HomeMy WebLinkAboutA001 - Commission Action Form dated February 17, 2016 ITEM # 11
DATE 02-17-16
COMMISSION ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT TO ADD FUNERAL HOMES AS AN
INSTITUTIONAL USE ALLOWED IN THE DOWNTOWN SERVICE
CENTER (DSC) ZONING DISTRICT
BACKGROUND:
Adams Funeral Home located at 502 Douglas Avenue has requested a text amendment
referral of City Council to address the matter of funeral homes not being an allowed use
within the Downtown Service Center (DSC) zone. City Council referred the text
amendment request to Planning & Housing Department.
Adams has been located at 502 Douglas Avenue for several decades. The funeral
home use predates the current zoning designation that has been in place since 2000, in
fact the structure itself appears to date back to the 1920s.
Adams Funeral Home has requested this text amendment referral to address issues
related to their use as non-conforming and how it limits their ability to use their site..
Given their long standing history and current existence in the DSC district, Adams
believes it makes sense to include funeral homes as an allowed institutional use in the
district.
The proposed text amendment adds `Funeral Homes' to the allowed institutional
uses and requires that a Special Use Permit be obtained to operate a funeral
home within the DSC district as found in the development standards table in
section 29.808(2). The special use permit process will then dictate how such a use
would look and operate. Given that funeral homes operate and have differing needs
from that of commercial businesses, the institutional categorization and Special Use
Permit criteria would be a natural application for this type of facility. Categorizing a
funeral home as a special use permit is also consistent with how such a use is treated in
Highway Oriented Commercial zoning districts.
The existing ordinance and the proposed changes are found in Attachment A.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. The Planning & Zoning Commission can recommend that the City Council adopt the
proposed amendment adding 'Funeral Home' to the list of institutional uses allowed
in the DSC district and requiring a special use permit to operate a funeral home
therein.
2. The Planning & Zoning Commission can recommend that the City Council deny
the proposed amendment adding `Funeral Home' to the list of institutional uses
allowed in the DSC district and requiring a special use permit to operate a funeral
home therein.
3. The Planning & Zoning Commission can recommend alternative language for the
proposed amendments.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
The proposed change adds `Funeral Homes' to Institutional Use category of the DSC
Zoning District regulations. This text amendment adds an allowable use that is not
currently allowed in the DSC district. Additionally, it requires approval of Special Use
Permit to operate such a facility. The Special Use Permit process provides for oversight
of the funeral home use in an otherwise commercial district, which is important due to
the unique attributes of such a use.
Staff believes that the introduction of this newly allowed use as an institutional use
would not adversely affect the DSC zone or the intended use and nature of the zone. In
this instance it would help to sustain an existing business in the downtown area.
Therefore, it is the recommendation of the Department of Planning and Housing
that the Planning and Zoning Commission act in accordance with Alternative #1.
S:\Planning.Dep\PLAN_SHR\Coundl Boards Commissions\PZ\Commission Action Form s\Text Amendments\Funeral Homes as allowed use in DSC Zone,02-17-16.docx
Attachment A
Section 29.808(2)
Downtown Service Center Zone Uses
INSTITUTIONAL USES
Colleges and Universities
Community Facilities
Social Service Providers
Medical Centers
Parks and Open Areas
Religious Institutions
Schools
Funeral Homes