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Home My WebLink AboutA024 - Council Action Form dated May 6, 2015 i ITEM #: 34 DATE: 05/6/15 COUNCIL ACTION FORM SUBJECT: REVISION TO MAJOR SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR 2710-2810 BOBCAT DRIVE IN RINGGENBERG PARK SUBDIVISION 4T" ADDITION BACKGROUND: On October 14, 2014, the City Council approved a Major Site Development Plan for property located at the southwest corner of Cedar Lane and Oakwood Road. (See Attachment A Location Map) The approved Plan was for the construction of five 12-unit apartment buildings along a new private road, Bobcat Drive, which extends from Cedar Lane west and north to Oakwood Road. Subsequently, the City Council approved a subdivision dividing property such that the five buildings will be on separate lots, addressed as 2710 to 2810 Bobcat Drive. At this time, a revision to the Major Site Development Plan is being submitted for approval to change the entrance of Bobcat Drive from Oakwood Road. (See Attachment B Revised Major Site Development Plan) On the approved plan, Bobcat Drive is divided into two 16-foot wide lanes with a 12-foot wide median in the center for a distance of 70 feet south from the right-of-way line of Oakwood Road and 30 feet north into the right-of-way. The median would have been planted with annual flowers and other plants. The applicant proposes a change for this driveway segment to consist of a 26-foot wide pavement with no median, which is the same as the rest of Bobcat Drive to the south and east. The proposed change reflects how the driveway has already been constructed. The landscape plan includes prairie grasses and forbs extending on both sides of this pavement. For ease of comparison, a diagram is included that shows both options (Attachment B). The applicant has provided more detailed drawings and images of the proposed change and explanation of the reasons for the revision, which accompany this report. The applicant states that this change was made for several reasons. It is intended to improve fire access. Also, the Bobcat Drive entrance was changed to reduce the impact on a large 100+ year-old bur oak tree near the drive to the west. Additionally, the reduced pavement width also reduces storm water runoff and construction cost. City of Ames staff notes that the divided entrance with two 16-foot wide lanes was accepted by the Fire Department, before it was presented to the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council, because Bobcat Drive also has access from Cedar Lane to the east that is 26 feet wide. Staff agrees that locating pavement outside of the drip line of the oak tree will reduce potential impacts. While reduced paving will reduce storm water runoff, it is not significant in this case. The change affects the appearance from the north approach to the site. The divided drive with annual flowers will be different than a drive with prairie plantings on both sides. Throughout the various reviews of the Ringgenberg Park project, the neighborhood to the north has emphasized the importance of the appearance of the development along Oakwood Road. This is one of the reasons the plan includes perimeter tree plantings and landscaping and to plant them with the initial phase of apartment development. In addition to the general development standards applicable to all development and the development standards of the Suburban Residential Medium Density zoning district, the zoning ordinance provides standards and criteria for approval of a Major Site Development Plan. (See Attachment C). Staff has reviewed all of these standards and concludes that the proposed plan revision does not affect compliance with these standards, with the exception of determining consistency with Design Standard 7, which states: 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 Generally, the City does not have enhanced driveway standards that are applied to project review. Project entrances are considered as part of the overall landscape design and site layout as can be interpreted from the above standard for general project conformance. PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: At its meeting of May 6, 2015, without discussion or questions, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended that City Council approve the proposed revision to the Major Site Development Plan for 2710-2810 Bobcat Drive in Ringgenberg Park Subdivision 4th Addition, by a vote of 5 to 0 and one abstention. ALTERNATIVES: 1. The City Council can approve the proposed revision to the Major Site Development Plan for 2710-2810 Bobcat Drive in Ringgenberg Park Subdivision 4th Addition. 2. The City Council can deny the proposed revision to the Major Site Development Plan for 2710-2810 Bobcat Drive in Ringgenberg Park Subdivision 4th Addition and require the installation of the decorative median 3. Action on this request can be postponed and referred back to City staff and/or the applicant for additional information. MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION: When City Council approved the Major Site Development Plan for development of the properties addressed as 2710-2810 Bobcat Drive, it determined that the Plan meets the minimum criteria and standards for approval listed in Ames Municipal Code Section 29.1502(c)(d). Staff concludes that, of these criteria and standards only Design Standard 7 is relevant to the proposed revision to that approved Plan. It can be concluded that the proposed revision to the entrance of Bobcat Road from Oakwood Road is not inconsistent with this Design Standard for a Major Site Development Plan. The change affects the driveway landscaping, but does alter the general enhanced perimeter landscaping. Therefore, it is the City Manager's recommendation that the City Council adopt Alternative #1 to approve the proposed revision to the Major Site Development Plan for 2710-2810 Bobcat Drive in Ringgenberg Park Subdivision 4t" Addition. Attachment A fi f" A rl € a � b � � .. 3 <m 4 lko Ll N p Q 'U p', ca ,,qyw Subject XM T�aIVCRESTDR. ?�g ku N Area W V , sSUNDOWN DR Fw � ZUMWALT STATION RD rc� ":'. F. LU ry a 3 OW� G L^a. �`E'a /d J ( •*" � i C7 �` �DR ara' p "x � i� ' 4 ¥ � v Al Location Map Ringgenberg Park Subdivision 4th Addition R -.._,..� AMES INCORPORATED LIMITS 4 Attachment B 5 )FOX Apri 28,20:15 Jeff Benson, Planner Department of Planning Houtong 515,Clark Avenue Ames,lowa 50010 RE: Ringgenberg RM Master Plan Changes-Bobcat Drive Change FOX Ref. No, 5099 09ar.3 23 Dear Jeff: Attached is the revised Master Plan for the Ring,genberg Medium 'Density Lots 2 and 3. In addition to the Major Sit€;Development Plan application you will find the following pages: • REVISED Master Eaten of the 4th Addition of the R'inggenberg Subdivision • REVISED Landscape Plan of the 4th Addition of the Ringge=nberT SLibdivision • Figure showing the extent of the cl,aange frorn a boulevard section to the simple intersection at the connection of Bobcat Drive to Oakwood Road We revised the boulevard entry on Bobcat Drive off Oakwood Road after receiving commentary from the fire department during the review of the Quarry Estates subdivision that boulevard entries were discouraged because of issues with the fire truck access_ In addition the;change has additional benefits: 1. LUSS p 3uc fflent is required for the entry. Less cost to reC0n5true:t when Oakwood Road is reconstructed in the?fut.rare. Lass runoff t;enr::r<'ated by tl'ac=project. 2. The entry is more"hidden"and less massive than the origins)entry, 3, The revised entry reckices the impact on;a old bur oak tree that the developer is trying to preserve. 'To lesser'a the impact of the project orr the 100+year old bur oak tree it was desirable to move the entry away from the tree as shown on the picture velour, a r x J x, � 6 The red Ene it)the photo is the drip line for the tree that'indicates the approximate limit of the trees roots. The grading of the s rna leer drive lessens the impact of the paving or,the roots of the trees. If the larger drive was used, then the grading would be into the tree no is an 20 additional feet, Then,,is dike path planned to the south Of the tree that will have some impact to the roots but this has been placed as far south as possible to minimize the trail inap act. In addition the lame overhanging branch would need to have been removed to prevent contact with trucks entering the site. The landscaping for the proiect is as intensive as originally planned for the duffer to the neighborhood. This comprises the change we have requested to the site. There are other minor changes to the site that do not warrant la &Z/Council review and approval. Thank you for your tune and consideration. Since Scott Ren d, P,E. Project Manager K:\!pruj\5000\SCt99-058A PM\323 Oakwood brave Ch angc\2015 04 28 maste,plan cha nges.dacx 7 Attachment B-1 PROPOSED MAJOR SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN 4 f � f Y !° V P i I Jh $ jy t f r , g Attachment B-2 PROPOSED MAJOR SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2710-2810 Bobcat Drive, Ringgenberg Park 4t" Addition -E%I'STINfv�8'DIA GUAR FHN(T4 REMAIN) j UNFED FLDWEAS'(ANNVALSJ � 1 N1hN>>t Try i� C 1 � i "i 'MOW SFRFP(T'AJ G V � ' ` b a GNASS AND A «v• � %^' � r I r � h r/ II g Existing Approved Entrance on Oakwood PRAIRIE GRASS .. AND -.. FORBES n Proposed Revised Entrance on Oakwood 9 Attachment c Design Standards for Major Site Development Plans (from Ames Municipal Code Section 29.1502(4)(d) 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 downstream property. 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. 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. 4. The design of the proposed development shall not increase the danger of erosion, flooding, landslide, or other endangerment to adjoining and surrounding property. 5. Natural topographic and landscape features of the site shall be incorporated into the development design. 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. 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. 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. 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. 10 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. 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. 11