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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-8315 Staff AnalysisMARCH 31, 2008 ITEM NO.: 2 File No.: Z-8315 Owner: Freeze Drapery Cleaners Applicant: Scott Bray Address: 2520 West 12th Street Description: Northeast Corner of West 12th Street and Jones Street Zoned: C-3 Variance Requested: Variances are requested from the area provisions of Section 36-301 and the parking provisions of Section 36-502 to allow a building addition with reduced rear setback and no increase in off-street parking. Justification: The applicant's justification is presented in an attached letter. Present Use of Property: Residential and Commercial Dry Cleaners. Proposed Use of Property: Residential and Commercial Dry Cleaners. STAFF REPORT A. Public Works Issues: No Comments. B. Landscape and Buffer Issues: Site plan must comply with the City's landscape and buffer ordinance requirements. With the addition to building the associated parking lot must also come into full compliancy with the landscape ordinance which will include the cutting/removal of asphalt along both Jones Street and W. 12th Street. A six foot nine inch (6'- 9") wide landscape strip is required per the landscape ordinance. Currently, this site is not meeting this minimal amount along both streets. A variance from this minimal amount will require approval from the City Beautiful Commission prior to the issuance of a building permit. MARCH 31, 2008 ITEM NO.: 2 (CON'T. This site is located within the mature area of the city; therefore, these calculations take into account this factor and the minimal amounts are reflected as such. The zoning buffer ordinance requires a six foot nine inch (6'-9") wide street buffer around the sites entirety. Currently, this site is not meeting this minimal amount along the northern, southern, and eastern property lines and would also require the elimination of asphalt along both Jones Street and W. 12.t' Street. C. Staff Analysis: The C-3 zoned property at 2520 W. 121h Street is occupied by a one-story commercial building occupied by Freeze Drapery Cleaners. The property is located on the northeast corner of W. 12th and Jones Streets. There is paved parking along the south and east (within a fenced area) sides of the building. Driveways from W. 12th Street serve as access. There are approximately 15 paved parking spaces on the site, including within the fenced area. A 20 foot wide alley right-of-way is located along the east property line. A metal accessory storage building is located on the east side of the commercial building. There is also a six (6) foot wood fence along the east property line which will remain. The applicant proposes to construct an addition to the existing commercial building along its north and east sides, as noted on the attached site plan. The addition will be constructed of prefabricated metal, painted to match the existing building. The addition will be located 31.9 feet back from the front (west) property line, 10 feet from the rear (east) property line and on the north side property line. The east portion of the building addition will have a garage door (facing W. 12th Street) for enclosed parking of the business' van. The remainder of the building addition will be to enlarge the existing drapery cleaning business. The applicant has also noted that there will be two (2) or three (3) additional employees with the building addition. The applicant is requesting two (2) variances with the proposed building addition. The first variance is from Section 36-301(e)(3) of the City's Zoning Ordinance. This section requires a minimum rear (east) setback of 15 feet for this C-3 zoned corner lot. As noted previously, the proposed building addition will be located 10 feet back from the rear (east) property line. The metal storage building on the east side of the commercial building will be removed with the proposed building addition. The second variance is from the parking provisions of Section 36-502(b)(3)a. This section requires 11 additional off-street parking spaces for the proposed building addition (1 space per 300 square feet). A total of 28 spaces would be required for the entire building, including addition. As noted previously, there are approximately 15 parking spaces within the paved area on the south and east sides of the building. The applicant is proposing no additional parking spaces with the proposed addition. The applicant has noted that the existing MARCH 31, 2008 ITEM NO.: 2 (CON'T. parking will be sufficient to serve the existing business, given the nature of the business having very little customer traffic. The existing parking will accommodate the employees' vehicles with a few additional spaces for customers. Staff is supportive of the requested variances. Staff views the request as reasonable. With respect to the rear setback variance, there is a 20 foot wide platted alley right-of-way along the east property line. The proposed 10 foot rear setback in conjunction with the alley will allow ample separation between the proposed building addition and any structures to the east. Additionally, the proposed addition only runs approximately 50 feet along the entire 135 foot east property boundary. Staff also views the parking variance as reasonable, given the nature of the existing business having very little customer traffic. The applicant has noted that the existing parking will accommodate employee parking and anticipated customer traffic. Staff will support the parking variance for the Freeze Drapery Cleaners occupancy only. If the building occupancy changes, the parking issue must be brought back before the Board of Adjustment. As noted in paragraph B. of the staff report, the proposed building will create a landscape/buffer upgrade requirement. The City Beautiful Commission must grant variances associated with the landscape requirements. Staff will support variances associated with the landscape and buffer requirements if needed for this developed site within the nature area of the City. Staff believes the proposed building addition, with variances, will have no adverse impact on the adjacent properties or the general area. D. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of the requested variances, subject to the following conditions. 1. Compliance with the landscape requirements as noted in paragraph B. of the staff report, or file for a variance from the City Beautiful Commission. 2. The addition must be painted to match the existing commercial building. 3. The parking variance is for the "Freeze Drapery Cleaners" occupancy only. If the occupancy of the building changes, the variance for reduced parking will be taken back to the Board of Adjustment. MARCH 31, 2008 ITEM NO.: 2 (CON'T. BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT: (MARCH 31, 2008) The applicant was present. There were no objectors present. Staff presented the item and a recommendation of approval. The applicant offered no additional comments. The item was placed on the Consent Agenda and approved as recommended by staff by a vote of 4 ayes, 0 nays and 1 absent.