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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-5871 Staff AnalysisSeptember 6, 19§4 ITEM NO.: 23 FILE NO.: Z-5871 NAME: LOCATION: OWNER/APPLICANT: PROPOSAL: ORDINANCE DESIGN STANDARDS: 1. Site Location Safelite Auto Glass - Conditional Use Permit 1306 South University Avenue B -B Oil Company/Bob Thomas, Embree Construction Group, Inc. A conditional use permit is requested to allow for the construction of a retail auto glass sales and installation business with an attached warehouse on this C-3 zoned property. A variance is requested to allow a portion of the proposed building to have a reduced rear yard setback of 15 feet; a setback of 25 feet is required. The property is located on the west side of South University Avenue, 1 block south of West 12th Street. 2. compatibility with Neighborhood The proposed site is located in an area of commercial and office zoning which extends along both sides of South University Avenue. Uses in the immediate vicinity include strip shopping centers, auto repair facilities, a church and a large area of vacant office property. The proposed auto glass business is compatible with the surrounding neighborhood. 3. on -Site Drives and Parking The proposed use requires 21 on-site parking spaces. The site plan shows 22 spaces plus two service bay spaces. 4. Screening and Buffers Compliance with the City's Landscape and Buffer Ordinances is required. The dumpster must be enclosed with an 8 foot tall opaque screen. 6% of the interior of the vehicular use area must be set aside for landscaping. September 6, 19�4 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 23 (Continued) FILE NO.: Z-5871 5. City Engineer Comments Provide dedication deed for additional right-of-way to total 55 feet from centerline along with a sketch grading and drainage plan prior to approval. A stormwater detention plan and an excavation permit will be required prior to issuance of a building permit. 6. utility Comments No comments 7. Analysis The applicant requests a conditional use permit to allow for the construction of an auto glass sales and installation business with an attached warehouse on this C-3 zoned property. The auto glass business is compatible with other uses in the area and is appropriate for this location along a principal arterial street. The requested rear yard setback is reasonable considering the shallow depth of the lot. There will be no activity at the rear of the building and no exits other than an emergency exit if required by Building Codes. There are currently two off -premise billboard signs located on the south end of the property. The applicant must decide the status of these signs and reflect it on the site plan. The only real issue of conqern which has -risen during the review of this application is the proposed warehouse area. 79% of the building is proposed to be warehouse space. If the warehouse is to stock materials for this specific site, the use is allowed. If it is the applicant's intent to use the warehouse as a distribution point to supply other dealers, the use is not allowed. Subsequent conversations with the applicant have indicated that the warehouse will stock only the large numbers of windshields and sunroofs necessary for this site. He did state that an occasional windshield may be wholesaled to another dealer. 8. Staff Recommendation Staff recommends approval subject to: 1. Compliance with the City's Landscape and Buffer ordinances K September 6, 1994 SHBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 23 (continued) FILE NO.: Z-5871 2. compliance with the City Engineer Comments 3. The warehouse portion of the building being used to stock those retail items necessary for the auto glass business at this location. The warehouse is not to be used to distribute or wholesale items to other dealers or to other Safelite locations. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMKENT: (AUGUST 18, 1994) Bob Thomas and Mark Carl of Safelite were present. Staff presented the item and outlined the concerns noted above. A lengthy discussion followed concerning the warehouse portion of the building. It was never fully resolved at this meeting as to just exactly how the warehouse would be used. A discussion then followed concerning the requirement to dedicate additional right-of-way. It was determined that as much as 15 feet of additional right-of-way might be needed. if this is the case, a portion of the building will have a rear yard setback of 0 feet. The applicant stated that the issue of the off -premise billboards will be resolved prior to the Commission meeting. Bob Brown, Plans Review Specialist, informed the Committee that the interior landscaping was deficient and that the screening around the dumpster needed to be increased to 8 feet in height. The Committee determined that there were no other outstanding issues and forwarded the item to the full Commission. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (SEPTEMBER 6, 1994) Bob Thomas and mark Carl were present representing Safelite. There were no objectors present. Staff presented the item and a recommendation of approval as noted above. Staff pointed out that a setback variance of 0 feet on a portion of the rear yard was requested as a result of the dedication of 15 feet of additional right-of-way for University Avenue. Staff felt that the variance request was reasonable considering the resulting shallow depth of the lot and the use of the property to the rear of the proposed Safelite site. Bob Thomas addressed the Commission. He stated that the proposed use of the site was retail with a limited amount of wholesale to 3 September 6, 1994 SUB)IVISIO IT I NO.: 23 (continued) FTLE NO.- 7 -; 97 - other dealers. He stated that this use was no different than other retail uses which occasionally sell to other dealers such as a tire or auto parts store. Mr. Thomas informed the commission that the billboards are to remain although o ' ne will be in the right-of-way once the additional 15 feet is dedicated. He concluded by staEing that a revised site plan had been submitted which provided the required interior landscaping and dumpster screen. Mark Clark, real estate manager for Safelite, next addressed the commission. He expounded on the use of the warehouse area of the proposed building. He stated that each Safelite store stocks a large inventory to service its customers and that the nature of the inventory, windshields, requires a large floor space. Mr. Clark stated that Safelite will occasionally provide windshields to subcontractors and other dealers. These sales are in increments of 1 or 2 and the warehouse is not to serve a wholesale function. After a brief discussion, it was determined that the proposed use of the property was appropriate. The occasional sale of a windshield to another installer did not violate the intent of the ordinance since the use of site is primarily retail. In response to a question from Commissioner Oleson, Steve Giles, of the City Attorney's Office, stated that the billboard could remain in the new right-of-way until such time as it was altered or University Avenue is widened. In either case the billboard will need to be moved. A motion was made to approve the application. The vote was 8 ayes, 0 noes, I absent, 1 abstaining (Putnam) and 1 open position. 4