(A) Purpose. The purpose of the site plan review process is to bring under special review those projects involving building design and the development of land where inappropriate development may cause a conflict between uses in the same adjoining district by creating unhealthful or unsafe conditions, and thereby adversely affecting the public health, safety and general welfare.
(B) Types of development requiring site plan review approval.
(1) An administrative site plan review shall be conducted when plans are made in the R-O, C-C, N-C, H-C, L-I and G-I Zone District as described in § 152.004(O).
(2) A site plan review shall be conducted before the City Planning Commission when plans are made in the R-O, P & S-P, C-C, N-C, H-C, L-I and G-I Zone District:
(a) For all new developments, expansion and major modification of existing developments; and
(b) For expansion of an existing structure, which is greater than 50% of the existing structure or greater than 10,000 square feet.
(3) A site plan review shall be conducted in conjunction with any conditional use permit in any zone district of the city.
(C) Site plan review requirements. The Planning Commission shall approve, approve with conditions or disapprove the site plans for all buildings or structures in those zoning districts where site plan review is required, except those eligible for administrative review as listed in this section.
(D) Application for site plan review. A request for site plan review may be initiated by a property owner or authorized representative. The application shall be filed with the Planning Department, accompanied by a filing fee as determined by the city fees schedule, and by a written statement addressing each of the criteria and standards as listed in this section. The applicant shall also pay the cost of publication and notification as required. One copy of the site plan shall be submitted for preliminary approval, and a pre-application conference needs to be scheduled, prior to acceptance of the application, as per § 152.004 and division (E) below.
(E) Preliminary site plan approval. A site plan for the total parcel shall be prepared and one copy shall be submitted to the City Planner for review at the time a pre-application conference is held. If, at the time of the pre-application conference, the City Planner finds that the site plan meets all submittal requirements, the application shall be prepared for the Planning Commission for review and a hearing, according to the relevant application procedures described in § 152.004. Additional materials may be requested that are essential to the proposed use, site or its relationship to surrounding properties.
(F) Site plan procedures. The site plan shall be drawn to scale and indicate the following:
(1) Site plan to locate where appropriate:
(a) Structures, both existing and proposed;
(b) Driveways;
(c) Landscaped areas;
(d) Off-street vehicle and bicycle parking spaces;
(e) Points of egress and ingress, including on-site traffic movement;
(f) Loading areas;
(g) Utility service and drainage areas;
(h) Pedestrian pathways and internal circulation;
(i) Fences and walls; and
(j) Relationship of site to abutting properties.
(2) Landscape plan:
(a) Topography, existing grades, elevation and proposed grades;
(b) Existing trees; and
(c) Species, size and location of plant materials.
(3) Architectural drawings:
(a) Floor plans;
(b) Any other improvements; and
(c) Elevations (existing and proposed).
(4) Exterior surface specifications:
(a) Type;
(b) Color;
(c) Texture;
(d) Elevations; and
(e) Any other improvements.
(5) Exterior lighting:
(a) Type;
(b) Height; and
(c) Area of illumination.
(6) Sign plan:
(a) Location;
(b) Size;
(c) Design;
(d) Material;
(e) Color; and
(f) Method of illumination, if lighted.
(7) Traffic capacity plan:
(a) Points of egress and ingress, including on-site traffic movement;
(b) Off-street parking;
(c) A carrying capacity plan detailing trips and general traffic generated by the business activity of full development; and
(d) Vision clearance areas.
(G) Criteria.
(1) All negative environmental and historical impacts have been mitigated;
(2) All development, parking, signage and utility standards have been met; and
(3) There is adequate public utility capacity available (or can be made available by the developer) to service the impacts of the development.
(H) Additional materials for submittal.
(1) Traffic capacity analysis. (State Department of Transportation Highway Division.)
(a) The City Planner, or Planning Commission upon its review, may require a proposed development to submit a detailed traffic capacity plan.
(b) The following requirements are to be dealt with as part of the total site development plan for high traffic generating developments adjacent to highway.
1. The analysis shall include alternatives for access to the development from highways, country roads and city streets.
2. The analysis of alternative access should include:
a. Existing daily and p.m. peak hour counts by traffic movements at intersections affected by generated traffic from the development; and
b. Projected daily and p.m. peak hour volumes for these same intersections and proposed access points when the development is in full service. This shall be shown by the use of traffic flow diagrams.
(c) A determination of the existing levels of service and projected levels of service at each intersection and access points studies. These determinations shall be in conformance with nationally accepted capacity manuals or equivalent manuals.
(d) An analysis of the need for traffic signals. This should include a traffic warrant computation based on the National Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
(e) A complete analysis of the trip generation for the development, following the Institute of Transportation Engineers’ Trip Generation Manual.
(f) The recommendation made in the analysis should be specific, and should be based on a minimum level of service “D” when the development is in full service. As an example, if a traffic signal is recommended, the recommendation should include the type of signal control and what movements should be signalized. If storage lanes for right and left turns are needed, the recommendation should include the amount of storage needed. If several intersections are involved for signalization, and an interconnection system is considered, specific analysis should be made concerning progression of traffic between intersections.
(g) The analysis should also include considerations for bicycle and pedestrian usage of the development.
(2) Other requirements.
(a) Other conditions found necessary to protect the best interests of the surrounding property or neighborhood or the city as a whole may be imposed administratively or by Planning Commission. These conditions may include, but not be limited to, the following:
1. Development of a preservation plan for historic sites and structures;
2. Requiring fences, walls or landscape screening and/or buffering where necessary to reduce noise, glare and maintain the property in a character in keeping with the surrounding area;
3. Requiring landscaping and maintenance thereof;
4. Increasing street widths, controlling the location and number of vehicular access points to the property for ingress/egress;
5. Requiring means of pedestrian/bicycle access pathways to serve the property;
6. Increasing or limiting the number of off-street parking and loading spaces required;
7. Surfacing and proper drainage of parking areas;
8. Limiting size, location and number of signs;
9. Limiting the location, coverage or height of buildings because of obstructions to view and reduction of light and air to adjacent property;
10. Increasing, limiting or prohibiting openings in sides of buildings or structures;
11. Enclosure of storage areas and limitation of outside display and/or storage of merchandise;
12. Requiring maintenance of grounds;
13. Regulating noise, vibration, fumes and the like;
14. Regulating time for certain activities;
15. Establishing a time period within which the proposed use shall be developed;
16. The requirement of a bond for removal of such use within a specified period of time;
17. Requiring any future enlargement or alteration of the use be reviewed by the Planning Commission and new conditions imposed;
18. Requiring specific lot size, yard dimensions, open spaces or buffer areas; and
19. Such other conditions as will make possible the development of the city in an orderly and efficient manner and in conformity with the intent and purposes set forth in this section.
(b) Any other such architectural or engineering data may be required by the City Planner, or Planning Commission upon its review, to permit the necessary findings that provisions of this chapter are complied with.
(I) Phased site plan development.
(1) The Planning Commission shall approve a time schedule for developing a site in phases over a period of time of one year, but in no case shall the total time period for all phases be greater than three years without reapplying for site development review.
(2) All of the following criteria shall be satisfied in order to approve a phased site development review proposal.
(a) All underground utilities are constructed during the initial phase of the development and the remaining public facilities are constructed in conjunction with or prior to each phase.
(b) The development and occupancy of any phase is not dependent on the use of temporary public facilities. A temporary public facility is any facility not constructed to the applicable city or district standard.
(c) The phased development shall not result in requiring the city or other property owners to construct public facilities that were required by an approved development proposal.
(J) Final site plan approval. Within 120 days of determination of completeness of the application, after preliminary plan approval, the Planning Commission shall approve, approve with conditions, or disapprove the site plan. In approving the plan, the Planning Commission shall find that all applicable provisions of this chapter are complied with. The decision of the Planning Commission shall be final unless appealed to the City Council.
(K) Revisions of site plans.
(1) Revisions made by the applicant to an approved site plan shall be made pursuant to the procedures set forth in this section.
(2) Where required site plan approval has been granted, it shall be unlawful for any person to cause a major modification or permit the proposed construction, alteration, improvement or use in any manner that involves one or more of the following:
(a) A change in the type and/or location of access-ways, drives or parking areas affecting off-site traffic;
(b) An increase in the floor area proposed for non-residential use by more than 15% of the area previously specified;
(c) A reduction of more than 10% of the area reserved for common open space or landscaping;
(d) Increase in automobile parking spaces by more than 10%;
(e) Proposals to add or increase lot coverage within an environmentally sensitive area or areas subject to a potential hazard;
(f) Changes that exceed ten feet in the location of buildings, proposed streets, parking configuration, utility easements, landscaping or other site improvements; and
(g) Change to a condition of approval, or change similar to these sections that could have a detrimental impact on adjoining properties. The City Planner shall have discretion in determining detrimental impacts warranting a major modification.
(3) If the revision/modification does not involve one of the criteria listed above, it is considered a minor modification and can be handled administratively.
(L) Time limitation for site plan review and expiration of approval.
(1) Site plan approval shall be null and void after one year, unless a building permit has been issued and substantial construction has taken place.
(2) The site development review approval by the City Planning Commission shall lapse if:
(a) Substantial construction of the approved plan has not been completed within the agreed upon time period; or
(b) Construction on the site is a departure from the approved plan.
(3) The City Planner may, upon written request by the applicant, grant an extension of the approval period not to exceed one year; provided that:
(a) No changes are made on the original site development review plan as approved by the planning commission;
(b) The applicant can show intent of initiating construction on the site within the one year extension period; and
(c) There have been no changes to the applicable comprehensive plan policies and ordinance provisions on which the approval was based.
(4) Notice of the decision shall be provided to the applicant.
(Ord. 1283, passed 12-2-2013; Ord. 1320, passed 3-20-2017; Ord. 1335, passed 7-2-2018; Ord. 1349, passed 8-19-2019)