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HomeMy WebLinkAboutP&Z MINUTES JUNE 02, 2005 P&Z LANNING ONING M INUTES 19 E. Main (PO Box 280) Phone: 208-359-3020 x326 Rexburg, Idaho 83440 Fax: 208-359-3024 www.rexburg.org comdev@rexburg.org June 2, 2005 Commissioners Attending: City Staff: Winston Dyer– Chairman Steven Zollinger – City Attorney Irma Anderson – Council Member (representing Rex Erickson) Kurt Hibbert – P&Z Director David Stein Ted Hill Bethany Caufield - Secretary Randall Porter Mike Ricks Thaine Robinson Mary Ann Mounts Chairman Dyer opened the meeting at 7:06pm. 1. Minutes – May 19, 2005 Chairman Dyer noted to the secretary that there were a few minor corrections that needed to be made. Randall Porter asked if there was a difference between full cutoff and fully shielded lighting, referring to page Chairman Dyer 6. said they were synonymous. Mike RicksMary Ann Mounts approved the minutes for May 19, 2005. seconded the motion. None opposed. Randall PorterMotion carried. abstained due to absence. 2. New Business: A. Johnny Watson – Business Park Setbacks/Streetscape Johnny Watson - 1152 Bond Ave. Reported the plans for lots one (1) through six (6): Lot 1 – Building a chiropractic clinic for Dr. Roderick and his partners. Lots 2&3 – Reed Hanson is putting in a veterinary hospital. Lot 4 – Owned by JRW & Associates and Farm Credit. They will be relocating to Lot 4 sometime next year. Lots 5&6 – They have not been sold yet. (Lots 4 & 5 front onto Main St.) Mr. Watson is proposing for the Commission to decide if the North property line is a front yard, or if in fact it is a side yard. Mr. Watson spoke with Kurt and Val. When approaching this, they discussed how the North property line should be, or how it was interpreted by the Zoning Ordinance – if it was a front, side or rear yard. Given that there is no verbiage for a major arterial setback and there’s no access off of the zone that it would be considered a side yard. 1 Mr. Watson wanted to keep these lots having more of a professional atmosphere. He told the owners it will be important to design the front of the building facing Erickson Dr. as well as the rear of the building facing Highway 33 or Main St; having it almost appear as a front façade. If any type of setback is used, there almost won’t be any parking in the front yard. David Stein asked what should have been done at the time the Commissioners approved the plat. Mr. Watson Chairman Dyer commented that the depth of the lots should have been defined better. added to the comment that the lots are way too small for a commercial business. Mr. Watson explained that the buildings are going to look nice enough that they will want them visible. Randall Porter asked in a perfect world, where the site of the building should be changed. Mr. Watson replied that the way it is drawn (referring to the plat given to the Commissioners) is the way he felt is its optimum, where there is a zero setback. Randall Porter asked if there was anything that could be done about the power lines that are overhead. Chairman Dyer suggested having the developer make a request to the power company to put them underground. There’s nothing in the ordinance that would require or allow the Commissioners to request the power lines to be underground. Steve Zollinger explained that frontage is defined as the property line that abuts a legally accessible street. This is not a legally accessible street, on the North Side. So it’s not a front lot. Kurt Hibbert commented that he had some concerns with the streetscape when the final plat of this subdivision was first approved. The plot plan before the Commissioners was sensitive to some of those concerns. Randall PorterKurt asked when the highway is improved there; if it will become wider than it is now. Hibbert replied that it will, and it is already considered in the drawing. Chairman Dyer declared a perceived conflict of interest in that Mr. Watson and he have some professional relationships, none of which are associated with this particular proposal. He proposed to remain in the discussion. Commissioners had no concerns. Chairman Dyer commented that he was concerned about the façade of the back of the buildings and the discussion helped get over those concerns and set a precedent. He felt very good about this particular proposal. He was concerned with the sidewalk being too close to the fronts of the buildings. He suggested seeing if engineering would allow the sidewalk to be moved out a little bit. Randall Porter commented that it appears like most of the other buildings there have a gabled roof; sloping roof. Mr. Watson replied that it has a combination of some awnings that extend up over it. Looking through Randall Porter the other pages, some of it may look a little flat, but there are some shed roofs on it. asked if there was an attempt to make the buildings blend. Mr. Watson replied yes and no. With the corner building, the owner wanted something more unique. The colors are going to be earth tones to fit with the other buildings, but the shape and form is definitely unique in that area. Currently, there is a little more residential look to the buildings. As soon as Beehive goes in, they are going to have a two story building with a flat roof. 2 David Stein commented that the backs of buildings facing public streets should have some design standards in the code. He felt fortunate that they have a developer that is cognitive on these issues. Mike Ricks commented that he didn’t see any major problems with how the first two lots are sitting on there. They are a whole lot more attractive than some of the other structures that are in the area. He felt it was unfortunate that when they platted it out that the lots went so small. It really crimps what they can put in there. Mary Ann Mounts moved to approve this plan with the possible changing of the sidewalk and that the North Mike Ricks side of this is a side yard. seconded the motion. Randall Porter suggested recommending that a request be made to the owners and the power company to change the overhead power lines to be underground. Mary Ann MountsMike RicksMotion amended her motion. seconded the amendment. None opposed. carried . 3. Unfinished/Old Business: A. Lighting Standards Kurt Hibbert reported that in the back of 3.15 Central Business District, there is lighting standard as they discussed and amended. This is the only place that the lighting criterion was inserted. He suggested that the lighting standards be in the supplementary regulations instead of each zone due to the number of pages. Zone specific criteria would still be left in the zone. Kurt Hibbert commented that one of the main questions was how some of the standards would effect dark spots on the streets; uniformity ratio. The way it is written, the Public Works Director has the right to make any Commissioners necessary changes if there is a problem on a case by case basis. concurred with that. Randall PorterKurt Hibbert commented that there were two definitions of light trespass on page 85. explained that one of the definitions was done by Mr. Leibenthal. Chairman Dyer suggested that the second definition seemed to fit more of what they are concerned about. Kurt Hibbert referred to the searchlight discussion from the last meeting. He referenced to page 88, 5-9.4. Where it used to be that they were prohibited to have any searchlights, floodlights, etc, it will now be permitted on certain occasions, through a conditional use permit. Chairman Dyer commented that the commissioners indicated that they would prefer that to be a lighting permit that would go before staff instead of through a CUP. And then if there was any application for a permit that needed input of this board, it would be brought here. Kurt Hibbert agreed. 3 Mike Ricks commented that he would hesitate on giving too much discretion to staff because sometime in the future when the current staff changes for whatever reason, then they would be giving that one person too much power and if they do something the Commissioners don’t want, then they’re stuck as a board. Chairman Dyer commented about the days when they reviewed all of the site plans that came through when there were five hour meetings twice a month. Mary Ann Mounts suggested limiting how many hours or days they can have it for. David Stein felt that any type of flood light or laser light pointing up into the sky, that can be seen for two miles up in the air, defeats the purpose of the ordinance, which is to protect astronomical observations. Chairman Dyer commented that they won’t have them all the time, but occasionally. David Stein asked if it gives them enough control. Chairman Dyer suggested putting some verbiage in the standards that if it is a complicated or long-term request, it will go before the commission. Commissioners agreed to apply the lighting ordinance to all zones, and then look at specific factors for each of the zones appropriately. Randall Porter asked if there was a standard that required car lots to turn those lights down after a certain time? Kurt Hibbert answered that they do have some requirements under recreation areas – 5-4.2. He will put that information in 5-4.3 Chairman Dyer commented that Erickson shuts off some of their lights at a certain time, but leaves some on because of security reasons. B. Commercial Design Standards – Less than 25,000 Kurt Hibbert reported that under Chapter four (4) Supplementary Regulations, he added two major ordinances to this. The “Big Box” ordinance on P. 159 and then took the larger design standards and altered it to apply to smaller buildings. That starts on P. 166. Bob Sherry felt that it was a good idea to have design standards, but they needed to be all throughout the zones. These design standards to do not apply in CBD. They have their own design standards. The standards in the supplementary regulations will apply in all of the other commercial design districts. Randall PorterKurt Hibbert felt that the design standards should be corridor specific. commented that on P. 167 under v. Materials and Colors, it says that it should be “compatible with materials and colors used in adjoining neighborhoods”. 4 David Stein feels it is a good start, and they can always amend it later if they overlook something. He doesn’t Randall Porter want it to be too restrictive. It encourages discussion with developers, which is important. agreed that it is a good start. *5 minute break for the commissioners. C.Work Item List Commissioners brainstormed concerns of what should be improved throughout the City. - Written concerns were as follows: 1111 - Holes in the ordinance 11 - More definitive language in the ordinance/clarity 11 - Stake Center/Temple complex (what they are going to look like) 1111 - Buffering on highway/Highway Corridor - Metal roofing 11 - Lot maintenance - Time frame on commitment - Highway Corridor 11111 - Entrances 1 - Comprehensive Plan – Light Industrial 1 - County Cooperation 1111 - Growth Consultant 11 - Public School Facilities 111 - Complete the text of the Comprehensive Plan 1 - Annexation Policy Chairman Dyer suggested for each of the Commissioners to choose the four they feel need the most attention. (Tallies were placed next to the suggested top concerns – as shown above). Commissioners will take the top two or three items and discuss them in following meetings. Chairman Dyer will meet with the other two P&Z chairs to discuss the top two or three issues of concern. D.Mixed Use Kurt Hibbert quickly reviewed what is allowed in the mixed use plan. You can put in a mixed use at Madison st professional plaza, and then along the block of 1 North. These zones will apply: PO, PRO zone, NBD. E.Article: “Concerns about Salt Lake malls are mulled” The article discussed plans for remodeling in downtown Salt Lake to make it easier for people to traverse the big blocks. It also discussed the effects of what it will do and why it is important to do something like this. 5 Kurt Hibbert explained that at the end of the Salt Lake report, they talked about what makes vibrancy in the town: “if there are no people, they will fail” and “downtown housing was the key.” These were the two key issues. F.Bob Sherry information packet Kurt Hibbert briefly explained the letter and packet, handed out to the Commissioners, which Bob Sherry with Walgreen’s gave to the Community Development Department. 4. Enforcement Report: information only. Meeting adjourned at 10:20pm 6