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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1979 06-13 Land owner objects to "piece-meal" zoning REVIEW Land owner objects to • ece - mea zoning ByMELANIE WAAGE The council decided that theirprevious Avenue on the northerly side of the action taken was not valid, based on the Burlington Northern Railroad tracks. At the June 7 Maplewood city council fact that the area was not described fully The planning commission recom- meeting, the council reconsidered a vote in the legal notice.It read,"a strip of land mended tabling of the zone change until (.J' to rezone,minutes after voting, based on averaging 100 feet deep lying north of a Midwest Planning had an opportunity to the fact that the hearing notice was too line generally 250 feet north of the center evaluate what the planned land use should broad, and interested persons may not line of Radatz Avenue between the center be in the area.The council concurred and have realized just what area the rezoning line of Southlawn Drive and the center tabled the zone change for 30 days. included. line of White Bear Avenue." IN OTHER ACTION the council ap- IN A PUBLIC hearing, the council The council moved, and voted to proved an ordinance amendment for off- considered that the business commercial reconsider. They deleted the 2829 White street parking, second reading. district along Beam Avenue be extended Bear Ave.and 1927 Radatz Ave.from the It was recommended that the number of farther south to Radatz Avenue,involving motion. They voted 4-1 to hold another parking spaces required by the zoning a zone change from farm residential. public hearing to consider the rezoning. code be revised for warehouses and Added to that zone change were two Don Wiegert voted no. manufacturing uses. Two major properties at 2829 White Bear Ave. and developments proposed,Hillcrest and two 1927 Radatz Ave., at the request of IN OTHER ACTION the city council restaurants west of Wendy's, are being property owners.The owners felt it would approved plans and specifications for considered. be better to be rezoned for commercial construction of a left-turn lane at south- The city's code does not have a specific use to avoid the possibility of assessments bound White Bear and Beam Avenues. requirement for off-street parking for on Radatz Avenue, according to a staff The construction of the left-turn lane warehouse establishments. This will report. will be completed by the county in 1979 at require one space for each two em- But there was some discussion among no cost to the city. However, the county ployees. Maplewood's current ordinance the council members that the legal notice requested that the city participate in one- on theater parking, requiring one space published did not describe the property half the cost of a traffic signal to provide a for each 12 seats, has been found to be accurately. It was written very broadly, left-turn indication at the intersection. unrealistic, staff told the council. That so all the property would be covered and portion of the code was amended to read did not include the above properties that THE COUNCIL also considered the for theaters, auditorium churches or were added later. But, the council went rezoning of a 19-acre tract from R-1, other places of public assembly, a ahead and voted, based on the planning single dwelling residential, to R-3, minimum of one space for four seats will commission's recommendations to ap- multiple dwelling residence, for an area be required.Schools must have one space prove the rezoning. between McKnight Road and Century for every 20 auditorium seats. Don Nelson, formerly of 1861 Radatz- Ave., Maplewood, spoke up and said he didn't understand why the zone change was being made. "Why not zone all that property the same so it will sell rather than piece-meal it?,"Nelson asked the council. "We can't sell anything if the property isn't zoned carefully. Also, the legal notice in the newspaper didn't make the zone change very clear, and I'm still confused about it." The council suggested he obtain a petition from the area residents if he wanted to change the zoning. "I came before this council three years ago, because I wanted to build an apart- ment building," Nelson said. "I was told the area was zoned residential and it couldn't be changed. "I wanted to build apartments six months ago and was told it was zoned in the comprehensive plan for commercial. When is this going to be settled—I'm 54 years old and I've only got six years left.I want some action on this.You're taking 20 feet off my lot and I object." The property on the block to the north is zoned business commercial, and the property to the south is zoned farm residential. The buffer area is zoned limited service center. The planning commission was proposing extending the business commercial south, beyond the limited service center buffer, into the farm residential property.