2004-72 REZONING PROPERTY - 2901-2999 NORTH MONROE STREET AND 635-757 WEST PERSHING ROAD

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Excerpts from Decatur City Plan Commission Meeting September 2, 2004 � Cal. No. 04-47 Petition of ORIX CAPITAL MARKETS, to rezone , the premises at 2901-2999 North Monroe Street and 635-747 West Pershing Road, commonly known as Spring Creek Plaza, from R-1 Single-Family Residence ' District to B-2 Commercial District. Mr. Crowe was sworn in by Ms. Jesse. ' , Mr. Crowe gave the following recommendation of staff: The subject property, Spring Creek Plaza, contains approximately 9.6 acres. The site has ' operated under a court ordered special use permit since 1976 as a B-1 Neighborhood Shopping Center excluding filling stations. � The etitioner _ p is requesting the rezoning of the property to B 2 Commercial District to , redevelop the site. No specific plans or uses have been presented to the City. While the ' current use of the center is of a neighborhood commercial nature, rezoning the property to B-2 may allow a host of more intensive uses, such as, automotive re air as stations P � g and commercial fabrication. Some of those uses may or may not be appropriate for the ' site, however, staff is of the opinion that the City Plan Commission and City Council ' should ultimately review any proposed changes in use. �I Rezoning the site to B-3, Planned Shopping Center will allow the City to ensure that any �I sensitive design concerns mvolved in a redevelopment project are addressed in a � comprehensive manner. Related redevelopment projects with similar issues of quality design and appropriate use have been managed with planned unit development. The I�I Osco Drug facility to the east is zoned B-3 and the office facilities to the north are both , zoned O-1, Planned Unit Development. The City has required similar shopping centers �I in the northern part of Decatur to satisfy the requirements of planned development (B-3) li zoning, including: Mound Center, Brettwood Village, Wal-Mart North and the Circuit I City complex. More importantly, the redevelopment of the site permits greater flexibility within the B-3 District for non-conforming areas such as setbacks, landscaping, lighting and signage. Staff is of the opinion that these issues can be resolved in the context of a unified development plan, rather than through a series of variances which must be approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals. Because there are many challenges to redeveloping the site, staff is of the opinion that the property should be rezoned to B-3 Planned Shopping Center District. Staff believes that B-2 Commercial District is too intense for the site and inconsistent with neighboring uses. Accordingly, a motion to forward Calendar Number 04-47 to the City Council with a recommendation for denial is suggested.