HomeMy WebLinkAboutA001 - Council Action Form dated May 22, 2012 ITEM # 28a
DATE: 05-22-12
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: REMOTE PARKING EASEMENT FOR 119 & 127 STANTON
AVENUE
BACKGROUND:
A Minor Site Development Plan for 127 Stanton for a mixed use building is pending
administrative approval. The proposed building replaces the existing wood frame
residence with a three-story "amenity building" that provides recreational and leisure
facilities residents of all of the properties that Campus Acquisitions owns in
Campustown. The building will include facilities for yoga, weight, circuit, and cardio
training, as well as tanning and sauna. In the back of the building there are exterior
decks and patios that contain a swimming pool, hot tub, and seating areas. The third
story of the building contains four residential units with a total of nine bedrooms.
No parking is required for the leisure uses, but the required minimum parking for the
residential use is one parking space per unit regardless of the number of bedrooms.
Therefore, a total of 4 parking spaces are required and there will be insufficient space
on the site for parking.
Campus Acquisitions also owns property at 119 Stanton, next door to the north, the
Legacy Tower. This property currently includes 250 parking spaces, of which only 96
are required for the 96 residential units. The property owner is seeking a Remote
Parking Easement to use 4 spaces from the 119 Stanton site to meet the parking
requirement for the new building on 127 Stanton. (See Attachment A)
Ames Municipal Code Section 29.406 (18) allows remote parking to satisfy required
parking needed in the Campustown Service Center zoning district. This proposal
satisfies the requirement of the Code section that the remote parking be located on a lot
within 300 feet of the lot on which the principle building is located. The required Remote
Parking Easement formalizing this method of meeting the City's parking requirements
has been signed by the property owner and approved by the City's Legal Department
and is attached for City Council approval.
ALTERNATIVES:
1 . The City Council can approve the attached Remote Parking Easement for 119 and
127 Stanton.
2. The City Council can deny the attached Remote Parking Easement for 119 and
127 Stanton.
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3. The City Council can refer this item to staff for further information.
MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
For a Minor Site Development Plan to be approved, parking must be provided that
meets minimum City requirements. This proposal meets the standards for remote
parking in the Zoning Ordinance.
Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council approve
Alternative #1, thereby approving the attached Remote Parking Easement for 119 and
127 Stanton.
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ATTACHMENT A
REMOTE PARKING EASEMENT
The undersigned Grantors, Cov g s M LLL ,their successors and assigns,in
consideration of the sum of One DbIlar and other good and valuable consideration in hand paid, do
hereby grant and convey to L=4- ?sasJvr 2S I LL ,his/her successors and assigns,and to the
City of Ames,Grantees,the right,title and easement to park or direct and permit the parking of not more
than t motor vehicles of the business invitees for the Arr m business
premises at 12-7 S I-An I an Ames,Iowa,on the land located at ')III �hmlen
in Ames,Story County,to wit:
(See attached plat.)
The 4 parking spaces provided for hereunder shall at all times be clearly marked as such by the
Grantor and the Grantor shall maintain the said spaces and access routes to and from the spaces in a
passable and usable condition, clear of snow accumulations, ponded water, brush, weeds, or other
conditions that could impede or discourage use of the spaces.
The forgoing shall be a covenant running with the land. If said rights and obligations are defeated,
annulled or undone through forfeiture,default or breach of land purchase contract,mortgage foreclosure,
bankruptcy,or other event or process,Grantors shall be bound hereby to Grantees to acquire and provide
replacement parking rights under the same terms at a site within 300 feet of the building or buildings on
the business premises at 11-7 s 6n6n ,Ames,Iowa.
The foregoing shall not be released,abandoned,or conveyed except by resolution of the Ames City
Council.
GRANTORS tt
BY: CAM js J�1JCSKa LL L
BY:
[Select on of the following notary blocks
STATE OF IOWA,STORY COUNTY ss:
This instrument was acknowledged before me on 2008, by
Notary Public in and for the State of Iowa
STATE OF IOWA,STORY COUNTY ss:
This instrument was acknowledged before me on $�/��/Z 2995—by
71901nn S/W.S&#— ,as Manager ofragV03 Inv-4hrS L.
o a Public i and for the Stafe of Iowa
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ITEM # 28b
DATE 05-22-12
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: URBAN REVITALIZATION TAX EXEMPTION FOR PROPERTY
LOCATED AT 127 STANTON (THE RESORT)
BACKGROUND:
Each year, property owners who have developed, redeveloped, rehabilitated, or
remodeled property within the Urban Revitalization Areas of the city claim tax exemption
for work that has been done, as provided for in Chapter 404 of the Code of Iowa.
Campus Acquisitions, the property owner of 127 Stanton (The Resort, south of Legacy
Tower in Campustown) is requesting prior approval for a 10-year tax exemption on
increased value by the proposed improvements. The property is within the already-
established Campustown Urban Revitalization Area. (See Attachment A Location Map
and Attachment B Request for Prior Approval)
The proposed improvements replace the existing wood frame residence with a three-
story "amenity building" that provides recreational and leisure facilities for the residents
of all of the properties that Campus Acquisitions owns in Campustown. The building will
include facilities for yoga, weight, circuit, and cardio training, as well as tanning and
sauna. The third story of the building contains four residential units with a total of nine
bedrooms. Parking will be provided in the existing parking structure in Legacy Tower, if
City Council approves the Remote Parking Agreement, a separate item on this City
Council agenda. In the back of the building there are exterior decks and patios that
contain a swimming pool, hot tub, and seating areas.
To be eligible for Tax Abatement the project must comply with the criteria established by
the approved Campustown Urban Revitalization Plan. (See Attachment C) Before the
pre-existing building was demolished, the Building Inspections Division staff examined
the building and determined that the building was a blight upon the neighborhood and a
public nuisance, and therefore complies with the City of Ames Urban Revitalization
Program definition of slum and blight. (See Attachment D Building Official
Determination) City staff have reviewed the building and site plans and determined that
the design meets the Urban Revitalization "Design Standards" criteria. In particular,
100% of the visible area of facades will be faced with clay brick. Note that this exceeds
the zoning requirements for the Campustown Service Center Zoning District. The
project also meets the zoning requirement that more than 50% of the ground floor
portion of the fagade that faces the street be transparent glass.
To be eligible for Tax Abatement, a third set of criteria must be met for any residential
uses. Due to the specific facilities provided and the relationship of this site between the
Legacy Tower to the north and the bar to the south, the property owner has been
working for several months with the Police Department to make the proposed facility
safe and secure. Some of the detailed criteria of the Campustown Urban Revitalization
Plan were developed with much larger residential uses in mind and are not applicable to
this project. Other measures needed for the safety of the proposed project are not
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included in the listed criteria for Tax Abatement. The Campustown Urban
Revitalization Plan includes a provision for City Council approval of criteria
equivalent to the specific criteria listed. The applicant seeks approval of the
equivalent criteria as described below.
1 . Listed criterion: Limit commercial space in the same building to the ground floor.
Although two floors contain commercial uses, due to site topography both are
ground floors. Also, it is not necessary to go through the residential area to access
the commercial uses, which is an improvement to the arrangement of uses in the
Legacy Tower that has led to difficulties in controlling access to the residential areas.
2. Listed criterion: Provide separate entrances for commercial and residential uses.
The access to the amenity facilities will be completely separate from access to the
residential units by design.
3. Listed criterion: Locate all residential entrances to be visible from the street and
provide secure access control at each.
These entrances will be visible from Stanton and an electronic locking system will be
installed.
4. Listed criterion: Prevent access from the exterior to the interior through doors that
serve only as fire exits.
The hardware for all fire exits allow exiting but prevent access, with a monitoring
system to indicate when doors are left open.
5. Listed criterion: Prohibit public access to structured parking, using overhead door
and secure access control. (No additional structured parking will be built.)
6. Listed criterion: Provide transparent glass windows into all stairwells.
All stairwells include transparent glass windows and/or a camera monitoring system.
7. Listed criterion: Provide camera monitoring of all pedestrian and vehicle entrances
and areas.
Cameral monitoring is provided to all entrances. The only access to the amenity
facilities is through the amenity building and a staffed monitoring station. In addition,
an infrared monitoring system will be installed to monitor the exterior area when it is
closed.
8. Listed criterion: Minimum widths of all exit routes: 48"for halls, 42"for doors, 60"
between rails for stairs.
Equivalent criterion: Due to the small number of residential units, providing wide exit
routes from the residential floor is not a high priority. The interior and exterior
amenity areas will be provided with exits to meet the occupant loads.
9. Listed criterion: No balconies are permitted. No balconies will be included.
10.Listed criterion: Provide for natural daylight requirements of applicable codes with
exterior windows. Natural daylight is provided.
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11.& 12. Listed criteria: On facades facing any street use only fixed windows. & Design
of all other windows to prevent passing of sphere larger than 4"diameter.
Equivalent criteria: Due to the small number of residential units, preventing objects
from being thrown from the street facade windows is not as important as controlling
access to the outdoor pool area and preventing objects from being thrown from the
balconies on the south fagade of Legacy Tower. Therefore, the following equivalent
elements will be included in the project
a. Access from the west is prevented by an 8-foot tall green fence, a sturdy
metal mesh structure with vines planted on it.
b. Access from the bar to the south is prevented by a 12-foot tall, roofed, green
building, which has been specifically designed to deter patrons who are using
the raised deck of the bar next door from throwing things into the pool area of
the subject site.
c. Screens will be installed on all of the balconies on the south facade of Legacy
Tower designed to prevent throwing any object more than four inches in
diameter down to the pool area.
13.Listed criterion: Prevent by physical means access to all roofs.
Access to roofs is prevented by separation from any surrounding means of access.
14.Listed criterion: Where access is not required, provide security fencing controlling
access to all areas between new or existing buildings
The measures described above under 11 & 12 meet these criteria for access control.
15.Listed criterion: Provide a minimum of four 100-watt metal halide light fixtures on
each building facade: two at elevation between first and second floors and two at
elevation between third and fourth floor.
Security lighting and a camera monitoring system will be installed.
The attached Minor Site Development Plan includes all of these features. However, for
many of these features to be effective requires consistent maintenance and operational
control. Attachment E describes these maintenance and operational requirements.
Agreements are being prepared that commit this and any future property owners of
both this facility and Legacy Tower to control and maintain these systems. It should be
noted, however, that once the project is completed and the tax abatement has been
approved and established, the tax abatement cannot be rescinded if the property
owners fail to perform as agreed.
The Police Department has carefully considered the security and safety issues of this
project and finds that with an operations and maintenance agreement in place, the
proposed features described above are equivalent to the criteria listed for residential
uses in Campustown Urban Revitalization Plan.
ALTERNATIVES:
1 . The City Council can give prior approval to tax abatement for the improvements at
127 Stanton under the following conditions:
a. The project is constructed in compliance with the approved Minor Site
Development Plan (Case #SDP-12-07)
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b. An agreement regarding the operational and maintenance issues listed in
Attachment E is executed and presented to City Council before Tax
Abatement is applied for.
2. The City Council can deny the request for prior approval of the proposed project.
MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
As new apartment projects have been developed in Ames, the inclusion of amenities for
residents has increased, which is a plus for renters. Providing safe leisure activities to
more than 1200 residents in 15 buildings in Campustown is a plus for the community, as
well. However, it is important that the facility meets the challenges of its location and
that it does not increase the demand for City services. Outdoor swimming pools
anywhere in the community require some Police services, but there is substantial
potential for increased Police calls due to an outdoor pool in Campustown. Campus
Acquisitions and its architect, GE Wattier, have made a sincere and concerted effort to
work cooperatively with City staff to incorporate workable responses to these challenges
of this project. All of these features are beyond what the zoning ordinance requires, but
staff believes they do meet the criteria for Tax Abatement in the Campustown Urban
Revitalization Area.
Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt
Alternative #1, giving prior approval to tax abatement for the improvements at 127
Stanton under the following conditions:
a. The project is constructed in compliance with the approved Minor Site
Development Plan (Case #SDP-12-07) and other Plan documents.
b. An agreement regarding the operational and maintenance issues listed in
Attachment E is executed and presented to City Council before Tax
Abatement is applied for.
Attachment A
LOCATION MAP
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Subject
Property
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Location Map
127 Stanton Ave. Subject Property ~
80 40 0 80 Prepared by Planning&Housing Department
Feet Map Prepared:5/17/12
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Attachment B
LETTER REQUESTING PRIOR APPROVAL OF TAX ABATEMENT
Campus Acquisitions
161 N.Clark,Suite 4900
. Chicago,Illinois 60601
(312)994-1880 Phone
Campusacquisitions.com
May 18,2012
TO:City of Ames Planning Department
Attn:Jeffrey D.Benson
515 Clark Avenue
Ames,IA 50010
FROM:Michael Yeagle
Campus Acquisitions
161 N.Clark Street,Suite 4900
Chicago,IL 60601
Dear Jeff,
The purpose of my correspondence is to request prior approval of tax abatement eligibility for the
proposed improvements to 127 Stanton Avenue located in the Campustown Urban Revitalization Area.
The improvements will include a new 3 story structure containing a fitness a recreational facility to serve
the residents of the apartment building owned and operated by Campus Investors IS,LLC,Campus
Investors 217 Welch,LLC,309 Lynn,LLC,and Ames Housing,LLC. Additional the building will contain 4
apartments consisting of 9 bedrooms.The outdoor recreational facility will include a swimming pool,hot
tub,BBQ grills,and a sundeck.
We anticipate the total costs for the project to be$1,000,000 and the estimated completion date is
October 1,2012.We are requesting the 10 year exemption plan following the schedule below.
For the first year, 80%
second 70%
third 60%
fourth 50%
fifth 40%
sixth 40%
seventh 30%
eighth 30%
ninth 20%
tenth 20%
The following page includes an image of the proposed development. If you have any further questions
please do not hesitate to contact me.
Best regards,
Michael T.Yeagle
Campus Acquisitions
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Attachment D
BUILDING OFFICIAL'S DETERMINATION
Fire Department - Inspections Division
515 Clark Avenue
Caring Peopl, P.O.BOX 811
Qaaliry Program.. Ames,IA 50010
Exmp(iom!Service Phone: 515-239-5153
Fax:515-239-5261
February 14,2012
Jeff Benson
City of Ames Planning and Housing Department
515 Clark Avenue
Ames,1A,50010
Re:Vacant multi family dv�elling at 127 Stanton,Ames, Iowa
Mr.Benson:
An inspection of this property was recently made by this office at the request of the owner,to
determine whether the multifamily dwelling located thereon may be considered a slum and
blighted structure.
The inspection was conducted on Friday February 3,2012. Natalie Herrington and I made the
inspection,accompanied by two of your employees.
The vacant structure is in a general state of disrepair,and appears to have been so vacant for
several months.Much of the interior has been vandalized and damaged by either prior tenants or
subsequent trespassers.Mechanical,electrical,plumbing systems and fixtures are in a hazardous
state of disrepair.Several windows have been broken and subsequently boarded up.There is
visible deterioration of the roof covering and all exterior siding,soffits,gutters,downspouts,
stairways,doors.The general appearance and interior condition presents a blight upon the
neighborhood and constitutes a public nuisance to the extent that it meets the City of Ames Urban
Revitalization Program definition of slum and blight:
Properties with a principal building that has been determined by the Building Official as
meeting the definition of"Public Nuisance"in the Ames Municipal Code, Chapter 5, "Building,
Electrical, Mechanical and Plumbing Code"(Currently Section 5.401(7)).
Respectfully,
David Brown
Building Official
Cc: Michael T.Yeagle, michael@campusacquisitions.com
Campus Acquisitions I Regional Vice President
161 N.Clark Suite 4900
Chicago,Illinois 60601
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Attachment E
Operations and Maintenance for Safety and Security Systems
The Resort, 127 Stanton, Ames, Iowa May 10, 2012
1 . Supervise, operate and maintain key fob access control system allowing for specific
access rights to individual interior and exterior doors of the facility and the elevator.
Among the purposes of this activity is to allow access to the amenity areas only to
renters in properties owned by Campus Investors and to limit access to the entire
facility after open hours only by renters in 127 Stanton.
2. Maintain in proper working order and provide monitoring and supervision of an
infrared detection system for the exterior amenity area that detects intruders to any
part of the secure exterior area after hours. Take appropriate action in reference to
the intruders.
3. Maintain security lighting and maintain and monitor a camera system to detect
activities that endanger residents, damage property and violate lease conditions and
take appropriate action in response.
4. Maintain structures intended to prevent entry from neighboring properties and to
prevent objects being thrown into the property from neighboring areas.
5. Maintain screens to be installed on all balconies on the south-facing facade of the
adjacent building to the north sufficient to prevent people jumping or falling from the
balconies and to prevent objects larger than 4 inches in diameter from being thrown
from balconies. Materials and connections will comply with specifications to be
approved by City staff. (This will need to be agreed to by the owner of the property to
the north and will need to be binding on future owners of that property.)
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