Minutes_Zoning Advisory Commission 1 7 14 Dubuque
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MINUTES
CITY OF DUBUQUE ZONING ADVISORY COMMISSION
REGULAR SESSION
6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
City Council Chamber, Historic Federal Building
Board Members Present: Chairperson Pat Norton; Commission Members Stephen
Hardie, Steve Baumhover, Martha Christ, Tom Henschel and Michael Belmont, Staff
Members Kyle Kritz, Guy Hemenway and Laura Carstens.
Board Members Excused: None.
CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m.
AFFIDAVIT OF COMPLIANCE: Staff presented an Affidavit of Compliance verifying the
meeting was being held in compliance with the Iowa Open Meetings Law.
MINUTES: The minutes of the December 3, 2014 Zoning Advisory Commission meeting
were approved unanimously as submitted.
ACTION ITEM/FINAL PLAT: Application of William and Janet Siegert/Dave Schneider,
Schneider Land Surveying for approval of the Final Plat Siegert's Place Fifth Addition
located on U.S. Highway 20 (next to Menard's).
Dave Schneider, Schneider Land Surveying, spoke on behalf of William and Janet Siegert.
He said that he Siegert's are negotiating with Chad Richardson regarding disposition of
their property and that they have reserved an access easement. He explained issues with
the new highway frontage road and access configurations.
Staff Member Kritz discussed the placement of the access easement. He noted that the
property is within the U.S. Highway 20 Corridor Preservation Zone and that the IDOT has
decided to not acquire the property at this time. He said changes to the previously
approved plat for the access easement require Zoning Advisory Commission and City
Council approval again.
The Commission discussed the request and felt it was appropriate.
Motion by Henschel, seconded by Baumhover, to approve the Final Plat of Siegert's Place
Fifth Addition. Motion carried by the following vote: Aye — Baumhover, Hardie, Christ,
Henschel, Norton, and Belmont, Nay—None.
Zoning Advisory Commission Minutes Page 2
January 7, 2015
ACTION ITEM/WAIVER: Application of First Community Trust, NA, 3385 Hillcrest Road, to
request waiving Section 13 of the Unified Development Code, Site Design Standards
regarding parking lot setbacks.
Chip Murray, President of First Community Trust, noted that the property accommodates
his home office and he is need of additional space. He said if the design guidelines are
strictly applied he would lose parking spaces that serve the lower level of the building. He
said loss of this parking would make the lower level tenant space untenable.
Staff Member Kritz noted that the UDC affords the Commission the ability review the
design standards and waive them where they felt it is appropriate. He said that a building
expansion of this nature triggers the design standards in the UDC for parking lot setback
and screening. He said the applicant is asking to waive the required buffer yard along the
west side of the paved parking lot. He noted that the abutting neighbor had submitted a
letter in support of the request.
In response to a question from Commissioner Belmont, Staff Member Kritz said that the
waiver of the required buffer yard applies only to the west side of the parking lot, not the
rear yard. Commissioners discussed the request and felt it was appropriate.
Motion by Baumhover, seconded by Belmont, to approve the request to waive Section 13
of the UDC Site Design Standards regarding parking lot setbacks. Motion carried by the
following vote: Aye — Baumhover, Hardie, Christ, Henschel, Belmont, and Norton; Nay —
None.
PUBLIC HEARING/REZONING: Application of City of Dubuque to rezone property located
at 221 & 250 East 8 Street and 300 East 9th Street from HI Heavy Industrial to Planned
Unit Development with a PC Planned Commercial designation.
Planning Services Manager Laura Carstens outlined the City's request regarding rezoning
the subject property. She discussed ongoing redevelopment of the adjacent area and said
this request represented an expansion of the Historic Millwork District (HMD) Planned
Commercial District. She discussed past planning efforts for the area that she said
culminated in the Historic Millwork District Master Plan. She noted that the Plan's intent
was to revitalize the area from what were vacant and underutilized buildings into a vibrant
mixed-use commercial and residential area. She said there has been significant
development in the district since the 2009 rezoning.
Staff Member Carstens noted that the Commissioners had been provided a list of bulk
standards and permitted uses for both the Heavy Industrial and HMD districts in their
packet. She outlined the criteria established in the UDC that Commissioners are asked to
consider when granting a rezoning. She said that the use of the subject lots has changed,
noting that manufacturing had ceased. She noted changes to the surrounding area that
she said included infrastructure and streetscape improvements and new commercial and
residential development. She said that the manufacturing is no longer occurring in the
Zoning Advisory Commission Minutes Page 3
January 7, 2015
Historic Millwork District or on the subject property and that the large multi-story building
style is not conducive to modern manufacturing methods.
Commissioner Baumhover asked about parking requirements. He said that he was
concerned that patrons of the retail establishments in the area would not have adequate
parking. Staff Member Carstens said that in the Historic Millwork District, there is no
required parking. She said that the City currently supplies metered surface and ramp
parking, and that some property owners have considered placing parking stalls in their
buildings. She said there are also some private surface lots in the area.
Staff Member Kritz outlined the staff report, noting the land use surrounding the subject
property. He said that the Historic Millwork District, along with the C-4 and C-5 districts do
not require provision of off-street parking. He said that parking is not required because of
the concern that historic building stock would be razed to provide space for surface parking
lots. He said that in the C-5 and Historic Millwork districts, Commission review and Council
approval is needed to permit construction of a parking lot. He discussed the list of uses
permitted in the HMD PC district and he compared it to the uses that are permitted in the
Heavy Industrial district.
Chairperson Norton asked if the property owners have objected to the request. Staff
Member Kritz said he has been contacted by a representative of Jeld-Wen, but he was not
comfortable as staff speaking on behalf of the property owners.
Commissioner Hardie said he was concerned with the lack of input from the owners.
Staff Member Carstens noted that the rezoning packet had been sent to the subject
property owners prior to the meeting. She said that the City had had conversations with
the property owners regarding rezoning their property.
Commissioner Hardie said he felt it was imperative that the Commission receive input from
the property owners.
Jeff Woolworth, Property Manager for Jeld-Wen, said that he had received a packet right
before Christmas, and he said he did not have adequate time to review it. He said he
would like time to be able to review the information.
Commissioner Hardie said he would like to afford the property owners time to review the
proposal. He said he felt there was no reason to rush.
Motion by Hardie, seconded by Belmont, to table the request to rezone property located at
221 & 250 East 81h Street and 300 East gth Street from HI Heavy Industrial to Planned Unit
Development with a PC Planned Commercial designation to the next regular Zoning
Advisory Commission meeting. Motion carried by the following vote: Aye — Baumhover,
Hardie, Christ, Henschel, Belmont and Norton; Nay — None.
Zoning Advisory Commission Minutes Page 4
January 7, 2015
ITEMS FROM STAFF: Staff Member Kritz introduced the newly appointed Commissioner
Laura Roussell.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 6:30 p.m.
Kyle L. Kritz, Associate Planner Adopted