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COMMUNITYGRowTH <br /> i N S T I T U T E <br /> November 21, 2007 <br /> Mayor and City Council <br /> City of Pequot Lakes <br /> 4638 County Road ii <br /> Pequot Lakes, MN 56472 <br /> Re: Planning Commission Report <br /> Dear Mayor and City Council, <br /> The Planning Commission met for their regularly scheduled November meeting at which they <br /> held five public hearings and reviewed various new and old business matters. The Planning <br /> Commission is forwarding the following four recommendations for your consideration. <br /> 1. Ordinance Amendment to Modify Height Limits in the Light Industrial <br /> District,City of Pequot Lakes <br /> Over the last couple of months, the Planning Commission has reviewed two applications for <br /> variances for structures exceeding the height limit in the Light Industrial zone. In both <br /> instances, the Planning Commission approved the variances as both variances were for <br /> accessory structures that were required by State statute for safe and healthful operation of the <br /> businesses involved. <br /> In the Light Industrial zone, the Planning Commission felt that height limit was overly <br /> restrictive for the types of uses that would be typically allowed within that zone. The current 25- <br /> foot height limit,presumably,was put in place due to the limitations of the local fire department <br /> equipment, which previously had been unable to reach structures higher than 25 feet (or two <br /> stories). In the past couple of years, new fire equipment has been purchased and there are no <br /> longer those limitations. Other communities, such as Breezy Point, that share local fire services, <br /> have also made similar height changes in their Ordinances due to improvements in local fire <br /> equipment. <br /> An increase in the height limit of 25 feet within the Light Industrial Zone is unlikely to have <br /> significant impacts on the community. The largest obstacle to such a height, as discussed above, <br /> had been the ability to appropriately serve those buildings should they catch fire. There may be <br /> visual impacts associated with this increased height as viewed from properties in the immediate <br /> vicinity. The tree coverage along Highway 371, however, will limit the impacts as viewed from <br /> the road,as most of these trees have a height of roughly 30 feet or higher as mature trees. <br /> By increasing the maximum height, variances for structures currently typically required for <br /> manufacturing processes will no longer be required. <br /> `-- The Planning Commission is recommending that the City Council approve the following <br /> amendments to Section 5.13,Subdivision 3: <br /> 14084 Baxter Drive, Suite 7 1 Baxter, Minnesota 56425 1 218.828.3064 1 www.communitygrowth.com <br />