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Home My WebLink About01/08/2004 - ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS - AGENDA - Regular Meeting Zoning Board of Appeals Agenda Regular Meeting Thursday, January 08, 2004 Appeal 2451 Address 172 N COLLEGE AVE Petitioner Joe Rowan, for Funding Partners Zoning District D Section 3.2.2(K)(1)(a) Description The appeal would amend the variance that was approved on March 21, 2002 (Appeal 2366). That variance reduced the required number of parking spaces for the Northern Hotel apartments from 47 to 25. Now that the building has been fully leased for some time and a more accurate determination can be made regarding the true demand for parking permits, the owner is requesting that the number of required parking spaces for which permits are required be reduced from 25 spaces to 15 spaces. The spaces will be located in the City- owned Old Town Parking Garage, which is the same location approved by the previous variance. The rental dwelling units are fully leased, and only 9 permits are currently needed to be purchased in order to meet the parking demands of the tenants. Hardship See petitioner's letter Staff Comments If the Board determines that the request should be approved, staff recommends that conditions be placed on the variance that are similar to the previous conditions as follows: 1. The age of the tenants be 55 years of age or older, 2. The income limitation requirements for a qualifying affordable housing project remain, l� 3. Parking permits should be kept current and City staff S should be advised of the parking status by receiving an annual report from the Parking Services department, and that 4. The variance would terminate at such time as the car count on the annual report shows more than 15 vehicles. Board members may want to refer to the copy of the previous minutes included in the packets for an explanation of the type of hardship variance that was applied to this property. Other Business • Election of officers • Schedule a breakfast meeting FUNDING PARTNERS FOR HOUSING SOLUTIONS MEMO nrnirily altain4fe forrsiny 1a1r1ien i11 coiorajo Date: December 3,2003 To: City of Fort Collins Zoning Board of ppe s From: Gina Roe Executive Dire or RE: Zoning Variance Application—Parking Requirements for 172 N. College Avenue Funding Partners for Housing Solutions, Inc. and The National Development Council, both not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organizations and ownership partners of the historic Northern Hotel in Old Town. respectfully submit this application for variance relative to the number of parking spaces designated for use by residential tenants of this property. Currently, ownership is obligated to acquire 25 permits, where circumstances indicate 15 permits would be more appropriate while retaining some measure of flexibility for future conditions. d� As you may be aware, restoration of this signature building in the Old Town Historic District was completed in 2001, providing 47 residential apartments for qualified tenants of age 55 or older, and who also qualify for Federal Section 8 rental assistance. While there are no minimum income requirements for tenants, verified annual income may not exceed $18,160 for an individual, or $20,720 for a two-person household. Apartment units are comprised of 41 one-bedroom units and 6 two-bedroom units. This is not an assisted living facility, however. Approximately 11,800 square feet of ground level space has been leased for commercial retail use. Management of the property and residential leasing is provided by the Fort Collins Housing Authority, which also administers the Section 8 program within the City. Finance mechanisms for the restoration project included substantial investment from the City of Fort Collins through the General Fund, Downtown Development Authority, Community Development Block Grant/HOME programs and allocation of Low Income Housing Tax Credits. Due to monitoring and performance covenants of such funding, this projecl must retain its "affordable housing" designation through 2042, otherwise subject to substantial penalty and capital recapture. On November 10, 1999, the Zoning Board of Appeals approved a variance request to existing City code. requiring provision of 71 residential tenant parking spaces,to a more conservative requirement of 47 spaces (Application No. 2277). City of Fort Collins Parking Services further defined that requirement utilizing available space on the 4"' level of the Old Town Parking Structure(Mountain & Remington). Additionally, that Agreement for Parking Permits executed May 11, 2000 between the City and property ownership stipulates annual pre-payment of the required number of spaces at the prevailing public-use rate. On March 21, 2002, the Zoning Board of Appeals approved a second variance request to the previous ruling that allowed ownership to further reduce the number of required parking spaces to 25, based upon projected demand (Application No. 2366). With that ruling, ownership has been obligated to submit an affidavit to Parking Services,at the time of annual permit renewal,demonstrating residential tenant demand for such facilities do not exceed the number of spaces provided (See Attachment). 214 S. COLLEGE VENCE, 2ND FLOOR FORT COLLINS, COLORADO 80524 * PH: 970.494.2021 FAX: 970.494.2022 EMAIL: infogfundingpariners.org . www.fundingpariners.org As the property has been fully leased for nearly two years, it has become apparent that demographics of our tenant base are not compatible with private vehicle ownership, where financial resources to own and maintain a vehicle and physical capacity to operate a vehicle represent significant limitations. Furthermore, Parking Services has issued permits to 5 property tenants for use of the Civic Center Parking Structure. Payment for CCPC permits are made between the individual tenants and Parking Services outside the Agreement and Zoning requirement, where tenants request such permits for increased convenience and other rationale. Since the building went into service in November 2001, there have not been more than 11 permits outstanding under the Agreement for Parking Permits. Such permits are paid in full at the beginning of each year and reimbursed by participating tenants each month with payment of their rent (25 spaces x$216.00 per year=$5,400). With the stated mission of providing safe, decent and affordable housing opportunities for senior residents, it is imperative upon ownership to hold down operational overhead to its practical minimum without compromising the integrity of the property. The current agreement has resulted in un-reimbursed parking expenses of$3,456 in 2003 as a total of 9 permits have been issued under this requirement. There are currently 8 permits issued to Northern Hotel residents and 1 permit to Funding Partners. As such expense has not been recaptured in the past two years and holds little expectation of change into the future, ownership requests your consideration of existing parking provisions as undue financial burden upon this property. Ownership values our beneficial relationship with the City of Fort Collins, while maintaining;our status as good neighbor and contributor to the ambiance of Old Town. In demonstration of that commitment. the Downtown Business Association has provided a letter of support to this application. Thank you for your consideration of this request! December3,2003 FUNDING PARTNERS FOR HOUSING SOLUTIONS ma�cny attaindle Xoasing XaA�om in eoloxado Mr. Randy Hensley Transportation Planning& Parking Manager City of Fort Collins P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522 Dear Randy: In accordance with the variance granted by the City Zoning Board of Appeals on March 21, 2002 regarding the number of parking permits required to be purchased by Northern Hotel Fort Collins LP for residential tenants of the property located at 172 N. College Avenue ("The Northern Hotel"), this affidavit fulfills the annual reporting requirement. As of this date, all 47 residential units are occupied. Further, it has been confirmed with your office that 9 property tenants have been issued parking permits within the designated facility known as the Old Town Parking Structure, 4rh level. This permit count is within compliance of the granted variance of 25 designated spaces. Ownership of The Northern Hotel understands the above noted variance is subject to periodic compliance review. AFFIDAVIT STATE OF COLORADO COUNTY OF LARIMER BEFORE ME, the undersigned authority, Joe Rowan, Notary Public, on this 3`d day of December, 2003, personally appeared Gina C. Roe, Executive Director of Funding Partners for Housing Solutions, Inc. as Member of Funding Partners CDC LLP, its General Partner of Northern Hotel Fort Collins LP, known to me to be a credible person and of lawful legal age, who being by me first duly sworn, on her oath, deposes and says such statement detailed above is complete and accurate as of this date. Gina C. Roe 214 S. College Avenue,2nd Floor Fort Collins, CO 8 24 Subscri�d and s rn before me this 3`d day of December,2003. of Ro�,� t✓ f Joe Rowan NOTARY X Notary Public = � i My commission expires August 10,2005 .7 NPUBL Q �. Cam. a 914 S. COLLEGE AVENUE, 2�D FLOOR FORT COLLINS. COLORAOO 8:524 PH: 970.494.2021 FAX: 970.499.202? EMAIL: info6fundingpartners.org • www.fundingpartners org SHERWOOD i r X MELDRUM c i d ' �I M W .� o MASON CD U } _ '�F��`-`�ti°^rC``�'n Y^,F�'x�-•3�;a� '�'ry 1. '�'t �}v i'v54i '� � YY f� rr .�.y� - } ti _ x•�i,.fnp ,ems, _� �' ,��c-,��;�,� ,adz? r I'sll COLLEGEaa -77 C " s p 4 A4 f ii C TIC t H L I I � LUl en em a "0 w cr+ a o n ni t M � ..t 0 0 :o > n�+c 3 December 4, 2003 g�SipESS ASSOCIATZ6 Zoning Board of Appeals City of Fort Collins PO Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522 The Downtown Business Association, (DBA) is a non-profit organization designed to assist in the marketing, improvement and development of Downtown Fort Collins. I am writing on behalf of Funding Partners for Housing Solutions, concerning their request for a variance. I would respectfully ask that the Zoning Board of Appeals revise the existing modification of Zoning Ordinance Section 3.2(k)(1)(a) in which it states the need to provide 1.5 parking spaces for every residential unit. The previous agreement determined that they may provide one space per unit, which translates to a total of forty seven spaces. The DBA fully understands the reasoning behind this particular zoning ordinance, but in light of tenant needs, which are unique to the Northern Hotel, we are requesting your consideration for a variance that requires only 15 spaces. This would help free up much needed permit space in the Old Town Parking Structure, to be used by the ever growing employee base, and street parking demands in the downtown. To have permits that are required to be purchased yet go unused, is counter productive to the purpose of the parking garage, and loss of valuable parking space in the downtown area. For these reasons, the Downtown Business Association would be appreciative to see a variance in the number of permit spaces Funding Partners is required to purchase for the Northern Hotel, reduced from forty seven to fifteen or less. This will adequately serve the needs of the hotel's residents, and open up much needed space in downtown. Th:Sh o�3 nsideration you may be able to give this request. Executive Director Downtown Business Association ig old Town Square - Suite 230 - Fort toll ins,CO 80524 • tel 970.484.65oo fax 970.484.2o69