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Home My WebLink AboutA001 - Council Action Form dated November 22, 2005 ITEM#: 0 1 DATE: 11/22/05 COUNCIL ACTION FORM SUBJECT: A TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE TO ALLOW A DECREASE IN PARKING REQUIREMENTS IN THE INDUSTRIAL WAREHOUSE DISTRICT BACKGROUND: Table 29.406(2) of the City of Ames Zoning Ordinance requires Industrial Warehouse land uses to provide parking at 0.5 spaces per 1,000 square feet of warehouse and one (1) parking space per every two (2) employees. In August 2005, the Ames Economic Development Commission (AEDC)conducted a study of 14 area businesses and their warehouse space, corresponding warehouse employment, and the parking provided (see attached AEDC report). The AEDC found that there is an average of one (1) employee for each 9,260 square feet of industrial warehouse space. As a result of this research, the AEDC requested that the City of Ames revise its parking requirements so that one (1) parking space is required per every 5,000 square feet of warehouse square footage. Purpose for the Request. The purpose in requesting changes to the parking requirements for industrial warehouse land uses is to provide parking requirements that are more realistic requirements for industrial warehouse uses. Research by the AEDC and staff indicates that a parking requirement of one (1) parking space per every 5,000 square feet of warehouse will be adequate for most industrial warehouses. Proposed Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment. The following is the proposed modification to the current parking requirements for Industrial Warehouse: Industrial Warehouse: 1 parking space / 5,000 sq. ft. Recommendation of the Planning & Zoning Commission. With a vote of 7-0, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of this text amendment at its meeting of November 2, 2005. ALTERNATIVES: 1. The City Council can approve the text amendment to the Zoning Ordinance to allow one (1) parking space per 5,000 square feet for industrial warehouse uses. 2. The City Council can deny the text amendment to the Zoning Ordinance to allow one (1) parking space per 5,000 square feet for industrial warehouse uses. 3. The City Council can refer the proposed text amendment to the Zoning Ordinance back to staff and/or the applicant for revisions. MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION: Given continuing advances in technology, industrial warehouses are becoming more reliant upon automated processes, thus reducing the number of employees working within the warehouses. Consequently, the current parking standard of 0.5 parking spaces per every 1,000 square-feet is an excessive requirement for these uses. Based upon the research report provided by the Ames Economic Development Commission, it was shown that for industrial warehouses in Ames, there is an average of one employee per every 9,260 square feet. This ratio is well above the recommended one (1) parking space per every 5,000 square feet of industrial warehouse. City staff also surveyed other similar communities in Central Iowa and found this requirement to be consistent with those municipalities. Therefore, 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 to the Zoning Ordinance to allow one (1) parking space per 5,000 square feet for industrial warehouse uses. Attachment 2 Ames Economic Development Commission 7-�� 11601 Golden Aspen Drive; Suite 110 Ames, IA 50010 Ph. 515,232.2310 Fax 515.232.6716 October 4, 2005 Ames Mayor and City Council City of Ames 515 Clark Avenue Ames, IA 50010 Dear Mayor and City Council: A recent expansion by Becker Underwood brought to our attention that the current parking requirements for warehouse operations could be too high. Ames requires one parking space for every 2,000 sq.ft. of warehouse space plus one parking space for every two warehouse employees. In August, the AEDC surveyed 14 businesses regarding their warehouse space and corresponding warehouse employment. This research shows an average of one employee for each 9,260 square feet of space. Staff Total Per Sq. Ft. Per Warehouse Company Sq.Ft. Shift Employee Employees Comments 3M 107,000 13 8,231 38 Split between 3 shifts Ag Leader Technology 6,000 2 3,000 2 Ames Computer Forms 12,500 2 6,250 2 6 on night, 9 on days at any Ball Corporation 575,000 9 63,889 27 given time Barilla 40,000 4 10,000 4 Becker-Underwood 60,000 6 10,000 6 includes clerical staff Clarion Technologies 55,000 7 7,857 7 Coca-Cola Bottling Co. 23,000 6 3,833 6 DSM Nutritional Products 60,000 10 6,000 10 Ford Street Development Co. 66,000 3 22,000 3 Hach Company 40,000 16 2,500 16 Most employees on 1 st shift Jacobsen Warehouse (Barilla) 188,000 32 5,875 32 Kinzler Construction Services 72,000 5 14,400 5 Sigler Companies 40,000 8 5,000 8 Sauer-Danfoss 3,000 1 3,000 1 Sauer-Danfoss Includes 30 administrative warehouse 60,000 28 2,143 57 staff at Airport Road The AEDC Board of Directors recomments that the City of Ames change4ts requirements so that one parking space is required for every 5,000 sq.ft. of warehouse space. *Sincere ERECEIVED, President 0 7 2005Ames Economic Development CommissionSC:meb AMPS, IOWA NNING & HORSING Ames, Iowa-Where Biotech Comes to Life.