Subject:
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Consideration of request to modify conditions of approved site plan for White Oak Tower, located at 301 Maple Ave. W, so as to remove the existing limitation on the amount of medical office, related to parking.
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EXPLANATION AND SUMMARY:
White Oak Tower, located at 301 Maple Ave., W, received approval in 2005 for site plan modifications to bring the site into compliance during a conversion to condominium ownership. During the 2005 public discussions, specifically related to parking-space standards, the Planning Commission brought up a concern that medical offices were a more intense use than other office uses and that the supply of parking at the existing building may not be sufficient if all offices were permitted for medical use. The Planning Commission recommendation ultimately resulted in adding a condition to the Town Council approval that only 50% of the gross floor area would be permitted for medical use. Since that time, staff has worked with the condominium board to track the medical uses in the building as certificates of occupancy applications were granted. In October 2021, the percentage of medical use in the building reached 49.66%, leaving a balance of only 152 square feet before reaching 50%. The applicant is requesting to remove the medical use limitation.
The Town Council considered this same request at its regular meeting on March 21, 2022. The request failed by a vote of 3-4, after the Planning Commission had recommended approval of the request. At the Town Council meeting, some Council members commented to the applicant that, should they return with a new application, they should provide a parking study completed by professionals; and that the study should provide observations over a week of consecutive days, and information include observations per day at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 3 p.m., and 5 p.m. The condominium board conducted a study with the parameters requested, but they did the study in-house rather than with a...
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