The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutA003 - Commission Action Form dated June 21, 2006 1 t ITEM # DATE 06/21/06 COMMISSION ACTION FORM SUBJECT: AN AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH THE SOUTHWEST GATEWAY OVERLAY DISTRICT (O-GSW) BACKGROUND: The City's Land Use Policy Plan ("Community Entry Options," page 109, December 20, 2005 edition) and Section 29.1104, "O-G" (Gateway Overlay) of the City's Zoning Ordinance provide for enhancing the entries to Ames. This ordinance and the LUPP identify the area of the South Dakota and U.S. Highway 30 interchange as one of these entries to Ames. Section 29.1104 (4) calls for the creation of ordinances with standards for each specific gateway. The Commission is now being asked to consider such standards to become an ordinance for the southwest Ames gateway (See Attachment A). At its meeting of April 19, 2006, the Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed the draft standards and the public input received. By a vote of 6-0, the Commission recommended to the City Council the following changes to the draft Southwest Gateway Overlay standards and/or proposed zoning district area. a. Take advantage of the opportunity presented by the areas adjacent to the common retention pond as a central pedestrian amenity for the area. b. Encourage and offer incentives for collaborative planning among multiple properties and property owners to share and reduce parking. c. Encourage and offer incentives for collaborative planning among multiple properties and property owners to provide significant green space within the development. d. Provide for as much planting of large overstory trees as possible. On May 23, 2006 the City Council approved the draft standards with the following changes: 1. For multiple parcels developing a common site plan within this overlay district, a shared parking standard that is 85% of the sum of required parking for each use, but not less than largest amount required for any of the uses computed separately. 2. Where the shared parking standard is applied, the minimum required landscaped area comprises 20% of the site area. 3. A requirement for one Landscape Tree for every 60 feet of street frontage in addition to all other landscaping required under Article 4 Development Standards. 1 The attached draft standards include these revisions, under #5, #6-a and # 6-f. As there has been no expression of interest from any of the current land owners or developers in the area, the City Council declined at this time to establish any tax abatement or other incentive programs specifically for the Southwest Gateway area. ALTERNATIVES: 1. The Planning and Zoning Commission can recommend to the City Council approval of the proposed Southwest Gateway Overlay District (O-GSW) ordinance. 2. The Planning and Zoning Commission can recommend to the City Council denial of the proposed Southwest Gateway Overlay District (O-GSW) ordinance. 3. The Planning and Zoning Commission can recommend to the City Council approval of the proposed Southwest Gateway Overlay District (O-GSW) ordinance with modifications. 4. Action on this proposal can be postponed and referred back to City staff for additional information. RECOMMENDED ACTION: In the area to which this proposed zoning district is applied, its provisions would provide guidance for future development to be consistent with the City's land use policies for the community's entryways. Therefore, City staff recommends that the Planning and Zoning Commission adopt Alternative No. 1, thereby recommending to the City Council approval of the proposed Southwest Gateway Overlay District (O-GSW) ordinance. S:\Council Boards Commissions\Pz\Commission Action Forms\Text Amendments\O-GSW Ordinance-06-21-06.doc 2 Attachment A DRAFT June 8. 2006 Sec. 29.1112 "O-GSW" SOUTHWEST GATEWAY OVERLAY DISTRICT (1) Purpose. The purpose of the Southwest Gateway Overlay District is to provide a distinctive entry to Ames and to major destinations in this area. Its provisions are intended to enhance arrival, direct traffic, accentuate access to and identify the community commercial areas at the South Dakota interchange with U.S. Highway 30 and the western residential areas of the community. The following provisions are intended to provide for land uses and site and building design characteristics that enhance the appearance of this relatively small but highly visible entry area. (2) Applicability.The O-GSW District shall be designated by ordinance amending the official zoning map (3) Permitted Uses.The underlying,base zoning establishes permitted uses. However,the following uses are prohibited in the O-GSW District. Recreation vehicle parks Commercial parking Adult entertainment facilities Recreation vehicle and boat sales Cemeteries Stables Recycling centers Passenger terminals Detention facilities Agricultural, industrial or construction machinery sales Radio &TV broadcast facilities Sales of manufactured housing Vehicle storage facilities 4) Pedestrian and Vehicular Circulation. a) The internal vehicular and pedestrian circulation within a development involving multiple buildings or lots must interconnect in an obvious and direct manner. 5) Collective Parking.The required total off-street parking spaces for two or more parcels or separate primary structures developing under a common site plan collectively providing parking spaces shall equal a minimum of eighty-five (85)percent of the sum of required off-street parking spaces for each use,but not less than largest amount required for any of the uses computed separately. 6) Landscaping. a) Where the Collective Parking standard as defined in Section 29.1112(5)is applied, provide 20%of the site area as Minimum Landscaped Area. b) Integrate storm water management systems into the site in ways that enhance the public space and sustain landscape plantings native to the area. c) Use native tree and shrub species,or their cultivars, for the majority of trees and shrubs planted on the site. d) Achieve unity of design by repeating plant variety groupings and other materials, and by coordination with landscaping on adjacent properties where appropriate (including right- of-way streetscape designs). e) Design parking areas with a combination of landscape plantings, screening, and buffers to avoid the visual appearance of vast expanses of hard-surface paving, to avoid narrow 3 Attachment A DRAFT June 8, 2006 strips of grass and/or plantings and to provide larger landscape areas in strategic locations rather than smaller landscape areas scattered throughout. f) Provide one deciduous (overstory) of 1-1/2-inch caliper in size,measured four(4) feet above the ground, for every 60 feet of street frontage, in addition to all other landscaping required under Article 4 Development Standards. g) Fencing shall be integral and consistent with the overall design of the building and the landscape and also shall include materials of the same type, quality and color as the principal materials of the building or landscape. h) Chain link fences and fences containing barbed wire, electric charges or sharp materials are prohibited. 7) Mechanical Equipment. a) Comply with the standards of this section for all i) cooling or heating equipment, ii) pumps iii) generators iv) communications equipment v) private utility cabinets vi) meters vii)other such mechanical equipment b) Locate and screen such mechanical equipment so it is not visible from adjoining properties or public streets or sidewalks and to minimize acoustic impacts of this equipment in these areas. c) Screening shall be integral and consistent with the overall design of the building and the landscape. At a minimum, screening materials shall meet the L3 or F2 standards set forth in Section 29.403 and i) shall include materials of the same type, quality and color as the principal materials of the building or landscape, and ii) at the time of installation, shall be at least six inches higher than the height of the mechanical equipment. 8) Service Areas. a) Comply with the standards of this section for all i) loading berths, area or docks ii) areas and equipment for trash collection or compaction iii) truck parking iv) other service areas and equipment b) Cluster the locations of such service areas and equipment. c) Locate and screen such service areas and equipment to minimize visibility from adjoining properties or public streets or sidewalks and to minimize acoustic impacts of the activities in these areas. d) Screening shall be integral and consistent with the overall design of the building and the landscape. At a minimum, screening materials shall meet the L3 or F2 standards set forth in Section 29.403.and shall include materials of the same type, quality and color as the principal materials of the building or landscape. 9) Drive-through facilities. a) Locate drive-through windows,menu boards,mechanical equipment, and associated stacking lanes to minimize impacts on adjacent properties for which zoning permits residential use. 4 Attachment A DRAFT June 8, 2006 b) Integrated such site features with the building design and screened from off-site property with screening materials that meet at least the L2 standard. 10) Building Type.These standards are intended to promote building design characteristics that enhance the appearance of this relatively small but highly visible entry area.They are not intended to establish specific architectural styles or building designs,but it is intended that each building have a unified design character using architectural grade products and materials. a) No pre-engineered buildings are permitted that are the vertical ribbed, shallow roofed, all-metal buildings typically found in agricultural or industrial applications similar to the hangar buildings located at the Ames Municipal Airport or to the building at 925 Airport Road. However,the regulations are intended to allow exterior metal material as one exterior of the materials in designs similar to buildings located at 2321 North Loop Dr. and 2711 and 2901 South Loop Drive. b) To provide architectural interest and variety, incorporate in the architectural design of all buildings variations in i) building height ii) building mass iii) roof forms and rooflines iv) wall planes v) building facades vi) color vii)materials viii) texture c) Use consistent architectural detail and character on all sides of the buildings,which are visible from adjoining properties and/or public streets. 11. Building Materials. a) Masonry materials comprised of brick,natural stone or reconstructed stone, shall be used as architectural features or accents on all building elevations that are visible to the general public. b) Prohibited materials are: i) smooth-faced concrete block ii) painted masonry iii) painted wood. 12. Roofs. a) No ribbed or corrugated sheet metal or fiberglass panel products shall be permitted as a roofing material on any pitched roof. b) Pitched roof shall have a minimum pitch of 4:12. c) Flat roofs are permitted,but only if concealed by parapets, sloped roof forms or other architecturally integrated features and also variation in height of these roof elements. d) Employ roof forms that correspond to and bring attention to elements and functions such as entrances, arcades,porches,building corners and/or focal points. 13. Windows and doors. a) Incorporate a combination of arcades,pedestrian-level display windows,multiple fenestrations, storefronts, and store entrances into building frontages and sides of buildings oriented to any street or highway. b) The primary pedestrian entry of the building shall face or be no more than 90 degrees from facing a street and shall be identified,defined and reinforced by significant architectural elements of mass, such as building recesses, canopies or porticos supported 5 Attachment A DRAFT June 8,2006 by columns or protrusions in the front facade, or if the entrance faces the street, significant variations in the roof or parapet. 14. Signs and lighting. a) Billboards are prohibited. b) Any ground-mounted signs shall be monument style not exceeding twelve(12)feet in height,with the exception that a maximum of two pylon signs,not exceeding a height of thirty-five (35) feet, shall be permitted c) Building-mounted lighting may be used only to highlight specific architectural features or primary customer or building entrances. General floodlighting of building facades is not permitted. d) All outdoor lighting fixtures shall be fully shielded. e) All outdoor lighting fixtures shall be placed so as to minimize light trespass and glare beyond the property boundary. f) Light levels shall be limited to one hundred fifty thousand(150,000)lumens per gross acre,with the exception that pedestrian circulation areas and building entrances may be illuminated to twenty(20)foot candles measured at ground level. 15. Design Review Process. City staff shall conduct pre-design conferences as requested by any applicant to clarify the provisions of this ordinance.Applicants are encouraged to request such conferences. 6