PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT & SUBDIVISION STAFF REPORT Date: March 15, 2007 DEVELOPMENT NAME SUBDIVISION NAME LOCATION Motormax Subdivision Motormax Subdivision 2917 and 2929 Government Boulevard (South side of Government Boulevard, 300 + East of Macmae Drive) CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT District 4 PRESENT ZONING AREA OF PROPERTY B-3, Community Business District 2 Lots / 2.1 + acres CONTEMPLATED USE Planned Unit Development approval to allow multiple buildings on a single commercial building site, and Subdivision approval to create two (2) lots. TIME SCHEDULE FOR DEVELOPMENT No timeframe provided. ENGINEERING COMMENTS Show limits of the flood zone. Show minimum finished floor elevation for any buildings or structures and/or slabs, on which, mechanical and electrical equipment will be installed. Must comply with all storm water and flood control ordinances. Any work performed in the right of way will require a right of way permit. TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMENTS Driveway number, size, location, and design to be approved by Traffic Engineering and ALDOT and conform to AASHTO standards. Standard driveway width for two-way traffic is twenty-four feet and thirty-six feet for three lanes. Changes should be made to accommodate the standard. URBAN FORESTRY COMMENTS Property to be developed in compliance with state and local laws that pertain to tree preservation and protection on both city and private properties (State Act 61-929 and City Code Chapters 57 and 64). FIRE DEPARTMENT COMMENTS No comments. - 1 -
REMARKS The applicant is requesting Planned Unit Development approval to allow multiple buildings on a single commercial building site, and Subdivision approval to create two (2) lots. The site consists of two parcels that the applicant proposes to convert into legal lots. The proposed Lot 2 contains an auto dealership, while proposed Lot 1 is the former Putt-Putt Golf facility, which is now vacant. The applicant proposes to renovate the existing structure on Lot 1, remove the golf course, and create another auto dealership with a new out building and canopy for auto detailing. Planned Unit Development review examines the site with regard to its location to ensure that it is generally compatible with neighboring uses; that adequate access is provided without generating excess traffic along minor residential streets in residential districts outside the PUD; and that natural features of the site are taken into consideration. PUD review also examines the design of the development to provide for adequate circulation within the development; to ensure adequate access for emergency vehicles; and to consider and provide for protection from adverse effects of adjacent properties as well as provide protection of adjacent properties from adverse effects from the PUD. PUD approval is site plan specific, thus any changes to the site plan must be approved by the Planning Commission. Subdivision review examines the site with regard to promoting orderly development, protecting general health, safety and welfare, and ensuring that development is correlated with adjacent developments and public utilities and services, and to ensure that the subdivision meets the minimum standards set forth in the Subdivision Regulations for lot size, road frontage, lot configuration, etc. The site fronts onto the service road for Government Boulevard, a US highway facility under the purview of the Alabama Department of Transportation. Because of the status of the facility, access management is a concern. Each lot should be limited to one curb-cut each onto the service road, with the size, design and location to be approved by ALDOT and Traffic Engineering, and conform to AASHTO standards. The Subdivision plat should be revised to include the size of each lot in square feet as either a note on each lot, or as a table. Regarding the PUD, it appears that the proposed improvements to the site will generally meet the minimum standards of the Zoning Ordinance. There are, however, a few items of concern. First, it appears that the directional arrows for on-site circulation will cause problems due to conflicting directional information: the site plan should be reviewed and revised to ensure that the arrow directions are correct for optimal circulation. Secondly, it appears that the eight (8) isolated parking spaces between the existing building and the proposed detail building may put autos parked at the each end of the row at risk for side-swiping. It is recommended that the designer consider removing the end parking spaces and replacing them with parking islands or painted islands to provide more maneuvering area. Regarding the proposed detailing building and shed, the run-off from the detailing operation must be directed to the sanitary sewer, and an oil separator must be provided. - 2 -
The site is adjacent to residential uses. A 6-foot high privacy fence is depicted, and it appears that all proposed improvements on the site are kept a minimum of 10 feet from the rear property line. In order to further minimize the impact of the site on adjacent residential uses, any onpremise lighting must comply with Sections 64-4.A.2. and 64-6.A.3.c. of the Zoning Ordinance; specifically lighting must not shine directly into adjacent residential properties or into traffic, and parking areas must be illuminated during their operation at night, if applicable. Finally, the site partially contains a drainage facility that is part of Bolton s Branch of Dog River. It appears that a portion of the site may be within the floodplain for the drainage facility. The potential presence of floodplains indicates that the site may be environmentally sensitive, therefore, the approval of all applicable federal, state and local agencies will be required prior to the issuance of any permits or land disturbance activities. RECOMMENDATION Planned Unit Development: Based upon the preceding, this application is recommended for Approval subject to the following conditions: 1) revision of the site plan to correct any directional arrow conflicts; 2) direction of any car washing or auto detailing run-off to an oil separator prior to discharge into the sanitary sewer system; 3) provision of the depicted 6-foot privacy fence along the property line abutting residential uses, and maintenance of a 10-foot protection buffer strip from the rear property line for all structures and parking areas, as depicted on the site plan; 4) compliance with the lighting requirements of Sections 64-4.A.2. and 64-6.A.3.c. of the Zoning Ordinance; 5) full compliance with Engineering comments (Show limits of the flood zone. Show minimum finished floor elevation for any buildings or structures and/or slabs, on which, mechanical and electrical equipment will be installed. Must comply with all storm water and flood control ordinances. Any work performed in the right of way will require a right of way permit.); 6) full compliance with Traffic Engineering comments (Driveway number, size, location, and design to be approved by Traffic Engineering and ALDOT and conform to AASHTO standards. Standard driveway width for two-way traffic is twenty-four feet and thirtysix feet for three lanes. Changes should be made to accommodate the standard.); 7) revision of the site plan to depict frontage trees; to be coordinated with Urban Forestry; 8) provision of a revised PUD site plan prior to the signing of the final plat; 9) completion of the Subdivision process; and 10) full compliance with all other municipal codes and ordinances. Subdivision: The plat meets the minimum requirements of the Subdivision Regulations and is recommended for Tentative Approval subject to the following condition: 1) placement of a note on the final plat stating that each lot is limited to one curb-cut each onto the service road of Government Boulevard, with the size, design and location to be approved by ALDOT and Traffic Engineering, and to comply with AASHTO standards; 2) labeling of each lot with its size in square feet, or provision of a table on the plat with the same information; 3) full compliance with Engineering comments (Show limits of the flood zone. Show minimum finished floor elevation for any buildings or structures and/or slabs, on which, mechanical and electrical equipment will be installed. Must comply with all storm water and flood control ordinances. Any work performed in the right of way will require a right of way permit.); 4) depiction of a 10- foot wide protection buffer strip along the rear of the lots, where they abut residential uses; 5) approval of all applicable federal, state and local agencies prior to the issuance of any permits or land disturbance activities; 6) provision of a revised PUD site plan prior to the signing of the final plat; and 7) full compliance with all other municipal codes and ordinances. - 3 -
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