Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-06-17 PZC MINUTESfl • • • Plannin g and Zonin g Study Session Jun e 17 , 2008 Pa ge I of 4 CITY OF ENGLEWOOD PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION June 17, 2008 I. CALL TO ORDER The regular meeting of the City Planning and Zoning Commission was called to order at 7:01 p.m . in the Community Development Conference Room of the Englewood Civi c Center, Vice Chair Knoth presiding. Present: Roth, King, Welker, Calonder, Krieger, Knoth Absent: Fish (Excused), Brick (Excused), Bleile (Excused), Myers (Unexcused ) Staff: John Voboril, Long Range Planner 11. APPROVAL OF MINUTES June 3, 2008 Ms. Krieger moved : Mr. Roth seconded: TO APPROVE THE JUNE 3, 2008 MINUTES Vice Chair Knoth asked if there were any modifications or corrections . There were none. AYES: NAYS : ABSTAIN: ABSENT: Roth, Welker, Krieger, Calonder, Knoth None King Fish , Brick, Bleile Motion carried. Ill. ENGLEWOOD MEDICAL DISTRICT SMALL AREA PLAN REZONING Mr. Voboril stated he attended the City Council Study Session on Monday, June 16 th and informed Council that the Planning and Zoning Commission is working on the Medical District Small Area Plan and it would be coming to them in the fall . He reviewed what was discussed during the first meeting in May. Tonight's agenda includes unfinished business from the first meeting, building height, parking, loading and landscaping, if time allows . .. Pl anning and Zoning Stud y Session June 17 , 2008 Page 2 of 4 • UNFINISHED BUSINESS • • Land Uses: One category that was going to be excluded from the medical district was equipment rental. Mr. Voboril discussed the definition of equipment rental in the current code. It is currently a Limited Use in the MU-B-2 zone district. He stated he felt the rental of medical equipment falls into the existing Retail Sales and Service-Repair and Rental category . The Commission agreed, but asked that the sentence "All maintenance and storage of equipment and goods shall be conducted within an enclosed building" be added t o the definition . Mr. Voboril will make the change . On the related subject of grandfathered land uses , the Commission members discussed and agreed that such uses should b e allowed to rebuild if the building was accidentally damaged or destroyed. The second use where there were questions was caterer. There was concern regarding restaurants doing catering on the side . Mr. Voboril read the current definition of caterer in a MU-B -2 zone. After discussion it was agreed that catering would continue to be allowed . The definition of studio was discussed at the last meeting. After reviewing what is currentl y in the code it was decided to continue to allow the use. SETBACKS There was a question as to whether the setbacks along Highway 285 should be different than on other streets due to ROW preservation or noise mitigation. Mr. Voboril reviewed the ROW distances in the area . For taller buildings it was suggested the first two stories be at a 9 foot setback and then the building be stepped back. SETBACK EXCEPTIONS Mr. Voboril asked whether the 0 and no more than 10 foot front setback should be replaced with a more flexible setback, regardless of street. Commission members were OK with the 0 and no more than 10 foot setback as long as there were provisions for requiring upper story step backs. Otherwise, without upper story step backs, the Commission members would prefer a deeper setback. UTILE DRY CREEK GREENBELT Separation from the apartment buildings to the north by the Little Dry Creek channel and a cement embankment was discussed . It was determined the proposed 5 foot set back was sufficient. OUTSIDE DINING AREAS There was concern with the 0 to 10 foot setbacks being flexible enough to accommodate restaurants that might want to have a greater seating area in front. Mr. Voboril stated he Plannin g and Zoning Study Sessio n June 17, 2008 Page 3 of 4 • spoke to a City Planner and he pointed out in the current code, in the MU-8-2 zone, there is an exception that allows for outside dining. This exception could be included in the Medical District regulations . The members agreed to do so. • • HEIGHT Mr. Voboril said Staff approached the height issue by dividing the area into four zones. H eig ht Zone 1 deals with the actual hospital campus plus the Meridian a rea. The Swed ish tower is 141 feet high . Maximum height for this zone is proposed to be set at 145 feet. Height Zone 2 starts east of Meridian, follows the corridor of the north side and then drops down to include all the area south of the hospital zone. Discussion centered on allowing a height of 145 feet south of the hospital. Changing the boundaries of Hei ght Zone 3 to include part of Height Zone 2 was discussed. The members would like to see the ma x imum height in the north section of Height Zone 2 east of Clarkson set at less than 14 5 feet. Height Zone 3 is along Girard Avenue and abutting the R-2-8 residential zone south of Hampden Avenue. Proposed maximum height for this zone is 65 feet. Height Zone 4 is an overlay zone covering R-2-8 lots just south of the business section of Old Hampden . It is the first lot in from the current business zoning. Staff is proposing thes e lots could be used for parking or to expand a building that is fronting on Hampden . Staff is proposing a step down with a maximum building height of 65 feet along Hampden and then in the transition zone the height would drop down to 35 feet. The Commissioners agreed with the proposed recommendations. Final consensus on height was to divide the area among two height zones . Height Zone 1 would allow a maximum of 145 feet, while Height Zone 2 would allow a maximum of 65 feet. The dividing line between Height Zones 1 and 2 would start along Clarkson Street from Little Dry Creek to Old Hampden, and then run east to Corona Street, then north to Girard Avenue . In addition, a 100 foot buffer zone strip south of Girard running from Logan to Ogden, as well as the area north of Girard, would also be included as a part of Height Zone 2 . PARKING -HOSPITAL Mr. Voboril reviewed parking requirements provided by the 2000 Walker Parking Stud y that was done for the hospitals . The stud y included the use of 152 on-street spaces as part of their parking supply. He also provided what the City would require for parking at the hospital. The current code falls way below what the parking stud y recommends. Parking study recommendations were reviewed and discussed. The Commission would discourage parking garages being built in the first 100 feet of street frontage along Old Hampden . Street frontage across from the hospital should be for retail. If parking structures are built they should be above the retail. • Planning and Zoning Study Session June 17, 2008 Pag e 4 of 4 • Staff is currently contracting for a consulting parking study for the Medical District and other parts of the City. Staff does feel there is a need to change the City's parking standards and codes for the hospital area. At the least the City needs the 152 on-street spaces t o not be counted in the hospitals parking numbers. • PARKING -NON-HOSPITAL The primary mode of moving through the area during the day is wa lkin g. There may be a need to adjust the hours of operation for the Art Shuttle. There are a number of bus routes along Old Hampden . Commercial parking requirements were discussed. Staff is proposing making small lots under 6,000 square feet in size exempt from minimum commercial parking requirements and do away with multiple parking standards in favor of one universal standard . Denver's new Main Street Zoning requirements were reviewed . Mr. Knoth wou ld lik e to see examples of how the new parking requirements are working along Colfax Avenue. The Commission agreed that the current parking restrictions need to be lessened, but more discussion will be required on this issue. Due to the lat eness of the hour, loading and landscaping will be discussed at a future meeting . V. PUBLIC FORUM There was no one present to address the Commission. VI. DIRECTOR'S CHOICE Director White was not present. VII. ATTORNEY'S CHOICE Ms . Reid was absent due to attending the Colorado Municipal League meeting. VIII. STAFF'S CHOICE Staff had nothing further for the Commission . IX. COMMISSIONER'S CHOICE There were no further comments. • The meeting adjourned at 9:10 p.m.