Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Zoning Board of Adjustment Minutes 8-13-2008MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AMES, IOWA AUGUST 13, 2008 The Ames Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) met, pursuant to law, in regular session at 7:00 p.m. on August 13, 2008, in the Council Chambers of City Hall with the following members present: Bruce Calhoun, Denise Link, Lucy Martin, Bradley Miller and Thomas Weber. Staff members Ray Anderson and Judy Parks were also present. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Moved by Martin, seconded by Link, to approve the minutes of the meeting of July 9, 2008. Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion carried unanimously. CASE NO. 08-14 SPECIAL HOME OCCUPATION PERMIT - PHYLLIS MANN, 1425 DUFF AVENUE Public Hearing on Application for a Special Home Occupation Permit to allow the operation of a massage therapy business at 1425 Duff Avenue Planner Anderson stated that the applicant would like to operate a professional massage therapy business in her home. She was granted a permit for this type of home occupation in 2003, but did not renew the original permit in 2004 because she had moved into a commercial location. She would like to move the business back to her home once again. Mr. Anderson said that staff evaluated the application and the only concern was related to client parking. There appears to be adequate space in the driveway, but access is off Duff Avenue, which is a major arterial street with a high traffic volume. Clients slowing down to locate the home or those who are entering or exiting the driveway could create a traffic hazard. Staff’s recommendation, therefore, is that the Board approve the home occupation permit with seven stipulations, including one that requires the applicant to appear before the Board at the end of one year, so that the traffic situation may be monitored in the interim. The Board asked several questions about the traffic concerns and the re-application process. Mr. Anderson stated that the City received no complaints in 2003 while the was business operated out of the home. He also explained that there was a driveway leading to the garage in the rear yard, but it would not suffice as a parking area for clients because it is only 15 feet long and most parked vehicles would project out into the alley. In spite of the relatively high volume of traffic in the front, staff believes access off of Duff Avenue is preferable. Phyllis Mann, 1425 Duff Avenue, stated that she was new to the massage therapy field in 2003 and found that clients were not comfortable going to her home, so she joined another business in a commercial building. Now that she has been established for five years, she would like to operate out of the home again. She said she ran the business for almost a full year out of the home in 2003 and during that time she was not aware of any traffic problems. 2 Moved by Weber, seconded by Link, to ADOPT ORDER NO. 08-14, granting a Special Home Occupation Permit to allow the operation of a massage therapy business at 1425 Duff Avenue, subject to the following conditions: a. that the hours of operation shall be from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday; b. that no more than two client vehicles at a time shall be allowed on the site, and the clients shall be instructed to park in the applicant’s driveway; c. that there shall be no outside employees coming to the site to work; d. that no more than ten (10) customer visits per day shall be allowed; e. that no signage associated with the business shall exceed one square foot in area; f. that the applicant shall provide the City of Ames with copies of the required licenses for a massage therapist prior to scheduling appointments with clients; and g. that this permit shall be subject to one year of monitoring and if any complaints are filed with the City in that time, the applicant shall re-apply to the Zoning Board of Adjustment for approval of another Special Home Occupation Permit. Roll Call Vote: 5-0. Motion declared approved unanimously. COMMENTS: None ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 7:25 p.m. Karen C. Thompson, Recording Secretary Bradley Miller, Chair The next meeting of the Zoning Board of Adjustment will be a Regular Meeting at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 10, 2008, in the Council Chambers of the Ames City Hall at 515 Clark Avenue.