SITE PLAN REVIEW
SP-06-38-04: Douglas County Fairgrounds storage building addition, a site plan for the removal of two existing buildings and the construction of a 9,000 SF storage building and a 1,500 SF office building to the existing County Fairgrounds located at 2120 Harper Street. Submitted by Landplan Engineering for Douglas County; property owners of record.
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Current Zoning and Land Use: |
RS-2 (Single-Family Residence) District; existing fairgrounds facility including multiple buildings and offices as well as ball fields and open areas. |
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Surrounding Zoning and Land Use: |
RS-2 (Single-Family Residence) District and RM-D (Duplex Residential) District to the west and south; existing residential uses.
RS-2 (Single-Family Residence) District and PID-2 (Planned Industrial District) to the north; existing residential uses and Humane Society.
M-4 (Limited Intensive Industrial) District and A (Agricultural) District to the east; existing agricultural uses.
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Site Summary: | |
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Additional Records: |
UPR-12-14-98 – New Community Building (Indefinitely deferred, No action) UPR-06-08-99 – Community Building and Master Plan (approved by CC 9/14/99) |
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Gross Area: |
49.8 acres total area for Fairgrounds |
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Existing Building Coverage: |
116,462 SF |
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Buildings to be Removed: |
4,210 SF (Buildings 7, 19 & 23) |
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Proposed Building Coverage:
Total New Building Coverage: |
10,500 SF (both buildings) 1,500 SF Office Building 9,000 SF Storage Building 122,014 SF |
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Open Space |
42.59 acres |
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Off-Street Parking Required: |
1 space 300 SF for an office use – 4 spaces 0 spaces for storage building |
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Off-Street Parking Provided: |
5 spaces in rear of building 2 accessible spaces existing in parking lots to the west (to be shared with shelter house/concession stands to the south) |
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Staff Recommendation: Planning staff recommends approval of the site plan subject to the following conditions: 1. Provision of a revised site plan to update the legal description to include the platted lots; 2. Recording of the final plat for 4-H Fairgrounds Addition #2; 3. Provision of a photometric plan prior to release of the site plan for issuance of a building permit; and 4. Execution of a site plan performance agreement. |
C. STAFF REVIEW
The Douglas County Fairgrounds are located on the east side of Harper Street south of 19th Street and include multiple buildings and offices. The proposed site plan amends the existing development to remove two smaller buildings and replace them with a 1,500 SF office building and a 9,000 SF storage building in the southern portion of the property.
The proposed improvements will replace three existing structures (a total of 4,210 SF) in the same general location. The new buildings will be located within the existing interior development of the site at the south end of the various animal pavilions.
The proposed site plan shows the building orientation consistent with the existing development pattern within the site including the drives around the buildings.
A majority of the property is platted as 4-H Fairgrounds Addition. A final plat for the north 11 acres (4-H Fairgrounds Addition #2) was approved in 2000. The conditions of approval were met but the final plat was never recorded. Staff recommends that the Final plat be re-approved by the City Commission and that the document be recorded at the Register of Deeds Office. The endorsements for the Mayor, City Clerk and Planning Commission have all changed since the original approval and will need to be updated.
Access and Parking Lot Design
Access to the fairground site is provided from abutting streets. The primary access to the site is provided from Harper Street. Additional access is provided from 19th Street and an auxiliary access to K-10 Highway also exists at the rear (east side) of the site and is used during major events, but is otherwise controlled by a gated drive.
The interior of the site includes a variety of connected drives and parking lots. There is no consistent pavement type. The most recent development a 42,081 community building and adjacent parking lot was added in 1999 (UPR-06-08-99). Parking was provided for the additional use at the time of construction.
Parking for existing satellite buildings throughout the fairgrounds has existed for many years and serves these buildings directly. Parking for the two baseball fields located in the northeast corner of the site is provided by the vacant area north of the fields. Access to the buildings is provided via a connected drive that includes asphalt and gravel sections. The proposed site plan does not propose revisions to the existing parking or drive areas with the exception of restoration of the current gravel drive around the construction site of the new buildings. The proposed site plan is an amendment to the approved UPR for the overall fairgrounds use.
D. Findings
Per Section 20-1432 staff shall first find that the following conditions have been met:
(a) That the proposed use is a permitted use in the district in which the property is located;
The base zoning is RS-2 (Single-Family Residence) District which is restricted to residential uses but does allow uses in Use Group 7 – Community Facilities subject to review. The fairgrounds master plan was approved in 1999 (UPR-06-08-99).
(b) That the proposed arrangement of buildings, off-street parking, access, lighting, landscaping and drainage is compatible with adjacent land uses;
The proposed improvements do not alter the existing pattern of development established within the fairgrounds. Parking, access, lighting and other physical improvements are not intended to be altered by the removal of existing buildings and construction of two new buildings in the same location.
(c) That the vehicular ingress and egress to and from the site and circulation within the site provides for safe, efficient and convenient movement of traffic not only within the site but on adjacent roadways as well;
The existing ingress and egress for the total site will not be altered or changed in any way. The interior circulation around the buildings will be reconstructed as part of the development. The site plan shows this area to be replaced with a gravel drive that connected to the asphalt drive around the site.
(d) That the site plan provides for the safe movement of pedestrians within the site;
There are no interior sidewalks through the main part of the development associated with the animal pavilions. The buildings located in the southwest corner of the site do include a series of connected walkways.
(e) That there is a sufficient mixture of grass, trees, and shrubs within the interior and perimeter (including public right-of-way) of site so that the proposed development will be in harmony with adjacent land uses and will provide a pleasing appearance to the public. Any part of the site plan area not used for buildings, structures, parking, or accessways shall be landscaped with a mixture of grass, trees and shrubs;
The subject site includes large areas of open space both around individual buildings and along the eastern side of the site as well as along Harper Street.
(f) That all outdoor trash storage areas are screened and are in accordance with standards as prepared by the department of public works;
Trash storage areas are located interior to the site and but are not typically screened. A series of trash bins are located along the south boundary of the parking lots just west of the “construction area” and dumpsters are also located to the east of Building 21 and near the animal pavilions.
These trash areas are sheltered from the public right-of-way and the residential area to the south by the building arrangement and the overall distance from the property line.
(g) That the site plan takes into consideration existing improvements or physical alterations that have been made to prepare the site for development.
In preparation of the site for construction of the office and storage buildings, two other structures will be removed. The site plan shows revised grading within the construction area to accommodate the proposed buildings. The site plan shows a new gravel drive that will tie into the existing gravel drive around the buildings.
E. CONCLUSION
The proposed improvements are minor in terms of the total SF added to the site approximately 6%. The previous buildings did not include rear parking. A total of 5 off-street parking spaces will be added in the rear of the 1,500 SF office building. Otherwise no new parking is proposed.
Section 20-1429 of the Zoning Code requires the submission of a site plan for minor alterations. The proposed improvements will be to city standards, but the entire site is not required to be upgraded at this time. The proposed site plan complies with the minimum submission requirements and provides adequate off-street parking for the proposed uses.
Building and Parking Summary | ||||
Building |
GSF |
NSF |
Parking Required |
Parking Provided |
1 (Home Ec Building |
2755 |
1929 |
4 |
18 |
2 (Home Ec Building) |
2755 |
1929 |
4 |
17 |
3 (West exhibit building) |
2576 |
1803 |
4 |
4 |
4 (East Exhibit building) |
2576 |
1803 |
4 |
4 |
5 (Restroom) |
890 |
623 |
1 |
1 |
6 (Concession Stand) |
1856 |
1299 |
3 |
6 |
7 (REPLACE with 1500 Office) |
1500 |
1050 |
4 |
4 |
8 (Beef Pavilion) |
2592 |
1814 |
4 |
4 |
9 (Beef Pavilion) |
2592 |
1814 |
4 |
4 |
10 (Beef Pavilion) |
2592 |
1814 |
4 |
4 |
11 (Judging Pavilion) |
5400 |
3780 |
8 |
10 |
12 (Wash Pen) |
1588 |
1110 |
2 |
2 |
13 (Pavilion) |
2562 |
1793 |
4 |
4 |
14 (Rabbit/Poultry Pavilion) |
2562 |
1793 |
4 |
4 |
15 (Hog Pavilion) |
3204 |
2242 |
4 |
4 |
16 (Goat/Sheep Pavilion) |
3204 |
2242 |
4 |
4 |
17 (Goat/Sheep Pavilion) |
3204 |
2242 |
4 |
4 |
18 (Dairy Pavilion) |
3204 |
2242 |
4 |
4 |
19 (REPLACE with 9,000 Storage) |
9,000 |
6300 |
0 |
0 |
20 (pump house) |
89 |
89 |
1 |
2 |
21 (Building 21) |
14628 |
10239 |
20 |
144 |
22 (Extension Office) |
6151 |
4306 |
9 |
32 |
23 (Remove) |
0 |
0 |
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24 (North Concession stand) |
868 |
608 |
1 |
1 |
25 (Shed) |
324 |
227 |
1 |
1 |
26 (Judges Booth) |
671 |
470 |
1 |
1 |
27 (Caretakers House) |
1736 |
1215 |
2 |
2 |
28 (West Shelter House) |
585 |
409 |
1 |
1 |
29 (East Shelter House) |
585 |
409 |
1 |
1 |
30 Rodeo Arena |
52200 |
Ex. Seating3596 |
1/3 Seats1198 |
1200 Grass Area North / East |
31 Indoor Arena |
41250 |
28875 |
58 |
125 |
Total |
175,697 |
84,453 |
1,363 |
1,612 |
Notes: 1. Net SF calculated at 70% of GSF. 2. Parking summary based on 1 space to 500 per with excluding new office and existing Rodeo Arena. 3. Off-street parking provided for new office building at 1 space per 300. 4. Off street parking provided for Rodeo Arena at 1 space per 3 seats in unimproved grass lot to the north and east of the site. 5. Summary does not include 3 existing baseball fields north of Arena area.
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