Auto Related Uses Moratorium Discussion; LindahlMEMO
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council
From: Jason Lindahl, AICP
Date: October 9, 2018
Subject: Auto Related Uses Moratorium Discussion
Proposed Action: Review and consideration of how to best manage automobile repair and
automobile sales uses within Hopkins.
Overview
In early 2017, staff began a process to review the City’s zoning regulation for auto related uses (auto
repair and auto sales). That process included a review of the comprehensive plan, zoning
regulations, inspections of various site throughout the community and a mapping analysis of all auto
repair and auto sales uses. This information along with recommended zoning changes were
presented to the Planning & Zoning Commission during their February and March meetings where
they recommended the City Council approve certain zoning changes. Staff reviewed this
information with the City Council during the February and March work sessions and brought the
final recommended changes to the City Council in April. Ultimately, the City Council decided to
table this item and approve a one year moratorium on auto related uses to allow time for more
study.
Issues to Consider
There are five fundamental questions for the City Council to assess when considering how to
appropriately manage auto related uses. These questions are detailed below. Staff will lead the City
Council through a discussion of these questions in an effort to establish a consensus direction for
potential policy changes for auto related uses.
Consistency with the Comprehensive Plan. How do auto related uses align with the City’s long term
land use and economic development goals? Both the existing 2030 and draft 2040 Comprehensive
Plans include long term land use and economic development goals that can help inform the City
Council’s consideration of how to best manage auto related uses. A selection of the relevant goals
from both plans are provided below.
2030 Comprehensive Plan
• Protect and enhance Downtown Hopkins.
• Identify and assist in the redevelopment of blighted or obsolete structures.
• Bolster the image of the community and promote Hopkins as a destination.
2040 Comprehensive Plan – Built Environment (Land Use)
• Create and develop mixed use centers and districts throughout the city, to support livability and
community vitality.
• Maintain and diversify the city’s strong employment base.
• Reinforce Hopkins’ unique identity and sense of community through high quality urban design.
• Create appropriate transitions between areas of the city where there are incompatibilities in land
use or scale.
• Encourage all public and private developments to be well designed, durable, human-scaled, and
pedestrian oriented.
2040 Comprehensive Plan – Economic Environment (Economic Competiveness)
• Support the development of a strong, vibrant, livable community that attracts jobs, population
and investment.
• Support a healthy, diverse mix of businesses in Hopkins
2040 Comprehensive Plan – Economic Environment (Downtown)
• Maintain a viable downtown core that serves as an economic and social center for the
community
• Continue to grow Downtown’s population and job base
Number and Location. What is the appropriate number and location of auto related uses in
Hopkins? In early 2017, the City conducted a study of auto related uses in Hopkins. This study
found that Hopkins has at least 37 automobile repair and sales uses. This number does not include
brokers that operate an office with no inventory or have an inventory that is kept inside. This
analysis also found that auto related uses are clustered in three main areas: west of 11th Avenue
South, along Excelsior Boulevard north of the Blake School and at either end of Mainstreet (see
attached maps). It should also be noted that the existing auto repair and sales uses along Excelsior
Boulevard are located in the B-4, Neighborhood Business District which does not allow these types
of uses. In addition, some of the auto related uses have recently generated significant code
enforcement complaints.
Auto related uses tend to naturally attract a significant number of automobiles and traffic. As a
result, these uses are best suited for locations with large lots, high traffic counts and good visibility
and access. Properties with these characteristics are typically zoned B-3, General Business and
located along high capacity roads (either Principal Arterial or A Minor Reliever roads as designated
in the comprehensive plan). Properties with these characteristics are located along Excelsior
Boulevard or at the intersection of Highway 7 and Blake Road. With the exception of Excelsior
Boulevard, the areas best suited for auto related uses are not the same as where these uses are
currently located (i.e. on either end of Mainstreet or west of 11th Avenue South).
Type and Service Area. What are the appropriate types and service areas for auto related uses in
Hopkins? Nearly all the communities in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area follow the American
Planning Association’s recommendation to classify auto repair uses as either Major Auto Repair or
Minor Auto Repair. Hopkins amended the Definitions section of the City Code to include these
terms. However, these new terms were never carried over into the individual zoning districts.
In staff’s view, amending the uses listed in the individual zoning districts to reflect the previously
adopted definitions for Major and Minor Automobile Repair represents a housing keeping items to
fully implement a zoning change already approved by the City.
The most significant difference between these terms is the minor category limits vehicles to 9,000
pounds rated capacity and does not allow body work, frame work, welding or major painting
services. The major category allows larger vehicles and body work and painting services.
Generally, auto repair and auto sales uses serve either a local or regional customer. Smaller
businesses tend to serve the community in which they are located while larger chain businesses tend
to serve a broader region-wide customer. Local economic and regulatory conditions can allow for
clusters of smaller businesses which can transform their service area from the local community to
the larger region.
Code Enforcement. What are the appropriate standards and enforcement policy for auto related
uses? There are a number of auto related uses that do not meet current City Code requirements.
For the most part, these code violations fall into four categories: number of vehicles on the site, junk
vehicles, outdoor storage and parking lot surfacing. These code violations can have adverse impact
on neighboring properties and the overall economic health of the community. The current City
Code standards for these issues are outdated and vary by zoning district making administration and
enforcement challenging.
Economic Development. What should be the role of auto related uses in Hopkins’ economy? In
addition to location, service area and exterior appearance considerations, auto related uses do have a
role to play in the local economy. Generally, these uses require a considerable amount of land, have
the potential to have negative impacts on their neighbors and produce a limited number of jobs or
tax base. The Planning & Zoning Commission asked staff to compare tax revenue for auto related
uses with other properties along Mainstreet and those in the Downtown Overlay District. Using
Hennepin County property records, staff analyzed the taxes paid per square foot for land along
Mainstreet and in the Downtown Overlay District. It should be noted this analysis excluded tax
exempt properties. This analysis found the average tax payment for properties along Mainstreet is
$1.66 per square foot while the average in the Downtown overlay District is $3.33 per square foot.
By comparison, auto related uses along Mainstreet pay an average of $1.33 per square foot of land.
Conclusion and Next Steps
Staff will lead the City Council through a discussion of the five questions outlined above in an effort
to establish a consensus direction for potential zoning changes for auto related uses. Based on this
feedback, staff will revise the changes recommended in April and bring them back through the
review process with the Planning & Zoning Commission prior to final consideration by the City
Council. Staff anticipates this review process will also include additional engagement with interested
businesses and stakeholders.
Map Document: \\arcserver1\GIS\HOPK\T16107343\ESRI\Maps\HOPK_ZoningAutoShops_11x17.mxd Date Saved: 2/20/2018 2:24:36 PMZoning Map & Auto Repair/Sales Locations
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ID#Site Name
1 Affordabl e Auto Service & AA Automotive Diagnostic Sol utions B-3 Ge ne ral Business
2 Be l l mobi le B-3 Ge ne ral Business3Dale Feste Automotive B-3 Ge ne ral Business
4 Dealer Automotive Se rvi ces B-3 Ge ne ral Business
5 Harmon Auto Glass B-3 Ge ne ral Business6Hopkins Auto Mall B-3 Ge ne ral Business7Hopkins Auto Services B-3 Ge ne ral Business8Inline X Automotive B-3 Ge ne ral Business9Jeff’s Auto Service B-3 Ge ne ral Business10Jiffy Lube B-3 Ge ne ral Business
11 Luther Automotive Performance Studi o B-3 Ge ne ral Business
12 Mainstree t Motor Company B-3 Ge ne ral Business
13 Me i ne ke Car Care Cente r B-3 Ge ne ral Business14Smith Import Auto Care B-3 Ge ne ral Business15Smith Ni elsen Automotive B-3 Ge ne ral Business16Smith Ni elson Automotive B-3 Ge ne ral Business17Tires Plus B-3 Ge ne ral Business18Tommy’s Garage B-3 Ge ne ral Business
19 Wal ser Chrysler Jeep Dodge B-3 Ge ne ral Business
Zoning District ID#Site Name20Home Town Auto B-3 General Busi ness21FirestoneB-3 General Busi ness22Bill’s Auto B-4 Neighborhood Busi ne ss
23 Foreign Affairs Auto Servi ce B-4 Neighborhood Busi ne ss
24 Me tro Motorcars B-4 Neighborhood Busi ne ss25MidasB-4 Neighborhood Busi ne ss
26 AAMCO Transmissions & Total Car Care I-1 Industri al
27 Ace Imports Auto Sal es Inc I-1 Industri al28Dooley’s Garage I-1 Industri al29Hopkins Auto Body I-1 Industri al
30 Hopkins Ti re & Auto Service I-1 Industri al
31 Jim Butler Repair I-1 Industri al32PC Automotive I-1 Industri al33Seward Auto Body I-1 Industri al
34 The Paint Ge nie Auto Body & Pai nt I-1 Industri al
35 Vence s Auto Repair I-1 Industri al
36 ATM Tires & Suggs Auto Repai r I-2 Gene ral Industrial
37 Bil l ’s Servi ce Garage I-2 Gene ral Industrial38Swedish Motors I-2 Gene ral Industrial39Luther Hopkins Honda Business Park
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Map Document: \\arcserver1\GIS\HOPK\T16107343\ESRI\Maps\HOPK_ZoningAutoShops_11x17_INSET1.mxd Date Saved: 2/20/2018 3:38:14 PMZoning Map & Auto Repair/Sales Locations
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Map Document: \\arcserver1\GIS\HOPK\T16107343\ESRI\Maps\HOPK_ZoningAutoShops_11x17_INSET2.mxd Date Saved: 2/20/2018 2:48:48 PMZoning Map & Auto Repair/Sales Locations
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Map Document: \\arcserver1\GIS\HOPK\T16107343\ESRI\Maps\HOPK_ZoningAutoShops_11x17_INSET3.mxd Date Saved: 2/20/2018 2:41:16 PMZoning Map & Auto Repair/Sales Locations
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