Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Planning & Zoning Minutes 09/20/2017 MINUTES CITY OF AMES PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION [*Absent] MAJOR TOPICS DISCUSSED: 1. Public Hearing for the Major Site Development Plan for 2151 Cottonwood Road __________________________________________________________________________ CALL TO ORDER: Matt Converse, Vice Chairperson, called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. APPROVAL OF AGENDA: MOTION: (Wannemuehler/Bowers) to approve the Agenda for the meeting of September 20, 2017. MOTION PASSED: (6 - 0) APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 06, 2017: MOTION: (Bowers/Ragaller) to approve the Minutes of the meeting of September 06, 2017 with the correction of adding an “s” onto the last name of Bowers on page four on the motion. MOTION PASSED: (6 - 0) ____________________________________________________________________________ PUBLIC FORUM: There were no public comments. ____________________________________________________________________________ MAJOR SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR 2151 COTTONWOOD ROAD Ray Anderson, Planner, presented a location map for 2151 Cottonwood Road and showed which lot is being proposed for development. He stated that it is a two-story, 12-unit apartment building with two garage buildings with six parking stalls in each garage building, and 38 parking spaces. Mr. Anderson then discussed the architecture of the building along with elevations. He noted that the developer also intends to propose, additional two-story buildings along Aurora that will have the same design. Mr. Anderson stated that they meet the new landscaping design requirements, this includes new front yard landscaping requirements and the new requirements for the parking lot. He noted that a high screen is required along the west property line, along this property line is an outlot that has a five foot wide sidewalk that leads up to Christofferson Park, this buffer is a requirement in the FS-RM zone where the lot is adjacent to any lot zoned as FS-RL or RL. Mr. Anderson mentioned that there is a requirement for open space in the FS- RM zone and this is met through the placing of landscaping on the outlet. Mr. Basmajian asked to clarify if lots one through four were already developed. Mr. Diekmann stated that two have been built and two have not. He then asked what was going to be built to the south of this property. Mr. Anderson stated that the development to the south will be 8 plexes and will be along the same design as this project. Ms. Minhas stated she does have a f ew questions and wanted to know since the parking requirement is only 22 and the developer is putting in 38, if those additional parking spaces will be shared parking with the adjacent property or what the additional parking would be for. Mr. Anderson stated that the additional parking is to be used for when the tenant has more than one vehicle or if they have visitors. She asked if Planning Staff had spoken with the applicant regarding all the impervious space this would create. Mr. Diekmann stated they had not as the developer had to redesign the parking lot to meet some other standards and the developer choose not to change the amount of parking spaces and redesigned the garages instead. Ms. Minhas stated when looking at the design and elevations of this building she wanted to know if there was any discussion with Planning Staff and the applicant on compatibility of the architecture design and what is already in the west for single family homes. Mr. Diekmann stated that this is the first one they saw and told the developers that they were not 100% confident with the way the bays are set up with the parapet heights that it would be a successful proportional look to the building however; the applicant did not choose to respond to that and went forward with this design and this property is not abutting any single-family homes. Ms. Minhas asked if there are any other buildings in Ames that have the same type of metal as this building. Mr. Diekmann stated there are some but not as prominent as this one. Ms. Minhas wanted to know what the percentages is for the total building being metal. Mr. Diekmann stated that between the two different panel types it would be about 75-80% metal panel. Ms. Minhas asked if the applicant is required to talk to the neighbors. Mr. Diekmann stated they are not but the Planning Staff does a public notification for the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting and City Council meeting. Ms. Minhas asked to view Attachment D, which is the garage elevations and stated that the back of the garage is not a very pleasant site to see from the park. Mr. Diekmann asked for the landscape plan to be displayed and noted that there is nothing proposed along the garages and mentioned that they could add some landscape buffer along the rear of the garages. Ms. Minhas stated that would help to break the look of the building to the park and recommended something taller than shrubs that would help with the aesthetics. Mr. Basmajian wanted to know if the backs of the garages were corrugated or smooth. Mr. Anderson noted that it will be galvalume finish corrugated metal siding with a horizontal orientation. Mr. Basmajian wanted to know if there was an elevation change between the park and this parcel. Mr. Anderson stated there is not as it is flat in this area. Mr. Basmajian wanted to know what the park is. Mr. Diekmann stated that there is a playground, picnic shelter, and parking lot as the south two thirds is prairie and a path. Ms. Minhas wanted to know if the walk-way that is being proposed will it tie into that path. Mr. Anderson showed on the map where the trail goes and it could be extended and the idea is to connect to that at some point. Mr. Basmajian wanted to know if the City would take care of this connection. Mr. Diekmann stated that they will have to check on the wording on that as it was a condition with the subdivision and the rezoning as not sure if they had to get it to the property line or the final connection. Mr. Basmajian asked in Alternative 1 if there was a compliance issue with exterior lighting or just not shown. Mr. Diekmann stated they usually defer it as most developers don’t have a lighting plan when they come in and Staff just wanted it noted so they would catch it later. Mr. Diekmann noted that the developers did agree with condition B as well. MOTION: (Ragaller/Bowers) to accept Alternative #1, which states: that the Planning and Zoning Commission can recommend that the City Council approve the Major Site Development Plan for the proposed 12-unit apartment building, located at 2151 Cottonwood Road, as proposed, with the following conditions: A. Compliance of all exterior lighting, with the Outdoor Lighting Code, Section 29.411 of the Municipal Code, and approval by the Planning & Housing Department, is required prior to occupancy. B. Revised plans to relocate meters from the front corners of the buildings or provide compliant meter screening prior to City Council review. AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION: the Planning and Zoning Commission added the recommendation for the developer to include landscaping as buffer behind the garages. AMENDED MOTION PASSED: (6-0) ORIGINAL MOTION PASSED: (6-0) Mr. Diekmann stated this will move on to City Council on October 10, 2017. ____________________________________________________________________________ COMMISSION COMMENTS: Mr. Basmajian wanted an update on the changes in rental occupancy and what is going to happen in the next few months. Mr. Diekmann stated that final action has not happened yet but there were several changes that Council directed towards rental occupancy standards. He stated that Council wants to adopt a moratorium to prohibit any new single family rentals for the next six months, they want to define a single family home that has more than three students in it, and adopt concentration limitations of single family home rentals in certain areas of Ames. Mr. Diekmann stated they will have to come back with a proposal on the concentration on how it is going to be measured, define the student housing use, and the moratorium. He stated a third rental inspector is going to be hired and the inspection program will be changed where single family homes will have to be inspected annually and more pro-active rental property maintenance requirements. ____________________________________________________________________________ STAFF COMMENTS: Mr. Diekmann stated they spoke about the Planning Division work plan with City Council and they reaffirmed what is already in process and made a few recommendations on some text amendments, and also private property referral requests for text amendments as well. He stated that Council is interested in an incentive program to encourage conversion of single family rental back to owner occupied housing. City Council also talked about the Complete Streets program, which is a Public Works project, it is an idea for a more structured framework for how road projects are evaluated with an established policy for bike, pedestrian, and vehicular needs, this will help prioritize and set limits. He stated some of this information will be used in the Comprehensive Plan update. ____________________________________________________________________________ MOTION TO ADJOURN: MOTION: (Wannemuehler/none) to adjourn the meeting. The meeting adjourned at 7:38 PM. _________________________________ ____________________________________ Matt Converse, Vice Chairperson Amy L. Colwell, Recording Secretary Planning & Zoning Commission Department of Planning & Housing S:\Planning.Dep\PLAN_SHR\Council Boards Commissions\PZ\Minutes\2017 Minutes\P&Z Minutes 09-20-17.docx