1997-795C1TY OF HOPKINS
Hennepin County, Minnesota
ORDINANCE N0.97-795
AN ORDINANCE ADDING A BUSINESS PARK DESIGNATION
TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE
That the Hopkins Zoning Ordinance No. 515-570 be, and the same is hereby amended by,
amending and adding the following sections:
Section 541--Zoning: business park
541.01 Business Park. The purpose of the Business Park District is intended to allow for
business and industrial operations. The performance standards for this district are intended to
establish and maintain high quality site planning, architecture, signage and landscape design to
create an attractive and unified development character.
541.02 Uses. Within the Business Park District, no building or land shall be used except for one
or more of the following uses:
a. Free standing office buildings for corporate, administrative,
executive, professional, research, sales representatives' offices, or similar
organizations and hotels.
b. Manufacturing, production, processing, servicing, repair or testing
of materials, goods or products that is wholly contained within a building and
which between office, tech, and light manufacturing occupies at least 60 percent
of the gross floor area of the building and a warehouse use that occupies a
maximum of 40 percent.
c. Retail sale of products manufactured, warehoused or distributed on
the premises where the retail floor area does not exceed 15 percent of the gross
floor area or 3,000 square feet, whichever is less, of the building in which the
sales area is located.
If the business park is phased over a period of time, a plan for the overall site development shall
be submitted for approval.
541.03 District standards. No building or land in the Business Park District shall be used except
in conformance with the following:
a) minimum lot size 1 acre (43,560 square feet)
b) minimum lot width 100 feet
c) building height: maximum 45 feet
building heights up to 80 feet maybe permitted with an increase of
a two foot setback for each additional foot of building height
abutting a residential district.
d) minimum building setbacks
1) front yard 20 feet
50 feet abutting residential district
2) side yard 20 feet
50 feet abutting residential district
3) rear yard 20 feet
50 feet abutting residential district
floor area ratio 1.00
minimum parking setbacks
1) front yard: 20 feet
50 feet abutting residential district
2) side yard: 10 feet
50 feet abutting residential district
3) rear yard: 10 feet
50 feet abutting residential district
(If the development involves a parking structure, the building setbacks apply to the parking
structure)
g) lot coverage: Maximum lot coverage shall be 85 percent and shall be calculated to
include buildings footprints; parking areas; driveways; loading, storage and trash areas and other
areas covered by any impervious surface.
541.04. Parking and loading. Subdivision 1. Off-street parking and loading areas must
conform to the requirements of Section 550 with the following additional requirements:
Subd. 2. Curbs. All parking and loading areas, aisles and driveways shall be bordered
with raised concrete curbs approved by the City.
Subd. 3. Loadinu docks. All loading docks shall be located on the interior of the site or
shall be screened from the public right-of--way.
Subd. 4. Buffer. A planting buffer screen shall screen all off-street parking. This buffer
shall include a berm at a minimum height of three and one-half feet and landscaping adequate to
screen the parking lot.
Subd. 5. Traffic. The project shall be designed to minimize traffic impacts to any
adjacent residential neighborhood. A traffic study may be required to demonstrate compliance
with the requirement.
541. O5. Trash. The trash areas on the site shall be consolidated. Trash, recyclable materials,
and associated handling equipment shall be stored within the principal structure or in an
accessory structure, attached or separate from the primary structure, constructed of building
material compatible with the principal structure.
541.06. Open Storage. Open storage areas shall be prohibited in the business park zoning
district. Long-term outdoor parking or storage of commercial tractors and trailers is also
prohibited.
541.07. Landscaping_requirements. Subdivision 1. All open areas of a lot that are not used or
improved for required parking areas and drives shall be landscaped with a combination of
overstory trees, understory trees, shrubs, flowers and ground cover materials. The plan for
landscaping shall include ground cover, bushes, shrubbery, trees, sculpture, fountains, decorative
walks or other similar site design features or materials. The following table is a minimum value
for bushes, shrubbery and trees:
Project Value Minimum
(Including building construction, Landscape Value
improvements)
Below $1,000,000 2%
$1,000,000 - $2,000,000 $20,000 + 1%
of project value
in excess of
$1,000,000
$2,000,000--$3,000,000 $30,000 + .75%
of project value
in excess of
$2,000,000
$3,000,000--$4,000,000 $37,500 + .25%
of project value
in excess of
$3,000,000
over $4,000,000 1
Documentation showing an estimated dollar amount of landscaping shall be provided to the City
prior to any approval.
Subd. 2. Existing materials. In instances where healthy plant materials of acceptable
species as determined by the City Forester exist on a site prior to its development, the application
of the standards in this subdivision may be adjusted by the City to allow credit for such material,
provided that such adjustment is consistent with the intent of this ordinance. The City may
permit the seeding of areas reserved for future expansion of the development if consistent with
the intent of this ordinance.
Subd. 3. Preservation. A reasonable attempt shall be made to preserve as many existing
trees as is practicable and to incorporate them into the site plan. A plan shall be submitted to the
City showing the step to be undertaken to preserve the existing trees.
Subd. 4. Size. All new overstory trees shall be balled and burlapped or moved from the
growing site by tree spade. Deciduous trees shall have a minimum caliper of 2 1/2 inches.
Coniferous trees shall be a minimum of six feet in height. Ornamental trees shall have a
minimum caliper of 1 1/2 inches.
Subd. 5. Ground cover. All site areas not covered by buildings, sidewalks, parking lots,
driveways, patios or similar hard surface materials shall be covered with sod or an equivalent
ground cover approved by the City. This requirement shall not apply to site areas retained in a
natural state.
Subd. 6. Imrri~ation. In order to provide for adequate maintenance of landscaped areas, an
• underground sprinkler system shall be provided as part of each new development. A sprinkler
system shall be provided for all landscaped areas except areas to be preserved in a natural state.
The sprinkler system is required to have a sensor for an automatic shut-off to prevent the system
from operating when it is raining.
Subd. 7. Parkin areas. Parking areas shall be landscaped and planted throughout the lot
to the extent of at least 5% (excluding landscaping abutting the parking area and any public
right-of--way) of the actual surfaced area.
Subd. 8. Internal plans. The landscape plan shall also show the pathway system both
interior and exterior, width and materials, screening fences with details, lighting system,
recreation features, if any.
540.08. Architectural Standards. It is not the intent of the City to restrict design freedom
unduly when reviewing project architecture in connection with a site and building plan.
However, it is in the best interest of the City to promote high standards of architecture design and
compatibility with surrounding structures and neighborhoods.
a) architectural plans shall be prepared by an architect or other qualified
person acceptable to the planning department and shall show the following:
1) elevations of all sides of the building;
• 2) type and color of exterior building materials;
3) typical floor plan;
4) dimensions of all structures; and
5) the location of trash containers and
of heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment.
b) all buildings shall be finished on all sides with permanent finished
materials of consistent quality. Major exterior surfaces of all primary structures
shall be face brick, architectural concrete, glass, stucco, synthetic stucco,
decorative block, or stone. Precast panels and concrete block may be acceptable
if incorporated in a building design that is compatible with other development
throughout the district. The determination if precast panels and concrete block
are acceptable is in the sole discretion of the Zoning and Planning Commission
and City Council. A wall surface may use wood, vinyl, or metal, as accent
material, provided they are appropriately integrated into the overall building
design.
c) all rooftop or ground mounted mechanical equipment, satellite dish
antennas, and exterior trash storage areas shall be screened with materials
compatible with the principal structure.
d) underground utilities shall be provided for all new and substantially
renovated structures.
e) accessory structures, either attached or detached from the primary
structure, shall be constructed of identical materials, style, quality, and appearance
as the principal structure.
f) screen walls, and exposed areas of retaining walls shall be of a similar
type, quality, and appearance as the principal structure.
540.09. Other information. The staff may require other information to complete the review of a
business park. Other requirements may include a traffic study, lighting analysis, and a shadow
analysis. All studies and analysis will be paid for by the applicant.
540.10. Li htin A lighting/illumination plan shall be submitted for review. The
lighting/illumination plan shall detail the type and quantity of the lighting on the site. Plans for
site lighting shall be coordinated with the landscape plan for developments within the subject
area. Such lighting plans shall be designed to avoid any off-site glare from site lighting and any
unnecessary light trespass. Maximum fixture height shall be compatible with the scale for the
development and adjacent landscape features.
Section 570-Sims
570.54. Permitted sins: business dark district.
Subd. 1. Business Si ns. Each business other than those in multi-tenant buildings may
have one wall business sign limited to flat wall sign, not extending more than 18 inches from the
face of the building, except that such signage may extend from the face of the roof over a
covered walk. Such wall business signage shall not exceed 15% of the area of the wall to which
the signage is attached, to a maximum of 96 square feet.
Subd. 2. Monument signs. Uses other than those in multi-tenant buildings may have a
monument sign that shall not exceed 80 square feet per surface area, and 15 feet in height, and is
setback a minimum 20 feet from the property lines.
Subd. 3. Multi-tenant business signs. Each tenant in amulti-tenant building may have a
wall business sign limited to a flat wall sign, not extending more than 18 inches from the face of
the building, provided that they are designed and arranged in accordance with a comprehensive
sign plan for the entire multi-tenant building which has been prepared by, and submitted to the
City by the owner and which has been approved by the City; further, the aggregate area of such
signs shall not exceed 5% of the area of the wall to which they are attached.
Subd. 4. Multi-tenant monument signs. One monument sign shall be permitted for each
multi-tenant building provided the surface area of the sign does not exceed 100 square feet per
side, 15 feet in height, and is setback in no case less than 20 feet from the property lines. The
area may be increased to a maximum of 150 square feet per side for developments of over 20
acres.
Subd. 5. Canopies and Awnings. The design of canopies shall be in keeping with the
overall building design in terms of location, size, and color. No canopies with visible wall
hangers shall be permitted. Signage on canopies maybe substituted for allowed building signage
and shall be limited to 25 percent of the canopy area. Internally illuminated canopies must be
compatible with the overall color scheme of the building.
Subd. 5. Review. All signs for tenants in multi- tenant buildings shall be reviewed by the
building ownership or management who shall provide a written endorsement at the time
application is made for the sign permit; the endorsement shall indicate that the proposed signage
has been found to be consistent with the approved comprehensive sign plan.
Subd. 6. Flexibility. To provide reasonable flexibility in the sign regulations, set forth in
this subdivision, the zoning administrator may, subject to the approval of the city council,
approve an application for a sign that exceeds the number, size or height of signs permitted by
these regulations where such exception would not be inconsistent with the intent of these
regulations.
New Definitions -- Section 515
515.07 Subd. 11. Architectural concrete: A building construction material consistin~of
concrete that has a surface design pattern, and texture that enhances the architectural design of
the building and is available in a variety of colors.
515.07 Subd. 41. Decorative block: a building block of cast concrete and ag rebate rock that
has asplit-rock, brick-like, burnished, or ribbed texture on the side to be exposed, and is
available in a variet,}! of colors.
515.07 Subbed. 57. Face brick: a masonry building block or clay baked in a kiln until hard.
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. 515.07 Subd 79. Hotel: a facility offering transient lodging accommodations
on a daily rate to the eneral public and providing additional services, such as restaurant,
meetingrooms, conference facilities, and recreational facilities.
515.07 Subd. 95. Manufacturing: to bring_ something into being by forming=shaping,
combining, or altering materials.
.Subd. 100. Motel: a building or group containing
apartments and/or rooming units, each of which maintains a separate outside entrance. Such
building_or group of buildings is designed, intended, or used primarily for the accommodation of
automobile travelers and provides automobile parking conveniently located on the premises.
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515.07 Subd. 108. Office: A use wherein services are performed involving_predominantly
administrative,,,~rofessional, or clerical operations.
515.07 Subd. 119. Plain concrete block: a building block of cast concrete that has no additional
surface texturing.
515.07 Subd. 121. Precast gavel: a building~wall section of concrete poured into a form at the
manufacture facility and shipped to the construction site for installation.
S 15.07 Subd. 147. Synthetic stucco: a nonbearing exterior wall cladding_system providing both
insulating value and finished exterior surface.
515.07 Subd. 148. Tech: a business that groduces or manufactures a technical product.
Subd. 159. Warehousing and distribution:
A use en~a~ed in storage, wholesale, and distribution of manufactured products, supplies, and
equipment, but excluding bulk storage of materials that are inflammable or explosive or that
create hazardous or commonly recognized offensive conditions.
570.01 Subd. 11. Sign -free standing: (see sign-pylon)
570.01 Subd. 13. Sign -monument: a sign whose base and structure are positioned primaril on
the ground and are typically solid from glade to the top of the structure.
570.01 Subd. 16. Sign=pylon: A sign supported by one or more upri hit Holes, columns, or
braces placed in or on the ground and not attached to any building or structure.
Other uses listed in 515.07 and 570.01 are to be renumbered accordingly.
550.07 Subd. 31. Hotel. At least one space per room plus one space per each 4.5 persons of
capacity in other facilities.
First Reading:
Second Reading:
Date of Publication:
Date Ordinance Takes Effect:
ATT T: -
• Te O aier, Cit Clerk
nS' Y
January 7, 1997
June 2, 1998
June 10, 1998
June 30, 1998
~ e~
Charles D. Redepenning, Mayor,
APPRgVEIDjAS TO FORM AND LEGALITY:
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City ~orriey Signature Date
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