2. City Code Amendment-Chapter 20, Zoning Regulating Storage of Recreational Vehicles and Recreational Facility Lights0
CITY OF
CHANAASSEN
7700 Market Boulevard
PO Box 147
Chanhassen, MN 55317
Administration
Phone: 952.227.1100
Fax: 952.227.1110
Building Inspections
Phone: 952.227.1180
Fax: 952.227.1190
MEMORANDUM
TO: Planning Commission
FROM: Robert Generous, AICP
DATE: February 7, 2012 O f _ .
SUBJ: City Code Amendment
Chapter 20, Zoning
PROPOSED MOTION:
"The Chanhassen Planning Commission recommends that City Council adopt the
attached ordinance amending Chapter 20 of the Chanhassen City Code regulating
the storage of recreational vehicles and recreational facility lights."
Engineering
BACKGROUND
Phone: 952.227.1160
Fax: 952.227.1170
On January 17, 2012, staff presented potential code amendments to the Planning
Finance
Commission for review and direction. Of the five items, the Planning Commission
Phone: 952.227.1140
directed staff to prepare the changes for City Code to the sections on storage of
Fax: 952.227.1110
recreational vehicles and recreational facility lights. Of the other items, staff will
Park & Recreation
perform additional analysis and research and bring them back for Planning
Phone: 952.227.1120
Commission review and direction.
Fax: 952.227.1110
ANALYSIS
Recreation Center
2310 Coulter Boulevard
1. Storage of Recreational Vehicles (Section 20 -910)
Phone: 952.227.1400
Fax: 952.227.1404
Issue: Individuals have used their recreational vehicles for temporary living in
Planning &
excess of seven days. As currently written, as long as the recreational vehicle is
Natural Resources
moved for at least one day, it can be occupied for an unlimited time in seven -day
Phone: 952.227.1130
increments. The proposed language would limit the overall use of the recreational
Fax: 952.227.1110
vehicle during an entire year. This language is similar to Section 20 -962 of the City
Code, Camping Facilities.
Public Works
7901 Park Place
Phone: 952.227.1300
Proposed Change:
Fax: 952.227.1310
Sec. 20 -910. - Storage of recreational vehicles.
Senior Center
Phone: 952.227.1125
Recreational vehicles may be parked or stored in a residential or agricultural district
Fax: 952.227.1110
provided the following conditions are met:
Web Site
www.ci.chanhassen.mn.us
(1) No more than one recreational vehicle may be parked or stored outside on a
residential lot. Additional recreational vehicles may be kept within an
enclosed structure which otherwise conforms to the zoning requirements of
the district.
Chanhassen is a Community for Life -Providing for Today and Planning for Tomorrow
Planning Commission
Chapter 20 Code Amendments
February 7, 2012
Page 2
(2) Recreational vehicles must be maintained in a clean, well -kept, operable condition.
(3) Recreational vehicles shall be mobile and shall not be permanently affixed in the ground
in a manner that would prevent removal.
(4) Recreational vehicles may be parked or stored only on the rear or side yard behind the
required front yard setback. The parking or storage of recreational vehicles on the rear or
side yard, as permitted herein, may be on surfaced or unsurfaced areas.
(5) Recreational vehicles may be stored on a lot without regard to the location on the lot for
the sole and express purpose of loading and unloading for a period not to exceed 24
hours.
(6) Unmounted slide -in pickup campers must be stored no higher than 20 inches above the
ground and must be securely supported at least at four corners by solid support blocks or
support mechanisms.
(7) Recreational vehicles may not be occupied or used for living, sleeping or housekeeping
purposes, —for not more than seven consecutive days or more than 21 days within a 365 -
day period.
(8) Except for routine maintenance or during emergency conditions when power supply is
disrupted, the operation of a recreational vehicle power generator plant shall not be
permitted in residential districts. Routine maintenance periods shall not exceed 60
minutes per month.
2. Recreational Facility Light Height (Section 20 -913 (c) (2)).
Issue: Light standards for ball fields limit the height of the fixture to 65 feet. However, for
efficiency and effectiveness, the light may have to be higher. The tallest light pole at Lake Ann
Park is 75 feet with the light fixtures on top of the pole. The proposed ordinance amendment
would allow lighting of this height.
As part of the Planning Commission discussion, there was a question about the exception in
section (c) (4) that only if more than 50 percent of the lighting were being replaced that the
lighting would have to be brought into compliance with this section. However, it has been the
City's experience that if there is a replacement or upgrading of site lighting; it is due to
redevelopment of the site. In such cases, the lighting must comply with current standards. It is
neither cost effective nor probable that light fixtures would be replaced in pieces.
Proposed Change:
Sec. 20 -913. - Lighting.
Planning Commission
Chapter 20 Code Amendments
February 7, 2012
Page 3
(a) Glare, whether direct or reflected, as differentiated from general illumination shall not be
visible beyond the limits of the site from which it originates.
(b) No light which is flashing, revolving or otherwise resembles a traffic- control signal shall be
allowed in any area where it could create a hazard for passing vehicular traffic.
(c) Lighting fixtures on poles shall comply with the following:
(1) All fixtures must be shielded, high pressure sodium or light- emitting diode (LED), with a
total cutoff angle equal to or less than 90 degrees.
(2) Fixture height shall not exceed 30 feet. Recreational facility fps light poles shall not
exceed 6-5 75 feet in height.
(3) Photometrics shall incorporate existing light fixtures, public or private, that may impact
the site.
(4) All outdoor light fixtures existing and legally installed prior to February 22, 1999, are
exempt from the requirements of this article, unless work is proposed in any one -year
period so as to replace 50 percent or more of the existing outdoor light fixtures, or to
increase to the extent of 50 percent or more the number of outdoor light fixtures on the
premises.
(d) Wall- mounted lighting in commercial, industrial and institutional districts shall comply with
the following:
(1) All wall- mounted light fixtures shall be shielded with a total cutoff angle equal to or less
than 90 degrees.
(e) Lighting shall not be directed skyward except for lighting designed for illuminating the
United States of America Flag.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission recommend approval of the attached ordinance
amending Chapter 20 Zoning of the Chanhassen City Code pertaining to the storage of
recreational vehicles and recreational facility lights.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Ordinance Amending Chapter 20, Zoning, Sections 20 -910 (7) and 20 -913 (c) (2).
g: \plan \city code\2012\2012 -01 chapter 20 recreational vehicles & ballfield lights height \pc memo 2- 7- 12.doc
CITY OF CHANHASSEN
CARVER AND HENNEPIN COUNTIES, MINNESOTA
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 20
CHANHASSEN CITY CODE,
ZONING,
CONCERNING STORAGE OF RECREATIONAL VEHICLES
AND RECREATION FACILITY LIGHTS
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA ORDAINS:
Section. Section 20 -910 (7) of the City Code, City of Chanhassen, Minnesota, is hereby
amended to read as follows:
Recreational vehicles may not be occupied or used for living, sleeping or
housekeeping purposes for net more than seven consecutive days or more than
21 days within a 365 -day period.
Section. Section 20 -913 (c) (2) of the City Code, City of Chanhassen, Minnesota, is
hereby amended to read as follows:
Fixture height shall not exceed 30 feet. Recreational facility fixtufes light poles
shall not exceed 65 75 feet in height.
Section. This ordinance shall be effective immediately upon its passage and publication.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this day of , 2012, by the City Council of
the City of Chanhassen, Minnesota
Todd Gerhardt, City Manager Thomas A. Furlong, Mayor
(Published in the Chanhassen Villager on