HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-11-23 PACKET 06.5.STAFF REPORT CASE: TA2015-047
ITEM: 6.5
PUBLIC MEETING DATE: 11/23/15 TENTATIVE COUNCIL REVIEW DATE: 12/16/15
APPLICATION
APPLICANT: City of Cottage Grove
REQUEST: A zoning text amendment to City Code Title 11-3-917, Required Parking,
regarding Restaurants, classes 1 and 2 — bars, taverns, nightclubs.
SITE DATA
LOCATION: N/A
ZONING: N/A
GUIDED LAND USE: N/A
LAND USE OF ADJACENT PROPERTIES: CURRENT
NORTH:
EAST:
SOUTH:
WEST:
SIZE: N/A
DENSITY: N/A
RECOMMENDATION
Approval.
N/A
GUIDED
Collage COTTAGE GROVE PLANNING DIVISION
Grove
dere rnee-0V'05veaiv Mees
Planning Staff Contact: John M. Burbank, Senior Planner; 651-458-2825; iburbank(o)cottage-grove. org
Application Accepted:. N/A 60 -Day Review Deadline: N/A
City of Cottage Grove Planning Division • 12800 Ravine Parkway South • Cottage Grove, MN 55016
Planning Staff Report
Restaurant Parking
Planning Case No. TA15-047
November 23, 2015
Proposal
The City of Cottage Grove has initiated a zoning text amendment to City Code Title 11-3-9F,
Required Parking, regarding Restaurants, classes 1 and 2 — bars, taverns, nightclubs.
Background
Currently City Code Title 11-3-9F relating to required parking regarding restaurants, classes 1
and 2 — bars, taverns, nightclubs, has two methods in which to calculate parking requirements.
The existing language reads as follows:
"At least 1 space for each 3 seats, based on capacity design or where there is no design
layout, 1 space for each 50 square feet of gross floor area, whichever is greater. Except
that in cases in which there is a bar area separate from the food service area, a dance
area larger than 100 square feet, or other public areas, additional parking will be required
as necessary."
Discussion
Over the last several years, as the City was trying to facilitate filling vacant retail spaces with
uses including restaurants with liquor, the "whichever is greater" statement in the ordinance cri-
teria would always default to the higher calculation based on gross floor area. Based on the
higher required numbers, intended spaces would often go unleased as the planned restaurant
use was unable to meet the required parking in the existing designated parking lots on the
property.
The City completed a survey of peer communities. The final survey report is attached with this
document. The review of the study identifies that a number of communities base required
parking on seating versus gross square footage. In order to address the identified issue, a
zoning text amendment is proposed. The modified requirement criteria that is proposed is
detailed below:
Strike
WN..
Stewart Addition
Planning Staff Report — PP2015-042, FP2015-044 and V2015-043
November 23, 2015
Page 2 of 2
M
Public Hearing Notices
A public hearing notice was published in the South Washington County Bulletin on November
11, 2015.
Summary
A. The proposed amendment clears conflicting ordinance criteria.
B. The proposed text amendment still addresses venues without a specific seating design.
C. The proposed use still addresses dance floor and gathering spaces.
Recommendation
That the Planning Commission recommend that the City Council approve the zoning text amend-
ment to City Code Title 11-3-9F, Required Parking, regarding Restaurants, classes 1 and 2 —
bars, taverns, nightclubs.
Prepared by:
John M Burbank, AICP
Senior Planner
Attachment:
Survey of Peer Communities