Agenda - Planning Commission - 07/10/2006

Home

proval may be different from those imposed on the same or a substantially similar Lisa in that district. Equal treatment ia more difficult when there are no standards established in the regulations. In either situation, it is very important to ensure a reasonable relationship between the condition assi§ned and the impact it is intended to address. The conditions should be related to the type and amount of the potential impact. The imposed standards should ensure that the use · is compatible with the area in form and function, · will not endan§er public health or safety, and · is designed in such a way as to mitigate potential confli~s with adiacent and nearby uses, UNDER WHAT CONDITION? The types and range ofimpac~ from a particular uae are potentially ~reat. The conditions imposed in granting a conditional use should ensure com- patibility and mitigate the impacts. This section describes typical conditions and provides ~Jid- Building size. Conditions may be The conditions imposed in granting a conditional use sh°uld ensure compatibility and mitigate the impacts. from the average height and dimensions of buildings in the surrounding area. For example. an increase in building height of ~.5 times the height of nearby buildings may be compatible. Building setbacks. When a proposed building has [ar~er dimensions or height than buildings in the surrounding area. a condition to increase building setback is appropriate. The greater setback provides additional open space and separation between the proposed building and adiacent buildings. It also serves to mitigate the impacts of buildings with greater bulk, reduce the perception of crowd- ink, and prevent the possible ipso of pdvacy. Building orientatioe. Problems with noise and light are common at entrance areas (typically in the front) and delivery or Ioadin~ areas (typically in the back). Butiding orienta- tion as a condition can reduce or alleviate these impacts. Site features. Parldn[ lots. lighting, out- door storage, storage buildings, fences, signs, outdoor sales areas, and dumpsters can produce potentiaUy negative impacts, including aesthetic degradation, noise, glare, and odor. Materials, race pitch, color, and architec- tural style help to determine if the building is a good fit in terms of appearance. For exam- pie. conditions that require building materials or co[ors that match the predominant theme of the area may be necessary; in a neighbor- hood of pitched roofs, for example, a flat roof can detract from neighborhood character and may teed the community to impose a condi- tion callin~ for pitched roofs. In histodc dis- triers or districts with an established architec- tural style, conditions will likely be geared toward architectural features or style. N~ise impacts in commercial and indus* trial areas oi~en come from parking iota and load- ing docks. Conditions to initiate noise could include the location and desi[n oftbe parking lot and delivery area and noise abatement mea- sures. Examples include using la~e setbacks to separate a parking lot or delive~, area From nearby uses; plating the building between nearby uses and the parking and deliven/areas {essentially acting as a buffer); or using fences, waUs. or berms to help with noise reduction. GLare from lights around parking tots and in pedestrian areas, on signs, and from security devices o~ten spills onto adiacent properties. Conditions that limit the height of ti§hr po{es and require shielding, direc- tional standards, and reductions in the num- ber or intensity of li§hts provides code drafters with a variety of effective options for glare prevention or reduction. Tou§h odors are ofte~ associated with ZONING PRACT1CE S.06