pc-agenda-may-24-21
REGULAR MEETING AGENDA
This meeting will be held via Webex in accordance with the local emergency declaration made by the
City under Minn. Stat. § 12.37. The public may monitor this meeting by watching on Comcast cable
channel 16, by streaming on CCXmedia.org, or by calling 1‐415‐655‐0001 and entering the meeting
code 177 607 5175. The public may participate in this meeting during public comment sections by
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technical assistance, please contact the City at 763‐593‐8007 or webexsupport@goldenvalleymn.gov.
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consideration.
1. Call to Order
2. Approval of Agenda
3. Approval of Minutes
May 10, 2021, Planning Commission Meeting
4. Discussion – Temporary Outdoor Service Uses
– End of Televised Portion of Meeting –
To listen to this portion, please call 1‐415‐655‐0001 and enter meeting access code 177 607 5175.
5. Council Liaison Report
6. Other Business
a. Reports on Board of Zoning Appeals and Other Meetings
b. Annual Commissioner Orientation
c. Exclusionary Zoning Brief & Reading Recommendations
7. Adjournment
May 24, 2021 – 7 pm
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
This meeting was held via Webex in accordance with the local emergency declaration made by
the City under Minn. Stat. § 12.37. In accordance with that declaration, beginning on March 16,
2020, all Planning Commission meetings held during the emergency were conducted
electronically. The City used Webex to conduct this meeting and members of the public were
able to monitor the meetings by watching it on Comcast cable channel 16, by streaming it on
CCXmedia.org, or by dialing in to the public call‐in line.
1. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 7:06 by Vice‐Chair Pockl.
Roll Call
Commissioners present: Ron Blum, Adam Brookins, Andy Johnson, Noah Orloff, Lauren Pockl, Chuck
Segelbaum
Commissioners absent: Rich Baker, Ryan Sadeghi
Staff present: Jason Zimmerman – Planning Manager, Myles Campbell – Planner
Council Liaison present: Gillian Rosenquist
2. Approval of Agenda
Vice‐Chair Pockl asked for a motion to approve the agenda.
MOTION made by Commissioner Segelbaum, seconded by Commissioner Johnson, to approve the
agenda of May 10, 2021. Staff called a roll call vote and the motion carried unanimously.
3. Approval of Minutes
Vice‐Chair Pockl asked for a motion to approve the minutes from April 26, 2021.
MOTION made by Commissioner Johnson, seconded by Commissioner Brookins, to approve
minutes. Staff called a roll call vote and the motion carried unanimously.
4. Public Hearing – Reguiding and Rezoning Properties at the General Mills James Ford Bell Research
Center to Achieve Conformance with the 2040 Comprehensive Plan
Applicant: City of Golden Valley
Jason Zimmerman, Planning Manager, reviewed the series of conversations around rezoning so as
to create alignment between Future Land Use Map in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan and the City’s
Zoning Map. Today’s request is to reguide one property and rezone two properties at the General
Mills James Ford Bell Research Center. There are NO active development proposals for any properties
currently under discussion.
May 10, 2021 – 7 pm
City of Golden Valley Planning Commission Regular Meeting
May 10, 2021 – 7 pm
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Staff displayed both the future land use and the current zoning map during the presentation. The
zoning map displayed also showed areas that have already been zoned as part of this alignment.
The General Mills James Ford Bell Research Center is a PUD that consists of three parcels; the
southernmost parcel contains the research center. The two northernmost parcels contain the
General Mills Research Nature Area and an undeveloped parcel with a stormwater pond. Duluth
Street splits through the northern section and there are no plans to improve the ROW aside from
nature area parking.
Zimmerman expanded that the area owned by GM is 100+ acres, purchased in 1956 and the research
center was opened in 1960. There’s an agreement with Golden Valley from 1976 that the public is
allowed to use the nature area north of the research center. The City built and maintains trails but it
is private land. The PUD was created in 1999 and staff went on to discuss details of the PUD.
Zimmerman explained that Met Council requires alignment between land use and zoning and instead
of creating non‐conformities, staff negotiated to reguide south parcel to Industrial and rezone north
parcels to Light Industrial. To further clarify, staff will ask City Council to approve an update to the
PUD permit with additional language around the Land Use.
Recommendation
Following the provisions of State statute (sec. 473.858, subd. 1) and the requirements of the
Metropolitan Council with respect to comprehensive planning, staff recommends:
Amending the Future Land Use Map to change the guided land use for 9000 Plymouth Avenue
North from Light Industrial to Industrial
Rezoning 9145 Earl Street and PID 3011821240063 from Industrial to Light Industrial
Vice‐Chair Pockl opened the discussion.
Commissioner Johnson asked if Met Council had a specific request or was their request about about
following guidelines. Zimmerman clarified that Met Council did not comment on this property
specifically but that staff is following their general directive for alignment between land use and
zoning. Johnson stated Duluth street on the map felt misleading as it doesn’t drive the way it’s
marked on the map. Zimmerman responded that the entire ROW is labeled on the map and what’s
on the map is the ROW owned by the City even though it’s never been paved. If a change were
proposed, it would be a public process through the CIP and it would need to be amended in the PUD.
The question has come up but there are no plans to make a road through the area.
Commissioner Orloff asked if staff can generalize what it means to have a nature area zoned as light‐
industrial. Zimmerman responded that nothing will change and the current zoning is Industrial and
has been for decades. The zoning is being down‐zoned and the area can continue to be used as green
space. Should General Mills ever choose to amend the PUD and expand, this zoning will be the base
for what’s allowed. As of right now, General Mills has no plans to develop the area in their 10‐20 year
plan.
Vice‐Chair Pockl opened the public hearing at 7:20pm.
City of Golden Valley Planning Commission Regular Meeting
May 10, 2021 – 7 pm
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Commissioner Johnson asked about the process if General Mills zoned the area as a green space
since that is what it is. The applicant was not present at the meeting so staff speculated perspective
and discussed the potential process for the applicant if they were to rezone as a green space and
then decide to rezone again in the future to light‐industrial.
Kathy Longar
2105 Aquila Ave N
I think a lot of our neighborhood confusion is that people didn’t realize the use for the nature area
could be light‐industrial. There is concern about what may happen with the ROW and pages in the
agenda mark the ROW as “unimproved.” A minor amendment allows up to 3% of open space to be
developed; is it possible for the amendment to clarify that the trail will not become a street as a
result of this amendment.
Since the text is changing to reflect three lots and not two, I wonder if it could be revised before it’s
signed off on. This minor amendment is the third on the General Mills Land and the first two were
approved by City Council. The Mayor signed off on the first two and I wonder why this signature is
for the City Manager and not the Mayor.
Vice‐Chair Pockl asked if staff can clarify points made by the caller. Zimmerman stated that the
Mayor would sign this amendment when it becomes a minor amendment, as has been done in the
past. Staff can consider clarifying the language regarding plans to the ROW but that will be a larger
conversation with different departments. Zimmerman reiterated that there are no plans to put a
street in the ROW but clarifying the process may be helpful. Commissioner Segelbaum stated the
process seems reasonable and hopes the down zoning will help residents feel at ease. He added that
if he lived in the area, he too would want to know what the process would be if the City decided to
build a street in the ROW. Zimmerman added that it feels straightforward to staff however this
process made residents realize this property was neither City owned nor has it been zoned green
space. Staff wanted to make sure this process was thorough and well communicated. The discussion
continued on whether or not to include ROW intention/process in the amendment.
Vice Chair Pockl closed the Public Hearing at 7:34pm.
MOTION made by Commissioner Segelbaum and seconded by Commissioner Brookins recommend
approval to change the land use on 9000 Plymouth Ave N from Light Industrial to Industrial.
Staff took a roll call vote.
Aye: Brookins, Johnson, Pockl, Segelbaum
Nay:
Abstain: Blum
Motion Passes
MOTION made by Commissioner Brookins and seconded by Commissioner Johnson to recommend
approval of an amendment to the zoning map to rezone 9145 Earl Street and PID 3011821240063
City of Golden Valley Planning Commission Regular Meeting
May 10, 2021 – 7 pm
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from Industrial to Light Industrial and have the City create language documenting potential ROW
improvement processes.
Staff took a roll call vote.
Aye: Brookins, Johnson, Pockl, Segelbaum
Nay:
Abstain: Blum
Motion Passes
Televised portion of the meeting concluded at 7:40 pm
5. Council Liaison Report
Planning Manager Zimmerman provided an update from Council Member Rosenquist: the Council
approved the Hidden Lakes PUD amendment and also the application to rezone the northwest
corner of the GV Country Club; the GV Energy Action Plan was approved by the Council; work on
habitat restoration at Briarwood was approved; the City is applying for a Reducing Harm through
Collaborative Solutions Grant through the Pohlad Foundation; and the Minneapolis Park and
Recreation Board did not approve the draft MOU with Golden Valley, but emergency response
plans will move forward.
6. Reports on Board of Zoning Appeals and other Meetings
Planner Campbell reported that one item from the April BZA meeting will carry over to May. A second
application was also received.
7. Other Business
The Commissioners held elections for new officers. Commissioner Segelbaum nominated
Commissioner Pockl for Chair; Commissioner Johnson seconded. The vote to approve was unanimous.
Segelbaum nominated Commissioner Brookins for Vice‐Chair; Commissioner Blum seconded. The
vote to approve was unanimous. Segelbaum nominated Johnson for Secretary; Pockl seconded. The
vote was unanimous.
8. Adjournment
MOTION by Commissioner Brookins to adjourn, seconded by Commissioner Johnson, and
approved unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 8:16 pm.
________________________________
Andy Johnson, Secretary
________________________________
Amie Kolesar, Planning Assistant
1
Date: May 24, 2021
To: Golden Valley Planning Commission
From: Jason Zimmerman, Planning Manager
Subject: Temporary Outdoor Service Uses – Discussion
Summary
Spurred by a request from Schuller’s Tavern to explore options to allow outdoor seating at 7345
Country Club Drive, staff has been working to develop a new Temporary Outdoor Service use that
could be applied throughout the City. The Planning Commission discussed this idea generally at
its March 8 meeting; staff would like feedback on a refined concept before bringing forward a
proposed zoning text amendment for consideration at a future public hearing.
Background
Schuller’s has operated as a nonconforming use (a restaurant within a single‐family zoning
district) for many decades. In recent years, the owners have sought to find a way to utilize
outdoor space for seating and dining. Due to the existing nonconforming status, this would be
considered an illegal expansion of the restaurant use.
In search of solutions, the idea was raised to explore the possibility of creating interim – or
temporary – uses within the Zoning Chapter and potentially applying the concept to this
property. Interim uses are those which are temporary in nature and are allowed to exist for a pre‐
determined period of time. They can be targeted to specific aspects of individual zoning districts.
If workable, this idea could provide a focused solution to the current problem without exposing
the wider neighborhood to potentially greater impacts.
Staff also notes that COVID restrictions for restaurants and other retail/service uses in 2020 and
20201 resulted in the creation of Temporary Outdoor Service Area permits for use across the city.
These permits – reviewed and approved by staff in Planning, Inspections, and Fire – allowed for
outdoor seating/dining and retail sales using creative and temporary arrangements in parking lots
and other areas.
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Temporary Outdoor Service Use
The concept of a new Temporary Outdoor Service use would roughly follow the permit process
developed and tested in 2020 and would complement the City’s other current Temporary Uses
found in Section 113‐31 of the City Code: Mobile Food Vending, Seasonal Farm Produce Sales,
and Temporary Retail Sales. It would be consistent with the criteria for interim uses outlined in
Minnesota Statute 462.3597. There, an interim use is defined as “a temporary use of property
until a particular date, until the occurrence of a particular event, or until zoning regulations no
longer permit it.” A city may set conditions on interim uses, but may only grant permission for an
interim use of property if:
(1) the use conforms to the zoning regulations;
(2) the date or event that will terminate the use can be identified with certainty;
(3) permission of the use will not impose additional costs on the public if it is necessary for
the public to take the property in the future; and
(4) the user agrees to and conditions that the governing body deems appropriate for
permission of the use.
In order to comply with these criteria, the Zoning Chapter would need to be amended in two
ways. First, the Temporary Outdoor Service use would need to be listed as a permitted use in
each zoning district where it would be applied. Second, new text would need to be added to the
Temporary Use section of code that detailed any conditions of approval that might be necessary
to regulate operations and mitigate impacts.
The benefits of making this change would be to allow businesses to have the flexibility to hold
outdoor events that only last a few days or a few weeks, or to “test” a concept (outdoor dining,
for example) with more interim infrastructure before deciding if a more permanent solution
should be pursued. The temporary nature of the use would allow for oversight and feedback to
help mitigate potential impacts.
Staff has identified a few areas for consideration and discussion by the Planning Commission.
Targeted Zoning Districts
In order to be utilized for a given retail/service business, the Temporary Outdoor Service use
must be included as a permitted use in the corresponding zoning district. It appears obvious that
both Commercial and Mixed Use districts could benefit from this option. In addition, there are
residential districts (R‐3 and R‐4) that allow for restaurant or retail uses as a ground floor activity
in a multifamily building. Extending the option for Temporary Outdoor Service uses to these
districts as well would provide similar opportunities to utilize outdoor spaces for dining or retail
sales. Finally, with Schuller’s located in an R‐1 district, staff recommends allowing Temporary
Outdoor Services uses in both the R‐1 and R‐2 zoning districts (though the lack of existing
service/retail businesses in these districts, or the ability to establish news ones, means
opportunities to apply this option would be extremely limited).
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In comparison, Mobile Food Vending is currently allowed in all zoning districts in one fashion or
another, Seasonal Farm Produce uses are allowed in the Commercial and Institutional (Sub‐
District I‐1) zoning districts, and Temporary Retail Sales are allowed in Light Industrial and
Industrial zoning districts.
Review and Approval Authority
All Temporary Uses currently allowed in Golden Valley are reviewed and approved
administratively by staff. These applications are not subject to public comment and are not
scrutinized by the Planning Commission or City Council as part of a public hearing. Reviewing the
procedures of other local municipalities that have interim uses, these are often reviewed by the
Planning Commission and approved by the City Council.
In considering a new Temporary Outdoor Service use, there may be some advantages in allowing
the public to provide comments in certain situations. While the use of a parking lot in a
commercial area for a tent sale may raise little concern, expanding outdoor seating/dining in a
residential neighborhood has the potential to create significantly more objections. Rather than
bringing all Temporary Outdoor Service proposals through the public hearing process, or allowing
staff to review them all administratively, one solution could be to grant staff the authority to
approve uses in the Commercial and Mixed Use districts while directing those in Residential
zoning districts to the Planning Commission (and perhaps on to the City Council) for review and
approval. This would provide a chance for affected neighbors to weigh in an offer feedback in a
transparent fashion.
Conditions of Use
Currently, mobile food trucks, seasonal produce sales, and temporary retail (warehouse) sales are
all subject to various conditions spelling out in the zoning text (see attached) that address a
number of aspects of the use:
details around the application for the permit
regulations around operating within a public right‐of‐way
restrictions related to impacts to parking and overnight storage
hours of operation
responsibilities related to trash and recycling
limits to the location of operations in relation to other identified uses
the duration of the approved permit
circumstances under which revocation is allowed
For a new Temporary Outdoor Service use such as outdoor seating/dining, it would be important
to develop conditions to mitigate potential impacts related to parking, hours of operation,
lighting, noise, visual screening, etc. For a proposed use for outdoor retail/service, considerations
of circulation, parking impacts, and hours of operation would all be important to document.
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Length of Time
The allowed length of time for operation of the “temporary” use could vary wildly. Current
regulations limit the number of days of operation for mobile food trucks, restrict seasonal farm
produce sales to 45 consecutive days, and temporary retail sales in industrial areas to five
consecutive days or a total of 15 days in a calendar year. Staff imagines an area set up for
outdoor retail sales might prefer to operate for a week or for a number of weekends. Outdoor
seating/dining would likely be carried out over most of the year (with winter months typically
excluded) but could be “tested” as a concept over two or three years. Rather than try to
anticipate every type of request and plan, staff proposes to develop a maximum duration and
assess each request on a case by case basis.
Renewal of a Temporary Outdoor Service Permit
If things go well, staff anticipates the operators of many of these temporary uses would want to
renew their permit for an additional period of time – either as an immediate continuation at the
conclusion of the permit period or in the following season/year. Other cities that utilize
temporary uses require an application for a renewal or extension, and assign the responsibility
for approving the renewal to the Planning Commission or City Council. Staff believes that a public
renewal process is beneficial in many cases, as it would provide an opportunity to receive
feedback on how well the temporary outdoor service integrated into the surrounding area over
the course of the permit, and knowing this the operator would be incentivized to ensure impacts
were minimal.
Conclusion
Staff believes the addition of a Temporary Outdoor Service use as a tool to be applied to more
transitory or non‐fixed operations has some potential advantages and could be developed fairly
easily based on existing temporary uses and the Temporary Outdoor Service Area permit process
developed during COVID‐19.
Staff Request
At this time, staff is soliciting feedback and discussion on this topic and the various aspects of a
potential zoning text change identified above. Future consideration of a zoning text amendment
is expected in the near future.
Attachments
Section 113‐31 – Temporary Uses (6 pages)
Sec. 113-31. - Temporary Uses.
(a) Purpose and Intent. The purpose and intent of this section is to provide conditions under which
certain temporary uses may be allowed while ensuring a minimum negative impact to neighboring
land uses.
(b) Permitted Temporary Uses.
(1) Mobile food vending.
(2) Seasonal farm produce sales.
(3) Temporary retail sales.
(c) Prohibited Temporary Uses. Temporary family health care dwellings, as defined in State law,
are prohibited in all zoning districts.
(d) General Requirements.
(1) Mobile Food Vending. The City Manager or his/her designee may issue a permit for a
mobile food vending operation, defined as a self-contained vehicle or trailer used to prepare
and serve food that is ready movable without disassembling, to operate for a temporary period
not to exceed three days in City parks, one day in Residential Zoning Districts, or 120 days in
all other zoning districts. Properties in residential zoning districts are limited to two permits in a
12-month period. The permit application shall be on a form promulgated by the City Manager
or his/her designee and shall include any information needed to establish compliance with this
section. Any application shall include the application fee amount established by the City
Council in the Master Fee Schedule, and such fee shall be not refundable if the permit is
denied or the applicant withdraws or otherwise ceases operation or use of the permit. All
mobile food vending permit applications and permits shall be subject to the following
conditions:
a. With the permit application, the applicant shall provide written proof that the applicant is
the current holder of all licenses required by the County and the State, as applicable, with
respect to a mobile food vending operation in which food is prepared and served on a
vehicle or trailer, and the vendor shall maintain such license in good standing for the
duration of the permit.
b. The vendor shall comply with all other applicable provisions of the City Code, including,
but not limited to, those regulations regarding parking, signage, lighting, and sound.
c. A permit is valid for only one mobile food vending vehicle or trailer.
d. The permitted days of operation shall be set forth in the permit. A vendor that has
obtained a permit under this section, upon the expiration thereof, may apply for another
permit under this section.
e. The permit application shall contain a signed statement that the applicant shall hold
harmless the City, and their officers and employees, and shall indemnify the City, and their
officers and employees for any claims for damage to property or injury to persons which
may be occasioned by any activity carried on under the terms of the permit.
f. If the application seeks to operate a vending operation in a City-owned property and/or
on the public right-of-way, the application shall include documentation satisfactory to the
City Manager or his/her designee evidencing the applicant's public liability, food products
liability, automobile liability, and property damage insurance and that the City is or will be
named as an additional insured on such insurance for all the permitted days of operation.
Such insurance shall be maintained without change for the duration of the permitted days
of operation.
g. The permit shall set forth the location where the vending operation may operate and it
shall be a violation of this section for any vendor to engage in vending operations in any
location in the City other than the location set forth in the permit. Mobile food vendors must
be located at least 10 feet from all principal and accessory structures as well as five feet
from side and rear yard property lines.
h. Overnight parking and storage by the vendor is prohibited at the permitted location. The
vendor must vacate the permitted location when not engaging in vending operations. Hours
of vending operation are limited to 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. unless otherwise limited or
extended by the City Manager or his/her designee, as set forth in the permit. Permits
approved for vending operations on properties located in Residential Zoning Districts are
limited to an eight-hour time period.
i. With the permit application, the applicant shall provide written proof permission from the
owner of the property at the permitted location to engage in vending operations at those
location. If the permitted location is located on City-owned property, the issuance of the
permit by the City shall constitute such permission.
j. The vendor must keep a copy of the permit with the vending unit and demonstrate
compliance with the permit and the permit conditions set forth in this section upon
inspection.
k. The vending operation may be located on public right-of-way unless right-of-way
adjacent to the property for which the permit is issued, with the service window facing the
curbside of the street. The vending operation may not block sidewalks or drive aisles,
impede pedestrian or vehicular traffic, or interfere with public safety.
l. The vending operation shall be located on an impervious surface unless unique
circumstances cause the City Manager or his/her designee to permit the operation to be
located on a pervious surface.
m. No vending operation may occupy accessible parking spaces or parking spaces used to
fulfill any property's minimum parking requirements under this Code, unless the applicable
property owner can demonstrate that parking would be adequately supplied during the
vending operations.
n. The vendor must provide and remove trash and recycling receptacles for customer use
and keep the site in a neat and orderly fashion. The permitted location must be kept free
from litter, refuse, debris, junk or other waste which results in offensive odors or unsightly
conditions. The vendor shall be responsible for all litter and garbage left by customers.
o. No vending operation may be located within 200 feet at its closest point to the main
entrance of a public eating establishment or any outdoor dining area with the exception of
other mobile food vendors and except with the written consent of the proprietor of the
establishment or dining area. No person shall either pay or accept payment for such
written consent. With the permit application, the applicant shall provide written permission
from the proprietor when applicable.
p. No vending operation may be located within 1,000 feet at its closest point to a school
while the school is in session unless written permission from the school principal is
provided in the permit application. With the permit application, the applicant shall provide
written permission from the principal when applicable.
q. Permits issued for vending operations on properties located in Residential Zoning
Districts must limit sales to the property owner and other private parties associated with the
private event. The vending operation shall not serve the general public unless a special
event permit is approved by the City.
r. The placement, duration, or any other applicable requirements for operation under this
section may be superseded by the provisions of an approved special event permit.
s. If, while holding a permit granted under this section, a vendor violates any provision of
this section, in addition to any other remedy provided under this Code, the City Manager or
his/her designee may revoke the permit and/or prohibit such vendor from obtaining a new
permit under this section for a period not exceeding 13 months from the date of such
violation for properties in Residential Zoning Districts and not exceeding 30 days from the
date of such violation for properties in all other zoning districts.
(2) All Seasonal Farm Produce Sales. The City Manager or his/her designee may issue a
permit for seasonal farm produce sales. All permits for seasonal farm produce sales shall be
subject to the following conditions:
a. Seasonal farm produce sales shall take place only in a zoning district for which it is
listed as a permitted use.
b. Seasonal farm produce sales operations shall not exceed a temporary period of 45
consecutive days. This shall include each day, or any part thereof, during which any
structure, equipment, or merchandise can be found at the sale premises, regardless of
whether any actual sales transactions occur on that day. However, a single permit may be
issued for a period of up to six months at a time provided that the operation so permitted
occupies the same site according to a regular schedule not to exceed two days or portions
thereof per week and also provided that the operation so permitted completely vacates the
premises on those days or portions thereof when not scheduled to conduct sales
transactions.
c. A completed application shall be submitted at least three weeks prior to the
commencement of seasonal farm produce sales activity.
d. With the permit application, the applicant shall provide written proof of permission from
all owners, managers, or involved operators of the property to be occupied by or involved
in the sales. The conditions of the permit are considered binding on any involved operator,
owner, and manager of the seasonal farm produce sales operation. With the permit
application, the applicant shall provide written consent of adjacent property owners, when
required under the terms of this section.
e. With the permit application, the applicant shall provide proof that all applicable licenses
and approvals from the City, the County, or other governmental units have been obtained
and the applicant shall maintain such license and approvals in good standing for the
duration of the permit.
f. No sales transactions or promotional efforts shall take place within any part of a public
right-of-way or within 25 feet of any street lot line.
g. Sales operations may be located within side or rear setback areas provided that any
damage to or alteration of landscaping elements is subsequently corrected, and providing
that written consent is obtained from the owners of any nonresidential property located
within 15 feet of the actual sales site and any residential property located within 50 feet of
the actual sales site, and providing that the City review staff find no potentially hazardous
situations that could occur because of the location of the sales site. All existing
landscaping elements within 10 feet of the proposed site shall be shown on the site plan
submitted with application. The exact dimensions and proposed location of any booth, tent,
vehicle, rack, barrel, or other structure or equipment shall also be provided. Photographs of
any structures, vehicles, or equipment to be used for the sales operation may be required.
h. The parking and circulation plan submitted with the permit application must demonstrate
that the proposed site meets the requirements of this section with regard to parking and
on-site vehicular circulation.
i. A sign permit is required for all signage for seasonal farm produce sales. All signage
shall comply with the provisions of Chapter 105.
j. If the proposed sales hours are to extend after dark, a lighting plan must demonstrate
that adequate light will be provided for the sales operation in such a way as to minimize
any potential hazard or distraction to others.
k. Up to 25 percent of the area occupied by a sales operation may be used for the storage
and sale of processed agricultural products such as honey, juices, or hand-crafted
decorative display items if, in the judgment of the City review staff, the amount and type of
processing still meets the intent of this section.
l. For sales operations occupying sites of 180 square feet in area or less or for sales of
Christmas trees occupying sites of more than 180 square feet of area, the area occupied
by a sales operation shall be calculated to include any structure, vehicle, equipment, and
merchandise storage or display area, plus an extra two feet of clear space beyond the limit
of such elements at any location where customer circulation can be expected to occur. In
no case may an individual sales operation exceed 180 square feet.
m. For sales operations occupying sites of 180 square feet in area or less or for sales of
Christmas tree occupying sites of more than 180 square feet of area, there shall be no on-
site parking required for the sales operation itself, but it shall not impede normal on-site
vehicular circulation. The submitted plan shall clearly demonstrate that adequate off-street
parking for the proposed event can and will be provided for the duration of the sale.
Determination of compliance with this requirement shall be made by the City, which shall
consider the nature of the sale and the applicable parking requirements of this chapter.
Consideration shall be given to the parking needs and requirements of other occupants in
the case of shopping centers and multi-tenant buildings. Parking on public right-of-way and
streets is prohibited.
n. If while holding a permit granted under this section, a vendor violates any provision of
this section, in addition to any other remedy provided under this Code, the City Manager or
his/her designee may revoke the permit.
(3) Temporary Retail Sales. The City Manager or his/her designee may issue a permit for
temporary retail sales in the Light Industrial and Industrial Zoning Districts. All permits for
temporary retail sales shall be subject to the following conditions:
a. Temporary retail sales in the Light Industrial and Industrial Zoning Districts shall not
exceed five consecutive days or a total of 15 days in any one calendar year.
b. Temporary retail sales shall include only the retail sales contemplated by the permitted
uses in the Commercial Zoning District. Retail sales contemplated by the conditional uses
in the Commercial Zoning District are excluded.
c. A completed application shall be submitted at least two weeks prior to the
commencement of the temporary retail sale.
d. With the permit application, the applicant shall provide written proof of permission from
the owner of the property at the permitted location that authorizes the applicant to engage
in temporary retail sales at that location. The applicant shall also provide written
certification from the property owner that notification of the temporary retail sale has been
given to all other tenants of the building or site in which the sale is to take place.
e. With the permit application, the applicant shall provide proof that all applicable licenses
and approvals from the City, the County, or other governmental units have been obtained
and the applicant shall maintain such license and approvals in good standing for the
duration of the permit.
f. The temporary retail sales operation shall comply with all fire and safety provisions
required by the City Code for the duration of the permit.
g. With the permit application, the applicant shall provide a vehicle circulation and street
access plan. It shall include acceptable methods of access to the sale premises and
acceptable traffic control measures to ensure safety of those entering and exiting the sale
premises. The operator of the sale must provide at his/her cost all traffic control measures
recommended by the City Manager or his/her designee which may include the hiring of
qualified persons to control traffic. Safe ingress and egress to the site is required for
approval of the permit. The temporary retail sale shall not interrupt vehicular circulation on
the site or obstruct parking spaces needed by permanent businesses established on the
site.
h. With the permit application, the application shall provide a parking plan that indicates
adequate available parking on the sale premises during its proposed hours of operation.
The plan must also indicate adequate parking for any other businesses located on the
same sale premises. Adequate off-street parking for the sale must be provided and off-
street parking must not impede the operation of other businesses on the premises for the
duration of the permit.
i. The temporary retail sale shall take place only inside a building.
j. Sale hours shall be between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. The exact dates and hours of
operation of the proposed sale shall be set forth in the permit.
k. If while holding a permit granted under this section, a vendor violates any provision of
this section or conditions set forth in the permit, in addition to any other remedy provided
under this Code, the City Manager or his/her designee may revoke the permit.
1
Date: May 25, 2021
To: Golden Valley Planning Commission
From: Myles Campbell, Planner
Subject: Exclusionary/Inclusionary Zoning
Summary
At its meeting on May 11, commissioners noted their appreciation for an opinion article shared
with them titled The ‘New Redlining’ Is Deciding Who Lives in Your Neighborhood. The article
discussed the history of “exclusionary zoning” practices in the United States, and contrasted
these historical examples with the proposed federal level policies to encourage “inclusionary
zoning”. A handful of commissioners had requested that they would like to learn more on these
two topics as they relate to their own work as Planning Commissioners in Golden Valley. This
memo will provide a brief overview of the terminology, before providing commissioners with
additional articles and literature on various topic areas.
Exclusionary vs. Inclusionary Zoning
Nearly every municipal zoning code in the country includes to some degree, an element of
exclusionary zoning, which at a base level simply refers to zoning language that excludes certain
uses. Looking at the Golden Valley Code as an example of this, we exclude Metal Fabrication
businesses from all of our zoning districts except our Industrial (I) district. This is for good reason,
as this type of use can create noise, air pollution, and other negative externalities that would be
damaging to another use in close proximity, such as a restaurant, public park, or apartment
building. The ability of a municipality to place limits on the location or form of certain uses was
famously upheld by the courts in Village of Euclid v. Ambler Realty Company.1
Over time, this broad description of exclusionary zoning, as well as the conversation around its
benefit, have changed. Today the term exclusionary zoning is used in a more targeted manner,
1 https://www.oyez.org/cases/1900‐1940/272us365
2
often in regard to costs or requirements prescribed by code that limit the overall supply of
housing. One of the most discussed and pervasive exclusionary zoning policies was the adoption
of zoning districts that only allowed for the construction of single‐family homes. By excluding
multi‐family and even two‐family homes from broad sections of developing suburban and rural
communities, the overall affordability of housing in these areas, and even the broader regions,
was impacted. Further requirements of code regarding items such as minimum lot sizes would
have the further effect of increasing the cost of homes, while decreasing the amount of land
available for more housing overall. The Brookings Institute, in a study of Washington D.C., found
that ¾ of residentially zoned land in the District did not allow any multi‐family housing.2
Exclusionary zoning is also used to refer to those historic policies and uses of zoning that explicitly
excluded BIPOC households from certain areas. In the early part of the previous century, multiple
Cities in the United States had zoning ordinances that defined residential blocks as black or white,
and which excluded black people from living on a residential block that was considered white.3 In
1916, Buchanan v. Warley4 was heard at the Supreme Court, and involved a Louisville Kentucky
ordinance to a similar effect as above. The Supreme Court unanimously found the ordinance to
be unconstitutional. Justice William R. Day wrote that Louisville’s interest in its “promotion of the
public health, safety, and welfare,” did not change the fact that the ordinance would deny black
residents rights guaranteed to them under the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Fourteenth
Amendment, and the Constitution.
The Buchanan v. Warley decision ostensibly made it unconstitutional to use zoning to exclude
people of a particular race from certain neighborhoods or areas. In practice, it instead forced
Cities to pursue new, legally defensible, methods of enacting segregation. In the Twin Cities
metro, this includes practices such as the racially restrictive covenants that continued into the
middle of the twentieth century that prohibited the sale of homes to minority households. While
those covenants were still a clearly racially‐motivated practice, there were other more subtle
alternatives for municipalities. If you could not explicitly exclude BIPOC households from a
neighborhood, you could still use zoning to create barriers to entry, such as by restricting
development to large‐lot single‐family homes, which would be expensive enough to deter
undesired communities.
With that understanding of exclusionary zoning in place, we can move to discussing the much
younger planning concept of inclusionary zoning. Inclusionary zoning is at its core a reaction to
those earlier policies that sought to exclude low‐income and BIPOC households. Inclusionary
2 https://www.brookings.edu/research/gentle‐density‐can‐save‐our‐neighborhoods/
3 https://www.asu.edu/courses/aph294/total‐readings/silver%20‐‐%20racialoriginsofzoning.pdf
4 https://www.oyez.org/cases/1900‐1940/245us60
3
zoning policies have initially taken the form of mixed income housing policies, however there is
some movement to broaden the terms usage to apply to other policies.
Here in Golden Valley we have our Mixed‐Income Housing Policy, which requires that new
market‐rate developments over a certain size set aside a portion of the units for rent or sale at an
affordable rate (50 or 60% of Area Median Income for rentals, 80% AMI for‐sale). These types of
policies have become more common both in Minnesota and across the country. While requiring
new developments to include affordable housing units is one way of combatting housing
disparities, it doesn’t directly address the previously enacted exclusionary code language.
The emerging wing of inclusionary zoning beyond mixed income requirements is instead
examining what zoning policies have historically excluded groups from residential access. An
example close to home is Minneapolis’ elimination of the solely single‐family zoning designation.
Allowing duplexes and triplexes in neighborhoods that historically have only allowed single‐family
is obviously a drastic change in policy. That said, Minneapolis prior to the pandemic was already
in the midst of an affordable housing shortage, and the ability to address this in part by adding
density throughout the City is certainly a tempting option to address that shortage.
While eliminating the single‐family zoning designation is one way of reversing exclusionary zoning
practices, there are certainly other methods available to Cities. Elimination of minimum lot sizes
is another example highlighted by the proposed federal grant program. Again, the impact is the
same, increasing the density of housing units in a given area. For another example that has
perhaps not previously been considered an inclusionary zoning policy, Accessory Dwelling Units
are becoming a common inclusion in many Minnesota zoning codes. The introduction of these
secondary units in previously single‐family neighborhoods have a number of positive benefits for
expanding the range of housing types provided. ADUs can be an additional source of income if
rented, or they can provide space for aging parents to down‐size into from their own homes.
That all being said, inclusionary zoning is an emerging area of planning work and discussion.
Despite the many articles both for and against Minneapolis’ reversal of single‐family zoning,
there is still very little data on how those changes have impacted the City’s housing market.
Especially now with the added variable of the COVID‐19 pandemic, it is difficult to evaluate the
merit of the policy change, and so as Planners and Planning Commissioners we will instead need
to remain educated and continue to monitor state‐wide and nation‐wide trends in planning in
order to evaluate how effective these policies might be in Golden Valley
To that end staff has assembled some additional articles and materials relating to both planning
history and exclusionary zoning, as well as some on current practices and emerging policy ideas.
4
This is not meant to be a comprehensive reading list, although we have tried to pull from a
variety of academic and journalistic sources. We would encourage Commissioners to read these
as they are able to, and if there is interest in a particular subject or topic we can schedule a follow
up discussion.
Further Reading
Understanding Exclusionary Zoning and Its Impact on Concentrated Poverty By Elliott Anne Rigsby
https://tcf.org/content/facts/understanding‐exclusionary‐zoning‐impact‐concentrated‐poverty/
Good overview on the topic of exclusionary zoning and the impacts on BIPOC communities and
overall the provision of affordable housing
The Racial Origins of Zoning in American Cities By Christopher Silver
https://www.asu.edu/courses/aph294/total‐readings/silver%20‐‐%20racialoriginsofzoning.pdf
Discussion of the early history of zoning and race. Frames the discussion around the change in
how zoning was used to promote segregation based on the Buchanan v. Warley decision.
Putting Exclusionary Zoning in its Place: Affordable Housing and Geographical Scale By
Christopher Serkin & Leslie Wellington
https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://scholar.google.com/&httpsre
dir=1&article=2528&context=ulj
Focused more on the economics of exclusionary zoning, including the fiscal reality that many of
these policies supported higher tax bases and lower public service costs in the communities that
used them. Also addresses the regional perspective of exclusionary policy, and whether the “New
Urbanism” wave of density will actually combat affordable housing shortages or create new
exclusionary practices.
“Gentle” Density Can Save Our Neighborhoods By Alex Baca, Patrick McAnaney, and Jenny
Schuetz
https://www.brookings.edu/research/gentle‐density‐can‐save‐our‐neighborhoods/
Contrasting its recommendations with the Minneapolis Single‐Family Housing decision, the article
describes how in the context of Washington, DC, “gentler” inclusionary zoning practices can be
introduced to meet affordable housing demand.
5
How Land‐Use Regulation Undermines Affordable Housing By Sanford Ikeda and Emily Hamilton
https://www.mercatus.org/publications/regulation/how‐land‐use‐regulation‐undermines‐
affordable‐housing
Taking some of these arguments even further. That both exclusionary land use regulation, and
inclusionary zoning polices stymie affordable housing development. Really interesting are some
of the policy recommendations starting on p. 24, one example being the transfer of some
generated tax revenue of new development to surrounding property owners.
How much will Minneapolis’ 2040 plan actually help with housing affordability in the city? By
Jessica Lee
https://www.minnpost.com/metro/2019/05/how‐much‐will‐minneapolis‐2040‐plan‐actually‐
help‐with‐housing‐affordability‐in‐the‐city/
Article covering the Minneapolis 2040 Plan and single‐family zoning decision. Includes a wide‐
range of perspectives on what their expectations are for the policy: exec director of HOME Line,
Family Housing Fund, housing activists, and Councilmembers.
Want More Housing? Ending Single‐Family Zoning Won’t Do It By Emily Hamilton
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020‐07‐29/to‐add‐housing‐zoning‐code‐reform‐is‐
just‐a‐start
Ignore the click‐bait headline! Article does offer a critique of the Minneapolis 2040 plan, but also
goes into depth on the effectiveness of other inclusionary zoning policies, and the importance of
managing the minute details of a zoning change.