05-13-02 Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING MAY 13, 2002 Councilmember Aranowski seconded the motion which carried by a voice vote of seven (7) ayes. Councilmember White reported that the Zoning & Annexation Committee met on this bill and sends it to the Council with a favorable recommendation. Mr. Jeff Myers, Staff Planner, Area Plan Commission, Room 1140, County -City Building, South Bend, Indiana, presented the report from the Commission. Mr. Myers advised that the petitioners are requesting a zone change from `B" Residential, `B" Height and Area to "A -3" Mixed Use Multi- family Residential and Commercial, "G" Height to allow a parking lot. Mr. Myers further advised that the property is currently vacant land. Located to the north are single - family homes and a multi- family dwelling unit zoned `B" Residential, `B" Height and Area; to the east across St. Louis Avenue are single- family homes, a multi - family dwelling unit and an office zoned `B" Residential, `B" Height and Area; to the south across Washington Street is an office zoned "A -3" Mixed Use, "G" Height and Area; and to the west is a single family home zoned `B" Residential, `B" Height and Area and a commercial business zoned "C" Commercial, `B" Height and Area. Access to the site will be from St. Louis Avenue. Water and sewer are available to the site. The drainage has been addressed by the petitioner. The total site to be rezoned is eight thousand five hundred eighty (8,580) square feet. Of that, the parking and drives will occupy eighty -nine percent (89 %) of the site and eleven per cent (11 %) of the site will remain as open space. A check of the Agency's maps indicates that no public wells, flood hazards, wetlands or environmental hazard areas are present. The site plan is preliminary. Based on its Public Hearing held on April 16, 2002, the Area Plan Commission sends this petition to the Council with a favorable recommendation subject to a final site development plan. This site will serve as an off site parking facility for the office and laboratory facility to the south. With proper buffering for the surrounding residential uses through the use of screening, as currently shown on the site plan, it is the opinion of the Area Plan Commission that the proposed use is reasonable for this site. However, it is recommended that the parking lot be made available for public use after hours of operation. Mr. Michael Danch, President, Danch, Harper & Associates, 2422 Viridian Drive, Suite 201, South Bend, Indiana, made the presentation for this petition on behalf of the petitioners, Underwriter's Laboratories, Inc., 110 South Hill Street, South Bend, Indiana. Mr. Danch noted that the property to be rezoned is located on the northwest corner of St. Louis Boulevard and Washington Street. The petitioner would like to develop a twenty -six (26) space parking lot on this property which will supplement the addition to Underwriters Laboratories which is directly across the street on the southwest corner. There will be one (1) access point off of St. Louis Boulevard. Mr. Danch further noted that extensive screening will be provided along both Washington and St. Louis Streets. There is an existing single family residential structure to the west. Not only will landscaping be provided but also a six foot (6') high wood fence will be erected along the entire north line. There are no utilities connected to this particular use since it is going to be a parking lot and the drainage will be handled on site according to City standards. Mr. Danch advised that with the screening and the way they have developed this site it is their hope that this use fits in with this particular area. Additionally, this particular zoning classification was chosen as it is compatible with some of the other uses that are present. Councilmember King noted that the Area Plan Commission recommended that the owner of this parking lot make it available for public use after hours and asked if that is acceptable. Mr. Danch stated that they have agreed to this recommendation. He noted that Underwriter's Laboratories has other parking lots in this particular area and they provide the same usage after hours. -2-