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TO: Diane Voss, City Clerk
FROM: Cindy Hollar, Secretary
DATE: November 24, 2010
SUBJECT: Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment Related to Parking Area and Perimeter Landscaping
Requirements
The Planning and Zoning Commission will review the proposed amendments at its meeting scheduled
for December 1, 2010.
The City Council will be reviewing the proposed amendments at its meeting scheduled for December
14, 2010. You have indicated that you need to send a public hearing notice to the newspaper on
November 30, for publishing on December 3, for the City Council meeting of December 14.
I have attached a copy of the Commission Action Form dated December 1, 2010, as prepared by Steve
Osguthorpe.
Please contact Steve at extension 5400 if you have any questions regarding this agenda item.
\clh
Attachment
cc: Steve Osguthorpe, Director
SAPLAN_SHR\Council Boards Commissions\PZ\Memos\2010\MemotoClerkRegardingTextAmendmentsforParkingandPerimeterLandscaping-11-24-
10.doc
ITEM # 6
DATE 12/01/10
COMMISSION ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: ZONING ORDINANCE TEXT AMENDMENTS RELATED TO PARKING
AREA AND PERIMETER LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS
BACKGROUND:
During recent reviews of two separate applications for minor subdivisions creating two-
lot splits, we encountered a situation common to both proposals that will prove to be
problematic for these current customers, and which has also proven problematic in past
applications. It pertains to proposed divisions of property down the center of existing
paved areas. Currently, the code requires landscaping along the perimeter of parking
lots and along some defined lot lines. The issue is that when someone proposes to
divide land across an existing parking lot, such division creates a landscaping
nonconformity because there would not be the required perimeter landscaping along the
new property line. Currently, the only way to address this is to either remove pavement
to facilitate required landscaping, or to divide ownership of the property through a
horizontal property regime.
To address this problem, staff is proposing text amendments that would basically
exempt new lot lines across existing parking lots from the perimeter landscaping
requirements, while making it clear that landscaping requirements only apply to the site
being divided or developed. These amendments would not result in any changes to
properties that would alter the existing physical and visual features of the site; it
addresses only the legal boundaries of the site. Additionally, it should not create any
health/safety concerns because it does not pertain to above-ground structures that must
otherwise meet setback requirements for fire code and other practical considerations.
The only essential consideration when dividing a lot across an existing parking lot is to
ensure that the divided parking lot functions independently on both new lots, or that
adequate cross-access easements are in place to facilitate existing circulation patterns.
Staff has not requested Council referral of this item, but believes it is essential to move
this forward immediately to address not only current applications, but to also ensure that
the difficulties encountered over this issue do not adversely affect our future customers.
Staff also believes this is in line with the Council's goals to streamline development
processes and to remove unnecessary impediments to development in the City of
Ames.
The following amendments are therefore proposed (underlined text is proposed new
text):
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Table 29.403(4)
Minimum On-site Parking Area Setbacks and Perimeter Landscaping
Lot line abutting street 5 ft. @ L2 or 10 ft. @ L1
Lot line abutting a Residentially-Zone Lot 5 ft. 1_3, except 10 ft. @ L4 in GI
Lot line abutting a Commercially or 5 ft. @ L2 or 10 ft. @ L1
Industrial-Zone Lot
Perimeter landscaping for Grocery Stores See Section 29.403(4)(h) for additional
and Retail and Shopping centers in CVCN landscaping requirements.
and CGS Zones
Perimeter landscaping along new lot lines None required at the time of subdivision
created through existing paved areas However, any expansions alterations or
replacements of the existing paved areas
must comply with all provisions of this
section.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. The Planning and Zoning Commission can recommend that the City Council
approve the text amendments as proposed above.
2. The Planning and Zoning Commission can recommend that the City Council
approve the text amendments as proposed, with modifications.
3. The Planning and Zoning Commission can recommend that the City Council not
approve the proposed text amendments.
4. The Planning and Zoning Commission can refer this issue to staff for further
information.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
The proposed amendments provide relief to a current impediment to subdivisions
across existing paved areas without any changes to the existing physical landscape.
Staff believes this type of amendment is in line with the Council's goal to eliminate
unnecessary impediments to development. The amendments also affirm the long-
standing practice to provide landscaping on the subject site of development, and make
it clear that changes pertaining to expansions or enlargements only apply to the site
being altered. Staff therefore recommends that the Commission act in accordance with
Alternative #1, which is to recommend to the City Council approval of the proposed
amendments.
S:\PLAN SHR\Council Boards Commissions\PZ\Commission Action Forms\Text Amendments\Perimeter Landscaping for Parking
Lots-12-01-10.doc
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