City Council Minutes 1999 04 06 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mayer asked Wood for the number of parking spaces that would be required if the square footage specified in the Ordinance was added. Wood replied that, in consideration of the approved PUDs, there is 52,500 sf of open square footage available on the west side of the railroad tracks. Howard stated that, at 2.5 spaces per 1,000 sf, this would require 147 parking spaces. Mayer expressed concern for the Planning Commission's opinion that a FAR of 0.52 is too low, as he is uncertain where the required parking spaces could be located without tearing down buildings. He felt that the traffic study was fairly accurate. He asked Wood how many parking spaces could be added downtown by purchasing the available vacant property. Wood replied he was uncertain, however, he would guess approximately 35-40. Mayer stated that he did not understand how a FAR of 0.52 was conservative when the available square footage for development would require approximately 150 parking spaces yet there is only vacant property available to provide 35-40 spaces. Sisk agreed that there should be a clear differentiation between the east and west sides of the railroad tracks. He stated that after considering an Ordinance addressing total square footage or establishing a FAR, he expressed support for establishing a FAR of 0.52. He agreed that transferable development rights would be necessary if this FAR was in place. Lathrop stated that a FAR of 0.52 on a lot-by-lot basis assures no development will occur downtown. His preference would be to apply the FAR of 0.52 across the Core area, in conjunction with a transferable development rights program. Keany agreed with Lathrop. He felt that placing a FAR of 0.52 would end all development downtown. He stated that to tell downtown businesses that they cannot develop until Council develops a transferable rights program is unreasonable. Davidson stated that, not including the approved businesses that haven't been built; there is approximately twenty-percent additional developable space. He asked for the number of square feet that Business Answers proposed for their expansion. Bill Simmons, City Administrator, replied that the total square footage approved was 18,970 sf. He stated that the existing square footage was 2, 340, leaving a net increase of 16,630 sf. Davidson estimated that 52,000 sfwould allow for approximately 3-4 major expansions. He stated that downtown Louisville has never seen that rate of expansion; therefore, it would take some time to reach that. He expressed support for establishing square footage by area, as he was uncertain how a transferable development rights program would work for this area. He stated that during the eleven years he has been on Council, there have 22