HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Zoning Text Amendment Pertaining to the Building Height and Roof Design for Mini-Storage Warehouse Facilities ORDINANCE NO. 4308
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE CITY OF AMES, IOWA, BY
REPEALING SECTION 29.1308 AND ENACTING A NEW SECTION 29.1308 THEREOF,FOR THE
PURPOSE OF SELF-STORAGE FACILITY HEIGHT DESIGN STANDARDS IN THE HIGHWAY
ORIENTED COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICT; REPEALING ANY AND ALL ORDINANCES
OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT TO THE EXTENT OF SUCH CONFLICT;
PROVIDING A PENALTY; AND ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
BE IT ENACTED,by the City Council for the City of Ames,Iowa,that:
Section One.. The Municipal Code of the City of Ames, Iowa shall be and the same is hereby amended by
enacting a new Section as follows:
"See.29.1308. MINI-STORAGE WAREHOUSE FACILITIES.
Mini-storage warehouse facilities are self-storage spaces designed and used for the purpose of renting or
leasing individual storage space to tenants who have access to such space for the purpose of storing and removing
personal properties. Mini-storage warehouse facilities are permitted in the General Industrial (GI) Zone only, except
that such facilities may be located in the Highway Oriented Commercial District(HOC) by virtue of a Special Use
Permit authorized by the Zoning Board of Adjustment. A Special Use Permit for a mini-storage warehouse facility
shall be subject to the Zone Development Standards of the HOC Zone and also be subject to the following additional
regulations:
(1) Architectural Standards.
(a) Architectural Theme.
(i) Facilities placed in or near a shopping center or other retail uses shall be
designed to be consistent with the dominant theme or design of surrounding buildings.
(ii) Building surface colors shall be restricted to muted earth tones.
(iii) All buildings, including storage units shall be surfaced in high quality materials
such as stone,split face block,or brick. Smooth-faced concrete block, painted masonry, tilt-up concrete panels and
prefabricated metal panels are prohibited.
(b) General Architectural Requirements.
(i) Buildings shall include design elements such as columns,ribs or pilasters, piers,
quoins, and fenestration patterns to prevent a utilitarian, industrial, warehouse-like appearance.
(ii) Unit doors shall be screened or sited so they are not visible from the street.
(iii) Unit doors shall be integrated into the overall design theme of the site through
color and texture.
(iv) Buildings greater than forty feet (40') long must include a change in wall plane,
recess,or reveal every twenty feet(20').
(y) Maximum building length on the site perimeter is sixty feet (60'), except where
the buildings are adjacent to an industrial land use or zone and/or Airport Clear Zone.
(Ord. No. 3811, I1-23-04)
(c) Roof Design.
(i) Buildings shall include a roof pitch greater than or equal to 6:12, with roofs
incorporating a high quality surface such as architectural shingles, standing seam metal or tile. Flat roofs are
prohibited.
(ii) Roofs shall include four (4) or more planes, and have overhanging eaves
extending at least one and one-half feet(1.5')past the building wall.
(d) Height. No building shall exceed twenty feet(20') in height.
(e) Building Placement. Screening and building location shall be such that overhead doors
are not visible from off the site.
(2) Landscaping and Screening. Visual separation is desirable between mini-storage warehouse
facilities and adjacent land uses or development. Landscaping shall provide a physical and visual separation.
(a) High shrubs shall be spaced at a maximum distance of six (6) feet on center to form a
screen six(6)feet high.
(b) One Landscape Tree is required per fifty (50) lineal feet of landscaped area or as
appropriate to provide a tree canopy over the landscaped area.
(c) Ground cover plants shall fully cover the remainder of the landscaped area.
(d) River rock or similar non-organic materials shall not be substituted for the landscaping
area or used in combination with the minimum landscaping requirements in the zone or this section.
(3) Fencing. Fencing is required for additional screening and as a security measure. Fencing shall
comply with Section 29.408(2), and comply with the following:
(a) Fencing shall provide a five (5)foot minimum setback from the property line.
(b) Fencing shall be wrought iron or similar material with brick or stone columns spaced at a
maximum of fifty (50) feet on center. Landscaping, as required in Section 29.1308(2)(a), shall be provided on the
exterior side of the fence facing adjacent land uses. Fences containing barbed wire, electric charges, or sharp
materials are prohibited.
(c) Where a setback abuts a residential zone, a six (6) foot masonry wall is required.
Landscaping, as required in Section 29.1308(2)(a), shall be provided on the exterior side of the fence facing adjacent
land uses. Masonry walls must be designed and constructed to facilitate maintenance and not to modify natural
drainage in such a way as to endanger adjacent property.
(4) Building Access.
(a) Doors providing access to individual storage units shall not be permitted on the front yard
side of the building, nor on any side abutting a public street or a residential district.
(b) Storage units and drive aisles shall be sited so a truck or car parked at a unit cannot trap
another vehicle and prevent it from leaving the facility.
(c) Vehicular aisles providing access to storage units on both sides of the aisles, whether
interior or exterior, shall not be less than twenty(20)feet wide.
(d) Aisles providing access to storage units on only one side of the aisle shall not be less than
twenty (20) feet wide provided that there is more than one aisle available for circulation around a building.
(e) Loading docks shall not be permitted as part of the storage building.
(5) Signage.
(a) The only types of signs permitted are wall signs and monument signs, and shall adhere to
the following:
(i) Wall-mounted Signs.
A. Only one wall-mounted sign is permitted along a street frontage.
B. The number of wall-mounted signs shall not exceed two (2) signs per
facility.
(ii) Monument Signs.
A Only one monument sign is permitted along a street frontage per
facility.
B. The number of monument signs shall not exceed two (2).
C. The base of a monument sign shall be landscaped with ground cover
plants at a minimum of three (3) feet from the base. River rock or similar non-organic materials shall not be
substituted for the landscaping area or used in combination with ground cover plants.
(b) Signage Size Restrictions.
(i) A wall sign is a sign that is displayed by being affixed to the outside of an
exterior wall of a building. Wall signs shall be affixed to only those walls that face a street. A wall sign shall-be no
larger than thirty-two (32) square feet.
(ii) Monument signs shall be no larger than sixty-four (64) square feet, excluding
the base.
(c) Signage Height Restrictions. The maximum permissible height for a monument sign is
eight(8)feet,including the sign base;that is,the tope of a monument sign shall be no more than eight feet above the
grade of the site on which it is erected.
(d) Signage Lighting Restrictions.
(i) The face of an illuminated sign shall have a dark background.
(ii) The lighting of both wall signs and monument signs shall be projected
downward.
(iii) Signs that flash light in any manner are prohibited.
(iv) Internally lighted signs and computerized/digital scrolling signs are prohibited.
(6) Lighting. Lighting shall be in accordance with Section 29.411, and with the following conditions:
(a) Night lighting and security lighting shall be sensitively designed to ensure no off-site
glare is directed to neighboring parcels and that the overall intensity of the site lighting is not in violation of the
standards for Section 29.411 or unreasonably intrusive on the use of adjoining property. All lights shall be shielded
to direct light onto the site and away from adjacent property.
(b) Building mounted sconces shall be used instead of freestanding light poles wherever
possible.
(c) When a mini-storage facility is adjacent to a residential zone,pole mounted lights shall
be turned off between 9:00 PM and 6:00 AM.
(7) Parking. Parking shall be situated in conjunction with an office or management structure, for use
by staff,service or delivery personnel, or prospective tenants.
(a) For developments less than or equal to two hundred (200) storage units, a minimum of
five (5) off-street parking spaces shall be provided.
(b) For developments greater than two hundred (200)storage units,five(5)off-street parking
spaces shall be provided on the property for the first two hundred (200) units, and one additional parking space is
required for every one hundred(100) storage units thereafter
(c) Except for purposes of loading and unloading, there shall be no parking or storage of
trucks,trailers,and moving vans.
(8) Interior Climate Controlled Mini-storage Facilities. Interior climate controlled mini-storage
facilities are mini-warehouse buildings where storage is primarily accessed from the interior of the building.
Such facilities shall meet all regulations of this Section 29.1308 with the following exceptions:
(a) Interior climate controlled mini-storage facilities may exceed the sixty feet (60')
maximum building length at the perimeter.
(b) Exterior garages and/or bays may be located on interior climate controlled mini-storage
facilities, but shall not be located on a building that is adjacent to and facing the site perimeter.
(c) Interior climate controlled mini-storage facilities shall be exempt from roof design
requirements. Flat roofs may be permitted. All sloped roofs shall incorporate a high quality surface such as
architectural shingles, standing seam metal or tile.
(d) No building shall exceed three stories in height. Buildings adjacent to a residential zoned
property shall not exceed one story.
(e) Facilities with no exterior accessed storage units shall be exempted from the specific
requirements of Landscaping and Screening and Fencing requirements of this section 29.1308. Each project shall
incorporate perimeter landscaping in addition to other landscape requirements to enhance visual interest and
compatibility with surrounding land uses and development where a total visual screen may not be necessary.
Landscaping and fencing needs shall be reviewed as part of the Special Use Permit review for each site.
(9) Prohibited Uses.
(a) The following uses and activities shall be prohibited:
(i) Any business activity other than the rental of storage units, including
miscellaneous or garage sales and transfer-storage enterprises that utilize vehicles as part of said business is
prohibited.
(ii) Servicing or repair of motor vehicles, boats, trailers, lawnmowers, or similar
equipment is prohibited.
(iii) Outdoor storage of boats, vehicles, or other materials is prohibited. All items
stored on the property shall be located within buildings.
(iv) Storage of hazardous, toxic, or volatile substances is prohibited.
(v) Residential uses, other than one (1) unit for a 24-hour facility caretaker not
to exceed 1,200 square feet."
Section Two. Violation of the provisions of this ordinance shall constitute a municipal infraction
punishable as set out by law.
Section Three. All ordinances, or parts of ordinances, in conflict herewith are hereby repealed to the extent
of such conflict, if any.
Section Four. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and publication as
required by law.
Passed this 13`h day of June,2017.
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Diane R. Voss,City Clerk Ann H. Campbell,Mayor