Request- Preliminary and Final Plat of Rockland Second Addition consisting of 1 lot on 10.5 acres, and Conditional Use Permit Amendment to expand outdoor storage and parking.

Comprehensive Plan- The 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update guides this parcel as Industrial Area, and it is zoned I-1, Rual Industrial.  Uses of the property will need to comply with uses allowed in the I-1 zoning district.   

Adjacent Land Use/Zoning- North – Residential farmstead on 8 acres, zoned I-1

South – Industrial business on 20 acres, zoned I-1

East – Residential homestead on 3 acres, zoned I-1

West – US Fish & Wildlife Refuge, zoned UER

Existing Conditions- The 10.5-acre parcel is located between and parallels Jordan Avenue and Union Pacific Railroad Tracks in a south-north alignment.  Ace Auto has their auto repair and sales business on the northern 8 acres and has purchased a former residential 3-acre property.  The western boundary of the 10.5 acres is wooded and floodplain.

Ordinance Requirements- Lot Size: 2.5 acres

                               Impervious Surface Area – 75% Maximum

Front Yard Setback: 100 feet from centerline or 67 feet from right-of-way of a local township road, whichever is greater.

Side Yard Setbacks: 20 feet of height of building.

Rear Yard Setback: 30 feet.

Parking Setback: 20-feet front yard; 10-feet side yard.

Proposed Development- Lot Size – 10.5 acres.

Impervious Surface Area – 3.84 acres (36.5%)

Setbacks – The existing structure meets required setbacks. New Parking meets side and road setbacks.

Existing Roads- The site has frontage and driveway access to Jordan Avenue, which is a paved Sand Creek Township Road south of the intersection with Bluff Drive.  North of Bluff Drive the Jordan Avenue segment is gravel. 

Road Improvements-             No public road improvements are proposed.  The site will continue to utilize the two existing driveways to the Ace Auto business, with access to the former residential property being removed

Background & Analysis:

Rockland LLC, Edward Tabakov, is requesting preliminary and final plat of Rockland Second Addition, which will combine their existing 8-acre parcel located in Section 4, Sand Creek Township, with a 3-acre residential parcel.  Rockland LLC purchased the 3-acre parcel and plans to remove the residence, which is a non-conforming structure, and combine it to create a single lot totaling 10.5 acres.  The property is zoned I-1, Rural Industrial, and contains an existing Auto Repair & Sales business called Ace Auto.  In addition to the plat, the applicants are requesting to amend their Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to expand customer, employee, and sales parking onto the new lot area. 

The property is located between Jordan Avenue on the east and Union Pacific Railroad Tracks on the west, which are adjacent to the Louisville Swamp Refuge Managed by the US Fish & Wildlife Service.  The property slopes from east to west towards the railroad and refuge, with the west section of the property consisting of woodlands and a wetland area.  Rockland/Ace Auto developed their auto repair business on the north end of the site, which utilizes the area north of the building for damaged vehicle storage and the area south of the building for sales, customer, and employee parking.  Ace Auto had been storing/parking vehicles within the front yard setback east of the building, which is not allowed; however, they have indicated that this expansion would allow them to move vehicles out of that area and to the expanded parking lot. 

Mr. Tabakov attended a Development Review Team (DRT) meeting with Sand Creek Township and Scott County staff on January 7, 2026 to discuss the auto body repair facility, lot combination and CUP amendment to expand parking.  Applications were submitted on March 13^th; however, the County deemed the applications to be incomplete until the application fees, updated application narrative, landscaping plan, and title commitment were submitted.  Additional application information was received on May 1^st and submitted to county staff for review. 

The proposed plat meets all required lot standards for the I-1 zoning district, including lot size, width, and setbacks for the existing structure and proposed parking area.  As noted, the proposal combines the existing Rockland parcel with a 3-acre parcel that contained a legal non-conforming residence, which will be removed as part of this proposal.  Currently, Ace Auto has a chain-link security fence around the property that has black slats to help screen the site from Jordan Avenue.  They have planted 61 landscape units (a mix of arborvitae, elm, and spruce trees) with the current facility and plan to add 25 arborvitae, 2 elm and 3 Norway spruce trees around the new parking area.  The existing tree line on the west side of the property will remain to continue to provide screening of the site to the US Wildlife Refuge.

Environmental:

The expanded parking area does not infringe on the existing septic site or alternate septic site so there are no concerns with the parking lot.  Removal of the existing home requires a demolition permit, and the septic system will need to be abandoned, and an abandonment report submitted to Environmental Services. 

Environmental Services staff requested additional details on operations pertaining to water usage and water meter readings at the January 2026 DRT meeting and as part of the incomplete notification sent to the applicant in March (also requested during Ace Auto’s 2025 amendment).  Per the attached Environmental Services review memorandum, the requested information still has not been provided.  This information needs to be provided before the plat and CUP amendment are scheduled for County Board consideration of the applications. 

Natural Resources:

An updated Resource Management Plan (RMP) was submitted with the civil construction plans.  Scott County Natural Resources staff has reviewed the RMP and civil plans and provided a review memorandum attached to this report.  A new pre-treatment and infiltration basin will be added to accommodate the new impervious surface runoff. 

A wetland delineation was submitted to the County and the Scott Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) on April 8^th for review of wetland boundaries and buffer areas.  Regulatory wetlands and buffers will be dedicated in drainage and utility easements on the final plat.  Review of the delineation is currently ongoing with regulatory agencies per State Wetland Conservation Act (WCA) regulations. 

The applicant will need to work with Sand Creek Township, the regulatory local government unit, to vacate existing drainage and utility easements in favor of new easements that will be dedicated on the final plat of Rockland Second Addition.  Additionally, the applicant will need to enter into an updated Stormwater Maintenance Agreement with the Township for existing and proposed stormwater management facilities.  This agreement would be drafted by the township attorney.   

Approval of the wetland delineation is a condition of County Natural Resources approval and will need to be completed before County Board action on the plat application.  Approval of all Sand Creek Township easement vacations and entering into the stormwater maintenance agreement is also a condition that needs to be satisfied prior to County Board consideration of the plat and CUP amendment. 

Township Recommendation:

The Sand Creek Town Board will be making a recommendation at their monthly June 2026 meeting.  A copy of this recommendation will be provided at the public hearing.

Staff Recommendation:

Subject to the conditions of approval to be satisfied prior to County Board consideration, the preliminary plat, final plat, and conditional use permit amendment conform to the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances; therefore, staff recommend approval of the plat and amendment applications based on the criteria for approval listed below:

Conditions to be Satisfied Prior to County Board Consideration:

1. Any conditions stated in the Scott County Natural Resources Department review memorandum related to the plat and wetland delineation. 
2. Any conditions stated in the Scott County Environmental Health Department review memorandum, including providing requested information on business operations and water meter readings. 
3. Approval of the wetland delineation and any requirements listed in the Scott SWCD review of the delineation report. 
4. Any requirements listed in the Sand Creek Town Board recommendation. 
5. Existing drainage and utility easements shall be vacated by Sand Creek Township in favor of new easements dedicated on the Rockland Second Addition final plat.
6. The applicant shall enter into an updated Stormwater Maintenance Agreement with Sand Creek Township for stormwater management facilities. 
7. Scott County Recorder and Surveyor review the plat and sign the plat Mylars.
8. A complete and updated (within 3 months) Title Commitment shall be submitted for review by the Scott County Attorney’s Office prior to signing the plat Mylars.
9. Payment of all Sand Creek Township and Scott County Final Plat fees.

Criteria for Plat Approval:

1. Adequate Drainage – the proposed plat will meet all stormwater drainage requirements as identified in Chapter 6 of the zoning ordinance prior to County Board consideration.
2. Adequate Potable Water Supply – the site, served by an individual well, meets requirements of the zoning and subdivision ordinances. 
3. Adequate Roads or Highways to Serve the Subdivision – the property has frontage on Jordan Avenue; road improvements and driveway access will be regulated by the Sand Creek Township Board. 
4. Adequate Waste Disposal Systems – the site will meet all requirements of the Scott County Individual Sewage Treatment Systems Ordinance prior to County Board consideration.   
5. Consistency with the Comprehensive Plan – the proposed plat conforms to the goals and policies contained in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan for development in the Industrial Area.
6. Public Service Capacity – the proposed development does not adversely impact the public service capacity of local service providers. 
7. Consistency with the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board's Policies- the proposal does not require any environmental review and is therefore consistent with the policies of the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board.
8. Consistency with Capital Improvement Plans – the proposed plat is not requiring any county funded road improvements; therefore, it is consistent with the County’s capital improvement plan.

Criteria for CUP Approval (Chapter 2-6-1):

1. The proposed use does not create an excessive burden on public facilities.  The site will be served by private on-site sewer and water, and access Jordan Avenue, a paved Sand Creek Township Road.

2. The proposed use is compatible with or separated by a sufficient distance from uses on adjacent lots.  The proposed use is industrial, which is similar to industrial uses on adjacent lots to the south and east.

3. The proposed structures will be designed of materials that are not unsightly in appearance. No new structure is proposed.

4. The use is consistent with the purpose of the I-1, Rural Industrial Zoning District. Auto Repair & Sales is allowed in the I-1 zoning district.

5. The use is not in conflict with the Scott County 2040 Comprehensive Plan. The property is guided Industrial Area in the Plan, which allows industrial uses.

6. Adequate measures have been taken to provide ingress and egress access to public roads and on-site parking. The additional parking lot is to allow space for the vehicle sales lot, customer parking and employee parking to alleviate issues caused due to the company growth.  

7. Adequate water supply, sewage treatment systems, erosion control and storm water facilities have been approved by County Staff.  The site has an existing septic drain field and stormwater facilities.  Additional stormwater facilities are being installed to accommodate the additional impervious surface being added.

8. The proposed buildings will need to meet all Building Code requirements.  No new buildings are being proposed.

Planning Advisory Commission Alternatives:

1. Approve the request as recommended by Zoning Administration Staff with the specified conditions.

2. Approve the request as recommended by the Zoning Administration Staff with amendments to the conditions.

3. Table the request for a specific reason.

4. Deny the request for a specific reason.

Suggested Planning Commission Motion:

Based on the criteria for approval listed in the staff report, I recommend approval of the preliminary and final plat of Rockland Second Addition consisting of 1 lot on 10.5 acres, and Conditional Use Permit amendment noting that this recommendation is subject to the outstanding conditions that must be satisfactorily addressed prior to County Board consideration.

General Information:

Applicant:	Rockland LLC	Site Location:	16302 Jordan Avenue
Property Owner:	Rockland LLC	Township:	Section 4, Sand Creek
Public Hearing Date:	June 8, 2026	Action Deadline:	July 28,2026 (60 Day)

Zoning/Comprehensive Plan Information:

Zoning District:	I-1, Rural Industrial	Comprehensive Land Use Plan:	Industrial Area
Watershed District:	Scott WMO	Fire District:	Jordan Fire Department
Ordinance Sections:	Chapters 2, 16, & 60	Ambulance:	Allina Ambulance