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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-12-02 PZC MINUTES• ... Planning and Zoning Commissio n Study Session -M edical District SAP and Land scaping December 2, 2008 Page 1 of 5 CITY OF ENGLEWOOD PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING DECEMBER 2, 2008 I. CALL TO ORDER The regu lar meeting of the City Planning and Zoning Commission was called to order at 7:11 p.m . in the Community Development Conference Room of the Englewood Civic Center, Chair Bleile presiding . Pr ese nt: Absent: Staff : Bleile, Roth , King, Welker, Calonder, Krieger, Knoth, Fish , Brick None Alan White, Community Deve lopment Director Tricia Langon , Senior Planner John Voboril, Planner 11. AP PROVAL OF MI N U TES Novembe r 18, 2008 • Mr. Knoth moved : • Mr. King seconded: TO APPROVE THE NOVEMBER 18, 2008 MINUTES Chair Bleile asked if there were an y modifications or co rrections. Mr. King noted on page 5, paragraph 3, Ms . White should read Mr. White. AYES : NAYS: ABSTAI N: ABSENT: Bleile, Roth, Welker, Krieger, Calonder, Knoth, King, Brick None Fish None Motion car ried . 111. M EDICAL DISTRICT SMALL AREA PLAN Mr. Voboril distributed comments from stakeholders that attended the November 12 th and 13 th meetings. Catego ries reviewed were as follows : • Land Use Issues -Retai l • Land Use Issues -Transition Zone • I nfrastructure Issues • Land use Issues -Miscellaneous • • . Planning and Zoning Commission Study Session -Medical District SAP and Landscaping December 2 , 2008 P ag e 2 of 5 • Height Issues • Lot Development Standards • Pedestrian-Oriented Development Mr. Voboril stated in general the meetings were very positive. Mr. Brick asked Mr. Voboril if he felt the people that attended were representative of the community. Mr. Voboril stated he believed it was more citizens who lived in the area who wanted to know what was going on . Ms. Krieger said the biggest concern in her mind would be what the people who are living in that area think about what we are doing. If they are all relatively positive that's good. Mr. Voboril said yes, they are the most impacted. Mr. King stated he attended a session and felt it was pretty positive and felt the consultant from Britina Design Group did a great job. Mr. Voboril said the next step is to do a streetscape planning process. Staff has hired Britina Design Group to help in this process . They were involved with the Old Town Arvada streetscape design and several other Colorado communities as well. Chair Bleile asked where we go from here . Mr. Voboril said Staff does not see a lot of need to make changes. The biggest issue would be the height issue, but Staff did not see a lot of really strong opposition to what was proposed. He said unless there is any strong willingness from the Commission to rethink that, it probably will not be changed . At this time, Mr. Voboril distributed an aerial map of the US Hwy. 285 and Lafayette Street area and the building located on the northwest corner (3535 S Lafayette Street). The property is owned by Mr. Joseph McDowell. Mr. McDowell is opposed to being included in the rezoning. He stated the medical office market is not good and his rents are basically at $15 per square foot, although that is very typical for most properties in Englewood. His building is about 80% occupied and he has had difficulty in collecting rents. He sees his property as a highway-oriented redevelopment project. During his meeting with Mr. Voboril he mentioned retail uses such as a Walgreens, Denny's or McDonalds with a drive-thru , or maybe a gas station for the property. He is asking the Commission to be removed from the rezoning and to have the property left MU-B-2. If that is not possible, he would like to be exempted from the 10,000 square foot limit such as the properties were at Clarkson and Logan at Hwy. 285. The property is approximately 46,3 70 feet which could approximately support a 20,000 square foot type of development. Mr. Welker said we need to consider that this property has more visibility than many of the other properties we have talked about and the other properties we did accept were along Hwy. 285 , but accessibility to this lot is not very good. Ms. Krieger said she sees that lot as • a prime retail location similar to the other ones we talked about. She said she believes it Planning and Zoning Commiss ion Study Session -Medical Dis tri ct SAP and Landscaping De cember 2 , 2008 Pa ge 3 of 5 • would be ridiculous to leave the lot zoned MU-B-2. Chair Bleile said he agreed. He would not exclude it from the Medical District Small Area Plan but is open to excluding it from the 10,000 square foot requir ement. Mr. Welker agreed. • • Mr. Voboril said Mr. McDowell would like to retain ownership of the property and do a build-to-suit within the next five years. Planning Commission members generally did not feel that a drive-thru or gas station would be an acceptable land use for this property. Ms. Krieger asked if drive-thru 's were going to be permitted on any of the properties. Mr. Voboril stated they would not be. It was decided the property would be included in the Medical District Rezoning but exempt from the 10,000 square foot retail limit. Mr. Welker asked what happens if another property owner asks for an exemption. Do we consider it? Mr. Knoth stated he would like to see no size restrictions placed on retail. Mr. Brick asked to be reminded what was to be the character of this area; what are we looking for ? The members said mixed-use residential and pedestrian oriented . Mr. Voboril said this would be a great site for a mixed-use development where you would have retail shops fronting Hampden with housing or office above. Ms. Krieger asked if someone could assemble a property couldn't they come to the Commission and ask for a PUD . Mr. Voboril said yes that is a possibility. Mr. Voboril said they could also tak e a property and divide it into multiple parcels and build basically on each parcel up to 10,000 square feet. Ms . Langon stated she would recommend against dividing a lot into several parcels because it makes it a lot harder to administer. Properties can be sold or split off and you then lose your ability to regulate the parking. It makes it very difficult from an administrative standpoint. Mr. White said there could also be building code issues. IV. LANDSCAPE Ms. Langon referred to the annotated landscaping Ordinance with initial side notes and comments that were included in the meeting packet. She stated she took the existing Code and inserted text from other codes wi th comments on the side . She noted that at this time there are no modifications to any number va lues . On her next rendition of this she will ha v e options for the Commission to consider . • Plann ing and Zoning Commi ss ion Study Se ssion -Medical Di strict SAP and Landscaping December 2, 2008 Pag e 4 of 5 • She reviewed the comments. Areas reviewed under 16-6-7: Landscaping and Screening were: • • • Purpose • Applicability • Landscape Plan Requirement • Minimum Landscaped Area Requirements • Alternative Compliance • General Landscaping Requirements The Commissioners commented on the proposed changes as Ms. Langon reviewed the various sections. She noted she would have more detailed information in the next version in early 2009 for the Commission to review. Mr. Welker stated he has some landscaping pictures he has taken to share with the Commission at a la t er meeting. Mr. Brick stated he had a proposed definition for buffer. It read : Buffer: Used to lessen the impact of the contrast between two or more different adjacent land uses. Mr. Roth said he doesn 't feel the Landscaping Ordinance is enfo rced. Chair Bleile said before he left the Code Enforcement Board last year they were talking about landscaping enforcement issues . Mr. Roth said he knows of a property where the owner rocked the entire front yard in white rock. Ms . Langon asked Mr. Roth to provide her with the address so Staff could go out and take a look at the property. Ms. Langon noted it is very hard to keep up with enforcement, especia lly when people move and someone else comes in and changes things not knowing there are specific rules . V . PUBLIC FORUM There was no pub lic present. VI. DIRECTOR 'S CHOICE Mr. White stated a joint meeting with C ity Counci l has been tentatively scheduled for Monday, February 9, 2009. More information will follow at the Janua ry 6 th meeting. Cha ir Bleile asked if that will be an additional meeting for the Commission in Feb ruary or in lieu of one of the regular meetings. Mr. White said that would be the Commission's c ho ice. Ms . Langon said t he Commission m i ght want to look at that as the time gets closer. Planning and Zoning Commission Study Session -Medical Di strict SAP and Landscaping De ce mber 2, 2008 Page 5 o f 5 • VII. STAFF'S CHOICE • • Ms . Langon stated the next meeting will be a Public Hearing on January 6 1h on State changes to regulations related to Massage Therapy li censing. Definitions in Title 16 of the Englewood Municipal Code will need to be updated. VIII. ATTORNEY'S CHOICE Ms. Reid was out of town and unable to attend. IX. COMMISSIONER 'S CHOICE Mr. Welker said Merry Christmas to all. The other members of the Commission joined Mr. Brick 111 thanking Staff for the nice dinner. Mr. Krieger said she liked seeing her idea implemented. At a previous meeting she suggested placing the upcoming meeting schedule under Staff's Choice on the Agenda instead of providing a separate calendar. The meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m .