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Home My WebLink AboutA8 ITEM #: DATE: 02-11-15 CITY OF AMES DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND HOUSING REPORT TO THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT DATE PREPARED: February 6, 2015 CASE FILE NO.: ZBA 15-01 REQUEST: An amendment to the Special Use Permit to allow front yard parking for Northridge Village, a continuum of care facility at 3300 George Washington Carver Avenue. PROPERTY CCRC of Ames, LLC OWNER: APPLICANT: CCRC of Ames, LLC LOCATION: 3300 George Washington Carver Avenue (See Attachment A) ZONING: FS-RM Suburban Residential Medium Density BACKGROUND AND PROJECT DESCRIPTION: One year ago (February 12, 2014), the Zoning Board of Adjustment approved a Special Use Permit to construct a senior living facility (also known as a Continuum of Care Residential Center) comprised of independent senior living apartments, assisted living, and a skilled care unit (commonly known as a nursing home). The proposal included a connected complex of 39 independent senior living apartments, 34 assisted living units, and 34 skilled nursing beds, all known as Northridge Village. The project is currently under construction. At the time of initial approval, the Ames Zoning Ordinance did not allow parking in the front yard so their plans were updated to show only a drop off area, with parking to the north, south, and east of the building. The Ames City Council has since approved an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance to allow parking in the front yard for Group Living uses, provided the parking is behind the primary fagade and subject to meeting a 50-foot setback. The owner has updated their site plan to show a new parking area meeting the location requirements of the new amendment. The proposed front yard parking area has 13 spaces, of which 2 are handicapped accessible. The driveway and drop off area remains to the west of the main entrance. Increased impervious area equals 1390 square feet for the new front yard parking area. The site plan also includes required perimeter landscaping for the new parking area. 1 PUBLIC COMMENTS: Notification was made to all owners of property within 200 feet. A notice of public hearing was placed on the property and published in the newspaper. APPLICABLE LAW: Chapter 29, Section 29.1503(4)(a) and (e) of the Municipal Code states the following: (4) Review Criteria. Before a Special Use Permit application can be approved, the Zoning Board of Adjustment shall establish that the following general standards, as well as the specific standards outlined in subsection (b) below, where applicable, have been or shall be satisfied. The Board's action shall be based on stated findings of fact. The conditions imposed shall be construed as limitations on the power of the Board to act. A mere finding that a use conforms to those conditions or a recitation of those conditions, unaccompanied by specific findings of fact, shall not be considered findings of fact for the purpose of complying with this Ordinance. (a) General Standards. The Zoning Board of Adjustment shall review each application for the purpose of determining that each proposed use meets the following standards, and in addition, shall find adequate evidence that each use in its proposed location will: (i) Be harmonious with and in accordance with the general principles and proposals of the Land Use Policy Plan of the City. (ii) Be designed, constructed, operated and maintained so as to be harmonious and appropriate in appearance with the existing and intended character of the general vicinity and that such a use will not change the essential character of the area in which it is proposed. (iii) Not be hazardous or disturbing to existing or future uses in the same general vicinity. (iv) Be served adequately by essential public facilities and services such as highways, streets, police, fire protection, drainage structures, refuse disposal, water and sewage facilities, and/or schools. (v) Not create excessive additional requirements at public cost for public facilities or services. (vi) Not involve uses, activities, processes, materials, and equipment or conditions of operation that will be detrimental to any person, property, or general welfare by reason of excessive production of traffic, noise, smoke, fumes, glare, or odors. 2 (vii) Be consistent with the intent and purpose of the Zone in which it is proposed to locate such use. (b) Residential Zone Standards. The Zoning Board of Adjustment shall review each application for the purpose of determining that each proposed use in a residential zone meets the following standards..." (The standards are listed in this report below.) (i) Not create excessively higher levels of traffic than the predominant pattern in the area and not create additional traffic from the proposed use that would change the street classification and such traffic shall not lower the level of service at area intersections. (ii) Not create a noticeably different travel pattern than the predominant pattern in the area. Special attention must be shown to deliveries or service trips in a residential zone that are different than the normal to and from work travel pattern in the residential area. (iii) Not generate truck trips by trucks over 26,000 g.v.w. (gross vehicle weight) to and from the site except for waste collection vehicles, food delivery vehicles, and moving vans. (iv) Not have noticeably different and disruptive hours of operation. (v) Be sufficiently desirable for the entire community that the loss of residential land is justifiable in relation to the benefit. (vi) Be compatible in terms of structure placement, height, orientation, or scale with the predominate building pattern in the area. (vii) Be located on the lot with a greater setback or with landscape buffering to minimize the impact of the use on adjacent property. (viii) Be consistent with all other applicable standards in the zone. (e) Conditions. The Board may impose such additional conditions it deems necessary for the general welfare, for the protection of individual property rights, and for ensuring that the intent and objectives of this Ordinance will be observed." STAFF COMMENTS: City staff has reviewed the criteria and the applicant's statement and finds that the proposed changes are minor and are consistent with the approval given last year. The proposed change enhances the experience for visitors and residents to the facility with no significant change to the use or the aesthetic of the facility. The approval last year of the Special Use Permit required the applicant to provide easements prior to occupancy of the facility. Staff recommends that these conditions be 3 restated with the approval of this amended Special Use Permit. These conditions are: a. That all easements for public utilities on site will be provided prior to the City issuance of a certificate of occupancy. b. That an easement between the owners of the north and south lots regarding the shared storm water pond be presented to the City for review prior to the City issuance of a certificate of occupancy. STATEMENT OF APPLICANT IN SUPPORT OF PROPOSAL: The applicant has provided statements as to how the proposed Northridge Village meets the requirements for a Special Use Permit. ALTERNATIVES: 1. The Zoning Board of Adjustment can approve this request for an amendment to the Special Use Permit to allow front yard parking for the senior living facility at 3300 George Washington Carver Avenue with the same conditions required by the Board in 2014. a. That all easements for public utilities on site will be provided prior to the City issuance of a certificate of occupancy. b. That an easement between the owners of the north and south lots regarding the shared storm water pond be presented to the City for review prior to the City issuance of a certificate of occupancy. 2. The Zoning Board of Adjustment can approve this request for an amendment to the Special Use Permit to allow front yard parking for the senior living facility at 3300 George Washington Carver Avenue with other conditions in addition to or in lieu of those noted above. 3. The Zoning Board of Adjustment can deny this request for an amendment to the Special Use Permit to allow front yard parking for the senior living facility at 3300 George Washington Carver Avenue by finding that the project does not meet the criteria of Section 29.1503(4). 4. The Zoning Board of Adjustment can refer this request back to the applicant or to City staff for additional information. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Staff concludes that the proposed amendment to the senior living facility known as Northridge Village is consistent with the general and specific residential standards required for granting a Special Use Permit. Therefore, based upon the Staff Comments above, it is the recommendation of the Department of Planning and Housing that the Zoning Board of Adjustment act in accordance with Alternative #1. This is a recommendation to approve this amendment to the Special Use Permit to allow front yard parking for the senior living facility at 3300 George Washington Carver Avenue with the same conditions required by the Board in 2014. 4 Attachment A: Location Map 40 . 441 P rt / U1 T"RD z { CULLEt�DR ry BF,Y6ERRYgRf _ x i %511 C "' s` y 3340 George Washington xc �ef iE sT A Carver Avenue C�xYTUN DRIAM �t 5� NORTHPJDGE PKWY. m WOOi - s^� •,' .ram• .. ,i''° mXX AUR IL Feet 5 Attachment B: Approved Site Plan (Excerpt) Drop Off Area v ; tw,,t' bAQO SO e �4 S ,ww aryw 6 Attachment B: Proposed Amendment (Excerpt) WNW a H v y ,1 � � E i i 7