Sandstone City Zoning Code
PROFESSIONAL/LIGHT INDUSTRIAL
BUSINESS PARK
§ 163.120 PURPOSE.
This district is intended to provide an area for light industrial and commercial uses that require highway access and/or visibility located in a strategic area that is compatible with the existing medical campus. This district is intended for uses such as administrative, wholesaling, manufacturing that are able to maintain a higher standard of appearance by including open space and landscaping on their properties, and that have limited external effects such as noise, odors, vibrations, glare, smoke, dust, fumes and hazards that would reduce compatibility with the existing medical campus.
(Prior Code, § 515.21) (Ord. 02-03, passed 10-16-2002; Ord. 20210120, passed 1-20-2021)
§ 163.121 PERMITTED USES.
(A) Light industrial;
(B) Hospitals and hospital related medical services which are accessory to and located in proximity to the hospital;
(C) Institutional residential facilities and long-term care facilities;
(D) Auto and truck washes;
(E) Cold storage plants and warehousing;
(F) Carpet cleaning, dry cleaning and dyeing, laundry employing any number of persons; providing, the cleaning fluid has a base which is of non-explosive material;
(G) Growing, handling, crating, sorting and shipping nursery stock;
(H) Laboratory, research, experimental and testing;
(I) Essential services;
(J) Storage, sale and distribution of lumber, coal, brick, stone, contractors supply yard and other similar supplies, equipment and goods; provided, the use is entirely enclosed within a substantial fence not less than eight feet in height;
(K) Plumbing, heating, glazing, painting, paper-hanging, roofing, ventilating and electrical contractors; blacksmith shop, carpentry, soldering and welding establishments;
(L) Railway and motor freight depot or trucking terminal; provided that, the truck entrance is at least 30 feet between curbs; and
(M) Vehicle sales and service, including recreational vehicles, boats and motorcycles.
(Prior Code, § 515.21) (Ord. 02-03, passed 10-16-2002; Ord. 20210120, passed 1-20-2021)
§ 163.122 ACCESSORY USES.
(A) Parking lots;
(B) Unheated buildings and structures (including temporary storage containers) for a use accessory to the principal use. Accessory buildings and structures may not exceed the height of the principal building. Accessory buildings shall be located to the rear of the principal buildings, subject to the Building Code and the fire zone regulations, except where prohibited by other provisions of city code. Accessory buildings and structures may not be constructed prior to or in lieu of the principal building;
(C) Off-street parking as regulated by this chapter (not including semi-trailer trucks);
(D) Parking of semi-trailer trucks if directly related to the principal use;
(E) Off-street loading;
(F) Signs subject to regulations in Chapter 162 of this code of ordinances;
(G) Rooftop solar; and
(H) Ground-mount solar.
(Prior Code, § 515.21) (Ord. 02-03, passed 10-16-2002; Ord. 20210120, passed 1-20-2021)
§ 163.123 CONDITIONAL USES.
(A) Indoor and outdoor storage of vehicles, materials or open sales;
(B) Restaurants, supper clubs or other dining establishments;
(C) Recycling centers;
(D) Public and non-profit owned buildings such as post offices, government buildings and similar uses;
(F) Towers and antennas in accordance with Chapter 159 of this code of ordinances;
(G) Solar energy facilities;
(H) Taxi/transit services, including loading or unloading facilities;
(I) Other manufacturing, production, ing, cleaning, storage, servicing and repair of materials, goods or products determined by the Planning Commission and confirmed by the City Council to be similar to the above conditional uses and which conform to the purpose and performance standards of the district; and
(J) Cannabis indoor cultivation, manufacturing, processing, wholesaling and testing facilities.
(Prior Code, § 515.21) (Ord. 02-03, passed 10-16-2002; Ord. 20210120, passed 1-20-2021; Ord. 20250219-01, passed 2-19-2025)
§ 163.124 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
(A) Minimum lot size. With the exception of a lot that is being exclusively used for essential services, a lot in the Professional/Light Industrial Business Park must have a width of not less than 100 feet, and must contain an area of not less than 21,780 square feet (0.5 acre).
(B) Setbacks.
(1) Front yard requirement: with the exception of a lot that is being exclusively used for essential services, a lot must have a front yard having a depth of not less than 20 feet.
(2) Rear and side yard requirements: with the exception of structures on a lot that is being exclusively used for essential services, the following structure setbacks apply:
Interior side yard | Minimum of 15 feet |
Rear yard | Minimum of 20 feet |
Street side yard | Minimum of 40 feet |
(3) Setback from Residential Zoning District; buffer requirements. A building must be set back a minimum of 50 feet from a zoning district boundary line, which separates the Professional/Light Industrial Business Park from a residential district. A vegetative buffer must be planted in this area using native groundcover, shrubs, or trees and must be continuously maintained by the Professional/Light Industrial Business Park property owner.
(4) Setback from roads/highways. A building may not be erected closer than 40 feet to the right-of-way line of any state highway, major or secondary thoroughfare or to any county highway or road in use by the public prior to the creation of the Professional/Light Industrial Business Park that serves as the boundary line of the district.
(C) Lot access. With the exception of a lot that is being exclusively used for essential services, access to a lot must be from an approved frontage or secondary street.
(D) Maximum ground coverage.
(1) With the exception of lots being used exclusively for essential services, the sum total of the ground area covered by all structures in any Professional/Light Industrial Business Park District including accessory structures, constituting a permitted or conditional use shall not exceed 75% of the lot.
(2) Impervious surface coverage may be increased if the following is provided:
(a) A storm water retention plan showing containment of the five-year, 24-hour storm event on the parcel;
(b) Elimination of direct run-off of storm water to adjacent water bodies, including wetlands and adjacent parcels, through the use of berms or other permanent means; or
(c) Where municipal storm water is available.
(E) Visual interest. Building designs are encouraged to provide visual interest and variation in detailing.
(F) Signage. One free-standing sign identifying the commercial uses of each tenant from the major access road will be permitted. Secondary signage shall be pedestrian scale and oriented toward the parking lots on the site and shall be subject to the requirements and restrictions set forth in Chapter 162 of this code of ordinances.
(G) Where allowed, standards for cannabis businesses are:
(1) A license or endorsement from the State of Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management is required.
(2) Compliance with state license requirements shall be maintained at all times.
(3) A cannabis business shall be located:
(a) At least 500 feet from any day care or residential treatment facility as measured from property line to property line;
(b) At least 500 feet from any attraction within a public park that is regularly used by minors, including a playground or athletic field, measured from the property line of the cannabis business to the attraction; and
(c) At least 1,000 feet from any K-12 school as measured from the property line to the property line.
(Prior Code, § 515.21) (Ord. 02-03, passed 10-16-2002; Ord. 20210120, passed 1-20-2021; Ord. 20250219-01, passed 2-19-2025)
§ 163.125 OTHER STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS.
(A) Landscaping requirements. Open areas of a site, lot, tract or parcel must be graded to provide proper drainage, and except for areas used for parking, drives or storage, must be landscaped with trees, shrubs, ornamental landscape materials or planted ground cover. Plans for the landscaping and screening must be submitted for approval to the city before any permit will be issued.
(B) Vegetative buffers. Any new commercial development shall have vegetative buffers of sufficient width (as determined by the Planning Commission) so as to mitigate noise and air pollution emitted from the property and minimize views of parking and service areas from adjacent residential and other uses. Where possible, existing trees on the property shall be preserved for this purpose. The vegetative buffers should consist predominantly of hardy indigenous or native species.
(C) Glare, fumes, heat. Glare, fumes or heat may not be produced in any building in this district that is noticeable at the property line of the building in which it is produced.
(D) Exterior lighting. Lights used for exterior illumination must be directed away from adjacent properties and oncoming traffic.
(E) Waste material.
(1) Waste material may not be washed into the public storm sewer system without first having received a permit to do so from the City Council.
(2) If the permit is not granted, a method of disposal must be devised which will not require additional land for continual operation, will not cause a detrimental effect to the adjacent land, and the waste disposal plan must be submitted to the Planning Commission and City Council for approval.
(3) Solid waste material, debris, refuse or garbage must be kept within a completely enclosed building or properly contained in a closed container and stored in racks designed for each purpose.
(F) Drainage. In the development, improvement or alteration of land, the natural direction of the drainage on the site may not be changed unless the City Council approves a storm water drainage plan. All run-off from the property must be properly channeled into a storm drain, watercourse or ponding area.
(G) Inspections and testing for compliance. In order to assure compliance with the performance standards set forth above, the Planning Commission or City Council may require the owner or operator of any permitted use to make the investigations and tests as may be required to show adherence to the performance standards.
(H) Additional requirements. The Planning Commission or the City Council may require additional items from the applicant as they deem necessary in order to assess compatibility of the proposed use with the goals of the Professional/Light Industrial Business Park and with the other existing or proposed uses within the district.
(Prior Code, § 515.21) (Ord. 02-03, passed 10-16-2002; Ord. 20210120, passed 1-20-2021)