HomeMy WebLinkAboutA001 - Council Action Form dated March 25, 1997 ITEM#: Q7
DATE: 03/25/97
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: CONSIDER AN AMENDMENT TO THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP OF THE
CITY OF AMES FOR THE SINGLE-FAMILY CONSERVATION OVERLAY DISTRICT
(SFCOD).
ACTION FORM SUMMARY: The City of Ames is proposing a Single-Family Conservation
Overlay District (SFCOD) as an alternative to rezoning the residential area north of
downtown.
Staff is recommending approval of this Zoning Map amendment for the Single-Family
Conservation Overlay District.
BACKGROUND:
In 1994 a number of property owners in the Central Ames area petitioned the City Council
to rezone the area from its current zoning of R-3 and R-4 to R-2. This request was
reviewed and deliberated at length and ultimately the City Council denied approval of the
request.
Since 1994, continued construction of multiple-family structures has occurred, which has
resulted in the removal of some of the original structures that make up the character of the
area. Additionally, since 1994, the City has progressed to complete a "draft" of the Land
Use Policy revision, which indicates that the Central Ames area is included in an area
referred to the Urban Core. The draft plan recommends that the City should adopt an
ordinance referred to as a "Conservation Overlay Zone". The purpose of this overlay zone
is to conserve the single-family character of the area.
In July 1996, the City Council adopted a moratorium ordinance in the Central Ames area
that is designed to prevent the removal of existing structures until new regulations can be
prepared that will serve to protect the single-family character of the area.
The City Council, with input from the Planning and Zoning Commission, has worked to
create the Single-Family Conservation Overlay District (SFCOD) regulation, which is
intended to apply to the area for which the moratorium ordinance was enacted. Although
the advice that the Planning and Zoning Commission gave to the Council on the SFCOD
is not ultimately reflected in the proposed ordinance, the Commission has indicated that
the essence of their recommendation was still contained in the regulations. Most
importantly, the Commission has advised that the City Council should act to adopt the
proposed regulations, and bring to a close this Central Ames issue.
The City Council has set March 25, 1997, as the date of the public hearing to consider both
the text amendment and the map amendment to the official Zoning Map for the SFCOD.
The result of the proposed regulations for the SFCOD are indicated in the following table:
ANALYSIS OF DWELLING UNIT MAKE-UP IN THE PROPOSED SFCOD
%of Existing & %of Existing and
Potential Units Total Units
Total Existing Units in SFCOD 624 100%
Multiple-Family Original Construction 123 20%
Multiple-Family Conversions 159 25%
Total Existing Multiple-Family Units 282 45%
Total Existing Single-Family&Two-Family Units 342 55%
Total Potential Units 648 100%
Total Potential Multiple-Family Units 306 47%
ANALYSIS:
The 1996 Land Use Policy Plan (LUPP), adopted in "draft", recommends policies for the
Urban Core. One of the Urban Core policies addresses the residential area to the north
of downtown. A "Conservation District" overlay zone is recommended for the residential
area. The purpose of the Conservation District is to conserve the existing single-family
residential character.
The proposed SFCOD does not include all of the residential area referred to as a
"Conservation District" in the "draft" 1996 LUPP. The boundaries for the proposed SFCOD
are shown on the attached graphic and are generally described as follows:
• West: Grand Avenue;
• North: 11 th Street between Grand Avenue and Kellogg Avenue,
10th Street between Kellogg Avenue and Duff Avenue;
• East: Properties on both sides of Duff Avenue between 9th and 10th Streets,
Properties west of Duff Avenue 7th and 9th Streets;
• South: 7th Street between Clark Avenue and Duff Avenue,
6th Street between Grand Avenue and Clark Avenue.
The planning rationale for this area includes:
1 . This is the area that is currently zoned R-3 or R-4, which creates the potential for
additional multiple-family construction to occur as a result of the underlying zoning.
2
2. This area is the same area for which the moratorium ordinance has been enacted,
which indicates that a new regulation was intended to be created for use in this area.
3. This area is clearly within the Urban Core, as indicated in the "draft" Land Use Policy
Plan. It is within the Urban Core that the "draft" Land Use Policy Plan recommends
that a Conservation Overlay Zone be enacted.
The overlay zoning proposal is an alternative to changing the base zoning from R-3 and
R-4 to a low-density residential zoning district, such as R-2. The base zoning of R-3 and
R-4 will remain intact, and Compatibility Standards will apply to all properties in the
SFCOD.
PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION:
The Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed this issue at their meeting of March 19,
1997 and recommended that this rezoning be approved.
ALTERNATIVES:
1 . The City Council can approve an amendment to the official Zoning Map of the City
of Ames for the Single-Family Conservation Overlay District (SFCOD) inside the
boundaries generally described as follows:
• West: Grand Avenue;
• North: 11th Street between Grand Avenue and Kellogg Avenue,
10th Street between Kellogg Avenue and Duff Avenue;
• East: Properties on both sides of Duff Avenue between 9th and 10th Streets,
Properties west of Duff Avenue 7th and 9th Streets;
• South: 7th Street between Clark Avenue and Duff Avenue,
6th Street between Grand Avenue and Clark Avenue.
2. The City Council can deny approval of an amendment to the official Zoning Map of
the City of Ames for the Single-Family Conservation Overlay District (SFCOD) inside
the boundaries generally described as follows:
• West: Grand Avenue;
• North: 11th Street between Grand Avenue and Kellogg Avenue,
10th Street between Kellogg Avenue and Duff Avenue;
• East: Properties on both sides of Duff Avenue between 9th and 10th Streets,
Properties west of Duff Avenue 7th and 9th Streets;
• South: 7th Street between Clark Avenue and Duff Avenue,
6th Street between Grand Avenue and Clark Avenue.
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RECOMMENDED ACTION:
It is recommended that Alternative #1 be adopted. Alternative #1 is approval of an
amendment to the official Zoning Map of the City of Ames for the Single-Family
Conservation Overlay District (SFCOD) inside the boundaries generally described as
follows:
• West: Grand Avenue;
• North: 11th Street between Grand Avenue and Kellogg Avenue,
10th Street between Kellogg Avenue and Duff Avenue;
• East: Properties on both sides of Duff Avenue between 9th and 10th Streets,
Properties west of Duff Avenue 7th and 9th Streets;
• South: 7th Street between Clark Avenue and Duff Avenue,
6th Street between Grand Avenue and Clark Avenue.
Attachment
h\bpo\caf\sfcod.325
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