03-13-2017 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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ML'NUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION Tuesday, February 21, 2017 Council 6:30 o'clock p.m. Exhibit B 3. #17-3899 LITTLE ACORNS CHILD CARE, 2060 WAYZATA BOULEVARD WEST, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, 6:51 P.M. — 7:16 P.M. Mary Smale, Little Acorns Child Care, and Dale Richardson, CBS -MN Properties, were present. Gaffron noted this conditional use permit application review is conducted under the assumption that daycare use will ultimately be determined to be an acceptable use for this site. The applicant is currently operating a daycare business in Long Lake and is requesting that the City approve a conditional use permit to allow operation of a daycare in the existing building on the property. Currently the only Orono Zoning Code requirement for a daycare conditional use permit (in B-1 and B-3 Districts) is that 50 square feet of outdoor play area per pupil must be available. For a 95 -child level of use, the code would require a 4,750 square foot play area. This requirement is different from current state licensing standards, which require a minimum of a 1,500 square foot outdoor activity area. The applicants are proposing two 1,500 square foot outdoor play areas which would allow 20 students playing at a time under state regulations. Given existing state regulations, Staff does not believe there is a need to enforce the City requirement as long as the state requirements are satisfied. As it relates to parking, technically Orono's Code requires 15 stalls for this use. Use of the northerly portion of the parking lot for a play area eliminates six parking stalls and the backup apron that was required in the original parking lot approvals. This makes the remaining stalls abutting the play area less functional. Staff would be requesting a detailed site plan be submitted for the play area, showing how it will be fenced off, how it will be accessed, and its relationship to the adjacent parking area. The site currently does not have the capacity for a loop or drop-off lane and all vehicles dropping off or picking up children would have to park in a defined stall. The property currently has only right in/right out direct access to Wayzata Boulevard but does benefit by existing easements through the adjacent Orono Woods Senior Housing parking lots to access Brown Road and the signalized intersection at Brown and Wayzata Boulevard. Planned removal by Hennepin County of the median in Wayzata Boulevard and creation of an opposing center left turn lane will result in full Page 6 of 48