City Council Minutes 1999 06 15 - Laserfiche WebLink

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it is very difficult to change property zoning once it has been granted. He stated that Council cannot approve a zoning change unless it meets specific State criteria. Remin agreed to move the roads inward to prevent any disruption in use. Davidson agreed that Council could not commit to a fifteen-year plan in the preliminary discussion/direction stage of development. Remin explained that they are not asking that Council guarantee vesting, and understand that Council cannot grant a height variance tonight. However, he explained that it is very difficult for Saint Louis Parish to obtain a site in Louisville that can accommodate the necessary church size. He apologized that the plans could not be more definitive at this point in the process. He stated that the church must be a quality building, a church and a landmark. He requested an informal indication from Council as to whether the Commercial Development Design Standards & Guidelines are appropriate for this project, as the guidelines establish a thirty-five foot height limit. Davidson expressed concerned for the building's height and stated that he would like some assurance from the City Attorney that granting a variance on this particular piece of property would not require that Council grant variances for the surrounding properties. In addition, he would like assurance that the proposed height is a requirement for the intended use. He agreed that building height would not be as big an issue at this particular location, however, it would be almost anywhere else in the City. He questioned whether the Commercial Development Design Standards & Guidelines would apply as they were intended for developments such as office parks. Keany expressed support for a height variance provided the architecture was suitable and all other requirements were met. He agreed with Davidson that specific plans, drawings, and an explanation for the height variance would be required information for Council to understand the need to grant an exception to the height limit. Remin replied that they are attempting to obtain Council's opinion regarding the building height. Keany asked for clarification that the remaining structures on the site would be within the maximum height requirements. Remin replied, yes. Mayer agreed that while many churches contain architectural elements that exceed thirty- five feet, most of the proposed church building exceeds the thirty-five feet height limit. He encouraged staff to apply the Commercial Development Design Standards & Guidelines that appear to reasonably apply to this development. He cited landscaping and parking as examples of reasonable standards and guidelines for this project. 20