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Home My WebLink AboutA004 - Council Action Form dated August 28, 2001 ITEM #: i DATE: 08/28/01 COUNCIL ACTION FORM SUBJECT: MOTION TO CHANGE THE ZONING FOR A REMNANT PARCEL OF LAND LOCATED NORTH OF 208 STANTON AVENUE FROM GOVERNMENT/AIRPORT (S-GA) TO DOWNTOWN/CAMPUSTOWN SERVICE CENTER (DCSC). BACKGROUND: The subject property in question is a remnant parcel of land that was once owned by the City of Ames but was recently transferred in ownership to the applicant. It is generally located on the southeast corner of Stanton Avenue and Chamberlain Street and is currently vacant in its land use status. The parcel was once part of the City owned lot to the east, but served no functional purpose. The applicant has recently purchased the remnant parcel of land in order to develop the land in conjunction with the redevelopment of the parcel of land located at 208 Stanton Avenue (south of the subject area). A zone change from Government/Airport (S-GA) to Downtown/Campustown Service Center (DCSC) would allow for the development of Campustown commercial land uses on the parcel, much similar to those land uses that surround the parcel. (Please refer to the enclosed graphics showing an elevated architectural view of the applicant's proposal for the parcel and the proposed site plan/layout for the parcel.) The subject property is adjacent to a Downtown/Campustown Service Center (DCSC) zone designation, and the property's frontage is on Stanton Avenue and Chamberlain Street, directly across from this DCSC zone. (See graphic titled "Existing Zoning.") Water. An 8-inch water main runs down the east side of Stanton Avenue. This water main can adequately service the proposed Downtown/Campustown Service Center uses on the subject property. Sanitary Sewer. An 8-inch sanitary sewer is also adjacent to the site and can adequately service the proposed Downtown/Campustown Service Center uses on the subject property. Access/Traffic Impact. The use of the subject property is currently unimproved. A change in use from its current vacant status to a Downtown/Campustown Service Center use will pose an increase to traffic flows on the surrounding street network. If the property is rezoned and combined with the southern parcel (208 Stanton Avenue), the applicant is proposing a mix of first floor commercial uses with high-density apartments above the first floor. The existing zoning designation, S-GA, allows for only government uses. Downtown/Campustown Service Center zoning will allow for greater intensification of commercial and multi-family uses, and thus increase traffic counts. At this time, it is not recommended that a traffic study be prepared. However, if or when the property is redeveloped, or when a use change on the property occurs, a traffic study may be a requirement of the City's Development Review Committee. A zoning permit for future development on the subject property will not be granted if the Development Review Committee finds that traffic impacts are not properly mitigated. Zoning Districts. The pattern of existing zoning of the subject property and the properties adjacent to the subject property is as follows: Subject Property S-GA (Government/Airport) and DCSC (Downtown Service Center) North of Subject Property DCSC (Downtown Service Center) East of Subject Property S-GA (Government/Airport) and RH (Residential High Density) South of Subject Property DCSC (Downtown Service Center) West of Subject Property DCSC (Downtown/Campustown Service Center) The subject property and surrounding areas fall into the University Impacted Overlay District (O-UI) in addition to the base zone designation indicated above. (See attached Existing Zoning and Proposed Zoning Maps.) Land Use Policy Plan (LUPP). The Future Land Use Map of the Land Use Policy Plan designates the subject property as Residential High Density. (See attached Land Use Policy Plan Map.) In addition, the Future Land Use Map also indicates a very generic designation for a Community Commercial Node to be located in this area, as well. Revisions to the adopted Land Use Policy Plan are needed with respect to how the Plan provides guidance for the Campustown area. Generally speaking, these revisions should include: • More detailed policy description of the Campustown Commercial area is needed in the section of the Plan entitled University Impacted Policy Options. • The generic designation of the commercial area of Campustown on the Future Land Use Map as a Community Commercial Node needs to be revised to designate the Campustown areas as being similar to the Downtown Service Center use designation. 2 The Future Land Use Map designation of Community Commercial Node does not fit the land use pattern for the Campustown area. The Campustown commercial area is made up of land uses that are more similar to the Downtown Service Center zone than a Community Commercial Node. When the City Council approved the newly adopted zoning map, this inconsistency was recognized and the Campustown area has been zoned DCSC (Downtown/Campustown Service Center) but the Land Use Policy Plan has not yet been changed to address this discrepancy. As said at a previous Planning and Zoning Commission meeting held in February 2001, staff will recommend to the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council a series a revisions and adjustments to the Land Use Policy Plan Map that will bring the Plan and the Zoning Ordinance of the City into a greater degree of consistency. These revisions will include a recommendation that the future Land Use Map designation for the Campustown commercial area be changed from a Community Commercial Node to Downtown/Campustown Service Center. The analysis of this rezoning request will occur contemplating that the Land Use Policy Plan will be revised as described previously. Staff believes that it is inappropriate to analyze the proposed rezoning request on the basis of the future Land Use Map as it currently exists since it is staff's intent to propose revisions to the Plan for this area of the city. The Land Use Policy Plan describes a Downtown Service Center as having the following characteristics: (Page 38, LUPP). Specialized business services Governmental services Retail commercial uses Highly intense activities Central in location Specialized mixing of activities Parking and design provisions may apply Floor area ratios of 1.0 and higher The Land Use Policy Plan describes a Community Commercial Node as having the following characteristics: (Page 38, LUPP) Community scale commercial uses Clustered developments when compared to highway-oriented commercial More specific uses Shared parking Common design features Floor area ratios of between .50 and .75 3 The uses in the Campustown commercial area are a mix of business services, retail commercial services, government services, and high-density residential uses. This combination of uses serves both the University and surrounding neighborhoods — and to a lesser degree the rest of the Ames community. The existing land uses of the Campustown commercial area are more suited to reflect the Downtown Service Center land use designation. (In light of this conclusion, the May 2000 rezoning of the City of Ames designated the Campustown commercial area as Downtown/Campustown Service Center.) The subject property also falls into the University-Impacted Overlay area. This area is generally defined as "the transitional residential area that is adjacent to Campustown... [Where] the area is characterized by mostly older residences that have been converted often from single tenant to multiple tenant occupancy involving mostly ISU-students." (Page 41, LUPP). The five-unit converted structure that exists south of the subject property (the parcel that the applicant proposes to combine with the subject property) is characteristic of this description. The Land Use Policy Plan states on Page 41 that "Current planning policies have led to increasing intensification and change that have resulted in parking, building scale and design conflicts. The designation of University-Impacted is intended to delineate an area wherein specific parking, building scale, and design objectives may be implemented in order to achieve greater compatibility with the existing character." Allowing the subject property to be zoned and developed under the Downtown/Campustown Service Center zone would result in similar uses being developed across the street from each other. Goal 4.A. of the LUPP states, "Ames seeks to establish more integrated and compact living/activity areas (i.e. neighborhoods, villages) wherein daily living requirements and amenities are provided in a readily identifiable and accessible area. Greater emphasis is placed on the pedestrian and related activities." (Page 26, LUPP). The rezoning of this property will allow for pedestrian scale commercial activities that will integrate well into the surrounding high-density residential land uses. Goal 4.B. of the LUPP states, "Ames seeks to physically connect existing and new residential and commercial areas through the association of related land uses ... " (Page 27, LUPP). Additionally, vision statements found in the appendix of the Land Use Policy Plan state that, "[There shall be a] Provision of adequate transitional and intensification areas and the assurance of compatibility between differing uses and new and existing uses." (Page 123, LUPP). By intensifying the remnant vacant use, the applicant can develop similar facing land uses to those land uses across the street. Developing the vacant parcel as DCSC also provides for efficient land development. The request to rezone the subject property would meet this goal. 4 RECOMMENDATION OF THE PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION: The Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed this rezoning request at their meeting of August 15, 2001 and approval was recommended. ALTERNATIVES: 1 . The City Council can approve this request to rezone the remnant parcel of property located north of 208 Stanton Avenue from S-GA (Government/Airport) to DCSC (Downtown/Campustown Service Center). 2. The City Council can deny this request to rezone the remnant parcel of property located north of 208 Stanton Avenue from S-GA (Government/Airport) to DCSC (Downtown/Campustown Service Center). 3. Action on this request can be postponed and referred back to City staff and/or the applicant for additional information. RECOMMENDED ACTION: The request to change the zoning designation on the subject property represents a zoning boundary adjustment that is consistent with the Land Use Policy Plan's goals and objectives. The change in the zoning designation of this property will result in the similar uses of property being located across the street from each other and a further intensification of Campustown. The rezoning of this parcel of land represents the same redrawing of zoning boundaries that were made in the past when government land was sold to private land investors. It is important to understand that the rezoning of this property to Downtown/Campustown Service Center could result in the redevelopment of the site where no off-street parking is provided for commercial activities since the DCSC does not require off-street parking for commercial uses. Staff believes that the request to rezone the subject property to Downtown/Campustown Service Center is consistent with the pattern of development in the area and is the appropriate land use designation for the area. It is recommended that Alternative #1 be adopted. Alternative #1 is approval of this request to rezone the remnant parcel of property located north of 208 Stanton Avenue from S-GA (Government/Airport) to DCSC (Downtown/Campustown Service Center). Attachments s:\Council Action Form s\Rezonings\208 Stanton Avenue Rezoning 8-28-01 5 AND OTHER-CBD FINANCIAL _ OFFICE PNDIIPAIEDIARKING APARTMENTS-CBD LEASED CHURCH BUILDING VACANT LAND MISC OR MULTIPLE USE D RETAIL AND APARTMENTS APARTMENTS-CBD VACANT LAND Oz < ND APARTMENTS-CBD m 6-APARTMENTS LAND W/PAVED PARKING ITY/TOWN PROPERTY OFFICES CHAMBERLAIN ST OFFICES RETAIL/ \\..\. CITY/TOWN PROPERTY OTHE MISC BOARDING/ RETAIL STORE 5-APARTMENTS SLEEPING ROOM 7OFFICES RETAIL STORE 1-1/2 STORY APARTMENTS z AND SLEEPING ROOMS < m 1-1/2 STORY 63 APARTMENTS FRATERNITY/SORORITY APARTMENTS FRATERNITY/SORORITY 10_APARTMENTS Existing Land Uses N � W E S Prepared by the Department of Planning and Housing 200 0 200 Feet Map prepared:010/06/2001 Cn D Z DCSC D m RH S—GA CHAMBERLAIN ST Subject Area S-GA DCSC D < Z Z m RH RH RH Existing Zoning Map N � W E S Prepared by the Department of Planning and Housing 200 0 200 Feet Map prepared: 10/06/2001 ............................................................................... s. c, Land Use Policy Plan Map N W E S 200 0 200 Feet Prepared by the Department of Planning and Housing Map prepared.• 1010612001 f ►, :d 1 . ter,- mw II-r—RIV �i - �^ rE fp � r ,�� 1r ICE► �� Ull MM Wo�!!!!!�!� r J' I It Iry A •►,