HomeMy WebLinkAboutA001 - Council Action Form dated October 11, 2005 ITEM#: C2 0
DATE: 10/11/05
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT ADDING RENTAL SERVICES OFFICE AS A
PERMITTED USE IN THE PLANNED RESIDENCE (F-PRD) ZONING DISTRICT
BACKGROUND:
Haverkamp Properties has applied to the City for a change in the text of the Zoning
Ordinance, which would allow a rental services office as a permitted use in the Planned
Residence (F-PRD) Zoning District (Attachment A).
The applicant owns a significant number of apartment units in areas of the community
zoned Residential High Density and Planned Residence District. Like other managers of
multi-family housing complexes, the applicant supports these residences with staff that
market, show, and rent the units; receive rent payments, take care of accounting, and
provide maintenance. Haverkamp states when they can base these support services from
an office within the housing complex or in the immediate neighborhood, they can be more
responsive to resident requests, provide better services within reasonable costs, and
thereby provide better quality of life for their residents and the surrounding community.
This type of use is allowed in the High Density Residential (RH) Zoning District, but not in
the Planned Residence (F-PRD)Zoning District. The applicant described more community
benefits from the proposed text change in the application (Attachment B).
Also, more specifically, Haverkamp Properties would like to be able to establish such an
office in Willow Creek Estates, 4th Addition, a planned residence development located on
Pinon Drive, north of Mortensen Road in southwest Ames. From this location, the office
could serve about 400 residential units it manages in the immediate vicinity. However, the
proposed text amendment is not specific to this potential project; it affects every existing
and future Planned Residence District in Ames.
Analysis. Many of the planned residence developments in Ames contain a mix of
detached and single family housing, as well as recreation facilities and other services for
residents. The City's Land Use Policy Plan (LUPP) identifies planned residential
developments as primarily a technique to use where a site contains unique features,which
can be preserved through a planned approach, accommodating clustering and mixing of
unit types. The goals of the Land Use Policy Plan address integrating related land uses
and providing good access, particularly pedestrian access, to services needed for daily
living (Goal 4), and also address greater mobility with alternative modes of transportation,
including walking (Goal 7).
The Zoning Ordinance, adopted in 2000, established various residential uses for the
Planned Residence Zoning District, and also allows office and trade uses "where the
property owner can demonstrate through a written Market Study that the Office and Trade
use can be supported by the residents of the Planned Residence District."
Other zoning districts also allow office or other commercial uses to support residential use,
such as Village Residential (F-VR) and South Lincoln Mixed Use District (S-SMD). In
areas zoned Residential High Density (RH), there can be up to 5,000 square feet of
commercial use on the ground floor of a multi-story residential building.
In all of these districts, Development Standards regulate the amount and/or design of the
commercial use to promote compatibility between the different use types. The Planned
Residence Districts ordinance also has development standards, but in addition has
"Development Principles." Projects "shall adhere" to these principles so that the
development design "exceeds the requirements that exist in underlying base zone
development standards" and is "more aesthetic in design" and more sensitive to
surrounding uses of land than areas conforming to development standards in other base
zones. In other words, planned residence developments are held to a higher standard for
design and compatibility than other types of projects (Attachment C). Furthermore, a Major
Site Development Plan for a Planned Residence District must be reviewed by the Planning
and Zoning Commission and approved by the City Council. Then that plan becomes the
development standard for that development and any changes must be approved by the
same process.
Recommendation of the Planning & Zoning Commission. With a vote of 5-0, the
Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of this text amendment at its
meeting of September 21, 2005.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. The City Council can approve the proposed text amendment allowing rental services
offices as a permitted use in Planned Residence (F-PRD) Districts, with
modifications.
2. The City Council can approve the proposed text amendment allowing rental services
offices as a permitted principle use in Planned Residence (F-PRD) Districts.
3. The City Council can deny the proposed text amendment allowing rental services
offices as a permitted use in Planned Residence (F-PRD) Districts.
4. Action on this request can be postponed and referred back to City staff for additional
information.
MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Generally, the proposal to allow a rental services office as a use in Planned Residence
Districts is consistent with the Land Use Policy Plan and other elements of zoning in Ames.
The Land Use Policy Plan describes a city made up of distinctive neighborhoods where
many of the services needed for daily living are conveniently located right in or near the
neighborhood. In this context, the idea of allowing a use in a Planned Residence District
that is directly related to the residences in that development makes sense, especially when
that development may well contain many rental units, in a town where more than half of the
total dwelling units are rental units.
2
However, it also makes sense that a rental services office should be a "Permitted
Accessory Use" rather than a "Permitted Principal Use" and that the size of this use be
limited to 5,000 square feet. The Zoning Ordinance defines an accessory use as one that
is incidental to a primary use, which seems to be the case with office uses that serve and
support the residential units in a Planned Residence District. Limiting the total area of this
use to 5,000 square feet is consistent with the Residential High Density zone and also
reinforces the incidental nature of the use, a use that does not depend on a market beyond
the development for its success. Based on the Development Principles of the Planned
Residence District, the City can require other development standards necessary to make
the rental services office and the residential uses compatible, on a case-by-case basis,
through review and approval of the Major Site Development Plan.
It is the recommendation of the City Manager that Alternative #1 be adopted. Alternative
#1 is a recommendation that the City Council approve the proposed text amendment
allowing rental services offices as a permitted use in Planned Residence (F-PRD) Districts,
with the following modifications:
a. Add "rental services offices" to Table 29.1203(4)
b. It is a Permitted Accessory Use
c. It is limited to a maximum of 5,000 square feet
This text amendment will allow this specific use of up to 5,000 square feet in any existing or
future planned residence development upon approval of a Major Site Development Plan by
the City Council. It will also allow the owner of the planned residence development on
Pinon Drive to request approval of a revised Major Site Development Plan accommodating
a rental services office at this location. The City Council would review such a request.
Attachment
3
CAFAPPROVAL
SS BK SL
JK JP
To be sent to:
Brent Haverkamp
Haverkamp Properties
614 Billy Sunday Road, Suite #100
Ames, Iowa 50010
Inspections Department - David Brown
• ATTACHMENT B
Effective Date: September 27, 2004
Text Amendment to the Zoning Ordinance
Application Form
(This form must be filled out completely before your application will be accepted.)
1. General Description of Affected Property(ies) (attach, if lengthy):
. ff�'
2. Applicant: �r��ti��
Address:
(Street) U (City) (State) (Zip)
Telephone: 5(!; -7 E _7 5 S aZ 3 2_ 1,3 Z
(Home) (Business) (Fax)
III
3. Contact Person:
Address: Sa'vy '
(Street) (City) (State) (Zip)
Telephone: C(�- u'G _ `SC 7
(Home) (Business) (Fax)
E-mail address: �� �t — I')►" --k6S . CC?VLA
I (We) certify that I(we) am (are).familiar with applicable state and local codes and ordinances,
the procedural requirements of the City of Ames, and have submitted all the required information.
Signed by:
Date: L Z 6 V S
(Applicant)
and:
1(C � Date: ..
ontact P son)
RECEIVED
AUG 2 9 2005
4
CITY OF AMES, IOWA
DEPT. OF PLANNING & HOUSING
ATTACHMENT B
Reasons for the zoning text amendment
l. Employee Vehicle Traffic Efficiency: Employees of property management
companies who choose to develop on-site rental services offices will drive less.
2. Tenant and Prospective Tenant Traffic Efficiency: Residents and prospective
tenants of these properties would have less traveling as they go about the business
of touring, applying, leasing their housing.
3. Neighborhood Surrounding Property Benefits: An amendment to allow
development of rental services offices on F-PRD rental housing properties would
support the needs of residents and staff, and it would benefit neighboring
properties and the community by reducing traffic and by making the
neighborhood pleasant and practical for walking.
4. Example: Green Hills Retirement Community, zoned F-PRD with RM density,
has a good example of how a housing community support office can compliment
its surroundings.
General description of the property (ies), zones, and/or areas that will be affected
by the zoning text amendment
Any rental housing community on F-PRD property could benefit from this amendment to
this zoning text. Existing and future F-PRD projects such as Wyndam Heights,Wessex,
North Park Villa and Westwood Village could take advantage of developing localized
rental services.
Consistency of this zoning text amendment with the Land Use Policy Plan
Goals 4 and 7 are made possible for F-PRD rental properties with this amendment.
Goal 4.A. "Daily living requirements and amenities are provided in a readily
identifiable and accessible area. Greater emphasis is placed on the pedestrian and related
activities" Allowing the development of rental services offices on these properties fits
this goal precisely. Property owners could provide "an integrated community and more
desirable environment" for the residents, staff, and neighbors of these properties.
Goal 7. "It is the goal of Ames to provide greater mobility through more efficient
use of personal automobiles and enhanced availability of an integrated system including
alternative modes of transportation." On-site rental services offices in these properties
would have a side effect: Less driving of automobiles by staff and tenants of these
properties. This would reduce traffic and provide greater mobility for other traffic.
ATTACHMENT A
Existing ordinance language for consideration
Table 29.1203(4)
Planned Residence District(F-PRD)Floating,Zone Uses
PERMITTED PRINCIPLE USE, PERYIIITED ACCESSORY USES
Single Family House Recreational facilities for the residents of the PRD.
Two-Fan»ly House Accessory•uses of the Household Living category provided for m Table 29.500 of this
Apartment Building ordinance.
Townhouse Garages
Open space uses.
Home occupations subject tothe standards of Section 29.1304 of this ordinance
Home Day Care subject to the standards of Section 29.1304.
Office and Trade rise where the property owrsier can demonstrate through a carmen
Market:Studv that the Office and Trade use can be supported by the residents of the
(Ord.N0. 3591, 10-10-00)
Proposed ordinance language for consideration
(Change highlighted in yellow)
PERMITTED PRINCIPLE USES PERMITTED ACCESSORY USES
Single Family House Recreational facilities for the residents of the PRD
Two-Family House Accessory uses of the Household Living category provided for in Table 29.500 of this
Apartment Building ordinance
Townhouse Garages
Rental Services Office Open space uses
Home occupations subject to the standards of Section 29.1304 of this ordinance
Home Day Care subject to the standards of Section 29.1304
Office and Trade use where the property owner can demonstrate through a written Market
Study that the Office and Trade use can be supported by the residents of the Planned
Residence District Project
ATTACHMENT C
Block Design 3lock lengths that exceed 660 feet in length on a block
equir is hall contain a mid-block cut through or cross wa nable
ffective pedestrian movement through the bl rom one
treet to another street on the opposite b ace.
Open Space Requireme minimum of 10%of the gross ar all be devoted to
rivate or public open space. imum of 15%of the gros
hall be devoted to ate or public open space for
ack- ck singl ly attached dwellings. Ownership
nd mainte esponsibility of the open space shall be a
omeo s iation or a similar private entity.
Landscape Buffer Requirement Gaped buffer o feet in wid�elandscaping
hall be provided in
e setback area of any lot d FS- where the lot is
djacent to any lot zoned FS- shall
dhere to the L.3 Standards as provi r in Section 29.403
f the ordinance.
Parking ements arking shall be provided to meet the requireme set forth
Section 29.406 of this ordinance.
(Ord.No. , 8-22-00; Ord.No. 3591, 10-10-00, Ord. No. 3640, 12-11-01, Ord. No. 3660, 4-23-02)
Site Development Plan Amendments. All site developmentplans approved hereunder may only beam d
uant to the same procedures for approving an F-S Plan as provided herein.
Ord. No. 3591 10-10-00
Sec.29.1203. 'IF-PRD" PLANNED RESIDENCE DISTRICT
(1) Purpose. The F-PRD is intended to provide for development of a variety of innovative housing types,
including: attached and detached dwellings,zero lot line detached housing, clustered housing development,residential
condominiums and innovative multiple family housing projects. In all instances,development that occurs in areas zoned
F-PRD shall include integrated design,open space,site amenities and landscaping that exceeds the requirements that exist
in underlying base zone development standards.
(2) Planned Residence District Development Principles. Property developed according to the requirements
of this district shall create a development pattern that is more aesthetic in design and sensitive to the natural features of
the site and to surrounding uses of land than would customarily result from the application of Base Zone requirements.
Innovation and flexibility in the design and development of the property shall create a more efficient and effective
utilization of land.Property that is zoned F-PRD shall adhere to the following development principles:
(a) Provide for innovative and imaginative approaches to residential development that would not occur as
a result of the underlying zoning regulations;
(b) Result in a more efficient, aesthetic, desirable and economic use of land and other resources while
maintaining the density of use, as provided for in the Land Use Policy Plan and the underlying base zone regulations;
(c) Promote innovative housing development that emphasizes efficient and affordable Home ownership
and rental occupancy;
(d) Provide for flexibility in the design,height and placement of buildings that are compatible with and
integrate with existing developed neighborhoods and the natural environment;
(e) Promote aesthetic building architecture, significant availability of open space, well designed and
landscaped off-street parking facilities that meet or exceeds the underlying zone development standards,more recreation
facilities than would result with conventional development,and pedestrian and vehicular linkages within and adjacent to
the property;
(0 Provide for the preservation of identified natural,geologic,historic and cultural resources, drainage
ways, floodplains, water bodies and other unique site features through the careful placement of buildings and site
improvements; and
(g) Provide for a development design that can be more efficiently served by existing and proposed
infrastructure,including:street,water,sewer, and storm water infrastructure,than would be otherwise required as a result
of conventional development.
Sup#2004-4 Chapter 29.Article 12-21 Rev. 10-1-04