DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT STAFF REPORT STAFF REPORT JIM ELLIS CADILLAC DCI

Transcription

1 DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT STAFF REPORT ARB Meeting Date: May 1, 2018 Item #: PZ STAFF REPORT JIM ELLIS CADILLAC DCI Request: Project Name: Page 1 of 17 Development of Community Compact (DCI), eleven concurrent variances, and six concurrent waivers Jim Ellis Cadillac Site Addresses: 0, 5880, and 5900 Peachtree Boulevard Parcel Numbers: , 038, and 001 Applicant: Owners: Proposed Development: Current Zoning: Staff Recommendation: District Standards: Steve Ellis, Pro Building Systems JBE Realty, LLLP Redevelopment of an automobile dealership for a 29,100 square foot building addition and new 202,400 square foot parking deck. Corridor Commercial (CC) - This zoning district is intended primarily for commercial and mixed-use development and related accessory uses at a medium density. This district provides a location for residences, retail, goods and services and offices to satisfy the common and frequent needs of the City's businesses and residents with design standards and design parameters to encourage a pedestrian-friendly traditional urban form, oriented to pedestrians, which will limit the conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians. DENIAL of DCI as proposed CC Zoning District Standards (Boulevard Street) (Storefront Street) FAR (max.) 2.5 Front Yard Setback (min.) 0 ft Impervious Surface (max.) 80% Rear Yard Setback (min.) 0 ft Open Space (min.) 20% Side Yard Setback (min.) 0 ft Building Height (min./max.) 24 ft/60 ft Landscape Strip 10 ft - 16 ft Lot Size (min.) N/A Sidewalk Clear Zone 10 ft Lot Width (min.) N/A Supplemental Zone 10 ft

2 Current Use: Automobile sales and service and inventory storage with surface parking lots. Surrounding Land Uses: West NR-1: Forrest Court Subdivision, single-family detached residential homes East CC: Automobile dealerships, Global Imports MINI; Jim Ellis VW North NR-1: single-family detached residential homes; undeveloped land South CC: Automobile dealership, Jim Ellis Buick/GMC; World Toyota Future Development Map: The subject property is within the Motor Mile Corridor character area of the Future Development Map in the City of Chamblee Comprehensive Plan. The vision for the Motor Mile Corridor character area is: The Motor Mile Corridor will continue to be a major regional shopping destination for auto sales and service. Though local commercial areas will be primarily auto oriented in their marketing, local land uses will reflect a mixed use urban environment that is friendly to alternative modes of transportation and visually appealing to visitors. Appropriate zoning districts are: CC - Corridor Commercial IT - Industrial Transitional Key Policies and Implementation Measures include the following: Implement urban design standards that feature coordinated signage, inventory display, street furniture, lighting and landscaping that create a recognizable character for the corridor and improve walkability. Install a prominent gateway monument close to I-285, announcing that the area is part of Chamblee. Maintain appropriate buffers between residential areas to the north and the commercial uses along the corridor. Allow the continued use and adaptive reuse of older industrial buildings outside the view shed of the corridor within the requirements of the IT zoning district. Site Description: The subject property consists of three existing parcels located at the intersection of Peachtree Boulevard and North Shallowford Road, on the west side of Peachtree Boulevard and south side of North Shallowford Road. The three parcels total approximately 9.9 acres. The applicant has Page 2 of 17

3 provided a site map that illustrates the existing parcels involved, which are labeled Tract 1, Tract 2, and Tract 4. Currently, Tract 1 contains a Jim Ellis Chevrolet Truck dealership building and a separate service center building; Tract 2 contains a Jim Ellis Pre-Owned Vehicles dealership building; and Tract 4 contains a surface parking lot that is used by the other tracts. Tract 3, also pictured on the site plan, contains a Jim Ellis Buick/GMC sales and service building, and is not a part of this application. Tract 1 is approximately 6.2 acres. It currently has two curb cuts on N Shallowford Rd, and one curb cut on Peachtree Blvd. There is a MARTA bus stop along the Peachtree Blvd frontage of Tract 1. There is no streetscape along the N Shallowford frontage. An 8-foot-wide sidewalk abuts the back of curb along Peachtree Blvd. Tract 2 is approximately 1.7 acres. It currently has a single curb cut, on Peachtree Blvd. An 8-foot-wide sidewalk abuts the back of curb along Peachtree Blvd. Tract 4 is approximately 0.59 acres. It is landlocked, but has inter-parcel access to the other tracts. This campus of Jim Ellis dealerships abuts a residential subdivision, Forrest Court, zoned NR-1, to the west. A 40-foot-wide zoning buffer exists on each lot that abuts NR-1-zoned property. The subject lots slope significantly from northeast to southwest, towards a drainage ditch in the rear of the properties, where the residential subdivision is located. The ditch is not subject to the City s stream buffer regulations. There is a network of concrete retaining walls of varying heights throughout the site. The walls, and fences atop the walls, separate the rear of the lots into separate, but interconnected vehicle inventory storage areas. The inventory storage areas are highly visible from N Shallowford Rd, and less so from Peachtree Blvd. A 60-foot-wide gas pipeline easement is located near the northwest corner of Tract 1. Within the easement, trees and structures are not permitted. Description of Proposed Project: The applicant proposes to update the interior and exterior of the existing sales and service building on Tract 2, including the addition of a showroom in the front, to become the home for the newly-created Jim Ellis Cadillac dealership. The project also calls for construction of a new parking garage structure, to be located behind the sales and service building. To do this, the applicant proposes to combine Tracts 2 and 4, and a portion of Tract 1, into a acre parcel. This would become the new Tract 2, and would reduce Tract 1 to acres, as illustrated in the site plan provided by the applicant. A summary of the project is as follows: Page 3 of 17

4 - Renovations to the interior and exterior of existing Pre-Owned Vehicles sales and service center, including a 2-story showroom addition, to be occupied by new Jim Ellis Cadillac dealership; - Construction of a 202,400 square foot parking deck with 860 parking spaces. The parking deck would contain a basement level, plus 4 structured levels with a height of approximately 52 feet to the top of the parapet; - Landscaping and ADA site upgrades; - Installation of required streetscape on Peachtree Blvd along the frontage of the new acre parcel; - Enhancement of zoning buffer in the rear of the lot. The project qualifies as a Development of Community Impact (DCI). The purpose of the DCI shall be to: (1) Provide for unified approaches to the development of land; (2) Provide for the development of stable environments that are compatible with surrounding areas of the community; and (3) Provide for architectural review and approval for individual large-scale structures not subject to other legislative review. DCI applications require review and recommendation by the Architectural Review Board (ARB), prior to a public hearing by Mayor and City Council. DCI Review and Approval Criteria: The following review and approval criteria, described in Sec , must be used in reviewing and taking action on all DCI applications: 1. Design shall be in harmony with the general character of the neighborhood and surrounding area, considering factors such as mass, placement, height, changing land use patterns, and consistency of exterior architectural treatment, especially in areas of historic and special design interest. The general character of the surrounding area to the east, south, and northeast is one comprised primarily of automobile sales and service businesses that exist in an agglomeration along both sides of Peachtree Blvd in Chamblee and Doraville in this area. The Jim Ellis Pre-Owned Center building, like the other buildings on this campus, is fairly dated, particularly when compared to the many updated automobile sales buildings on the corridor. The proposed large, high-ceiling glass storefront and showroom would be in keeping with the more recently renovated dealerships in the area and the automobile requirements of the UDO. Page 4 of 17

5 The mass of the parking garage structure is that of a typical parking garage, although it would be much larger and taller than the commercial building on the site, or on the adjacent Jim Ellis tracts. The height of the parking garage would, however, be less than the maximum allowed in the district. Parking garages have been constructed at other dealerships along the Motor Mile corridor over the past decade. The nearby Audi and KIA dealerships both have structured parking, however in both instances the structure is located behind the sales building and is significantly obscured from view from the right-of-way. The placement of the proposed parking garage would cause it to be highly visible from N Shallowford Rd. Due to the proposed height of four stories, the upper portions of it also would be highly visible from the residential subdivision to the north. 2. Design components shall be planned such that they are physically and aesthetically related and coordinated with other elements of the project and surrounding environment to ensure visual continuity of design. The existing sales building will be updated with a glass storefront and updated metal exterior for an enhanced, modern, and aesthetically appealing look that can be seen in other new or recently remodeled dealership buildings in the area. In an area-wide sense, the updates to the sales building will represent a continuity of design. The parking deck is proposed to be a gray concrete structure with trellises supporting climbing vegetation placed over many of the structure s openings. The applicant has requested numerous variances from the aesthetical supplemental regulations for parking decks. 3. Design shall protect scenic views, particularly those of open space, and utilize natural features of the site. There are no scenic views to protect. The site has been nearly entirely developed, except for the vegetative area within the 40-foot zoning buffer. The project calls for adding an additional 12 feet of green space to the zoning buffer. There is little, if any, usable open space on the site. 4. Design shall protect adjacent properties from negative visual and functional impacts. The parking deck, as proposed, would create negative visual impact from properties located in the residential subdivision to the north, and from the right-of-way of N Shallowford Rd. No negative functional impacts are likely to occur. In fact, the 860 parking spaces in the proposed parking garage would serve the entire Jim Ellis campus on the abutting tracts, which is Page 5 of 17

6 expected to reduce the negative functional impacts caused by the dealership frequently transporting vehicles from off-site surface parking lots to the campus. 5. Design shall respect the historical character of the immediate area as integral parts of community life in the City and shall protect and preserve structures and spaces which provide a significant link within these areas. The built environment in the immediate area possesses little, if any, historical character of value. 6. All exterior forms, attached to buildings or not, shall be in conformity with, and secondary to, the building. The primary structure on the newly created lot will be the Cadillac sales and service building and showroom. There will be no exterior forms separate from the building itself. The parking garage, however, would be larger in mass and height than the Cadillac sales building, would function as an accessory structure in the rear of the lot, and will be very dissimilar from the primary building, exhibiting no real conformity or relationship, aesthetically-speaking, to it. 7. The proposed development is suitable in view of the use and development of adjacent and nearby property. The proposed development is generally suitable in view of the use and development of adjacent and nearby property. The remodel and additions to the existing sales and service building are suitable in view of the surrounding elements. The 860-square-foot parking garage will be noticeably large for the site compared to the primary building, and compared to the rest of the buildings on the Jim Ellis campus. Due to the presence of 60-foot-wide petroleum pipeline easement in the northwest corner of proposed tract 1 and 2, installing screening trees in that location will not be possible. Where that gap exists, the parking garage will be highly visible from several of the residential properties and the ROW on Forrest Court. 8. The proposed development does not adversely affect the existing use or usability of adjacent or nearby property. The proposed development does not adversely affect the existing use or usability of adjacent or nearby property. 9. The proposed development does not result in a use which will or could cause an excessive or burdensome use of existing streets, transportation facilities, utilities or schools. The proposed development does not result in a use which will or could cause an excessive or burdensome use of existing streets, transportation facilities, utilities or schools. 10. The proposed development is in conformance with the applicable zoning district. Page 6 of 17

7 The proposed development is not entirely in conformance with the UDO regulations for the CC zoning district. For those regulations which compliance would not be achieved, the applicant has requested a variance or waiver from the UDO. The CC zoning district promotes commercial development and related accessory uses at a medium density, which the proposed use meets. The district has an emphasis on design elements that encourage a pedestrian-friendly traditional urban form. The applicant has proposed to install the required landscape strip, sidewalk and streetscape element, but to not fully comply with the requirements for a supplemental zone behind the sidewalk. The applicant does, however, intend to comply with the supplemental zone requirement to provide street furniture in front of the site. The project will make a number of existing nonconformities more compliant, or in some instances, bring them into full compliance, such as the screening of roof-mounted accessory mechanical equipment from view from the right-of-way, meeting the minimum fenestration, meeting the minimum building height, separating land uses within the site, providing a pedestrian connection from the sidewalk to the building, and installing the required streetscape. 11. The proposed development is in conformance with the provisions of the future development plan articulated in the City s Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan identifies the vision for the Motor Mile Corridor as an area that will continue to be a major regional shopping destination for auto sales and service. The proposed use and structures are in line with that aspect of the vision. However, land uses are also envisioned to be visually appealing to visitors. The proposed remodeled sales and service building and showroom addition calls for replacing the outdated brick and concrete building with light and dark colored aluminum composite panels and installing an enhanced storefront system and new fenestration on the sides of the building. The new storefront showroom addition will allow for the display of vehicles within the enclosed storefront in an aesthetically pleasing manner, viewable from the right-of-way. The parking garage will consist of pre-cast gray concrete panels and vegetative trellises over many of the openings. Although it will have low visibility from Peachtree Blvd, it will be highly visible from N Shallowford Rd. As proposed, the parking garage does not meet the vision of being visually appealing to visitors, nor does it give recognizable character to the area. The Comprehensive Plan calls for maintaining appropriate buffers between residential areas to the north and commercial uses. The proposed project meets the buffer regulations. The parking deck structure would be located approximately 52 feet from the rear lot line. Applicant s Concurrent Variance Requests: Page 7 of 17

8 The project requires approval of variances with respect to the requirements of the UDO. Per Sec of the UDO, concurrent review for variance applications may be filed with a DCI application. The applicant requests approval of concurrent VARIANCES from the following regulations of Title 2 of the UDO: 1. Variance from Sec (a) to increase the maximum allowed impervious surface area from 80% to 82.4% on the proposed Tract 1, and from 80% to 81.4% on the proposed Tract 2; 2. Variance from Sec (a) to reduce the required amount of open space from 20% to 18.6%; 3. Variance from Sec (a)(1) to allow previously installed improvements to remain in the supplemental zone; 4. Variance from Sec (g) to allow an accessory structure to be larger than the primary structure in dimensional aspects; 5. Variance from Sec to allow for the appearance of a metal building; 6. Variance from Sec (g)(1)(a) to allow for the primary pedestrian access to be to the side of the building; 7. Variance from Sec (b)(3) to allow for an existing motor-vehicle-related use to expand on a storefront street; 8. Variance from Sec to allow site lighting to be above the maximum allowable foot-candle limit in vehicle display areas; 9. Variance from Sec (b)(24) to increase the number of allowable display vehicles in the front yard from 6 vehicles to 23 vehicles, and to allow the display vehicles to be located closer than 20 feet from the front lot line; 10. Variance from Sec (b)(40) to vary the supplemental use provisions for the construction of a parking structure; 11. Variance from Sec (a)(1) to eliminate the requirement to provide compact parking spaces. Per the review and approval criteria described in Section (a), the Mayor and City Council may authorize variances from the provisions of this UDO only after making the following findings a. There are extraordinary and exceptional conditions pertaining to the particular property in question because of its size, shape or topography; Page 8 of 17

9 The campus has exceptional topographical challenges. There are numerous significant grade changes throughout the tracts. The campus features a network of retaining walls of varying heights, some with fences atop, that allow for the existence of the numerous parking areas and driveways that serve the businesses. The applicant proposes to re-plat three existing lots into two lots. The configurations of the proposed lots are necessary to facilitate the proposed project. By changing the shape and boundaries of the lots, the applicant is altering the shape, size, and conditions unique to each lot. b. The application of this zoning ordinance to the particular piece of property would create an unnecessary hardship; The application of the requirements of the zoning ordinance to the particular piece of property involved would create some hardships. A hardship exists to support approval of a variance from Sec (g) to allow an accessory structure to be larger than the primary structure in dimensional aspects. A structured parking garage necessary to serve the Cadillac dealership and other dealerships on the campus would need to be larger in size than the one- and two-story sales and service building. The applicant has requested a variance to remodel the existing sales and service building using metal building materials on the exterior. These aluminum composite panels are not allowed by the UDO. While staff finds the use of aluminum composite panel, in combination with the proposed fenestration, to be acceptable for this type of building in this character area, staff does not find there to be a hardship. The request for relief from Sec (g)(1)(a) to allow for the primary pedestrian access to be to the side of the building does not present a hardship. The applicant could locate the primary pedestrian access to the building in such a way that it faces and is directly visible and accessible from the public sidewalk, however, they have opted for a configuration that places the entrance on the side of the showroom. The request for relief from Sec (a)(1) to eliminate the requirement to install compact parking spaces does not present a hardship. The applicant could restripe the required number of compact parking spaces. The request for relief from Sec (b)(3) to allow for this existing motor-vehiclerelated use to expand on a storefront street does present a hardship, generally. Page 9 of 17

10 The request for relief from Sec (a) to increase the maximum allowed impervious surface area from 80% to 82.4% on the proposed Tract 1, and 81.4% on the proposed Tract 2; and from Sec (a) to reduce the required amount of open space from 20% to approximately 18.6% on Tract 1 and Tract 2 do not present a hardship. The applicant is creating new lots by re-platting them. The 40-foot buffer provides much of the needed pervious surfaces and open space. The applicant can meet the regulations by removing some non-compliant parking or display spaces in the front yard on Tract 2 and by planting a screening buffer between the parking garage and N Shallowford Rd on Tract 1. The request for relief from Sec (a)(1) to allow previously installed improvements to remain in the supplemental zone presents a hardship. There is little opportunity for the proposed Tract 2 lot, with its single curb cut located in front of the building, and driveway with inter-parcel access, to fulfill the supplemental zone requirements, without demolishing the existing building or losing the inter-parcel driveway in the front. The request for relief from Sec (b)(24) to increase the number of allowable display vehicles in the front yard from 6 vehicles to 23 vehicles, and to allow the display vehicles to be located closer than 20 feet from the front lot line, does not present a hardship. This is an arbitrary request to have more display vehicles in the front yard than allowed by code. The request for relief from Sec to allow site lighting to be above the maximum allowable foot-candle limit in vehicle display areas does not present a hardship. Staff does find that the industry standards for the proposed use does frequently involve lighting practices in excess of what the UDO allows, however this does not constitute a hardship, and the applicant has not demonstrated that the UDO regulations for site lighting would be insufficient. The request for relief from Sec (b)(40) to vary the supplemental use provisions for the construction of a parking structure do not present a hardship. The regulations for which a variance is requested are as follows: a. Multi-story parking structures shall meet the standards of Section concerning proportion and scale of building facades. b. Above-ground decks of multi-level parking structures shall not face public streets. Structures shall be screened from view by "liner buildings" providing pedestrianoriented activities such as retail or office at least 20 feet in depth that are continuous along the ground floor except for driveway entrances or completely Page 10 of 17

11 enclosed by architectural facades that provide materials and design elements comparable to occupied buildings with external openings having proportions similar to those of upper floors of occupied buildings. c. External openings shall be screened with decorative elements such as metal grillwork, brick screens, or louvers. d. Facades of all multi-story parking structures shall conceal automobiles from visibility from any public right-of-way or private drive or street that is open to the public. e. Facades of all multi-story parking structures shall have the appearance of a horizontal-storied building. f. The roof level of multi-story parking structures open to the sky shall provide adequate shade cover for a minimum of 40 percent of the upper surface. The applicant proposes to construct a gray concrete parking deck with trellises containing vegetation to be placed over many of the structure s openings. The requests for relief from Sec (b)(40) do not present a hardship. c. Such conditions are peculiar to the particular piece of property involved; The unusual topographical conditions are unique to the subject lot. d. Such conditions are not the result of any actions of the property owner; or The existing topographical conditions are not the result of the property owner. The property owner proposes to re-plat the lots to create a lot that will have similar topographical challenges to those that currently exist, but will be able to accommodate a large parking garage structure in all dimensional aspects of zoning except for impervious surface area. e. Relief, if granted, would not cause substantial detriment to the public good nor impair the purposes or intent of this zoning ordinance. Relief, if granted could impair some of the stated purposes of the zoning ordinance. The UDO, in Sec , has twelve stated purposes. Among them are: Encourage an aesthetically attractive environment, both built and natural, and to provide for regulations that protect and enhance these aesthetic considerations; Improve the City's appearance; Encourage the most appropriate use of land, buildings, and other structures throughout the City; and Page 11 of 17

12 Implement relevant elements of the City's adopted comprehensive plan and other adopted plans and policies. The UDO supplemental regulations for parking structures are mostly aesthetic regulations. The applicant has requested variances from these in order to construct a gray concrete structure. Although the site, as it exists today, is not aesthetically pleasing, the parking deck, as proposed, does not create an aesthetically attractive environment either. The parking deck would bring some order to the site, but it would be merely an exchange of one form of aesthetically unpleasing sight for another. Relief from the regulation that does not allow metal building materials would not cause substantial detriment to the public good. The use of aluminum composite panels on the exterior of the renovated sales and service building is quite common in the modern automobile dealership industry, including on similar buildings constructed or renovated in the Motor Mile corridor over the past decade. Relief from Sec (g) to allow an accessory structure to be larger than the primary structure in dimensional aspects would be a detriment as proposed, However, if necessary screening and architectural treatments are made to the parking deck, then the structure could be constructed without impairing the purposes of the zoning ordinance or public good. Relief from Sec (g)(1)(a) to allow for the primary pedestrian access to be to the side of the building would not be a detriment to the public good nor impair the purposes or intent of the zoning ordinance. The applicant is proposing to install the required pedestrian connection from the sidewalk to the building, which will continue across the driveway. The glass storefront showroom design with the entrance to the side is common in the industry. Relief from Sec (a)(1) to eliminate the requirement to install compact parking spaces does would not be a detriment to the public good nor impair the purposes or intent of the zoning ordinance. Relief from Sec (b)(3) to allow for this existing motor-vehicle-related use to expand on a storefront street, does not pose a detriment to the public good nor impair the purposes or intent of the zoning ordinance, although, the materials and configuration of the parking garage structure, as proposed, are somewhat at odds with the above-referenced stated purposes of the zoning ordinance. Page 12 of 17

13 Relief from Sec (a) to increase the maximum allowed impervious surface area from 80% to 82.4% on the proposed Tract 1, and 81.4% on the proposed Tract 2; and from Sec (a) to reduce the required amount of open space from 20% to approximately 18.6% on Tract 1 and Tract 2 would not do not be a detriment to the public good nor impair the purposes or intent of the zoning ordinance, as the project would actually constitute a reduction in the amount of impervious surfaces on the campus as a whole. Relief from Sec (a)(1) to allow previously installed improvements to remain in the supplemental zone would be at odds with the purpose and intent of the CC zoning district to promote design standards and design parameters that encourage a pedestrian-friendly traditional urban form, oriented to pedestrians, which limits the conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians. Relief from Sec (b)(24) to increase the number of allowable display vehicles in the front yard from 6 vehicles to 23 vehicles, and to allow the display vehicles to be located closer than 20 feet from the front lot line, ties into the request to not install the supplemental zone per the UDO regulations, and while the request would not pose detriment to the public good, it is also not fully in line with the purposes or intent of the zoning ordinance. Relief from Sec to allow site lighting to be above the maximum allowable footcandle limit in vehicle display areas could be done so as not to be a detriment to the public good nor impair the purposes or intent of the zoning ordinance, however, staff has not reviewed a photometric plan and therefore does not have enough information to say whether the proposed lighting would be installed in such a way so as not to be a detriment to the public good. Relief from Sec (b)(40) to vary the supplemental use provisions for the construction of a parking structure could be done so as not to be a detriment to the public good, if the proper screening measures are implemented, although, the presence of a 60-foot-wide gas pipeline easement between the proposed parking deck structure and some residential lots to the northwest, and N Shallowford to the east, means there will be some places where vegetative screening cannot be accomplished. A variance from all supplemental use standards, which are primarily all aesthetic in nature, would not be in line with the aforementioned purposes or intent of the zoning ordinance. Applicant s Concurrent Waiver Requests: Page 13 of 17

14 The project requires approval of waivers with respect to the requirements of the UDO. Per Sec of the UDO, concurrent review for waiver applications may be filed with a DCI application. The applicant requests approval of concurrent WAIVERS from the following regulations of Title 3 of the UDO: 1. Waiver from Sec (a)(1) to substitute the requirement for a landscape island every 10 feet with the existing landscape islands; 2. Waiver from Sec (a)(4) to eliminate 5 landscape strip requirement for head to head parking; 3. Waiver from Sec (a)(5) to eliminate 5 landscape strip requirement for perimeter of parking spaces; 4. Waiver from Sec (a)(1)(e) to allow a driveway between the building and sidewalk; 5. Waiver from Sec to eliminate the requirement to bury overhead utilities along Peachtree Blvd. Only in situations as described in Section 300-8, where, because of severe topographical or other conditions peculiar to the site, strict adherence to the provisions of Title 3 of the UDO would cause an unnecessary hardship that is not caused by the owner, the Mayor and City Council may, after considering the written recommendation of the Development Director, authorize a waiver from the terms of Title 3 only to the extent that is absolutely necessary and not to an extent which would violate the intent of Title 3. The expansion of the site in the front and side yards of the existing sales and service building is severely limited by topography and the configuration of the abutting lots and retaining walls. This presents a challenge to coming into compliance with the City s parking lot landscaping regulations in Sec (a) without losing a substantial amount of visitor parking spaces, in addition to the parking spaces that are being lost to facilitate the addition of the showroom. There are severe topographical conditions and other peculiar conditions that support approval of a waiver from the regulation that does not allow driveways to be located between the building and the public sidewalk. The applicant has not submitted any supporting documentation of the existence of a hardship due to topographical or other peculiar conditions to the site that would warrant a waiver from the requirement to bury the utility lines in the ROW. However, the applicant should be allowed, in Page 14 of 17

15 this case, to pay a fee-in-lieu of burying the utilities for this short section of ROW. If the abutting lots, also part of the Jim Ellis campus, re-develop, these utility lines could be buried at such time the lines on one or both of those lots are buried. Staff Recommendation: Based on the analysis of this application, using the standards and criteria found in Chapter 280 and Chapter 300 of the UDO, staff recommends DENIAL of the DCI application PZ , as proposed. Should City Council motion to approve the DCI application, Staff recommends approval of the following variance and waiver requests: 1. Variance from Sec (g) to allow an accessory structure to be larger than the primary structure in dimensional aspects; 2. Variance from Sec to allow for the appearance of a metal building; 3. Variance from Sec (g)(1)(a) to allow for the primary pedestrian access to be to the side of the building; 4. Variance from Sec (b)(3) to allow for an existing motor-vehicle-related use to expand on a storefront street; 5. Variance from Sec (a)(1) to eliminate the requirement for compact parking spaces; 6. Variance from Sec (b)(24) to increase the number of allowable display vehicles in the front yard from 6 vehicles to 23 vehicles, and to allow the display vehicles to be located closer than 20 feet from the front lot line; 7. Waiver from Sec (a)(1) to substitute the requirement for a landscape island every 10 feet with the existing landscape islands; 8. Waiver from Sec (a)(4) to eliminate 5 landscape strip requirement for head to head parking; 9. Waiver from Sec (a)(5) to eliminate 5 landscape strip requirement for perimeter of parking spaces; 10. Waiver from Sec (a)(1)(e) to allow a driveway between the building and sidewalk; 11. Variance from Sec (a)(1) to allow previously installed improvements to remain in the supplemental zone; 12. Variance from Sec (b)(40) to vary the following supplemental use provisions for the construction of a parking structure: a. Multi-story parking structures shall meet the standards of Section concerning proportion and scale of building facades. b. Above ground decks of multi-level parking structures shall not face public streets. Structures shall be screened from view by "liner buildings" providing pedestrian-oriented activities such as retail or office at least 20 feet in depth that Page 15 of 17

16 are continuous along the ground floor except for driveway entrances or completely enclosed by architectural facades that provide materials and design elements comparable to occupied buildings with external openings having proportions similar to those of upper floors of occupied buildings. d. Facades of all multi-story parking structures shall conceal automobiles from visibility from any public right-of-way or private drive or street that is open to the public. g. The roof level of multi-story parking structures open to the sky shall provide adequate shade cover for a minimum of 40 percent of the upper surface. Should City Council motion to approve the DCI application, Staff recommends the following conditions of approval: 1. The surface parking lot and driveway located between the proposed parking structure and N Shallowford Rd shall be planted to buffer standards, except for the portion of the driveway necessary to allow for vehicular access to the parking garage. Vegetation shall be installed in the 60-foot-wide easement to the extent allowed by the easement holder. 2. Lights on the structured levels of the parking deck shall not be visible from the public right-of-way or neighboring properties after business hours. 3. The row of eight (8) parking spaces located along the frontage directly in front of the sales and service building shall be removed, and in its place shall be open space which shall include a combination of plantings and hardscaped area consistent with the regulations in the open space and supplemental zone sections of the UDO. 4. The applicant shall pay a fee-in-lieu of burying the utilities in the ROW. Should City Council motion to approve the DCI application, Staff recommends denial of the following variance and waiver requests, as they fail to meet the criteria for approval found in Chapter 280 or Chapter 300: 1. Variance from Sec (a) to increase the maximum allowed impervious surface area from 80% to 82.4% on the proposed Tract 1, and 81.4% on the proposed Tract 2; 2. Variance from Sec (a) to reduce the required amount of open space from 20% to approximately 18.6% on Tract 1 and 2; 3. Variance from Sec (b)(40) to vary the following subsections in the supplemental use provisions for the construction of a parking structure: c. External openings shall be screened with decorative elements such as metal grillwork, brick screens, or louvers. Page 16 of 17

17 e. Facades of all multi-story parking structures shall have the appearance of a horizontal-storied building. 4. Variance from Sec to allow site lighting to be above the maximum allowable foot-candle limit in vehicle display areas; 5. Waiver from Sec to eliminate the requirement to bury overhead utilities along Peachtree Blvd. Attachments: Attachment 1 EXHIBIT A: DCI Plan Book for Jim Ellis Cadillac, dated received April 12, 2018 Attachment 2 Location Maps Page 17 of 17