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provisions by simply outlining exterior materials or if there is a desire to provide additional architectural elements. <br />This consolidated section provides a one stop location for an applicant to understand what all the requirements are <br />for building and site design for the Employment Districts. The added building design standards reinforce what the <br />city is striving for based on past site plan and building plan reviews and comments. By making expectations clear, <br />applicants can be more successful in preparing a quality submittal the first time. Clear and concise ordinances make <br />it easier for an applicant to perform to the city's expectations while providing the city codes that fortify these <br />requirements. <br />Off - Street Parking <br />This amendment builds upon existing landscaping requirements based on parking lots and provides additional <br />direction on acceptable means of accomplishing these requirements. The amendment moves parking lot landscaping <br />standards from individual districts into the Off - Street Parking Ordinance. The intent of relocating this text is to <br />provide all off - street parking information in one location and reduce duplication of standards. The proposed text <br />also expands language to provide direction on the intent and placement of parking lot landscaping based on <br />feedback from previous site plan review. <br />Based on discussion on screening parking and outdoor storage areas, perimeter parking area landscape <br />requirements have been added, which requires sites in business or employment districts abutting a street or similar <br />district to provide landscape screening at a minimum of three (3) feet in height to screen headlights. Where a <br />business or employment district abuts a residential district, a landscape screen of six (6) feet in height and eighty <br />percent (80 %) opaqueness is required, similar to what is required today. <br />Other Considerations for Off - Street Parking: <br />While preparing draft updates of the parking ordinance, staff explored alternatives that may help the city achieve <br />objectives to reduce impervious surface and outside storage. Below are some of these alternatives we would like to <br />review with the City Council. These alternatives could be added to the ordinance as a requirement or through an <br />incentive in an effort to balance economic development objectives while also reducing overall costs for new <br />development. Again, discussion on this provision began as a discussion to reduce the amount of outside storage <br />area for the Office Park District. Staff would like policy direction as to whether to expand this, if approved, to other <br />business and employment districts as well. <br />Alternative 1: In an attempt to encourage shared parking and maximize parking allotments for larger sites, such as <br />for office buildings and large- format retailers, the use of parking maximums for some larger parking lot users (big <br />box retailers, office buildings, larger industrial users) to prevent underutilized parking could be implemented. This <br />option could be a requirement of the ordinance or if an applicant wants to add parking beyond the minimum, require <br />mitigation features such as additional storm water management techniques within the parking and drive areas. This <br />not only benefits sites for aesthetic reasons but also reduces the amount of storm water management required. Use <br />of these mitigation techniques could also be used to provide credit to certain utility fees, to be discussed more in <br />detail at a later date. <br />Alternative 2: In another attempt to discourage over parking of sites, staff would like to discuss with the City <br />Council a requirement that any parking areas over the minimum be required to use a pervious paver system. That <br />way, additional parking does not truly expand the amount of impervious surface and actually provides storm water <br />benefits. As it relates to balance of economic development, pervious parking areas could qualify for stormwater <br />utility credit. <br />Alternative 3: Staff would like to explore expanding upon current storm water management practices by <br />encouraging the use of best management practices for storm water management within parking and drive areas. If <br />this were added, storm water credits would apply. This could be used as a tool to address Council's goals of further <br />studying development fees (in this instance, storm water management). <br />The Planning Commission did review the entire text at the March Planning Commission Meeting for discussion <br />