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3601 Thurston Avenue
Anoka, MN 55303
763.231.5840
TPC@PlanningCo.com
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MEMORANDUM
TO: Daryl Morey
FROM: D. Daniel Licht, AICP
DATE: 17 May 2019
RE: Lakeville – Zoning Ordinance; Commercial exterior materials
TPC FILE: 135.01
BACKGROUND
Hy-Vee has started construction of a convenience fuel store within the Cedar and Dodd Retail
Addition. The conditional use permit for the proposed use required, and the approved exterior
building elevation plans identify, use of modular brick for the exterior finish of the building.
However, Hy-Vee has used a brick veneer wall panel in construction of the building, which does
not comply with the definition of brick established by Section 11-17-9.F.7 of the Zoning
Ordinance. In addition, the developer of a medical office building proposed within the Cedar
and Dodd Retail Second Addition, would like to use architectural concrete panels with brick
inlay as an exterior finish to meet the requirements for use of Grade A materials. Use of inlaid
brick within concrete panels is not currently allowed as a Grade A material by the Zoning
Ordinance. The City has initiated an amendment of Section 11-17-9 of the Zoning Ordinance to
consider possible changes to the allowed exterior finish requirements for commercial buildings
related to use of inlaid or brick veneer materials. A public hearing has been noticed for the
Planning Commission meeting on 23 May 2019.
Exhibits:
Draft ordinance amendment
ANALYSIS
Existing Ordinance. Section 11-17-9 of the Zoning Ordinance establishes building type and
construction standards for residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial uses. These
standards are adopted in order to require high quality building materials and other measures
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that will promote an aesthetically pleasing living and working environment as a stated policy of
the 2008 Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Section 11-17-9.B of the Zoning Ordinance classifies
building materials by grade as the basis for regulation of exterior finishes shown in the table
below.
Grade A Grade B
Brick/CMU Textured concrete block
Natural/artificial stone Precast concrete panels
Glass Stucco
Copper panels Ceramic
Section 11-17-9.D.1 of the Zoning Ordinance requires that the exterior finish of commercial
buildings within the C-1, C-2, C-3, and C-CBD Districts utilize at least 3 Grade A materials and
that the exterior building finish be composed of at least 65 percent Grade A materials and not
more than 35 percent Grade B materials. Brick as a Grade A material is specifically defined by
Section 11-17-9.F.7 of the Zoning Ordinance to be a conventional molded rectangular block of
baked clay having nominal 4 inch width. Use of bricks inlaid into a concrete panel is defined as
a brick face material that would be included as an allowed finish on precast concrete panels as
a Grade B material. Use of a natural stone veneer panel is allowed as Grade B material, but
brick veneer is not specified. These various materials are defined or proposed to be defined as
follows:
BRICK: The conventional molded rectangular block of baked clay, nominal four inch
(4") width. Thin brick veneer, faux brick, or decorative brick shall not be permitted
as a building material for nonresidential structures.
BRICK AND STONE FACE: A thin fired clay brick faced or stone faced architectural
precast or tilt-up concrete panel with a cavity cast in, or a plate cast in if the brick
runs to the bottom of the edge so that the brick can be set in the panel after its
removal from the form exhibiting coursing and joint treatment to match hand-
laid brickwork or stonework aesthetic.
NATURAL STONE MASONRY VENEER: A finish achieved by placing natural stone
pieces into a form and casting concrete behind it resulting in a precast panel having
a natural stone face having a non-structural external veneer layer of thin fired clay
brick, or natural/artificial stone exhibiting coursing and joint treatment to match
hand-laid brickwork or stonework aesthetic either anchored or attached directly
to an internal structural wall manufactured as a unit off-site.
The primary distinction regarding brick construction and brick face or veneer is that the
traditional use of brick is as a structural element of the wall. Brick face or brick veneer is an
added element to the wall for aesthetic purposes. The use of brick face or brick veneer has
increased in commercial construction as it requires a less structural foundation due to lower
weight, can be manufactured in quantities increasing efficiency, and is more easily and quickly
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constructed, all of which result in lower overall costs. The construction of the brick face and
brick vener can be made to have the same aesthetic appearance as traditional brick. Existing
examples of brick veneer buildings in Lakeville include the Hy-Vee convenience fuel store at
Spirit of Brandtjen Farm, Taco Bell at Spirit of Brandtjen Farm, and McDonalds at Crossroads, all
of which are located within planned unit developments (PUDs).
Community Survey. City staff and our office reviewed the Zoning Ordinances for the following
communities within the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area to survey allowances for brick face and
brick veneer exterior finishes for commercial buildings.
Community Brick Face Brick Veneer
Bloomington Not defined Allowed same as brick
Burnsville Allowed same as brick Allowed same as brick
Chanhassen Allowed same as brick Allowed same as brick
Eagan Limited to 35 percent Limited to 35 percent
Eden Prairie Allowed same as brick Allowed same as brick
Edina Allowed same as brick Allowed same as brick
Farmington Allowed same as brick Allowed same as brick
Maple Grove Not defined Not defined
Mendota Heights Allowed same as brick Allowed same as brick
Plymouth Allowed same as brick Allowed same as brick
St. Louis Park Not defined Not defined
Woodbury Limited to 35 percent Limited to 35 percent
The Cities of Eagan and Woodbury both limit use of brick face and brick veneer to not more
than 35 percent of a commercial building exterior as a lesser material similar to the manner in
which Lakeville currently defines and allows these materials for commercial buildings. Of the
12 surveyed communities, 7 allow use of brick face or brick veneer exterior finishes the same as
a traditional brick or without limitation. Maple Grove and St. Louis Park do not specifically
define brick face or brick veneer but allow its use the same as brick. The survey indicates that
use of brick face or brick veneer is a widely accepted practice within cities having a similar
development character to Lakeville.
Draft Ordinance. Based on the information outlined above, City staff has drafted a proposed
amendment to Section 11-17-9 of the Zoning Ordinance. The proposed ordinance would:
Make brick face a Grade A material.
Specify that masonry veneer, defined as brick, stone, or manufactured stone, as a Grade
B material.
Revise the definitions of brick and natural stone veneer to address use of brick veneer
and require that it be manufactured as a unit off-site to avoid temperature extremes,
humidity, precipitation, and contamination.
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Allow for use of masonry veneer to meet the Grade A material requirements for
buildings less than 10,000 square feet in area within commercial districts.
Allow for use of brick and stone face panels or masonry veneer to meet the Grade A
exterior material requirements within the O-P District.
CONCLUSION
Architectural design, construction techniques, and exterior materials continue to evolve and
advance. The City has from time-to-time found it necessary to review and amend its building
type and construction standards set forth by the Zoning Ordinance to be consistent with
current practices and technology. Allowances for the use of brick, brick and stone face, and
masonry veneer materials is the most recent example of construction advances. The proposed
amendment to the Zoning Ordinance related to use of these materials will provide for their use
within commercial buildings while remaining consistent with the purpose of the Zoning
Ordinance to ensure high quality of development that contributes positively to community
image in regard to material quality, visual aesthetics, permanence, and stability.
c. Justin Miller, City Administrator
David Olson, Community and Economic Development Director
Andrea McDowell-Poehler, City Attorney
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ORDINANCE NO.________
CITY OF LAKEVILLE
DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE LAKEVILLE CITY CODE
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAKEVILLE ORDAINS:
Section 1. Section 11-17-9.B.1.a of the Lakeville City Code is hereby amended
to read as follows:
a. Brick, brick face, or custom masonry units (CMU) having a bricklike
appearance.
Section 2. Section 11-17-9.B.2.b of the Lakeville City Code is hereby amended
to read as follows:
b. Architecturally precast concrete panels having an exposed aggregate, light
sandblast, acid etch, form liner, smooth as cast, tooled, natural stone
veneer, brick facemasonry veneer, and/or cast stone type finish.
Section 3. Section 11-17-9.D.1 of the Lakeville City Code is hereby amended to
add the following provision:
c. Masonry veneer may be used for principal buildings with a gross floor area
of less than ten thousand (10,000) square feet to satisfy the Grade A
material requirements of this Section.
Section 4. Section 11-17-9.D.2 of the Lakeville City Code is hereby amended to
read as follows:
a. The exterior building finish shall be composed of at least sixty five percent
(65%) Grade A materials and/or architecturally precast concrete panels with
a form liner, smooth as cast, tooled, natural stone veneer, brick face and/or
cast stone type finish, not more than thirty five percent (35%) other Grade
B and Grade C materials and not more than ten percent (10%) Grade D
materials.
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b. Architecturally precast concrete panels with a form liner, smooth as cast,
tooled, brick and stone face, and/or cast stone type finish may be used to
satisfy the Grade A material requirements of this Section.
c. Masonry veneer may be used for principal buildings with a gross floor area
of less than ten thousand (10,000) square feet to satisfy the Grade A
material requirements of this Section.
Section 5. Section 11-17-9.F.7 of the Lakeville City Code is hereby amended to
revise the following definition:
BRICK: The conventional clay fired molded rectangular block of baked clay,
nominal four inch (4") width. Thin brick veneer, faux brick, or decorative
brick shall not be permitted as a building material for nonresidential
structures.
BRICK AND STONE FACE: A thin fired clay brick faced or stone faced
architectural precast or tilt-up concrete panel with a cavity cast in, or a
plate cast in if the brick runs to the bottom of the edge so that the brick
can be set in the panel after its removal from the form exhibiting coursing
and joint treatment to match hand-laid brickwork or stonework aesthetic.
NATURAL STONE MASONRY VENEER: A finish achieved by placing
natural stone pieces into a form and casting concrete behind it resulting in
a precast panel having a natural stone face having a manufactured non-
structural external veneer layer of thin fired clay brick, or natural/artificial
stone exhibiting coursing and joint treatment to match hand-laid brickwork
or stonework aesthetic either anchored or attached directly to an internal
structural wall manufactured as a unit off-site.
Section 6. This Ordinance shall be effective immediately upon its passage and
publication according to law.
PASSED and ADOPTED by the Lakeville City Council this ______ day of
______________, 2019.
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CITY OF LAKEVILLE
BY: ________________________
Douglas P. Anderson, Mayor
ATTEST
BY: ________________________
Charlene Friedges, City Clerk