Title
To amend and reordain Ord. No. 82-7-16 and Ord. No. 2007-98-69, adopted February 8, 1982 and amended April 9, 2007, which authorized the special use of the property known as 301 West Franklin Street, to authorize the installation of two canopy signs, upon certain terms and conditions. (As Amended)
Body
O & R Request
EDITION: 1
TO: The Honorable Members of City Council
THROUGH: Levar M. Stoney, Mayor (Patron: Mayor, by Request)
(This in no way reflects a recommendation on behalf of the Mayor.)
THROUGH: Selena Cuffee-Glenn, Chief Administrative Officer
THROUGH: P. Lee Downey, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Economic Development and Planning
FROM: Mark A. Olinger, Director, Department of Planning and Development Review
SUBJECT: Special use permit amendment for 301 West Franklin Street to authorize additional canopy signage
ORD. OR RES. No.________________________________
PURPOSE: To amend and reordain Ord. No. 2007-98-69 and Ord. No. 82-7-16, adopted February 8, 1982, and April 9, 2007, which authorized the special use of the property known as 301 West Franklin Street, to authorize the installation of two canopy signs, upon certain terms and conditions.
REASON: The applicant is proposing to add two signs to a canopy that covers a one-way drive between the building and West Franklin Street. The addition of these sign requires an amendment to the special use permit ordinance approved in 2007.
RECOMMENDATION: In accordance with the requirements of the City Charter and the Zoning Ordinance, the City Planning Commission will review this request and make a recommendation to City Council. This item will be scheduled for consideration by the Commission at its February 6, 2017, meeting. A letter outlining the Commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to City Council following that meeting.
BACKGROUND: The subject property is located on the southwest corner of the intersection of West Franklin Street and North Madison Street and contains approximately 16,360 square feet of lot area. The subject property is currently occupied by a 15-story hotel that contains approximately 128,700 square feet of floor area and 141 parking spaces in three underground parking levels. The subject property is zoned RO-3 Residential Office and is subject to an existing special use permit adopted by Ordinance No. 82-7-16 on February 8, 1982, and amended by Ordinance No. 2007-98-69 on April 9, 2007. This Ordinance would amend the existing special use permit to authorize the addition of two canopy signs.
The RO-3 Residential-Office district requires a fifteen (15) foot front yard. Any structure located within the required front yard cannot exceed three (3) feet in height. The canopy authorized by the 2007 special use permit is approximately twenty (20) feet and six (6) inches in height. The canopy is located over a one-way drive in front of the hotel for guest drop-off and pick-up.
The RO-3 Residential-Office district does not allow signs to be located within five (5) feet of the property line and does not allow signs to exceed eight (8) feet in height. The 2007 special use permit authorized a freestanding sign and sign flagpole located approximately one (1) foot from the property line and a flag sign of approximately twenty (20) feet and six (6) inches in height. The proposed amendment would authorize two signs on the canopy. One thirty-seven (37) square foot sign would be authorized on the front of the canopy facing West Franklin Street and one twenty (20) square foot sign would be authorized on the side of the canopy facing west.
The surrounding properties are zoned RO-3 Residential-Office and B-3 General Business. A mix of uses, including multifamily apartments, offices, and various commercial uses, currently occupy the surrounding properties. The Two-Hundred Block of West Franklin Street City Old and Historic District is directly adjacent to the subject property to the east.
The Richmond Master Plan designates this property as Downtown Urban Center Area. Characterizations of this district include a higher-density, mixed-use development, typically arranged in a fine grained street network with wide sidewalks, regular tree planting, and minimal setbacks. Typically this land use category depicts apartments with no more than four stories in height. In addition, buildings are set back from the street behind a narrow yard. Parking is located on-street, or at the rear of the lot. (p. 3.25).
FISCAL IMPACT: The Department Planning and Development Review does not anticipate any impact to the City’s budget for this or future fiscal years.
COST TO CITY: Staff time for processing the request; preparation of draft ordinance; and publishing, mailing and posting of public notices.
REVENUE TO CITY: $1,200 application fee
DESIRED EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon adoption.
REQUESTED INTRODUCTION DATE: January 9, 2017
CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING DATE: February 13, 2017
REQUESTED AGENDA: Consent
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL COMMITTEE: None
CONSIDERATION BY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES: City Planning Commission, February 6, 2017
AFFECTED AGENCIES: Office of Chief Administrative Officer
Law Department (for review of draft ordinance)
City Assessor (for preparation of mailing labels for public notice)
RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING ORDINANCES: None.
ATTACHMENTS: Application Form, Applicant’s Letter, Draft Ordinance, Survey, Plans
STAFF: Leigh V. Kelley, Senior Planner
Land Use Administration (Room 511)
646-6384
PDR O&R No. 16-38