SITE PLAN REVIEW

August 31, 2004

A. SUMMARY

SP-07-42-04: A site plan for North Iowa Addition, a conversion of the vacant Riverside Elementary School to a contractor’s office and a new warehouse building at 601 N. Iowa Street. Submitted by Peridian Group for First Management, Inc.; property owner of record.

B. GENERAL INFORMATION

Current Zoning and Land Use:

M-2 (General Industrial) District; Existing vacated Riverside School.

Surrounding Zoning and Land Use:

M-2 (General Industrial) District to north, west and south; Developed with industrial uses.

A (Agriculture) County District and PCD-2 (Planned

Commercial) District to east; Developed with residential and commercial uses.

RMD (Duplex Residential) District to the northeast; Undeveloped.

Site Summary:
Gross Area:	141,779 Square Feet/3.25 acres
Existing Building Coverage:	14,210 Square Feet
Proposed Building Coverage:	32,876 Square Feet
Existing Impervious:	43,217 Square Feet
Proposed Impervious:	86,614 Square Feet
Off-Street Parking Required:	Minimum of 46 parking spaces
Off-Street Parking Provided:	54 parking spaces including 2 handicap accessible parking spaces.

Staff Recommendation: Planning staff recommends approval of the site plan subject to the following conditions:

1. Provision of a revised site plan to include the following change:

a. Modify the parking summary to Parking Group 15 for the renovated contractor’s office building (1 parking space per 500 square feet of net floor area) and Parking Group 17 for the new contractor’s warehouse/storage building (1 parking space per 1,000 square feet of net floor area). Total required parking spaces of 30 + 16 = minimum of 46 parking spaces.

2. Revise the proposed 25’ curb cut approximately 6’ west to achieve the minimum distance from the intersection per Section 20-1205(g)(2). Label the distance on the site plan.

3. Submit public improvement plans to Public Works prior to release of the site plan to Neighborhood Resources.

4. Per Section 9-903(B), a stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWP3) must be provided for this project. This project will not be released for building permits until an approved SWP3 has been obtained. Construction activity, including soil disturbance or removal of vegetation shall not commence until an approved SWP3 has been obtained.

5. Provision of an Agreement Not to Protest a Benefit District for street and sidewalk improvements to Kresge Road.

C. STAFF REVIEW

The Riverside Elementary School located at 601 N. Iowa Street has been vacant since 2003. The applicant has purchased the property and is proposing to convert the existing structure to a contractor’s office. A new contractor’s warehouse building (17,370 Square Feet) will be built on the southern part of the property.

The property was recently rezoned to M-2 (General Industrial) District and platted with a Final Plat of North Iowa Addition [FP-04-14-04].

601 Iowa, Aerial - February 2003

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 property is within an M-2 (General Industrial) District [rezoning Z-02-02-04 approved by City Commission on April 13, 2004], a district that permits contractor’s offices and warehouse buildings, subject to an approved site plan.

(b) That the proposed arrangement of buildings, off-street parking, access, lighting, landscaping and drainage is compatible with adjacent land uses;

With the recommended conditions, the arrangement of buildings, off-street parking, access, landscaping and drainage will be compatible with adjacent land use. The site plan has not shown any outside lighting. If there is to be outside lighting, a required photometric plan would need to be provided, per Section 20-14A01.

The parking summary needs to be modified. A contractor’s office is permitted in Use Group 14, with Parking Group 15 – 1 parking space per 500 square feet of floor area. 14,985 net square feet/500 = 30 parking spaces for the existing building. A contractor’s warehouse/storage building is permitted in Use Group 14, with Parking Group 17 – 1 parking space per 1,000 square feet of floor area. 15,663 net square feet/1,000 = 16 parking spaces for the new contractor’s warehouse/storage building. 30 + 16 = minimum of 46 parking spaces required. The site plan shows 54 parking spaces provided, including 2 handicap accessible spaces.

(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 structure has a circular driveway from North Iowa Street with 2 access points. With the recent platting of the property, the applicant allowed for the removal of all direct vehicular access with N. Iowa Street, a major arterial. The removal of the N. Iowa Street access was done with the understanding that consideration would be given for two access points from Kresge Road.

The existing schoolhouse building is oriented and has the main entrance towards the east. The proposed eastern parking lot access from Kresge, while not ideal, will need to be relocated approximately 6’ west to meet the minimum 75’ distance requirement from the major arterial street per Section 20-1205(g)(2).

(d) That the site plan provides for the safe movement of pedestrians within the site;

The plan shows a new 6’ wide sidewalk to be installed along the west side of N. Iowa Street.

The site plan also shows a future sidewalk to be provided along the south side of Kresge Road through a future benefit district. Kresge Road has not been built to city standards and has a ditch section south of the pavement which makes construction of a sidewalk not practical at this time. A condition will be needed for the applicant to provide an Agreement Not to Protest a Benefit District for street and sidewalk Improvements to Kresge Road.

(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;

There will be a sufficient mixture of grass and trees within the interior and perimeter of site so the proposed development will be in harmony with adjacent land uses and will provide a pleasing appearance to the public. There are some existing trees which will need to be protected (limits of construction barrier) prior to grading.

(f) That all outdoor trash storage areas are screened and are in accordance with standards as prepared by the department of public works;

The plan shows a trash storage area and provides a trash dumpster enclosure detail.

(g) That the site plan takes into consideration existing improvements or physical alterations that have been made to prepare the site for development.

The plan takes into account the adjacent sanitary sewer, municipal water lines and the topography of the site. Public improvement plans will need to be submitted to Public Works prior to release of the site plan to Neighborhood Resources.

A site plan performance agreement has been signed by the applicant.