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HomeMy WebLinkAboutA002 - Council Action Form dated March 26, 1991 ITEM DATE: Z A-2 -91 COUNCIL ACTION FORM QZ SUBJECT: Motion to Set April 9, 1991 as the date of Public Hearing to Consider the Planned Unit Development (PUD) Plan for Prairie West, which is generally located south of 24th Street and west of Prairie View East. ACTION FORM SUMMARY: This is a request to approve a PUD plan to allow the construction of 108 dwelling units on property located south of 24th Street, west of Prairie View East and east of Schilletter Village. The Planning and Zoning Commission has recommended that this request be denied. The Department recommends approval of this request with the stipulations stated in this report. Staff believes the standards for approval of the PUD Plan have been met by this project. BACKGROUND: The developer is requesting approval of a Planned Unit Development (PUD) Plan for the construction of 90 apartment units, which will be built in two phases; ten zero lot-line single family units; and eight single family detached units. A total of fourteen apartment buildings are proposed which range in size from four to eight units each. This property is currently vacant and unplatted. Concurrent with this application is an application for subdivision approval. Platting is neces- sary because the original parcel had been split into more than three parts and the proposed subdivision will be divided into 20 lots. Land Use Policy Plan. The existing Land Use Policy Plan (LUPP) desig- nates this property as suitable for low density residential development. This designation would allow between one (1) and nine (9) dwelling units per acre. This project has a gross density of 7.95 units/acre and a net density of 8.13 units/acre. Zoning History. This property was rezoned from R-3 (Medium Density Residential) to R-2 (Low Density Residential) and Rl-6 (Low Density Residential on December 11, 1990, by a City Council initiated rezoning. Prior to that time, the south half of this property had been zoned R-3 (Medium Density Residential) since 1965. The north half of the site was � 2 annexed to the City in 1977 and was rezoned R-3 (Medium Density Resi- dential) at that time. The developers are requesting a rezoning to R-2 PUD, and 111-6 PUD by this request to allow a Planned Unit Development project, which will include low rise apartment buildings; zero lot line, attached, single family dwelling units; and single family detached dwelling units. Utilities. Adequate water, sanitary sewer, storm sewer and electric facilities are available to service this site. Water: There is an eight-inch water main in Prairie View East which terminates at the east side of this development. An eight-inch water main will be extended through this development along the right of way from the Prairie View East terminus to the 12-inch water main in 24th Street, which will result in a looped water system. An inter- connection will also be made with the 10-inch water main south of the development. Sanitary Sewer: There is an eight-inch sanitary sewer main in Prairie View East which will be extended through the development within the right of way. All development will be connected to this new sanitary sewer main. Storm Sewer: A storm water management plan has been prepared for this site which takes into consideration eight watershed areas. New storm sewer will be extended into the site from the 21-inch storm sewer in 24th Street. This new storm sewer ranges in size from 21 inches at the north end to 12 inches at the south end of the site. Electric: There is adequate electric capacity to serve the site, and the electric utility has reviewed the methods of serving the site and has approved the plan. A 20-foot utility easement is proposed along the west side of the site to provide clearance for a high voltage, overhead power line on adjacent property. Streets and Vehicular and Pedestrian Access. Access to this development will be from a new public street, Prairie View West, which intersects with 24th Street on the west side of th project area. This new street will connect with the existing Prairie View East to form a loop street which will provide two means of egress for both Prairie View First Addition and this development. The entire new portion of this street loop must be completed as part of first phase of this development to be consistent with the requirements in the subdivision ordinance for maximum street length without a secondary means of egress. In order to facilitate traffic movement at the intersection of Prairie View West with 24th Street, a three lane street approach is planned. There will be one lane into the development and two lanes out in order to provide separate lanes for left and right turn movements. The developer has had a traffic impact study done to determine the impact of traffic from this proposed development on the quality of flow for existing traffic at the intersection of Prairie View East and 24th Street, 3 the impact on the quality of flow on 24th Street, and the effect of addi- tional peak-hour traffic at the intersection of 24th Street and Stange Road. The traffic study concluded that the additional traffic from the develop- ment will not cause a deterioration of flow on 24th Street. Even during the P.M. peak, which is the highest volume period, a Level of Service A will be maintained on 24th Street. This study also reviewed the delays currently experienced at Prairie View East which are in the acceptable range. It is anticipated that most of the traffic from Prairie West will use the Prairie View West intersection during the peak periods studied, thus there should be no significant changes in delays experienced at Prairie View East. The intersection of Stange Road and 24th Street was also reviewed. The greatest impact on that intersection from the Prairie West development would be from left turning vehicles from 24th Street to Stange Road. The study concludes that although 20 left turning vehicles would be added to this intersection during the A.M. peak hour, the Level of Service wouldn't be diminished below the current Level of Service of D for left turn movement onto Stange Road. (To read the report from the Traffic Engineer, see the material attached to this report.) A walkway system will be provided through the site. Sidewalks will run parallel to both sides of the right of way. In addition, an internal walkway system is planned from the east sidewalk along Prairie View West to the active recreation area and through the open space buffer area east of the zero lot line attached unit lots to the passive recreation area south of the right of way. Sidewalks are also located in front of all the apart- ment structures, which lead to the public sidewalk along the right of way. A sidewalk is also planned from this site to the adjacent University property which will lead to the Cy-Ride stop in Schilletter Village. The developers have received permission from the University to construct that sidewalk. A bicycle path runs parallel to the south side of 24th Street which will serve this site. It is intended that bicyclists will use the local street system to access the separated bike path along 24th Street. Parking. The site plan indicates that there will be a total of 207 parking spaces for the 90 apartment units in the PUD. The on-site parking is a combination of surface parking and garage parking. The parking spaces are distributed by apartment building grouping as follows: Number of Spaces Required Spaces Provided D.U.s Bldgs. A-F 38 76 94 Bldg. G 6 12 14 Bldgs. H-K 30 60 63 Bldgs. L-N 16 32 36 90 180 207 4 In addition to the apartment parking, each of the ten, zero lot line, attached units will have a one car attached garage with one parking space in front of the garage. The eight, single-family detached lots will be developed conventionally, and thus will be required to have a minimum of two off-street parking spaces. The parking for this project either meets or exceeds normal ordinance requirements. It should be noted that one handicapped parking space is being provided for each apartment building. In addition, provision has been made to provide additional handicapped parking by removing a nine foot wide landscape island, if such parking is necessary to meet the needs of handicapped residents. (Each first floor apartment must be handicapped adaptable according to recent code changes.) Parking has been restricted on the street as part of the proposed CDP/PUD. No on-street parking is permitted for the north end of Prairie View West from the zero lot line lots north. The remainder of this street will have parking on one side of the street only, which will be on the west and south sides respectively. This is consistent with the current parking restrictions on Prairie View East. An ordinance to this effect must be adopted by the City as part of the approval of the final plat. Density. The developer is proposing a total of 108 dwelling units on the site which contains 13.58 gross acres or 13.29 acres exclusive of the 24th Street additional right-of-way. This site contains land in both the R-2 and R1-6 zoning districts which permit a maximum dwelling unit density of 12.4 and 7.2 units per gross acre respectively. Max. No. Units No. Units D.U. / Allowed Proposed Acre R-2 zone 4.12 acres 49.85 39 10.16 R1-6 zone 9.45 acres 68.04 69 7.30 Total 13.58 acres 117.89 108 Overall/PUD Density Gross density 7.95 D.U./acre Net density 8.13 D.U./acre "This figure excludes the area in the 24th Street right-of-way. Open Space. The amount of open space has been calculated below for each of the multiple family and zero lot line lots. Since the exact building types are not known for Lots 12-19, the conventional single family lots, the exact amount of open space for each lot cannot be calculated. Howev- er, it is assumed that building coverage for these lots should range between slightly less than 2,000 square feet up to 3,000 square feet, depending upon whether the house is one or two story in height. Paved driveways cover a minimum of 600 square feet in area and walkways would add an additional 100 to 200 square feet. Therefore, it is estimated that the percentage of open space on Lots 12-19 would range from approximate- ly 65% to 75% depending upon the amount of impervious surface and the size of the lot. 5 Bldg. Parking/ Sidewalk/ Landscape % Lot Area Coverage Drives Patio Grass Open Space Lot 1 4.21 AC 0.74 AC 0.84 AC 0.18 AC 2.45 AC 58.10% Lots 2-10 0.08 AC 0.02 AC 0.007 AC 0.003 AC 0.048 AC 61.72% Lot 11 0.11 AC 0.02 AC 0.007 AC 0.003 AC 0.08 AC 71.50% Lot 20 3.60 AC 0.68 AC 0.75 AC 0.14 AC 2.04 AC 57.00% *Total: 8.64 AC 1.62 AC 1.66 AC .35 AC 5.002 AC 58.89% (*Exclusive of Lots 12-19) Landscaping and Screening. There is no existing plant material that will be saved on the site. The property has been used for the planting of crops in the past and no natural vegetation remains on the site. The developer is proposing to add sixty-seven (67) overstory trees throughout the site in order to provide shade within the open space and recreational areas, within the parking lots, and adjacent to the individual buildings. The overstory trees include: ten (10) Black Maple, nineteen (19) Halka Honeylocust, twenty-one (21) Marshall's Seedless Ash, and seventeen (17) Red Oak. In addition to the overstory trees, sixty-nine (69) understory trees will be planted as accent specimens along 24th Street, at the entrances to parking lots, and as screening and to break up the expanse of the parking garages. The landscape plan also includes a screening plan between this site and the adjacent single family development to the east. A six (6) foot high, alternate board, cedar fence is planned along the east property line, extending from approximately 30 feet south of the northwest corner of the proposed Lot 12 in the Prairie West Subdivision to approximately ten (10) feet north of the the northwest corner of Lot 29 in Prairie View First Addition. This fence will screen the rear yards of the single family homes in Prairie View First Addition which abut this proposed development. In addition to the fence, the developers are proposing clusters of Concolor Fir and White Pine along with Marshall Seedless Ash and Red Oak trees planted along the west side of the fence. Groups of Red Twigged Dog- wood and Alpine Currant will also be used to soften the fence from the west side. The screening plan falls into Phase I and Phase II of the proposed devel- opment of the PUD. In order to provide an effective, continuous screen, all of the fence and all of the plant materials should be installed during the first phase. A thirty (30) foot wide open space/buffer area will also be included in the plan to provide separation between the single family development to the east and the zero lot line attached units to the west. This open space/buffer will be maintained by the developers and/or owners of Lot 1. 6 No screening is planned along the south or west property line. The area to the south is owned by the Ames Community School District, and it will remain open space. The area to the south should be an off-site amenity to the residents in the south portion of the site because of the views of the natural area to the south. No significant screening is provided to the west because the area to the west is a similar type of multiple family development. In addition, there is a 60-foot wide open space strip on the University property along the west property line for the overhead power lines that run in a north-south direction through the University property which provides an open space buffer between the two sites. The Declaration of Restrictions for Lots 12 through 19 require that a minimum of two hardwood trees be planted on each single family detached lot. In addition, a minimum of one ornamental tree must also be planted. No such requirements have been established for Lots 2 through 11, the zero lot line lots. A similar requirement should be made for these lots or landscape plan should be submitted as part of this approval process prior to City Council action. Lighting. No exterior lighting detail has been submitted for the parking lot areas. This lighting detail should be approved as part of the PUD plan. Therefore, this information should be submitted for staff review prior to City Council action. Sign. The developer has submitted an entry sign for approval. This sign is a ground sign placed on a V-shaped, brick faced, masonry wall, located east of the Prairie View West intersection. There will be two sign faces, one on each exterior wall face of the V-shaped base. The sign faces will be made of sandblasted redwood sign panels, and they will be mounted flush against the masonry base. The maximum sign height will be 5'0", and the sign will be unlighted. The design is consistent with the residen- tial character of the proposed apartment development to the south. Architectural Elevations. The developer is intending to construct 14 apartment structures, and is seeking approval of 10 zero lot line, single- family detached units for which architectural elevations have been submit- ted. The eight single family detached lots will be developed conven- tionally, and no architectural elevations have been submitted for these lots, however, deed restrictions have been prepared for these lots which define minimum building size and setbacks. There are four apartment styles being developed on this site which range in height from two to two and one-half stories. The two "townhouse" style units, are very similar in appearance. They will be two stories in height and will be constructed of horizontal, hard board lapped siding with brick accent walls on the first floor of the front of the building and two story brick accent walls on the ends of the building. Second story cross gables with vertical siding also accent these townhouse style structures on the front and rear. The eight-plex apartment structures also are two story in height, and they will be constructed with horizontal hard board lapped siding with brick accent walls on the first floor of the front of the structure and two story 7 brick walls at each end of the front and at one end of the side walls. The roof will be in a gable style with cross hip roof accents. The two garden apartment structures are two and one-half stories. Horizontal, hard board lapped siding will be used as the primary siding material with vertical siding accents. A two and one-half story brick wall will be used at one end of the front of the structure and on one end of the two side elevations. The roof will be combination of gable and hip styles. The zero lot line, single-family attached units are two story with a one story, single car attached garage on the front. These units have a gable roof and vertical masonite siding. Each of these units has separate services and can be sold as individual units. The garages provided for the residents of the "townhouse" style units are one story structures with gable roofs and horizontal, hard board lapped siding, which matches the siding on the apartment structures. An open shelter is also planned in active recreation areas to the southeast of the play structure. This shelter has a hipped roof with a cross gable in the center. Lapped, horizontal, hard board siding will be used for the solid portions of the walls which will match the siding on the apartment buildings. A brick accent wall is placed in the center of rear side of the structure. This building will be used for shade and shelter for picnic activity and as a focal point for the active recreation area. The siding for all of the apartment structures, the freestanding garages and the shelter will be beige with light brown trim. The brick walls will be earth tone, and the roofing material will be a gray weathered wood, fiberglass shingles. No color scheme has been established for the zero lot line single-family detached units. Special Setbacks: The PUD plan establishes special setbacks for each of the lots in the development. Proposed Lot 1, an apartment unit lot, shows a minimum building setback of 25 feet from 24th street, a 20 foot building setback from the east property line and a 25 foot building setback from Prairie View West north of the second driveway and a 20 feet building set back south of the second driveway. Proposed Lot 2, which is also an apartment unit lot, shows a 15 foot building setback along Prairie View West from the north lot corner to the north driveway. A 20 foot building setback is established from the west and south property lines for Lot 20. The setbacks for proposed Lots 2 through 11 have a 25 foot minimum building setback from Prairie View West and Prairie View East, a 15 foot rear yard setback and an eight (8) foot sideyard setback on the side of the lot opposite the lot line. 8 The minimum front yard setback for lots 12 through 19, which are the single family detached lots, is 25 feet; the minimum sideyard setback is eight (8) feet; and the rear yard setback is 20 feet. Platting. The developers are concurrently requesting approval of the Conceptual Development Plan (CDP) for a 20-lot subdivision which contains 13.58 gross acres and 13.29 net acres. There will be eight (8) single family, detached lots, all of which exceed 10,000 square feet in size; ten (10) zero lot line, single-family attached lots with a minimum lot size of 3,420 square feet; and 2 multiple-family lots which are 4.47 acres and 3.60 acres in size. The street within the subdivision will be public. During the platting process, a 20-foot wide utility easement along the west property line will be required as separation for the overhead power lines on the adjacent University property. ANALYSIS: Intent of the Planned Residential Development. It is the intent of the City of Ames to encourage planned residential developments as appropriate, more specifically it is the intent to: "(a) Promote and permit flexibility that will encourage a more creative and imaginative approach in development and result in more efficient, aesthetic, desirable, and economic use of land, while maintaining density and intensity of use consistent with the adopted Land Use Policy Plan." The developer has addressed this standard as follows: "The core standard involved with any planned unit development is one of flexibility in design to allow more creative, efficient, desirable and economic use of the property, while adhering to the policies set forth in the Land Use Policy Plan. Under standard zoning and subdivision procedures, the potential for development of this property would be limited to standard lots for single-family or zero lot line residences. While that type of development may be more consistent with Prairie View East, the higher density uses west of the site and its access to 24th Street are an equal influence on the ultimate density and appropriate type of development." The proposed development includes low rise apartment living; single-family attached units, which appear similar to duplex units; and conventional single-family detached housing. These unit types are arranged in a manner which takes into consideration not only existing develop- ment to the east and west, but also provides for an efficient use of the site by clustering apartment units and providing integrated adjacent parking areas along with provision for both active and passive recreation and open space accessible to all of the units in the develop- ment through a coordinated walkway system. 9 The Land Use Policy Plan designates this property as suitable for low density residential development, which permits a range of development from one (1) to nine (9) units per acre. The overall density provided by this proposal is 7.95 units per gross acre or 8.13 units per net acre exclusive of the 24th Street right-of-way. Therefore, the density is consistent with the density envisioned in the Land Use Policy Plan. "(b) Provide a minimal effect upon adjacent properties and existing development. To this end, the Planning and Zoning Commission may make the appropriate require- ments." Developer Comments: "Existing development adjacent to Prairie West ranges from lower density single family and zero lot line single family lots to high density apartments developed by the University. The project has been carefully designed through placement of land uses, building clusters and recreation/buffer areas to provide minimal effect to the Prairie View East neighborhood. Single family lots are designed to serve as a transition from the lower density areas to those of higher density along the perimeter property boundaries. The planned recreation areas also serve as effective natural buffers between differing land uses." The developer has attempted to minimize the effect of the proposed development on existing and future single-fami- ly residential development to the east by several means. Single-family lots were continued along both sides of Prairie View East at the south end of the project area. These single-family lots relate to the existing single-fam- ily development both to the east and north of this portion of PUD site. Open space and buffering are provided between the existing single-family and proposed single-family devel- opment. These areas include: a passive recreation area and open space area between the proposed Lot 19 and the apartment development to the west; a 30-foot wide open space buffer between the single-family lots to the east and the zero lot line single-family lots to the west; and an active recreation and open space area north of the zero lot line lots, which provides a 100-foot separa- tion between the apartment units and single-family lots to the east. The developer has also provided a year-round screen between this development and the existing single-family development to the east. This includes a six-foot, alternate board cedar fence and a combination of large evergreen and overstory trees adjacent to the single- family residential lots. 10 Transition of unit type and transition of the intensity of use has also been provided for by this plan. Single- family detached units are located in the south portion of the site, adjacent to the existing single-family area. Zero lot line, single-family, attached units have been placed west of the existing single-family lots in Prairie View First Addition, and the apartment buildings in the PUD are separated from the single-family detached development in Prairie View First Addition and from proposed single-family units on this site by wide recrea- tion/open space areas, or by existing and proposed duplex or zero lot line type development. The area to the west is entirely in apartment type development which is similar to the apartment development in this PUD. "(c) Promote development that can be conveniently, efficient- ly, and economically served by existing municipal utilities and services or by their logical extension." Adequate water, sanitary sewer, and storm sewer facilities are available to serve this site. There is an existing 10-inch water main along the south side of the property, a 12-inch water main in 24th Street and an 8-inch water main terminates in Prairie View East at the east end of the project area. This project will result in the water main being looped, whereas, now it is a dead end main in Prairie View First Addition. The sanitary sewer and storm sewer can be extended into this area from adjacent mains. A storm water management plan has been prepared and approved which appropriately addresses the storm water runoff on the site so that the storm water system will not be overloaded by this development. "(d) Promote flexibility in design, placement of buildings, and use of open space, pedestrian and vehicular circulation facilities, and off-street parking areas in a manner that will best utilize the potential of sites characterized by special features of geography, geology, topography, size, or shape." Developer comments: "Although this site has no signifi- cant geologic or topographic features, its size, shape and general location support the basic intent of the planned unit development. The character of existing development, the presence of an important natural area south of the property, and the general location of the property support a mix of residential land uses in favor of a standard subdivision. It is important in this project to have flexibility in locating access points, in providing varying densities of land use, in clustering 11 groups of buildings, and in providing internal access to recreation areas." The developer has located buildings, recreation areas, parking area, and access points taking into consideration the size and shape of the site and the uses on adjacent property. Geologic and topographic features on this site are not extraordinary. "(e) Provide, where it is shown to be in the public interest, for the preservation of historic features and such natural features as streams, drainage ways, floodplains, ponds/lakes, topography, rock outcroppings, unique areas of vegetation, stands of trees, and other similar natural assets." There are no unique historic or natural features on this property that would necessarily require preservation. This property had been used for farming. "(f) Provide for more adequate recreational facilities and other public and common facilities than would otherwise be provided under conventional land development." Developer's comments: "The project has been designed to include three recreation areas, including two small recreation parks connected with a linear park/buffer area. These park areas are located so as to allow convenient access for all residents of the immediate area, and also provide an effective buffer and transition between different types and intensities of land use." Specific recreation amenities that will be provided include a play structure and seating area and a shelter with benches in the active recreation area on the site. These facilities will be available to residents of the PUD, including the residents of the single-family attached and detached units. An internal walkway system to the active recreation area through the open space buffer to the passive recreation area in the south portion of this site is also provided for the use of the residents. This walkway can be used for walking and jogging and it provides an internal link through the area. Under conventional development in the R-2 and 111-6 zoning districts, recreation facilities are not always provided for the general use of residents. It is usually expected when developing conventionally, that single family and duplex residents will provide for play struc- tures and other outdoor recreation opportunities on their own lots unless the development is large enough to support a public park or a homeowner's association, which would maintain a common recreation area. In this case, it is unlikely that if this site were developed 12 conventionally in single family and duplex lots similar to existing development to the east, that common recreation amenities would be provided as part of the development. "(g) Provide for the enhancement of the natural setting through careful and sensitive placement of man-made facilities and plant materials." Developer's comments: "The project has been carefully designed to offer convenient access for residents, while integrating parking and open space for each building. The site is designed to create several distinct clusters of building sites, reinforced with landscape planting for screening and definition of areas within each cluster." Although there are no existing natural features on the site, the man-made features have been carefully placed to minimize the impact on surrounding development while providing enhanced environment for the residents of the PUD through the addition of 180 trees on the site, as well as over 400 shrubs. The naturalized placement of the trees especially, should provide a park-like setting as these features mature. Design Standards. Even though PUDs promote and permit flexibility of design, certain standards must be applied to assure compatibility of the project with the intent of the Zoning Ordinance. The following standards are applicable: (a) Permitted Uses. The normal permitted uses in a PUD are uses of a residential character, including single-family (detached or attached), two-family and/or multiple-family dwellings as well as the usual accessory structures, such as garages, storage space and buildings for recreational purposes. The type of use the developer is providing is consistent with the permitted uses allowed in a planned residential development. The types of uses proposed include eight (8) single-family detached homes; ten (10) zero lot line, attached, single-family units, which will look like duplex units; and three types of apartment structures. The fourteen apartment structures include: four and six-unit, two-story, "townhouse" style buildings; six-unit, two and one-half story garden apartments and eight unit two-story, traditional apartment structures. In addition, a covered picnic shelter will be built. (b) Density. The permitted maximum dwelling unit density per gross acre shall not exceed the following: District Acreage Acres Total Units Allowed/District Units Proposed R-2 4.12 12.4 49.85 39 R1-6 9.45 7.2 68.04 69 Total units allowed/PUD 117.89 108 13 The developer is proposing a total of 108 dwelling units for the PUD which is consistent with the maximum density allowed under current zoning regulations and Section 29.45(5)(b) of the Planned Residential section of the Zoning Ordinance. The overall PUD as proposed will result in a gross density of 7.95 dwelling units per acre and a net density of 8.13 dwelling units per acre. (c) Tract Size. The minimum size tract for a PUD is 2.0 acres. This PUD exceeds the minimum tract size. There are 13.58 acres of land in this development. (d) Parking. The parking provided on the site must meet the requirements of Section 29.41 "Rules for Computing Off-Street Parking". The proposed plan meets the requirements in this section for the number of parking spaces required per dwelling unit. The parking spaces and drive aisles also meet the dimensional requirements of the Ordinance as set out in Section 29.41. The parking lot design must also meet the following standards: "(i) Parking areas shall be treated as an integral part of the development in scale, location, and charac- ter." There are four groupings of apartment buildings on the site, and each cluster contains a parking area which is adjacent to the individual apartment building. Garages have also been incorporated into this design which are convenient to the "townhouse" style units. More than the minimum number of parking spaces is provided in each of these parking lot areas which will provide for guest parking and parking for additional resident vehicles. "(ii) Parking areas shall be so arranged to discourage through traffic." The parking areas are designed to serve the individual apartment groupings, and they do not provide for a means to take shortcuts or for through traffic movement. "(iii)As appropriate, parking areas shall be screened from adjacent structures and streets with hedges, plantings, fences, earth berms, changes in grade, and/or similar examples." Buildings and peripheral landscape materials and fence screening should effectively screen the parking across from adjacent off-site areas. A combination of berms and shrubs will provide screening from the street of the parking lot area which is east of the apartment buildings on Lot 20. Careful placement of ornamental and 14 understory trees at the entrances to parking lot loca- tions also will soften the effect of the parking lots from the street. "(iv)Parking areas shall be so designed to allow for drainage of surface water without erosion, flooding, or other inconvenience." A storm water management plan has been prepared and approved by the Municipal Engineer which addresses the drainage of the parking lots. (e) Height. The Planned Residential section of the Ordinance does not mandate a maximum height requirement. However, heights shall be regulated to the extent that it relates to the proposed development and to the general area within which the develop- ment is proposed to be located. The area to the east of the proposed PUD consists of one and two-story single-family homes and one and two-story duplex structures. The apartment development to the west of the PUD includes two-story, four-plex apartment structures and two story, "townhouse" style buildings. All of the structures the developer is proposing will be two-story except the two garden apartment structures which will be approximately two and one-half stories with the bottom two units being basement units. Therefore, the height proposal for this PUD appears to be transitional from the development to the east and it is consistent with the heights in the general area. (f) Open Space. A major portion of any PUD is its open space. The desirability of the PUD is closely tied to the integration of the open space with the total development. The developers have created an open space pattern which provides for passive open space/yard areas adjacent to all units, as well as, an integrated open space network which is accessible to all the residents in the PUD. A walkway system, which includes a linear walkway, has been developed which encourages movement between the two larger open space/recreation areas on the site and ties together the opportunities for both passive and active recreation. Nearly 59 percent of the site, exclusive of the conventional single family home lots, is in grass and landscape features. The addition of overstory trees, ornamental trees and shrubs further enhance the existing site, which is devoid of any natural vegetative features. (g) Other Considerations. A number of major factors should undergo evaluation as part of the design standards. These include: 15 (i) Natural drainage areas shall be retained as appro- priate and, if necessary, improved. - A storm water management plan has been prepared that takes into consideration the natural drainage on the site. There are no streams or creeks on the property or other intermittent drainage ways that need preser- vation or improvement. GO Due consideration shall be given to preserving natural site amenities and minimizing the distur- bance to the natural environment. - Since this site was previously a farm field, there are no natural site amenities such as woodlands or other natural features that must be preserved. No major grading will take place on the site which will disturb the natural environment. (iii) Existing trees shall be preserved wherever possible. The location of trees is to be considered in designing building locations, underground services, and paved areas. - There are no existing trees on this site. The developer is proposing to plant 180 trees as part of this project development which will be carefully placed to enhance building locations and provide shade for paved areas. Underground service locations are identified on the plan, and they will be avoided. (iv) If the development includes floodplain areas, they shall be preserved as permanent open space. - There is no floodplain on the property. (v) Due consideration shall be given to the natural topography and major grade change shall be avoided. If the development includes hillsides and slopes, special evaluation shall be given to geologi- cal conditions, erosion, and topsoil loss. If unfavorable development conditions exist, the City Council may restrict clearing, cutting, filling, or other substantial changes in the natural conditions of the affected area. - The developer has taken into consideration the natural topography of the site, which has only slight grade changes. There are no hillsides or slopes that require special consideration. 16 STAFF COMMENTS: Although the site is not characterized by many special features such as woodlands, other unique vegetation, or extraordi- nary topography which would warrant preservation through the PUD Plan process, staff believes the proposed development of the site is consistent with the standards relating to the intent of th Planned Residential Devel- opment in the Zoning Ordinance, and the specific design standards for the development of a PUD. However, as a condition of approval, the following stipulations are needed to address specific development concerns: 1. That the peripheral landscaping, along the west side of the PUD, including fencing, trees and shrubs be completed as part of the first phase of the project. 2. That a lighting plan be submitted for staff review prior to City Council action. 3. That landscaping specifications for the zero lot line lots be submitted for staff review prior to City Council action. 4. That the CDP for Prairie West be approved as a condition to the approval of the PUD of Prairie West. The Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed this request at their meeting of March 6, 1991 and recommend that it be denied for the following reasons: 1. The Prairie West PUD as proposed will not have a minimal affect on the adjacent Prairie View East property. 2. The street configuration in the Prairie View area requires that their be a strong link between Prairie View East and Prairie West. 3. A better balance of housing types must be achieved than what is being proposed in the Prairie West PUD. 4. Prairie West PUD does not fit and is not appropriate in this part of the City. 5. The application of PUD regulations was meant to apply to properties that are difficult to develop and Prairie West is not difficult to develop. 6. Prairie View East is not an island and therefore the entire Prairie View area must be viewed as an entire development. 7. PUDs are intended to be located in areas of the city that are undeveloped and this area of the city is developed. 8. The need for a utility easement along the west property line of the PUD limits the amount of open space that results along the east property line of the PUD where it is needed the most. 17 ALTERNATIVES: 1. The City Council can approve of the Planned Unit Development (PUD) Plan for Prairie West with the stipulations listed above and set April 9, 1991 as the date of public hearing on this request. 2. The City Council can deny approval of the Planned Unit Development (PUD) Plan for Prairie West for reasons as recommended by the Planning and Zoning Commission and set April 9, 1991 as the date of public hearing on this request. 3. The City Council can refer this request back to City staff for additional information from the developer. (NOTE: Staff recom- mends that this request not be tabled since the PUD is tied to the CDP for Prairie West, and action must be taken on the CDP prior to March 7, 1991.) MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION: It is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative #1. This will approve of the PUD for Prairie West with the stipulations as recommended by City staff and set April 9, 1991 as the date of public hearing on this request. Attachments y\bpo\caf\prairie.326