Site Plan:
Wasatch Storage Partners, LLC, proposes to subdivide the lot into 3 properties to develop an approximately 125,000 sq. ft. self-storage facility. The largest lot, at 7.07 acres is proposed to be along the majority of the northern border, and is proposed to be the storage facility site.
An additional two outlots are proposed. Outlot A is proposed to be 5.63 acres and is along the eastern side of the property, adjacent to Evendale Way. The smallest lot, outlot B is proposed to be 3.15 acres, and is northeast of the intersection of Johnny Cake Ridge Road and Upper 147th Street W.
The remaining acreage, .18 acres, is dedicated additional right-of-way to construct a permanent cul-de-sac at the terminus of Evendale Way.
The structure is set back 60' from the northern property line, as required by City code for an industrial use adjacent to residential. There is additional green-space between the drive isle around the building and the residential homes to the north.
Zoning:
The property is zoned "I-1" (Limited Industrial). The Limited Industrial zone permits "auto, marine, and truck storage when completely within a building". The proposal does not include any exterior storage, which would require a Conditional Use Permit within the zone.
Preliminary and Final Plat:
The preliminary and final plats do not dedicate the required area for a cul-de sac to City standards. Additionally, standard 10' easements are required along Evendale Way which are not currently on the plat. The plats will also require amendments to reflect changes to the access from Johnny Cake Ridge Road which are discussed in greater detail in the "Site Access" portion of the report.
Vacation of a Portion of Evendale:
To develop the site as proposed a portion of Evendale Way would be required to be vacated. However, the vacation documentation currently does not include some additional drainage and utility easements that will also need to be vacated. A small portion of these easements will then be rededicated with the expansion of the cul-de-sac at the terminus of Evendale Way.
Site Access and Internal Traffic Flow:
The site is proposed to receive access primarily from Johnny Cake Ridge Road via a right in/right out configuration. As part of the plat of the Lifeworks property an access restriction easement was dedicated to the City which limited access onto Johnny Cake Ridge Road to a single access point for this property. The proposed access from Johnny Cake Ridge Road is not designed to provide access to outlot B to the south. A condition of approval will be that this access be shared, and placed in a location approved by the City Engineer.
City staff is proposing that this access be shifted to the south side of the proposed building. This would allow the access to serve the storage site, and any potential use to the south. The placement should also allow for a right turn lane off of Johnny Cake Ridge road in the future, if the development of outlot B is intensive enough to require additional vehicle stacking/speed reduction.
The access as shown may also create a stacking issue into the site. The site is proposed to be fenced for security, which does not allow adequate room for vehicles turning from Johnny Cake Ridge Road to stack while entering without impeding traffic.
The second access for the site is from Evendale Way via a cul-de-sac. The current plans do not have the correct cul-de-sac dimensions and will be required to be corrected on the plat documents.
Additionally, the City Engineer has requested auto-turn drawings included with the site plan demonstrating that vehicles such as RV's have the ability to navigate the site. Large vehicles are unable to meet the same turning radiuses as a smaller car, and many of the turning movements on the site may require additional space to allow for the types of vehicles being stored inside.
Parking:
Self-storage facilities are not a use listed in the city code for parking calculations. Staff has done research on past approved projects and found that the parking demand at such sites is minimal. The site plans include a proof of parking to meet the parking demand if this facility were utilized as a warehouse facility. A condition of approval will be that a proof of parking agreement is included with the developers agreement for this project.
Staff is also requesting that the interior of the building be striped with parallel parking. This will not only address some of the additional parking concerns, it will also allow interior storage units direction on suitable locations to park. The interior drive isle shall be clearly marked, and the width shall be shown on the plans. Currently, it is unclear how customers will park, and then access a rental unit.
Stormwater Ponding:
The proposed stormwater pond does not designate whether it will be private or publicly maintained. Due to it's proximity to the adjacent city owned and maintained stormwater pond staff is proposing combining the ponding facilities. This combined pond area can be owned and maintained by the City, allowing for a more concise design of the ponding.
The proposed two-cell storm water configuration is not preferred for this site, additional analysis is requested evaluate the feasibility of a single wet sedimentation cell (modified existing cell) with infiltration benches due to proximity to future well location and that this property lies within a Drinking Water Supply Management Area (DWSMA).
Floor Plan:
A conceptual floor plan shows a total of 802 units for rent, with 56 exterior access doors along the northern property line. The majority of the units are proposed to gain access by entering the building through a drive in door. The interior building has a 30' drive isle, and is one way allowing renters access to units served off the main drive. It appears several units are large enough for RV or large boat storage with a mix between 12' x 30' to several 12' x 50' units.
Structure and Elevations:
The 125,000 sq. ft. facility is proposed to be climate controlled with entry to private storage units from the interior of the structure and via overhead exterior doors. The proposed materials are of corrugated metal panels, and split face masonry. The colors of the structure are generally consistent with the surrounding architecture of the industrial zone. However, the brighter red doors which provide access to units may be more apparent due to the number of exterior doors. Previously, the ISD 196 bus garage included 14 double garage doors on the north side. This facility it proposing 56 exterior doors to the north side, and 99 exterior doors overall.
Landscape Plan:
The application included a landscape plan which shows a total of 66 trees, and a variety of shrubs and prairie grasses. City code requires 1.5% of the total project cost to be included as landscaping. A bid list will be provided prior to the issuance of a building permit. A review memo by the Natural Resources Coordinator is attached to the Engineering report.
Currently, there is not any landscaping proposed on the south side of the site. Staff is suggesting that some landscaping be included to the south to break up the visual impact of the building massing. The landscaping on the north side of the site is within a drainage and utility easement. The placement of these tree's and shrubs shall not conflict with any buried utilities.
Impervious Surface Coverage:
The Limited Industrial zone does not have a maximum impervious surface coverage, but does require a maximum building coverage not exceed 45% of the lot, provided exterior storage is not included. If exterior storage is included the maximum building coverage is reduced to 35%. At this time the applicant has not expressed any desire for exterior storage. The proposed building coverage is approximately 41%. City code requires that industrial properties treat the stormwater on site, as such a stormwater pond is proposed with this project.
Exterior Lighting:
A photometric plan is included with this report. The plan shows that the light levels at the property line exceed the .5 foot candles permitted when adjacent to residential properties. The lighting plan shall be amended or lights shall be designed to cast the light downward rather than outward to bring the light levels consistent with City code.