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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMicron Technology/Crucial Technology VAR-00-018BEFORE THE MERIDIAN CITY COUNCIL C/C 1 O- 17-00 IN THE MATTER OF THE ) APPLICATION OF MICRON ) TECHNOLOGY / CRUCIAL ) TECHNOLOGY, FOR A ) VARIANCE OF THE REQUIRED ) SIZE OF TREES FROM THREE- ) INCH CALIPERS TO TWO-INCH ) CALIPERS TO BE IN ) COMPLIANCE WITH THE ) PROPOSED LANDSCAPING ) ORDINANCE FOR MICRON ) TECHNOLOGY clgo/a CRUCIAL ) TECHNOLOGY, LOCATED OFF ) EAGLE ROAD BETWEEN ) FRANK_LIN ROAD AND ) FAIRVIEW AVENUE, MERIDIAN, ) IDAHO ) VAR-O0-O 18 FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND ORDER OF DECISION GRANTING A VARIANCE The above entitled matter coming on regularly for public hearing before the City Council on October ! 7, 2000, Shaft Stiles, Planning and Zoning Administrator, appeared and testified, and no one appeared in opposition, and the City Council having received the transmittal to agencies and having received the variance application, having heard the testimony presented, being fully advised in the premises does hereby mal, e the following Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law and Order of Decision, as follows to-wit: FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND -- Page 1 of 10 ORDER OF DECISION GRANTING A VARIANCE / VAR-00-018 MICRON / CRUCIAL TECHNOLOGY FINDINGS OF FACT 1. The City Council takes judicial notice of its Zoning, Subdivisions and Development Ordinances codified at Title 11 Municipal Code of the City of Meridian and all current zoning maps thereof and the Comprehensive Plan of the City of Meridian adopted December 21, 1993 Ordinance #629 - January 4, 1994 and Maps. 2. The requirements of Idaho Code §§ 67-6509, 6516 and Meridian City Code §§ 11-15-5 and 12-11-3 as evidenced in the record of this matter. 3. The Applicant is Micron Technology d/b/a Crucial Technology, whose address is 3475 E. Commercial Court, Meridian, Idaho 83642. 4. The owner of the property is Micron Technology d/b/a Crucial Technology, whose address is 3475 E. Commercial Court, Meridian, Idaho 83642. 5. The location of the subject property is presently located in the Light Industrial District (I-L) zone, and which subject property is located off Eagle Road between Franldin and Fairview, Meridian, Idaho 83642. 6. The legal description of the property appertains to the real property that is included within the Vicinity Map as appears in the record of proceeds of this matter, and is described as follows: The East one half of Lot 2 and all of Lot 3, Block 1, Commerce Park Subdivision, according to the plat thereof, filed in Book 45 of Plats at Pages 3721 and 3722, records of Ada County, Idaho amended by Affidavit recorded February 19, 1981 as Instrument No. 8107039. 7. The present land use of subject property is presently zoned Light FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND -- Page 2 of 10 ORDER OF DECISION GRANTING A VARIANCE / VAR-00-018 MICRON / CRUCIAL TECHNOLOGY Industrial (I-L), and which subject property is presently a fadlity that presently comprises approximately 29,750 sq. ft. of electronic goods warehousing, packaging and shipping and 35,300 Sq. ft. of supporting office space and telephone call center. 8. The proposed land use of subject property is to expand the existing parking lot on the south side of the property. 9. That a vicinity map, attached hereto as Exhibit "A", consisting of one page, of the proposed scale approved by the City Council showing property lines, existing streets, proposed district and sUch other items as required have been furnished. 10. The Applicant seeks a variance of the following provision of the Meridian City Code, § 1 !-13-4 B 3 c, DESIGN STANDARDS FOR OFF-STREET PARIrdNG, BLOCKS, SCREENING, and in the I-L zone it provides as follows: 11-13-4 B 3 c: SCREENING: a. Whenever a commercial off-street parking area is located in or adjacent to a residential district, it shall be effectively screened on all sides which adjoin or face any property used for residential purposes by a wall, fence, or planting screen that is not less than four feet (4') in height plus a planting strip of four feet (4') minimum width or in an alternate arrangement as approved by the Commission. b. Suitable landscaping and ground cover shall be provided and maintained on a continuing basis within the planting strip. Planting screens or hedges shall not exceed two feet (2') in height where location is such that sight lines are necessary for vehicular movement across pedestrianways. c. At least one tree of not less than three inches (3") diameter size class shall be provided for every one thousand five hundred (1,500) square feet of FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND -- Page 3 of 10 ORDER OF DECISION GRANTING A VARIANCE / VAR-00-018 MICRON / CRUCIAL TECHNOLOGY pavement area. 11. All property owners within three hundred feet (300') of the external boundaries have been notified by mail, and their mailing addresses may be obtained from the list on file with the Planning and Zoning Department. 12. The characteristics of the subject property which prevent compliance with the requirements of the ordinance are that the proposed parking lot design utilizes the landscaping which exceeds the proposed Landscape Ordinance. 13. The minimum requirements of the ordinance that need to be reduced to permit the proposed use would be the elimination of the requirement of 3" caliper trees tO 2". 14. The difficulty or hardship which would result if the requirements of the ordinance were applied to the subject property is that the larger trees required by the current Landscape Ordinance are difficult to obtain. The available landscape area will be heavily planted with trees, as proposed. Additional trees would present maintenance problems caused by overcrowding. 15. The unusual or peculiar circumstances which indicate that regulations of the ordinance should not be strictly complied with, and the special conditions and circumstances that exist, are that with the new Landscape Ordinance expected to be adopted in the near future, this variance would result in this property being well in FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND -- Page 4 of 10 ORDER OF DECISION GRANTING A VARIANCE / VAR-00-018 MICRON / CRUCIAL TECHNOLOGY compliance as soon as the new ordinance is approved. Other properties are not in compliance with the current Landscape Ordinance. 16. A literal interpretation of the provisions of the ordinance would deprive the Applicant rights because the provisions of the Ordinance if applied, the owner would not enjoy the improvements required by the new ordinance. 17. The existence of special circumstances or conditions affecting the property is that the circumstances of the property are that nurseries in the valley are reporting unavailability of certain species in the 3" caliper trees. 18. Granting the variance would maintain rights which would be afforded to others in the same situation. 19. The Comprehensive Plan for the I-L District is to provide for light industrial development and opportunities for employment for Meridian citizens and area residents and reduce the need to commute to neighboring cities; to encourage the development of manufacturing and wholesale establishments which are clean, quiet and free of hazardous or objectionable elements, such as noise, odor, dust, smoke or glare and that are operated entirely or almost entirely within enclosed structures; to delineate areas best suited for industrial development because of location, topography, existing facilities and relationship to other land uses. FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND -- Page 5 of 10 ORDER OF DECISION GRANTING A VARIANCE / VAR-00-018 MICRON / CRUCIAL TECHNOLOGY 20. The variance would allow the applicant to maximize the most efficient use of the land and maximizing the landscaping with the usage. 21. The granting of the requested variance will not be detrimental to the public's welfare or iniurious to other property in the area of the proposed plat, and, in fact, the development of the plat in accordance with the conditions of approval and the requirements of the Subdivision Ordinance will prevent the conditions which are the source of the complaints raised in the public hearing of this matter. 22. The granting of this variance will not have an effect of altering the interest and purpose of the Subdivision or Development Ordinance and/or the City's Comprehensive Plan for the reasons stated above. 23. The applicant paid the fee established by the City Council for application variance. CONCLUSIONS OF LAW 1. The City of Meridian has authority pursuant to the enactment of the Local Land Use Planning Act of 1975 codified at Chapter 65, Title 67, and in particular, by the provisions of Idaho Code § 67-6516 to provide as part of its zoning ordinance for the process of applications for variance permits. 2. The City of Meridian has exercised its authority of Idaho Code § 67-6516 by the enactment as a part of its Zoning and Development Ordinance variances, as set FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND -- Page 6 of 10 ORDER OF DECISION GRANTING A VARIANCE / VAR-00-018 MICRON / CRUCIAL TECHNOLOGY forth in Meridian City Code 5 11-18. 3. That the requirements for the processing of a variance request are set forth in Idaho Code 55 67-6509, 6516 and Meridian City Code 55 11-15-5 and 11-17-5. 4. Application and standards for variances are set forth in Meridian City Code 5 11-18-2, and the findings which are required are set forth in Meridian City Code 5 11- 18-3, include required findings that there are special circumstances or conditions affecting the property that strict apPlication of the provisions of Zoning and Development Ordinance would clearly be impracticable and unreasonable, and a finding that strict compliance with the requirements of the Zoning and Development Ordinance would result in extraordinary hardship to the owner, subdivider or developer because unusual topography, the nature or condition of adjacent development, or other physical conditions or other conditions that make strict compliance with the ordinance unreasonable under the circumstances, or that the conditions and requirements of said ordinance will result in inhibiting the achievements or the objectives of the ordinance, and that the granting of a specified variance will not be detrimental to the public's welfare or injurious to other property in the area in which the property is situated, and that such variance will not have the effect of altering the interest and purposes of the Zoning and Development Ordinance and the Meridian Comprehensive Plan. 5. Meridian City Code, 5 11-13-4 B 3 c, DESIGN STANDARDS FOR OFF- FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND -- Page 7 of 10 ORDER OF DECISION GRANTING A VARIANCE / VAR-00-018 MICRON / CRUCIAL TECHNOLOGY STREET PARIrdNG, BLOCICS, SCREENING, and in the I-L zone if granted the re-zone, provides as follows: 11-13-4 B 3 c: SCREENING: Co Whenever a commercial off-street parldng area is located in or adjacent to a residential district, it shall be effectively screened on all sides which adjoin or face any property used for residential purposes by a wall, fence, or planting screen that is not less than four feet (4') in height plus a planting strip of four feet (4') minimum width or in an alternate arrangement as approved by the Commission. Suitable landscaping and ground cover shall be provided and maintained on a continuing basis within the planting strip. Planting screens or hedges shall not exceed two feet (2') in height where location is such that sight lines are necessary for vehicular movement across pedestrianways. At least one tree of not less than three inches (3") diameter size class shall be provided for every one thousand five hundred (1,500) square feet of pavement area. DECISION AND ORDER NOW, THEREFORE, BASED UPON THE ABOVE AND FOREGOING FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW, the City Council does hereby Order and this does Order: 1. That the Applicant is hereby granted a variance from the screening requirements for Micron Technology d/b/a Crucial Technology and shall only be required to install two (2") inch caliper diameter trees, as detailed in the site plan submitted with the variance application. FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND -- Page 8 of 10 ORDER OF DECISION GRANTING A VARIANCE / VAR-00-018 MICRON / CRUCIAL TECHNOLOGY NOTICE OF FINAL ACTION Please take notice that this is a final action of the governing body of the City of Meridian. Pursuant to Idaho Code § 67-6521 an affected person being a person who has an interest in real property which may be adversely affected by the issuance or denial of a variance authorizing a variance of the Screening Requirements in the I-L Zone as provided in the Section 11-13-4 B 3 c and may within twenty-eight (28) days after the date of this decision and order seek a judicial review as provided by Chapter 52, Title 67, Idaho Code. By action of the City Council at its regular meeting held on the ,2000. ROLL CALL: COUNCILMAN RON ANDERSON VOTED COUNCILMAN KEITH BIRD VOTED COUNCILPERSON TAMMY deWEERD VOTED COUNCILPERSON CHERIE McCANDLESS VOTED MAYOR ROBERT O. CORRIE (TIE BREAKER) VOTED DATED: day of FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND -- Page 9 of 10 ORDER OF DECISION GRANTING A VARIANCE / VAR-00-018 MICRON / CRUCIAL TECHNOLOGY MOTION: APPROVED:~ DISAPPROVED: Copy served upon Applicant, the Planning and Zoning Department, Public Works Department, and the City Attorney office. -,~o~"u"u~l~, By:~~~~~C]ty Clerk ' Dated: //-~'~0i (~' '~~} ~Z:'Work~di~ 15360~i~n ~d Crucial Tec~olo~ V~018~ls~tVm~ce ~ ~~,~.~ ,, FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND -- Page 10 of 10 ORDER OF DECISION GRANTING A VARIANCE / VAR-00-018 MICRON / CRUCIAL TECHNOLOGY ~ '-' ~' ? EAGLE ROAD -4- -~, · "-t - _,~ 0