HomeMy WebLinkAboutA011 - Council Action Form dated September 24, 2019 ITEM #: 38
DATE: 09-24-19
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
REQUEST: REZONING FROM DOWNTOWN GATEWAY COMMERCIAL TO
HIGHWAY-ORIENTED COMMERCIAL WITH MASTER PLAN AT
507 LINCOLN WAY.
BACKGROUND:
Chuck Winkleblack representing W-S Properties LLC is requesting to rezone .68 acres of
vacant land located at 507 Lincoln Way (formerly addressed as 509 & 511 Lincoln Way)
currently zoned Downtown Gateway Commercial (DGC) to Highway-Oriented
Commercial (HOC) with a proposed Master Plan. (Attachments A and B- Zoning and
Location Maps) The site is currently designated as Highway Commercial within the Land
Use Policy Plan, but it also within the Lincoln Way Corridor Plan Focus Area. The property
was most recently rezoned in 2018 from Highway-Oriented Commercial (HOC) to
Downtown Gateway Commercial (DGC) through a rezoning initiated by the City of Ames.
The subject site was approved for boundary line adjustment to combine the two parcels
into one parcel at the September 10',h City Council meeting. The site has contained a
drive-through use in past years, up until its recent demolition.
The developer proposes the rezoning in an effort to situate a drive-through facility
on the site in a preferred location to support relocating the existing Starbucks
coffee shop at 327 Lincoln Way in anticipation of future development within the 300
block of Lincoln Way. Rezoning the site to HOC would permit a site design that
allows parking lot area between the building and both Clark Avenue and Lincoln
Way, whereas the current DGC zoning does not permit parking between the
building and the street. (Attachment D-Master Plan. Attachment E-Letter)
The rezoning to existing Downtown Gateway Commercial zoning occurred as a result of
the City's approval of the Lincoln Way Corridor Plan, which provided policy support for a
new zoning district in this general area to replace the existing HOC zoning (LUPP
Excerpts Attachment F). The DGC zoning standards address a number of site and
building design standards along with use requirements. The DGC zoning district allows
for standalone commercial use, but also allows for mixed use on larger sites (1 .0 acre or
larger) if desired by a property owner.
Of note regarding this site. DGC zoning restricts the number of drive through facilities per
block face along Lincoln Way to one site and also restricts parking between a building
and certain streets, such as Lincoln Way and Clark Avenue. The intent of this standard
was to improve the walkability of the area and minimize vehicular driveways and
interruptions along Lincoln Way. Although HOC zoning does not have the same
restrictions, the proposed rezoning would not increase the total number of drive
through facilities in the area as the project would replace the existing KFC
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restaurant that had a drive through. The rezoning to HOC would only facilitate a
configuration that places the facility along the west property line with parking on
the Clark Avenue side, see attached Master Plan, that is not permissible under DGC
zoning. A full list of applicable zoning standards can be found in the Ames Municipal
Code Section 29.804 (HOC) and Section 29.1004 (DGC).
The proposed rezoning request is the result of a preliminary review meeting with the
applicant on options of how to site a drive-through facility on the property. Two primary
site plan concerns for the staff Development Review Committee (DRC) were the location
of a driveway from Lincoln Way and how to accommodate vehicle stacking on site that
minimizes overflow onto a public road way. Although, no precise standard exists in the
Zoning Ordinance for queuing. a high number of queuing spaces is needed for the
proposed use.
Staff explored three concepts with the applicant. Two were considered technically viable
for managing access and queuing. One version that would meet DGC zoning with the
building at the corner included a circular drive through pattern to the north of the building.
A second version, reflected by the attached master plan, requires HOC zoning in order to
comply with standards for location of parking and driveway access. The applicant has
indicated to staff that only the version consistent with the proposed Master Plan
would meet the interests of their desired tenant and facilitate their relocation from
the other site.
The Master Plan depicts a general layout for the site with a design that surrounds the
building with a drive-through aisle and parking on the east side of the building. The drive-
through window is proposed on the west side of the building facing away from Clark and
Lincoln Way. The proposed layout in the Master Plan features a Lincoln Way access point
that is designed so that drive through stacking has adequate room for approximately 15-
17 vehicles through the parking lot and around the building.
The number of stacking spaces will likely minimize issues with traffic extending out into
Lincoln Way while waiting in the drive through lane. A final driveway design would be
subject to IDOT approval as this part of Lincoln Way is also HWY 69. Landscaping would
be placed as required by the Zoning Ordinance in all front yards of the site and for parking
lot landscaping. Vehicular stacking capacity from the north at the Gilchrist access point is
much less than from Lincoln Way. It is anticipated by the developer that far less stacking
will occur at this location with much lower levels of traffic on Gilchrist. The master plan
does not describe building materials or represent building fagade design as there are no
specific standards in HOC compared to the DGC zoning district.
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION:
The Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing on September 4th to review
the proposed rezoning. Four members of the public spoke on the subject. One speaker
addressed what he believed was the poor design of the site facilitated by HOC zoning
compared to DGC zoning and potential for traffic issues. The other speakers spoke about
the site concerning the process of DGC rezoning last year and the quick change to
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another zone. The Planning & Zoning Commission discussed the differences in
zoning and goals of the Corridor Plan, ultimately they voted 3-1 to rezoning this
property from DGC to HOC with a master plan.
ALTERNATIVES:
1 . The City Council can approve a rezone from Downtown Gateway Commercial to
Highway-Oriented Commercial with Master Plan to allow for Office, Retail, and
Restaurant Recreation Entertainment Trade uses with a single point of access from
Lincoln Way as well as a single access from Gilchrist, with a general site layout as
shown on the attached Master Plan, subject to approval of a Zoning Agreement and
Master Plan Exhibit being prepared prior to third reading.
In addition, the City Council should direct that this rezoning request not be
approved on third reading until proof, in the form of written agreement, is
provided to the City that Starbucks will relocate to 507 Lincoln Way.
2. The City Council can deny a rezone from Downtown Gateway Commercial to
Highway-Oriented Commercial with Master Plan and direct the applicant to file a Major
Site Development Plan application for development of the site with a drive through
facility that complies with DGC zoning.
3. The City Council can defer action on this item and request more information from staff
or the applicant.
CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION ACTION:
The City's LUPP has two purposes for this area in terms of a land use designation of
Highway-Oriented Commercial and the Lincoln Way Corridor Plan designation of a Focus
Area within the Urban Core Options section of the LUPP. The primary issue between the
designations is not the commercial nature of the area. but the design elements for the
area that are part of the current DGC zoning that was designed to further goals of the
Lincoln Way Corridor Plan. While considering the change of zoning districts from DGC to
HOC, it is important to weigh the difference in uses and development standards between
the two districts and if the overall vision for the Focus Area can still be attained by
changing the zoning to HOC.
The current site is one of two parcels on this block face zoned Downtown Gateway
Commercial (DGC) that is located near the western edge of the larger Downtown
Gateway zoning district and abuts Highway-Oriented Commercial (HOC) zoned parcels
to the immediate west and north. To redevelop this area within the allowed intensification
of DGC in manner that differs from typical HOC would require acquisition of the third
parcel and replacement of the relatively new building on that site with a large
redevelopment in excess of one acre. The current site is eligible for a drive through facility
within the DGC zoning or within the HOC zoning. there is no net increase in drive through
facilities as a result of the proposed change and with the master plan their will be an
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improvement to access management in this area with driveway cuts.
After review and discussions with the developer, staff finds that the developer could
redevelop the site as a single-story coffee shop with a drive through under the current
Downtown Gateway zoning standards and meet parking, landscaping and access
requirements. A design that would meet current standards requires a drive-through that
is fully contained in the rear of the property and utilizes driveways and parking lot area for
access. This design option is not typical for a commercial site, although it is workable
depending on the priorities of a commercial tenant.
However, under the applicant's perspective the site is better suited to community
commercial serving uses consistent with the Highway Commercial land use map
designation compared to the Downtown Gateway Focus Area emphasis on commercial
with different design elements. Additionally, the focus of the Downtown Gateway area in
the LUPP as the first priority is the area from Clark eastward to Duff and south of the
railroad tracks. Although this intent didn't preclude other adjacent areas from being
considered, as where this site exists, it can be found to support this request as a
secondary priority and facilitating redevelopment to the east as a primary goal. Given the
existing drive through on the site and the location near the west edge of the
Downtown Gateway Commercial zoned area it can be found that rezoning to
Highway-Oriented Commercial with a Master Plan is supported and does not
conflict with the Land Use Policy Plan.
Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council act in
accordance with Alternative #1 which is to approve a rezone 507 Lincoln Way from
Downtown Gateway Commercial (DGC) to Highway-Oriented Commercial (HOC) with a
Master Plan and use limitations, subject to receipt of zoning agreement prior to
completing the third reading of the ordinance.
In addition, staff notes that the applicant has predicated this requested change on
the ability to relocate the existing Starbucks to the proposed site in order to
facilitate the redevelopment of the block bounded by Clark and Kellogg to the north
of Lincoln Way. Therefore, Staff believes that the City Council should not approve
this rezoning request on third reading until proof, in the form of written agreement,
is provided to the City that Starbucks will relocate to the 507 Lincoln Way.
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ADDENDUM
Existing Land Use Policy Plan The Land Use Policy Plan (LUPP) designates these
parcels Highway-Oriented Commercial land use. Additionally, the Lincoln Way Corridor
Plan has included this area within Focus Area 1 as the Downtown Gateway Area,
extending from Grand to Duff. The Corridor Plan describes the intent for the commercial
use of the area and as an expansion of uses and redevelopment that support the
Downtown area to the north. The heart of the Focus Area planning was the
Kellogg/Lincoln Way intersection as the first priority due to the large amount of property
in the Focus Area boundary. The Corridor Plan was approved and incorporated in the
Land Use Policy Plan in the Urban Core section of Chapter 2 on January 23, 2018.
Relevant excerpts of the LUPP are included in Attachment F.
Existing Uses of Land. Land uses that occupy the subject property and other
surrounding properties are commercial in nature and their respective zoning is described
in the following table:
Direction from Existing Land Use
Subject Property
Subject Property Commercial Retail
North Commercial Office
East Commercial Retail/Vehicle Service Facility
South Commercial Retail/Vehicle Service Facility
West Commercial Retail
Existing Zoning. The land has been zoned as Downtown Gateway Commercial (DGC)
since June of 2018. The site is bounded to the west by directly abutting commercial retail
zoned as Downtown Gateway Commercial (DGC) and to the north by commercial office
uses zoned Highway-Oriented Commercial (HOC). The properties to the east and south
are commercial retail and zoned Downtown Gateway Commercial (DGC). (See
Attachment A)
The DGC zoning allows for a wide range of commercial uses. focused on general trade,
office, and entertainment uses. It allows for mixed use development when sites are
greater than 1 acre in size and have frontage along Lincoln Way. DGC also includes
design guidelines, such as building materials, window percentages, architectural
features, to address the desired community character for the area within the goal to
redefine the area from strip commercial to a modern commercial area that is pedestrian
friendly. DGC zoning limits the number of drive through facilities to one per block face
along Lincoln Way, and prohibits the use all together for sites along Kellogg Avenue.
Master Plan.
The City Council has the authority to require a Master Plan for a rezoning due to specific
conditions that exist on or around the area proposed to be rezoned, or due to situations
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that require more careful consideration of how the layout and design of a site affects
general health, safety, and welfare. a Master Plan is necessary for consideration of the
proposed zoning map amendment. (Section 29.1507(3)(b) (iv). Staff finds that given the
recent adoption of the Lincoln Way Corridor Plan. LUPP amendment and rezoning which
designated the site with a specific intended design, a master plan is necessary in
consideration of rezoning for a use with a high volume of drive through traffic. With the
proposed Master Plan the design of the site must reflect what is shown on the Master
Plan with regard to site layout and design along with a single point of access from Lincoln
Way, as well as access to Gilchrist. The Master Plan also restricts the allowable uses at
this location to Office, Retail, and Restaurant Recreation Entertainment Trade uses to
avoid having vehicle service facilities such as car dealerships, gas stations and auto
repair facilities.
CyRide. CyRide currently provides service along Clark and Lincoln Way with stops
located within 1 block of this location to the east along Lincoln Way and to the north near
the intersection of Clark and Main Street.
Access. The conceptual plan includes two access points. One with Lincoln Way along
the south side of the property and a second to the north side of the property from Gilchrist
Avenue. The access points must meet SUDAS and Iowa DOT requirements for spacing
from the Clark Avenue and Lincoln Way intersection as well as spacing requirements from
the Gilchrist and Clark intersection. Street frontage upgrades, if needed must be
completed with approval of the Minor Site Development Plan. IDOT will need to approve
the driveway location.
Infrastructure. As part of a rezoning request. the City reviews the potential to serve
development with City utilities. The site is able to be served adequately. All City utilities
are in place adjacent to the site. The City's traffic engineer did not identify a need for a
specific traffic study as the propose use in the Master Plan would replace an already
allowed set of commercial and drive through uses.
Applicant's Statements. The applicant has provided an explanation of the reasons for
the Zoning amendment with a Master Plan in Attachment E
Public Notice. Notice was mailed to property owners within 200 feet of the subject site
and a sign was posted on the subject property.
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Attachment A- Location And Current Zoning
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507 Lincoln Way
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Attachment C- LUPP Designation
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Attachment E- Applicants Statements
Supplemental documentation for rezoning request for 509-511 Lincoln Way August 16,2019
The rezoning request is needed to accommodate the drive through facilities of the potential user. We
have a specific user for the property,and they cannot develop a suitable site plan for the properties
given the constraints that are in place In the DGC tuning.
The Developer believes this zoning change is consistent with the LUPP because the surrounding land is
all commercial and Lincoln Way is a commercial corridor with many other properties in proximity zoned
HOC.
Current zoning of the property is DGC
Proposed zoning of the property is HOC
We are luoking at relocating the SLarbucks located at 327 Lincoln Way to this site so that 2 block area to
the East of this site can redevelop to the DGC standards.
Fox Engineering has submitted a plat of survey for these 2 lots to combine them into 1 lot but at the
time of this submittal the 2 legal descriptions are as follows:
S09 Lincoln Way is BLAIRS 4'"ADD LOT 1 EX STREET BLK 48
S11 Lincoln Way is BLAIRS 4'"ADD MY LOT 2 BLK 48 EX BEG 60'W&182.7S N SE COR LOT 2 S20'E30'
N34.1'SWLY TO BEG
Total area of the properties is 29,449 square feet
{
RECEIVE®
AUG 16 2019
MY OF AMES,IOWA
JVL OF PIU MMMS&HOUSM8
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Attachment F
Commercial Designation- Page 34 of Chapter 2.
Commercial. Commercial uses include six designations - Highway Oriented Commercial,
Neighborhood Commercial,Convenience Commercial,Community Commercial Node,Regional
Commercial and Downtown Service Center. The six designations are defined as follows:
■ Highway-Oriented Commercial - scale commercial uses that are associated with strip
developments along major thoroughfares. Floor area ratios are between 0.25 and 0.50
depending on location;
Urban Core Policy Options-Page 45 of Chapter 2
Lincoln Way Corridor Plan. Lincoln Way is the primary arterial street that interconnects the
community from east to west. Lincoln Way is more than a street that provides vehicle,
pedestrian, transit, and bicycle circulation as it is also a place that is part of many different
neighborhoods and destinations within the City. The Corridor is home to industrial and highway
commercial businesses as well as to single-family homes, multi-family residential, Campustown,
and the south edge of the Iowa State University Campus. The City of Ames aspires to enhancing
Lincoln Way to recognize it as a place and desirable area within the City that is contextual to its
surroundings. The City of Ames objectives for enhancing the Corridor include:
■ Improving mobility options for bicyclists and pedestrians while maintaining adequate
vehicle service levels.
■ Supporting select areas of redevelopment to provide for economic development and new
infill housing opportunities that are compatible with the surroundings.
■ Maintaining Lincoln Way commercial areas to meet the needs of the community.
■ Enhancing overall aesthetics and continuity of the Corridor with improved streetscapes
and gateways.
Enhancing the Corridor includes an overall framework with context specific implementation
measures. The 2017 Lincoln Way Corridor Plan describes the planning context and goals for the
Corridor in greater detail. The plan includes concepts for changes in zoning, building types,
transportation, and streetscape enhancements. The plan relies upon Focus Areas to illustrate
potential changes that meet the objectives for the Corridor.
Due to the breadth of the plan and its long tetra vision for evolution of the Corridor, the plan is
intended to be implemented in phases. The first two priorities are for redevelopment in the
Downtown Gateway Focus area and aesthetic enhancements along the Corridor. By reference,
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Proposals for zoning amendments or LUPP changes for other areas require authorization or
initiation by the City Council. Due to the extensive outreach and details of the Corridor Plan,
requests for change that are consistent with Corridor Plan's objectives and Focus Areas may be
authorized by the City Council as Minor Amendments. The City Council may also choose to
consider concurrent zoning amendments when needed to realize specialty uses or redevelopment
options described within the Corridor Plan for individual Focus Area. Concurrent review should
only be considered for projects that commit to specific projects and detailed review of plans to
ensure compatibility with the surroundings and consistency with the Plan.
Downtown Gateway Focus Area. The City has established the Downtown Gateway Focus
Area, located generally from Clark Avenue to Duff Avenue and south of the railroad tracks, as
its first development area priority. This Focus Area is within the Downtown Expansion Area
Option of the Land Use Policy Plan. The Downtown Gateway is intended to foster
redevelopment with a commercial focus that may also include residential development. The area
as its it is currently developed is a place of community commercial uses formatted in typical
highway commercial setting, meaning automobile oriented formats, and providing for retail,
office, and restaurant uses.
As redevelopment occurs in the area it is important to maintain a strong commercial base that
meets community needs for retail and service use. Redevelopment of the area does not require
mixed use residential development, but residential uses can be accommodated when the
commercial use goals of the City are met for the area. The goals of redevelopment in this area
are not focused on creating student housing options that are already accommodated with the
Campustown Service Center area of the Corridor.
The overall character of the area is for development that is complimentary to the use and
character of Downtown. Incorporating complimentary uses is a priority for the City and
includes accommodating a boutique hotel, entertainment and active retail uses, incorporating
outdoor space for events and commercial uses, and maintaining an office and employment
presence in the Corridor. Kellogg Avenue is the focal points of the Focus Area and connects to
the four-comer heart of Downtown at Main Street. Development along Kellogg must maintain
individual building identity and storefront patterns similar to traditional downtown retailing.
This type of development pattern can occur through redevelopment of small sites or as part of a
larger redevelopment project. In other areas outside of Kellogg Avenue, the Plan encourages
aggregation of property in support of a variety of development formats that accommodates the
intended commercial uses and for the area.
Facilitating intense redevelopment also allows for collective parking and reduced parking
requirements in recognition of the rich transportation options in the area and public parking that
exists to the north of the area. Due to potentially large redevelopment sites, design and
architectural features are needed that provided variations in appearance of mass and height.
Differentiation of fagade planes and use of high quality glazing, brick, and metal siding systems
is highly desirable to create an attractive and interesting area. Maintaining or creating secondary
means of access into the blocks is a priority for the area to ensure that curb cuts onto Lincoln
Way are reduced and minimized from existing conditions. Automotive service oriented uses are
discouraged from locating in the area. Aggregating property for larger sites may require
developers to relocate electric and water utility improvements and potentially have the City
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DO NOT WRITE IN THE SPACE ABOVE THIS LLNE,RESERVED FOR RECORDER
Prepared by:City Clerk's OtBee,515 Clark Avenue,Ames,IA 50010 Phone:515-239-5105
Return to:Ames City Clerk,P.O.Box 811,Ames,IA 50010
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP OF THE
CITY OF AMES,IOWA,AS PROVIDED FOR IN SECTION 29.301 OF THE
MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE CITY OF AMES,IOWA,BY CHANGING THE
BOUNDARIES OF THE DISTRICTS ESTABLISHED AND SHOWN ON
SAID MAP AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 29.1507 OF THE MUNICIPAL
CODE OF THE CITY OF AMES,IOWA;REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES
AND PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH AND
ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE
BE IT HEREBY ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Ames, Iowa;
Section 1: The Official Zoning Map of the City of Ames, Iowa, as provided for in
Section 29.301 of the Municipal Code of the City of Ames, Iowa, is amended by changing the
boundaries of the districts established and shown on said Map in the manner authorized by
Section 29.1507 of the Municipal Code of the City of Ames,Iowa, as follows: That the real estate,
generally located at 507 Lincoln Way, is rezoned, with Master Plan, from Downtown Gateway
Commercial (DGC) to Highway-Oriented Commercial (HOC).
Real Estate Description:
Survey Description-Parcel B: Lot 1,except that part conveyed to the City of Ames by Deed of
Dedication filed in Book 113,Page 76,andthe East 60 feet of Lot 2,except that part deeded to
the City of Ames by Warranty Deed filed in Book 119, Page 463, all in Block 48, Fourth
Addition to Ames,Story County, Iowa, and all together being more particularly described as
follows: Beginning at the Northeast Corner of said Lot l;thence S00°39'30"E, 134.61feet
along the east lime thereof; thence following the west right of way line of Clark Avenue
S04007'30"W, 47.97 feet; thence southwesterly, 37.07 feet along a curve concave to the
northwest,having a radius of 25.50 feet,a central angle of 83'17,25" and being subtended
by a chord which bears S47°35'11"W, 33.89 feet to the south line of said Lot l;thence
N89"48'56"W, 130.59 feet along said line;thence N0095'44"E, 153.39 feet alongthe west line
of the East 60 feet of said Lot 2;thence N89"27'17"E,30.00 feet;thence N0095'44 E,33.87
feet to the north line of said Lott;thence N82007'57E, 126.76 feet to the point of beginning,
containing 0.67 acres.
Section 2: All other ordinances and parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby
repealed to the extent of such conflict.
Section 3: This ordinance is in full force and effect from and after its adoption and
publication as provided by law.
ADOPTED THIS day of ,
Diane R. Voss, City Clerk John A. Haila, Mayor
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