City Council Worksession

South St. Paul WORKSESSION AGENDA SSP City Hall 125 3rd Avenue North Training room Monday, October 23, 2023 7:00 pm AGENDA: 1. Audit Firm Contract Discussion 2. Pride Group Enterprises Truck Dealership “Sales Trailer” Discussion 3. Code Enforcement Discussion 4. Revised Truck Parking Ordinance 5. Billboards on City-Owned Property (No Attachment) 6. Council Comments & Questions  COUNCIL WORKSESSION REPORT A DATE: OCTOBER 23, 2023 1 DEPARTMENT: FINANCE Prepared by: Clara Hilger ADMINISTRATOR: RG AGENDA ITEM: Appointment of Auditors for the Fiscal Years 2023, 2024 and 2025 DESIRED MEETING OUTCOMES: Discuss appointment of an auditing firm to provide professional services for the years ending 2023, 2024, and 2025. OVERVIEW: Our current contract for auditing services expired after the audit of the fiscal year end 2018 audit. We have been extending the contract with Malloy, Montague, Karnowski, Radosevich, & Co., P.A. (MMKR) on an annual basis, which means we have been with MMKR for the past ten years. Best practices indicate that we should periodically review and bid out auditing services. The City issued a request for proposal (RFP) for auditing services for the three-year period of 2023 through 2025. The RFP was emailed to CPA firms who are members of the Minnesota Government Finance Officers Association (MNGFOA). In addition, a notice for the RFP was posted on the League of Minnesota Cities website. We received proposals from three qualified firms. A panel consisting of City Administrator Garcia, Finance Director Hilger and Assistant Finance Director Hines reviewed the submissions and there was consensus on the top candidate firm, based on the evaluation and rating process. After discussion by the audit selection committee, MMKR is recommended as the best fit for the City’s audit needs. NEXT STEP: If the City Council agrees, a formal contract will be presented for approval at the November 6 Council meeting. SOURCE OF FUNDS: The city allocates audit costs to a variety of funds as determined by estimated accounting activity with specific funds. The General, Water and Sewer, and Capital Programs fund bears most of the costs with a combined allocation of 65% of the financial audit costs. In addition, the single audit costs are allocated to the Low Rent Housing Funds and any other function that has federal grants audited for the year. The total annual audit cost is expected to average approximately $60,000 for the next three years. A CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION REPORT DATE: OCTOBER 23, 2023 2 DEPARTMENT: Planning Prepared By: Michael Healy, Planning Manager ADMINISTRATOR: RG AGENDA ITEM: Pride Group Enterprises Truck Dealership “Sales Trailer” Discussion DESIRED OUTCOMES: • Review concept plan for a proposed truck dealership that would be built at the former site of Bremer Bank on Concord Street. • Discuss the Applicant’s request that they be allowed to begin operating their truck sales business out of a temporary “sales trailer” while they develop their permanent facility. OVERVIEW: Background In 2020, the City approved a plat and a Conditional Use Permit for a Planned Unit Development to allow Kriss Novak and True North Investments LLC to redevelop the 4.71-acre property that housed Bremer Bank’s 4-story office building at 633 Concord Street South: • The northernmost 1.32 acres would be split off into a new parcel that would host a new Bremer Bank building. • The existing 4-story building would remain on a 3.18 acre parcel. In 2020, the developer was still exploring whether this building would be repurposed or demolished. The new bank building has been completed and Mr. Novak has scheduled the demolition of the old 4-story building for Monday, October 23rd. Mr. Novak has signed a purchase agreement with Pride Group Enterprises to redevelop the 3.18-acre parcel as a truck dealership that will provide truck sales, leasing, and repairs. Pride Group is focused on EV (Electric Vehicle) trucks so they are targeting a different market than the other truck dealerships currently operating in South St. Paul. Their website provides more information about their business model: https://pridegroupenterprises.com/. Pride Group Enterprises has indicated that they plan to submit a development application in December of this year. Their development application will be brought to the Planning Commission for review and then brought to a City Council meeting. The purpose of this Worksession discussion is to give Pride Group Enterprises some early feedback on one of their “asks” which is somewhat unusual. They are seeking to begin operating the truck sales part of their business out of a sales trailer while they are developing the site with a permanent facility. The City Council has broad authority to approve or deny this request for a temporary sales trailer. City Council Worksession Report – Truck Dealership “Sales Trailer” Discussion October 23, 2023 Page 2 of 5 Zoning and Comprehensive Plan Guidance The subject property is zoned GB-General Business and is guided “Commercial” in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan identifies this area as being the community’s “front door” and the City has specific goals and policies for this commercial area: Goal 4.3. Plan for an area of high quality regional commercial development on Concord Street north of Interstate 494. Policy 4.13.1: Plan for an area of regional commercial that can accommodate uses that meet regional needs (such as offices, new car dealerships, hotels, offices, restaurants, et.) and can support the primary employment uses of the Bridgepoint area. Policy 4.13.2: Establish architectural and site design standards which encourage high quality, high amenity buildings that provide a good image for this “front door” area of the community and complement the quality of development in Bridgepoint. Policy 4.13.3: Encourage redevelopment of uses with high amounts of exterior storage and low levels of architectural and site design. The GB district allows commercial uses and some light industrial uses. The GB district does not have a minimum floor area ratio (FAR) requirement. The GB district allows truck sales with a conditional use permit. Generally, conditional use permits must be approved if they are consistent with the comprehensive plan and the City Council determines that the proposal meets the criteria outlined in the City Code: (1) That the conditional use, with such conditions as the commission shall determine and attach, conforms to the general purpose and intent of this chapter. (2) If the application is based on the conditional use provision in this chapter that the issuance conforms to the general characteristics of the district of which it will become a part. (3) That the conditional use will not impede the normal and orderly development and improvement of property in the neighborhood for uses permitted in the district or districts affected. (4) That adequate utilities, access roads, streets, drainage, and other necessary facilities have been or will be provided. (5) That adequate measures have been or will be taken to provide ingress and egress in such a manner as to minimize traffic congestion and hazards in the public streets. (6) Business districts. Certain uses are considered, as a rule, unsuitable in commercial areas because of inherent characteristics (e.g., traffic hazards, noise, light glare), proximity to residential areas, the fact that they tend not to serve nearby residential areas, or may adversely affect nearby permitted business uses. City Council Worksession Report – Truck Dealership “Sales Trailer” Discussion October 23, 2023 Page 3 of 5 Applicant’s Request The Applicant has supplied a concept site plan and a narrative which outlines their proposal. These documents are provided as attachments. To summarize what is being proposed: • They would like to secure a truck sales conditional use permit in January 2024 and immediately move a sales trailer to the property to begin truck sales in the southern part of the existing parking lot. They would use temporary fencing to fence the temporary sales area off from the part of the property that will be under construction. • They will develop the site with a roughly 16,000 square foot building. They are working with Momentum Design Group which is the same architecture firm that designed “The Yards” and “The Backyards.” Full architectural renderings and civil drawings will be submitted with their development application in December. • They anticipate that their permanent building will be completed in late spring of 2025 so the sales trailer would operate for a period of roughly 1 ½ years. The Applicant has stated that truck sales represent just 25% of their business with truck leasing and truck repairs being the other 75%. They want to operate the temporary sales trailer to capture some revenue from the subject property while it is under development. They have stated that Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and Bolingbrook, Illinois have both approved temporary truck sales out of a trailer during development. They have facilities under construction in both communities. Discussion on Temporary Sales Trailer Proposal When the City grants a conditional use permit (CUP), it is typically “with conditions” and the City has broad authority to attach reasonable conditions to the CUP. If the City approves the Applicant’s CUP, there are essentially two options for handling the “temporary sales trailer” proposal: 1. The City Council can completely reject the sales trailer request. The City Council can approve the CUP with the condition that truck sales cannot begin until the permanent building is completed and has a certificate of occupancy. 2. The City Council can allow a temporary sales trailer and set conditions: a. The Council could approve the full request and allow the sales trailer to begin operating in January 2024 as soon as the conditional use permit is approved. OR b. The Council could approve a modified version of the request and allow the sales trailer to begin operating but only once the Applicant has hit certain milestones in the development process. For instance, the CUP could state that the sales trailer can only be brought to the site after the Applicant has pulled their building permit. Or the CUP could state that the sales trailer can only be brought to the site once the Applicant has broken ground on construction of the new facility. City Council Worksession Report – Truck Dealership “Sales Trailer” Discussion October 23, 2023 Page 4 of 5 Whether to allow the temporary sales trailer is ultimately a policy decision for the City Council. The City has had some issues in the past with businesses seeking to use temporary buildings indefinitely without a concrete plan for constructing permanent facilities. These issues have primarily been in the I-Industrial zoning district where “temporary buildings” can be allowed by Interim Use Permit without necessarily needing to be affiliated with an active development project. The current proposal is different as the Applicant does have concrete plans to build a facility and, by their own account, they can only operate a very small part of their business without completing their permanent facility. If the City Council wants to allow the proposed temporary sales trailer, Staff’s initial take is: • If there are concerns about fairness to other businesses or concerns that the development project might never happen, the “safest” approach would be to write the CUP to only allow the temporary sales trailer to be brought to the site after the building permit is issued and/or the development project is actively under construction. • The CUP needs to contain a “drop dead date” for when the sales trailer must be removed from the property regardless of the status of the building. All truck sales activity would need to cease. Staff would suggest August 1, 2025. If the Applicant needs additional time beyond that, they would need to request a CUP amendment and plead their case for “more time” before the City Council. This will give the City the ability to effectively police the temporary sales trailer and ensure its removal if the development project is not progressing. ACTION NEEDED Staff and the Applicant are seeking informal City Council feedback on the temporary sales trailer proposal. Getting answers to two questions will allow the conditional use permit application to be processed more smoothly after it is received in December: 1. Is the City Council open to allowing a temporary sales trailer on the property? 2. Is the City Council willing to allow the sales trailer to start operating immediately in January 2024? Or should the Applicant be required to pull a building permit and/or begin construction before they are allowed to bring the temporary sales trailer to the site? Worksession discussions are informal and nonbinding and the City Council does reserve the right to change their stance later after reviewing the full development application and receiving feedback from the Planning Commission. ATTACHMENTS A- Site Location Map B- Concept Site Plan for Truck Dealership C- Temporary Sales Trailer Project Narrative  ATTACHMENT A SITE LOCATION MAP  ATTACHMENT B CONCEPT SITE PLAN FOR TRUCK DEALERSHIP PARKING REQUIREMENTS: (PER SSP CITY CODE 118-354) OFFICE SPACE: 1 STALL / 400 SF 5,000 SF / 400SF = 12.5 OR 13 STALLS AUTOMOBILE REPAIR: 6 SPACES + 1 STALL / 800 SF AFTER 1000 SF 9,880 SF / 800 SF = 12.4 OR 13 STALLS OUTDOOR SALES LOT: 1 STALL / 800 SF 18,320 SF / 800 SF = 22.9 OR 23 STALLS TOTAL REQUIRED: 52 STALLS STALLS PROVIDED: 65 STALLS ADA STALLS REQUIRED: 3 STALLS ADA STALLS PROVIDED: 3 STALLS NEW ASPHALT DRIVEWAY TO CONTINUE TO VILLAUME AVE FROM EXISTING DRIVEWAY OF NORTH PROPERTY R 50' - 0" -0 50 " ' 50 -0 ' " R (4) 14'x14' REPAIR GARAGE (4) 14'x14' DRIVE 10,880 SF O.H. DOORS 128' - 0" IN O.H. DOORS ACCESS DRIVEWAY EXIS TING CONCROD ST S ESS ST O ACC TRUCK DISPLAY A TE (1) DOCK DOOR EW RMW 85' - 0" 8'x9' O.H. DOOR DRIV ALE 18,320 SF R SW AY 30' - 0" 2-STORY OFFICE BUILDING 5000 TOTAL TO R " -0 EMA 50 ' R IN 24' - 0" ACCESS DRIVEWAY -0 " 50 ' R 24' - 0" ESS ESS ACC ACC EW EW DRIV DRIV AY TRUCK DISPLAY AY 18,320 SF VILLAUME AVE 0" 25 50 100 CITY WORK SESSION PRIDE GROUP TRUCKING FACILITY 09/22/23 D01 CONSTRUCTION FENCING EXHIBIT CONCROD ST S ORANGE AREA INDICATING CONSTRUCTION ZONE WITH FENCING AROUND THE PAREMETER CONSTRUCTION FENCE 26' - 9" ADA COMPLIANT RAMP TEMPORARY TRAILER VILLAUME AVE SIGNAGE INDICATING TEMPORARY SALES AREA ENTRANCE TO THE CONSTRUCTION SITE WITH SIGNAGE INDICATING BEYOND THE FENCE IS A CONSTRUCTION ZONE BLUE DASHED LINE INDICATES CONSTRUCTION FENCE 0" 25 50 100 CITY WORK SESSION PRIDE GROUP TRUCKING FACILITY 10/23/23 D02  ATTACHMENT C TEMPORARY SALES TRAILER PROJECT NARRATIVE October 23, 2023 Michael Healy Planning Manager City of South St Paul, Minnesota 125 Third Avenue North South St. Paul, MN 55075 RE: South St. Paul Trucking Facility Temporary Sales Trailer Mr. Healy, We are excited to present our concept for a new trucking facility to South St. Paul! This approximately 16,000 square foot trucking facility is situated on 3.2 acres of land includes a repair garage sided with modern metal panel siding and a two-story office space with ample glazing to bring in natural light. The site will consist of a landscape barrier between Concord Street and Villaume Ave and the site’s parking lot where semi-trucks will be staged for sales. With the proposed building, Pride Group Enterprises is requesting the approval of a temporary trailer and sales lot on the southwest portion of the site at the corner of Concord Street and Villaume Ave to be used as a temporary means of sales while the main building is being constructed. It is Pride Group Enterprises’ goal to start temporary sales once the city approves a Conditional Use Permit. The trailer would be removed, and operations would transition to the permanent building upon receiving the Certificate of Occupancy around the end of spring of 2025. While we understand the use of a sales trailer is atypical and has caused issues for the City in the past, there is no ill-intent by ownership as the sales operation is less than twenty-five percent of the company’s business (with repairs and leasing being other services). This temporary sales trailer is being requested as a means to recoup a small portion of money while the site is otherwise occupied during construction. The trailer will include power, heating, cooling, running water, ADA compliant restroom inside trailer and an ADA compliant ramp into the trailer. The pride group has been given approval for this set up in the past at several projects including a project currently under construction in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma which is set to be complete in the Fall of 2024 and their project in Bolingbrook, Illinois which is set to be completed by the end of the summer in 2024 as well. If the temporary trailer is approved by the city, it is important that the prospective clients are not put in harms way while the main building is under construction. We will achieve this by completely fencing off the construction zone area and providing two separate entrances for each area as shown on the provided site plan. The construction zone will include a gate at the entry of the site with clear signage indicating it 755 Prior Avenue North Suite 301A Saint Paul, Minnesota 55104 952.583.9788 www.mdgarchitects.com is a construction zone and is only for authorized personnel only. We will also include signage at the driveway entry of the temporary sales lot indicating to the clients to entry at that location. We hope this eases your concerns about the temporary trailer and we look forward to working with you and the City to develop this plot of land. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. Sincerely, Momentum Design Group, LLC. Jeff Wrede, Architect Partner 755 Prior Avenue North Suite 301A Saint Paul, Minnesota 55104 952.583.9788 www.mdgarchitects.com A CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION REPORT DATE: OCTOBER 23, 2023 3 DEPARTMENT: Planning Prepared By: Michael Healy, Planning Manager ADMINISTRATOR: RG AGENDA ITEM: Code Enforcement Discussion DESIRED OUTCOMES: • Review the City’s current approach to code enforcement. • Review the City’s existing property maintenance standards. • Answer City Council questions and receive direction if the approach should be changed. OVERVIEW: Background There are at least six different City departments that deal with code violations by doing code enforcement: City Department Type of Code Enforcement Police Department Issues tickets for illegal parking on public streets and issues warnings and citations for animal control issues and noise issues. No vehicle can be parked in the same spot on a public street for longer than 20 hours. Issues warnings and citations for violations of the State Fire Fire Department Code and local fire regulations. Issues warnings and citations for erosion control violations and Engineering Department illegal discharge of pollutants. Issues “stop work orders” and citations for work being done Building Department illegally without a required permit. Can declare buildings to be hazardous or uninhabitable. Issues warnings and citations for violations of the rental housing City Clerk Department licensing ordinance and other licensing ordinances. Planning Department Issues warnings and citations for violations of the zoning code (Includes a Full-Time and various nuisance codes. This includes enforcement of the Code Enforcement Officer) odor ordinance, the long grass ordinance, the sidewalk snow clearing ordinance, the home occupation ordinance, the exterior storage ordinance, and the ‘reasonable maintenance’ ordinance. It includes all parking violations that take place on private property and not on a public street. It also includes enforcing conditions that are part of conditional use permits and variances. The City Attorney’s office and the City Administrator may be pulled into a code enforcement situation that has escalated or one that has complicating factors that require a legal opinion. City Council Worksession Report – Code Enforcement Discussion October 23, 2023 Page 2 of 5 Code Enforcement Tools Following an inspection that identifies a code violation, code enforcement generally begins with a warning letter that gives the property owner a compliance deadline by which they must correct the violation. If the violation is not corrected, the City has a number of tools that it can employ, such as: 1. Abatement. The City or its contractor removes the violation and the cost is billed to the property. This can be done for trash, long grass & weeds, snow on sidewalks, junk vehicles, dead trees, graffiti, and other removable nuisances that do not have any value. If the City abates something that does have value, which is rare, the City is responsible for storing that property for a period of time in case the owner wants to reclaim it. 2. Administrative Citations. City Staff issues a fine which is added to the property taxes as an assessment if it is not paid. The first fine is $200 for most violations and each successive fine doubles in cost up to a maximum of $2,000. A new fine can be issued each time a compliance deadline is not met, which can be as often as daily in extreme circumstances. 3. Criminal Citations. The City can pursue a criminal citation through the courts system if a code violation cannot be abated and administrative citations have been ignored. 4. Statutory Injunction. The City can attempt to obtain a court order that requires a building to be left vacant for one year. This tool can be used to deal with prostitution and drug houses as well as some other extreme nuisance properties. 5. Hazardous Building Declaration. If a building has deteriorated to the point of being dangerous, the Building Official can declare it a hazardous building. The City can attempt to obtain a court order to require the hazards to be corrected. If the hazards cannot be corrected, the City can use the court order to demolish the house and assess the cost of demolition against the property. Abatement and administrative citations are the preferred tools. The other three tools require a significant amount of staff time and have a considerable expense to the City. Complaint Based and Proactive Code Enforcement The six departments all do code enforcement in response to complaints. Additionally, all six departments do some amount of proactive code enforcement: • All departments do proactive code enforcement if they encounter a situation where there is a hazard that presents a clear danger to the public, the natural environment, or a piece of public infrastructure. • The Building Official drives around the city every day doing inspections and stops any construction project that he sees while driving that does not have a required permit. The Code Enforcement Officer and the City Planner also flag suspected “work without a permit” violations and pass them on to the Building Official to investigate. City Council Worksession Report – Code Enforcement Discussion October 23, 2023 Page 3 of 5 • The Engineering Department does erosion control inspections of active construction sites. • The City Clerk’s office periodically sends out “suspected rental” letters to non- homesteaded properties that do not have a rental license. They require these properties to provide evidence or an affidavit that confirms they are not being rented without a license. • The Police Department does proactive code enforcement of parking regulations if they are made aware of recurring problems in a specific area. • When the Code Enforcement Officer investigates a complaint, he proactively looks at the entire block and issues warnings to any property that has the same type of violation (i.e. long grass, junk vehicles, exterior storage, un-shoveled sidewalk, etc.). The Planning Department is going to roll out additional proactive code enforcement this coming winter for un-shoveled sidewalks. Icy sidewalks do pose a danger to the public and there were complaints last year about sidewalks being neglected until they were past the point of salvaging due to icy buildup. The Code Enforcement Officer should have sufficient capacity this winter to do some amount of proactive code enforcement and his focus will be on sidewalks that are part of routes that children use to get to school. Challenges With Additional Proactive Code Enforcement Most communities in the region approach code enforcement roughly the same way that SSP approaches code enforcement. There are a number of reasons that most cities generally do not do additional proactive code enforcement beyond what SSP is already doing: 1. Staffing. SSP’s Code Enforcement Officer easily spends a full 40 hours a week investigating complaints, meeting with residents and business owners, and preparing and mailing letters and citations. There is not capacity to add extra proactive code enforcement during the spring, summer, or fall. There are fewer complaints in the winter which should allow for additional proactive code enforcement of the sidewalk system. 2. Liability. Purely proactive code enforcement can expose the City to significant liability. Property owners may claim that they have been targeted by the City since the City has chosen to go after some properties but not others, even though there has not been a complaint. If properties near City Hall or on major streets are subject to continuous proactive code enforcement because they are constantly within view of City Staff, for instance, the owners may allege unequal treatment. 3. Preserving a Positive Relationship with Residents. The Code Enforcement Officer is often able to have positive interactions with residents because he is responding to complaints and most residents understand that he is just doing his job. If he starts proactively targeting properties without a complaint, it sets up a much more confrontational dynamic where the Code Enforcement Officer is seen as “the bad guy.” Code Enforcement Officer positions already tend to be high-stress and have a high level of turnover so additional negative interactions with the public could make turnover even more of an issue. City Council Worksession Report – Code Enforcement Discussion October 23, 2023 Page 4 of 5 4. Community Expectations. Individuals who want a tightly regulated neighborhood where all rules are proactively enforced often voluntarily live in a neighborhood with private covenants and/or a homeowner’s association (HOA). Many others deliberately choose not to live in an HOA neighborhood because they do not want their property to be so closely monitored. Each City must decide what its code enforcement program is trying to accomplish. Most cities are not striving to achieve an HOA-level of property maintenance. 5. Code Enforcement Technicalities May Annoy Residents. There are many things that are technically against the City Code that many residents do occasionally such as store a ladder against the side of their garage, put a piece of furniture on their lawn with a “free” sign on it, install a piece of recreational equipment in a yard area that does not allow such equipment, or park their car for slightly longer than 20 hours on a public street. The City may get a complaint if these behaviors ever rise to the level of creating a nuisance but that is relatively rare. With proactive code enforcement, City Staff is obligated to write up these violations and issue compliance deadlines unless the City Council makes it clear that they only want certain ordinances to be enforced proactively. Do Any Cities do Proactive Code Enforcement for Property Maintenance Issues? Staff is not aware of any cities that attempt to do continuous proactive code enforcement of all properties. Some cities, such as Bloomington and Rosemount, do systematic neighborhood inspections with the goal of inspecting every residential property periodically to ensure compliance with zoning rules and property maintenance rules. Rosemount inspects one neighborhood each year and has a 7-year cycle. Cities that take this approach generally have larger teams of inspectors handling code enforcement or they utilize consultants. Comprehensive neighborhood inspections tend to generate a very large number of minor violations such as ladders being stored outdoors, paint flaking off of detached garages, small sheds being installed without a permit, and playground equipment being installed in front yards or too close to property lines. Any property with any type of violation may be written up and issued citations if they do not bring their property into compliance by a deadline. Proactive code enforcement can only be done with visual inspections of the parts of properties that are visible from a public street, alley, or sidewalk. City Staff cannot look over a privacy fence or enter a private property to perform an inspection without either getting the consent of the property owner or obtaining an administrative search warrant. Property Maintenance Codes South St. Paul currently has a very open-ended property maintenance requirement regarding the condition of buildings and other structures which looks like this: Sec. 118-244. Reasonable maintenance required. In all districts, all structures, landscaping, and fences shall be reasonably maintained so as to avoid health or safety hazards and prevent a degradation in the value of property. City Council Worksession Report – Code Enforcement Discussion October 23, 2023 Page 5 of 5 It would not be possible to enforce the existing requirement proactively through neighborhood inspections because it does not contain any objective standards. When Staff receives a complaint about the condition of a building, Staff performs an inspection and determines whether the alleged violation rises to the level of being a lack of reasonable maintenance (i.e., what a reasonable person would accept when it comes to the condition of a building). The existing ordinance works well for complaint-based code enforcement and it is especially effective with rental properties since the owner can be informed that their rental license could be impacted if they do not address a complaint that has been deemed valid. Some other communities have attempted to codify specific objective standards for building maintenance that can be enforced either proactively or in response to complaints: 1. Some communities have adopted the “International Property Maintenance Code” which provides a regulation for every single component of a building. For instance, it prohibits cracked and peeling paint on any exterior wall. It also prohibits exterior walls from having any cracks, holes, or loose materials. 2. Some communities have written their own property maintenance codes using ideas from the International Property Maintenance Code but with less aggressive standards. There are some significant downsides to adopting a strict a property maintenance code for buildings: • It can lead to neighbor feuds and frivolous complaints that City Staff is then obligated to participate in. Most properties are at least somewhat out of compliance with the International Property Maintenance Code due to cracked and peeling paint on garages and other minor violations. When every property in town is technically in violation, any resident can potentially be subjected to code enforcement if a neighbor chooses to submit a complaint. In Cities that do proactive neighborhood inspections, many houses will be written up for minor violations like cracked and peeling paint each inspection cycle. • Many types of repairs that property maintenance codes require such as roofing and siding replacement can cost thousands of dollars. City Staff has few options if a neighbor is demanding that a strict property maintenance code be enforced and the homeowner states that they do not have funds to complete the required repair. The City can issue administrative citations but these simply bury the homeowner in debt and make it even less likely that they will be able to afford the repair. ACTION NEEDED Code enforcement approach is ultimately a question of community values. Each community must attempt to find a balance between neighborhood aesthetics and private property rights. Staff is happy to answer any questions that the City Council has regarding the current code enforcement approach. Council can provide direction if they feel that there should be any changes to the “status quo” of how code enforcement is being conducted in South St. Paul. A CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION REPORT DATE: OCTOBER 23, 2023 4 DEPARTMENT: Planning Prepared By: Michael Healy, Planning Manager ADMINISTRATOR: RG AGENDA ITEM: Revised Truck Parking Ordinance DESIRED OUTCOMES: • Discuss revised truck parking ordinance. • Get Council feedback on whether the revised ordinance meets expectations and is ready for Planning Commission review. OVERVIEW: Background City Staff have received complaints about tractor-trailers and other large commercial vehicles being parked on public streets as well as complaints about tractor-trailers and large commercial vehicles being parked on private properties in non-industrial areas. MnDOT says that the Twin Cities region has a truck parking shortage and there is some nuance to this issue. However, many neighboring communities including Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and West St. Paul have recently adopted ordinances which ban large trucks from parking on any public street. Because so many neighboring communities are imposing truck parking bans, South St. Paul likely needs to also adopt new restrictions or city streets could be negatively impacted by residents of those other communities who are seeking a free place to park their large trucks overnight. The City Council discussed the issue in May and provided feedback on an early draft of an ordinance that Staff put together to update parking regulations. The Planning Department, Police Department, and Administration Department have been working together to finalize the ordinance and make sure that it is a good fit for South St. Paul. The ordinance has evolved since the May discussion and Staff wants to check in with the City Council again before bringing the ordinance to the Planning Commission. SSP’s Existing Rules for Truck Parking The following is a summary of SSP’s existing rules for truck parking on public streets: • SSP defines a “truck” as being a tractor, truck-tractor, a trailer, a semitrailer, or a bus as defined in Minnesota Statute § 327.14(2). SSP’s City Code specifically states that pickup trucks with a gross weight not exceeding 10,000 pounds and recreational vehicles are not included in the definition. • Truck parking IS NOT allowed on a public street if it is adjacent to a residence or a property that has R-1, R-2, R-3, or R-4 zoning unless the truck is being actively loaded or unloaded or is transacting business at an adjacent property. City Council Worksession Report – Revised Truck Parking Ordinance October 23, 2023 Page 2 of 5 • Truck parking IS allowed on a public street if it is adjacent to a property that does not contain a residence and the property has C-1, GB, CGMU, MMM, I, or I-1 zoning. • There is a citywide rule that no vehicle of any kind can be parked on a public street for longer than 20 hours without being moved and this rule also applies to trucks. The following is a summary of SSP’s existing rules for truck parking on private properties: • Only “passenger vehicles” may be parked on properties that contain residential uses and the City Code defines what a passenger vehicle is: Passenger vehicle means any motor vehicle designed and used for carrying not more than 15 individuals, including the driver. A passenger vehicle includes a pickup truck, van and self-propelled recreational vehicle for use on the public streets or highways. A passenger vehicle does not include a bus, school bus, commuter van, box truck, semitractor, farm truck, or a vehicle designed to operate exclusively on a railroad track. • For nonresidential private properties, including churches and schools in residential zoning districts, the City Code does not have any restrictions on what types of commercial vehicles can be parked as long as they are on a legal parking surface. • There is no time limit for how long a vehicle can be parked outside on a private property as long as it is licensed and operable. • Recreational vehicles are not considered trucks even if they are very large. Recreational vehicles have their own regulations and are generally allowed in residential areas if they meet zoning requirements. More Feedback Needed for Parking of Non-Commercial Trailers on Residential Streets During the May discussion, the City Council asked Staff to look at the feasibility of completely banning all trailers from parking on residential streets. This would include boat trailers, recreational vehicles that are pulled as trailers, and utility trailers of all sizes. An exception would be made for any trailer that was being actively used for a delivery or to provide a service to an adjacent property. The Planning Department and the Police Department have studied the issue and do not think it is feasible to completely ban trailers: • Most people expect to be able to park a non-commercial trailer in front of their own house. SSP has many residents who park their boat trailer, recreational vehicle trailer, or utility trailer on the street periodically. It is likely that some people made decisions about purchasing their trailer (or even purchasing their home) based on SSP’s existing parking rules. It could be very disruptive to people’s lives to suddenly ban all trailer parking. • It does not appear that any other cities are banning non-commercial trailers from being parked on public streets. Minneapolis requires trailers that are parked on City streets to be attached to a car or truck. Most other communities treat non-commercial trailers roughly City Council Worksession Report – Revised Truck Parking Ordinance October 23, 2023 Page 3 of 5 the same as cars when it comes to street parking and allow them even if they are not attached to a car or truck. • Large trailers and commercial trailers with open storage are what is generating complaints. Rather than banning all trailers on residential streets, these complaints could be addressed by establishing “maximum size” criteria and banning open trailers that have exterior storage. If the City Council wants to move forward with stricter regulations for trailer parking, Staff would recommend the following: 1. Adopt a regulation similar to Minneapolis and do not allow trailers to be parked on a public street unless they are attached to a car or truck that can pull them. 2. Add new restrictions on trailers in all of the City’s zoning districts except for the industrial districts and the general business district: i. A trailer parked on a public street cannot be more than 23 feet long. ii. There can be no exterior storage on a trailer parked on a public street other than a boat, snowmobile, or similar vehicle. iii. Clarify that large trailers which exceed a gross weight of 10,000 pounds are considered “trucks” under the City Code and are not allowed in non- industrial zoning districts. This does not apply to campers. 3. Any trailer that is being actively used to make a delivery or provide service to an adjacent property would be exempted from these restrictions. Overnight Truck Parking Ban for Industrial Areas Added to Draft Ordinance The draft ordinance reviewed in May did not include any truck parking restrictions for industrial areas or general business areas. Since May, City Staff have received complaints from businesses along Villaume Avenue regarding nuisance semi-trucks being parked along their street. Additionally, City Staff has received complaints about semi-trucks being parked along Verderosa Avenue and other industrial streets overnight. The Planning Department, the Police Department, and the EDA Director have reviewed the complaints and believe that the best way to manage roads in the industrial park so that they “work” for SSP businesses is to implement an overnight parking ban on large trucks. The revised draft ordinance would prohibit trucks with a gross weight exceeding 26,000 pounds from being parked on any city street between 10 PM and 6 AM. This will deter truckers who live in other communities from leaving their trucks on South St. Paul’s industrial streets overnight or long- term and negatively impacting SSP business operations. It will be very straightforward for the Police Department to enforce an overnight parking ban as they will not have to track the length of time that a truck has been parked like they do today with the 20-hour parking rule. City Council Worksession Report – Revised Truck Parking Ordinance October 23, 2023 Page 4 of 5 Summary of Draft Ordinance The draft ordinance included as Attachment F would do the following: 1. The City Code already bans the parking of trucks on public streets that are next to a residence or next to a property with residential zoning unless the truck is picking something up, dropping something off, or delivering a service. The proposed ordinance would add additional zoning districts to the “truck parking restricted” ordinance to expand this total ban on truck parking to include public streets next to: • Any commercial property “up the hill” • Any commercial property along Concord Exchange • Any commercial property on Concord Street North 2. Any public street not subject to the total ban on parking trucks will instead be subject to a ban on overnight parking of large trucks. Citywide, no large trucks will be allowed to be parked on public streets between 10 PM and 6 AM unless they are being actively loaded or unloaded or delivering a service. This will include all streets in the Bridgepoint Business Park. The City will define a large truck as any truck with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of more than 26,000 pounds. Neighboring communities are also using 26,000 pounds as their cutoff. 3. There will be new restrictions on the parking of trailers on public streets which will apply to any trailer that is not being actively loaded or unloaded or delivering a service: • Trailers will not be allowed to be parked by themselves on any street. They must always be attached to a vehicle that can pull them. The City does allow residents to pull a permit to park a POD or trailer on the street for up to 14 days in front of their house and this will still be allowed. • For trailers that are parked on streets “up the hill,” on Concord Exchange, or on Concord Street North: i. The trailer cannot be more than 23 feet long. ii. There can be no exterior storage on the trailer other than a boat, snowmobile, or similar vehicle. 4. There will be new restrictions on parking large trucks and commercial vehicles outdoors in the parking lots of some private properties. These rules will not apply to indoor parking, loading and unloading activities, or to vehicles that are parked temporarily for construction projects. • Vehicles with a gross weight of over 15,000 pounds cannot be parked outdoors in parking lots in the C-1 Retail Business district (Southview Boulevard and Marie Avenue). City Council Worksession Report – Revised Truck Parking Ordinance October 23, 2023 Page 5 of 5 • Vehicles with a gross weight of over 15,000 pounds cannot be parked outdoors in parking lots of churches and schools in residential areas. • Vehicles with a gross weight of over 26,000 pounds cannot be parked outdoors in parking lots on Concord Exchange. DIRECTION NEEDED Staff is seeking feedback on whether the City Council is comfortable with the draft ordinance, specifically the two new concepts that have been introduced since the discussion in May: 1. An overnight truck parking ban for the industrial areas. 2. Taking a more nuanced approach to regulating trailers on residential streets. ATTACHMENTS A- RELEVANT EXISTING CITY CODES B- GRAPHIC SHOWING TRUCK TYPES BY GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING C- PHOTOGRAPHS OF 23-FOOT-LONG TRAILERS D- SAINT PAUL TRUCK BAN ORDINANCE APPROVED MAY 24TH E- ZONING MAP F- DRAFT ORDINANCE  ATTACHMENT A RELEVANT EXISTING CITY CODES Sec. 58-98. Length of parking. A vehicle may not be upon any street in any one place for a longer continuous period than 20 hours. Sec. 58-102. Truck parking restricted. (a) General rule. A person may not park a truck upon the public streets adjacent to any residence or any property zoned dwelling district or multiple dwelling district except for the purpose of loading or unloading, or transacting business at such residence or any residence in proximity thereto and then only for such period of time as is necessary to load or unload or to transact such business. As used in this section, the term "truck" means a truck, a tractor, a truck-tractor, a trailer, a semitrailer and a bus as those respective terms are defined in Minn. Stat. ch. 168. The term "truck" does not mean a trailer coach as defined in Minn. Stat. § 327.14(2), and does not mean a single unit truck with an unenclosed box (generally referred to as a pickup truck) having a gross weight not exceeding 10,000 pounds. As used in this section, the term "residence" means a building or structure used or occupied as a single-family dwelling, a two-family dwelling, or a multiple dwelling, and the land used in connection therewith. (b) Curb and street. A person may not park a tractor, truck-tractor, or semitrailer between the curb, or curbline in case there is no curb, and the street right-of-way line in any dwelling or commercial district, except for the purpose of loading or unloading and then for only such reasonable time as is necessary to load or unload. Sec. 118-8. Lots, distances, and definitions. Exterior storage (including open storage) means the storage of goods, materials, equipment, manufactured products and similar items not fully enclosed by a building. Oversized recreational vehicle means any recreational vehicle 23 feet or more in length or 9,000 pounds or more in empty weight. Passenger vehicle means any motor vehicle designed and used for carrying not more than 15 individuals, including the driver. A passenger vehicle includes a pickup truck, van and self-propelled recreational vehicle for use on the public streets or highways. A passenger vehicle does not include a, bus, school bus, commuter van, box truck, semitractor, farm truck, or a vehicle designed to operate exclusively on a railroad track. Recreation equipment means play apparatus such as swing sets and slides, sandboxes, poles for nets, unoccupied boats and trailers not exceeding 25 feet in length, picnic tables, lawn chairs, barbecue stands, and similar equipment or structures, but not including tree houses, swimming pools, playhouses exceeding 25 square feet in floor area, or sheds utilized for storage of equipment. Recreational vehicle means any self-propelled vehicle or any vehicle drawn by a self-propelled vehicle which is used for recreational or vacation activities and is not used as the residence of the owner or occupant. Recreational vehicles include, but are not limited to, snowmobiles, trail bikes or other all-terrain vehicles, hovercrafts, trailers, campers, motor homes, tent trailers, boats, personal watercrafts or motor vehicles licensed for highway operation which are being used for off-road recreational purposes. Sec. 118-352. General provisions. (d) Use of parking facilities. Off-street parking facilities accessory to residential uses shall be utilized solely for the parking of passenger vehicles. Under no circumstances shall require parking facilities accessory to residential structures be used for the parking of employees, owners, tenants, or customers of off-premises business or manufacturing establishments.  ATTACHMENT B GRAPHIC SHOWING TRUCK TYPES BY GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING  ATTACHMENT C PHOTOGRAPHS OF 23-FOOT-LONG TRAILERS The proposed ordinance would prohibit any trailer that is 23 feet or more in length from being parked on a public street “up the hill” unless it is being actively loaded or unloaded. Here are photographs of 23-foot-long trailers:  ATTACHMENT D SAINT PAUL TRUCK PARKING BAN ORDINANCE APPROVED MAY 24TH Sec. 157.11. Parking for larger vehicles. (a) Recreational vehicles. No vehicle or combination of vehicles that is twenty-two (22) feet or more in length and seven (7) feet or more in width, measured between the two (2) most widely separated points or proportions on either side of such vehicle or combination of vehicles, shall be parked on any street or alley for more than thirty (30) minutes. Exceptions to this prohibition include any vehicle or combination of vehicles that is licensed under chapter 331A.04(d)(17) as a mobile food vehicle, or those registered as recreational vehicles pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 168.013, subdivision 1g. (b) Garbage, rubbish or recycling trucks. No vehicle designed, used or maintained for the transportation of garbage or rubbish, or recyclable material as defined in St. Paul Legislative Code Chapter 408, whether licensed or unlicensed, shall be parked or left standing on any private property, street or alley for more than thirty (30) minutes. (c) Reserved. (d) Commercial vehicles. (1) For the purposes of this section, "commercial" and "overweight" vehicles are defined under Legislative Code section 151.02. (2) No commercial or overweight vehicle shall be parked overnight or stored on property zoned residential or occupied exclusively as residential. (3) a. No vehicle or hitched or unhitched combination, with or without load, which weighs more than ten thousand (10,000) pounds or is registered for a gross weight of more than twelve thousand (12,000) pounds, nor any commercial vehicle, other than an agricultural vehicle permitted under chapter 165, shall be permitted to stop, stand, or park on any street or alley, which is within or abutting, including across a street or alley, from any residential or traditional neighborhood zoning district, as defined in Legislative Code section 60.301, unless such vehicle is actually and expeditiously engaged in the loading or unloading of passengers or materials from the vehicle, or is actually engaged in the providing of services at that location, or is in compliance with official traffic-control devices, the direction of a police officer, or unless otherwise provided by law. b. No vehicle or hitched or unhitched combination, with or without load, which weighs more than twenty-six (26,000) pounds or is registered for a gross weight of more than twenty-six thousand (26,000) pounds shall be permitted to stop, stand, or park on any street or alley unless such vehicle is actually and expeditiously engaged in the loading or unloading of passengers or materials from the vehicle, or is actually engaged in the providing of services at that location, or is in compliance with official traffic-control devices, the direction of a police officer, or unless otherwise provided by law. (4) Exception for school bus. A school bus driver may park a school bus at the curb abutting the driver's residential property or on the driver's residential property, said property being the address on the driver's Minnesota driver license, for up to a maximum four-hour period, which is within or abutting, including across a street or alley, from any residential zoning district, as defined in Legislative Code 60.301. (5) Tow and impound authorized. Any vehicle parked in violation of paragraphs 3(a) and 3(b) this section is illegally parked and unauthorized, and may be cited and immediately towed and impounded pursuant to the written report of a peace officer or parking enforcement officer. Any violation of the terms of section 157.11(d) shall be subject to a fine in the amount of one hundred and fifty dollars ($150) from January 1, 2024, through June 30, 2024, and two hundred and fifty dollars ($250) thereafter. (e) No person may leave or park a trailer, including cargo or utility trailers, campers, and boat trailers, on any street or alley unless connected to a motor vehicle capable of drawing or transporting the trailer on the same block for more than forty-eight (48) consecutive hours. Unattached trailers parked in violation of this provision are illegally parked and unauthorized, and may be cited and immediately towed and impounded pursuant to the written report of a peace officer or parking enforcement officer.  City of South St Paul Zoning Map City of South St Paul Planning Department https://www.southstpaul.org/ 2 Hwy 5 Butler ATTACHMENT E d ZONING MAP or nc Co Bromley 23rd Ave 21st Ave 19th Ave 17th Ave 15th Ave Thompson 12th Ave Wentworth 4th St N nd Gra 2nd St N rdm Marie Ha 21st Ave 18th Ave 15th Ave 7th Ave 5th Ave 3rd Ave an 9th Ave 1st Ave Southview Concor our d Arm Hw 4th St S y5 2 6th St S Zoning Designations Residential Acres Percentage R1 - Single Family 530.47 18.1% R2 - Single and Two Family Residence District 718.31 24.5% 8th St S R3 - General Residence 29.45 1% R4 - Multifamily Residential District 82.32 2.8% Commercial C C1 - Retail Business District 40.88 1.4% GB - General Business District 129.88 4.4% I-494 CGMU1 - Concord Gateway Mixed Use District 1 54.93 1.9% CGMU2 - Concord Gateway Mixed Use District 2 10.97 .4% MMM1 - Mixed Markets and Makers District 1 6.08 .2% Richmond MMM2 - Mixed Markets and Makers District 2 27.57 .9% B Dale MMM3 - Mixed Markets and Makers District 3 6.42 .2% Syndicate MMM4 - Mixed Markets and Makers District 4 10.74 .4% 9th Ave 5th Ave Spruce 7th Ave 1st Ave Industrial A Henry I - Industrial District 562.06 19.2% I-1 - Light Industrial District 230.39 7.9% Poplar Other NRDD - North Riverfront Development District 21.06 .7% Con South cord MH - Mobile Home 6.76 .2% RT- Rail Transportation District 82.73 2.8% P - Park / Public 288.63 9.8% ROW - Right of Way 82.23 2.8% WAT - Water 11.49 .4% MRCCA - Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area Airport Safety Zone A Total Airport Safety Zone B 2932.61 100% Airport Safety Zone C Primary Surface 4 PUD - Planned Unit Development Shoreland District Overlay 0 0.25 0.5 1 Miles This Zoning map is a representation of various maps and ordinances that make up the City of South St. Paul zoning code. Percentage of Acreage is calculated from county parcel data. Results are representational and not to be used for purposes other than zoning. For detail information pertaining to a specific property or zoning district, please contact the City of South St. Paul Planning Department at http://www.southstpaul.org/ Print Date: Wednesday, April 5, 2023 Last Updated: April 5, 2023 MRCCA districts can be found on a separate PDF. Prepared by: South St Paul GIS  ATTACHMENT F DRAFT ORDINANCE City of South St. Paul Dakota County, Minnesota Ordinance No. 14XX AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT UPDATING PARKING REGULATIONS FOR LARGE COMMERCIAL VEHICLES The City Council of the City of South St. Paul does ordain: SECTION 1. AMENDMENT. South St. Paul City Code Section 58-102 is hereby amended as follows: Sec. 58-102. Truck and trailer parking restricted on public streets. (a) General rule. A person may not park a truck upon the public streets adjacent to any residence or any property zoned R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, MMM, CGMU, or C-1 dwelling district or multiple dwelling district except for the purpose of loading or unloading, or transacting business at an adjacent property such residence or any residence in proximity thereto and then only for such period of time as is necessary to load or unload or to transact such business. As used in this section, the term "truck" means a truck, a tractor, a truck- tractor, a trailer, a semitrailer and a bus as those respective terms are defined in Minn. Stat. ch. 168. The term "truck" does not mean a recreational camping vehicle trailer coach as defined in Minn. Stat. § 327.14(2), and does not mean a single unit truck with an unenclosed box (generally referred to as a pickup truck) having a gross weight not exceeding 10,000 pounds, or a trailer having a gross weight not exceeding 10,000 pounds. As used in this section, the term "residence" means a building or structure used or occupied as a single-family dwelling, a two-family dwelling, a three-family dwelling, or a multifamily multiple dwelling, and the land used in connection therewith. (1) Overnight Truck Parking Restricted in All Remaining Zoning Districts. No “truck,” as defined above, which weighs more than twenty-six (26,000) pounds or is registered for a gross weight of more than twenty-six thousand (26,000) pounds shall be permitted to stop, stand, or park on any street or alley between the hours of 10 PM and 6 AM unless such vehicle is actually and expeditiously engaged in the loading or unloading of passengers or materials from the vehicle, or is actually engaged in the providing of services at that location, or is in compliance with official traffic-control devices, the direction of a police officer, or unless otherwise provided by law. (b) Curb and street. A person may not park a tractor, truck-tractor, or semitrailer between the curb, or curbline in case there is no curb, and the street right-of-way line in any dwelling or commercial district, except for the purpose of loading or unloading and then for only such reasonable time as is necessary to load or unload. (c) Trailers. The following regulations shall govern the parking of trailers on public streets: (1) No person may leave or park a trailer, including cargo or utility trailers, campers, and boat trailers upon a public street unless it is connected to a motor vehicle capable of drawing or transporting the trailer and that vehicle is able to be legally parked on the public street. (2) No trailer shall be parked upon the public streets adjacent to any residence or any property zoned R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, MMM, CGMU, or C-1 if it is more than 23 feet in length. (3) Exterior storage of items on a trailer parked on the public streets adjacent to any residence or any property zoned R-1, R-2, R-3, or R-4 other than a boat, snowmobile, ATV, or similar recreational vehicle is prohibited. (4) The provisions listed above shall not apply to: a. A mobile food unit which has a current license from the appropriate state regulatory authority when the mobile food unit is parked on a public street while actively operating. b. A trailer that is being lawfully used for short-term storage in accordance with a permit granted under Section 118-240(d). c. A trailer that is engaged in the loading or unloading of materials or is transacting business at an adjacent property, only for such period of time as is necessary to load or unload or to transact such business. SECTION 2. AMENDMENT. South St. Paul City Code Section 118-125 is hereby amended as follows: Sec. 118-125. CGMU, Concord Gateway mixed-use district. (g) Parking. (1) Parking for residential units in the CGMU district shall be provided on site, and shall be calculated as required under article VII of this chapter. The residential parking spaces shall be specifically reserved for the use of residents and visitors only, separate from any commercial, office, or other uses on site or nearby, and shall not be counted as part of any shared parking or joint parking arrangement. Parking in driveways at the rear of townhomes may be counted towards the requirements of this regulation if it does not interfere with other traffic movement. (2) Parking for nonresidential uses shall be as required under article VII of this chapter. If present, on-street parking directly in front of a given building or lot shall count toward fulfilling the total parking requirement.  (3) On-grade parking is prohibited in the front yard directly in front of a building. Parking shall be provided to the side or rear of buildings in midblock areas. (4) In the CGMU-1 subdistrict where parking fronts a public street, the maximum parking lot width shall be 65 feet measured at the lot frontage. (5) In the CGMU-2 subdistrict where parking fronts a public street, the maximum parking lot width shall be 130 feet, measured at the lot frontage. (6) Parking shall be prohibited within 50 feet of the intersection of any public streets within the CGMU district. (7) On the west side of Concord Street, outdoor parking of trucks and commercial vehicles in off-street facilities that are accessory to non-residential uses shall be limited to vehicles of not more than 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight. SECTION 3. AMENDMENT. South St. Paul City Code Section 118-8 is hereby amended as follows: Sec. 118-8. Lots, distances, and definitions. Oversized recreational vehicle means any recreational vehicle more than 23 feet in length or more than 9,000 pounds in empty weight. 23 feet or more in length or 9,000 pounds or more in empty weight. SECTION 4. AMENDMENT. South St. Paul City Code Section 118-125 is hereby amended as follows: Sec. 118-126. C-1, retail business district. (h) Trash or garbage disposal. (i) Truck and commercial vehicle parking for nonresidential uses. Outdoor parking of trucks and other commercial vehicles shall be limited to operable, single rear axle vehicles of not more than fifteen thousand (15,000) pounds gross vehicle weight. (j) Prohibited uses. SECTION 5. AMENDMENT. South St. Paul City Code Section 118-352 is hereby amended as follows: Sec. 118-352. General provisions. (d) Use of parking facilities.  (1) Residential Uses. Off-street parking facilities accessory to residential uses shall be utilized solely for the parking of passenger vehicles. Under no circumstances shall required parking facilities accessory to residential structures be used for the parking of employees, owners, tenants, or customers of off-premises business or manufacturing establishments. (2) Truck and Commercial Vehicle Parking for Nonresidential Uses. a. Off-street parking facilities that are accessory to a nonresidential use in a residential zoning district shall be limited to operable, single rear axle vehicles of not more than fifteen-thousand (15,000) pounds gross vehicle weight. This regulation shall apply only to vehicles that are parked regularly at a site and shall not apply to pick-up and delivery activities or to the temporary use of vehicles during construction. b. The C-1 and CGMU zoning districts have restrictions on the size of trucks and commercial vehicles that can be parked outdoors in their off-street parking facilities. These rules, which are contained within the text of each zoning district, shall apply only to vehicles that are parked regularly at a site and shall not apply to pick-up and delivery activities, or to the temporary use of vehicles during construction. c. An institutional use, such as a church or school, may store up to one licensed and operable bus on the property provided that the property is at least 1 acre in size, even if that type of parking would not normally be allowed due to the other provisions of this code. The bus must be owned or leased by the property owner and parked at least 5 feet from any property line on a paved parking surface. SECTION 6. SUMMARY PUBLICATION. Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes Section 412.191, in the case of a lengthy ordinance, a summary may be published. While a copy of the entire ordinance is available without cost at the office of the City Clerk, the following summary is approved by the City Council and shall be published in lieu of publishing the entire ordinance: This ordinance amendment updates the City’s rules for the parking of trucks and other large vehicles. SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This ordinance shall become effective upon publication. Approved: _________________________ Published: _________________________ _____________________________________ Deanna Werner, City Clerk