Planning Commission Agenda and Packet 2011 10 13

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Page11of110 Planning Commission Staff Report October 13, 2011 BACKGROUND The applicant, Doug Chesnut, applied to amend the Lot 2 Empire Road Subdivision Final Planned Unit Development Plan (Empire Storage PUD) to replace the eight (8) foot Empire Road shoulder required by the original PUD with a two (2) foot shoulder and an off-street eight (8) foot soft surface path. The Empire Storage PUD consists of a 50,646 square foot storage facility including six separate buildings housing approximately 300 storage units, space for portable storage containers on top of the storage buildings, and a 1,640 square foot office. The storage facility is surrounded by an architectural wall to screen the majority of the storage activities from the public view. The PUD was recommended for approval by the Planning Commission on August 19, 2010 and approved by City Council on September 7, 2010. Section 17.28.210 A of the LMC permits the planning director to administratively approve changes to Planned Unit Developments described as “minor changes in the location, siting and height of buildings and structures and other minor changes”. Since the City Council’s approval, the Planning Director has administratively approved changes to the PUD per the procedures outlined in section 17.28.210 A of the LMC. These changes include: site plan adjustments, the removal of the portable storage containers, and minor architectural changes to the buildings and the exterior wall. The originally approved PUD plan is included as Attachment 1. The request to replace the Empire Road shoulder with a two foot shoulder and an off- street eight foot soft surface path was not determined to be a minor change as described in Section 17.28.210 A of the LMC, therefore it must be approved by the planning commission and the city council. CONTEXT The area surrounding 1301 Empire Road can be described as light industrial development in a rural setting. The City of Louisville shops building and the waste water treatment plant are located on the eastern border of the property and the property to the west is currently occupied by Louisville Glass, Inc. Both of these properties are zoned Industrial. The northern boundary of the property is an old C&S railroad right-of-way which is currently owned by the City of Louisville. The Harney Lastoka Open Space is located further to the north of the railroad right-of-way. The property to the south, across Empire Road, is located in Boulder County and is used agriculturally by the John D. Mayhoffer Trust. 2