Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-6108 Staff AnalysisMarch 25, 1996 it m File NO._: Z-6108 Owner: Frank Snell; Snell Prosthetic and Orthotic Laboratory A dies : 5915 "F" Street De cri tion• Lots 1 and 2, Block 23, Lincoln Park : n R-5 variance ReCMested: A variance is requested from the off-street parking provisions of Section 36-507 to permit construction of an office parking lot on residentially zoned property. justification: A li ant's Statement: On November 3, 1986, Snell Prosthetic and Orthotic Laboratory moved into its present facility at 625 N. University. In June of 1998. I acquired the adjacent plots of land just east of our original property for future use. Since 1986, our business has grown and the need to add additional employees has grown with it. In the last 10 years, we have doubled our staff from 9 in 1986 to 18 presently. our parking area for the employees, which was originally designed for 8 cars, is now crowded with 13, making it most unsafe and truly "an accident waiting to happen". The other employees are forced to park on our west parking area which was designed for our patients. Because of this, there are occurrences at peak times where insufficient parking is available for the public. This is detrimental for business and very unsatisfactory to me. Present Use of ProyertY: Vacant Proposed Use of Proper: 16 space parking lot March 25, 1996 item No-: 3 (-CQnt Staff Reoort• A. Public W rksCOmment : A grading permit is required prior to construction. Improve "F" Street from University to 1/2 of a 36 foot commercial street and dedicate 5 feet right-of-way to bring to 1/2 of a 60 foot commercial street right-of-way. Stormwater detention analysis is required. A sidewalk on frontage is required. Contact Traffic Engineering concerning the grade of the driveway entrance. B. 5taff Anal iS• Snell Prosthetic and Orthotic Laboratory is located at 625 North University Avenue (the southeast corner of North University and "F" Street). Snell also owns two, vacant "R- 3" zoned lots located directly behind the business which front on "F" Street. The applicant now proposes to construct a 16 space parking lot on this adjacent residential property to serve the business. An 110-3" zoned medical clinic parking lot is adjacent to the south. The property across "F" Street to the north is also zoned 110-311. Snell Prosthetic and Orthotic Laboratory occupies the PCD zoned Property to the west. An alley separates the site from an "R-3" zoned residence to the east. The property in question actually falls in an area recommended by the Heights Hillcrest District Land Use Plan to be Office. The alley to the east of the proposed parking lot forms the boundary between Office and Residential on the Plan. With attention given to properly screening the parking lot from the residential property to the east, it should be an appropriate use for the site. Public Works has raised questions concerning the entry to the new parking lot. The driveway onto the Snell property from "F" Street is extremely steep, falling down from "F" Street onto the existing parking lot. The proposed new parking lot is proposed to take access off of this existing driveway, entering at a point where the driveway is very steep. It may be that entry to the new parking lot will have to be taken from "F" Street. C. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of the requested variance to allow construction of an office parking lot on this residentially zoned property subject to the following conditions: 1. Compliance with Public Works Comments 2 March 25, 1996 I n 2. Compliance with the City's Landscape and Buffer Ordinances with attention given to screening the lot from the residential property to the east. 3. Any lighting proposed for the parking lot is to be low- level and directional, aimed away from adjacent residential properties. BOARD OF ADJUMENT: (MARCH 25, 1996) Frank Snell and Tim Daters were present representing Snell Prosthetic and Orthotic Laboratory. There was one objector present. Staff present the item and a recommendation of approval, with conditions. Staff also noted Public Works concern about the grade of the driveway entrance. Tim Daters addressed the Board in support of the variance. He stated that he would work with Public Works on the driveway issue and that the driveway might have to be relocated. Mr. Daters also stated that a deferral of required street improvements would be requested from the Board of Directors. Staff informed the Board that the owner of property at 5900 Woodlawn, downhill from the proposed parking lot, had called and wanted assurances from the applicant that the parking lot would comply with the Stormwater Detention Ordinance. Mr. Daters stated that it would. Rod Lorenzen, of 610 N. Buchanan, addressed the Board in opposition to the item. He asked that the item be deferred to allow the Neighborhood Association to review the area's land use plan. He stated that he was concerned about further nonresidential encroachment into the neighborhood. Mr. Daters and Mr. Snell responded by describing the uses on the abutting properties, claiming that the proposed parking lot did not, in fact, intrude any further into the neighborhood than the existing nonresidential uses. Mr. Lorenzen stated that the requested deferral of street improvements was an issue which the neighborhood association would like time to review. Chairman Rowland noted that the District Land Use Plan recommended Office use for the site and asked Mr. Lorenzen if he disagreed with the Plan. Mr. Lorenzen responded that the Neighborhood Association was doing its own review of the Plan. Mr. Lorenzen stated that the variance, if approved, would make the majority of the block nonresidential. He again asked for a 4-5 week deferral. March 25, 1996 Item n Dana Carney, of the Planning Staff, interjected that a deferral of the required street improvements could only be granted by the Board of Directors; not the Board of Adjustment. In response to a question from Chairman Rowland, Mr. Snell stated that a deferral would not "be the end of the world." He then showed pictures depicting the business's crowded parking lot. Mr. Lorenzen suggested that the business use the parking lot to the south on a temporary basis. Mr. Carney noted that this adjacent parking lot might provide required parking for the adjacent business and might not be available for use by other parties. A motion was made to approve the requested variance to allow construction of an office parking lot on residentially zoned property subject to compliance with the conditions outlined in the staff recommendation. The vote was 7 ayes, 0 noes, 1 absent and 1 open position. 4