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HomeMy WebLinkAbout5.A.2. Zoning text amendment to City Code 151.112, Pedestrian Walkways - Ord. No. 923 1111111111 General Business 5. A. 2. SHAKOPEE TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Kyle Sobota, Senior Planner DATE: 11/17/2015 SUBJECT: Zoning Text Amendment to City Code 151.112, Pedestrian Walkways - Ord. No. 923 (B) Action Sought Offer Ordinance No. 923, an ordinance amending City Code Section 151.112, regarding pedestrian walkways in parking areas, and move its adoption. Introduction The City Council recently reviewed and approved a PUD Amendment to the Southbridge Crossings East PUD for Marcus Theatres. One of the requirements of City Code that was waived by the PUD Amendment is the requirement for pedestrian islands / sidewalk connections in the theater parking lot. Currently, a pedestrian island/walkway is required in new parking lots greater than 100 spaces in commercial and industrial zones. Staff had recommended an internal sidewalk connection through the parking lot, but there was not a connection to an exterior trail because the site is adjacent to a high speed portion of County Road 21. The Council gave staff direction to return with a text amendment amending the language about pedestrian islands. The Council felt a connection was not required in the Marcus case because there was not an exterior trail connection. The current code language is as follows: Subdv 8. A. Definitions: Interior sidewalk connection is a sidewalk or trail network which is within a development project to connect multiple businesses, or parking facilities to primary entrances or privately owned open space areas. Exterior sidewalk connection is a sidewalk or trail which connects the interior sidewalk or trail network to a required or existing public sidewalk or trail. Sidewalk is a finished hard surface with a width of at least 5 feet. Trail is a finished hard surface or a firm and stable natural surfacing material with a width of at least 8 feet. Gross floor area is referring to the total floor area for every floor inside the building envelope, including the external walls, and excluding the roof. N. In Commercial and Industrial zones (B-1, B-2, BP, MR, PRD, I-1, I-2) the pedestrian sidewalk system shall meet the following standards: 1. In developments with multiple businesses, sidewalk connections are required between each business. 2. Interior sidewalk connections shall be required for all parking facilities which have more than 100 parking spaces. a. A pedestrian island shall be provided to separate pedestrian traffic and vehicular traffic. i. A sidewalk connection must provide pedestrian access spanning in a generally direct route from the business/building to the furthest row of parking within a parking facility. ii. Pedestrian islands which are adjacent to handicapped (ADA compliant) parking shall provide ADA compliant pedestrian ramps or be at the same elevation as the parking and loading area. iii. The pedestrian island shall be screened with vegetation in accordance with the requirements for landscape islands. iv. Sidewalks shall be designed to limit vehicle encroachment into sidewalk area, either by a 2 foot setback from parking lot to sidewalk edge or a physical barrier such as but not limited to, trees, shrubs, or bollards. 3. An exterior sidewalk connection is required for all sites which have existing and/ or required public sidewalks, adjacent trails, parks, or greenways. 4. Where sidewalks cross drive aisles, sidewalks/ crossing areas shall be clearly designated by striping or differentiated paving material. Proposed Changes Staff is proposing an adjustment to N. #1 to specifically name retail centers, because industrial developments do not typically have pedestrians traveling from business to business. A retail center is a retail development with greater than 50,000 square feet of retail or service businesses. Dean Lakes, Shakopee Valley Marketplace, Crossroads Center, and Southbridge are current retail centers in Shakopee. Staff is proposing to include all zoning districts, not just commercial and industrial zoning districts, to add this requirement for developments in residential zoning districts, which includes churches and schools that are allowed uses in residential zoning districts. Staff also proposes adjusting the language of#2, regarding the size of the parking lot that triggers the requirement. Staff is proposing that the requirement apply to parking areas that have greater than 15% of their parking stalls greater than 250' from the main entrance of a building. The purpose of this change is that there are several parking areas that are greater than 100 stalls, but are only two or three rows of parking stalls in depth, typically in large industrial developments. Requiring a pedestrian walkway is generally not practical in these situations because of the short distance between parking stalls and a building entrance. The goal of this code section is to have an area for pedestrians to walk in large parking areas and to provide connections to buildings from adjacent sidewalks or trails. Staff is also proposing a clarification that changes the furthest row to the furthest drive aisle, and adding an allowance for staff discretion when an adjacent facility that serves the far extents of a parking area exists. Staff also added "or walkway" to sections that noted only pedestrian island. The code section does not require the connection to be a raised island. Proposed Language: Subdv 8. A. Definitions: Interior sidewalk connection is a sidewalk or trail network which is within a development project to connect multiple businesses, or parking facilities to primary entrances or privately owned open space areas. Exterior sidewalk connection is a sidewalk or trail which connects the interior sidewalk or trail network to a required or existing public sidewalk or trail. Sidewalk is a finished hard surface with a width of at least 5 feet in width. Trail is a finished hard surface or a firm and stable natural surfacing material with a width of at least 8 feet. Gross floor area is referring to the total floor area for every floor inside the building envelope, including the external walls, and excluding the roof. N. In all zoning districts the pedestrian sidewalk system shall meet the following standards: 1. In retail center developments, interior sidewalk connections are required between each building. 2. A pedestrian island or walkway at least 5' in width shall be required for all parking facilities which have greater than 15% of their parking spaces greater than 250' from a main entrance to a building, and in accordance with the following: a. The pedestrian island or walkway shall be provided to separate pedestrian traffic and vehicular traffic. b. A pedestrian island or walkway must provide pedestrian access spanning a generally direct route from a main entrance to the furthest drive aisle of a parking facility. City staff may allow pedestrian walkways or islands to be of a reduced length if other adjacent sidewalks and trails outside of the parking area exist that allow pedestrians access to a main entrance of a building. c. Pedestrian islands or walkways which are adjacent to handicapped (ADA compliant) parking shall provide ADA compliant pedestrian ramps or be at the same elevation as the parking and loading area. d. Pedestrian islands or walkways shall be landscaped in accordance with the requirements for landscape islands and parking lots. e. Pedestrian islands and walkways shall be designed to limit vehicle encroachment into the walkway area, either by a 2 foot setback from parking lot to walkway edge, or a physical barrier, such as but not limited to: curbing, trees, shrubs, or bollards. 3. An exterior sidewalk connection is required for all sites which have existing and/ or required adjacent public sidewalks, trails, parks, or greenways. 4. Where pedestrian islands or walkways cross drive aisles, sidewalks/ crossing areas shall be clearly designated by striping or differentiated paving material. Planning Commission Recommendation: At its November 5 meeting, the Planning Commission voted 5-2 to recommend that the City Council adopt the proposed text amendment. The two dissenting commission members believed the distance threshold should be reduced from 250', so that pedestrian walkways are required in more situations, not only the largest parking lots. Requested Action: Offer Ordinance No. 923, an ordinance amending City Code Section 151.112, regarding pedestrian walkways in parking areas, and move its adoption. Attachments: Ordinance No. 923 ORDINANCE NO. 923 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SHAKOPEE APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO CITY CODE SECTION 151.112 (LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS) WHEREAS, The City of Shakopee has proposed an amendment to City Code Section 151.112 (Performance Standards) of the Zoning Ordinance regarding pedestrian walkways in parking areas; and WHEREAS, notices were duly sent and posted, and a public hearing was held before the Planning Commission on November 5, 2015, at which time all persons present were given an opportunity to be heard; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission recommended that City Code Section 115.112 be amended to revise the language pertaining to pedestrian walkways in parking lots; and WHEREAS, the City Council heard the matter at its meeting on November 17, 2015; and THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SHAKOPEE,MINNESOTA, ORDAINS: Section 1 —That City Code Chapter 11 (Zoning) is amended to add the language as follows: Language which is underlined shall be added. Language which is struckthrough shall be deleted. Section 151.112, (Landscaping Requirements), A. Definitions: Interior sidewalk connection is a sidewalk or trail network which is within a development project to connect multiple businesses, or parking facilities to primary entrances or privately owned open space areas. Exterior sidewalk connection is a sidewalk or trail which connects the interior sidewalk or trail network to a required or existing public sidewalk or trail. Sidewalk is a finished hard surface with a width of at least 5 feet. Trail is a finished hard surface or a firm and stable natural surfacing material with a width of at least 8 feet. Gross floor area is referring to the total floor area for every floor inside the building envelope, including the external walls, and excluding the roof. M.Pedestrian Sidewalk System in Commercial and Industrial Zones. In Commercial and all zoning districts(B 1, B 2, BP, MR, PRD, I 1, I 2)the pedestrian sidewalk system shall meet the following standards: • 1. In retail center developments • - . - .. - , interior sidewalk connections are required between each busines&building. 2. Interior sidewalk connections shall be required for all parking facilities which have more than :. - . A pedestrian island or walkway at least 5' in width shall be required for all parking facilities which have greater than 15% of their parking spaces greater than 250' from a main entrance to a building and in accordance with the following: a. A pedestrian island or walkway shall be provided to separate pedestrian traffic and vehicular traffic. i:13. A pedestrian island or walkway must provide pedestrian access spanning in a generally direct route from the business/building main entrance to the furthest row of parking drive aisle within a parking facility. City staff may allow pedestrian walkways or islands to be of a reduced length if other adjacent sidewalks and trails outside of the parking area allow pedestrians access to a main entrance of a building. ic. Pedestrian islands or walkways which are adjacent to handicapped(ADA compliant)parking shall provide ADA compliant pedestrian ramps or be at the same elevation as the parking and loading area. iii.d. The pedestrian island shall be screened with vegetation landscaped in accordance with the requirements for landscape islands and parking lots. iv. e. Sidewalks Pedestrian islands and walkways shall be designed to limit vehicle encroachment into sidewalk walkway area, either by a 2-foot setback from parking lot to sidewalk walkway edge or a physical barrier such as but not limited to: curbing, trees, shrubs, or bollards. 3. An exterior sidewalk connection is required for all sites which have existing and/or required public sidewalks, adjacent trails,parks, or greenways. 4. Where sidewalk&pedestrian islands and walkways cross drive aisles, sidewalks!crossing areas shall be clearly designated by striping or differentiated paving material. Section 2. The City Council adopts the following findings of fact relating to the request to modify the language in the City's zoning ordinance regarding parking stall size. Criteria#1 That the original zoning ordinance is in error; Finding#1 There has been no evidence that the original zoning ordinance is in error. The proposed text amendment revises and clarifies existing language in the code. Criteria#2 That significant changes in community goals and policies have taken place; Finding#2 Creating pedestrian friendly developments is a community goal. Criteria#3 That significant changes in City-wide or neighborhood development patterns have occurred; Finding#3 There has been no evidence presented that either city-wide or neighborhood development patterns have changed. Criteria#4 That the Comprehensive Plan requires a different provision; Finding#5 The Comprehensive Plan does not require a different provision. Section 3. Effective Date. This ordinance shall be in effect from and after the date of its passage and publication. Adopted in session of the City Council of the City of Shakopee, Minnesota held this day of , 2015. Brad Tabke, Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk Published in the Shakopee Valley News on the day of , 2015.