February 6, 2008

PRESENT:                             ABSENT:

Tom Waltz, Chairman 

Joseph R. Soraghan, Sect./Treas.

David Osborn, Vice Chairman         

Valery Starr

Malcolm Bliss

Edw. D. Golterman

Greg Frick

Larry Ross

Joe Roeser

Pursuant to notice of meeting duly given, the Planning and Zoning Commission convened on Wednesday, February 6, 2008, at Kirkwood City Hall. Council Member Tim Griffin, City Attorney John Hessel, Public Works Director Kenneth D. Yost, Assistant Public Works Director Todd Rehg, and Administrative Secretary Patti Dodel also attended the meeting. 

1.   Chairman Waltz called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.  All Commission members were present.

2.   Motion was made by Mr. Ross and seconded by Mr. Soraghan to approve the minutes as written for the January 16, 2008, meeting.  The motion was unanimously approved.

3.   Motion was made by Ms. Starr and seconded by Mr. Bliss to amend the agenda to move Commission/Staff Item No. 3 (PZ-28-05A) to Item No. 4 under New Business.  Motion was unanimously approved.

4.   PZ-13-08  COMMUNITY UNIT PLAN TYPE A -     TIMBERLAKE APARTMENTS

     Submitted:  10-31-07

     Petitioner, Bruce Mills

     (Subcommittee - Mr. Roeser (chair), Mr. Bliss (secretary), and

     Mr. Golterman).

The subcommittee held a meeting January 25 that was attended by several residents.  Another subcommittee was tentatively scheduled for February 12 in City Hall.  Mr. Grimes, of Grimes Consulting, stated he would have a traffic consultant attend that meeting.

5.   PZ-15-03D AMEND ZONING CODE AND REVISED SITE PLAN-100 KIRKWOOD PL

           Submitted:  1-18-08   Automatic Recommendation:  4-17-08

           Petitioner, Dennis Hayden

           {Subcommittee - Ms. Starr (chair), Mr. Osborn (secretary),                and Mr. Frick}

     Mr. Soraghan recused himself from discussion.  City Attorney Hessel stated that this item was continued from the previous meeting and that New Business Item No. 4 regarding parking requirements in the B-2 Zoning District should be addressed before this petition.  Mr. Koslovsky, Mr. Hayden’s attorney, did not have any objection to the petition being tabled.

     Motion was made by Ms. Starr and seconded by Mr. Bliss to table petition PZ-15-03D.  The motion was unanimously approved.  Mr. Soraghan returned to the meeting. 

6.   PZ-18-08  SPECIAL USE PERMIT (RENTAL CAR FACILITY) AND SITE PLAN REVIEW - ENTERPRISE RENT-A-CAR, 11124 MANCHESTER ROAD

     Submitted:  1-18-08   Automatic Recommendation:  5-17-08

     Petitioner’s Agent, Patrick Wanecke

     Timothy Huf, Operations Manager for Enterprise, stated they are proposing to move from their current location at 11135 Manchester Road and renovate the former service station for the rental of automobiles and vans (no box trucks) and manual washing.  The footprint of the building would remain the same, and the parking lot would be expanded to 42 parking spaces. 

     Mr. Waltz appointed himself and Mr. Soraghan (as chair) to the subcommittee.  The subcommittee scheduled a meeting for February 13 at the site.

7.   PZ-19-08  SITE PLAN REVIEW - OFFICE BUILDING, 129/135 WEST ADAMS

     Submitted:  1-18-08   Automatic Recommendation:  5-17-08

     Petitioner’s Agent, Kevin Gallagher

     The petitioner is proposing to construct a 2,100 square foot, three-story addition onto the rear of the building and renovate the entrance.  The building would be occupied by one tenant as general office use.  

     Chairman Waltz appointed Mr. Ross (chair) and Mr. Osborn (secretary) to the subcommittee.  The subcommittee scheduled a meeting for February 12 at the site.

8.   PZ-28-05A  AMEND ZONING CODE – PARKING REQUIREMENTS IN B2 DISTRICT

     (Subcommittee - Mr. Bliss, Mr. Frick, and Mr. Soraghan)

     Mr. Bliss and Mr. Frick read the subcommittee report:

CITY OF KIRKWOOD

PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION

SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT

JANUARY 28, 2008

     PETITION NUMBER:          PZ-28-05A

     ACTION REQUESTED:    REVIEW PARKING REQUIREMENTS

     IN B-2 ZONING DISTRICT (CBD)

BACKGROUND:

The parking requirements of the Zoning Code have the following regulations regarding parking for the Central Business Area of Kirkwood:

Article XI, Section A-71(4) reads:  “The change of use of any premises or the remodeling of any existing building within the area bounded by Bodley Avenue to the north, Taylor Avenue to the east, Woodbine Avenue to the south, and Clay Avenue to the west, shall be exempt from additional parking requirements.  However, existing premises shall not decrease their existing parking, including spaces leased to the City.  New buildings and additions to existing buildings shall meet the parking requirements in this section.”

     In the B-2 parking requirements, the code reads as follows:

A-42 (h)   Off‑street parking and loading facilities.  Shall be provided as required in Article XI of this Ordinance except for mixed-use developments of over five (5) acres when approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission or City Council as part of a site plan review.

This Ordinance has attracted re-use and expansion within existing structures, primarily by restaurants, while discouraging additions and new structures because providing the required additional parking is difficult or impossible in the Central Business District area.  Hence, the Central Business District area is locked into its present state with little hope of reaching its potential through coordinated additions or new construction.

This subcommittee met numerous times through the winter of 2005 and the spring of 2006 with the Executive Director of the Kirkwood Junction and the Special Business District (SBD) and the Chairman of the SBD Advisory Commission.  Business owners also attended some meetings.  These meetings were properly posted.

In June, 2006, the Mayor convened a Task Force to address parking in the SBD.  The subcommittee reinforced these findings in September 2006, with the attached subcommittee report, which was approved by the full Commission by a 5 to 3 vote, on September 6, 2006. 

In January 2008, a Downtown Parking Workshop to review the Planning and Zoning Commission’s Subcommittee Report was established.  The Workshops were facilitated by Jim Wright, Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce, on January 24 and January 31, 2008.  The Workshop members consisted of Malcolm Bliss, Greg Frick, Bill Friedrichs, Mike Lynch, Walter Smith, Joe Soraghan, Mike Swoboda, Iggy Yuan, and staff members Donna Poe and Ken Yost.

The goal of the Workshop sessions was to recommend revisions to the Zoning Code parking requirements and evaluate parking in the Central Business District.  A copy of this meetings review process and comments are attached.

The downtown Kirkwood Business Area experiences parking problems.  The nature of the area leads people to expect a parking space in front of or very near the business they are visiting.  Generally, significantly increase in parking for the area can only be accomplished by removing existing buildings.

The Subcommittee believes that the parking for each new use or expanded use that requires a Planning and Zoning Commission review should be analyzed to determine if parking would be sufficient to support the proposed project based on type of use, hours of use, hours of operation, size of operation, and parking availability.

     RECOMMENDATIONS:

1.   Article XI, Section A-71(4) be deleted in its entirety and the following inserted in lieu therein:

     (4)  The Planning and Zoning Commission shall establish parking and loading requirements for any zoning action in the area bounded by Bodley Avenue to the north, Taylor Avenue to the east, Woodbine Avenue to the south, and Clay Avenue to the west.

     In establishing the parking and loading requirements for the site, the Commission shall take into account the following:

     A.   The increased parking demand from the proposed use; and

           B.   Existing off-street parking available on the premises; and

                    C.   The availability of public parking on public streets and public parking lots; and

     D.   “Shared” or mutli-destination parking; and

     E.   Time of the highest parking demand; and

     F.   Proposed times and hours of the business operation; and

     G.   Other parking demand factors.

     2.   A new Section A-71(5) be added as follows:

     (5)  The change of use of any premises or the remodeling of any existing building within the area bounded by Bodley Avenue to the north, Taylor Avenue to the east, Woodbine Avenue to the south, and Clay Avenue to the west, shall be exempt from additional parking requirements except for petitions that require Planning and Zoning Commission review.

3.   Section A-42(h) be deleted in its entirety and the following inserted in lieu thereof:

                (h)  Off-street parking and loading facilities.  Off-street parking and loading facilities shall be provided as required by shall be provide as required in Article XI of this Ordinance.

     Respectfully submitted:

     Malcolm Bliss        Greg Frick           Joseph Soraghan

     After discussion, motion was made by Ms. Starr and seconded by Mr. Frick to approve the report as read and amend the Zoning Code as indicated in the report.  Motion passed 7 to 2 (Opposed: Mr. Golterman and Mr. Soraghan).

9.   PZ-16-08  AMEND ZONING CODE - DEFINITION OF “USE”

     {Subcommittee - Mr. Soraghan (chair) and Mr. Osborn (secretary)}

     Public Works Director Yost stated he will be meeting with the City Attorney next week and will contact the subcommittee.

10.  PZ-17-08  AMEND ZONING CODE - B-2 MIXED USE

     Since this relates to changes in regulations for mixed-use developments in the B-2 Zoning District and there is a petition pending before the Planning Commission at this time, motion was made by Mr. Ross and seconded by Mr. Frick to table the item.  Motion was unanimously approved. 

11.  PZ-22-08  AMEND ZONING CODE - ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW FOR ALL EXTERIOR BUILDING PERMITS EXCEPT SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCES

     Public Works Director Yost commented that the Architectural Review Board has asked the Planning and Zoning Commission to consider a revision to the Zoning Code requiring architectural review by the ARB of all building permit applications except single-family residences.

     Chairman Waltz appointed Ms. Starr to the subcommittee.  Mr. Yost will coordinate a meeting with Ms. Starr and the Architectural Review Board.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:05 p.m.  The next meeting will be held February 20, 2008, at 7:00 p.m.

Upon request, these minutes can be made available within three working days in an alternate format, such as audiotape, by calling 314-822-5822.