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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Zoning Board of Adjustment Minutes 6-27-2018MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AMES, IOWA JUNE 27, 2018 The Ames Zoning Board of Adjustment met, pursuant to law, in regular session at 6:00 p.m. on June 27, 2018, in the Council Chambers of City Hall with the following members present: Amelia Schoeneman, Kyle Perkins, Matthew Koehler, Rob Bowers, and Susan Bradbury. Assistant City Attorney Jane Chang and City Planner Justin Moore were also present. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Moved by Perkins, seconded by Schoeneman, to approve the minutes of the meeting of May 23, 2018. Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. CASE NO. 18-06 SPECIAL USE PERMIT – Josh Cowman, Ewing Land Development and Services LLC, Public Hearing on application for a Special Use Permit to construct an independent senior living facility on the property located at 1899 Ada Hayden Road City Planner Justin Moore introduced the request and displayed a site map. Ewing Land Development and Services LLC proposes to construct an independent senior living facility at the intersection of 190th Street and Hyde Avenue currently addressed as 1899 Ada Hayden Road. The property is located within the Suburban Residential Zone Residential Medium Density (FS - RM) zoning district. FS-RM zoning requires all independent senior living facilities to meet the General Standards of Section 29.1503 and Residential Zone Standards in Section 29.1503(4)(b) as part of the Special Use Permit review process. The site is also subject to consistency with a Master Plan and Zoning agreement for the Quarry Estates Subdivision approved by City Council in October 2014. The proposed building is a three-story, 105,833 square foot building on a three-acre lot located at the corner of 190th Street and Hyde Avenue. The building will include 44 units, divided into 16 three-bedroom and 28 two-bedroom units. As an independent senior living facility, it notably is reviewed different ly from an apartment building due to the age restriction for all residents to be 55 or older. The proposed primary site access is from 190th Street to the east of the proposed building via a shared common driveway with outlot WW. Secondary access is also available to the west from Hyde Avenue located south of the proposed building. The proposed site plan has the building set to the northwest portion of the site with the building designed at an angle along both 190 th Street and Hyde Avenue. The site design has 56 parking spaces located in a sub-surface parking garage underneath the new building and 29 surface level parking spaces located just southeast of the proposed building. The entrance to the underground parking is at the northeast corner of the building with the exit located near the southwest edge of the building. The 85 proposed parking stalls satisfy the parking requirement for a 44-unit independent senior living facility, which requires only one space per unit. An apartment building would require one parking space per bedroom. The site is located within Quarry Estates which is a Conservation Subdivision. Conservation Subdivisions include additional design standards for stormwater purposes to help protect the Ada Hayden watershed. Stormwater treatment features are located to the south of the proposed building on the neighboring outlot as part of planned regional stormwater detention. A 25 -foot conservation easement is proposed along the north and west property lines of the site along 190 th Street and Hyde Avenue respectively. The conservation easement is being provided to meet the intent of the Conservation Subdivision standards which stipulate that conservation areas (natural areas) are to be located between lots and external roads. The ap plicant proposes to use the conservation area to meet the sidewalk requirement due to the existing conditions of the abutting roadways with ditches, and the developer has submitted a prairie planting seed mixture to be used in the conservation easement that has been reviewed by staff. The overall landscape treatment of the site is subject to review through the Special Use Permit process to assure that appropriate landscaping and buffering is incorporated into the site design. The landscape plan review includes evaluation of required landscaping in the parking lot, front yard, and perimeter bufferyard. Parking lot landscaping is shown on the site consisting of a total of 23 overstory trees to meet buffering and the 10% parking lot landscape area requirement. The front yard landscaping consists of a total of seven overstory trees located within the conservation easement in the front yard along 190th Street and eight overstory trees located within the conservation easement located in the front yard along Hyde Avenue. The proposed front yard trees are a native Iowa tree species compatible with the conservation area and meet the required site landscape design standards. Grasses and shrubs are proposed along the west and north front foundation of the building and east portion of the front yard. Additionally, native grasses and wildflowers are proposed within the 25-foot conservation easement located in the front yard along the front property lines. As an FS-RM zoned site, a 10-foot landscape buffer area is required along property lines abutting FS-RL zoned land. This buffer standard is satisfied by the outlot conservation areas in the Quarry Estates Master Plan which designated the outlots located to the immediate south and east of the FS-RM zoned land as landscaped buffer areas. If not for the identified areas in the Master Plan, buffer yard areas would need to be provided on the proposed site. These outlots are located within conservation easement areas and contain native grass, wildflower and native trees. Park ing lot screening has been proposed along the inside of the east shared common driveway consisting of shrubs that create a high screen affect maturing at least six feet in height. This planting standard is required at this location due to the future platting development of the outlot . Parking lot screening along the south side of the property has been proposed to be waived due to the presence of an outlot located to the immediate south of the site as identified in the Quarry Estates Master Plan. Future single-family homes will be located approximately 300 feet south of Ewing site. The building finishes consist of a pitched and gabled roof with manufactured stone verneer on the bottom portion of the façades with fiber cement lap siding on the upper portio ns. The cement board lap siding will be masonry colors with some dark red color near the balconies and far upper portions near the roof. Walkways are proposed to lead from the main entrance on the southeast side of the building east and then north to the sidewalk along 190th Street. A sidewalk will also lead from the southeast main entrance of the building south and then west between the drive aisle and south property line to sidewalk along Hyde Avenue. The walk out patio on the northwest side of the bui lding will also have a sidewalk leading to the sidewalk along 190th Street. Sidewalk connections leading west across Hyde Avenue and north across 190th Street are provided at the intersection of 190th Street and Hyde Avenue. The proposed site will have parking lot lighting, building lighting, as well as a small light shining on the monument sign near the corner of 190 th Street and Hyde Avenue. The light for the sign is proposed to face the sign and away from both streets as well as the intersection. All proposed lighting has met the lighting output standards in the zoning ordinance. The applicable law and Findings of Fact and Conclusions were reviewed in detail by Mr. Moore. He stated that at this time the address of the property is 1899 Ada Hayden Ro ad, but it will be eventually reassigned. He explained that the building is proposed to be larger than standard apartment buildings due to its design as an independent senior living facility that requires amenities and include age restrictions on residents. The density of units complies with the minimum density of 10 units per net acre. The land to the south provides an adequate buffer via the outlot for open space and stormwater detention between this site and the low -density residential zone to the south. The site has access to 190th Street and Hyde Avenue which are main roads designed to accommodate the projected traffic this site will generate. The design of the building is oriented close to the intersection of 190 th Street and Hyde Avenue to allow for internal site design features of parking and open space. Mr. Moore stated that the proposed building will be approximately 41 feet in height. The maximum allowed height in the FS-RM zoning district is 50 feet or 4 stories whichever is lower, and the required minimum setback to public road right -of-way is 25 feet. The building will sit 28 feet from Hyde Avenue and 25 feet from 190th Street. The required side setbacks are 10 feet from the east and south property lines. The building will set 37 feet from the south and 112 feet from the east. The placement, height, scale, massing, and façade treatments of the proposed building make the building compatible with the current and future residential surroundings, and it complies with the height and setback requireme nts of the FS-RM zoning standards. It was said that the operation of the facility as proposed is not seen to be hazardous or disturbing to the area as the proposed use is permitted in the FS -RM zone and the site meets all applicable zoning and development standards including stormwater, conservation and fire access as well required zone development standards. The level of traffic is minimal on a daily basis and has access from two points into and out of the site. Traffic volumes from the senior living facility will not exceed the capacity of the adjacent streets, and any traffic increase due to the presence of the facility is seen to increase levels modestly as the traffic will generally be limited to residents and visitors to the site. T he street network will be able maintain the current street classification and level of service once the facility opens. The proposed use will not require additional infrastructure in the future. Infrastructure is currently being installed as planned in the Quarry Estates Final Plat to serve the site adequately. There are no additional fire or police resources anticipated to serve this use. Notification was made to all owners of property within 200 feet, and a notice of public hearing was placed in the fro nt yard of the subject property. It was said that three inquiries had been received, but there were no concerns. Mr. Koehler asked Mr. Moore to locate where the corrections needed to occur on the site plan. Mr. Moore pointed out the surface water drainage device near the driveway and stated that it must be moved east of the driveway. He also noted that the building ground elevation must be shown one foot higher than what is currently shown to meet stormwater protection standards. Ms. Schoeneman asked if the access easement was required to meet road standards. Mr. Moore explained that it meets the width requirements, as well as fire access standards. He stated that general road standards do not have to be met because it is a private access. Mr. Moore added that if the area becomes more developed, the City will review traffic concerns and determine if additional traffic signs are needed. Ms. Schoeneman asked if the 25-foot buffer to the north was sufficient for agriculture. Mr. Moore stated that the buffer exceeds the standards and has met conservation requirements. Jason Ledden, Snyder & Associates, Inc, 2727 SW Snyder Boulevard, Ankeny, Iowa , was sworn in and testified under oath. Mr. Ledden clarified that the project is a cooperative facility, and t he residents will own a part of the building rather than rent. The street is only intended for the use of the facility, and no additional turn lanes are predicted at this time. He stated that a stop sign may be installed in the future to assist with traffic. Mr. Ledden said that each unit will be allowed one parking space in the sub-surface parking garage. The surface parking lot will be primarily for visitors and additional needs. Traffic will move in one direction, as the drive aisles are one-way with the entrance located to the north and the exit located to the south. He added that the plans are being updated to correct the elevations and stormwater drainage area. Mr. Ledden mentioned that a lot of the residents like to live out of town and appreciate the natural areas, as many have previously lived on a farm or in a similar rural area. Josh Cowman, Ewing Land Development and Services LLC, 909 West 16th Street, Pella, Iowa, was sworn in. He stated that this will be an independent living facility which usually attracts a younger senior, but transportation will available for residents if needed. So far, feedback from future residents has been positive, and they have expressed great interest in the location and proximity to Ada Hayden. Kurt Friedrich, Friedrich Iowa Realty, 100 6th Street, Ames, Iowa, was sworn in. Mr. Friedrich, developer of Quarry Estates, displayed a map of the neighborhood and noted the areas that are fully developed, and where growth continues. He stated that there are a lot of current residents in the neighborhood, and this development would add another demographic. Ringgenberg Park and Northridge Village were given as examples of successful projects where the units had filled up quickly and had waiting lists. Mr. Friedrich said he supports this project. Ms. Bradbury stated that based on the staff report, everything corresponds with the City Code. Moved by Bradbury, seconded by Perkins, to approve ORDER NO. 18-06, thereby approving the request for a Special Use Permit at 1899 Ada Hayden Road for an Independent Senior Living Facility by adopting the findings and conclusions noted above, and with the following conditions: a. Prior to issuance of the site development plan, confirm whether all of the seed varieties listed in t he seed listing portion of the seeding schedule provided by the developer are compatible with native plantings to be planted in the conservation easement area. b. Prior to issuance of the site development plan the building ground elevation must be shown one foot higher than is currently shown to meet stormwater protection standards. c. Prior to issuance of the site development plan a surface water drainage device in the right of way along 190th Street must be adjusted to the east of the drive access to 190th Street on the site plan. Vote: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. COMMENTS: There were no comments by the Board. ADJOURNMENT: Moved by Perkins, seconded by Koehler, to adjourn the meeting at 6:34 p.m. _____________________________ _____________________________ Heidi Petersen, Recording Secretary Matthew Koehler, Chair