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HomeMy WebLinkAbout7/8/02 boadec619/623fairchildPrepared by: Karen Howard, Associate Planner, 410 E. Washington, Iowa City, IA 52240; 319/356-5251 FILED DECISION IOWA CITY BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT TUESDAY, JUNE 12, 2002- 5 P.M. EMMA J. HARVAT HALL MEMBERS PRESENT: T.J. Brandt, Mike Paul, Dennis Keitel, Eric Gidal, Vincent Mauii~'~A MEMBERS ABSENT: None STAFF PRESENT: Karen Howard, Sarah Holecek OTHERS PRESENT: Donald King; Steve Conklin, Diane Clausen, Tim Walker SPECIAL EXCEPTION ITEMS: 1. EXC02-00007 - Discussion of an application submitted by St. Wenceslaus Chu. rct~ for special exceptions to expand a religious institution, for off-street parking on a separate;i6t, and~o reduce the required front yard from 20 feet to 5 feet for property in the Neighborhood Conservation (RNC-12) Zone at 619-623 Fairchild Street. Findings of Fact: · With regard to special exception 1), below, the Board finds that reuse of the single family houses at 619 and 623 Fairchild for church purposes will not substantially change the appearance of the neighborhood. The Iow impact church uses proposed, office and small group meeting space, will not be injurious to the use and enjoyment of other residential properties in the neighborhood. Retaining and reusing these existing houses will help to maintain the residential character of the street and will help to buffer the church parking lot from the other houses in the vicinity. · With regard to special exception 2), below, the Board finds that the parking is within 300 feet of the main church building, and the parking is located in the same zone, RNC-12, as the use being served. The Board finds that vehicular safety will not be problematic given that the parking is located on an alley away from any heavily traveled street. However, the Board finds that the church illegally paved the public right-of-way between the church's east property line and the public sidewalk and this paving is likely to be a safety hazard to pedestrians. The Board also finds that the existing gravel parking lot does not meet the City's parking lot design standards or the City's tree standards. The i3oard finds that replacing the house at 619 Fairchild Street with a paved parking lot will unduly compromise the appearance of the streetscape and the residential integrity of the neighborhood. However, if a new parking lot is designed to meet city standards and is properly screened from view by the houses at 619 and 623 Fairchild and by appropriate landscaping along the west property line, expanding the parking lot as shown as Phase I of the applicant's site plan will not have a significant detrimental effect on residential properties in the vicinity. The Board finds that due to an increase in church membership that the additional parking as shown in Phase I of the Church's site plan is warranted to provide more convenient parking for members of the church. · With regard to special exception 3), 4), and 5), below, the Board finds that there are unique circumstances in this case due to the fact that the houses proposed for conversion to a religious institution use have existed in this location for over 100 years and their location is similar to other houses along the street. The Board finds that due to their residential appearance, the Iow impact nature of the proposed church use, and the fact that the houses help to screen the church parking lot from other residences in the neighborhood, it would be unreasonable and present practical difficulty to ask the church to move the 000184 !OWA CITY BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 2002 Page 2 houses to meet the setback requirement for religious institutions. The Board finds that the width the public right-of-way across from North Market Park allows adequate space for the church to plant and maintain a vegetative buffer to screen the parking from view of the park. As long as appropriate screening is in place, the Board finds that reducing the yard to five feet along the west property line is reasonable. Conclusions of Law: The Board concludes that the proposed exceptions meet the specific requirements of the City's Zoning Ordinance, section 14-6L-10, special exception criteria for religious institutions, 14-6Q-4B, special exception criteria for yard modifications, 14-6N-1C, off- street parking located on a separate lot, provided that each of the conditions listed below are met. The Board concludes that the general special exception review standards (14-6W-2B) have been met for the exceptions listed below, provided that each of the conditions listed below are met. Disposition: The Board approves with conditions the following special exceptions filed under application EXC02-00007: 1) On a vote of 5-0, a special exception to permit expansion of a religious institution to reuse the buildings at 619 and 623 Fairchild Street for church purposes; 2) On a vote of 4-1, a special exception to permit expansion of a religious institution to include an expanded parking lot and to permit parking on a separate lot as shown as Phase I on the applicant's site plan dated April 2002; 3) On a vote of 5-0, reduction of the front yard to five feet along the west property line as shown as Phase I on the applicant's site plan dated April 2002 4) On a vote of 5-0, reduction of the front yard to five feet along the west and north sides of the property at 619 Fairchild Street for the length of the existing structure for as long as the structure is retained on the lot; and a 5) On a vote of 5-0, reduction of the front yard to five feet for property at 623 Fairchild Street for as long as the existing structure is retained on the lot. The Board approves these special exceptions subject to the following conditions: · The new parking area must be brought into compliance with the City's tree regulations, 14- 6R-2, and with the City's parking lot design standards, 14-6N-1; · Submission and implementation of a landscaping plan that includes a minimum a five foot landscaping strip along the west property line that contains plantings that will form a solid hedge approximately three feet in height to screen the parking area; and · Restoration of an eight-foot grass strip or other approved landscaping between the existing east property line and the public sidewalk along Dodge Street, so that the church parking lot is clearly separated from the sidewalk. 00015.% IOWA CITY BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 2002 Page 3 TIME LIMITATIONS: All orders of the Board, which do not set a specific time limitation on Applicant action, shall expire six (6) months from the date they were filed with the City Clerk, unless the Applicant shall have taken action within such time period to establish the use or construct the improvement authorized under the terms of the Board's order of decision. City Code Section 14-4B-5E, City of Iowa City, Iowa. T.J. Br~f'~t, Ch'ai'rl::Terson ( City Att~rney's~ce//~, , ~ ~_)_ STATE OF IOWA ) ) JOHNSON COUNTY ) I, Marian K. Karr, City Clerk of the City of Iowa City, do hereby certify that the Board of Adjustment Decision herein is a true and correct copy of the Decision that was passed by the Board of Adjustment of Iowa City, Iowa, at its regular meeting on the 12th day of June, 2002, as the same appears of record in my Office. Dated at Iowa City, this day of ./~/,~---~ ,2002. MarianK. Karr, City Clerk Shared/boafiles/decisions CORPORATE SEAL 000186