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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Special Use Permit to Modify the existing site of a Religious Institution to allow the Construction of an Expanded Parking Lot and New Driveway at 2400 Bloomington Road0"TY 114ANAGE"IT2 OFFICE Jl,)N 1 6 2020 CITY OF AMES, IOWA CITY OF AMES, 10JONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF' ASCENSION LUTHERAN CHURCH, FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT, SECTION 29.1503 OF THE AMES MUNICIPAL CODE, TO MODITY THE EXISTING SITE OF A RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION TO ALLOW THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN EXPANDED PARKING LOT AND NEW DRIVEWAY IN .A RESIDENTIAL LOW -DENSITY (RL) ZONING DISTRICT LOCATED AT 2400 BLOOMINGTON ROAD FACTS CASE NO. 20-23 GEOCODE NO. 05-28-425-020 DECISION & ORDER Planner Justin Moore presented the request for a Special Use Permit from Ascension Lutheran Church at 240O Bloomington Road. Ascension Lutheran Church of Ames proposes to expand their parking lot with a 14,938 square -foot parking lot expansion and construct a second driveway extending to Bloomington Road on the cast side of the site. The church is located at 2400 Bloomington Road in a Residential Low -Density (RL) zone. RL zoning regulations require that a Religious Institution obtain a Special Use Permit issued by the Zoning Board of Adjustment for such a use or expansion of use. The site plan for the current use is being amended and thus requires a new approval. The proposed parking lot addition is located south of the current church building and will extend eastward from the south end of the current parking, lot as a double -loaded single -aisle parking area. A new 24-foot-wide access driveway will be constructed along the east side of the property between Bloomington Road and the east end of the new parking lot addition. A detention pond is proposed in the northeast portion of the site east of the existing building near the proposed driveway. The proposed access point for the new driveway will be right -turn in and right -turn out only. The proposed driveway will also cross a shared use path that exists along the south side of Bloomington Road. Front yard landscaping and parking lot landscaping is required within and abutting the parking lot addition according to site landscaping standards for non-residential development. The applicant requests approval of an alternative landscaping plan as pail of the Special Use Permit. The proposed alternative is to allow overstory trees along the south side of the new parking lot addition and three trees along the north side. The Applicant proposes to eliminate the required high screen along the south side of the parking lot due to the distance from the parking lot to the neighboring property lines to the south but will instead provide eight overstory trees. The Applicant has proposed the elimination of fi-ont yard shrubs and trees in exchange for the setback of the parking. Under the City's landscaping t7) maintenance standard in the City Zoning Ordinance, any required landscaping approved on a site plan must be maintained perpetually. Staff is in support of the alternative landscaping plan due to the parking lot setback. 2 A six-foot high fence is proposed along the east property line in place of a dense Berk a of high shi-hbs as an allowed substitution. The buffeiyard width will be maintained at 10 feet of depth. The six-foot fence is proposed to extend into the front yard along the east property line, wbicA-is the -.area in: fropt of the existing building of approximately 140 feet. The fence is being treated as a single-6Liy rear yard fence to provide additional privacy to the adjacent homes. The site plan shows a solid six -foot - high fence that is fully opaque that leads from the parking lot to the street. Headlights from vehicles facing east would be blocked by the solid fence for all but the southern -mast property. The parking lot expansion is to add parking capacity to the existing church building. There is no new building or addition being proposed currently. The new driveway onto Bloomington Road will be a right -turn in and right -turn out drive with a median strip in the middle of Bloomington. The Median will be installed to City standards at the church's cost and approved by the City's Traffic Engineer. The new access onto Bloomington also requires a shift in the shared use path, installation of warning signage for pedestrians on the path, as well as a stop bar and stop sign for traffic using the driveway. Planner Moore stated that based on the Findings of Fact and Conclusions as provided in the staff report, staff recommends approval of the Special Use Permit with the conditions listed under Alternative 1. The conditions address the installation of warning signage and stop signage and also the alternative landscape plan. Notification was made to all property owners within 200 feet of the subject property, and several neighbors voiced their opinions regarding this application both via correspondence received by the Board prior to the hearing as well as by correspondence read to the Board during the hearing. After presentation of the staff report, the Board held a discussion with staff regarding the application and concerns raised by neighbors. Applicant Richard Gladden testified that he is the Chair of the Site Development Committee for the church property. He stated that the reason for the expansion in the parking lot was the need for more parking spaces. He explained that during summer months, between Memorial Day to Labor Day, the church offers one sei vice, and must find alternate parking. In addition, the congregation continues to grow. He said the Site Development Committee held a neighborhood meeting in September. Neighbors along Buchanan drive were very concerned about burglary and people entering backyards, so the church's solution was a solid fence rather than slatted. The other reason for a solid fence would be to block vehicle lights during nighttime services. He stated that there are no plans to light the driveway. Applicant Gladden also addressed the concern from the neighbors regarding the added hill of dirt stating that moving the soil from the detention pond area to the space adjacent to the current building would allow them to use the soil for their future building. They would not need to pay to have the dirt removed, and the church would later not have to pay to have dirt added to the property. He said the addition would likely happen in 8 to 10 years, allowing for the soil to settle some before construction. Applicant Dan Kruger testified that he also serves on the Site Development Committee. He said the committee did consider widening the original driveway, but that there was a fire hydrant, stoplight and a storm water inlet that would cause issues. He also stated that the Fire Department would require a second drive once the second building was added to the property. The Board received the Staff Report, written correspondence, and written correspondence read into the record during the hearing. 3 DECISION The Board considered the facts and evidence as presented to the Board, made findings consistent with the Staff Report, and found that all 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 Ames Municipal Code Section 29J503 of the Ames Municipal Code, a Special Use Permit to allow the parking lot expansion and new driveway at 2400 Bloomington Road with the following conditions: A. That an alternative landscaping plan as proposed along the south edge of the new parking lot area allowing for the planting of extra overstory trees while eliminating the required high screen be permitted. B. That a painted stop bar with driveway stop sign at the driveway exit to Bloomington Road and shared use path warning signs be installed to provide warnings to bicyclists and pedestrians and provide traffic control onto Bloomington Road. Final determinations on signage are subject to approval by the City's Municipal Traffic Engineer. 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 251h day of March, 2020. Nmai 3qc ue i gins SN rcta to the Board Amelia Schoeneman Chair