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Home My WebLink AboutA002 - Council Action Form dated February 22, 2005 ITEM # DATE 2/22/05 COUNCIL ACTION FORM SUBJECT: A TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE CHANGING THE APPROVAL PROCESS FOR SINGLE-FAMILY ATTACHED USES (TOWNHOUSES) IN THE "FS" (SUBURBAN RESIDENTIAL) ZONING DISTRICTS BACKGROUND: On January 11, 2005, the City Council referred to staff a letter from Chuck Winkleblack, Hunziker& Associates, requesting that a text amendment changing the approval process for single-family attached uses in the "FS" (Suburban Residential) Zoning Districts. Currently, approval of single-family attached uses in the "FS" Zoning Districts requires approval of a Major Site Development Plan by the City Council, after recommendation by the Planning and Zoning Commission. Single-family attached uses only require administrative approval of a Minor Site Development Plan by the Development Review Committee (DRC) in all other Zoning Districts in which they are permitted within the City of Ames. The following are the recommended text amendments to the Zoning Ordinance regarding the approval process for single-family attached uses in the "FS"Zoning Districts (changes are in bold italics and str-ielen thfough): Table 29.1202(4)-1 Suburban Residential Floating Zoning Residential Low Density FS-RL) Uses USE CATEGORY STATUS APPROVAL APPROVAL REQUIRED AUTHORITY RESIDENTIAL USES Single Family Attached Dwelling(12 units or less) Y SDP Major Minor Staff Table 29.1202(4)-2 Suburban Residential Floating Zoning Residential Medium Density (FS-RM) Uses USE CATEGORY STATUS APPROVAL APPROVAL REQUIRED AUTHORITY RESIDENTIAL USES Single Family Attached Dwelling(12 units or less) Y SDP Majff Minor Staff i RECOMMENDATION OF THE PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION: With a vote of 4-3, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of the proposed text amendment to the Zoning Ordinance changing the approval process for single-family attached uses (townhouses) in the "FS" (Suburban Residential) zoning districts at its meeting of February 16, 2005. (Vote: LeGates, yes; Espeset, yes; Jons, yes; Larson, yes; Feilmeyer, no; Mercier, no; Knight, no.) It is the opinion of the dissenters that the additional time required by the Major Site Development Plan approval process is a reasonable incentive to encourage village-style development, rather than suburban development in new areas of the City. ALTERNATIVES: 1. The City Council can approve the recommended text amendment to the Zoning Ordinance authorizing the planning staff to approve a Minor Site Development Plan for single-family attached uses in the "FS" (Suburban Residential) Zoning Districts. 2. The City Council can deny the recommended text amendment to the Zoning Ordinance regarding the approval process for single-family attached uses in the "FS" (Suburban Residential) Zoning Districts. 3. The City Council can approve the recommended text amendment to the Zoning Ordinance regarding the approval process for single-family attached uses in the "FS" (Suburban Residential) Zoning Districts, with modifications. 4. The City Council can refer the recommended text amendment to the Zoning Ordinance regarding the approval process for single-family attached uses in the "FS" (Suburban Residential) Zoning Districts back to staff for further review and comment. 2 s CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION: Staff is supportive of amending the approval process for single-family attached uses in the "FS" Zoning Districts. Because the current approval process requires a recommendation by the Planning and Zoning Commission and final approval by the City Council, the Major Site Development Plan process is more time consuming than the Minor Site Development Plan process. Additionally, the requirements for approval of a Major Site Development Plan are no different than the requirements for approving a Minor Site Development Plan. Minor Site Development Plans are required for approval of single-family attached uses in all other Zoning Districts in which they are permitted within the City of Ames. Staff disagrees with the dissenting opinion of the Planning and Zoning Commission that the additional time required by the Major Site Development Plan approval process is a reasonable incentive to encourage village-style development. Much of the additional effort is required of Staff and the Planning and Zoning Commission, as well as Council. Therefore, it is recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council approve Alternative #1 . Alternative #1 recommends that the text amendment to the Zoning Ordinance regarding the approval process for single-family attached uses in the "FS" (Suburban Residential)Zoning Districts be approved. If approved, single-family attached uses in the "FS" Zoning Districts would only require approval of a Minor Site Development Plan by the planning staff instead of a Major Site Development Plan by the City Council. This approval process is consistent with the requirements of all other residential Zoning Districts in which single-family attached uses are permitted in the City of Ames. COUNCIL ACTION: Attachment 3 U J 0'..44SOCIATES CITY MES � ,,- _ _-..CITY-OF AMES,IOWA REALTORS® 105 South 16th Street Ames,Iowa 50010-8009 (515)2334450-FAX(515)232-5521 email:hunzikerRE@aol.com January 11, 2005 Honorable Mayor&Ames City Council 515 Clark Ames, IA 50010 Dear Mayor& Council, I would like the Council to consider revising the approval process for town house areas within suburban residential zoning districts. Currently when we develop town houses under the suburban residential zone, a Major Site Development Plan must be reviewed and approved by the City Council for every building. However,town houses developed in other zoning districts other than the suburban residential zoning districts, only require approval of a Minor Site Development Plan by the City staff. What we are proposing is to use the same approval process that is utilized in all other zoning districts. As each building is proposed to be built, it must be approved as a Minor Site Development Plan through the City staff's DRC process. I feel it is a waste of the developers and the City staff time to have to go through the Major Site Development Plan process every time we design a town house. I think that staff would agree that the process that we use in other zoning districts works very well. We are not asking for a waiver of any of the cities codes or ordinances with regard to building design and placement, only the approval process. Thank you in advance for your consideration. Respectfully submitted, Chuck Winkleblack Hunziker&Associates