Special Exception - 1323 & 1329 N. Ironwood Drive - Gregory & Alice Aldridge

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3 THIS REAL ESTATE IS COMMONLY DESCRIBED AS: 1323 and 1329 North Ironwood Drive, South Bend, Indiana 46615. The Petitioners are the owners of the real estate parcel shown on the attached site plan and as shown in the records of the St. Joseph County, Indiana Auditor's office. The Petition property presently has a Zoning classification of "OB" Office Buffer District. The owner of Parcel "A" desires to raze the existing building and construct in its place, a 1-story 3,000 square foot office building with a 2,000 square foot basement. The reason for the new building is that the existing structure does not function well for the present use, which are an insurance office and a detective agency. The new building will allow for efficient use of the proposed square footage and also allow an area for storage of files. The new building will be placed closer to Ironwood Drive and the existing paved area in front of the building will be removed. Parking spaces will be placed behind the building in the renovated existing parking area as shown on the attached site plan. The Petitioners understand that in order to allow for the construction of the new office building, a Special Exception is required for off-site parking for the Parcels and Variances are also required for both Parcels "A" and "B" to allow the development to be constructed as shown. In regards to the Special Exception to allow for off-site parking, the Petitioners would state that previously, Parcel "B" was granted approval to be allowed to have off-site parking for the use on the Eastern portion of Parcel "B" which is a Dentist office. This off-site parking was approved back in 2003. The off-site situation occurred because the area, which presently has the majority of the parking spaces, is separated from the property where the Dentist office building sits by a 20 ft. wide public alley. At the time of the request, Dr. Russell A. Murphy, the Dentist asked to be allowed to construct a lot which contained 16 parking spaces, besides the 5 spaces he had adjacent to the building. Now in 2006 he would state that in his 2003 petition he had over-estimated on the number of spaces required for his office, and that based on the past several years of his practice, he can allow up to 8 spaces to be leased without causing any parking problems for his Dental office. Included with this petition is a letter from Dr. Russell A. Murphy the Petitioner/Owner of Parcel "B" stating the above over- estimation. Also included with this petition is an agreement to allow for the lease of up to 8 spaces to the owner of Parcel "A". The request for approval of the Special Exception is due to existing conditions on site, one of which is that the properties are presently zoned "OB" office Buffer District, and second that the property where the extra spaces are located are separated from the building sites by a public alley. Since the alley is being used by the adjacent owner to the south and vacation of said alley would be difficult at best, the request for approval of the Special Exception under said zoning classification appears to be the best way to allow for the additional parking. The Petitioners would ask the Board Members to agree that approval of the Special Exception to allow for off-site parking for the shown Parcels, would not be injurious to the public health, safety, comfort, community moral standards, convenience or general welfare, or injure or