Fiscal Plan for Douglas Road Annexation Area in Clay Township

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Douglas Road Annexation Area 9 The incorporation of the Annexation Area will not effect the provision of other services currently provided to this property on acounty-wide basis. The St. Joseph County Health Department, the St. Joseph County Public Library, the Area Plan Commission and the St. Joseph County/South Bend Building Department are some of the county-wide agencies and their services that will continue to provide the same type and level of services to the Annexation Area. , County-wide services will continue to be supported by the County and Township tax rates that will remain in effect. SECTION IV. LAND USE ANALYSIS & DEVELOPMENT CRITERIA As with any new development, the proposed use and development of this site becomes important relative to its relationship with the existing, surrounding uses. City Plan, South Bend's comprehensive plan, notes that land use relationships, pedestrian movement/safety and vehicular site access are important elements to be addressed in developments of all kinds. City Plan also expresses a need to consider how buildings relate to the street. Building design that is sensitive to massing, shape, scale and finishes will ensure that private development will enhance and reinforce the City's commitment to development and design of the highest quality. Land Use-Transportation Analysis The Annexation Area is an approximately 2.166 acres in size. Land directly north is zoned "R" Residential in unincorporated St. Joseph County. Land directly to the west is zoned "C" Commercial in unincorporated St. Joseph County. The property to the east is zoned "OB" Office Buffer in the City of South Bend. Properties south of the Annexation Area, across Douglas Road, are zoned "R" Residential in unincorporated St. Joseph County. The annexation area is located along a corridor that contains a variety of land uses, and has been experiencing substantial commercial and multi-family development recently. Douglas Road will serve as the vehicular access point for the Annexation Area. Traffic counts conducted by the Michiana Council of Government in 2005 yielded 17,835 average daily automobile trips, up from 9,265 in 1986, on Douglas Road less than 500 feet east of the. Annexation Area. Plans are in place to support this growth in vehicular usage by widening Douglas Road from two to five lanes, including a dedicated turn lane. The plans that have been unveiled propose that two pre-existing houses be converted into office and retail uses allowed under "CB" Community Business zoning. A vacant lot between the two pre-existing homes will be developed into a twenty car parking lot servicing both businesses. The two existing driveways will be removed, in favor of one interior access drive to the parking lot. CD staff advises that this is desirable, in that it reduces pedestrian and vehicle conflict. Accessory buildings will be removed, and landscaping that meets City of South Bend code will be installed. Given the surrounding zoning and development patterns, the proposed "CB" zoning classification