(A) Purpose. The purpose of the Downtown Mixed Use District is to establish a strong identity for downtown Forest Lake and provide for high density, compact mixed use development. The intent of the city is to preserve and enhance the downtown appearance with storefronts adjacent to the sidewalks and parking in the rear or side of the buildings. The city desires to encourage urban living options by allowing a full range of mixed uses within the downtown.
(B) Design character. This district is characterized by a mix of older commercial and residential buildings and newer high density housing and retail buildings. New development in this district shall create a unifying identity and transition between different uses through high quality design, pedestrian amenities, compact development, and connections to public spaces.
(C) Permitted uses. Subject to applicable provisions of this chapter, the following are permitted in the Downtown Mixed Use District.
(1) Bank (no drive-thru);
(2) Club or lodge;
(3) Dwelling, multiple-family (apartment, condominium, cooperative, townhouse) when located above the street level floor; at a minimum density of 10 units and a maximum density of 15 units per acre;
(4) Museums/art galleries;
(5) Offices, public parking facilities and structures;
(6) Public studios or performance theaters;
(7) Recreation, public;
(8) Restaurant, full service (no drive-thru);
(9) Retail/office/multi-tenant structure;
(10) Retail sales and services;
(11) School, specialty;
(12) Tavern or bar;
(13) Brewery;
(14) Micro distillery;
(15) Taproom;
(16) Medical uses.
(D) Accessory uses. Subject to applicable provisions of this chapter, the following permitted accessory uses in the Downtown Mixed Use District are allowed only when it is accessory to an existing principal permitted use on the same lot. All accessory uses must meet the procedures set forth in and regulated by §§ 153.110 et seq.
(1) Outdoor seating accessory to a restaurant;
(2) Trash enclosure service structure;
(3) Attached smoking facility associated with a principal use;
(4) Structured parking (private);
(5) Roof-mounted solar energy systems (meeting accessory structure requirements) according to § 153.307;
(6) Public open space plaza, square or related uses;
(7) Other uses customarily associated with but subordinate to a permitted use as determined by the city;
(8) Amateur radio antenna (subject to the amateur radio antenna standards in § 153.096(II)(9)).
(E) Conditional uses.
(1) Bed and breakfast inn;
(2) Drive-thru facilities for permitted uses, if provisions for vehicle stacking, vehicle maneuvering, outdoor speaker devices, and other related matters can be shown to be in keeping with the intent and character of the MU-1 District and compatible with surrounding uses;
(3) Dwelling, multiple-family, row house style townhome;
(4) Funeral home;
(5) Hotel;
(6) Marina, public/private;
(7) Other uses similar to those permitted in this section as determined by the Planning Commission and City Council.
(F) Lot size, setback, site design and height requirements. The following minimum requirements shall be observed in the MU-1 District subject to additional requirements, exceptions, and modifications set forth in this chapter.
(1) Minimum lot requirements.
(a) Lot size: No minimum.
(b) Lot width: No minimum.
(2) Setbacks. No setbacks are required unless adjacent to a residential district, where the setback shall be a minimum of 35 feet. Buildings shall be set at the property line to create a traditional downtown environment; however, exception can be made to provide for courtyards, outside seating, or larger entry ways as provided in division (H) below.
(3) Site design.
(a) Building frontage.
1. At least 65% of the street frontage of any lot shall be occupied by building facades at the property line. In addition, on corner lots, a minimum of the first 50 feet of the lot frontage on either side of a street intersection must be occupied by buildings set at the property line. Parking or other space open to the sky is not allowed within this first 50 feet.
2. On lots with more then 1 street frontage (corners), the building shall be located to meet the 65% street frontage requirement on both streets.
3. The building frontage requirement may be met either with an enclosed building or an arcade constructed with a permanent roof of the same materials as the remainder of the building.
4. At least the first and second floor must meet the building frontage requirement. Arcades at street level and terracing of building facades above the second floor are encouraged.
5. 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 2-1/2 feet and a maximum height of 3-1/2 feet above the level of the parking lot at the build to line.
(b) Drive-thru or drive-in lanes are not allowed within the build-to-line or in front of any building; but must be located to the side or rear of a building.
(c) To provide linkages to parking and the lakefront, all businesses shall provide a primary entrance at both the front and the rear of the building.
(d) Rear facing windows and doors shall be provided on all structures to promote use of off-street parking lots and create connections to the Hardwood Creek Trail and the lakefront.
(4) Building height. The minimum building height shall be 25 feet or 2 stories while the maximum building height on all buildings shall be 45 feet or 4 stories.
(G) Parking requirements. Parking for residential units in the MU-1 District shall be provided underground and shall be calculated as required under § 153.125. 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.
(H) Building design requirements. To maintain the character of the downtown area, the MU-1 District 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 Forest Lake Design Requirements Manual.
(1) All new building fronts and 100% refacing of existing buildings shall include a minimum of 4 of the following elements:
(a) Architectural detailing, such as cornice, awning, parapet, or columns;
(b) A minimum of 30% window coverage on each front that faces a street;
(c) Contrasting, yet complementary material colors;
(d) A combination of horizontal and vertical design features;
(e) Irregular building shapes;
(f) Horizontal offsets of at least 4 feet in depth;
(g) Vertical offsets in the roofline of at least 4 feet;
(h) Fenestration at the first floor level which is recessed horizontally at least 1 foot into the facade;
(i) Using remaining 35% street frontage (if available based on building design) provide a variation in setback at a minimum of 5 feet to provide open plaza, seating area or expanded building entry;
(j) Other architectural features in the overall architectural concept.
(2) Visual interest and building design.
(a) Buildings may be designed in a variety of styles but must relate to surrounding buildings and the overall downtown character.
(b) Architectural styles, materials, color, and detailing should be used to provide continuity of design elements.
(c) Building massing, scale, and height will be varied within a block.
(d) Bay widths of more than 24 feet shall be designed with architectural detailing to achieve an appearance of bay widths of no more than 24 feet. Building jogs, column spacing, width of window bays, placement of windows and variation in roof height lines, and setback and similar design can be used to achieve this requirement.
(e) Buildings shall be finished in acceptable tones and colors, such as dark earth tones and muted colors. Brighter colors shall be used sparingly only for trim and details.
(f) Multi-story buildings shall have the ground floor distinguished from the upper floors (used to identify separate tenants) by having 1 or more of the following:
1. Awning;
2. Trellis;
3. Arcade;
4. Window lintels;
5. Intermediate cornice line;
6. Brick detailing such as quoins or corbels.
(g) Building fronts. Building fronts shall include a minimum of 2 of the following elements:
1. Recessed entries;
2. Canopies;
3. Window boxes;
4. Narrow (4 feet or less) windows;
5. Recessed or projected windows and transoms.
(h) Building roofs. Acceptable building roof designs include flat, pitched, or curved. Buildings shall include a variety of roof lines within a block. Mansard roofs and mansard style roofs are not permitted except for mansard styled cornices. Building roofs shall incorporate a minimum of 1 of the following elements:
1. Parapets or cornices;
2. Varying building heights;
3. Sloped roofs where the historical character of the original building dictates.
(i) Residential uses on first floors. Whenever residential uses are included on the first floor of a building, the first floor elevations shall be a minimum of 2 feet 6 inches above the sidewalk elevations immediately adjacent to the front of the residential unit to ensure the residential unit is raised from the public space. In addition, each first floor unit must have an individual private entrance at the street level with private courtyard enclosure.
(3) Accent materials. Accent materials shall be wrapped around walls visible from public view. Where a mixed use building is visible from a public road all elevations shall be architecturally treated. 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, soffit, and fascia.
(a) Major exterior materials of all walls including face brick, stone, glass, stucco, synthetic stucco, 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. Brick shall not be painted.
(b) Fiber cement seam lines shall be architecturally integrated into the building design so that they are not visible. Seam lines can be filled, covered by other accent material or other method thereby making the seam lines invisible. Color impregnated decorative block shall also be allowed as a major exterior wall material and shall be required to be sealed. All materials shall be color impregnated except that architectural concrete precast panel systems and fiber cement siding may be painted.
(c) Restricted exterior materials. Unadorned pre-stressed concrete panels, whether smooth or raked, non-decorative concrete block, sheet metal, unfinished metal, and/or galvanized or 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 25% of any exterior wall on a building shall be fiber cement siding, wood, or metal accent material.
(I) Screening.
(1) Rooftop mechanical. 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.
(2) Screening adjoining residential use. Wherever a Mixed Use (MU) District abuts, or is across the street from an Residential (R) District, a berm, fence, or screening consisting of compact evergreen trees or hedge or a combination thereof, not less than 80% opaque at time of installation, nor less than 6 feet in height, except adjacent to a street where it shall be not less than 3 feet nor more than 4 feet in height shall be erected or installed and maintained. All screening shall comply with § 153.146 of this chapter.
(3) Screening adjoining non-residential parking and driveways. Any off-street parking area for business, industrial, or other non-residential use containing more than 6 parking spaces shall be screened as required herein.
(4) Trash enclosure service structure. All trash enclosures or other accessory structures shall be constructed of the same materials and colors as the principal building.
(J) Exterior storage. All exterior storage of material and equipment related to, located on, and used by any business or other non-residential use shall be stored within a building or fully screened, as required herein, so as not to be visible from streets, highways, or neighboring property, with the exception of the following:
(1) Materials and equipment currently being used for construction on the premises.
(K) Landscape design. All landscaping shall comply with § 153.230 et seq. of this chapter. Plant materials shall be used to enhance and delineate the existing downtown environment, to enhance the pedestrian environment, and to improve the connection between Lake Street and the lakefront.
(1) Plant materials used shall demonstrate an adaptability to urban conditions, including salt spray, storm water runoff, and reflected pavement glare and heat.
(2) Plant materials shall be free of hazards such as thorns, fruit, or nuts that may pose safety or maintenance concerns for this pedestrian-oriented environment.
(3) Plant materials shall be located so that no impacts occur to overhead or underground utilities, traffic flow and internal circulation, and emergency and maintenance access.
(4) Planting areas should be located and designed to avoid visual interference with public signage and private commercial communication.
(5) 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 and along pedestrian walkways.
(L) Pedestrian environment. Pedestrian connections to the surrounding neighborhood shall be incorporated into Downtown Mixed Use Development.
(1) Pedestrian amenities shall be included in places where people typically gather, including but not limited to, transit stops, building entrances, street corners and abutting bike, or pedestrian trail connections. These spaces must include at least 2 of the following:
(a) Patterned materials on walkways;
(b) Benches;
(c) Decorative trash receptacles;
(d) Drinking fountains;
(e) Pedestrian lighting;
(f) Fountains, sculptures, mobiles, or kiosks;
(g) Street trees, flower boxes, or container landscaping.
(M) Parking. Parking lots and driveways, including alleys, shall be developed with alternative paving materials, colors, or textures to create a sense of separateness from the public street and encourage slower speeds.
(N) Lighting. In addition to the lighting requirements presented in § 153.185, lighting in the Downtown Mixed Use District shall be used to increase visibility, security, and aesthetic appeal of nighttime landscapes. Light fixtures will be used to unify the downtown area.
(1) Lighting fixtures shall be compatible with the architecture of the building.
(2) Shoe-box style lighting shall only be permitted in parking areas (private).
(3) Wall mounted lighting shall be used on building fronts to illuminate entry points and highlight architectural features.
(O) Signage. In addition to the signage requirements presented in §§ 153.205 et seq., signage in the Downtown Mixed Use District shall:
(1) Be distinct and minimal to reduce visual sign clutter;
(2) Be designed in a manner that is consistent with other signage in the district to reflect a unified district character.
(P) Compliance.
(1) All new construction shall fully comply with the requirements in § 153.324.
(2) Complete building face lift combined with a building addition shall fully comply with the requirements in § 153.324.
(3) Other existing building and site improvements shall comply with the standards in § 153.054.
(Q) Expansion of legally established nonconforming residential uses. Legally established nonconforming single family and duplex residential uses may be expanded with a building permit. Such permitted expansions shall include the construction of detached accessory structures which shall comply with the applicable procedures and performance standards for detached accessory structures in this section.
(Ord. 596, passed 2-8-2010; Am. Ord. 646, passed 9-14-2015; Am. Ord. 651, passed 3-14-2016; Am. Ord. 669, passed 12-4-2017; Am. Ord. 698, passed 11-9-2020)