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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-22-06 Mintues P&Z MINUTES OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION ACTING AS THE LOCAL PLANNING AGENCY MEETING HELD TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2006 CALL TO ORDER Chairman Golden called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. Following a moment of silent meditation and the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, a quorum was declared present. PRESENT: Chairman Golden, Vice-Chairman McKey, Members Campbell, Conkling, Morris, Sills, and West. Also present were Planning Manager Armstrong, Senior Planner Fabre, and Deputy City Clerk Sibbitt. ABSENT: Member Rhodus (unexcused). CONSENT AGENDA Minutes of the Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Meeting held on Tuesday, February 14, 2006. Member Sills. seconded bv Vice Chair McKev. moved to accept the Minutes of the February 14. 2006, Meetino with corrections on paoe 6. rep/acino the word "windv" to "windino". Motion carried unanimouslv. OLD BUSINESS None NEW BUSINESS HUDSON FURNITURE EXPANSION-PRELIMINARY/FINAL SITE PLAN Antonio Fabre, Senior Planner, stated the Hudson Furniture Building Expansion is a Large-Scale Preliminary/Final Site Plan. The location of the site is on the northwest corner of Kelton Avenue and State Road 50. The Future Land Use designation for the site is Commercial and the property is zoned Community Commercial "C-2". The applicant is requesting to do over a 20,000 square foot building addition, two-stories high, on the existing site. The applicant will also expand a 25-foot existing pedestrian, sidewalk, and bike path easement to a 50- foot wide trail. Senior Planner Fabre presented a site plan and explained the expansion as laid out. He said that the applicant is proposing to do a two-story addition with a tower design up front. The applicant is proposing 47 parking spaces for the addition instead of the 181 spaces required by Code. Staff has agreed that the required number of parking spaces may not be required based on other similar past Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Meeting March 22, 2006 furniture store projects. However, the applicant will still need to provide a restrictive covenant, which would limit the permitted use to a retail furniture store. In the event the City determines that the number of parking spaces for the site is insufficient or if the site is no longer occupied as a retail furniture store, the City may require the Owner to construct, at the Owner's sole cost and expense, a parking structure that facilitates all of the required parking spaces per Code. Senior Planner Fabre said the area where the pedestrian path would be expanded was encouraged due to the future widening of State Road 50. Some specifics of the expansion are that the addition will be 20,524 square feet to the existing 15,615 square feet building, for a total two-story commercial building of 36,139 square feet. The waivers the applicant has agreed to consist of the following: · The applicant is proposing construction of 47 parking spaces instead of the 181 spaces. The Owner understands that this waiver will be revoked in the event (i) the City determines additional parking is required for the Property, or (ii) the Property is no longer occupied as a retail furniture store. A parking structure will be constructed in order to be consistent with the City's parking requirements. · Increasing the Maximum Building Height of 45 feet to 55 feet 6 inches, ~ if the parkinQ structure is reauired; · Increasing the Maximum Building Coverage of 30% to 35.82%; · Increasing the Maximum Building Coverage of 30% to 61.58%, only if the parkinQ structure is reauired. Staff can support these waivers due in part to the offsetting public benefit of the pedestrian and bike path easement being dedicated to the City. DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE REVIEW The DRC met on February 14, 2006, and reviewed the Preliminary/Final Site Plan. There were only a few minor technical issues to be addressed but they were discussed and resolved. DRC recommended approval of the Preliminary/Final Site Plan date stamped received February 24, 2006, subject to the Owner entering into a Development Agreement and a Restrictive Covenant. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Based upon the recommendation of the DRC, Staff respectfully recommends that the Planning and Zoning Commission recommend approval of the Preliminary/Final Site Plan for Hudson Furniture date stamped received February 24, 2006, subject to the Owner entering into a Development Agreement and a Restrictive Covenant. 2 Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Meeting March 22, 2006 DISCUSSION Vice Chair McKey said it was mentioned that the parking exceeds what they expect as far as the variation; however, what is the remedy to make the Owner build the parking structure once they have the addition. Senior Planner Fabre said if parking becomes an issue it will be forwarded to the Code Enforcement Board and the City can show them the legal document that was tied to the land. Vice Chair McKey inquired about the bicycle pathway and a possible bridge. He further inquired if the pathway would be under the bridge. Senior Planner Fabre said the pathway would not be going under the bridge, but would start along the right- of-way and continue around the lake. Chairman Golden inquired if there was a site specific or parking study done. Senior Planner Fabre said the parking was based on the projected needs and demands of the applicant as well as reviewing other projects that have been done in the City. He further stated Kanes Furniture has about the same ratio per square footage per parking spaces. Documents from the American Planning Association were also cross-referenced. Chairman Golden inquired if the 181 parking spaces was a requirement based on a general commercial building. Senior Planner Fabre said the 181 parking space requirement is for retail commercial. He further stated for the last year or so he has been keeping an eye on this project and he has never seen all the parking spaces taken up. The Public Hearing was opened. Chairman Golden said he knows there have been a lot of flooding problems with Lake Bennett over the years and was wondering if anything additional was done to anticipate the highest lake level it could reach. Mitch Collins, Engineer for Hudson Furniture, said they have the established flood level from the Plat and there are not many modifications they will be doing with the first floor of the existing building. He further said it is exceeding the amount of buffer that is above the 1 OO-year flood elevation for a new building. Mr. Collins said most of the expansion is on the second floor. Chairman Golden said in the lighting plans it shows a lot of illumination on the top of the building and he inquired if that was the parking structure on top of the building towards the north. Mr. Collins said he does not believe the parking garage is incorporated into the site plan. He further said there are existing fixed parking lot poles in the section Mr. Golden is referring too. Chairman Golden said he feels the lights are very bright for that corner since he is aware of residential homes located on the north side. Senior Planner Fabre and Planning Manager Armstrong said the lighting for the building does meet code. 3 Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Meeting March 22, 2006 Member Morris inquired if the total existing square footage of the addition would be 100% retail showroom or would there be some warehouse. Mr. Collins said Hudson Furniture does not have any large item storage in-house. Their large warehouse facility is located in Sanford. He further stated small accessory items are the only items sold from the store. Member Morris inquires as to how many employees would be taking up parking on a daily basis. James Graves, Hudson Furniture Representative, said in any given time about six employees would be working. Member Morris inquired if the board gave a variance for parking spaces would that also give them a variance for the required handicapped parking spaces. Senior Planner Fabre said handicap spaces are being supplied. He further stated ADA standards are that they must supply handicap spaces by how many parking spaces are existing. Member Morris said in Section 3.D. of the development agreement it states: "... and the Owner hereby agrees to construct, at Owner's sole cost and expense, the parking structure depicted..." so if the parking area is one or two spaces short will they be required to build the parking structure. Assistant City Attorney Storey said the City would have the discretion. Member West said he is not against the expansion of Hudson Furniture but the situation is if Mr. Hudson goes out of business, it would be a ghost building since it cost close to $10,000 per parking space. Assistant City Attorney Storey said that would be an issue the applicant/developer would have to worry about; however, the City does have the ability to amend the requirements and require less than the structure. The Public Hearing was closed. PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS Assistant City Attorney Storey suggested to the Chairman that if a motion is made that any approval be subject in addition to the developers agreement, restrictive covenant, and the easement proposed. Member McKev. seconded bv Member West. moved to recommend approval to the Citv Commission of the Preliminary/Final Site Plan for Hudson Furniture at Ocoee - Buildinq Expansion date stamped received February 24. 2006. subiect to the Owner enterinq into a Development Aqreement. a Restrictive Covenant. and a Pedestrian Sidewalk/Bike Path Easement. Motion carried unanimouslv. 4 Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Meeting March 22, 2006 ADVISORY BOARD FUNDING Chairman Golden said the P&Z Board has been funded $1000 by the City Commission. Planning Manager Armstrong said the money could be used for board shirts or any local conferences related to their board that a member might like to attend. MISCELLANEOUS Chairman Golden said he has a resignation letter for Joel Keller who won the Commission seat for his district. PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION QUESTIONS AND COMMENTSCongrats go out to Mr. Keller. Vice Chair McKey inquired as to what was going on with Ocoee Commons as far as restaurants or other facilities. Planning Manager Armstrong said she is aware of Community Development Director Wagner having spoke with developers; however, they have not received any plans in their office as of yet. Planning Manager Armstrong said Community Development Director Wagner informed her to let the members know that at the next meeting there will be an election of the board officials. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 7:38 p.m. Melanie Sibbitt, Deputy City Clerk / Attest: 5