Planning Commission Agenda and Packet 1995 01 24

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To: Honorable Chairman and Members of the Planning Commission From: Peter H. Kernkamp, Planner II Subject: Old Town - Zoning Review - January 24, 1995 Meeting Date: January 20, 1995 The attached draft Old Town PUD development standards have been revised to reflect several changes resulting from the discussion at the last Planning Commission meeting regarding Old Town that was held October 25, 1994. Minutes from the October meeting have been included in your packets to help refresh your memory. These changes include reductions in proposed accessory structure setbacks, clarification of reduced front yard setbacks to conform to established setbacks on the same street, adding a maximum front yard setback, and prohibiting garages facing the street where alley access is available. These changes have been highlighted. The concept of bulk plane regulations was also discussed at the October meeting. The staff is preparing a series of graphics to illustrate this concept and how it may apply to Old Town. These will be presented at the meeting Tuesday night. The suggestion has been made that the setbacks for accessory structures should be reduced to as small as 0'. There are several potential problems with a setback standard of less than 3 feet. For setbacks less than three feet, the building code requires more stringent requirements such as fire rated wall construction and prohibition of openings such as windows, doors and vents. Also, there is a potential maintenance problem with a zero setback because the owner of the accessory structure would need to go onto the adjoining private property to paint or otherwise maintain the building. Unless there is an easement for such purpose on the adjoining property, three feet is about the minimum distance to reasonably allow access for maintenance. The rear yard setback for accessory structures to a public alley presents some different issues. The building code issues are not as critical because the building code considers the centerline of the alley as the effective property line. A minimum three foot setback may still be desirable to avoid possible encroachments into the alley, especially since the exact location of property lines is often uncertain in many parts of Old Town. There is a particular concern about garages that enter onto the alley. The platted width of alleys in Old Town vary from 20 feet to as narrow as 10 feet. The actual pavement width is often a few feet narrower than the platted width because the alleys typically also include poles for overhead utility lines. This may severely limit the available maneuvering room for vehicles entering and exiting the garage if the garage is located near the property line. A possible way to address setbacks for accessory garages that enter onto the alley is to establish a minimum setback distance from the opposite side of the alley right of way. If the standard were set at 24 feet, which corresponds to the aisle width in commercial parking lot, the setback would be four feet from the property line on a 20 foot wide alley, 8 feet from the property line on a 16 foot wide alley, etc.