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Home My WebLink AboutPC87021 - 9/24/87 - 5445 Xerxes Ave`.� -taw PLANNING COABUSSION FILE CHECKLIST File Purge Date: r�� 9G FILE INFORMATION Planning Commission Application No. 7Oz� PROPERTY INFORMATION Zoning: PLAN REFERENCE Note: If a plan was found in the file during the purge process, it was pulled for consolidation of all plans. Identified below are the types of plans, if any, that were consolidated. • Site Plans 0 Building Plans • Other: FILE REFERENCE Note: The following documents were purged when this project file became inactive. We have recorded the information necessary to retrieve the documents. Document Tyne Date Ranae Location Agenda Cover Sheet: Planning Commission Agenda Book Minutes: Planning Commission `/�z'. '/"q7 City Vault Minutes: City Council i4'/5-/87 City Vault Resolutions: Planning Commission City Vault Resolutions: City Council City Vault Ordinances: City Council City Vault Historical Photographs: Planning Commission City Archieve CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER PLANNING COMMISSION APPLICATION Application No. 87021 Please Print Clearly or Type Street Location of Property 5445 Xerxes Avenue North Legal Description of Property Owner The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company Address Akron, Ohio Phone No. Applicant Firestone Car Rental, Inc. Address 7151 Metro Boulevard, Edina, MN 55435 Phone No. 944-1885 Type of Request: Rezoning Variance X Special Use Permit Description of Request: See Attached Subdivision Approval Site & Bldg. Plan Approval Other: The applicant requests processing of this application and agrees to pay to the City of Brooklyn Center, within fifteen (15) days after mailing or delivery of the billing state- ment, the actual costs incurred by the City for Engineering, Planning and Legal expenses reasonably and necessarily required by the City for the processing of the application. Such costs shall be in addition to the application fee described herein. Withdrawal of the application shall not relieve the applicant of the obligation to pay costs incurred prior to withdrawal. , _ Fee $ 50.00 Receipt No. (M IV ,!/MUI r Applicant's Signature Date: RC rt 9 % PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Dates of P.C. Consideration: Approved Denied this day of 1960�J , subject to the fnl 1 nwi nn rnnrH ti nnc CITY COUNCIL ACTION Dates of Council Consideration: Approved Denied this � day of ��' L 19�, wi th the fol 1 owi ng amendment: Planning Commission Information Sheet Application No. 87021 Applicant: Firestone Car Rental, Inc. Location: 5445 Xerxes Avenue North Request: Special Use Permit The applicant requests special use permit approval to operate a car rental business at the Firestone Service Center at 5445 Xerxes Avenue North. The property in question is zoned C2 and is bounded by 55th Avenue North on the north, by Xerxes Avenue North on the east, by C.O. M.B. on the south, and by Marc's Big Boy across a private service road on the west. Automobile and truck rental and leasing is a special use in the C2 zoning district. The applicant's representative, Mr. Cal Kuhlman, has submitted a written explanation of the proposed use (attached). Mr. Kuhlman states that no more than one additional employee will be hired to conduct the car rental business and that most rentals will be made on a delivery basis to customers throughout the metro area. Through a telecommunication system, the office at the service center at 55th and Xerxes will be used as a dispatching outlet for the delivery of these cars. Firestone Car Rental intends to have cars continually on rent and not to have a substantial number of cars at the service center. Occasionally, customers having their car serviced at the center or who simply need a rental car, will rent a vehicle from that location. To respond to the demands, a few cars will be at the location for rent. Mr. Kuhlman goes on to state that approximately 5 to 8 vehicles would be stored on the site at one time. If more cars need to be stored, other lots will found for them. As to parking requirements, Mr. Kuhlman states that they should be met because the orginal retail store at the site now only functions as a waiting area for Firestone Service Center customers. A portion of that space will be used for general office space. As a result, Mr. Kuhlman concludes, parking spaces formerly devoted to the retail function, will now meet the needs of the car rental business. The main zoning issue with this application is parking. There are 12 service bays at the Firestone Service Center. The Zoning Ordinance requires 3 parking spaces per service bay plus one for each day shift employee, plus two for service vehicles. The maximum employee compliment at the site is 10 employees. Therefore, the parking requirement is 48 spaces (36 + 10 + 2) . There are only 52 parking stalls on site. Therefore, there is a surplus of 4 parking spaces on the site. The former retail store within the building is approximately 2,850 sq. ft. and required 26 additional spaces under the retail parking formula. That space is now accessory to the service center and is no longer used as a retail store, except for tires. When the service center was originally built, there were 33 parking spaces required for the retail store, even more than would be required today. In addition, 24 spaces were required for the service bays. Apparently, no spaces were required for employees. A plan showing 57 parking stalls was approved. However, only 52 were actually built and some of these are not striped. The former retail portion also appears to be somewhat smaller than originally planned, part of it being devoted to storage. There have been no parking problems at the site over the past 20 years. There is an area east of the building with 4 parallel stalls which the applicant proposes to sign and use this area to store rental cars, some in tandem. Since the service center has a surplus of four parking stalls, the use of this area does not 9-24-87 -1- Application No. 87021 continued encroach on required parking so long as the former retail store remains accessory to the service center displaying only tires, batteries, and accessories installed in the service center and is used as a waiting area. Regarding the other standards for a special use permit, there appears to be no conflict posed by the proposed car rental business. There should be no threat to public health, safety, morals or comfort, nor should there be any injury to the use and enjoyment of other property in the vicinity. All neighboring property is already developed; therefore, the use will not impede normal and orderly development of adjacent land. Staff believe the special use permit can be issued, but subject to at least the following conditions: 1. The owner of the property shall agree in writing that the former retail area within the building may be used for the display of tires, batteries and accessories only and shall not resume its use as a retail store for appliances and equipment as long as the car rental business is in operation at the premises. 2. The special use permit is subject to all applicable codes, ordinances, and regulations and any violation thereof shall be grounds for revocation. 3. The area for rental car storage shall be limited to the front of the former retail store and shall be signed for rental car storage. 9-24-87 -2- APPLICATION FOR SPECIAL USE PERMIT BY FIRESTONE CAR RENTAL, INC. 7151 Metro Boulevard Edina, Minnesota 55435 TO THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER Firestone Car Rental is part of the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company. Earlier this year, Firestone decided to get into the car rental business through a start-up operation which will be headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Part of the business will involve the renting of cars from Firestone Service Centers such as the one at 55th and Xerxes in Brooklyn Center. In connection with the car rental business, the Firestone facility in Brooklyn Center will be primarily used for general office purposes. No more than one additional employee will be hired in order to conduct the car rental business at the facility. The vast majority of rentals will be made on a delivery basis to the customers throughout the Metropolitan area. Through a telecommunication system, the office at the Service Center at 55th and Xerxes will be used as a dispatching outlet for the delivery of these cars. In viewing the Firestone car rental business, bear in mind that the underlying purpose is to have the vehicles continually on rent. As a result, Firestone Car Rental does not anticipate, nor intend, to store a substantial number of cars at the service center. On occasion, customers who will have their vehicle serviced at the Center, or who simply need a rental car, will rent a vehicle from the location. To respond to these demands, a few cars will be at the location to be made available for rent. Firestone is sensitive to the needs of the customers who want automotive maintenance services. In this regard, Firestone will not and cannot permit the congestion of traffic so as to discourage people from entering the property. Furthermore, storing unused cars is unproductive and could give rise to acts of theft and vandalism. In any event, it is the intent of Firestone Car Rental to only have a few number of cars available on site for rental purposes (approximately 5 to 8 vehicles at any one time). In the event it is necessary to store more rental cars, dedicated lots will be rented at strategic locations throughout the Metropolitan area for such purposes. Fenced in and secured lots are needed in order to maintain and preserve Firestone's financial interest in these units. 1 Brooklyn Center has adopted a formula for merchants to follow in connection with the number of parking spaces available for use. Firestone respectfully submits that the intended use of the facility, as presently constructed, falls within the formula of Brooklyn Center's regulations. The original structure was designed by Firestone to include a retailing facility. Several years ago the Firestone Service Centers, such as the one on 55th and Xerxes, were used as a retail outlet for purposes of selling items such as lawnmowers, appliances, and other household goods. Firestone has since elected to discontinue these types of operations. As a result, the floor space originally designed for retail use is now being used as a waiting area for service customers, as well as a display area for the types of items that can be purchased and installed at the Center. The car rental business will only use a part of the area originally dedicated for retailing purposes. There will not be any structural changes to the building so as to eliminate any of the current parking spaces. In short, the space originally within the building will be used As a result, to the extent parking retailing purposes under the formula Brooklyn Center, those same parking to respond to the anticipated needs business. 04, dedicated for retail use for general office space. spaces were allocated for developed by the City of spots will be sufficient of Firestone's car rental lFirestone SALES & SERVICE GROUP September 25, 1987 Dear Sir or Madam: Please be advised that The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company does not intend to use space within its facility in Brooklyn Center to sell such things as appliances and similar equipment. The space within the building which was originally designed to be used for the retailing of merchandise by The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company is and will be used for general office purposes, displaying the merchandise offered for sale by Firestone for their customers using the automotive services, and as a waiting area for the service customers. If the Firestone car rental operation is discontinued at the location, Firestone remains free to use the area for retail purposes. Sincerely, David P. Reichard Assistant Counsel Real Estate Department THE FIRESTONE TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY • P.O. BOX 81073, AMF • CLEVELAND, OHIO 44181-0073