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tin55 Long Lal;e Fire Station Site <br />February 15,2002 <br />Page 6 <br />The basis for a 50' side street setback requirement for institutional/municipal buildings is Jo minimize <br />the impact on the surrounding neighborhood. The fire station will be situated 100 feet from the south <br />lot line of the property, and the road will be moved further off the lot line to avoid impacting the linear <br />wetlands. Both factors tend to minimize impact of the variance on the only directly affected neighboring <br />property, the Miller residence to the south. That residence is located approximately 100' from its north <br />lot line, or about 20C from the fire station building. <br />Stuff Recommendation . Staff recommends approval of the setback variance as proposed, based on the <br />site factors noted above which pose hardships preventing the station from being moved to meet the <br />required setback. <br />III. CUP for Hose Tower Height <br />1 he hose tower height is necessary for it to perform a number of functions. Its primary purpose is for <br />firefighter training, containing stairways, windows, a door to the roof, etc. which allow for a variety of <br />realistic firefighting and rescue scenarios to be staged. Its secondary use is to elevate hoses for drying. <br />This dual purpose makes the tower an important element of the station if budget allows. <br />Hose towers arc sometimes treated as an important architectural design element of fire stations where <br />the location makes it suitable for use as a clock tower or signature design feature. The Long Lake station <br />will be located in a neighborhood setting rather than u ‘town center ’ setting, and reducing the <br />prominence of the tower will minimize its visual impact on the neighborhood. The tower is proposed <br />to be located at the southeast comer of the building where it will be relatively unobtrusive in the <br />neighborhood as opposed to if it was located near the front of the building. Its flat roof will extend <br />approximately 12' above the 23' flat roof height of the majority of the station huildint. or a total of 35' <br />in height where 30' is the normal maximum allowed. The 20' x 22 ’ area of the tower covers just under <br />3% of the total roof area of the station, hence it is a relatively small feature in the context of the overall <br />visual impact of the station. <br />Comments received from the adjacent property owner have been included as Exhibit F. <br />btaff Recommendation . In addition to recommending approval of the CUPfor the tower in its pi oposed <br />configuration, staff recommends that no signage be allowed on the tower, and that its facade materials <br />match the rest of the building so that it does not become unnecessarily noticeable, and the tower itself <br />should not be lighted. <br />Summary' of Issues for Discussion <br />1.There are no specific code standards for granting a CUP for hose tower height in Zoning Code <br />Section 10.75 Subd. 1. Does Planning Commission feel any conditions other than those proposed <br />by '.taff are necessary in order to allow the 35' tower?