission thanked Joe Vanderbeck for his years of service on the board and wished him well in his future endeavors. 5. ADJOURN City of Farmington 430 Third Street Farmington, Minnesota 651.280.6800 . Fax 651.280.6899 www.ci.farmington.mn.us TO: Planning Commission FROM: Tony Wippler, Assistant City Planner SUBJECT: Possible Variance Request for a Monument Sign - 511 Elm Street DATE: January 10,2012 INTRODUCTION / DISCUSSION Jim Bloemendal, the owner of 511 Elm Street, is requesting that the Planning Commission give a cursory review of a possible variance request to install a monument sign on the subject property. The subject property (511 Elm Street) is zoned R-T (Downtown Transitional Mixed Use) and has been historically utilized as a Dental Clinic. Being the property is a commercial use located within a residentially zoned area, it is subject to the permitted nonresidential uses regulations of the sign code (10-6-3 (B)2(c)). For permitted nonresidential uses, one freestanding monument sign is allowed per street frontage if an access drive is Dresent. Each sign shall not exceed fifty (50) square feet in sign area and ten feet (10') in height. Under normal circumstances this provision does not create issues. However, in this instance, the property's only access is off the alley in the rear negating the opportunity for a monument sign in front of the clinic building. The variance request would be to install a sign in front of the existing building (frontage on Elm Street) without an access drive being present. If a variance were to be approved, the signage would have to meet all other requirements outlined in the City Code. It should also be noted that being Elm Street is a County Road all accesses must meet their access spacing guidelines. A new access off of Elm Street in this instance would not meet the County's guidelines for spacing and likely would not be granted by the County. The County access spacing guidelines for the undivided roadway along Elm Street are Y4 mile (1,320 feet). It is staff's belief that this is a unique enough situation and would likely recommend that the Commission approve a variance as practical difficulties appear to be present in this instance. ACTION REOUESTED Offer comments to the Mr. Bloemendal concerning the possibility of a variance for the installation of a monument sign at the property addressed as 511 Elm Street. Respectfully submitted, Spp~ilyPlanner Cc: Jim Bloemendal Print Preview Page I of I Dakota County, MN Disclaimer: Map and parcel data are believed to be accurate, but accuracy is not guaranteed. This is not a legal document and should not be substituted for a title search, appraisal, survey, or for zoning verification. Map Scale 1 inch = 100 feet *,s,^~~cr PRoP€tt,., OIATL/AlEb IN VEU-~ http://gis.co.dakota.mn.us/website/dakotanetgis/printPreview.aspx?PrintOptData=DakotaCounty , MNI41... 12/27/2011 City of Farmington 430 Third Street Farmington, Minnesota 651.280.6800 . Fax 651.280.6899 www.ci.farmington.mn.us TO: Planning Commission FROM: Tony Wippler, Assistant City Planner SUBJECT: Discussion of Draft Ordinance - Creating Section 10-6-29 concerning Exterior Solid Fuel-Fired Heating Devices DATE: January 10,2012 INTRODUCTION Attached for discussion purposes only, is a draft ordinance that would create a new chapter within the City's Zoning Code regulating exterior solid fuel-fired heating devices (a.k.a. outdoor wood-fired boilers). The City recently received an inquiry regarding installing an outdoor wood-fired boiler on a commercially zoned lot on which the use of said lot is residential. Being the City does not currently regulate these types of "structures" staff consulted with the City Attorney and it was decided the City, without having regulations in place, must allow these types of structures provided they meet all accessory structure standards in the City Code. In this particular instance, a conditional use permit would have been required to be approved as accessory structures on commercially zoned lots are conditionally allowed. The owner of this particular lot has decided not to move forward with the project due to the uncertainty of the CUP being approved. DISCUSSION Exterior solid fuel-fired heating devices heat water which would then be used for heating the resident's home and possibly the potable water. These structures mayor may not be enclosed within a building. These units typically burn wood constantly when providing heat to the home (which would be all winter and potentially all summer if used to heat the potable water). The issues with these units are the constant smoke they produce and the fact that they typically burn at low temperatures which results in an un-complete combustion which leads to black smoke and soot as well as other particulates being released into the air. These types of units are commonplace in rural settings, but are not compatible in an urban or suburban setting because of the close proximity of homes within a city. The attached draft ordinance outlines suggested regulations for these types of devices. The regulations include: . The need to apply for a mechanical permit for any such unit; . A 75' setback from all property lines - cannot be located in a front yard; . All devices to be installed must meet the emission standards as required by the EP A; . The devices are subject to the City's public nuisance code; . All exterior solid fuel-fired heating devices installed within the City must be listed and labeled by a nationally recognized testing laboratory and installed according to manufacturer's specification; . List of materials that cannot be burned within an exterior solid fuel-fired heating device. ACTION REOUESTED Review the draft ordinance and provide any comments and/or suggestions concerning the ordinance. If the Commission is not interested in further pursuing an ordinance regulating these types of systems, please advise staff accordingly. Respectfully submitted, 6~~lyPl=er CITY OF FARMINGTON DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA ORDINANCE NO. AN ORDINANCE CREATING SECTION 10-6-29 OF THE ZONING CODE CONCERNING EXTERIOR SOLID FUEL-FIRED HEATING DEVICES THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FARMINGTON ORDAINS: 10-6-29: EXTERIOR SOLID FUEL-FIRED HEATING D DEVICE: an external device designed for d for the interior of a building, and Id fuel-fired cooking stoves, and combination el. Solid fuel-fired heating devices do not SECTION 1. Title 10 is amended by creating Section 10-6-29 to re (A) (B) Definitions: the following words and t as herein defined. ainta g or permitting a condition which unreasonably annoys, ealth, morals, decency, safety, or public peace so that such rtable enjoyment of life or property. (C) ermit shall be required to install any exterior solid fuel-fired the City. (D) Performance Standards: 1. Exterior sold fuel-fired heating devices shall be located at least seventy-five (75) feet from any property line and shall not be located in the front yard. 2. All exterior solid fuel-fired heating devices installed or purchased within the City are required to meet the emission standards currently required (or as amended from time to time) by the Environmental Protection Agency (EP A) and Underwriters Laboratories (UL) listing. 3. All exterior solid fuel-fired heating devices are subject to regulation as public nuisances as described in this Section. 4. Dense smoke, noxious fumes, gas and soot, or cinders, in unreasonable quantities, are declared a public nuisance and are hereby made subject to regulation and control by a properly designated authority. 5. All exterior solid fuel-fired heating devices installed within the City shall be listed and labeled by a nationally recognized testing laboratory and installed according to the manufacturer's recommendations. ADOPTED this 6. The following materials shall not be used or burned in ext devices: grass leaves, oils, rubber, plastics, tires, railro painted or chemically treated materials such as treate paper, insulation composition board, sheetrock, w' industrial solid waste. (E) Violations: any violation of this subsectio subject to all penalties as provided by St SECTION 2. Effective Date. according to law. day of By: David McKnight, City Administrator SEAL Approved as to form the day of ,2012 By: City Attorney Published in the Farmington Independent the _ day of ,2012.