Agenda - Council - 01/22/2013 - Laserfiche WebLink

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stated that the proposed layout is a result of the fact that approximately seventy percent (70%) of McDonald's business is generated by drive-thru traffic and this configuration minimizes potential conflicts with pedestrians and drive-thru traffic. The COR-2b Sub -District is intended to allow for more traditional, auto -oriented retail development. Coupled with the diminished pedestrian 'feel', due to the realigned Sunwood Drive, which now has six (6) lanes of roadway, and the setbacks (as shown in the approved Development Plan 6.1) for the parcels north of Sunwood Drive (also zoned COR-2b), where the 'big box' retail will be located, it seems reasonable to defer to some of the standards within the General Business zoning district. This alternative is permissible per City Code Section 117-118 (f), which states that provisions from Article II Division 3 (Zoning Districts) may be utilized when determined by the City to be better suited to address an aspect of a development proposal. Additionally, the current Development Plan (6.1) conflicts with language in the Design Framework related to location of drive-thrus in the COR-2b Sub -District. Thus, the Planning Commission has also recommended that the restriction for drive-thru location within the COR-2b Sub -District be eliminated. As outlined in the Development Framework, at least forty percent (40%) of the building facade should be within the build -to area (thirty-five [35] feet due to it being bounded on the west by an Arterial Street). However, the Design Framework provides some flexibility by allowing for landscaping, decorative fencing and other certain features to be used to create the street edge. The proposal does include additional shrubbery and decorative fencing in sections along the Sunwood Drive frontage to better frame the site edge. The submittal indicates that forty-two percent (42%) of the street frontage will be lined with decorative fencing and shrubbery. The fencing will match the fencing approved for the site to the east (Super America). The exterior finish of the building will consist of facebrick, brick accent bands, dryvit accents (EIFS), corrugated metal panels, clear, tempered glass, two (2) roof cap accent elements and an aluminum trellis. The Applicant has submitted revised elevations and three-dimensional renderings that have incorporated windows into the north wall (facing Sunwood Drive) and removed the two (2) down spouts. The submittal indicates a total of fifty-one (51) parking stalls being provided, which includes three (3) handicap stalls. The Design Framework bases the minimum and maximum parking stalls for restaurants on the number of seats, with a minimum of one (1) parking stall per every two (2) seats and a maximum of one (1) parking stall for every one (1) seat. Staff has requested a seating plan in order to verify whether the off-street parking spaces provided falls within this range. The grading/drainage, utilities and landscaping plans are generally acceptable with the requested revisions outlined in the Technical Reports. It should be noted that the existing utilities referenced on the plans are not in place at this time. Any connections will need to be coordinated with the City's Engineering Department. The Planning Commission conducted two public hearings at their January 3, 2013 meeting related either directly or indirectly to this request. The first hearing was for an ordinance amendment related to twenty-four (24) hour operation of drive-thrus and drive-thru location within the COR-2b Sub -District. The second hearing related to a conditional use permit for the McDonald's to operate a drive-thru twenty-four (24) hours per day. Alternative Action Options: 1. Deny the request. After review by City Staff and the Planning Commission, the principal tenants of the request all appear to conform with the Zoning Code, Design Framework and/or Development Plan 6.1 and therefore, this option does not seem desirable. 2. Request additional information/exhibit(s) from the Applicant demonstrating alternative building/drive-thru layouts. This would provide additional information as to why alternative building orientations, which front Sunwood Drive or the private drive, aren't feasible. This would not necessary required a 'build -to' scenario be explored, in which the building would be placed close to the street, yet a simple rotation of the building centered on its current proposed location. The Applicant communicated to the Planning Commission that the proposed layout would minimize potential conflicts between pedestrians and drive-thru traffic. The Applicant stressed the importance of this because roughly seventy percent (70%) of their business comes via