1040.135: - GENERAL MIXED USE (GMU) DISTRICT

Subd. 1. Purpose. The purpose of the General Mixed Use District (GMU) is to provide an area for compact, inter-connected, walkable, mixed-use development along key community corridors and to support high quality development and site flexibility due to the unique site conditions in these areas. The mixture of land uses within the district is essential to establishing the level of vitality and intensity needed to support retail and service uses. A combination of retail, office, service and residential uses are encouraged although not required. Buildings may also be entirely one use. The placement of the building and the relationship of the building, parking, landscaping, and pedestrian spaces is essential to creating the pedestrian-friendly environment envisioned for the GMU District. The standards in this Section are reinforced within the Design Guidelines contained in Appendix A. New development within this district will be allowed only when a full range of municipal services and facilities are available to serve the area.

The General Mixed Use District applies to those properties classified as Mixed Use on the 2030 Future Land Use Plan and adjacent to County Road 30. The character of the General Mixed Use District shall reflect high quality design due to the high visibility of these areas at the gateway to the City at County 30. Although development in this mixed-use district will be more auto-oriented in design than the Downtown Mixed Use District, pedestrian connections and amenities will still be required to provide connections to existing and future planned areas, sidewalks and trails and to provide for safe pedestrian circulation within the site. Landscaping, and architectural details shall be used to unify sites within the General Mixed Use District.

Subd. 2. Permitted Uses.

• A. Bakery, retail.

• B. Banks, savings and loans, credit unions and other financial institutions without drive-through.

• C. Barbers, Beauty Shops and similar personal service uses.

• D. Civic Buildings, such as City Hall, libraries, fire stations, etc.

• E. Copy/print shop.

• F. Day Care Facilities, State licensed, as defined by statute.

• G. Dry cleaning and laundry pick up, incidental pressing and repair without dry cleaning processing.

• H. Dwelling, Multiple Family with a minimum density of 10 units per net acre, which may include units combining living and working space within the unit, if all units on the same floor of a building are the same.

• I. Hotel, inns and bed and breakfast establishments.

• J. Offices, medical and professional.

• K. Retail goods and service uses of a similar nature within a fully enclosed building (without drive-through).

• L. Restaurants and cafes (without drive-through).

• M. Taverns.

Subd. 3. Accessory Uses.

• A. Accessory structures as regulated by Section 1030.020 of this Chapter.

• B. Accessory uses incidental and customary to uses allowed in this Section.

• C. Day Care Facilities, County licensed, 12 or fewer individuals.

• D. Keeping of Animals, subject to Chapter 81 (animals) of the City Code.

• E. Outdoor seating accessory to a restaurant.

• F. Public open space plaza, square or other related uses.

G. Structured parking.

Subd. 4. Conditional Uses. The following are conditional uses, subject to the conditions outlined in Section 1070.020 of this Ordinance and the specific standards and criteria that may be cited for a specific use:

• A. Assisted living facility.

• B. Drive-through businesses, subject to the standards outlined in Section 1060.060, Subd. 12.

• C. Funeral Homes and Mortuaries.

• D. Health clubs and fitness centers.

• E. Motor Fuel Stations.

• F. Museum.

• G. Nursing Home.

• H. Places of Worship/Assembly.

• I. Schools, Private.

• J. Theatre.

Subd. 5. Interim Uses. The following are interim uses, subject to the conditions outlined in Section 1070.030 of this Ordinance and the specific standards and criteria that may be cited for a specific use:

• A. Farmers Market.

• B. Temporary structures, subject to the standards in Section 1030.040 (Temporary Structures) of the Zoning Ordinance.

Subd. 6. Uses by Administrative Permit.

• A. Essential Services, as allowed by Section 1030.090.

• B. Seasonal Outdoor Retail Sales.

  1. Seasonal outdoor retail sales shall not exceed a combined total of 120 days in any 12month period. Outdoor retail sales shall not occupy an area exceeding 10 percent of a lot's area, and shall meet all yard setback requirements.

  2. Where seasonal outdoor retail sales are conducted in a parking lot, they shall be confined to a defined area, and not be allowed to obstruct access of emergency vehicles or pose a traffic safety problem. Temporary fencing or other suitable mechanisms shall be used to delineate the sales area and provide for pedestrian safety.

  3. Where tents, temporary green houses, or similar structures are used to store, and/or display merchandise, they shall be anchored to provide a wind-load resistance of 40 miles per hour.

• C. Towers and Antennas as regulated by Section 1060.100 (Telecommunications Services) of the Zoning Ordinance, only when co-located on an existing structure.

Subd. 7. Site Design.

• A. Structures shall be oriented and consolidated to complement existing, adjacent development to create a coordinated and visually attractive mixed use setting throughout the district.

• B. Site planning shall respect the relationship of the site to the existing and proposed buildings and streets and major roadways.

• C. Commercial parking lot design shall include provisions for cross easements and stubbed access drives to the property line for the use of adjacent properties so that residents and customers do not need to return to the public street system to access adjacent developments.

• D. Buildings shall have a clearly defined primary pedestrian entrance at street level.

• E. Wherever a surface parking area faces a street frontage, such frontage shall be screened with a decorative wall, railing, hedge, or a combination of these elements to a minimum height of 2 ½ feet and a maximum height of 3 ½ feet above the level of the parking lot at the build to line.

• F. Drive-through or drive-in lanes are not allowed within the front of any buildings. They must be located to the side or rear of a building.

• G. Maximum Impervious Coverage. The total lot coverage shall not exceed 80% impervious.

Subd. 8. Parking Requirements.

• A. At least 50% of the required parking for residential units in the GMU district shall be provided in structured parking or in enclosed garages. 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.

• B. Parking for non-residential uses shall meet with requirements in Section 1060.060 but may include reductions for shared parking arrangements, if appropriate, as determined by the City Council. Any shared parking arrangements must be fully connected and in reasonable proximity to each use.

Subd. 9. Building Design Requirements. To maintain the character of the GMU District, any construction is subject to the following standards to reflect the character of the District. The design standards are explained in further detail and illustrated in the City Design Guidelines in Appendix A.

• A. All new building fronts (single story or multi-story) shall include a minimum of four (4) of the following elements:

  1. Architectural detailing, such as cornice, awning, parapet, or columns;

  2. A visually pleasing primary front entrance that, in addition to doors, shall be accented a minimum of one hundred fifty (150) square feet around the door entrance for single occupancy buildings and a minimum of three hundred (300) square feet total for the front of multi-tenant buildings (this area shall be counted as one element). Entrances shall be clearly articulated and obvious from the street;

  3. A minimum of thirty (30) percent window coverage on each front that faces a street;

  4. Contrasting, yet complementary material colors;

  5. A combination of horizontal and vertical design features;

  6. Irregular building shapes;

  7. Other architectural features in the overall architectural concept.

• B. Multi-story buildings shall have the ground floor distinguished from the upper floors by having one or more the following:

  1. Awning

  2. Trellis

  3. Arcade

  4. Window lintels

  5. Intermediate cornice line

  6. Brick detailing such as quoins or corbels

• C. Residential Uses on First Floors: Whenever residential uses are included on the first floor of a building the first floor elevation shall be raised above the sidewalk elevations immediately adjacent to the front of the residential unit to ensure the residential unit is separated from the public space. In addition, each first floor unit must have an individual private entrance at the street level with private courtyard enclosure.

• D. Façade Articulation. Any exterior building wall adjacent to or visible from a public street, public open space, or abutting property may not exceed forty feet (40') in length without significant visual relief consisting of one or more of the following:

1. The facade shall be divided architecturally by means of significantly different materials or textures, or

   2. Horizontal offsets of at least four feet (4') in depth, or

   3. Vertical offsets in the roofline of at least four feet (4'),

   4. Fenestration at the first floor level which is recessed horizontally at least one foot (1') into the facade.

• E. Accent Materials: Accent materials shall be wrapped around walls. Accent material shall consist of materials comparable in grade and quality to the primary exterior material. Such materials may include glass, prefinished decorative metal and fiber cement trim within soffit

and fascia areas.

• F. Major exterior materials of all walls including face brick, stone (natural or cultured), glass, stucco, synthetic stucco (EIFS), fiber cement vertical panel siding, architectural concrete and precast panels shall be acceptable as the major exterior wall surface when they are incorporated into an overall design of the building. Major materials must cover at least 60% of the exterior.

• G. Restricted Exterior Materials: Unadorned pre-stressed concrete panels, whether smooth or raked, non-decorative concrete block, sheet metal, unfinished metal and/or galvanized and unfinished aluminum surfaces (walls or roofs) shall not be used as exterior materials. This restriction shall apply to all principal structures and to all accessory buildings except those accessory buildings not visible from any property line. No more than twenty five percent (25%) of any exterior wall on a building shall be fiber cement siding, wood or metal accent material.

• H. Building Roofs. Mansard or mansard style roofs are not permitted except for mansard style cornices. Acceptable designs include flat, pitched or curved. Building roof styling shall incorporate a minimum of one (1) of the following elements:

  1. Parapets or cornices;

  2. Varying building height and variety of roof lines.

Subd. 10. Screening.

• A. Rooftop Mechanical Equipment. The view of all rooftop equipment and related piping, ducting, electrical and mechanical utilities abutting a street on buildings shall be screened from the ground level view. Screening may include parapet walls, penthouses, or other architecturally integrated elements. Wood fencing or chain link with slats shall not be used for screening. A cross-sectional drawing shall be provided that illustrates the sight lines from the ground level view.

• B. Screening Adjoining Residential Use. Wherever a GMU District abuts, or is across the street from an Residential District, a berm, fence or screening consisting of compact evergreen trees or hedge or a combination thereof, not less than eighty percent (80%) opaque at time of installation, nor less than six feet (6') in height, except adjacent to a street where it shall be not less than three feet (3') nor more than four feet (4') in height shall be erected or installed and maintained. All screening shall comply with this Chapter.

or screening consisting of compact evergreen trees or hedge or a combination thereof, not less than eighty percent (80%) opaque at time of installation, nor less than six feet (6') in height, except adjacent to a street where it shall be not less than three feet (3') nor more than four feet (4') in height shall be erected or installed and maintained. All screening shall comply with this Chapter.

• C. Ground Mechanical Equipment. Ground mechanical equipment shall be one hundred percent (100%) screened from contiguous properties and adjacent streets by opaque landscaping, or screen wall compatible with the architectural treatment of the principal structure.

• D. Trash Enclosure Service Structure. All exterior trash enclosures or other accessory structures shall be constructed of the same materials and colors as the principal building.

Subd. 11. Exterior Storage.

• A. All exterior storage of material and equipment related to, located on, and used by any business or other nonresidential use shall be stored within a building or fully screened so as not to be visible from streets, highways, or neighboring property.

Subd. 12. Landscape Design.

• A. In addition to the landscape requirements in Section 1030.16 of this Chapter, plant materials shall be used to create a unified and attractive mixed use environment.

• B. Planting areas should be located and designed to avoid visual interference with public signage and private commercial communication.

• C. Plant materials shall be arranged to provide focal points on the site, and concentrated to signify key site locations such as the primary building entrance, site entrance, around signage, along pedestrian walkways, and along the perimeter of the building.

Subd. 13. Area Requirements. The following minimum requirements shall be met in the GMU district. Properties may be subject to special requirements for overlay districts as noted in Section 1050 (Overlay Districts):

*Major Roadways are Principal Arterial, A Minor Reliever, A Minor Expander and A Minor Connector Roadways as shown on the 2040 Roadway Functional Classification map in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan.

(Ord. 348, passed 05-25-17, Ord. 389, passed 02-28-19)