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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Establishing Regulations to Permit Mini-storage Warehouse Facilities in the HOC ORDINANCE NO.3794 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE CITY OF AMES,IOWA,BY ADOPTING A NEW SECTION 29.1308 AND REPEALING SUBSECTION 29.804(2) AND RE-ADOPTING THE SAME REVISED, ALL FOR THE PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHING REGULATIONS TO PERMIT MINI- STORAGE WAREHOUSE FACILITIES IN THE HIGHWAY ORIENTED COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICT; REPEALING ANY AND ALL ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT TO THE EXTENT OF SUCH CONFLICT; PROVIDING A PENALTY; AND ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. BE IT ENACTED,by the City Council for the City of Ames,Iowa,that: Section One. The Municipal Code of the City of Ames, Iowa shall be and the same is hereby amended by enacting a new Section as follows: "Sec.29.1308. MINI-STORAGE WAREHOUSE FACILITIES. Mini-storage warehouse facilities are self-storage spaces designed and used for the purpose of renting or leasing individual storage space to tenants who have access to such space for the purpose of storing and removing personal properties. Mini-storage warehouse facilities are permitted in the General Industrial(GI)Zone only,except that such facilities may be located in the Highway Oriented Commercial District(HOC) by virtue of a Special Use Permit authorized by the Zoning Board of Adjustment. A Special Use Permit for a mini-storage warehouse facility shall be subject to the Zone Development Standards of the HOC Zone and also be subject to the following additional regulations: (1) Architectural Standards. (a) Architectural Theme. (I) Facilities placed in or near a shopping center or other retail uses shall be designed to be consistent with the dominant theme or design of surrounding buildings. (ii) Building surface colors shall be restricted to muted earth tones. (iii) All buildings, including storage units shall be surfaced in high quality materials such as stone, split face block, or brick. Smooth-faced concrete block, painted masonry,tilt-up concrete panels and prefabricated metal panels are prohibited. (b) General Architectural Requirements. (I) Buildings shall include design elements such as columns,ribs or pilasters, piers, quoins, and fenestration patterns to prevent a utilitarian, industrial,warehouse-like appearance. (ii) Unit doors shall be screened or sited so they are not visible from the street. Storage unit doors shall not face the street. (iii) Storage unit doors shall be integrated into the overall design theme of the site through color and texture. (iv) Buildings greater than forty feet(40')long must include a change in wall plane,recess,or reveal every twenty feet(20'). (v) Maximum building length on the site perimeter is sixty feet(60'). (c) Roof Design. (I) Buildings shall include a roof pitch greater than or equal to 6:12, with roofs incorporating a high quality surface such as architectural shingles,standing seam metal or rile. Flat roofs are prohibited. (ii) Roofs shall include four(4)or more planes,and have overhanging eaves extending at least one and one-half feet(1.5')past the building wall. (d) Height. No building shall exceed twenty feet(20')in height. 1 (e) Building Placement. Screening and building location shall be such that overhead doors are not visible from off the site. (2) Landscaping and Screening. Visual separation is desirable between mini-storage warehouse facilities and adjacent land uses or development. Landscaping shall provide a physical and visual separation. (a) High shrubs shall be spaced at a maximum distance of six(6)feet on center to form a screen six(6)feet high. (b) One Landscape Tree is required per fifty(50)lineal feet of landscaped area or as appropriate to provide a tree canopy over the landscaped area. (c) Ground cover plants shall fully cover the remainder of the landscaped area. (d) River rock or similar non-organic materials shall not be substituted for the landscaping area or used in combination with the minimum landscaping requirements in the zone or this section. (3) Fencing. Fencing is required for additional screening and as a security measure. Fencing shall comply with Section 29.408(2), and comply with the following: (a) Fencing shall provide a five(5)foot minimum setback from the property line. (b) Fencing shall be wrought iron or similar material with brick or stone columns spaced at a maximum of fifty (50) feet on center. Landscaping, as required in Section 29.1308(2)(a),shall be provided on the exterior side of the fence facing adjacent land uses. Fences containing barbed wire,electric charges,or sharp materials are prohibited. (c) Where a setback abuts a residential zone, a six(6) foot masonry wall is required. Landscaping, as required in Section 29.1308(2)(a),shall be provided on the exterior side of the fence facing adjacent land uses. Masonry walls must be designed and constructed to facilitate maintenance and not to modify natural drainage in such a way as to endanger adjacent property. (4) Building Access. (a) Doors providing access to individual storage units shall not be permitted on the front yard side of the building,nor on any side abutting a public street or a residential district. (b) Storage units and drive aisles shall be sited so a truck or car parked at a unit cannot trap another vehicle and prevent it from leaving the facility. (c) Vehicular aisles providing access to storage units on both sides of the aisles,whether interior or exterior,shall not be less than twenty(20)feet wide. (d) Aisles providing access to storage units on only one side of the aisle shall not be less than twenty (20) feet wide provided that there is more than one aisle available for circulation around a building. (e) Loading docks shall not be permitted as part of the storage building. (5) Signage. (a) The only types of signs permitted are wall signs and monument signs,and shall adhere to the following: (I) Wall-mounted Signs. A. Only one wall-mounted sign is permitted along a street frontage. B. The number of wall-mounted signs shall not exceed two (2)signs per facility. (ii) Monument Signs. A. Only one monument sign is permitted along a street frontage per facility. B. The number ofmonument signs shall not exceed two(2). C. The base of a monument sign shall be landscaped with ground cover plants at a minimum of three(3)feet from the base. River rock or similar non-organic materials shall not be substituted for the landscaping area or used in combination with ground cover plants. 2 (b) Signage Size Restrictions. (I) A wall sign is a sign that is displayed by being affixed to the outside of an exterior wall of a building. Wall signs shall be affixed to only those walls that face a street. A wall sign shall be no larger than thirty-two(32)square feet. (ii) Monument signs shall be no larger than sixty-four(64)square feet, excluding the base. (c) Signage Height Restrictions. The maximum permissible height for a monument sign is eight(8)feet,including the sign base;that is,the tope of a monument sign shall be no more than eight feet above the grade of the site on which it is erected. (d) Signage Lighting Restrictions. (1) The face of an illuminated sign shall have a dark background. (ii) The lighting of both wall signs and monument signs shall be projected downward. (iii) Signs that flash light in any manner are prohibited. (iv) Internally lighted signs and computerized/digital scrolling signs are prohibited. (6) Lighting. Lighting shall be in accordance with Section 29.411, and with the following conditions: (a) Night lighting and security lighting shall be sensitively designed to ensure no off-site glare is directed to neighboring parcels and that the overall intensity of the site lighting is not in violation of the standards for Section 29.411 or unreasonably intrusive on the use of adjoining property. All lights shall be shielded to direct light onto the site and away from adjacent property. (b) Building mounted sconces shall be used instead of freestanding light poles wherever possible. (c) When a mini-storage facility is adj acent to a residential zone,pole mounted lights shall be turned off between 9:00 PM and 6:00 AM. (7) Parking. Parking shall be situated in conjunction with an office or management structure,for use by staff,service or delivery personnel,or prospective tenants. (a) For developments less than or equal to two hundred(200)storage units, a minimum of five(5)off-street parking spaces shall be provided. (b) For developments greater than two hundred(200) storage units,five(5) off-street parking spaces shall be provided on the property for the first two hundred(200)units,and one additional parking space is required for every one hundred(100)storage units thereafter. (c) Except for purposes of loading and unloading,there shall be no parking or storage of trucks,trailers,and moving vans. (8) Prohibited Uses. (a) The following uses and activities shall be prohibited: (I) Any business activity other than the rental of storage units, including miscellaneous or garage sales and transfer-storage enterprises that utilize vehicles as part of said business is prohibited. GO Servicing orrepair ofmotor vehicles,boats,trailers,lawnmowers, or similar equipment is prohibited. (iii) Outdoor storage ofboats,vehicles,or other materials is prohibited. All items stored on the property shall be located within buildings. (iv) Storage of hazardous,toxic,or volatile substances is prohibited. (v) Residential uses, other than one (1) unit for a 24-hour facility caretaker not to exceed 1,200 square feet. (9) Changes. Minor changes to the approved Site Development Plan may occur after staff of the Department of Planning and Housing has determined that the proposed changes are minor in nature,and revised plans have been provided to the Department for the purposes of keeping the Site Development Plan current. (a) Minor changes are defined as changes that: (1) Do not constitute a change in land use of the project;or layout and design; 3 (ii) Do not increase the density or intensity of use, the number of buildings, or change in number of storage units. (iv) Do not change the overall landscape design; (v) Do not change the height or placement ofbuildings,or other maj or features." Section Two. The Municipal Code of the City of Ames is amended further by repealing Subsection 29.804(2) and re-adopting the same revised to state as follows: "(2) Permitted Uses. The uses pemutted in the HOC Zone are set forth in Table 29.804(2)below: Table 29.804(2) Highway-Oriented Commercial HOC Zone Uses APPROVAL APPROVAL USE CATEGORY STATUS REQUIRED AUTHORITY RESIDENTIAL USES SP ZBA Group Living N,except Transitional -- Living Facility Household Living N,except mini-storage SP ZBA warehouse facility(see Sec.29.1308 Short-term Lodgings Y SDP Minor Staff OFFICE USES Y SDP Minor Staff TRADE USES Retail Sales and Services-General Y SDP Minor Staff (including printing,publishing, commercial art and reproduction) Retail Trade-Automotive,etc. Y SDP Minor Staff Entertainment,Restaurant and Y SDP Minor Staff Recreation Trade Wholesale Trade Y SDP Minor Staff INDUSTRIAL USES Industrial Service N,except mini-storage SP ZBA warehouse facility(see Sec.29.1308 8 a v INSTITUTIONAL USES Colleges and Universities Y SP ZBA Community Facilities Y SDP Minor Staff Social Service Providers Y SP ZBA Medical Centers Y SP ZBA Parks and Open Space Y SP ZBA Religious Institutions Y SP ZBA Schools N -- -- TRANSPORTATION, COMMUNICATIONS AND UTILITY USES Passenger Terminals Y SDP Minor Staff Basic Utilities Y SDP Major City Council Commercial Parking Y SDP Minor Staff Radio and TV Broadcast Facilities Y SDP Minor Staff Personal Wireless Communication Y SP ZBA Facilities Rail Line and Utility Corridors Y SP ZBA Railroad Yards N 4 APPROVAL APPROVAL USE CATEGORY STATUS REQUIRED AUTHORITY MISCELLANEOUS USES Commercial Outdoor Recreation Y SDP Minor Staff Child Day Care Facilities Y SDP Minor Staff Detention Facilities Y SDP Minor Staff Major Event Entertainment Y SDP Minor Staff Vehicle Service Facilities Y SDP Minor Staff Adult Entertainment Business Y SDP Minor Staff Y = Yes: permitted as indicated by required approval. N = No: prohibited SP = Special Use Permit required: See Section 29.1503 SDP Minor = Site Development Plan Minor: See Section 29.1502(3) SDP Major = Site Development Plan Major: See Section 29.1502(4) ZBA = Zoning Board of Adjustment (Ord.No. 3591, 10-10-00, Ord.No. 3610, 4-10-01)" Section Three. Violation of the provisions of this ordinance shall constitute a municipal infraction punishable as set out in Section 29.1603 of this Code. Section Four. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict,if any. Section Five. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and publication as required by law. Passed this 24 th day of August ,2 04 Diane R.Voss,City Clerk Ted Tedesco,Mayor 00758 rev.080402 5