HomeMy WebLinkAboutA002 - Letter dated January 9, 1995 from N.E. Neighborhood - position on zoning proposal January 9, 1995
Mr. Ray D. Anderson
Planner, Department of Planning and Housing
City of Ames
Box 811
Ames, Iowa 50010
RE: Proposal to amend the Land Use Policy Plan (LUPP) Map from RM
(Residential: Medium-Density to C (Commercial) and to rezone from R-3
(Medium-density Residential) to PC (Planned Commercial) for property
located at 2406 and 2416 Grand Avenue and 609 24th Street.
Dear Mr. Anderson:
Over the past 33 years many requests and concerns have emerged
regarding the zoning and/or rezoning of the northeast corner of Grand
Avenue and 24th Street. These have necessitated many meetings of our
N. E. Neighborhood residents, Ames Planning Department, Planning and
Zoning Commission, Board of Adjustment and Ames City Council as well as
an Iowa Supreme Court ruling.
We appreciate the efforts and services of the City in keeping our
neighborhood informed about rezoning matters.
In response to your letter, December 23, 1994, you asked that we submit
our position regarding the most recent zoning proposal.
First and foremost, it must be recognized that it is unusual in Ames
for a "Planned Commercial" district to directly abut a low-density
residential area (R1-6) as is being requested in this zoning
application.
One of our desires, and I'm sure of all urban dwellers, is to live in a
clean, beautiful, exciting city that is economically healthy, with
safe, uncongested streets and that offer stability and assurance that
an investment in a home and neighborhood can be enjoyable and secure.
At our N. E. Neighborhood meeting January 9, 1995, at the Northwood
school, the following position was approved.
We support the City's recommendation (VI, VII, and VIII of
12/21/94) that all three properties be rezoned as Planned
Commercial. The only permitted uses for the two properties
on Grand Avenue (2406 and 2416) should be business or
professional offices. The vote was unanimous for exclusion
of a bank on these properties largely because of its sizeable
traffic generation.
A majority vote supported the restriction of the Carr property to
professional office use.
Neighborhood residents feel strongly that:
1. A primary objective in designating "Permitted uses"
should be to protect quality of life and property values in
the low-density residential areas bordering this area.
2. No commercial (retail) establishments, including banks,
should be permitted on these properties. Banks and retail
stores are high-traffic generators, and will bring increased
traffic, noise, and disruption in the bordering low-density
residential area.
Officers of the neighborhood association unanimously supported the
following additional planning actions for these
properties:
1. No business or professional office should be permitted
that carries a generator count of over four vehicles per 1000
square feet at the peak traffic period (4:30-5:30 p.m. )
2. Sidewalks should be required along the west side of
Jensen and the north side of 24th Street.
3. Buildings should not exceed two stories in height.
4. A high dirt and landscaped berm (over six feet high)
should be constructed along the entire eastern boundary of
the property bordering Jensen Avenue as an aesthetic
transition from the neighboring residential area.
5. Landscaping should be appropriate to the site and to the
neighborhood.
Sincerely yours,
Dale Brentnall,' Chair,
N.E. Neighborhood Committee