TO: Mayor Thomas J. Weisner
FROM: Planning Commission
DATE: September 4, 2013
SUBJECT: title
An Ordinance amending Ordinance Number 3100, being the Aurora Zoning Ordinance and the Zoning Map Attached thereto, by rezoning property from R-2 One Family Dwelling District And B-2 General Retail To R-2(S) Special Use Planned Development, and establishing a Plan Description for 4.764 acres located at 808 E. Galena Boulevard (Main Baptist Church - AU26/1-13.213-Su - TM - Ward 7)
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PURPOSE:
The petitioner, Main Baptist Church, is proposing a Special Use Petition on 4.764 acres for a religious institutional use located at 808 E. Galena Boulevard.
BACKGROUND:
This Special Use petition was referred by the City Council to the Planning & Zoning Division on June 25, 2013.
Legislative History:
Date Review Body Motion Vote
9/4/2013 Planning Commission Approval Unanimous
9/3/2013 Planning Council Forward Unanimous
8/28/2013 Planning Staff Approval N/A
DISCUSSION:
Proposal: The petitioner, Main Baptist Church, is proposing a Special Use Petition on 4.764 acres for a religious institutional use located at 808 E. Galena Boulevard. Over the years the Church has acquired a number of surrounding parcels. These former residences have been demolished to make way for the expansion of the church. The proposal consists of the consolidation of 13 existing lots into two lots, Lot 1 and Lot 2 as shown on the Final Plan. The demolition of an existing structure located at the northeast corner of Galena and East Avenue will allow for the construction of a new 17,592 square foot sanctuary addition with 539 seats in the main sanctuary. The plan retains the existing 6,204 square foot church building.
Parking for the expanded church building is proposed to be provided on Lot 1 just north of the expansion and on all of lot 2. Additionally the Church has in place an agreement with the adjacent property owner to utilize the parking lot for the CarQuest Auto Parts Store that is located to the east of the proposed Lot 2. The agreement allows the church to utilize 50 parking spaces on the lot during service times. The plan shows 57 parking stalls on Lot 1 and 39 parking stalls on Lot 2. This is a total of 96 parking stalls; with the additional 50 stalls through the agreement Main Baptist is able to provide 146 off street parking spaces.
The parking requirement for the church is based on the Aurora Zoning Ordinance Parking requirements for Religious Institutions (3400), which requires 1 parking stall for every four (4) seats in the main sanctuary. There is a stipulation in the ordinance for institutions that are not using fixed seating, i.e. pews. To determine seating the AZO utilizes a calculation to determine the seating of 15 square feet per seat. The new sanctuary is proposed to be a multi-use area, therefore movable seats are going to be utilized. The sanctuary is 8,089 square feet, at 15 sf per seat the petitioner calculated 539 seats, which requires 135 parking stalls to be provided. Using this calculation the petitioner is providing an excess of 11 parking spaces.
The petitioner recently indicated they are able to fit 890 non-fixed seats in the sanctuary. If the City used the total number of seats in the main sanctuary regardless of being fixed or non-fixed, the total parking requirement would be 223 parking spaces, leaving the petitioner 77 parking spaces short of the minimum requirement. This shortage can be addressed utilizing the existing on-street parking on the surrounding streets. The AZO allows the petitioner to utilize on-street parking within 400 feet of the property to be counted to meet the parking requirement. The City has allowed this in other instances under similar circumstances.
The Church is requesting setback reductions along all four frontages. Because R-2 has been chosen as the base zoning for the Planned Development, the setbacks would be 30 feet along the New York Street and Galena Boulevard Frontages, and 15 feet on both East and Smith. The proposal includes the reduction of the required Parking and Building setbacks along New York from 30 feet to 10 feet, along Galena from 30 feet to 5 feet, and along both East and Smith from 15 feet to 5 feet.
The Building addition is proposed to be constructed of a tilt-up concrete panel system. Orientation of the building will be toward New York, with the main entrance located on the north side of the new addition. The existing church structure will be updated with the current blue and white window glazing to be removed and replaced with matching windows to the addition.
Two monument signs are proposed for the site, a two sided sign at the southeast corner of New York and East Ave. and a single sided sign at the northeast corner of Galena and East. The signs will be 13'-4" wide and average approximately 5' in heighth. They will be constructed of brick to match the building. The Church is requesting an Electronic Message Center component to the signage that is not to exceed 20 square feet total per side.
Evaluation: Staff has reviewed the Special Use petition, submitted by the petitioner and have sent comments back to them on those submittals. The petitioner has made all the requested changes to these documents.
The comprehensive plan for this area is for low density residential. Because this is a neighborhood church that has been in place for many decades the improvements proposed to the Church campus will be beneficial to the neighborhood. By providing additional off-street parking the redevelopment should help relieve some of the congestion that exists on the local streets. Additionally, the location of the church on two arterial streets, New York and Galena, should provide for efficient ingress and egress of the site on days when services are held.
This redevelopment will provide some additional benefits. Though setback reductions are being requested, the reductions are from the base zoning and are not reflective of the existing conditions. Currently the parking situation is at a zero setback on New York, East and Galena for Lot 1, and a zero setback for the Galena and Smith frontages for Lot 2. This proposal will actually provide for five foot setbacks that will be landscaped and improve the overall streetscape of all of the frontages. On New York Street the setback will be increasing from zero to 10 feet.
As part of the review of this proposal, staff did some long term planning for the block that the Main Baptist Church sits on. At this time the Church controls all but four lots on the block. These remaining lots would be beneficial to the overall development of the church campus. Additional off-street parking would be able to be provided and the church would be able to adequately supply their required minimum parking requirement if they were to acquire these remaining lots. Though this would create a very large surface parking lot in a neighborhood, there currently exists a commercial development directly adjacent that already has an identical situation. This would open up site lines into the block and create visibility to the proposed new building addition. Acquiring the additional lots, and creating a surplus of parking would also allow for the church to expand the church in the future, if the need ever arose.
The consolidation of the lots and the redevelopment will also help in the reduction of the number of curb cuts that exist on all of the frontages. All three existing access points are eliminated from the New York Street frontage and one access point is eliminated from the Galena frontage for Lot 2. There is a full access on East Ave. that will allow for one lane in, and a right out and a left out. This will allow traffic to go north to New York Street or south on East Ave. to Galena. For Lot 2, access is limited to one point on Smith St. Like the access on East Ave., this point will allow for traffic to go both directions and exit to an arterial which will help traffic funnel out of neighborhood.
The redevelopment of the Main Baptist Church will allow a longtime institution to remain and grow in place. It was important to the Church that they be able to stay at this current location, and it is good for the City that they chose this avenue for addressing their expansion needs instead of moving out to a green grass site. The required utilities for the development are already in place, there is good access to the site already, being situated on two arterials and New York St. being a gateway into downtown. The future change of New York Street from one-way to two-way traffic will allow for even better and efficient ingress and egress from the church. By adopting the Planned Development the Church will have a plan in place for the possibility of acquiring the remaining lots on the block. This plan will ease the process of bringing these future acquisitions into the overall campus. Similar to the Plan that other institutions in the City have utilized, this plan will provide for a road map to completing the Church campus on this block.
Other variances that are included are for the height of the building. With the base zoning chosen for the Church being R-2 One Family Dwelling District, the maximum permitted height of buildings is limited to 35 feet. This is again a situation that addresses existing conditions. The existing steeple on the Church building that is being retained is currently at approximately 47 feet.
Public Input: Due public notice was given for the public hearing on this matter. As of the date of this report, staff has received two inquiries regarding this petition. Concerns raised included traffic and general development in the area.
At the Public Hearing two members of the same family, representing an immediate neighbor of the church, expressed concerns with stormwater management issues, with the adjacent parking lot at the northwest corner of Galena and Smith.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
The Planning and Zoning Division does not anticipate any impact to other City Departments with the approval of this Petition.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Staff recommends APPROVAL of the Special Use Petition on 4.764 acres for a religious institutional use at 808 E. Galena Boulevard by Main Baptist Church.
The Staff's Recommendation is based on the following Physical Development Policies:
· 10.0 To provide for the orderly, balanced and efficient growth and redevelopment of the City through the positive integration of land use patterns, functions, and circulation systems. To protect and enhance those assets and values that establishes the desirable quality and general livability of the City. To promote the City's position as a regional center.
· 11.0 To guide the growth of the City in an orderly and structured manner.
· 11.1(5) To guide and promote development to areas where public utilities, public roads and municipal services are either available or planned.
ATTACHMENTS:
Property Information Worksheet
Findings of Fact
Plan Description
Planning Council Summary
cc: Alderman Saville, Chairman
Alderman Irvin
Alderman Donnell
Alderman Hart-Burns, Alternate