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Home My WebLink AboutA001 - Commission Action Form dated June 21, 2006 CAF ITEM # DATE 0 21106 COMMISSION ACTION FORM SUBJECT: AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE TO CHANGE THE BUILDING HEIGHT IN THE EAST UNIVERSITY IMPACTED AREA BACKGROUND: On March 7, 2006, City Council adopted Ordinances No. 3872 and 3874, creating the East University Impacted Overlay zoning district, with a maximum building height of 60 feet for properties adjacent to Lincoln Way or Beach and a maximum building height of 45 feet in the rest of the zoning district (see Attachment A). These actions followed a sub-area planning process for the area around the south and west sides of the Iowa State University campus, which had an objective of ensuring that new development is compatible with the important existing characteristics of the area. At the conclusion of this process, however, the City Council still had concerns regarding building heights within the eastern portion of the area. The Council directed staff to initiate a zoning text amendment to reduce the maximum building height in this area from 60 feet to 45 feet. The following amendment to paragraph 3(b) of Sec. 29.1110 "O-UIE" EAST UNIVERSITY IMPACTED DISTRICT would accomplish that change: (b) Maximum Building Height. Maximum building height shall not exceed forty- five (45) feet Case for maximum building height to be 45 feet. The East University Impacted District has a striking identity and sense of place that is quite distinctive from other places in Ames—it is unique. The street alignment, landscaping, building form, and architectural features all contribute to its identity. The 45-foot maximum building height is based on analysis of the building heights of existing buildings in this area. As building height is measured under the Zoning Ordinance, most are well under 45 feet. The few that exceed it are not private residential buildings, with one exception: A new residential building along the Beach Avenue edge. While some of the university-affiliated buildings to the east and north may be taller than 45 feet, those buildings are set further back from the street and have more space around them than the buildings within the East University Impacted District. New buildings more than 45 feet tall, especially along the very visible district edge and entry into west Ames, will not be compatible with this unique neighborhood. Case for maximum building height to be 60 feet. The planning and resulting design standards for the entire University Impacted Area give much attention to transitions between it and the surrounding neighborhoods. For example, extra screening is required for parking adjacent to low density neighborhoods and the East University Impacted District extends west along Knapp Street as a transition between the West University Impacted District and the low density neighborhood to the south. The portion of the East University Impacted District along Lincoln Way and Beach Avenue could be seen as a transition area between it, Iowa State University to the north, and the Iowa State Center to the east. The building heights on this university land are much greater than within the East University Impacted District. Although there is more space among the buildings and between buildings and the streets, some buildings are also much taller than the 60 feet of the current regulations. This adjacent space also makes a 60-foot maximum height fit better along the edge than would be the case in the center of the District. A 60-foot allowable height along this transition area will make new development compatible with the existing neighborhood and the adjacent areas. ALTERNATIVES: 1. The Planning and Zoning Commission can recommend that the City Council approve the text amendment to reduce the maximum building height in the East University Impacted Overlay District to 45 feet. 2. The Planning and Zoning Commission can recommend that the City Council not approve the text amendment to reduce the maximum building height in the East University Impacted Overlay District to 45 feet. 3. The Planning and Zoning Commission can recommend that the City Council approve a text amendment to reduce the maximum building height in the East University Impacted Overlay District to some other maximum height. 4. The Planning and Zoning Commission can return the text amendment to staff for further information. RECOMMENDED ACTION: The primary challenge of planning for the University Impacted Area from the beginning has been to answer the question, "Compatible with what?" Although the City's policy is to make new development compatible, defining compatibility is really a question of what the community values. Arguments can be made that new development along the edge of the East University Impacted Area should focus on being more compatible with either the existing characteristics of this neighborhood of Greek system residences, or with the adjacent, taller Iowa State University and Iowa State Center structures. After considering both sides of this issue, it is recommended by the staff of the Department of Planning and Housing that the Commission adopt Alternative No. 1, recommending that the City Council approve the text amendment to reduce the maximum building height in the East University Impacted Overlay District to 45 feet. S:\Council Boards Comm issions\PZ\Commission Action Forms\Text Amendments\O-UIE Text amendment - 06-21-06.doc 2 A- Attachment A 0 NEW ZONING DISTRICTS for the d W Z ` UNIVERSITY IMPACTED AREA a : III J ISU CampusUNION DR Affected Area o.._.___STORY_=- � ? / R16M?R 60h� CT t9 ' I 9 �Mr y BOR...87... x r- -T-P.P.,0 Legend Base Zones Campustovm Service Center-'CSC' ` �} --BIIKER.BI.—a N Overlay Zones Uj > x .uT ®East University lmpacted District-'O-UIE` i ®West University Impacted District-'C-UI\ f /ham '' ! / w-Q A•E Existing underlying base zones not shown. Prepared by Ames De artnrent of Planning and Housing.June B.2005 3