HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-19-12 work sessionMeeting Notes
Planning Commission Work Session
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Marion Conference Room
The Planning Commission work session commenced at 5:35 p.m. in the Marion Conference
Room at City Hall.
Commissioners Present: Chair Bart Davis, Vice Chair Brooks Lillehei, Bob Boerschel, Karl
Drotning, Gerry Grenz, and Linda Maguire.
Staff Present: Planning Director Daryl Morey and Associate Planner Frank Dempsey.
Others Present: Jack Matasosky and Jim Connelly, Appro Development, and Tony Markgraf,
Midstate Reclamation & Trucking.
Chair Davis opened the work session.
Industrial District Outdoor Storaae and Fence Setback Discussion
Associate Planner Frank Dempsey handed out a letter from Jim Connelly of Appro
Development, dated January 16, 2012, explaining Midstate Reclamation & Trucking's outdoor
storage and fence setback request. Mr. Dempsey presented staffs analysis of the request from
his January 13, 2012 planning report. Staff supports a reduced setback for outdoor storage and
solid walls /fences adjacent to public streets in the 1 -1 and 1 -2 districts subject to the
considerations listed in the January 13 planning report.
The Planning Commission agreed that a reduced setback for outdoor storage and solid walls /fences
adjacent to public streets in the 1 -1 and 1 -2 districts was appropriate provided the tunnel effect can be
avoided and provided the reduced setback does not apply to major street corridors. There was
discussion about whether this issue could be addressed by business owners purchasing more land if
they needed to expand their outdoor storage area. It was pointed out that the majority of businesses in
Airlake Industrial Park are landlocked so they do not have the ability to add more property.
Staff stated that reducing the setback to 20 feet would allow adequate area for landscape
screening of the outdoor storage area from the public street consistent with the requirements of
Section 11 -21 -9A of the Zoning Ordinance. Reducing the setback to 15 feet would still allow
landscape screening of the outdoor storage area from the public street but the landscape area
would be more constrained.
The Planning Commission concurred that the considerations identified in the planning report should be
included as performance standards if the Zoning Ordinance is amended to reduce the setback. The
Planning Commission also agreed that the reduced setback for outdoor storage should only be allowed
if it is screened by a solid wall or fence (not chain link) with landscaping on the street side. The
Planning Commission further agreed that if a solid wall is used, it should be engineered for structural
stability.
Planning Commission Work Session
January 19, 2012
The Planning Commission recommended that staff highlight the major street corridors where the
reduced setback would not apply as part of the presentation to the Planning Commission for the Zoning
Ordinance amendment.
Chair Davis polled Commissioners on their recommendation for the reduced setback for outdoor
storage and solid walls /fences adjacent to public streets in the 1 -1 and 1 -2 districts. Three
Commissioners supported a 20 foot setback and three supported a 15 foot setback. Staff stated
the considerations listed in the January 13, 2012 planning report and as discussed this evening
will be incorporated into the Zoning Ordinance amendment as performance standards.
The work session was adjourned at 6:50 p.m.
Ily submitted,
Daryl Moley, Planrfng�Director
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