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Home My Public Portal About044-2022 - STAFF REPORT City of Richmond Ordinance 44-2022 Department of Infrastructure&Development September 28,2022 Advisory Plan Commission „ `? Staff Report APPLICATION INFORMATION l ip. uui111111ii1i)uimet°° Amerco Real Estate Company, Owner; Richard Henry,Agent. 3150 West National Road,Richmond, Indiana 47374(Parcel ID: 891701130102000030, 891022200209000006, 891701130103000030) i. Zoning Map Amendment requesting to rezone three parcels from General Commercial(GC)to Industrial Commercial(IC). 1II11 oT: Commercial—Parking lot ;11111 onirm „C General Commercial(GC) '"1m nol 372,264 cumulative sf 1 8.546 cumulative acres ADJACENT ZONING AND LAND USE II a][ Medium Density Single-family Residential(R2) Agricultural—Vacant(2 properties) '41u Medium Density Single-family Residential(R2) Residential— Single-family(3 properties) \,1z 0- High Density Single-family Residential(R3) Agricultural—General Farm 1'+1'[;ilII' Industrial Commercial (IC) Commercial—Mini-warehouse(U-Haul) General Commercial(GC) Commercial—Restaurant(McDonald's) I2 APPROPRIATE ADJACENT ZONING DISTRICTS Parks and Recreation(PR) *Industrial Commercial(IC) Agriculture(AG) Low to Moderate Intensity Industrial(Il) Institutional(1S) High Intensity Industrial(12) Highway Commercial (HC) DESCRIPTION The proposed zoning map amendment would rezone the subject properties from GC to IC to allow the property to be used for self-storage units and covered and uncovered RV parking spaces,so long as one of the two"Next Steps"are successfully taken since "warehouse storage facility" is not a listed permitted use. The development proposes a total of 16,400 square feet of self-storage units (144 units) and 48,960 square feet of RV parking spaces (94 covered spaces and 8 uncovered spaces). 110u~ duu~u uu 0 2 2 PROPERTY BACKGROUND There are four properties addressed 3150 West National Road. The property not subject to this zoning map amendment petition houses the building that the three subject properties have served.Based on historical aerial imagery,the three subject properties have never housed a primary structure, only driveways and parking lots. The other 3150 West National Road property is the former Kmart site and recently underwent commercial renovation and now serves as U-Haul's new location on the west side of Richmond. In 2020, Ordinance 13-2020 rezoned the property from GC to IC. Ordinance 13-2020's conceptual site plan showed three accessory structures that would house self-storage units in the property's front yard at their current location. After Ordinance 13-2020 was approved, U-Haul began renovating the old Kmart building. U-Haul acquired the necessary building permits to begin renovations but they did not apply for an Improvement Location Permit (ILP -zoning permit)before installing the self-storage units in the property's front yard. U-Haul applied for an ILP on January 8,2021, and in the application listed"43 portable storage units" in the project description. The self-storage units do comply with the IC district's setback requirements. It was determined to issue U- Haul a temporary 120-day ILP(Section 5.88(C)(3a) (iv)), starting at the beginning of December 2020 (when the self- storage units were installed)through the end of March 2021.U-Haul was granted a Variance of Development Standards on March 11, 2021 with written commitments to allow portable storage units (PODS)to be permanent structures and to allow accessory structures to be placed in the front yard in the Industrial Commercial(IC) District(Section 5.04(D)(2b); Section 5.14 (E)). The three written commitments were as follows: 1) The three separate groupings of self-storage units(PODS)must be attached in a manner that gives the appearance of a shared roofline(amended per Richmond Board of Zoning Appeals board members -3.11.2021) 2) The three separate groupings of self-storage units(PODS) shall remain in their current location as shown in the Improvement Location Permit's site map. 3) Only the three groupings of self-storage units shall be permitted in the property's front yard. Any new accessory structures seeking to be placed in the property's front yard must come back to Richmond's Board of Zoning Appeals for an additional Variance of Development Standards. The written commitments passed a site inspection conducted by planning staff in late-2021. If Ordinance 44-2022 is approved, and U-Haul installs the same style of self-storage units as they did on the neighboring property, then the same variances will likely be required. The neighboring 3150 West National Road property was granted a Variance of Development Standards in 1978 (BZA 3- 1978),to permit an outdoor storage and display area for the former Kmart's outdoor garden center on the southwest corner of the building. This variance is no longer valid due to the removal of the outdoor garden center and subsequent closing of K-mart. PERMITTED FUTURE USES If rezoned to IC,the following uses would be allowed as either permitted uses or special exception uses: Accessory Permitted Uses: Micro distillery Small Wind Turbine System Office,financial Commercial Permitted Uses: Recreation vehicle rental Automobile oriented business Recreation vehicle sales Equipment rental Retail(type 4),high intensity Equipment sales Retail(type 5),very high intensity Machinery rental Watercraft rental Machinery sales Industrial Permitted Uses: Micro brewery Assembly 2lOrdinance 44 - 2022 Distribution facility Institutional Permitted Uses: Flex-space Rescue station Light manufacturing Accessory Special Exception Uses: Research center,technological Large Wind Turbine System Sign painting/fabrication Industrial Special Exception Uses Tool and die shop Telecommunication facility Warehouse PUBLIC COMMENTS On September 15,2022, 15 adjacent property owners were notified by mail.On September 18,2022,the public hearing was advertised in the Palladium-Item. On September 21, 2022, a sign was placed on the property notifying passersby of the September 28,2022,public hearing. DEPARTMENTAL REVIEW The planning staff consulted with all city departments and utilities to determine any objections based on public health and safety: Richmond Sanitary District: There are sanitary sewer easements running throughout the subject properties. These easements will need to be located on future site plans and all proposed structures will need to be outside of existing utility easements. The anticipated amount of impervious surface will likely require an underground storm-water design. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends approval for amending the zoning map at 3150 West National Road from GC to IC. In accordance with Indiana Code 36-7-4-603, and Richmond's Unified Development Ordinance Section 9.20 (7) (a), Plan Commission shall pay reasonable regard to the following factors before taking final action: 1) Richmond Rising: Community Action Plan Compatibility: The adjoining zoning district of IC(west)is considered Appropriate Adjacent Zoning Districts for IC,per the UDO(Section 2.39) but the R2, R3, and GC districts (north, east, south) are not; however, the AG district is considered appropriate and the adjacent land uses to the north and east are currently agricultural. The commercial component of the IC zoning district is compatible with Richmond's Future Land Use Map(Richmond Rising: Community Action Plan,p. 57),which identifies the property to be developed commercially moving forward(p. 59). The proposed rezone aligns with several of the Grow: Richmond's Built Environment's recommendations. Primary Objective 4 calls for promoting the, "reuse and redevelopment of existing sites and structures," and Primary Objective 5 advises to support, "commercial development and redevelopment in established commercial districts"(p.42). 2) Current conditions and the character of current structures and uses in each district: The subject properties' current zoning reflects a commercial district more than the proposed industrial components of the IC district.The area of West National Road east of the subject properties is one of Richmond's primary commercial corridors and hosts a variety of commercial and residential uses. The density and intensity of properties and their uses decreases the further west on West National Road one travels. The properties located at the intersection of West National and Salisbury Roads is characterized by larger irregularly shaped parcels comprised of commercial, residential, and vacant uses. Two of 3j0rdinance 44 - 2022 the three subject properties,along with the property immediately to the west(U-Haul),border the city-limit boundary.There is approximately 115 acres of farmland and forest that separate the subject properties and U-Haul from the nearby neighborhoods to the north and west. 3) The most desirable use for which the land in each district is adapted: The most desirable use for the subject properties is commercial. During the rezone of U-Haul's neighboring property (Ordinance 13-2020), the IC district was sought after because of its "flex-space" industrial permitted use, which fit the primary structure's mixed uses of retail and self-storage units. The IC district is appropriate for the area primarily because of its commercial permitted uses and its industrial permitted uses are less intense in nature than the UDO's other industrial- related zoning districts. 4) The conservation of property values throughout the jurisdiction: The IC district's commercial and institutional permitted uses should not negatively affect property values throughout the area because similar uses already exist nearby. Some of the IC district's industrial permitted uses like assembly,distribution facility, light manufacturing, and tool die shop could negatively affect neighboring property values; however, U-Haul's neighboring property is already zoned IC and currently permits these uses.Therefore,extending the existing IC district onto the three subject properties should not change or negatively affect the surrounding area because the IC district already exists in the area. 5) Responsible development and growth: Locating more intense commercial and industrial-related uses away from more densely populated areas of the City is ideal. These properties abut the city-limit boundary on the west side of town. The subject properties do not fall within any of the City of Richmond's TIF districts, economic revitalization areas, opportunity zones, industrial parks, or zoning overlay districts.Allowing U-Haul to expand its current operation onto the neighboring subject properties is considered responsible development and growth. FUTURE USE ZONING COMPLIANCE The nearest covered RV parking spaces to North Salisbury Road shows a setback of 38', which does not comply with the IC district's minimum front yard setback of 60' for both primary and accessory structures. The other row of covered RV parking spaces and self-storage units to the south will need to display their respective setbacks for future review.The project may exceed the IC district's maximum lot coverage standard of 80%.Total lot coverage will need to be displayed for future review. The project's Improvement Location Permit(ILP—Zoning Permit)will need to include,but is not limited to,the following elements for planning staff's future review: 1. All setbacks 2. All utility easements' locations 3. Primary structure's height 4. Total lot coverage 5. Landscaping: Foundation Plantings 6. Landscaping: Yard Plantings 7. Landscaping: Parking Lot Perimeter Plantings 8. Landscaping: Buffer Yard Plantings 9. Parking lot boundaries As mentioned in the "Background" section, the project may require variances if U-Haul installs the same style of self- storage units as they did on the neighboring property. 41Ordinance 44 - 2022 NEXT STEPS 1) All four properties currently addressed 3150 West National Road and owned by Amerco Real Estate Company (891022200208000006, 891701130102000030, 891022200209000006, 891701130103000030) must be consolidated onto one parcel via the UDO's Administrative Subdivision process(Section 9.16 (B)2a) in order to extend U-Haul's existing legal nonconforming use of"warehouse storage facility" onto the three subject properties before an Improvement Location Permit(ILP—Zoning Permit) can be issued since warehouse storage facility is not a listed permitted use of the IC district; or 2) A Variance of Use to allow warehouse storage facilities to be used on the property must be granted by Richmond's Board of Zoning Appeals. WRITTEN COMMITMENTS None. Submitted by: zz, 1 Ian Vanness Interim City Planner Director of Infrastructure &Development Date: September 21, 2022 5 ' Ordinance 44 - 2022