HomeMy WebLinkAboutA026 - Council Action Form dated October 28, 2014 ITEM # 36
DATE: 10/28/14
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: MAJOR SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR 4710 MORTENSEN ROAD
(THREE PROPOSED APARTMENTS)
BACKGROUND:
The applicant, Westowne Apartments, represented by Matt Eller, owns land at 4710
Mortensen Road in southwest Ames which the City Council recently rezoned from
Community Commercial/Residential (CCR) to Floating Suburban Residential Medium
density (FS-RM). The site has no frontage on Mortensen Road, but is accessible by way
of easements through the adjacent West Towne Apartments and Hilton Garden Inn. US
Highway 30 lies to the south and Hilton Garden Inn on Dickinson Avenue is to the east.
A location map is found in Attachment A.
The owner wishes to construct three apartment buildings for a total of 35 units on the
1.7 acre lot. Prior to obtaining a building permit, the City Council is being asked to
approve a major site development plan for the project.
This parcel was originally intended to be the eighth building of the adjacent West Towne
Apartments under the CCR zoning district. These mixed use buildings are located to the
north and west of this parcel. Some of the original parking improvements for that project
were built on this site and are being incorporated into this development to serve the new
apartment buildings.
Project Summary
The owner proposes three apartment buildings containing a total of 35 units. The area
of the site is 1.71 acres, which limits the total number of units to 35. They are configured
as two 12-unit buildings and one 11-unit building. Within those 35 units are 115
bedrooms for an average of 3.3 bedrooms per unit. (See following addendum for full
analysis.) The site plan is found in Attachment B.
The development follows a similar pattern and orientation as the surrounding mixed use
apartment buildings. As noted above, a row of existing parking improvements exists on
the west side of site and the spaces are included with the new improvements on the
site. Additional parking will also be constructed on the east side of the site. Access to
the site is from Mortensen Road through the existing West Towne Apartments. A
secondary access to Dickinson Avenue is though an easement to the south of Hilton
Garden Inn.
In addition to requiring Major Site Development Plan review, FS-RM has more
restrictive standards in terms of height, coverage, open space, and separation than
standard high-density residential apartment developments reviewed by staff as Minor
Site Development Plans. Within these standards, the applicant proposes three buildings
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that are four stories in height and of the same appearance and mass as each other.
The building design incorporates a flat roof and includes a projecting bay on each
facade. Materials are principally vinyl siding of various orientations with accents of
brackets and a small amount of stone veneer. (See color elevations Attachment C)
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION:
At its meeting of October 15, 2014, the Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed the
proposed major site plan discussing its location, context, and architecture. Commission
members focused their comments on the lack of prominence of the entries. By a vote of
6-0, the Commission recommended that the City Council approve the Major Site
Development Plan for these three apartment buildings. The Commission also
encouraged the developer to "work on details to better define the entryway."
In response to the Commission's comments, the applicant has submitted an updated
fagade design since that meeting. The applicant's design modifications include
increasing the length of the overhang along the west parking lot facade (the main entry)
to better define the main entryway to each building. The covered entry has a depth of
approximately 2 feet in front of the building with a recessed doorway. The space is
defined by a stone veneer and supporting columns. The side entrance between
buildings is more modest in scale with smaller overhang sheltering the doorway and
includes decorative columns. Each fagade also includes an element of a stone veneer
to tie the architectural treatment of the base of the building together with the each
entrance.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. The City Council can approve the Major Site Development Plan for the proposed site
and three apartment buildings as shown in the attachments.
2. The City Council can deny the Major Site Development Plan for the proposed site
and three apartment buildings.
3. Action on this request can be postponed and referred back to City staff and/or the
applicant for additional information.
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDED ACTION:
The applicant requested rezoning to a residential district because another mixed use
commercial/residential development did not seem feasible. The Major Site Development
Plan review is to determine conformance with development standards and for the
appropriate arrangement and design of the use of the site.
FS-RM allows only residential uses in structures containing no more than 12 dwelling
units. The project includes uniformly designed buildings with either 12 or 11 units per
building. The building design has a basic apartment aesthetic in terms of exterior
materials, design interest, and coloring. The buildings are taller than the mixed use
buildings to the north and the east, but are of compatible height. The proposed buildings
appear bulky in their design due to the shape and size. However, in this location behind
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other buildings and with its commercial surroundings, it does not negatively impact the
surrounding character. The arrangement of the site has a more residential appearance
than the surrounding sites due to the larger amounts of building separation and intent to
build apartments rather than commercial mixed-use buildings. Parking and access meet
the requirements for the use. Landscaping and open space has been incorporated
appropriately into the site and includes trees for screening of Highway 30 to the south.
The proposed changes in response to the encouragement by the Planning and Zoning
Commission to enhance the design are responsive and a reasonable approach to
defining the entries and providing more interest to the building design and to address
the buildings scale. The Major Site Development plan proposal meets the applicable
design standards and criteria of the Zoning Ordinance.
Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council
accept Alternative #1, thereby approving the Major Site Development Plan for this
property.
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ADDENDUM
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The project site is 1.71 acres, which allows 35 dwelling units. The zoning district allows
a maximum apartment size of 12 dwelling units. The owner has configured these 35
units into two 12-unit and one 11-unit buildings. The density of this project is 20.47
dwelling units per acre, lying between the required minimum of 10.0 and maximum of
22.31 dwelling units per acre. The units vary in size from 3 bedrooms to 5 bedrooms.
Within the three buildings, there are 115 bedrooms.
The project requires one parking space per bedroom. Using the existing parking that
was installed in anticipation, a decade ago, of the eighth West Towne Apartment, and
creating additional spaces, there are 120 spaces. The parking is configured as two
separate double loaded aisles. There is access for vehicles and emergency vehicles
through these aisles.
The project creates 13,410 square feet of building footprint, added to 42,225 square feet
of additional impervious surface (parking, sidewalks). Landscaped open space accounts
for the remainder, comprising 25.4% of the parcel. The required 10% of common open
space is accounted for in areas adjacent to and between the three buildings. FS
development standards require 10% open space that meets the intent of accessible and
useable by residents. Open space is a subset of the overall landscape area. No
specific improvements are proposed by the applicant for the open space other than
seeding as lawn.
Landscape requirements are met with the installation of L2 screening adjacent to the
commercial zone to the east. There are additional landscaping requirements for
apartment buildings in the FS-RM district and these are met with the landscaping along
the US Highway 30 frontage. Refuse receptacles and mechanical units are screened
according to the ordinance. Normally, landscaping on the west side of the parking area
would be required with a new development, but in this case the applicant is keeping the
existing parking and has not been required to provide the 5-foot landscape strip
between parking areas.
Pedestrian connections are provided through the existing West Towne Apartments and
sidewalks connect with existing sidewalks to the north and west, providing access to the
sidewalk along Mortensen Road.
The three buildings are similar in size and shape, being about 71 feet by 63 feet.
Entrances are oriented to the north and west for each building. The buildings are about
49 feet tall, with an additional parapet at the southwest corner of each building reaching
to 50.5 feet. Although the height limit of the district is 50 feet, parapets are allowed to
extend up to ten feet above that. This extends 0.5 feet and complies.
The fagades of each building are similar, with stone treatments applied near the
entrances and lap vinyl siding over the rest of the building. Lap siding is a combination
of light and dark tans with a whiter accent banding between floors. Small overhangs are
located at each entrance. Each fagade has some degree of bump out to provide some
relief of the vertical sides.
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MAJOR SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN CRITERIA
Additional criteria and standards for review of all Major Site Development Plans are
found in Ames Municipal Code Section 29.1502(4)(d) and include the following
requirements.
When acting upon an application for a Major Site Development Plan approval, the
Planning and Zoning Commission and the City Council shall rely upon generally
accepted site planning criteria and design standards. These criteria and
standards are necessary to fulfill the intent of the Zoning Ordinance, the Land
Use Policy Plan, and are the minimum necessary to safeguard the public health,
safety, aesthetics, and general welfare.
1. The design of the proposed development shall make adequate provisions for
surface and subsurface drainage to limit the rate of increased runoff of
surface water to adjacent and down stream property.
The public works department has reviewed the storm water management plan and finds
that the proposed development has met the required storm water quantity and quality
measures by use of the existing regional detention facility on the east side of Dickinson
Avenue.
2. The design of the proposed development shall make adequate provision for
connection to water, sanitary sewer, electrical, and other utility lines within
the capacity limits of those utility lines.
The existing utilities were reviewed and found adequate to support the anticipated load
of 35 dwelling units comprising 115 bedrooms.
3. The design of the proposed development shall make adequate provision for
fire protection through building placement, acceptable location of flammable
materials, and other measures to ensure fire safety.
The fire inspector has reviewed access and fire truck circulation and found that the
needs of the fire department are met. The fire access lane is specifically on the east
side of the site.
4. The design of the proposed development shall not increase the danger of
erosion, flooding, landslide, or other endangerment to adjoining and
surrounding property.
It is not anticipated that this proposed development will be a danger due to its location
on the site.
5. Natural topographic and landscape features of the site shall be incorporated
into the development design.
Minimal grading will occur for the construction of the buildings. The site is relatively flat
and grading will occur mostly to direct storm water where required.
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6. The design of the interior vehicle and pedestrian circulation shall provide for
convenient flow of vehicles and movement of pedestrians and shall prevent
hazards to adjacent streets or property.
Access to this site from Mortensen Road is through the existing mixed-use development
to the north. Vehicular and pedestrian access is accommodated between and among
the various buildings within and adjacent to this development. The on-site sidewalks will
connect with the external stubbed connections to allow for circulation amongst the sites
and out to Mortenson. A secondary access to Dickinson Road for vehicular traffic is
provided within an easement to the south of Hilton Garden Inn.
7. The design of outdoor parking areas, storage yards, trash and dumpster
areas, and other exterior features shall be adequately landscaped or screened
to minimize potential nuisance and impairment to the use of adjoining
property.
The general development standards of the zoning ordinance have been met. Dumpsters
are in the northwest corner of the site and shared with adjacent mixed use building.
Parking design follows the existing pattern of the area.
8. The proposed development shall limit entrances and exits upon adjacent
streets in order to prevent congestion on adjacent and surrounding streets
and in order to provide for safe and orderly vehicle movement.
No new access to a public street will be created. Access to Mortensen Road and
Dickinson Avenue will be through existing driveways. There is capacity within those
existing driveways to accommodate the expected traffic from this residential
development, which is expected to be similar to that of the previously approved mixed
use development.
9. Exterior lighting shall relate to the scale and location of the development in
order to maintain adequate security, while preventing a nuisance or hardship
to adjacent property or streets.
No lighting information has been submitted. In such instances, the city requires a note
on the plan indicating that no exterior lighting will be installed unless approved by the
department of planning and housing.
10. The proposed development shall ensure that dust and other forms of air
pollution, noise disturbances, odor, glare, and other nuisances will be limited
to acceptable levels as prescribed in other applicable State and City
regulations.
The proposed residential uses are not expected to generate nuisances in this
commercial area.
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11. Site coverage, building scale, setbacks, and open spaces shall be in
proportion with the development property and with existing and planned
development and structures, in adjacent and surrounding property.
The three buildings provide less building coverage and more green space than under
the adjacent mixed-use development. Even with approximately 25 percent green space,
the site has maximized the development by reaching the limits of the number of units
allowed by the lot size (35 units). The density is maximized by the efficiency of the
layout of the site in a manner similar to its surroundings. The building design is also
efficient in its uniform appearance and arrangement. Even with the bulky appearance it
is compatible with the character and scale of its surroundings. Appropriate separation of
the homes from Highway 30 with buffering is included. Open areas and landscaped
areas meet the quantitative standards of the code and would allow for use by the
residential for informal activities.
The Development Review Committee has reviewed the Major Site Development Plan
and found that it complies with all other requirements of the Ames Municipal Code.
SAPLAN_SHR\Council Boards Commissions\cC\Major Site Development Plans\4710_Mortensen_Major SDP-10-28-14.docx
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ATTACHMENT A: LOCATION MAP
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ATTACHMENT C: BUILDING ELEVATION
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