12-11-06 Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETINGDECEMBER 11, 2006 RESOLVE INTO THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE At 7:05 p.m., Councilmember Varner made a motion to resolve into the Committee of the Whole. Councilmember Dieter seconded the motion which carried by a voice vote of nine (9) ayes. Councilmember White, presiding. Councilmember White explained the procedures to be followed for tonight’s meeting in accordance with Article 1, Section 2-11 of the South Bend Municipal Code and that pamphlets were available to the public, which outline the Council rules and procedures, and are located on the railing in the Council Chambers. PUBLIC HEARINGS BILL NO. 72-06 PUBLIC HEARING ON A BILL AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT 619 N. COLLEGE STREET, SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, COUNCILMANIC DISTRICT 2 IN THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA Councilmember Kuspa, Chairperson, Zoning & Annexation Committee, reported that this committee held a Public Hearing on this bill this afternoon and sends it to the full Council with a favorable recommendation. th Mr. Mark Lyons, Staff Planner, Area Plan Commission, 11 Floor County-City Building, 227 W. Jefferson Blvd., South Bend, Indiana, presented the report from the Commission. Mr. Lyons advised that the petitioner is requesting a zone change from SF2 Single Family and Two-Family Residential District to LI Light Industrial District to allow uses allowed in the LI Industrial District. On site is a vacant non-residential building zoned SF2 Single Family and Two Family District. To the north across Longley Avenue is a single family house zoned LI Light Industrial District. To the east across College Street is a single family house SF2 Single Family and Two Family District. To the south are two single family houses and undeveloped property zoned SF2 Single Family and Two Family District. To the west is an old rail road corridor. The LI Light Industrial District is established to provide for development of office/warehouse, warehouse/distribution, wholesale, assembly and manufacturing or processing facilities which are clean, quite, free of hazardous or objectionable elements such as noise, odor, dust, smoke or glare. Permitted uses in this district tend to generate heavy traffic, require extensive community facilities, and may require limited amounts of outdoor storage. The LI District is also intended to function as a transitional district between the more intense general industrial districts and other less intense districts. The site is 0.35 acres in size (15,180 square feet). The petitioner seeks to reuse the existing non-residential building for the following business operations of MCE, Inc: office, remanufacture of printer tone cartridges, printer repair services, printer sales, and delivery. The petitioner filed the following variances with the City Board of Zoning Appeals: setbacks to allow the building at its existing location, parking reduction from 12 to eight spaces, no residential landscape buffering on the west and south property lines, and planting three trees instead of landscape buffering along the east property line. The existing building was previously used for light industrial purposes. The previous zoning of the property was D Light Industrial with minimum setbacks between 0-5 feet. The property is bounded by College Street to the east, Longley Avenue to the north, the railroad corridor to the west, and an unpaved alley to the south. The site is served by City of South Bend water and sewer. Ensure that suitable areas are available for future industrial development. The rezoning is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan economic objectives. The property is located in a transitional area between single family houses to the south and commercial businesses to the north. Because of the existing building, the most desirable land use is light industrial or commercial. The surrounding property values may be unaffected with the reuse of the building, which was not designed for single-family use. It is responsible development and growth to allow appropriate and compatible re-use of vacant buildings. Based on 2