2011-10 REZONING PROPERTY 3350 N WATER STREET

Home Browse Search

.•, Y Suzan Stickle Senior Planner Decatur Plan Commission sstickle@decaturi l.gov Dear Ms. Stickle, Please read for consideration these comments regarding Calendar Number 11-02 (Petition of B &R DEVELOPMENT, LLP to rezone property located at 3350 NORTH WATER STREET from R-3 Single Family Residence District to PD Planned Development District), during the Decatur Plan Commission PL blic Hearing Thursday,February 3,2011. Rezoning of thr property under consideration should not adversely affect the residents in,or character of,tht Brettwood Heights neighborhood to the north,or the general area. The following are suggestions for better achieving the goal of not adversely affecting the neighborhood: • The site break fence should be relocated to the north edge of the parking lot(south, instead of north of'buffer yard 1 where it is in the drawing),as the planning staff recommends. • The fence should then be extended to a point north of the proposed rear(east)fence of the trash enclosure. • The proposed rear(east) fence of the trash enclosure should be extended north and connected to the east end of the site break fence,forming a corner. • The proposed rear(east) fence of the refuse enclosure should also be extended to a point even with the south edge of the north parking lot. o "file southeast corner of the trash enclosure is close to (the east) buffer yard 2,which is mostly in the flood plain. For much of the rainy part of the year,this will not be a buffer yard at all,but Spring Creek. The trash enclosure is less than the width of the buffer yard away from the flood plain, so the site break fence should enclose the activity area from the neighborhood. • The "&ergreen Tree Screen" should be extended east beyond the corner of the"new"fence, and als, to continued south,to a point even with the south edge of the north parking lot. o file current "Evergreen Tree Screen" is inadequate, as it ends prior to the eastern ,:dge of the parking lot, leaving the neighborhood unshielded from the east portion of !.he activity area (parking lot and trash). o This continued tree screen should occupy the open area between the east side of the garbage enclosure and the flood plain line. Optimal position would be at a 90° angle from the current evergreen tree screen,and extending to the southern end of the parking lot, which would put its southern edge just south of the red sunset maple,or just about where the flood plain line starts bending to the east. • The connbination of the extended fence and continued tree screen will form an effective break between the development and the residential neighborhood (especially lots 18 and 19 which look directly south and west onto the north/northeast of the site). It will close the void that the current fence and area near the meeting of buffer yards 1 and 2 do not. It will also replace some of the trees recently cleared from the proposed location, as well as add to the neighborhood's wooded decor. • The proposed building should have a completely brick exterior.