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Commission upholds staff denial of two design exceptions for Northbridge Event Center; rock landscaping and trash-enclosure door rejected
Summary
The commission denied Life Change Church’s request to waive a pedestrian entrance requirement on the trash enclosure and to allow rock in parking-lot landscaping islands, citing tree-health and precedent concerns raised by staff and the city forester.
The Des Moines City Plan and Zoning Commission on Oct. 17 voted to uphold staff’s recommendation and deny two requested design exceptions for the Northbridge Event Center (Life Change Church) at 4530 East 46th Street.
Shauna Baron, Planning Staff, said the enclosure and landscaping did not match previously approved plans and recommended denial of the two Type 1 design alternatives: (1) waiving the requirement for a pedestrian entrance on the trash enclosure and (2) allowing rock in parking-lot landscaping islands in place of the code-required mulch/soil treatment.
Shane McCollins, City Forester for the City of Des Moines, explained why mulch generally benefits tree health: it provides nutrients, moderates moisture, and reduces heat stress and soil compaction that can impede root growth. He warned that rock can trap heat, retain water at the surface and encourage chemical use to control weeds, which undermines tree survival in parking-lot conditions.
Robert Kramer, representing Northbridge Event Center, and Pastor Steve Christiansen of Life Change Church acknowledged construction and engineering oversights and said they used rock in some islands for appearance and reduced maintenance. Kramer said they had placed approximately one truckload (about 15 tons) of rock and that they could remove it if required, but urged the commission to waive the two requirements. Pastor Christiansen described operational difficulties with the enclosure configuration and why a side-sliding door was easier for their cleaning staff.
Commissioners asked whether the applicant and contractors knew of the code requirements before construction, discussed maintenance responsibility for trees and islands, and weighed whether this circumstance was unique enough to set a precedent. A commissioner moved to adopt staff’s recommendation to deny the exceptions; the motion passed on a unanimous voice vote, so the applicant must conform to the approved plans or return with a revised, compliant application.
Next steps: The applicant may replace rock with mulch and install the pedestrian entrance as required by code, or pursue a properly noticed application for an amended plan with supporting evidence.
