33-17 Rezoning- Property at 1709 W. Lincolnway West

Home Browse Search

Staff Report 8/14/2017 the site are to be removed and replaced with curb,tree-lawn, and sidewalk. The Department of Community Investment is supportive of the request subject to suggestions to strengthen the project and mitigate negative impacts on surrounding properties and overall appearance of the area. The West Side Main Streets Plan identifies this parcel as part of the Wilber Node on Lincoln Way West. As such, over time,the area should fully transition to an urban mixed-use form, but given weak market pressures currently, other interim uses may be acceptable. DCI recommends that the property owner or potential tenant do the following: Remove the existing high chain link fence with barbed wire. If security is a concern, a four-foot decorative metal fence having a spear-top picket design can be installed. Provide landscaping along street edges (across entire W. Lincoln Way frontage and across all of College frontage except for the southern driveway approach that is currently utilized). Ideally, a planting strip about 5' wide with a hedge row of 3' tall shrubs would be installed, but as an alternate, 2' or more tall planter boxes could be placed on the existing concrete. To lessen the impact of one required variance, the petitioner can provide landscaping here (and west of the building) in lieu of foundation landscaping. Provide a written commitment to limit the number of cars parked on the site at any one time (such as to the number of legal parking spaces)or the number parked there overnight. Commitments: The staff is requesting written commitments: 1)to limit the number of vehicles parked on the site or overnight to no more than 5; and 2)no barbed-wire fencing. 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 West Side Main Streets Plan (2014): Create Destinations and Focus Retail into Nodes rather than Strip Development; and City Plan, South Bend Comprehensive Plan (November 2006), LU 2.2: Pursue a mix of land use along major corridors and other locations identified on the Future Land Use Map. Land Use Plan: The Future Land Use Map identifies this as a Mixed Use and Commercial Node Plan Implementation/Other Plans: There are no other plans in effect for this area. 2. Current Conditions and Character: Lincoln Way West between the Olive and the Wilbur Street node is a neighborhood of commercial, residential, and mixed uses. Portions of Lincoln Way West just west of the site have recently seen a significant amount of investment with new streetscape improvement and building upgrades. 3. Most Desirable Use: The most desirable use is one that is compatible with the commercial and mixed use nature of the Lincoln Way West Corridor. 4. Conservation of Property Values: Due to the existing commercial nature of Lincoln Way West,the surrounding property APC 4 2831-17 Page 2 of 3