City Council Meeting Date: July 11, 2017
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Scott Tempel, City Planner
Title
Consider Rezoning of Northfield Hospital - Summit Orthopedic Clinic
Body
Action Requested:
Staff is recommending approval of the second reading of an ordinance to rezone 1381 Jefferson Road from N1 - Neighborhood General to PI - Public and Institutional.
Summary Report:
This rezoning application is coming forward as a result of a recent sign permit request from the Northfield Hospital & Clinic. As part of a rebranding project, the Hospital & Clinic is updating its signage and has proposed matching signage for the Summit Orthopedic Clinic Northfield. The Northfield Land Development Code does not allow the proposed signage under the current Neighborhood General 1 (N1) zoning for this parcel.
Original development of this parcel occurred in 1991 as the Center for Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation (CMSR). At that time, the City rezoned the land from Planned Residential Development to R-5 (High Density Residential) and allowed the use through a Conditional Use Permit (CUP). According to the records at Rice County, the CUP was never recorded.
CMSR expanded the facility in 2009 through a City Council approved expansion by amending the CUP. When the current zoning map was approved and the Land Development Code was adopted in 2011, the parcel was rezoned N1 (Neighborhood General). This made both the existing use and the existing signage non-conforming.
A rezoning application follows a Type 4 review procedure requiring City Council approval following a recommendation from the Planning Commission. If the council approves the rezoning, staff will issue a sign permit for the property.
The Planning Commission held a public hearing on the rezoning at its June 15, 2017 meeting. After holding the public hearing and considering input provided by staff, the commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the rezoning.
Approval Criteria:
The Planning Commission and City Council shall review the necessary submittal requirements, facts, and circumstances of the proposed amendment and make a recommendation and decision on the application based on, but not limited to, consideration of the following criteria:
(1) The specific policies, goals, objectives, and recommendations of the comprehensive plan and other city plans, including public facilities and the capital improvement plans.
The Northfield Hospital & Clinic is a key public facility for the community. The Comprehensive Plan Community Facilities chapter Objective 1 states the City should provide key facilities that reflect the community‘s values and needs, and support the functioning of those who serve the public. This facility serves those needs and rezoning will ensure continued operations.
(2) The purpose and intent of this LDC, or in the case of a map amendment, whether it meets the purpose and intent of the individual district.
The Public Institutional (PI-S) district is intended to establish and protect sites for city, state, federal, and school district uses while also ensuring compatibility with the surrounding neighborhoods. This existing facility meets the intent of the PI zone.
(3) The adequacy of infrastructure available to serve the proposed action.
The proposed rezoning will have no effect on public infrastructure.
(4) The adequacy of a buffer or transition provided between potentially incompatible districts.
The property currently has adequate buffers between the surrounding multi-family and is adjacent to other Highway Commercial (C2) zoning districts.
Financial Impacts:
None
Tentative Timelines:
If approved on second reading, the ordinance becomes effective thirty days after publication in the Northfield News.