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#2417 - Amend B-5; Add Drugstore Use November 10,1998 Page 4 5. Is there sufficient available land already appropriately zoned (B-1, B-3) in the Navarre area such that the drugstore use could/should be within one of those zones? 6. Will adding a drugstore use to the B-5 District change the character of the B-5 to such a degree that there is little to distinguish between the B-1 and B-5? How much real difference is there between the B-1 and B-5 now? Given the small size of the Navarre business area, is there any real justification for it to be saddled with 4 different zoning districts now?!? Analysis It is difficult to discuss the B-5 zone in terms of a distinct 'district', because it is made up of three widely separated groups of properties, in locations that inherently have perhaps only slightly more potential impact on adjacent residential uses than our existing B-1 or B-4 district locations. In this respect, there is no stark visual distinction between the existing B-1 and B-5, although our B-1 uses tend to be larger, multiple tenant retail/service buildings. On the other hand, the B-4 has remained primarily office uses as intended, without the retail activity. The B-5 District was created in 1975 to provide limited business activity compatible with the adjacent and surrounding residential uses. The B-5 was also intended to provide for businesses that serve "residents in the surrounding neighborhood" as opposed to a place for City-wide or regional oriented uses. Those uses would be reserved for the B-1 or B-3 Districts. The nature of existing uses in the B-5 to a great extent matches the B-5 goals, i.e. a Dairy Queen, an auto parts store, an animal hospital, low key retail, professional office, furniture store, and (albeit non-conforming) auto repair operation, all tend to serve the surrounding neighborhood. Likewise, the nature of the proposed drugstore use would serve the same general neighborhood ^ea. According to the applicant, the drugstore use would likely draw from a customer base that lives within 1-1/2 to 2 miles away typically, with perhaps a slightly greater distance for the Navarre area due to the linear nature of the road system created by the lake. The drugstore use will not be a regional draw as it is not a major destination and not part of a major shopping complex. In that respect, the drugstore use would seem to be in keeping with the neighborhood intent of the B-5 District. Certain facets of the 'drugstore' use could be inconsistent with the context of the B-5 District. The scale of the typical building constructed for a free-standing drugstore yields a 12,000-15,000 s.f footprint and the need for increased amounts of parking as compared to an office use, and in the case of the proposed Walgreen's, access for semi-trailer trucks and the drive-thru. This all translates to a high degree of hardcover, significantly more than was previously proposed/approved for the 2380 Shadywood Road site, and perhaps more than was contemplated when tlie B-5 zone was created.