Minutes_Zoning Advisory Commission 2 5 14THE CITY OF
DUB
buquc
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
MINUTES
ZONING ADVISORY COMMISSION
REGULAR SESSION
6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
City Council Chamber
350 W. 6th Street, Dubuque, Iowa
PRESENT: Vice Chair Tom Henschel, Commissioners Stephen Hardie, Martha Christ
and Michael Belmont; Staff Members Kyle Kritz and Guy Hemenway.
ABSENT: Chairperson Pat Norton and Commissioner Ron Smith.
CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m.
AFFIDAVIT OF COMPLIANCE: Staff presented an Affidavit of Compliance verifying that
the meeting was being held in compliance with the Iowa Open Meetings Law.
MINUTES: The minutes of the January 8, 2014 meeting were approved unanimously as
submitted.
PUBLIC HEARING /AMEND INSTITSUTIONAL DISTRICT: Application of Finley Hospital
to amend Finley Hospitals ID Institutional District to permit the construction of a 25,000
square foot addition.
Brian Sandeman, Invision Architects, representing Finley Hospital, discussed the Finley
Hospital addition project. He said the project requires removal of two buildings,
reconfiguration of the parking lots and changes to the access to Grandview Avenue. He
said the Emergency Department will be relocated to the Grandview Avenue access and
that the Surgery and Heart Departments would be relocated into the addition. He said that
the addition would be four stories in height and approximately 25,000 square feet per floor.
He reviewed the submitted parking study, proposed signage package, and traffic study. He
said that Finley would be relocating the 125 square foot wall- mounted sign and will re -use
the existing monument signs. He noted the addition of two signs on the building and a new
monument -style sign along Grandview Avenue.
Frank Belcastro, 285 North Grandview Avenue, expressed concerns with relocation of the
helipad and the noise it may generate. He said he also had concerns regarding the
signage on Finley's campus needed to direct people to the emergency room and main
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February 5, 2014
Page 2
entrance. He also discussed other signage that he felt should be placed on adjacent city
streets to adequately direct out -of- towners and others to the hospital in general and the
emergency entrance in particular. He said he had spoken directly with representatives of
Finley Hospital, and he praised them for their efforts.
Mr. Sandeman noted that Finley had initially planned to relocate the helipad to the rooftop,
but that building construction issues made it more attractive to attach the helipad to the
building sometime in the future.
Commissioner Belmont had questions regarding Finley's monument signage. Mr.
Sandeman said that the signage could be designed so as to safely direct people to the new
emergency room entrance.
Commissioner Hardie expressed concerns with traffic stacking from the intersection of
North Grandview Avenue and Delhi Street, and its impact on safe access for emergency
vehicles to the new emergency room entrance. Mr. Sandeman said that this issue was
discussed with Engineering staff and could be considered.
Staff Member Hemenway addressed the emergency access issue comparing it with the
existing access taken from Delhi Street. He discussed the relocated North Grandview
Avenue emergency and parking lot entrances. He discussed the parking plan for Finley's
campus, noting how parking requirements for the hospital are determined. He said that the
Institutional District regulations enable the Commission to approve specific parking
requirements for each district. He discussed historic aerial photos which showed
availability of parking both in Finley's ramp and surface parking lots and on the adjacent
public streets.
He reviewed the memo from the City Engineering Department written in response to the
traffic study submitted by Finley's engineers. He said that the memo noted that Finley
Hospital's access changes and the small amount of additional staff should have very
limited impact on the overall traffic at the surrounding intersections. He reviewed the
signage package proposed by Finley, noting that the City Engineering Department and
Finley Hospital will review directional signage on the public right -of -way.
Commissioner Hardie asked why the helipad would not be constructed as part of the
current project. Mr. Sandeman said that the helideck system was costly, and that the
elevator tower would have to be extended above the roof. He said that Finley Hospital
would consider relocation of the helipad at a future date.
Commissioners discussed Finley's request and felt it was • appropriate.
Motion by Hardie, seconded by Belmont, to approve the amended Finley Hospital
Institutional District to permit the construction of a four -story addition to the west side of the
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February 5, 2014
Page 3
hospital building as per Exhibit D. Motion carried by the following vote: Aye — Hardie,
Christ, Belmont and Henschel; Nay — None.
By consensus, Commissioners asked that Planning staff forward a letter to the City Council
recommending that on- street parking be removed from the northbound side of North
Grandview Avenue between 3r Street and Delhi Street to facilitate improved access to the
emergency room entrance.
PUBLIC HEARING /REZONING: Application of Dee Ann Ballard to rezone property
located at 1342 Forest Lane from R -2 Two - Family Residential to OR Office Residential.
Dee Ann Ballard, 1342 Forest Lane, reviewed her request, noting that the change would
allow her to open a massage therapy business.
Cecil Pfeiffer, 1310 Forest Lane, said that he was not concerned about the current owner
and her plans, but that he is worried about subsequent owners, and how the business use
of the property may evolve. He asked the Commission if they could place a sunset clause
on the rezoning so that it would revert to the original zoning if ownership changed.
Cindy Kane, 795 Laurel Lane, stated that she and her husband owned the dentist office at
1340 Delhi Street. She expressed concerns about the demand on parking that may be
generated by the new business and the amount of signage permitted.
Mrs. Ballard noted that because all appointments are scheduled there would likely be no
more than two cars at a time at her business. She said the vehicles could easily be parked
behind the detached garage. She said she plans on having very little signage for the
business.
Staff Member Hemenway reviewed the request, discussing the width of Forest Lane,
available on- street parking, and the surrounding mix of uses. He noted that the lot is
relatively small and that there is a lack of easily accessible on- street parking in the
neighborhood. He also said that because of the lot size and consequent lack of off - street
parking, the subject property was limited to number and intensity of businesses that could
operate there.
Commissioner Belmont asked if the applicant's proposed use would meet the current
parking regulations. Staff Member Hemenway said yes, as presently proposed by the
applicant.
Commissioners discussed the request and felt that, due to the limited lot size, it was
unlikely that the property would be developed for an intense commercial use.
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February 5, 2014
Page 4
Motion by Henschel, seconded by Hardie, to approve the rezoning from R -2 Two - Family
Residential to OR Office Residential. Motion was approved by the following vote: Aye —
Hardie, Christ, Belmont and Henschel; Nay - None.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 6:40 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Kyle L. Kritz, Associate Planner Adopted