HomeMy WebLinkAboutA002 - Commisssion Action form dated April 18, 2007 ITEM # 7
DATE 04/18/07
COMMISSION ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF BUILDINGS IN
THE COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL/RESIDENTIAL NODE (CCR) ZONE
BACKGROUND:
Referral by the City Council. On February 20, 2007, the City Council referred to staff
a letter from Gary L. Reed, P.E., Civil Design Advantage, requesting a revision to the
City of Ames zone development standards associated with the Community
Commercial/Residential Node (CCR) Zone.
Request by the Applicant. The applicant is requesting that the maximum permitted
height of buildings in the CCR zone be changed from 35 feet to 45 feet. The request
includes a suggestion that the proposed maximum permitted building height of 45 feet
require that the roof pitch of the main roof be a minimum of 6/12. The applicant
believes the revision to the maximum permitted height of buildings in the CCR zone will
promote efficient, vertical development in an area that could support a hotel or motel
complex.
Submittal of a Minor Site Development Plan. The developer for Hilton Garden Inn
has submitted a Minor Site Development Plan for an undeveloped parcel of land in the
existing CCR zoning district, located at 4610 Mortensen Road. The proposed Inn is to
be located adjacent to the west side of the cul-de-sac on Dickinson Avenue, just to the
north of U.S. Highway 30. The proposed Inn has a sloped roof with a building height of
40'-8", as measured between the surrounding ground and the mid-point between the
eaves and the ridge. This proposed building height exceeds the maximum permitted
building height of 35 feet in the CCR zoning district.
Consideration of the Minor Site Development Plan for the Hilton Garden Inn at 4610
Mortensen Road has been placed on hold by the applicant, pending a decision by the
City Council on the request to increase the maximum permitted building height to 45
feet.
Community Commercial/Residential Node (CCR) Zone. The Community
Commercial/Residential Node (CCR) Zone is intended to provide a shopping and
services area where there is a shared attraction involving one trip to two or more
destinations within a node, as well as residential uses. Each Community Commercial
Residential Node is characterized by a cluster of mixed commercial uses typically found
in business districts. Uses within the nodes are more limited than those permitted in the
Highway-Oriented Commercial (HOC) Zone. Residential uses are permitted only in
combination with a commercial building and only above the first floor, which shall be
devoted to commercial space.
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Definition of Building "Height". Section 29.201(83) of the Municipal Code defines
"Height" as follows:
29.201(83) Height means the vertical distance of a structure measured from
the average elevation of the finished grade lying fifteen feet from the
structure to: the highest point of the roof or parapet, for flat roofs; or, the
mid-point between the eaves and the ridge, for sloped roofs.
Land Presently Zoned as CCR. Land zoned as CCR is shown on Attachment A.
Presently there are two locations with land zoned as CCR. One location is between
Mortensen Road and U.S. Highway 30 (west of Dickinson Avenue and south of Poe
Avenue). A second location is directly across the street at the northwest corner of the
intersection of Mortensen Road and Dickinson Avenue. This includes a total of
approximately 24.16 acres of land divided between three parcels. Two of the three
parcels of land zoned as CCR are developed, as shown in the following table.
Land Zoned as Community Commercial/Residential Node CCR
Address Size Land Use
4610 Mortensen 5.22 Acres Vacant
4611 Mortensen 4.47 Acres 1st Floor Commercial
2nd & 3`d Floor Residential
56 Residential Units
4720 Mortensen 14.47 Acres 1st Floor Commercial
2nd & 3`d Floor Residential
640 Res. Units Approved
560 Res. Units Built
Total 24.16 Acres 696 Units Approved
for Construction
Height of Existing Buildings in the CCR Zone. The height of buildings constructed
on land in the CCR Zoning District is described in the following table.
Height of Existing Buildings in the CCR Zone
Address Building Height to Top of Parapet
4611 Mortensen 41'-3 3/ " 3 stories w/flat roof)*
4720 Mortensen 34'-8" 3 stories w/flat roof
* This exceeds the maximum allowed building height (35 feet) by a total of 6 feet —
3 3/ inches. The building height is non-conforming.
Roof Style of Existing Buildings in the CCR District. To date, there have been eight
buildings constructed in the CCR zoning district, located along Mortensen Road. All of
these buildings were constructed with a "flat" roof.
If a minimum roof pitch of 6/12 is required for all buildings in the CCR zone, all eight of
the existing buildings would become non-conforming, since they have flat roofs.
To avoid making all of the existing "flat roof" buildings into nonconforming structures, it
is possible to write the regulations such that buildings with flat roofs would continue to
be allowed at a maximum height of 35 feet, and buildings with sloped roofs could be
2
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constructed at a maximum height of 45 feet, provided the roof has a minimum pitch of
6/12.
Maximum Permitted Height of Buildings in Surrounding Zones. Surrounding zoning
districts (See Attachment A) and the maximum height of buildings allowed in each
district is described in the following table.
Maximum Permitted Height of Buildings in Surrounding Zoning Districts
Zoning District Maximum Permitted Building Height
Community Commercial Node (CC N 35 feet
Residential High Density RH 100 feet, or 9 stories, whichever is lower
Residential Low Density RL 40 feet, or 3 stories, whichever is lower
Zone Development Standards. The zone development standards for the CCR Zone
are set forth in Table 29.806(3) below. Please note that the proposed "Maximum
Height" for buildings (45 feet) is shown in bold. The existing "Maximum Height" for
buildings is 35 feet.
Table 29.806(3)
Community Commercial/Residential Node (CCR) Zone Development Standards
DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS CCR ZONE
Maximum FAR .75
Minimum Lot Area, Single Building 25,000 sf
Minimum Lot Area, Center 100,000 sf
Maximum Building Area, Single Building 150,000 sf
Maximum Building Area, Center 800,000 sf
Minimum Lot Frontage 60 ft.
Minimum Building Setbacks:
Front Lot Line 0
Side Lot Line 0
Rear Lot Line 0
Lot Line Abutting a Residentially Zoned Area 10 ft. side
10 ft. rear
Landscaping in Setbacks Abutting a 5 ft. @ L3 See Sec 29.403
Residentiall Zoned Lot
Maximum Building Covera e 65%
Minimum Landscaped Area 15%
Maximum Height 35 ft., or 45 ft. with a minimum roof pitch of
6/12
Parking Allowed Between Buildings and Yes
Streets
Drive-Through Facilities Permitted Yes
Outdoor Display Permitted Plants and produce only.
See Sec. 29.405
Outdoor Stora e Permitted No
Trucks and Equipment Permitted Yes
3
Y
ALTERNATIVES:
1. The Planning and Zoning Commission can recommend approval of the proposed
amendment to Table 29.806(3) of the Municipal Code to change the development
standards for the height of buildings in the Community Commercial/Residential Node
(CCR) Zone to both retain the current 35-foot limit and-to allow a maximum height of
45 feet for buildings with sloped roofs and a minimum roof pitch of 6/12.
2. The Planning and Zoning Commission can recommend that the City Council not
approve the proposed amendment to Table 29.806(3) of the Municipal Code to
change the development standards for the height of buildings in the Community
Commercial/Residential Node (CCR) Zone to both retain the current 35-foot limit and
to allow a maximum height of 45 feet for buildings with sloped roofs and a minimum
roof pitch of 6/12.
3. The Planning and Zoning Commission can refer this proposed text amendment back
to staff for further information.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Approval of this text amendment, to permit a building height of 45 feet in the CCR
zoning district, is appropriate to allow the construction of three-story buildings with
sloped roofs, while continuing to allow buildings with flat roofs at a maximum height of
35 feet.
Therefore, it is the recommendation of the Department of Planning and Housing that the
Planning and Zoning Commission approve Alternative No. 1. This is a recommendation
for approval of the proposed amendment to Table 29.806(3) of the Municipal Code to
change the development standards for the height of buildings in the Community
Commercial/Residential Node (CCR) Zone to both retain the current 35-foot limit and to
allow a maximum height of 45 feet for buildings with sloped roofs and a minimum roof
pitch of 6/12.
S:\Council Boards Commissions\Pz\Commission Action Forms\Text Amendments\CCR Building Height Text Amendment- 04-19-
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. �tssw CIVIL DESIGN ADVANTAGE L.L.C. ENGINEERS & SURVEYORS
February 1, 2007 e
Honorable Mayor and City Council FEB — 8 2007
City of Ames
515 Clark Avenue CITY CLERK
Ames, Iowa 50014 CITY of AMES, IOWA
RE: Request for Revision to Zone Development Standards
Community Commercial/Residential Node (CCR)
Honorable Mayor and City Council;
Please accept this letter as a formal request for revisions to the City of Ames Zone
Development Standards associated with the Community Commercial/Residential Node
(CCR). Specifically, we are requesting revision to the CCR Zone Development
Standards related to building height.
Currently, Section 29.806 "CCR" Community Commercial/Residential Node restricts
maximum building height to 35 feet per Table 28.806(3) within the Ames Zoning
Ordinance (see attached). We are requesting the maximum height development
standard be revised to 45' if the development can show application of residential
elements to their structure. This could be achieved by allowing the 45' height if the
pitch on the main roof was at a ratio of 12 horizontal to 6 vertical, or steeper.
We believe the revision to the CCR development standards related to maximum
building height will promote efficient, vertical development in an area that could
support a hotel or motel complex. We have been approached by users that are
interested in locating close to the major US Highway 30/South Dakota Avenue
interchange. The current height restriction does not allow a vertical hotel complex to
locate in this area.
We have gathered signatures of the major property owners within the area to reflect
support for this request.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
CIVIL DESIGN ADV T E, LLC
Gary L. d, P.E.
Project Manager
5501 r,IW 112TH STREET,SUITE G GRIMES,IOWA SUM P 515+369+4400 F 515+369+4410 WWW.CIVILDESIGNADVANTAGE.COM
We support the request for revision to the maximum height within the CCR Zoning
District. Specifically, we support the request to maintain the 35' building height
restriction but allow a 45' height if the pitch of the main roof was at 12 horizontal to 6
vertical or steeper.
r Phinn, LC For Jensen Develo ent Corp.
Aoclv
For mes Co unity Bank For Ames Pet Hospital
Brian Kinneer Brent Haver amp
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cc: Matt Eller, Eller Developments
Megan Tjernagel, Eller Developments