07-11-11 Common Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING JULY 11, 2011 Councilmember Rouse explained the procedures to be followed for tonight’s meeting in accordance with Article 1, Section 2-11 of the South Bend Municipal Code. Councilmember Rouse stated that a brochure may be found on the railing in the Council Chambers explaining those procedures. PUBLIC HEARINGS BILL NO. 22-11 PUBLIC HEARING ON A BILL AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE FOR PROPERTY LOCATED EAST OF AND ADJACENT TO 1710 SHERIDAN, COUNCILMANIC DISTRICT 1 IN THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA Councilmember Kirsits, Chairperson, Zoning and Annexation Committee, reported that this Committee held a meeting this afternoon and voted to send this bill to the full Council with a favorable recommendation. th Christa Nayder, Staff Planner, Area Plan Commission, 11 Floor County-City Building, South Bend, Indiana, presented the report from the Area Plan Commission. Ms. Nayder advised that the petitioner is requesting a zone change from SF2 Single Family and Two Family District to LI Light Industrial District to allow truck parking and loading for the building on property west of subject property. On site is vacant land. To the north is Koontz-Wagner Electric and Fortis Plastics zoned LI Light Industrial District. To the east is Voorde Park zoned SF2 Single Family and Two Family District. To the south are single family homes zoned SF2 Single Family and Two Family District. To the west is Hoosier Tank zoned LI Light Industrial District. 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, quiet, 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 area to be rezoned is approximately 1.9 acres. The site plan shows this area s truck parking and loading and an additional 9 parking spaces for the adjacent Hoosier Tank facility. Approximately 14, 230 square feet is new pavement. The remainder is open space. Access will be from Voorde Drive. A building addition is shown on the property to the west that will connect the existing building to the new truck parking. Hoosier Tank is in a facility that has seen several additions over the past several decades. The building, at its current size, has been on the site since at least 1993. The current business has operated at this site since 2004. Ms. Nayder stated that Voorde Drive, Sheridan Street, and Keller Street are two lanes. She stated that this rezoning meets the objectives of City Plan, South Bend’s Comprehensive Plan. The future land use map shows this property as parks and open space. The property to the west is shown as light industrial. Ms. Nayder noted that this property is not included in any airport expansion plans or flight approaches. This site is located just to the southeast of the airport. Other large industrial businesses line Voorde Drive on the north. Voorde Park, adjacent and to the east, remains an active park. The expansion of an existing business with the appropriate buffering to the adjacent residential and recreational uses is a desirable use of this property. The expansion of the business to the west should not affect property values. It is responsible development and growth to accommodate the expansion of an existing business. Ms. Nayder advised that based on information available prior to the public hearing, the staff recommends the petition be sent to the Common Council with a favorable recommendation. The Area Plan Commission held a public hearing on June 21, 2011 and sends this bill to the Common Council with a favorable recommendation. Ms. Nayder advised that the expansion of this established business is compatible with the adjacent mix of land uses. The new truck parking and loading facility will be adequately buffered from neighboring non-industrial uses. 2