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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Zoning Board of Adjustment Minutes 12-14-2016MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AMES, IOWA DECEMBER 14, 2016 The Ames Zoning Board of Adjustment met, pursuant to law, in regular session at 6:00 p.m. on December 14, 2016, in the Council Chambers of City Hall with the following members present: Amelia Schoeneman, Kyle Perkins, Shelby Ebel, Matthew Koehler, and Susan Bradbury. City Planner Ray Anderson and Assistant City Attorney Mark Lambert were also present. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Moved by Bradbury, seconded by Perkins, to approve the minutes of the meeting of November 9, 2016. Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. CASE NO. 16-17 SPECIAL USE PERMIT – Josh Miller, Harvest Vineyard Church Public Hearing on an application for a Special Use Permit to allow a church in an existing building in the Highway-Oriented Commercial District (HOC), on the property located at 320 South 17th Street. City Planner Ray Anderson briefly mentioned that on August 26, 2015, the Zoning Board of Adjustment granted a Special Use Permit (SUP) to operate a religious institution (Harvest Vineyard Church) on the property located at 320 S. 17th Street. Since granting of the SUP, construction work has not begun, nor has a building permit been issued for remodeling of the existing building for use by Harvest Vineyard Church. Ames Racquet and Fitness Center continues to occupy the building until such time that the building under construction at their new location, in the Iowa State University Research Park, is completed and ready for occupancy. As a result of these circumstances, the previous approval of the Special Use Permit for Harvest Vineyard Church has expired per Section 19.1503(5) of the Municipal Code. Harvest Vineyard Church is proceeding with plans to move into the building at 320 S. 17th Street, once the space is available. Therefore, they are once again seeking approval of a new SUP to occupy the site given the fact that the previously approved SUP expired as of August 26, 2016. There are a few minor changes in the site plan since approval by the Zoning Board of Adjustment in 2015. Additional sidewalk, mechanical units, and landscape screening for mechanical units has been added along the west side of the building. These changes meet the minimum zoning code requirements. Pedestrian ramps have also been added to meet ADA requirements where the public sidewalk crosses the two driveways. No changes have been made to the application by the applicant, nor by City staff, with the exception of the changes to sidewalk, mechanical units, and landscape screening for the mechanical units. Staff has found the circumstances have not changed since the prior approval and the following analysis is still relevant to the project review. The request is to convert the use of property at 320 S. 17th Street from a fitness center (Ames Racquet and Fitness Center) to a religious institution (Harvest Vineyard Church). The site is approximately 2.8 acres. Boundaries of the site are the west -bound U.S. Highway 30 ramp from Duff Avenue on the south, South 17th Street to the north, Electric Wholesale Company (an electrical supply business) on the east, and the Aspen Business Park Subdivision to the west. The facility includes 63,340 square feet of floor area. The proposed project would have two single-story sections, 15,833 square feet for the worship center, and 15,417 square feet for two tennis courts retained from the racquet and fitness center use. A two-story section, consisting of 32,090 square feet, will serve general church functions. Vehicular access to the site is provided by two driveways from S. 17th Street, one for ingress and the other for egress. Pedestrian access will be facilitated by the installation of a five-foot wide sidewalk in the public right-of-way running parallel to S. 17th Street, and connecting to a five- foot wide sidewalk leading to the main entrance to the building. The existing parking lot, consisting of 138 parking spaces, will be retained in its present configuration. The new use as a place of worship requires a minimum of one space for every four seats in the main auditorium. The 441 seats planned for the main auditorium generates the need for 111 parking spaces. The tennis courts require a minimum of eight parking spaces. Parking is provided to meet the minimum number of required spaces plus an additional 19. Five handicap-accessible spaces will be located near the main entrance of the facility to meet minimum standards. A new main entrance to the facility, including a vestibule, will be established south of the current entrance location to provide direct access from the parking lot into the worship center (main auditorium). This new entrance will be identified with a canopy that extends out approximately eight feet from the front building façade. Perimeter parking lot landscaping will be added along the east, north, and south parking lot perimeters to meet the required minimum landscaping standards in Section 29.403 of the Municipal Code. The site plan, project description, applicable law, and findings of fact and conclusions were reviewed in detail by Mr. Anderson. He explained that City staff has reviewed the request and recommends that the Board approve the request for a Special Use Permit to allow a change in the use of the existing building at 320 S. 17th Street from a fitness center to a religious institution, Harvest Vineyard Church. Ms. Ebel asked if the tennis courts would still be a part of the Ames Racquet and Fitness Center. Mr. Anderson stated that was previously approved and the applicant could provide more details in regard to that question. Eric Vermeer, Haila Architecture, 413 Kellogg Avenue, Ames, Iowa, was sworn in and testified under oath. Mr. Vermeer said that he is representing Haila Architecture, as well as Harvest Vineyard Church in the permit renewal. Mr. Vermeer stated that the church would use the area where the northern three tennis courts are for the proposed project. The two tennis courts located to the south will remain in operation. He said construction is planned to begin on January 1, 2017 or just after, and Ames Racquet and Fitness Center will continue to occupy the north half of the building as construction begins. Ms. Bradbury asked for confirmation that the applicant is asking for approval of the same site plan with the few exceptions. Mr. Vermeer said that was correct. Moved by Bradbury, seconded by Perkins, to approve ORDER NO. 16-17, thereby approving the request for a Special Use Permit to allow a church in an existing building in the Highway- Oriented Commercial District (HOC), on the property located at 320 South 17th Street, with the approved changes to the site plan. Roll Call 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 6:09 p.m. _____________________________ _____________________________ Heidi Petersen, Recording Secretary Shelby Ebel, Chair