HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Zoning Board of Adjustment Minutes 9-14-2016MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF
THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT
*Amended*
AMES, IOWA SEPTEMBER 14, 2016
The Ames Zoning Board of Adjustment met, pursuant to law, in regular session at 6:00 p.m. on
September 14, 2016, in the Council Chambers of City Hall with the following members present:
Shelby Ebel, Susan Bradbury, Kyle Perkins, Matthew Koehler and Amelia Schoeneman. City
Planner Charlie Kuester and Assistant City Attorney Mark Lambert were also present.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Moved by Perkins, seconded by Bradbury, to approve the
minutes of the meeting of August 24, 2016.
Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
CASE NO. 16-07
SPECIAL USE PERMIT – CCRC of Ames, LLC, 2003 Hunziker Drive
Public Hearing on an application for a Special Use Permit to allow a senior independent
living facility on the property at 3305 Stange Road (Prairie Village, Phase II)*
City Planner Charlie Kuester displayed a location map and site plan for the project. The applicant
is requesting to construct a second building housing 39 independent senior living units on the site
of the existing Northridge Village senior living center. The current facility is a single-building
comprising of 39 independent senior living apartments, 34 assisted living units, and 34 skilled
nursing beds. A Special Use Permit for these uses was approved on February 12, 2014 and
subsequently amended on February 11, 2015. A Special Use Permit is required for independent
senior living apartments in the FS-RM zoning district due to the age restriction for the use and
the allowance for larger building types than standard apartments.
The owner is now seeking to construct an additional 39 independent living units within a single
building on the east side of the lot. The building will be addressed as 3305 Stange Road.
This site was rezoned to FS-RM (Suburban Residential Medium Density) with a master plan on
December 17, 2013. A master plan accompanying the rezoning indicated a range of between 35
and 45 independent senior living units, between 30 and 40 assisted living units, and between 30
and 40 skilled care units for phase 1. The current Northridge Village facility was built in
accordance with that master plan.
The east side of the site, fronting upon Stange Road, was reserved for future expansion in the
master plan. The master plan indicates between 50 and 60 units of memory care or independent
living units in the future phase. This phase is seeking 39 independent living units. The owners
have indicated that a future facility may be added that would house a memory care unit. That
facility would be limited to 21 units unless an amendment to the master plan was approved due
to the described intensity of use on the master plan.
Access to the site will be a driveway on Stange Road directly across from Yorkshire Street. The
driveway will allow access to two 8-car garages and a 4-car attached garage as well as a 10-car
detached garage located along the west edge of the building. An additional 20 surface spaces will
be located on the south side of the building. A driveway will connect to the existing facility on
the west end of the lot.
The project will include the completion of the cul-de-sac at the end of Sheffield Avenue.
Sheffield Avenue was a stub street with the expectation at the time that it would be extended to
serve new residential development on the 40 acres that are now platted as Baptist Acres
subdivision. With the construction of the church and the first phase of Northridge Village, there
was still the possibility that the street could be extended north and east. With phase 2 of
Northridge Village, that option is precluded and the completion of the street as a cul-de-sac is
required since the street does not circulate through the site. A sidewalk will be included within
the right-of-way of the cul-de-sac, connecting to the east-west shared-use path south of the
Northridge Village development.
Pedestrian access will be provided from the front of the building to the shared-use path along
Stange Road. A sidewalk will connect to the public sidewalk along Sheffield Avenue and to the
existing facility to the west.
The site plan, project description, applicable law, and findings of fact and conclusions were
reviewed in detail by Mr. Kuester. He explained that City staff has reviewed the request and
recommends that the Board approve the request for a Special Use Permit subject to the following
conditions:
a. That all easements for public utilities on site will be provided prior to the City
issuance of a certificate of occupancy.
b. That the site plan be amended with a note on the first page indicating that no exterior
lighting will be installed without the review and approval of the Planning and
Housing Department.
c. That the site plan be amended to show that the surface parking spaces meet the
dimensional requirements (19 feet in length).
Board Member Schoeneman asked if any development will be in the Sheffield cul-de-sac. Mr.
Kuester stated that if there were, it would very limited; only two to four homes could fit. Mr.
Kuester reminded the Board that the memory care unit may be developed in the future to the east
of the cul-de-sac.
Jordan Anderson, 2114 W. Sheridan St., Olathe, Kansas, was sworn in and testified under oath.
Mr. Anderson expressed how the independent senior living facility will be a valuable asset to the
City and stated that there is a need for this type of facility before a memory care facility.
Board Member Bradbury asked how large the units will be. Mr. Anderson stated that they will be
one-bedroom and two-bedroom units with the largest unit being 1200 sq. ft. Most units will be
around 800 sq. ft.
Board Member Ebel asked if all units will be rental. Mr. Anderson stated that they would.
Keith Weggen, 3405 SE Crossroads Dr. Suite #6, Grimes, Iowa, was sworn in and testified under
oath. Mr. Weggen stated that the basin in the southeast corner will be a retention basin rather
than a detention basin. The basin will be 11-12 feet in depth and will be located on the lowest
point on the site. The basin will have water in it and also provide detention capacity.
Board Member Ebel asked if the basins had any fencing around them. It was said that they did
not. Mr. Weggen described the basins as having a shelf around the inside before it tapers down to
the 12 feet depth. The average depth is around 5 feet. It will be designed so water is captured and
discharged through piping so it will not run over to the homes in the south.
Board Member Bradbury asked if there were any similar sized retention ponds in the area. Mr.
Kuester stated that the basin located on the north side of the property is larger and considerably
deep. Generally, larger basins are seen in residential neighborhoods and commercial basins are
smaller.
Moved by Bradbury, seconded by Perkins, to approve ORDER NO. 16-07, thereby approving
the request for a Special Use Permit to allow a senior independent living facility on the property
at 3305 Stange Road with the following conditions:
a. That all easements for public utilities on site will be provided prior to the City
issuance of a certificate of occupancy.
b. That a revised site plan is provided demonstrating compliance to the City’s lighting
code.
c. That the site plan be amended to show that the surface parking spaces meet the
dimensional requirements (19 feet in length).
Roll Call Vote: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
CASE NO. 16-12
SPECIAL USE PERMIT – Larry Gleason, 711 Carroll Avenue
Public Hearing on an application for a Special Use Permit for solar energy on the property
at 711 Carroll Avenue.
City Planner Charlie Kuester displayed a location map of the applicant’s home. He stated that
Larry Gleason, owner of 711 Carroll Avenue in Ames, desires to construct a solar energy system
on the roof of his home located at 711 Carroll Avenue. The system is proposed on the south
portion of his home on a flat roof. The system consists of solar panels that are angled to the south
and are 13.5” in height at their highest point. Although the garage setback is nonconforming at
20 feet where 25 feet is required, the solar energy system is placed at the 25-foot setback
requirement from the front lot line. The need for the Special Use Permit is triggered by the height
of the system exceeding 6 inches and that it is visible from the street.
Larry Gleason, 711 Carroll Avenue, Ames, Iowa, was sworn in and testified under oath. He
stated that the home is designed to be net zero energy and is renovated to be energy independent.
Mr. Gleason mentioned the location of the panel placement was decided because it was more
conspicuous and harder to maintain over living quarters, therefore, the garage was the best
choice.
Board Member Perkins asked how the panels would be secured. Mr. Gleason said that he chose a
ballasted system using DynoRaxx since it required no penetration of the roof. Each pedestal will
have a concrete block attached–four for every two panels.
Tim Kruse, 2809 Kingman Blvd. Des Moines, Iowa, was sworn in and testified under oath. Mr.
Kruse mentioned that the cement blocks on each panel are able to withstand 100 mph winds.
Board Member Bradbury asked if any questions were received from the 200 foot notices that
were sent to surrounding property owners. Mr. Gleason said he did talk to his neighbors;
however, none of them will be able to see the panels. It is only visible to the property owner
located to the south, and they are currently living together. Amended on 9/28/16 to read as
follows: It is only visible to the property owner located to the south, and they “have no
concerns.”
Moved by Perkins, seconded by Schoeneman, to approve ORDER NO. 16-12, thereby approving
the request for a Special Use Permit for solar energy on the property at 711 Carroll Avenue.
Roll Call Vote: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
COMMENTS: There were no comments by the Board.
ADJOURNMENT: Moved by Koehler, seconded by Schoeneman, to adjourn the meeting at
7:06 p.m.
_____________________________ _____________________________
Heidi Petersen, Recording Secretary Shelby Ebel, Chair