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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-8361 Staff AnalysisJ U N E 30, 2008 ITEM NO.: 10 File No.: Z-8361 Owner: Higher Ground Electric Co. Applicant: Ron Woods, Woods Group Architects, Inc. Address: 2615 W. 16th Street Description: Lots 1-5 and 12-15, Block 14, Worthen and Browns Addition Zoned: 1-2 Variance Requested: A variance is requested from the area provisions of Section 36-320 to allow a new building with reduced rear setback. Justification: The applicant's justification is presented in an attached letter. Present Use of Property: Utility Vehicle Storage Proposed Use of Property: Office and Utility Vehicle Storage STAFF REPORT A. Public Works Issues: No Comments on reduced rear setback and decreased parking variances. B. Landscape and Buffer Issues: Site plan must comply with the city's landscape and buffer ordinance requirements. Credit toward fulfilling Landscape Ordinance requirements can be given when preserving trees of six (6) inch caliper or larger. C. Staff Analysis: The 1-2 zoned property at 2615 W. 16th Street contains a one-story modular office building at the northeast corner of the property. The property is located at the southwest corner of W. 16th and Jones Streets. A drivevvay from W. 16th Street serves as access to the property. There is a storage building/storage area at the northwest corner of the property. Part of the property contains concrete areas with portions being gravel covered. The rear (south) portion of the property is being used for storage/parking of utility vehicles. The site is JUNE 30, 2008 ITEM NO.: 10 (CON'T. fenced with chain -link fencing. There is a 20 foot wide platted alley which runs through the center of the property. The applicant proposes to construct a one-story office/storage building on the property, as noted on the attached site plan. The new building will be approximately 6,000 square feet in area and contain the Higher Ground Electric Company offices. The driveway from W. 16th Street will be reconstructed and lead to a new paved and landscaped parking area (11 spaces) on the west side of the proposed building. Service doors will be located on the north and west sides of the building. The storage building at the northwest corner of the property will remain. The rear (south) portion of the property will continue to be used as a utility vehicle storage yard. The applicant is requesting one (1) variance with the proposed development. Section 36-320(d)(2) of the City's Zoning Ordinance requires a minimum rear setback of 25 feet for 1-2 zoned properties. Based on the fact that there is a platted alley running through the property (lots on each side of the alley), the rear setback has to be measured from the alley. Therefore, the applicant is requesting a variance to allow the proposed building to be located adjacent to the alley right-of-way with technically no rear setback. Staff is supportive of the requested variance. Staff views the request as reasonable and feels the proposed development will be a quality in -fill development within this neighborhood surrounding the Central High School campus. The property owner owns the lots on the north and south sides of the alley right-of-way, and they will be combined into a common development. If the alley did not exist, the proposed building would meet all setback requirements.. Staff suggests that the applicant follow-up in the future with an application to abandon the alley right-of-way. Staff believes the proposed development plan for the property with reduced rear setback will have no adverse impact on the adjacent property or general area. D. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of the requested rear setback variance, subject to compliance with the Landscape and Buffer requirements as noted in paragraph B. of the Agenda Staff report. BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT: (J U N E 30, 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.