Planning Commission Agenda and Packet 2025 06 12

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Planning Commission Staff Report June 12, 2025 Waiver Compliance with LMC Section 17.28.110: Section 17.28.110 of the Louisville Municipal Code (LMC) sets the standards for all PUDs to comply with the underlying zoning standards and adopted design guidelines. The section also states that any such requirements may be waived or modified through the approval process of the planned unit development if the spirit and intent of the development plan criteria contained in LMC Section 17.28.120 are met. Section 17.28.120 of the LMC lists 28 criteria for PUDs that must be satisfied or found not applicable in order to approve a PUD. Analysis and staff's recommended finding of each criterion is provided in the attached appendix. Waiver from Yard and Bulk Standards in LMC Section 17.12.040: Section 17.12.040 of the LMC outlines yard and bulk requirements for all zones, including maximum height for building and accessory uses, setbacks, and lot sizes. Bulk standards set in the IDDSG override those found in the LMC for industrial zones, but for standards not outlined in the IDDSG, such as accessory use regulations, the underlying zoning regulations apply. The following bulk standard waivers are requested: • Front yard setbacks for accessory uses must be a minimum of 30 feet in the Industrial zone. The applicant is requesting a minimum 10-foot front setback for the solar canopies. Accessory uses typically require setbacks in the front yard at a farther distance than the principal structure, encouraging accessory structures to only be placed behind the principal structure. Conversely, the IDDSG allows for front yard parking setbacks to be less than principal structure setbacks, encouraging parking areas to be in front of the principal structure. The requested waiver would allow for the canopies to function as both a solar energy collector and shaded parking for the building tenants. • A maximum of 25 feet in height is allowed for accessory structures in the industrial zone. The proposed maximum height of the solar canopies located in the rear truck yard is 28 feet. The rear canopies exceed the maximum height to allow for additional clearance for semi -trailers that use the loading area. • The rear storage tanks are proposed to be 45 feet tall. The proposed tanks would be in addition to existing tanks on site which also exceed the 25-foot maximum height. The proposed tanks will be used for storage of nitrogen and argon and will be in the rear of the 38-foot-tall building. Waiver from the Sign Code: The applicant is requesting a waiver from the maximum allowed height of wall signs in industrial zones, which is 3 feet. The proposed sign is 4 feet tall. The sign area, placement, and all other site elements comply with the Sign Code. Sign waiver requests shall be reviewed against the criteria provided in Section 2.3 of the Sign Code, which is outlined below followed by staff analysis: A. The proposed sign(s) shall encourage excellence in design, exhibit improved creativity, promote community aesthetics, and be appropriate with the character 6