Agenda - Council - 08/25/2009 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CASE # J;P REQUEST FOR A HOME OCCUPATION PERMIT TO OPERATE A TOWING A RECOVERY SERVICE AT 16450 NOWTHEN BLVD NW; CASE OF SCOTT GRAMS By: Jessica Hendricks, Management Intern Background: The City has received an application from Scott Grams for a home occupation permit to establish a tow and recovery business located at 16450 Nowthen Boulevard NW. On March 26, 2009 Scott Grams applied for an administrative home occupation permit. During that review, Staff determined this request necessitates Planning Commission and City Council approval, as the parking area for this home occupation did not meet the provisions of City Code 9.11.08, related to off-street parking. Notification: In accordance with State statute, Staff attempted to notify property owners within 350 feet of the subject property of the public hearing. Observations: The Applicant has operated a tow and recovery business in his home for the past three and one half (3.5) years. The business provides towing, jump starts, and lockouts twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week off-site. The only business related activities that take place on the Applicant's property are basic maintenance and light lubrication of the tow vehicles and a small amount of paperwork. The materials used for this maintenance will need to be inspected by the Fire Department. The Applicant expects to conduct internet billing in one room of the home in a space taking up approximately 2% of the home (20% allowed by Code), and store the tow vehicles on the subject property. There are two trucks stored on the property, an International 4300 tow truck and a Chevy 5500 tow truck. These vehicles are located on a parking space adjoining the north side of the primary driveway. City Code 9.11.08 states that commercial vehicles that are parked outside for longer than eight (8) hours must be screened to a degree of 75% at ground level view and parked in the side or rear yard. Initially, the Applicant had asked that this screening be waived and allow one commercial vehicle to be parked in the front yard. At the Planning Commission meeting on August 6, 2009, the Applicant proposed the removal of a tree adjoining the driveway to allow the vehicles to be parked side-by-side in the side yard. A Home Occupation Permit would still be required since the driveway would extend beyond 15 feet from the side of the garage. The driveway would still need to meet surfacing requirements. The Applicant expects to be the sole employee on the property, with drivers of the tow vehicles located off site. There will be no customers or clients coming to the property, nor will the recovered vehicles be stored on the property. Occasionally, employees will travel from off-site to the property to pick up the tow vehicles, but the Applicant expects that a majority of the time, he and his wife will deliver the tow vehicles to the employees. If employees travel to pick up the tow vehicles, their personal vehicles will be left on the same parking area that the tow vehicles occupy. The Applicant expects trips from his residence to vary from three to fifteen (3-15) trips per day, seven (7) days a week; this number includes the number of trips made by employees picking up vehicles. Staff believes that this number appears to be low based on the use and the submitted information. If a non-resident comes to pick up a vehicle for use, four trips are generated from the site. City Code states that the subject property would be allowed two