A. Surface Parking Lot Setback Requirements:
1. Front Setback Requirements: Parking and loading areas must be set back at least ten feet (10') from any front and street side lot line. However, any loading area, parking spaces or aisles located within fifty feet (50') of a residential zone boundary must be set back at least twenty feet (20') from any front and street side lot line.
2. Side And Rear Setback Requirements: Parking and loading areas must be set back at least five feet (5') from any (nonstreet side) side or rear lot line. However, parking and loading areas must be set back at least ten feet (10') from any side or rear lot line that abuts a property zoned residential. The city may exempt from these setback regulations any specific locations along a lot line where a parking area, aisle or drive is shared with an abutting lot.
3. Drives:
a. Drives that are internal to a parking area, including drives that provide circulation around the perimeter of a parking area, are considered part of the parking area and must meet the setback standards as specified above. Drives that are external to a parking area must be set back at least three feet (3') from any abutting property that is zoned nonresidential, unless the drive is pitched or curbed and drained to prevent the flow of water onto adjoining property or unless a drainage course has been established along lot lines to handle stormwater runoff. Any specific locations along a side or rear lot line where a drive is shared with an abutting lot may be exempted from these standards.
b. Drives that are external to a parking area must be set back at least ten feet (10') from any abutting property that is zoned residential.
B. Landscaping And Tree Requirements For Parking Areas: Parking areas that contain more than eighteen (18) parking spaces must be designed to include trees and planting areas according to the provisions of chapter 5, article A, "Off Street Parking And Loading Standards", of this title.
C. Screening Requirements:
1. Surface parking areas, loading areas, and drives must be screened from public rights of way to at least the S2 standard. (See chapter 5, article F, "Screening And Buffering Standards", of this title.)
2. Surface parking areas, loading areas, and drives must be screened from view of abutting properties to at least the S2 standard. Additional screening is required for properties that abut properties zoned residential. Parking areas, loading areas, and drives must be screened from view of any abutting property zoned residential to at least the S3 standard. The city may exempt from this landscaping requirement any specific locations along a side or rear lot line where a parking area, loading area, aisle or drive is shared with an abutting lot.
3. Where a lot in a public zone abuts or is across a street or railroad right of way from a residential zone, daycare use, educational facility, parks and open space use, or the Iowa River, any parking and loading areas and outdoor work and storage areas must be located behind buildings or screened from view of said uses and zones to at least the S3 standard.
4. All ground level mechanical and utility equipment, such as heat pumps, air conditioners, emergency generators, and water pumps, must be screened from public view to at least the S2 standard. If it is not feasible to use landscape screening, the mechanical equipment must be screened using wall or fencing materials complementary to the principal structure.
5. Screening requirements may be waived by the building official upon presentation of convincing evidence that a planting screen cannot be expected to thrive in a particular location because of intense shade, soil conditions, or other site characteristics. The presence of existing pavement, by itself, shall not constitute convincing evidence. If a landscape screening requirement is waived by the building official because plantings cannot be expected to survive, a fence or wall built to the S5 standard must be substituted for the landscape screening. (Ord. 05-4186, 12-15-2005)
6. Screening may be waived by the building official where the view is or will be blocked by a change in grade or by natural or humanmade features, such that screening is effectively provided and the intent of the standard is met, as determined by the building official. (Ord. 06-4245, 12-12-2006)
D. Storage Of Materials And Equipment:
1. Outdoor storage of materials and equipment is allowed in all public zones, provided it is concealed from public view to the extent possible. If it is not feasible to conceal the storage areas behind buildings, the storage areas must be set back at least twenty feet (20') from any public right of way, including public trails and open space, and screened from view to at least the S3 standard. (See chapter 5, article F, "Screening And Buffering Standards", of this title.) If a fence is built around the storage area, the required screening must be located between the fence and the public right of way.
2. All outdoor storage areas that are located along a side or rear lot line that does not abut a public right of way must be set back at least ten feet (10') from said lot line and screened from view of the adjacent property to at least the S3 standard. If a fence is built around the storage area, the required screening must be located between the fence and the adjacent property.
3. The landscape screening requirement for outdoor storage areas may be waived by the building official upon presentation of convincing evidence that a planting screen cannot be expected to thrive because of intense shade, soil conditions, or other site characteristics. The presence of existing pavement, by itself, shall not constitute convincing evidence. If the landscape screening requirement is waived by the building official, a fence built to the S5 standard must be substituted for the landscape screening.
4. The storage of combustible or flammable materials or liquids is strictly regulated according to the provisions of chapter 5, article H, "Performance Standards", of this title, and according to the international fire code, as amended. (Ord. 05-4186, 12-15-2005)
E. Minor Modifications To Site Development Standards: A minor modification to adjust specific provisions of this section may be requested in either of the qualifying situations listed in the subsections below. Such requests will be reviewed by the director of planning and community development and the building official according to the procedures for minor modifications as set forth in chapter 8, article B of this title and must meet the following approval criteria. The following approval criteria are to be applied in lieu of the general approval criteria listed in section 14-4B-1, "Minor Modifications", of this title.
1. Qualifying situation one: The configuration of the lot or other existing physical condition of the lot makes the application of a specific standard impractical. In such a case, the applicant must demonstrate that the following approval criteria are met:
a. The applicant must provide evidence that the configuration of the lot, the topography, or other physical characteristic of the property makes the application of a specific standard impractical. Examples of situations that may qualify include double fronting lots, triangular shaped lots, and steeply sloping lots.
b. The applicant must demonstrate that the proposed alternative design is not contrary to the intent of the site development standards.
c. The applicant must propose an alternative site or building design that best meets the intent of the specific standard being modified.
d. The requested modification will not be detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare or be injurious to other property or improvements in the vicinity and in the zone in which the property is located.
e. The requested modification does not allow a use or activity not otherwise expressly authorized by the regulations governing the subject property.
f. The requested modification complies with other applicable statutes, ordinances, laws and regulations.
2. Qualifying situation two: The proposed site or building is uniquely designed to fit the site and the surrounding area. In such a situation, the applicant must demonstrate that the following approval criteria are met:
a. The applicant proposes an alternative design solution that equally or better meets the intent of the specific standard being modified.
b. The proposed site and building design is uniquely designed to fit the characteristics of the site and the surrounding area such that it equally or better meets the purpose of the site development standards.
c. The requested modification will not be detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare or be injurious to other property or improvements in the vicinity and in the zone in which the property is located.
d. The requested modification does not allow a use or activity not otherwise expressly authorized by the regulations governing the subject property.
e. The requested modification complies with other applicable statutes, ordinances, laws, and regulations. (Ord. 09-4352, 7-6-2009)