HomeMy WebLinkAboutA002 - Variance Application - 1111 Duff Avenue, Mary Greeley Medical Center Application Form Last Updated: January 21, 2011
Variance
Application Form
(This form must be completely filled out before the application will be accepted)
1. Property Address for this Variance Application: 1111 Duff Ave Ames, IA 50010
2. Legal Description (attach if lengthy):
3. 1 (We) the undersigned, do hereby respectfully appeal to the Ames Zoning Board of
Adjustment to grant a "Variance"to the Zoning Ordinance to allow the issuance of a Zoning
Permit to permit: Parking within the required lot line buffer (15').
4. The Zoning Permit was refused because:
5. Property Owner. Mary Greeley Medical Center
Address: 1111 Duff Ave Ames Iowa 50010
(Street) (City) (State) (Zip)
Telephone: (515) 239-2011
(Home) (Business) (Fax)
6. Applicant. Shive-Hattery
Address: 1601 48th Street West Des Moines Iowa 50266
(Street) (City) (State) (Zip)
Telephone: (515) 223-8104 (515) 223-0622
(Home) (Business) (Fax)
7. Contact Person: Emily Naylor, Shive-Hattery
Address: 1601 48th Street West Des Moines Iowa 50266
(Street) (City) (State) (Zip)
Telephone: (515) 223-8104 (515) 223-0622
(Home) (Business) (Fax)
E-mail address: enaylor@shive-hattery.com
RECEIVED
JUN 1 7 Z011
CITY OF AMES, IOWA
OEPT OF PLANNING & HOUSING
Application Form Last Updated: January 21,2011
The Zoning Board of Adjustment may grant a Variance, provided the Board members can
make a finding that the Variance will not result in unnecessary hardship, will not be
contrary to the public interest, will observe the Spirit of the Ordinance, and shall result in
substantial justice.
This appeal will not be granted unless sufficient facts are presented in this application to
justify the variance in light of the standards and to show that the granting of the variance relates
to the intent and purposes of the Zoning Ordinance and the Land Use Policy Plan.
Approval of the Variance by the Zoning Board of Adjustment in no way absolves the applicant
from subsequently obtaining the necessary building permits or other permits from the City of
Ames or from other applicable agencies.
I(We) certify that I(we) have been denied a Building/Zoning Permit, that I(we)have submitted all the
required information to appeal for a Variance, and that said information is factual.
Signed b Date: 4v 147 1J
(P erty Owner)
(Note: No other signature may be substituted for the Property Owner's Signature.)
LA and: Date:
( icant
and: Date:
( o tact rson)
4
Application Form Last Updated: January 21, 2011
Variance
Supporting Information
(This form must be filled out completely before your application will be accepted)
The Zoning Board of Adjustment can grant a Variance, only if all of the following
standards are satisfied. In order to facilitate review of this application for a Variance, the
applicant must address each of the "Variance Standards" set forth in Section 29.1504(4) of the
Zoning Ordinance, which are listed below.
(Note: The applicant's explanation of how the request meets each standard may be attached on
a separate sheet if sufficient space is not provided.)
1. Variance Standards. The Zoning Board of Adjustment shall review each application for the
purpose of determining that the "Variance Standards" are satisfied. Pursuant to Iowa law, a
variance shall be granted only if all of the following standards are satisfied:
(a) The granting of the variance shall not be contrary to the public interest.
Please present information to indicate that the Variance will not result in injury or
endangerment to other property or persons, nor will it devalue nearby property.
Explain how the request meets this standard.
The granting of this variance will not be contrary to the public interest in that by
granting this variance, Mary Greeley Medical Center will be allowed to continue to
provide parking accommodations for immediate access to emergency medical
service, which serves the community and region.
Those in need of emergency care may drive themselves, be driven, or arrive via
ambulance. The provision of parking immediately adjacent to the Emergency
Department is a critical amenity and speaks to the level of quality and care that the
facility provides to the region.
This action will not harm or endanger property or persons, nor devalue adjacent
properties in that the modifications proposed by this project make no worse a
condition than currently exists and will make significant improvements by reducing the
extent of the violation.
Existing Condition (Parking):
The Emergency Department parking along Duff Avenue currently has 17 parking
spaces dedicated for Emergency Department patients and visitors transporting
ambulatory patients. 11 of the 17 stalls are currently in violation of the zoning
® ordinance which requires 15 LF setback from the property line. Currently, there is 112
o*a LF of parking that does not comply with the requirements.
N
Qz The current relationship between the parking, sidewalk, and curb-line of Duff Avenue
U_¢ is the public sidewalk is located along Duff Avenue with no buffer or green space to
Q separate pedestrians from the traffic. There is a narrow buffer between the sidewalk
E,o and the MGMC parking. esults in an 11 LF improvement from the existing condition.
w
0
Application Form Last Updated: January 21,2011
Proposed Condition (Parking):
The building and site modifications will require adjustments in pavement grade
elevations to maintain handicap accessibility routes and control storm water. It
will not be possible to make these adjustments without completely removing and
replacing the parking. Because of these improvements, compliance with the
zoning regulations is required.
Due to the site constraints created by the location of the existing building
location, there is insufficient distance to install the number of parking spaces
needed to serve the Emergency Department without continuing to violate the
parking setback requirement. The proposed angled parking will be reconstructed
at the same distance from the property line as it exists currently, and will
continue to be in violation of the required 15 LF setback.
The proposed number of parking stalls will be reduced to 8, totaling 101 LF that
will not comply with the required setback. This results in an 11 LF
improvement from the existing condition.
The proposed relationship between the parking, sidewalk and curb-line of Duff
Avenue is the public sidewalk would be located adjacent to the MGMC parking
and the narrow green space/buffer would occur between the sidewalk and Duff
Avenue to create a separation between pedestrians and passing traffic.
Because the proposed site improvements reduce the extent of the violation for
the parking setback, granting of the variance will not be contrary to the public
interest. Granting this request will not result injury or endangerment to other
property or persons, nor will it devalue nearby property. Granting this variance
will provide a direct benefit to the health, safety and welfare of the public by
allowing Mary Greeley Medical Center to continue to provide necessary access
to parking for emergency care services without compromise.
(b) That without granting of the variance, and due to special conditions, a
literal enforcement of the ordinance will result in unnecessary
hardship.
(i) The land in question cannot yield a reasonable return if used only
for a purpose allowed in the zone;
To meet this standard, please show that all beneficial use and/or
enjoyment of the property will be lost if the Variance is not granted.
Supporting evidence from a professional appraiser, realtor, or other
professional, may be necessary to support your appeal.The Zoning
Board of Adjustment may require documentation of loss of value in
order to grant this variance.
Explain how this request meets the standard.
Application Form Last Updated:January 21, 2011
Currently the value of this property is solely dependent on Mary Greeley
Medical Center's ability to provide health care services. The structure and
configuration of the buildings make it essentially unusable for any other
function, and the cost to remove the structures and prepare the site for another
use will far exceed the value of the property. By not granting this variance, the
ability of the hospital to perform its service will be diminished. A hardship will be
created, which will diminish its value and create reduction in quality of service.
Special conditions:
An essential component and service provided by Mary Greeley Medical Center
is the Emergency Department. To comply with healthcare regulations, codes,
and guidelines, as well industry best practice standards, the Emergency
Department must be easily and immediately accessible to the public and
emergency transport services. This is critical to the timely delivery of
emergency care services.
Duff Avenue currently serves the residents of the City of Ames as a major
Collector-Distributer/Arterial street. The current location of the Emergency
Department and the Ambulance Garage, accessed directly from Duff Avenue
readily facilitates this immediate accessibility.
Due to the constraints of the existing built conditions and land use, there is
insufficient space immediately adjacent to the Emergency Room to reconstruct
parking for ambulatory patients without continuing to transgress on the required
parking setback.
Without immediately adjacent parking, the walking wounded would have to
travel from the MGMC Parking Ramp. The distance between the parking ramp
and the entrance to the Emergency Department is three (3)times further than
parking accommodations in other regional facilities.
Because full replacement of the existing parking is proposed, compliance with
the ordinance is required. Maintaining full compliance with the current Zoning
Ordinance would restrict the ability or level of care that can be provided. By
eliminating the immediately adjacent parking to the Emergency Department,
the quality of healthcare that can be provided would be diminished.
Since the value of the property is intrinsically related to the function of the
hospital, not granting this variance will diminish the value of this property to
Mary Greeley Medical Center and to the City of Ames.
(ii) The plight of the owners is due to unique circumstances and
not to the general conditions of the neighborhood;
Please show that the physical circumstances on the subject
property are unique and unlike other properties in the vicinity.
Application Form Last Updated: January 21, 2011
Explain how this request meets the standard.
Mary Greeley Medical Center has established itself as a valuable resource to the
residents of Ames and the surrounding community as a Regional Health Facility.
The complex organization and relationship amongst all of the varied services
provided by a modern hospital is critical and unique to all other building types and
land uses.
Unique circumstances:
Key ancillary health care services (Radiology, Surgery, Emergency Department,
Laboratory and Pharmacy) all play critical roles in the delivery of healthcare
services. Their relationship to one another is important and must be well configured.
If this relationship is poorly designed, the delivery of healthcare services is
compromised. The Emergency Department in its mission to provide immediate
lifesaving service relies heavily on the services offered by the Radiology
Department and Surgery. It is also critical that immediate access to the Emergency
Department is provided to accommodate ambulatory patients.
This project proposes relocating the Emergency Department in such a manner that
it will be housed in existing building. Most importantly it maintains the necessary
relationship to the other key ancillary services without unnecessary financial burden
to the institution.
A strict enforcement of the required parking setback would compromise the delivery
of healthcare services. Without provision of the parking variance, parking would be
reassigned to the parking ramp. An ambulatory patient would have to navigate the
ramp and on-site traffic before entering the building at the main entrance or
continuing along the exterior of the building to access the Emergency Department.
Neither scenario is favorable and creates significant issues including mixing the
walking wounded with visitors and the general public that may be accessing the
facility via the main entrance or sending the ambulatory patients on an extended
exterior route exposed to the varying weather conditions of Iowa.
To provide the same level of care would require the relocation the Emergency
Department to the west side of the campus where parking could be provided. By
divorcing critical components from one another, the result would be an enormous
financial burden to Mary Greeley Medical Center to reconfigure services to maintain
the proper relationships and access. In addition to the internal relocation of critical
services, additional challenges would be faced by relocating the Emergency
Department to the west side of the campus. Routing ambulance traffic through the
neighborhood will undoubtedly disturb the adjacent residential area and meet
serious resistance by the neighbors. For these reasons it is not practical, affordable
or considerate to relocate the Emergency Department.
Granting this variance will allow Mary Greeley Medical Center to continue to provide
its unique charge to deliver healthcare services to its constituents without
compromising the quality and accessibility, or without unnecessary financial burden.
Application Form Last Updated: January 21, 2011
(iii)The use to be authorized by the variance will not alter the essential
character of the locality.
Please show that the proposed use is compatible with the character of the
surrounding area.
Explain how this request meets the standard.
Granting this variance will not negatively alter the already established character of this
locale. The land use of adjacent properties on both the east and west side of Duff
Avenue, and both north and south of Mary Greely Medical Center provide a
supporting array of health care facilities and services. The character of the immediate
vicinity is consistent in the established relationship of parking stalls to property lines
and to the street; they all share a common violation of the current setback limitations
that establishes a local microcosm unique to these properties.
Granting this variance will improve the condition because the reconstruction of the
parking will require the reconstruction of the public sidewalk and installation of the
green space will occur between the public sidewalk and curb-line of Duff Avenue. This
separation will yield a marked improvement for the public that traverses the west side
of Duff Avenue between 11th and 12th Streets.
Granting this request will not alter the essential character of this locality. This proposal
does not increase the extent or the level of non-compliance with the current
ordinance.
(c) The spirit of the ordinance shall be observed even when the variance is
granted.
Please show that the Variance is consistent with the intent of the Sign Ordinance,
Zoning Ordinance, and the Land Use Policy Plan. A Variance would not be
consistent with the intent if alternatives for development exist that do not require a
Variance.
Explain how this request meets the standard.
The spirit of the Zoning Ordinance is to create separation from lot and adjacent property lines
that yield visual access to open/green space, vistas, and sunlight. The proposed
redevelopment of this site to the greatest extent possible decreases the extent that this
intention is compromised, and increases the neighborhood's access to view and light.
Alternatives do not exist. Thus granting this Variance will improve the level to which this site
contributes to these intentions.
Alternatives do not exist:
As established above, relocating the Emergency Department to provide the ability to
accommodate immediately accessible parking will result in diminished health care services.
Reassigning the Emergency Department parking to the parking ramp or relocating the
Emergency Department to the western side of the hospital property will have an adverse
effect on the patient, whom will travel a more circuitous route as opposed to the direct
access from a primary arterial location.
Application Form Last Updated:January 21, 2011
Reassigning the Emergency Department parking to the parking ramp or relocating the
Emergency Department will result in an adverse impact on the adjacent residential
neighborhood. This would impact the residential neighborhoods along Kellogg and west of
the hospital in a manner that is not consistent with their current use or character.
As described in the paragraphs above, the ability of Mary Greeley Medical Center to provide
affordable, high quality healthcare services is best served by maintaining the Emergency
Department access from Duff Avenue and by preserving the internal relationships to other
vital ancillary services. Any alternative to this would compromise the accessibility and quality
of care and create unnecessary costs to the community.
Without a viable alternative, this proposed variance is necessary to allow the hospital to
adapt itself to serve its needs in a manner that more fully supports the spirit and intent of this
ordinance.
(d) Substantial justice shall be done as a result of granting the variance.
Explain how this request meets the standard.
The MGMC facility has exhibited continual growth over its nearly 100 years of service to this
community. A resultant of this growth is that the site on which it is situated in a predominately
residential neighborhood has become congested and urban in character. Space is precious.
The challenge for this facility is how to provide for further growth as necessary to meet the
ever-changing demands and trends of the healthcare service industry without unduly and
adversely impacting the surrounding neighborhood.
Justice is served by:
The services provided by Mary Greeley Medical Center are valuable and essential to the
community.
Recognizing that it is not possible to provide necessary services conveniently and affordably
while maintaining full compliance with the current Zoning Ordinance, Mary Greeley Medical
Center is submitting a plan that complies with the Zoning Ordinance to the greatest extent
possible.
The site challenges coupled with the unique services offered by MGMC clearly offset the
inability to meet specific zoning ordinance requirements in its entirety.
Because of the uniqueness of this situation, a precedent is not established.
This variance will allow justice to be serviced by allowing Mary Greeley Medical Center to
position itself to continue to provide the best healthcare service possible to the residents of
Ames, Story County, and the surrounding areas.
Application Form Last Updated: January 21,2011
Variance
Permission to Place a "Zoning Action Pending"
Sign on Private Property
(This form must be filled out completely before your application will be accepted)
Section 29.1500(2)(d)(iii) of the Zoning Ordinance, requires that notice shall be posted by the
City on signs posted on the subject property. One sign shall be posted for each public street
frontage. Required signs shall be posted along the perimeter of the subject property in locations
that are highly visible from adjacent public streets not less than seven (7) days prior to the
meeting or hearing, unless otherwise prescribed by statute.
The owner of property at 1111 Duff Avenue hereby grants the City of Ames
permission to place "Zoning Action Pending" signs on the property for the purpose of informing
interested persons of the request for action by the City of Ames.
I understand that the signs will be placed on the property several days prior to action on the
request by the Planning and Zoning Commission, Zoning Board of Adjustment, or the City
Council, and may remain on the property until the request has been approved or denied by the
City.
Signed by: Date:
(Pro erty Owner)
(Note: No other signature may be substituted for the Property Owner's Signature)
10
Application Form Last Updated: January 21, 2011
Adjoining Property Owner Statement
(Completion of this form by the applicant is optional)
To Whom It May Concern:
We, the undersigned, own property adjoining 1111 Duff Avenue Ames, Iowa.
It is our understanding that Mary Greeley Medical Center has filed an
appeal with the Zoning Board of Adjustment to allow Parking within the required lot line
buffer (151, parking within the required abutting property buffer (8') setback and
building within the required building setback (25').
As adjoining property owners, we would have no objections to the issuance of this building
permit for the purposes stated above.
NAME ADDRESS DATE
M ► •
DECEIVED
JUN 1 7 ZO11
CITY OF ANTES, IOWA
DEPT, OF PLANNING &HOUSING