HomeMy WebLinkAboutA003 - Council Action Form dated April 25, 1989 ITEM #:
DATE: 04/25/89
COUNCII, ACTION FORM
SUBJECT:
Motion to Set May 9, 1989, as the Date of Public Hearing for Rezoning of
Property Generally Located Northeast of the Intersection of Oakwood Road
and Green Hills Drive (2520 and 2614 Green Hills Drive).
BACKGROUND:
The National Farmers Organization (NFO) and the ISU Achievement Foun-
dation are requesting that the City of Ames rezone this property from R-2
(Low-Density Residential) and R-3 (Medium-Density Residential) to P-C
(Planned Commercial).
This property is legally described as follows:
All of Lot Two (2), except the South 46.70 feet thereof as measured
along the East and West lot lines, and all of Lot Three (3), in the
Oakwood Second Addition to the City of Ames, Iowa.
The site includes approximately ten (10) acres.
The reason for this rezoning request is to allow the construction of an
office building on the subject property.
ANALYSIS:
Zoning District:
The property has been zoned R-2 (Low-Density Residential) and R-3
(Medium-Density Residential) PUD since January, 1977.
The present zoning would allow the construction of approximately 220
dwelling units on 10 acres of land at a maximum density of 22.3 dwelling
units per acre.
Existing Land Use/Zoning:
Subject Property: Agricultural; R-2 (Low-Density Residential) and
R-3 (Medium-Density Residential) PUD
North: Holiday Inn Gateway Center; P-C (Planned Commercial)
East: Southgate Square Offices; P-C (Planned Commercial);
Vacant Land; P-C (Planned Commercial)
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South: 84-Unit Apartment Building; R-3 (Medium-Density
Residential) PUD
West: Single-Family Residential; R-2 (Low-Density Residential)
(Oakwood First Addition)
Land Use Policy Plan:
The Land Use Policy Plan (LUPP) Map designates this property as suitable
for Medium-Density Residential development.
The following goals and policies of the Land Use Policy Plan apply to this
rezoning proposal:
B. Residential:
B.1. GOAL: To provide a wide choice of housing types and
locations to serve the residential needs of the present
and future populations.
B.1.2. Polic : New housing development will be located
adjacent to existing development to better utilize existing
public facilities and to ensure the orderly growth of the
community.
B.1.9. Policy: Landscaping and open space or multiple-family
development will serve as transition areas between
low-density residential areas and areas of significant
commercial activity.
C. Commercial:
C.1. GOAL: To create opportunities for the expansion of
business in appropriate areas while maintaining the
usefulness and vitality of existing commercial develop-
ment.
C.1.4. Polic : Adequate land will be designated for future
community-oriented and neighborhood-oriented commercial
development.
C.1.5. Policy: Commercial activity will be encouraged to
develop adjacent to major interchanges where traffic
arterials will allow for safe ingress and egress.
Utilities:
(See Attached Graphic.) Public utilities in this area include the following:
Water -- An eight-inch main runs along the west boundary of this
property in the right-of-way for Green Hills Drive.
A second eight-inch main ends approximately 300 feet east of the
east property line on Southgate Square Drive and extends from a
main located in the right-of-way for Elwood Drive. This main would
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be extended to form a looped system to serve this development.
This is an adequate size for the development proposal.
Sanitary Sewer -- An eight-inch main is located along the west
boundary of this property in the right-of-way for Green Hills Drive
and also extends north of the site between Elwood Drive and Green
Hills Drive. This is an adequate size for the development proposal.
Storm Sewer -- A 15-inch main is located along the west boundary of
this property in the right-of-way for Green Hills Drive and runs
along the north property line to the east. This is an adequate size
for the development proposal.
Access/Traffic Impact:
A Traffic Impact Study for this office development proposal was prepared
by a consultant for the applicants and submitted as part of this application
and the petition for a Land Use Policy Plan Map amendment.
The applicants (NFO) have proposed a new access drive directly onto
Elwood Drive which would establish a new local service driveway access on
a major arterial street.
Staff believes that this alternative is unacceptable and that access to the
NFO site must be provided by a means other than by creating a new
access onto Elwood Drive for the following reasons:
1. Allowing an additional local service driveway onto a major
arterial street (Elwood Drive) conflicts with future plans for
proper traffic control as traffic volumes increase on Elwood
Drive.
A street access onto Elwood Drive, approved as part of the
Final Plat Approval for Oakwood Second Addition, does not
exist at this time, but may be constructed between Oakwood
Road and Southgate Square Drive at some time in the future as
surrounding land develops.
Once traffic volumes reach a certain threshold, traffic signals
will be necessary at the Elwood Drive/Oakwood Road intersec-
tion and at the Elwood Drive/Green Hills Drive intersection.
In addition, Elwood Drive will be redesigned as a four-lane,
divided arterial street.
The Traffic Impact Study shows that once this site and the
surrounding areas are developed, the quality of traffic flow
(level of service) at the intersection of Elwood Drive and the
NFO entrance would decline to a level of service "D" for the
exiting northbound movement. The level of service would be a
point of irritation for people using this access and would
generate complaints and could cause people to take unneces-
sary risks and create an accident problem.
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If traffic signals are installed at the proposed NFO entrance,
traffic signals will also be installed at the Elwood
Drive/Oakwood Road and Elwood Drive/Green Hills Drive
intersections. There would then be a total of three traffic
signals between Oakwood Road and U.S. Highway 30 on Elwood
Drive.
2. With access onto Green Hills Drive, the Traffic Impact Study
concludes that the quality of traffic flow will remain at or
above an acceptable level with the development of the NFO
office building and in the future as the surrounding area,
including the Research Park, develops. (See the Vol-
ume/Capacity Summary.)
VOLUME/CAPACITY SUMMARY
(Assuming Access on Green Hills Drive)
Intersection Condition* Level of Service (LOS)**
Green Hills Drive/ 2 A
Oakwood Road 4(W/Stop Sign) A
Green Hills Drive/ 2 A to B
Elwood Drive 4(W/Signal) A to B
* Condition #2 is the existing traffic conditions with the addition of
the proposed office building traffic.
Condition #4 is the condition that reflects the effects of adding the
expected traffic from other developments in the study area to the
existing traffic plus the proposed National Farmers Organization
office building traffic volumes. The majority of the additional traffic
is generated by the Research Park.
** Level of Service (LOS) means the quality of traffic flow.
Level A represents the best condition, when little or no vehicle
delay occurs.
Level B represents very little if any delay.
Level C (average delays of 25 seconds/vehicle) .
Level D (average delays of 40 seconds/vehicle) are generally consid-
ered to be acceptable design levels of service.
Level E represents no traffic movement at the intersection (Grid
Lock).
Level F represents the worst condition when traffic demand exceeds
capacity and resulting vehicle queueing interferes with the operation
of other traffic movements at or adjacent to the intersection.
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Planning and Zoning Commission Recommendation: The Planning and
Zoning Commission reviewed this request at their meeting of April 19,
1989, and recommended that it be approved.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. The City Council can approve of the request to rezone the subject
property from R-3 (Medium-Density Residential) to P-C (Planned
Commercial), and set May 9, 1989, as the date of Public Hearing.
This approval will include a driveway to Elwood from the development
site as proposed by the National Farmers Organization.
2. The City Council can approve of the request to rezone the subject
property from R-3 (Medium-Density Residential) to P-C (Planned
Commercial), and set May 9, 1989, as the date of Public Hearing
with the following stipulations:
A. The local service driveway for the proposed development site
will not create a new access onto Elwood Drive; and
B. A landscape buffer will be established between the proposed
NFO office building and adjacent residential areas to the south
and the west. (Proposed landscape buffers will be reviewed at
the site plan approval stage.)
3. The City Council approve of the request to rezone the subject
property from R-3 (Medium-Density Residential) to P-C (Planned
Commercial), and set May 9, 1989, as the date of Public Hearing
with the following stipulation:
A. That the local service driveway for the proposed development
site be granted as a right-in/right-out only driveway.
This position would be similar to the approach taken by City Council
with the owners of the Country Store when temporary access was
granted to Elwood Drive until the City is required to construct a
four-lane divided highway.
B. A landscape buffer will be established between the proposed
NFO office building and adjacent residential areas to the south
and the west. (Proposed landscape buffers will be reviewed at
the site plan approval stage.)
4. The City Council can deny approval of the request to rezone the
subject property from R-3 (Medium-Density Residential) to P-C
(Planned Commercial), and set May 9, 1989, as the date of Public
Hearing.
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MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
It is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt
Alternative #2. This will require that the petitioner provide access to the
site by a means other than a new access onto Elwood Drive and will
require that the petitioner provide landscape buffers between the proposed
office building and adjacent residential areas south and west of this site.
This will also set May 9, 1989, as the date of Public Hearing.
Staff believes this is a reasonable alternative based on the fact that there
are other access alternatives that are available to the NFO which do not
cause negative traffic impacts on Elwood Drive.
The City Council must understand that additional driveway access onto
Elwood Drive will create traffic conflicts in the future as the volume of
traffic on Elwood increases. This concern is reinforced by the report
received from the City's traffic consultant that is studying the entire
Elwood corridor.
These consultants are advising that if it is the decision of the City Council
to grant a driveway to the National Farmers Organization on Elwood, that
this driveway be limited to a right-in/right-out driveway. They have
indicated that it is not acceptable traffic planning and engineering to allow
for a median cut for the NFO driveway due to the safety problems that will
result because of insufficient length for deceleration and storage lanes for
left-turning southbound motorists. The consultants have emphasized this
in response to our asking them to review this traffic corridor as a result
of a similar traffic problem that currently exists at the intersection of
Ironwood Court and Elwood Drive.
COUNCIL ACTION:
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