Agenda - Council - 02/23/1993 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CASE PROPOSED ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE B-1 BUSINESS DISTRICT By: Zoning Administrator Sylvia Frolik Background: In accordance with amendments recently made to the B-3 and B-2 Business districts, I have drafted changes to the B- 1 Business District. As you recall, the major thrust of these amendments to the Business District regulations are requiring the installation of site improvements (paved and curbed customer/employee parking, display and storage areas) by January of 1997 and exterior facing finish on buildings being 100% other than metal. Observations: Additionally, about one year ago I proposed a zoning amendment to eliminate conflicts between zoning designations and zoning definitions. There are properties outside of the Urban Area that are zoned B-1 Business; this conflicts with the definition of Rural Business (commercial property outside the Urban District). To rectify the situation, I had proposed to rezone B-1 properties outside the Urban area to Rural Business. The affected property owners were opposed to the zoning designation change to Rural Business. In their opinion, changing their zoning title from B- I Business to Rural Business sounded like a downzoning. The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended that the proposed rezonings not go forward to City Council. Since the only difference between the Rural Business District and the B-1 Business District was the minimum lot size and structure setbacks (because it was assumed that Rural Business would not have city sewer and water and B-1 Business would), and because property owners prefer the title of B-1 versus Rural Business, Staff offered an alternative to rezoning B-1 to Rural Business. The alternative consisted of merging the Rural Business District with the B-t Business District and qualifying the minimum lot size and setbacks based on whether or not the property was served by city sewer and water. The Planning Commission directed Staff to draft an ordinance to merge the Rural Business and B-1 Business District. Enclosed for your review and introduction is what I propose as the mer~ng of the Rural Business with the B-1 Business District and the retrofitting of the B-1 Business District regulations in accordance with recent amendments to the B-3 and B-2 Districts. The Planning and Zoning Commission conducted a public hearing on the proposed ordinance on February 2 and on February 16 recommended Council adoption of same with the addition of day care centers to the permitted uses. There were a couple of property owners present at the public hearing that had concerns with the January 1997 site improvement deadline and the 100% other than metal exterior wall finish for all new construction. However, Council has somewhat committed themselves to these standards by the recent amendments to the B-2 and B-3 Districts and should follow suit in the B-1 District. One other very minor change is that the front yard setback in the Rural Business District was 40 feet and the front yard setback in the B-1 Business District was 35 feet. The Planning Commission could see no justification for an additional 5 feet of front yard just because a property does not have city sewer and water. With the merging of the Rural Business and B-1 Business Districts, the Planning Commission directed that the front yard setback be 35 feet, regardless of whether or not the property was served by city sewer and water. .155