34-17 Rezoning- Menards at 4640 Michigan Ave

Home Browse Search

Staff Report 7/6/2017 Utilities: The site will be served by municipal water and sewer Agency Comments: The City Engineer recommends approval subject to review and approval of sidewalks, curb cut, lighting, and overall improvements to the site. Development of the site requires City approval of a Drainage Plan and meets the requirement to store all runoff from developed areas on site, along with compliance with the City's Downspout Disconnection Program. Sidewalks will be brought up to ADA compliance. Excess sidewalk along the southern edge of the property line is to be removed and replaced with grass. Curb around the site is to be brought up to City standard. Existing approaches not used by the site are to be removed and replaced with curb,tree-lawn, and sidewalk. The Department of Community Investment offers a favorable recommendation. The rezoning is consistent with the Michigan Street-Ireland Road regional commercial node shown on the City Plan Future Land Use Map and with surrounding commercial land uses. This rezoning will improve the appearance of a key gateway to the City, facilitate a major retail redevelopment, and provide additional services to south side residents. To further strengthen the project, DCI recommends the following: The most sensitive portion of the Menard's project is the interface with the residential properties to the east. To buffer the hardware store site and maintain the general character of the residential area,the petitioner should seek to hide the view of the lumberyard and potential eastern retention pond from Fellows Street. Acknowledging that engineering has not yet been completed to determine the pond's size or depth, DCI suggests that the pond be placed fully beyond the 25' residential setback along Fellows. While evergreens may be provided as buffer yard screening,the street edge along Fellows should have shade trees. To the extent that the area is not used for the pond,the mature trees to the east and northeast of the site should be retained. If maintained between the building and pond,these large trees may be especially helpful in screening the lumberyard wall. To support Complete Streets principles: a comfortable pedestrian route should be established between the store's front door and the proposed sidewalk along St.Joseph Street; the bicycle parking spaces should be located between the front door and the end of St. Joseph Street; and,the four driveway approach stubs along Fellows Street should be removed and in-filled with standard curb and sidewalk. Commitments: The petitioner is not proposing any written commitments Criteria to be considered in reviewing rezoning requests, per IC 36-7-4-603: 1. Comprehensive Plan: Policy Plan: The petition is consistent with the City Plan, South Bend Comprehensive Plan (November 2006)Policy ED 1.2 Encourage reuse of abandoned and underutilized land and structures Land Use Plan: The Future Land Use Map identifies this area for commercial land uses Plan Implementation/Other Plans: There are no other plans in effect for this area. APC # 2829-17 Page 2 of 3