01/20/2004 Planning Commission Minutes

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Tuesday, January 20, 2004 6:00 o'clock p.m. (MIKE KEAVENY ON BEHALF OF RICHARD M. KEAVENY REV. TRUST,3425 SHORELINE DRIVE, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AND COMMERCIAL SITE PLAN REVIEW—Continued) effort to increase green space on the site. The 20' required front yard along Shoreline Drive is perhaps the most critical in terms of visual impacts for Navarre. The number of parking spaces will be affected, should greater setbacks be required than the minimal setbacks the applicant has proposed or than what currently exists. The advantages of a greater yard (green space) should be weighed against the disadvantages of losing parking spaces, which is discussed below. Required Number of Parking Stalls. Restaurant Use: 1,890 s.f. @ 1 space/80 s.f. =24 spaces Bowling Alley Use: 10 lanes @ 6 spaces/lane=60 spaces Lounge (w/in bowling alley): 535 s.f. @ 1 space/80 s.f. = 7 spaces Total Required Parking= 91 spaces Total Proposed Spaces= 84 spaces (includes 8 parallel spaces and 76, 9' x 20' spaces) As proposed, Gundlach noted that the applicant is 7 parking spaces under the parking required by Section 78-1516: Off Street Parking Requirements. Staff feels that with the existing demand for parking, coupled with the proposed restaurant use, a shared parking arrangement of these 84 spaces would be adequate if not excessive. On the other hand, Gundlach explained these numbers do not take into account the 15 parking stalls that exist at the front of the building or the 15 spaces that exist facing the road at the front of the building. Assuming a net floor area of about 8,000 s.f. for the upper level, its parking requirement at one stall per 150 s.f is about 53 stalls, as compared to the 30 stalls that exist. Because the upper level businesses are primarily retail uses that occupy the front of the building and offer prime-time day hours, a shared parking arrangement would provide adequate overflow parking between the restaurant and retail uses, should it ever be needed. However, it should be noted that during times when all businesses occupying the building are at prime business hours (possibly Saturday afternoons), parking could be short by about 20 stalls based on Code requirements. The parking required by the zoning ordinance should be discussed against the actual need of parking on site. With regard to pedestrian access, Gundlach stated that sidewalks currently exist along the front of the property providing pedestrian connections to the properties east and west in the Navarre area. The applicant is proposing to remove the existing stair system which connects the top gravel parking area to the lower parking area, which is how the bowling alley and restaurant is to be accessed. A new stairway system is proposed with a small sign and minor lights at the top of the staircase providing a safe pedestrian connection from PAGE 42 of 53