City Zone Change 954 – 5400 Laurel Rd – A zone change request from Residential 7,000 (R-70) to Community Commercial (CC) on portion of Lot1A and all of Lot 2, Block 3, Streeter Brothers Subdivision, a 15,000 square foot parcel of land. A pre-application neighborhood meeting was held on February 27, 2017 at GM Petroleum at 275 Daniel Street. Presented by Dave Green, Planner II

The Planning staff recommends approval and adoption of the proposed findings of the 10 criteria for Zone Change 954.

OWNER: C Store Properties
AGENT: Sanderson Stewart, Bryan Alexander
LEGAL DESCRIPTION: A portion of Lot 1A and all of Lot 2, Block 3, Streeter Brothers Subdivision
ADDRESS: 5400 Laurel Road
CURRENT ZONING: R-70
EXISTING LAND USE: Vacant / Parking lot
PROPOSED USE: Convenience store complex
SIZE OF PARCEL: 15,000 square feet, parcel proposed for zone change.

None.

Subject Property - There have been no previous zoning actions on this parcel of land.

Surrounding Property - The City has reviewed two zone changes in this subdivision since the adoption of zoning in 1972. One zone change was to change from residential zoning to commercial zoning.  The second one was proposed to change from residential to residential professional zoning and the application was withdrawn.  There have been five other zoning actions in this subdivision, four variances and one special review. 

NORTH:	Zoning: CI Land Use: Laurel Road and Rail Road right of way
SOUTH:	Zoning: R-70 Land Use: Single family residences
EAST:	Zoning: R-70 Land Use: Single family
WEST:	Zoning: Public: CI Land Use: Additional proposed convenience store property

↵This is a zone change request to allow a use on land that has historically been a parking lot for a former truck stop on Laurel Road.  These parcels have been zoned residential since zoning was enacted in Billings in 1972. This filing of Streeter Brothers subdivision was recorded in 1946. These two parcels have never developed as residential lots but have been used as parking for the former truck stop.  In recent history the land has been a eye sore to the community with overgrown weeds, blowing dirt and the random abandon vehicles.  The current zoning, R-70, only allows single family and two-family dwellings. The proposed zoning, CC, would allow the construction of the proposed storage building with the fenced outdoor storage alongside the storage building.    

The property is located on the northwest corner of the intersection off Marshall Drive and Laurel Road. Laurel Road is identified as a Principal Arterial and it is a state road.  Traffic counts on this section of Laurel Road are approximately 7,000 vehicles a day.  Marshall Drive is a local street so no traffic counts are taken on this street.  This parcel of land is also on the corner of the only residential neighborhood in this part of Billings.  This subdivision is completely surrounded by commercial and industrial uses.  Re-developing this land into a new neighborhood business would be a positive improvement to the area and a convenience to the residential neighborhood.

The Planning staff has reviewed the request and is recommending approval based on the proposed findings of the 10 criteria for zone changes. The zoning would make the proposed land more developable as a commercial use on the frontage of a state highway.  The proposed zoning will stabilize the property value, allow for future investment in maintenance without risk to the property owners, provides a needed neighborhood convenience choice in this area of Billings, and is supported by the City's Infill Policy and 2016 Growth Policy. The guidelines for Essential Investments, Community Fabric, Prosperity and Strong Neighborhoods in the 2016 Growth Policy include: Public right of way landscaped to be more visually appealing, infrastructure in place, commercial areas that encourage more pedestrian activity, provide local jobs, safe and attractive neighborhoods that also provide essential services.  The proposed zone change is supported by these guidelines. The proposed zoning would all the property to be re-developed into a neighborhood convenience store and clean up a run down corner in Billings. 

Staff recommends approval and adoption of the findings of the 10 criteria for Zone Change 954.