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Home My WebLink About2006-12-12 Public hearing "b NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the City Council of Iowa City, Iowa, at 7:00 p.m. on the 12th day of December, 2006, in Emma J. Harvat Hall, 410 E. Washington Street, Iowa City, Iowa, or if said meeting is cancelled, at the next meeting of the City Council thereafter as posted by the City Clerk; at which hearing the Council will consider: An ordinance amending the zoning code to allow a minor modification in cases where there are practical difficulties meeting the standards for structured parking facilities when retrofitting such facilities within existing buildings. Copies of the proposed ordinances and resolutions are on file for public examination in the office of the City Clerk, City Hall, Iowa City, Iowa. Persons wishing to make their views known for Council consideration are encouraged to appear at the above-mentioned time and place. MARIAN K. KARR, CITY CLERK .~~---_.._--~~--'*~--~-,._---~-------'--_._'-_.".._--~.~---,- City of Iowa City MEMORANDUM ~ ULJ Date: November 9, 2006 To: Planning and Zoning Commission From: Karen Howard, Associate Planne RE: Zoning Code requirements for structured parking entrances/exits Frantz Construction Co, Inc. recently submitted concept plans to the City for a proposed conversion of the former Alpha Tau Omega Fratemity at 724 Dubuque Street into 3 condominium units. Similar to many properties in the older parts of Iowa City, there is very little space for off-street parking. To remedy this problem, Frantz is proposing to construct parking garages for the three units in the basement of the existing building (see attached drawing) with driveway access from Brown Street. The zoning code includes standards for the number of garage entrances/exits allowed for structured parking facilities. These standards are intended to ensure that structured parking located within multi-family and commercial buildings is designed to minimize traffic congestion by limiting the number of driveways, to prevent hazards to pedestrians and to preserve street frontages for active buildings uses. The zoning code states in relevant part: If the structured parking is intended for residents or tenants of a building and not the general public, there may be no more than one double-wide or two single-wide garage openings per building. Staff feels that this is a workable standard for the vast majority of buildings, particularly for new construction. However, for existing buildings, where space on the site for parking is limited and where there may be structural constraints within the building, the standard may be difficult to meet. This is the case for the existing structure at 724 Dubuque Street. Due to the location of bearing walls and other structural elements within the basement of the building, there is only enough space for vehicles to drive straight into parking spaces. In order to provide covered garage space for three condominiums, three garage entrances are needed. Staff would like the Commission to consider revising the code to allow the option for applicants to request a minor modification in cases where it is impossible to meet this standard for existing buildings. Please review the attached proposal to amend the zoning code language. The underlined language is new language. Strike-through marks indicate language to be deleted. Other language remains the same and is provided to give context to the proposed changes. ATTACHMENTS: I. Proposed zoning code language 2. Building illustration Approved by: /~ Robert Miklo, Senior Planner, Department of Planning and Community Development Amend paragraph 14-5A-5F-5, Garage Entrances/Exits, as follows: 5. Garage Entrances/Exits. a. Vehicular access to parking within buildings should be located and designed to minimize traffic congestion and hazards to pedestrians and to preserve street frontages for active building uses. b. Garaae entrances/exits should be located alona a building wall that does not face a Dublic street and accessed from a Drivate drive. Drivate rear lane or Dublic allev. In the CB-2, CB-5, and MU zones, alley or rear lane access is preferred. If alley the Buildina Official in consultation with the Director of Plannina and Community Develooment determines that such access is not feasible due to topographical limitations or other unique circumstances, or if allowina direct access from a street will better meet the obiectives as stated in subDaraaraDh au above, garage openings may face a street, but must be designed in a manner that will best meet the objectives listed in subparagraph a, above, and must meet the standards listed in sub-subDaraaraDhs (1), (2). and (3), below. (1) If the structured parking is intended for residents or tenants of a building and not the general public, there may be no more than one double-wide or two single-wide garage openings per building. Double-wide openings may not exceed 18 feet in width; Single-wide openings may not exceed 9 feet in width. For existina buildinas where it is not Dossible to meet this standard due to structural constraints of the buildina. the Building Official mav adiust this Drovision to allow one additional aaraae entrance/exit that faces a street. Drovided that the minor modification aDDroval criteria are met and the aaraae oDenina is desianed to minimize its effect on the streetscaDe and minimize hazards to Dedestrians. (2) For structured parking intended for use by the general public, garage openings should be limited in width and number to only what is necessary to provide adequate access for the types and numbers of vehicles using the parking facility. (3) Except in the CN-1, CB-2, MU and CB-5 Zones, the opening(s) must occupy no more than 50% of the length of the street-facing building wall. On corner lots, only one street-facing garage wall must meet this standard. In the CN-l, CB-2, MU and CB-5 Zones, garage opening(s) along the primary street frontage are not permitted if access is feasible from another local or collector street or from a rear alley, private street or private rear lane. If there is no feasible alternative, garage opening(s) may be allowed along the primary street frontage, provided that they occupy no more than 35 percent of the length of the primary street frontage of the lot and provided that all provisions of Article 14-5C, Access Management are met. Add a paragraph 17. to subsection 14-4B-1A, Applicability, as follows: 17. One additionalgaraae entrance/exist to structured Darkina may be aranted accordina to the DroYisions of DaraaraDh 14-SA-SF-S. Garaae Entrances/Exits. The Buildina Official must obtain aDDroyal from the Director of Plannina and Community DeveloDment Drior to arantina any such modification. "T }: (;:1 1/' I.. i/I', it? p/ I 1/./ ! fl/~o.~ I 'l~/j _ f:1~--ffrr!- --. I . \ .r/I';'; ~ .-. ~ ,. 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