HomeMy WebLinkAboutA002 - Council Action Form dated December 9, 2014 ITEM # 12
DATE 12-09-14
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: TEXT AMENDMENT TO ALLOW FRONT YARD PARKING IN
RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS FOR GROUP LIVING USES
BACKGROUND:
The developer of the Northridge Village at 3300 George Washington Carver is a
residential development with a continuum of skilled care, assisted living, and
independent senior living uses. The developer requested that City Council authorize an
application for a text amendment to allow for parking in front of their main building
entrance where parking is prohibited in front yards of residential buildings. The Ames
City Council referred their request on August 12, 2014 to consider a text amendment for
front yard parking.
The Ames Zoning Ordinance prohibits parking and creating parking spaces in the
front yards of residential uses and buildings (e.g. single-family homes,
apartments, duplexes) in specified residential districts. See current zoning
regulations of Chapter 29 Article 4 in Attachment 1. Within the residential zoning
districts there is some variability of parking requirements related to non-residential uses,
such as for churches and schools, which are not covered by that prohibition. But the
developer's uses of skilled care facilities (nursing homes), assisted living, and senior
living are classified as Group Living residential uses subject to the restriction on front
yard parking.
The developer's project has been approved by the Zoning Board of Adjustment
and is currently under construction. The project was approved with a drop-off
looped driveway to the main entrance, but without any long term parking spaces.
Northridge Village now seeks the inclusion of front entrance visitor parking
spaces to accommodate friends, caregivers, and family of residents. Currently
visitor parking is situated near side entrances to the building.
Proposed Amendments
The City has grappled with the issues of front yard parking standards a number
of times over the past ten years. The changes have been to clarify the restrictions
and ensure residential parking is not located between the fronts of buildings except on
driveways. These requirements are based on a combination of need for enforcement
against illegal parking and aesthetic concerns of parking areas near a street, especially
since many intense residential uses can be found adjacent to single-family homes. Even
single-family homes are subject to the restriction about having parking spaces in the
area between the street and the house, expect upon a driveway. While some non-
conforming parking can be found, it mostly predates the current Zoning Ordinance of
October, 2000. Front yard parking language was most recently amended in 2008 to
create the current standards and diagram within the Zoning Ordinance.
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Staff has crafted an amendment that will accommodate some degree of front yard
parking for certain residential uses. Group Living is a category of residential uses
that include assisted living and skilled care facilities as well as boarding houses,
dormitories, fraternities, and sororities. It would not apply to Household Living
uses such as apartments, single-family homes, etc. See Attachment 2 for
information on Residential Use types from the Zoning Ordinance.
The current ordinance specifically describes where the front yard is located for
residential uses and buildings. See the diagram in Attachment 1. In that diagram, the
front yard is shown as the area between the street and any facade, whether primary,
recessed, or secondary. See Attachment 3 for the definitions from the Zoning Ordinance
of these facades.
The proposed amendment would require parking to be behind the primary fagade
only. For a structure that has an "ell" or "wing" extending toward the street creating a
primary facade, parking in the front yard can be accommodated as long as it is behind
the forward-most portion of the building and meets the required setback. The proposed
amendment retains the prohibition for corner lots. This is due to the highly visible nature
of corner lots.
The proposed amendment also imposes a greater setback of 50 feet for this front
yard parking. To be compatible with the aesthetic interest of limiting parking in front of
buildings, staff recommends adding a large setback in combination with being behind
the primary facade. This setback would be a minimum of 50 feet, rather than the typical
minimum of 25 feet for a building. All such parking areas are also subject to the
landscaping requirements of Section 29.403.
The proposed amendment inserts a new paragraph (c) and relabels the existing
corresponding sections:
(c) For Group Living uses in any "RL", "P.M", "M", "UCRM, FS-RL", or "FS-RM"
zone, no parking shall be permitted between the primary facade and the street on an
interior lot. In addition, any parking between a recessed fagade and the street shall require
a setback of 50 feet. Parking is permitted in the side or rear yard. On a corner lot, no
parking is allowed between the street and any secondary facade.
The next paragraph in the existing ordinance is amended to refer to Household Living
and Short-term Lodging only and maintains the language for the current standards.
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While not a part of the ordinance, the following diagram indicates where parking would
continue to be prohibited for Group Living and where it would be allowed.
Parking Allowed
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STREET RIGHT OF WAY ParkinzProhibited
City staff considered other alternatives, but discounted them as being impractical or
creating a broader range of instances when front yard parking is allowed. These
include:
• Allowing front yard parking for Group Living without any other standard for
setback. This is problematic as it would apply to the great number of Greek
facilities, which largely are adjacent to residential uses, and change
neighborhood character.
• Allowing for front yard parking areas only if approved through a Special Use
Permit. Group Living uses do not require a Special Use Permit in all residential
zoning districts. To do this would require that they become special use permits in
all zones.
• Allowing for a limited number of "visitor" parking at a main entrance. This
alternative was not considered practical from an enforcement aspect.
• Eliminating the restriction of front yard parking between building and street would
have a substantial impact on community character.
Planning and Zoning Commission Recommendation. The Planning and Zoning
Commission met on November 4th and recommended approval (5-0) of the proposed
text amendment. The commissioners wondered how this would affect parking for Greek
houses and dormitories (both Group Living uses) but, following the explanation from
staff, felt assured that existing Greek houses would not be able to use this provision.
Staff explained that in the University Impact Areas lot configurations and zoning
standards for facades make use of the new front yard provision unlikely.
The applicant, Gib Wood of Scenic Development, stated the need for front yard parking
is due to the limited mobility of some of the visitors, the interior location of the main
reception area, and the central access to the three wings of the building from the main
front entrance. In their design, the parking would be behind the primary fagade and
blend into the site.
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ALTERNATIVES:
1. The City Council can approve on first reading the ordinance to amend Section
29.406 (7) of the Ames Municipal Code with an allowance for front yard parking for
Group Living based on the proposed language above.
2. The City Council can decline the first reading of the ordinance for the proposed
amendment.
3. The City Council can refer the proposed amendments back to staff for specific
further information or for further options.
MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Front yard parking is an important issue for community character and convenience.
Parking demand is high for residential uses in general with nearly every household
having at least one vehicle and, often, several. Multi-family properties, in particular,
often have a vehicle for every resident. Maintaining a pleasant streetscape in residential
neighborhoods has been an important goal of this section of the Zoning Ordinance. The
Zoning Ordinance language matches that of the City's parking restrictions in Chapter 18
to allow for uniform enforcement.
However, some uses, although classified as residential, can be considered almost
institutional in their function—having a larger degree of temporary visitors. In the case of
skilled care and assisted living, visitors can include family, friends, care-givers, visiting
physicians and other health care providers, and social workers. For these uses, having
convenient parking near the front entrance or front lobby may be an important
consideration for the siting of these types of projects.
Staff has crafted an amendment that allows for such front yard parking in limited
circumstances. Allowing parking behind a primary fagade still emphasizes development
of the lot with the building as the primary focus rather than a parking lot. The 50-foot
setback requires a parcel large enough to accommodate that setback in addition to the
principle structure. In relation to Greek homes that are classified as Group Living, it
would be unlikely that the change would promote front yard parking for those existing
properties due to the limited size of the existing sites. The proposed language will
address the applicant's particular site as the building has "wings" on the ends extending
towards the street and the area between the inner recessed fagade and the street is
setback more than 50 feet from the roadway.
Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council act
in accordance with Alternative #1, which is to amend Section 29.406 (7) of the
Ames Municipal Code to include an allowance for front yard parking based on the
above proposed language.
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ATTACHMENT 1: EXISTING SECTION 29.406 (7) [EXCERPT]
(c)Under no circumstances shall vehicular parking be permitted in the front yard of any residential
building in any "RL", "RM", "W', "UCRM", "FS-RL", or"FS-RM" zones, except upon a driveway that
leads to the side or rear yard or to an attached garage;and, one parking space is permitted in the front yard
in the case where there is an existing, one car attached garage and there is insufficient room between the
side of the attached garage and the side property line. Such space shall meet the following requirements:
i)The parking space shall not exceed nine(9)feet in width;
ii)The parking space shall be contiguous to and parallel to the existing driveway; and,
iii)The parking space shall be located between the existing driveway and the side property line.
There shall be no installation at grade of any expanse of asphalt, concrete, gravel,brick, or other form of
paving by any material whatsoever without the written authorization of the Zoning Enforcement Officer.
Such authorization shall be granted only if under the facts and circumstances of the particular situation it
is unlikely that the paving will facilitate the use of the front yard, or any part thereof, for the parking of
vehicles, except on a driveway as stated.
(e)As used in this section, front yard means the open space in that portion of a yard between the street
and the face of the structure and a line originating from the left side of the lot and extending to the right
side of the lot. The line, as viewed from the street, shall extend parallel to the street to the nearest corner
of the principal structure and then along the face of the principal structure to the right corner, and from
that point on a line parallel to the street to a point on the right lot line. As used in this section,the face of a
principal structure shall be any and all portions of the structure fronting on a street. The front yard shall
not include any portion of the city right-of-way. A corner lot shall be deemed to have two front yards.
- Motor Vehicle Structure ® parking Prohibited
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STREET RIGHT OF WAY
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ATTACHMENT 2: RESIDENTIAL USE TYPES [EXCERPT OF TABLE 29.501(4)-1]
Group Living
Definition. Residential occupancy of a structure by a group of people who do not meet the
Household Living definition. Size is larger than the average household size. Average length of
stay is 60 days or longer. Structures generally have a common eating area for residents.
Residents may receive any combination of care, training, or treatment, or none of these, as long
as they also reside at the site.
Uses Included
• Assistant Living Facilities
• Boarding, rooming or lodging houses and single room occupancy (SRO) hotels
with more than 6 units
• Congregate housing
• Dormitories or residence halls
• Fraternities and sororities
• Hospices
• Nursing and convalescent homes
• Residences for the physically disabled, mentally retarded, or emotionally
disturbed which do not meet the definition of Family Home
• Transitional Living Facilities, such as halfway houses for former offenders
Household LivinE
Definition. Residential occupancy of a dwelling unit by a family, where the average length of
stay is 60 days or longer.
Uses Included
• Apartment Building
• Manufactured Housing
• Other structures with self-contained dwelling units
• Single Family Attached Dwellings
• Single and Two-family houses
• Single Room Occupancy Housing (SRO's), if the average length of stay is 60
days or longer, there are no common dining facilities, and there are 6 units or less
Short-Term Loduin
Definition. Facilities offering transient lodging accommodations to the general public, where the
average
length of stay is less than 60 days.
Uses Included
• Boarding, rooming or lodging houses and single room occupancy (SRO) hotels,
where the average length of stay is less than 60 days.
• Bed and breakfasts
• Hotels
• Motels
• Recreational vehicle parks
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ATTACHMENT 3: SECTION 29.201 [EXCERPT]
(69) Facade, Primary means the front or face of a building which faces the front yard and is
located nearest the front property line.
(70) Facade, Recessed means the front or face of a building which faces the front yard and is set
back from the front property line a distance greater than that of the Primary Facade.
(71) Facade, Secondary means that portion of a building which is adjacent to the side yard and
faces the street. A secondary facade only occurs on a corner lot.
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