HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Special Use Permit for Guest Lodging to allow a Vacation Lodging use in an Apartment Building located at 700 Douglas Avenue01'Y 1AANA(,","IIEI","�I'll"1'll') 0F1 ICE
2 1 2020 CITY OF ANTES, IOWA
ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT
CITY OF AMES, IOWA
IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION
OF UT PROSIM REVOCABLE FAMILY CASE NO. 20-16
TRUST (SUSAN HURD, TRUSTEE), FOR A
SPECIAL, USE PERMIT, SECTION 29.1503 GEOCODE NO. 09-02-330-060
OF THE AMES MUNICIPAL CODE, FOR
GUEST LODGING TO ALLOW A DECISION & ORDER
VACATION LODGING USE FOR 700
DOUGLAS AVENUE IN THE RM ZONING
DISTRICT WITHIN THE HISTORIC
OVERLAY DISTRICT AND SINGLE-
FAMILY CONSERVATION OVERLAY
DISTRICT
FACTS
Applicant Susan Hurd is requesting a Special Use Pen -nit for Guest Lodging to allow a Vacation
Lodging use in an Apartment Building (3 or more units) located at 700 Douglas Avenue. The site
is located within the Residential Medium Density (RM) Zoning District with the Historic District
Overlay (0-H) and Single -Family Conservation Overlay (0-SFC).
This matter was first heard by the Zoning Board of Adjustment on May 13, 2020. At the May 13t"
meeting the Board heard from both the City and the Applicant before continuing the hearing to
June 24, 2020. Prior to the June 24th meeting, the Board was provided a new Staff Report
containing amended Findings of Fact and Conclusions.
Planner Justin Moore reviewed the site plan, project description, applicable law, and staffs
Findings of Fact and Conclusions. The property contains a four -unit apartment building
(conversion of a single-family home) with no other buildings or parking onsite. The applicant is
requesting approval of a f0l,ir-unit apartment dwelling with one one -bedroom unit as guest lodging
for two adults allowed as guests, The request for two adults Its is consistent with the occupancy
standards of the dines Municil)(d Code.
Parking must comply with the dimensional, location, and surfacing requirements of the Zoning
Ordinance. Generally, parking is not allowed to be located between the building and the street,
however, the standards include an exception for stacked driveway parking. The applicant indicated
in their application that parking for the site existed on a neighboring site. Rernote parking for
residential uses is not allowed by the Zoning Ordinance for establishment of new uses, such as
Guest Lodging. The total required parking spaces for the apartments and proposed Guest Lodging
is six spaces. Staff and Applicant spent quite a bit of time discussing possible solutions,
Planner Moore stated that the property was given a Letter of Compliance (LOC) many years ago
with the understanding that the parking was offsite. At that time, onsite parking was not required
under the City's Rental Housing Code. Planner Moore said that there have not been any zoning
actions in recent history, and this property had been a rental since at least the 1990s.
5.. w
Regarding the 1,000-foot separation rule, Mr. Moore stated that it does not apply to apartment
buildings; however, apartments are limited by the number of units that may,be.,licensed within a
parcel or development. The limitation is one unit or up to 10% of the total units. Therefore, 4as� long
as one unit of 700 Douglas is licensed, no other units in the building may be licensed for Guest
Lodging.
Applicant Susan Hurd, 3275 400th Street, Roland, Iowa, testified that there are a lot of complexities
that she became aware of after filing for the guest lodging permits. The process started because of
the need to provide one parking space at 700 Douglas, causing the need for a Minor Site
Development Plan. She and Planner Moore felt that a variance would be the best way to bring both
properties into compliance. She plans to pave the gravel parking lot as soon as she is able to get
someone out to perform the work.
Applicant appeared before the Zoning Board of Adjustment on June 10, 2020 requesting a variance
to allow off -site parking for 700 Douglas Avenue, on the property located at 708 Douglas Avenue.
The variance request was granted with conditions. A remote parking agreement is currently under
review and will need to be approved by City Council.
The Board considered the facts as detailed above and provided in the amended staff report and
found that all of the relevant standards in Section 29.1503 were met and established by the
Applicant.
WHEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that the Applicant is GRANTED, pursuant to Section 29.1503
of the Ames Municipal Code, a Special Use Permit for Guest Lodging to allow a Vacation Lodging
use in the RM/O-SFC/O-H Zoning District at 700 Douglas Avenue with the following
requirements:
1. Approval of a Minor Site Development Plan that complies with zoning standards.
2. The gravel parking lot at 708 Douglas Avenue must be paved to City standards
according to an approved Minor Site Development Plan. Improvement of the driveway
and parking lot is required no later than December 1st, 2020. This is similar to a
condition approved recently on another site applying for a Guest Lodging license.
3. Approval of a remote parking agreement by the City Council.
Any person desiring to appeal this decision to a court of record may do so within 30 days after the
filing of this decision.
Done this 24"' day of June 2020.
J,'aqne Higgins Ameba ho neman
to the Board Chair
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