76-01 - Churches in R-1A ZOA pt 1MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Manager, Don Ashworth
DATE: December 6, 1976
SUBJ: Zoning Ordinance Amendment, Allowance of Churches in
R-lA District (Final Reading).
This item was discussed and placed on first reading on October 18,
1976. Final reading and adoption was tabled on November 15,
1976, to allow the attorney to complete the definitions section;
specifically, the definition of a church.
Final approval and adoption is recommended.
RusSELL H. I.ARSON
ATTORNEY AT LAW
1900 FIRST NATIONAL BANK BUILDING
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA 55402
RUSSELL H. LARSON
AREA CODE 612
CRAIG M. MERTZ November 12, 1976 TELEPHONE 335-9565
Mr. Donald W. Ashworth
City Administrator
Box 147
Chanhassen, Minnesota 55317
Re: Churches as a Conditional Use
in R-lA districts
Dear Don:
You will recall that on October 18, 1976, the City Council approved
an amendment of Ordinance 47 so as to permit churches as conditional
uses in the R-lA residence district. The Council's approval stated
that the amendment was to incorporate the comments of the Planning
Commission (Planning Commission Minutes, Sept. 22, 1976), and the
recommendations of the City Planner dated September 28, 1976. There
is a conflict between the Planner's recommendations and the Planning
Commission recommendations. The Planner's report indicated that
churches should not be located outside the MUSA line. However, the
Planning Commission action would permit a church outside of the MUSA
line if that church were equipped with an effective sanitation system.
Enclosed you will find our proposed Ordinance 47-E which would allow
churches as a conditional use in the R-lA district. The enclosed
ordinance resolves the above described conflict in favor of the
Planner.
I trust that you will highlight this problem to the Council when you
present the ordinance for its final reading.
From: City Administrator
Referred To:
Mayor
Council _
Planner_ 1/
Building _
Attol ney
CMNI: mep. Engineer _
Enc 1. TrEasurr
Polka
Parks
Street ."a;nt
tltilit;es
Press _
Other
Very truly yours,
RUSSELL H. LARSON
Craig 4. Mertz
Assistant Chanhassen City Attorney
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CITY OF CHANHASSEN
CARVER AND HENNEPIN COUNTIES, MINNESOTA
ORDINANCE 47-E
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTIONS 4.02 AND 6.04 OF THE
CHANHASSEN ZONING ORDINANCE.
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHANHASSEN ORDAINS:
Section 1. The definition "churches" as set forth in
Section 4.02 of Ordinance No. 47, entitled "The Chanhassen Zoning
Ordinance", adopted February 8, 1972, and as amended heretofore by
Ordinances No. 47-A, 47-B, 47-C and 47-D, is hereby amended to read
as follows:
4.02 For the purposes of this ordinance, certain terms
and words are defined as follows:
Church: A building or edifice consecrated to religious
worship, where people join together in some form of public
worship under the aegis and direction of a person who is
authorized under the laws of the State of Minnesota to
solemnize marriages.
Camp meeting grounds, mikvahs, coffee houses, recreational
complexes, retreat houses, sleeping quarters for retrea-
tants during spiritual retreats extending for periods of
more than one day, Bible camps with live-in quarters,
Abattoirs (ritual slaughter houses), radio or TV towers
and transmission facilities, radio or TV studios, recording
studios, cemetaries, theological seminaries, day care
centers, hospitals, and drug treatment centers are not
churches.
A church as defined above may include living quarters for
persons employed on the premises of said church.
Section 2. Section 6.04 of said Ordinance 47, as adopted
and amended heretofore, is hereby amended by adding a paragraph numbered
9 reading as follows:
6.04 Uses by Conditional'Use Permit:
9. Churches, but only if (a) the subject property lies
entirely within the metropolitan urban service area, as
defined from time to time by the Metropolitan Council in its
Development Guide, pursuant to Section 473.145 of Minnesota
Statutes; and (b) the subject property abuts a hard -surfaced
street which is designated as a minor arterial street or
collection street on the City's Transportation plan, as that
term is defined in §462.351, Subd. 7 of Minnesota Statutes;
FOO
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and (c) the subject property is designated as residential on
the city's Comprehensive Municipal Plan, as that term is
defined in §462.352, Subd. 5 of Minnesota Statutes.
Section 3. Effective Date. This ordinance shall become
effective from and after its passage and publication.
Passed by the Council this
ATTEST:
Donald W. Ashworth
Clerk -Administrator
day of
, 1976.
Al H. Klingelhutz, Mayor
Public hearing held on September 20, 1976
Publish in Carver County Herald on
, 1976.
OuUTION
Q
1776-1976
CITY OF
CHANHASSU
7610 LAREDO DRIVEQP 0 BOX 1470CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317®(612) 474-8885
PLANNING REPORT
DATE: August 23, 1976
TO: Planning Commission
FROM: Bruce Pankonin, City Planner
SUBJ: Proposed Amendment to Ordinance 47
REF: Ordinance 47, Section 2.4
The City of Chanhassen has been approached by the Valley Community
Church to construct a new facility on lands presently zoned R-lA.
Specifically, Pastor Hess, from the Valley Community Church, would
like to use a portion or all of the Assumption Seminary property
for community church activities.
As you know, Ordinance 47, was enacted into law in 1972, and excluded
churches as a land use category on lands zoned R-lA. The questions
before the commission at this time are:
1. Should churches continue to be excluded from the rural
part of town? As you know, the city has been following a policy
of channelling "urban type"land uses into the areas currently served
by municipal services; or,
2. Are there some areas of the city (currently zoned R-lA)
where churches would be appropriate? If so, under what conditions
should churches be allowed?
From a planning perspective, I can see the city's rational for
allowing "urban uses" only on lands currently served by municipal
services. However, I do believe certain "urban type" uses (such as
churches) could be allowed on lands zoned agricultural if the
following conditions are met:
y Planning Commissio -2- August 23, 1976
1. The subject property is located within the MUSA line -as
defined by the Metropolitan Council.
2. The subject property is located adjacent to a minor
arterial or collector street on the City's Transportation Plan.
3. The subject property is designated residential on the
City's Comprehensive land use plan.
4. Access to the subject property is via an existing.hard
surfaced road with adequate sight distances.
5. All other standards of the City and State are met.
N',O�-UTION B
!V
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1776-1976
CITY OF
CHANHASSEN
7610 LAREDO DRIVE#P.O BOX 147*CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317«(612) 474-8885
PLANNING REPORT
DATE: September 28, 1976
TO: Don Ashworth, City Administrator
FROM: Bruce Pankonin, City Planner
SUBJ: Amendment to Ordinance 47 to allow churches as a conditional
use in the R-lA, Residential -Agricultural District.
REF: Attached Commission minutes dated September 22, 1976.
PETITION: The Planning Commission duly initiated and held a public
hearing to consider amending Ordinance 47, Section 6.04 to allow
churches as a conditional use in the R-lA, Residential Agricultural
T)i_stri_ct-
PLANNER'S COMMENTS
1. There are some uses which can be troublesome, obnoxious,
or objectional in certain zoning districts unless certain standards
or conditions are placed upon their operation. For example, certain
land uses may cause excessive traffic or parking problems or may
over burden existing utilities. These types of land uses are usually
dealt with through the conditional use permit. Examples of such are
schools, churches, hospitals, funeral homes, civic uses, gas stations,
eating establishments, gravel quarries, etc. These uses are usually
closely associated with other land uses such as residential, commercial
or industrial, but if uses were allowed as a matter of right in such
a district, there would be no opportunity,to consider the "special
problems" connected with these uses.
2. The zoning ordinance must list the land uses to be dealt
with as a conditional use and also the standards and conditions which
must be fulfilled in order for the use to be allowed. Once these
' Mr. Don Ashworth -2- Septergbex 28, 1976
conditions are met, the proposed use must be allowed as a matter of
right. Some of the usual conditions found in a zoning ordinance
involve increasing minimum lot sizes; limiting building heights;
controlling and limiting vehicles access point; requiring more or less
parking spaces; requiring additional fencing; screening and landscaping;
controlling architectural style; and limiting size, location and
lighting of advertising signs.
3. The conditional use permit introduces and allows more
flexibility in zoning ordinances in that it allows more intermixture
of land uses. However,it should be noted that conditional uses
allowed in the district must be compatible with the uses generally
allowed in the district and with the comprehensive plan of the
community.
4. Care must be used in determining which uses should be included
as conditional uses. For example, the temptation may be to include
practically all uses under the conditional use permit in order to
gain better control over proposed developments. However, it should
be noted there must be special problems associated with the particular
land use in order for it to qualify as a conditonal use. In relation
to the standards, they must also be drafted with care, since they may
be interpreted as exclusionary or arbitrary.
5. The case in point is the commission's desire to amend the
R-lA, use district to allow churches as a conditional use. The
questions to be resolved are:
a. Is the use (churches) compatible with the uses generally
allowed in the Agricultural Di.stri•ct and with the Comprehensive Plan?;
and,
b. What are the particular difficulties associated with churches?
(e.g. traffic, locational requirements, sewage requirements, etc).
6. From a planning perspective, I believe certain "urban -type"
uses, such as churches could be allowed on lands zoned agricultural
if:
a. The subject property is located within the MUSA line as defined
by the Metropolitan Council. On face value this condition stretches
the requirements of Ordinance 45, by allowing urban uses in land not
currently served by sanitary sewer systems.
b. The subject property is located adjacent to a minor arterial
or collector street as shown on the city's transportation plan.
This requirement would eliminate churches from developing on
residential streets or gaining local access through a residential
neighborhood where low traffic columns are anticipated.
C. The subject property is designated as residential on the
City's Comprehensive Plan. This requirement seems appropriate because
of the close association between churches and the City's residential
system. On the other hand, it appears redundant to "plunk" down
a church in the middle of area proposed to be industrial.
Mr: Don Ashworth -3- September 28, 1976
d. Access to the subject property is via an existing hard
surfaced road with adequate sight distance. The reasons for this
condition are too obvious to even mention, and;
e. All other standards of the city and state are met, with
particular attention'.paid to the provisions outlined in Ordinance
47, Section 23.06.
PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION
As shown in the attached, the commission recommended that Section 6.04
be expanddd!. to include churches as a conditional use in the R-lA
use district. It is interesting to note that the commission did not
recommend any conditions to be followed for the issuance of a permit.
PLANNER'S RECOMMENDATION
Approval subject to the conditions outlined in number 6, above.
Aop by City Administrator
st1dorsed_
Mod'died —
Rejected_
Dat
Date Submitted to CommissiorN
Date Submitted to Council
/o /y L76
Planning Commission Meeting September 22, • 1976 -3-
MINUTES: A motion was made by Les Bridger:and seconded by Walter
Thompson to • approve• the September 8 , �_ 19 7 6 , • •minutes as submitted. The
following- voted in lauor.� •Mal:.HacAlpine, Hud Hollenback, Les Bridger,
and Walter.Thompson. Jerry Nehet abstained,. Motion carried.
PUBLIC HEARING .. -
AMENDMENT TO ORDINANCE 47,-5J3CTTCN,6.04 ,
SEPTEMBER .22-, 1976 f, AT, • 9 : 00 P.M,
Hud •Hollenback called -the hearing tp ,order with. the ,following members
present; Mal MacAlpinef-Walter:ThpTap�3Qn, Les Bridger, and ,Terry Neher.
The following persons. -were present,:,
Don McCarvill, Country Cl,ean7
Bruce Peterson, Va .ley• Ministries., •Inc. Shakopee
The City Planner read.the official: not�ce.ag-published in the Carver
County Herald.
The purpose of this hearing is,tp-con$ioer�ch rches s a conditional
use in an R-lA Use District. The-,Ci.ty.Kanner believes certain urban
type uses such as churches could..be Allowed -on lands zoned
agricultural if .the following . condit�ong, .?Lre, -met
1) The -subject property is locatgd� witb;L. ,. the . MUSA -line as defined by
the Metropolitan Council.
2) The : subject property is l.ocated;,adjacent Ito a ,minor arterial or
collector street on the City's Transportation.Plan.
3) The subject property is designated residential -on the City's
Comprehensive Land Use Plan.
4) Access to the subject property is via an existing hard surfaced road
with adequate sight distances.
5) All other standards of the City and State are met.
Mal MacAlpine - I would be in favor of recommending an•amendment to allow
churches as a conditional use in an R-lA District. I
think the advantage - of • doing that is two,-fold.;-1) I
don't • think, you 'w+ou,ld• have that manor churches really
locating here outside: rthe MUSA line under •normal. .
circwastancez o and .2 J:. •1 think by having it •a conditional
use it -•has, <t,,o -.come before us to see just what the
proposal •is . ,so- each slfuation like this would be taken
as a separate issue.And I think -there would ; be a. control
factor there that would take into consideration the
concerns that you (Bruce) expressed, --no sewer, what
would happen to the, soil • absorption,- etc.
Bruce Pankonin - if you are going to.consider it as a.conditional use
you should give this council and future councils and
planning -comm igns, direction -a. ae -,to how to -judge, to
give them' some : rapoter�_ • in.;w iqh :.to ; work. In my
report ,Z mentioAe41;.a . w Lend itibx •.. They • should be
stated in, the, ordi ae ,under 1 -What . conditions -they would
;-be allowed. Thatf V' `.ro aWend4tiQn.
Mal MacAlpine - Isn't it also true on any conditional use you could
consider eea h pBti iQnpW s '••p .ittQn' as a• separate issue
and at;�that;im�_`ktdt eQdi:#.inr under- which we
should issue -,a;•,c�� 3.���na�l: uae �perr�tt�,t,• x think, •without-
,spel:li.pg g'et,the it gives
theL Planr}i,•ng QommissiQq •fad ':`g;!sater • f lexibility.
Les Bridger Could we not amend #Jfnd say: The subject property is
Planning Commission Meeting September 22, 1976 • -4-
located within the MUSA"line"as 'defined by the Metropolitan
Council'and if the property is not located within the
MUSA line that said property be subject to adequate
sanitation facilities as setforth by the City Engineer.
Hud Hollenback - I think that's specific. I could add 15 more conditions
to churches in an R-lA right now. I think if we try to
limit it to 4 or 5 or 10 or 15 I think we are limiting
ourselves.' I think each application or petition be
considered separately. I don't 'see making it part of
the ordinance.
Jerry Neher My feeling 'would 'be this, if'"tie list 'a bunch of conditions,
if I were'a person asking fora conditional use permit and
all of the conditions" that were listed' were 'met, I would
feel I would qualify for almost automatic.- It eliminates
any power for us to put 'any other cond-itio'ns' onto it I
would feel very very put out if I came back in here and
there was" another list as ' lonq" as 'my arm of' conditions
that we would want to put on. I think it limits our
flexibility completely by putting them on. Of those five
there is nothing to much that I would'find hard to live
with, except that first one -bothers me. There would be
less sever usage than a ,home`i4ould. Where you. are just
having one 'servicea meek' there would -6e less to prohibit
a church' " than a" hontte'.'.
A motion was made by Jerry Neher and -seconded by Walter Thompson to
close the public hearing. Motiori;tidnanimously approved.' Hearing
adjourned at 9:40 p.m':'.. "
Don Ashworth
Clerk -Administrator
PROPOSED AMENDMENT'TO ORDINANCE 47;'SECTION 6.'0404 A motion was made by
Les Bridget that the'Plann ng'r-ommiss on recommend an amendment to
Ordinance 47 which would include churches as defined by the City as a
conditional'use in an R-lA Use Dis'trie't.' The Commission also recommends
as a minimal condition'of this conditional use permit the five conditions
as submitted by Bruce'Pankonih with the exception of changing item #1
to read: if -the subject property ,is located outside the MUSA line that
it be equipped with an effective sanitation system which would meet the
requirements as setforth by the City'Engineer.' These would be minimum
conditions that would'have to'be set by each Applicant. Motion died for
lack of a second.
A motion was made by Jerry-Neher and seconded by Mal MacAlpine to
recommend the'Council amend'Ordinance,47, Section 6.04 to include
churches'as a conditional use in an R-lA Use District. The following
voted in favor: Hud Hollenback;'Jerry Neher',' Walter Thompson, and
Mal MacAlpine. Les'Bridger"'Voted'no. Motion carried.
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT - HERBERT BLOOMBERG: 'Mr. Bloomberg was present
requesting a.cond t onal use=_perm t'to u d'a 350 seat theatre in the
Frontier Complex.' The'thea.tre'would be built'in the open space between
the former post office and former grocery store. The theatre would
generate a need for'a 120 car parking lot. The City Planner stated