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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCARRIAGE HOUSE APARTMENTS - MOD - MOD120001 - REPORTS - RECOMMENDATION/REPORTCarriage House Apartments, Moditication of Standard — MOD120001 February 16, 2012 P&Z Hearing Page 10 7. Findings of Fact In evaluating the request for two stand-alone modifications, Section 3.4.7(B) and 3.4.7(E), Staff makes the following findings of fact: A. The granting of modifications to Section 3.4.6(B) and 3.4.7(E) would be detrimental to the public good. a. A modification to Section 3.4.7(B) and 3.4.7 (E) to not require the preservation of the historic structure at 1305 South Shields Street to the maximum extent feasible, is detrimental to the public good because it would weaken the sense of identity and heritage of the surrounding neighborhood context. B. The granting of a modification to Section 3.4.7 (B) and Section 3.4.7 (E) would not result in a substantial benefit to the City by reason of the fact that the proposed project would not substantially address an important community need specifically and expressly defined in City Plan or in an adopted policy, ordinance or resolution of the City Council. This is because the data reveals that the thirty to fifty dwelling units that would be provided is not substantial when compared to other projects on a city-wide basis. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends denial of both requests for modification. ATTACHMENTS: 1. Vicinity Map 2. Zoning Map 3. Photo of the structure located at 1305 South Shields Street 4. Modification of Standard Request Narrative 5. Exhibits a. PDP 1 — Existing Structures b. PDP 2 — Proposed Site Plan with Existing Structures c. PDP 3 — Proposed Site Plan d. PDP 4 — Proposed Landscape Plan e. PDP 5 — Elevations f. PDP 6 — Visual Analysis of Proposed Project 6. November 2011 Landmark Preservation Commission Draft Minutes 10 Carriage House Apartments, Modification of Standard — MOD120001 February 16, 2012 P&Z Hearing Page 9 ordinance or resolution of the City Council, and the strict application of such a standard would render the project practically infeasible. Staff Analysis Public Good: The concept of the public good lies within a delicate balance of community values and is inextricably linked to the identity and heritage of an area and its people. A modification to Sections 3.4.7 (B) and (E) to not require the preservation of the individually eligible structure at 1305 South Shields Street could be considered as detrimental to the public good in so much that it would weaken the sense of heritage and area identity. Intent and Purpose of the Land Use Code: The intent and purpose of the Land Use Code, as stated in Section 1.2.2 is to "improve and protect the public health, safety and welfare by:... (M) ensuring that development proposals are sensitive to the character of existing neighborhoods." The character of the existing neighborhoods to the north, south and west of the project are comprised of primarily smaller, single-family dwellings. Substantial Community Need: While the project provides multifamily housing in close proximity to CSU's campus, 30 to 50 units is not considered substantial when compared to the community at large. It is important to note the definition of "substantial" in this instance, which Merriam -Webster dictiona defines as "considerable in amount, value or worth." In this application, 30 to 50 units would not meet that a inition. In comparison, recently entitled multifamily projects, such as Choice Center, contain a total of 219 units. Another example of a substantial multifamily project in Fort Collins is the recently submitted Spring Creek Farms North, proposing 248 units total. Below is an illustrative table, highlighting a few of the recent, substantial student housing projects in Fort Collins. Project Name Location Number of Units North of Rock Creek Dr. Presidio Apartments between Lady Moon and 240 Units Cinquefoil The Grove Centre Ave. and Rolland 218 Units Moore Dr. Choice Center S. College Ave. and W. 219 Units Prospect Ave. The justification that Carriage House Apartments is providing a substantial benefit by substantially addressing an important community need stated in City Plan or in an adopted policy, ordinance or resolution of the City Council, would not be prudent with only providing a relatively small number of units. 9 Carriage House Apartments, Moditication of Standard — MOD120001 February 16, 2012 P&Z Hearing Page 8 Granting the Modification of Standards is not detrimental to the public good and advances a use by right in the Neighborhood Conservation Buffer (NCB) zoning; to the contrary, the proposed project substantially benefits the City by reason of the fact that it substantially addresses important community needs that are specifically and expressly defined and described as policy considerations in the Transit -Oriented Development Overlay Zone (TOD), City Plan and the West Central Neighborhood Plan (WCNP) all as directly applicable to the project site. 5. Staff Evaluation of Modification Requests: The two LUC standards in question require the individually eligible structure to be preserved and incorporated into the project's design to the maximum extent feasible. The maximum extent feasible clause puts the burden on the applicant to show that: ...no feasible and prudent alternative exists, and all possible efforts (by the applicant) to comply with the regulation or minimize potential harm or adverse impacts have been undertaken. Granting of these modifications would impair the intent of the Section because it is feasible for the applicant to develop the land while preserving the individually eligible structure located on the subject property. The applicant is not willing to consider the "prudent alternatives" to demolition including retaining and rehabilitating the individually eligible structure, such as constructing a compatible multi -unit property around it, or incorporating it into the design of one of the proposed buildings, in such a manner as to meet the LUC requirements. Code Citation for Modification The decision maker may grant a modification of standard only if it finds that the granting of the modification would not be detrimental to the public good, and that: (2) the granting of a modification from the strict application of any standard would, without impairing the intent and purpose of this Land Use Code, substantially alleviate an existing, defined and described problem of city- wide concern or would result in a substantial benefit to the city by reason of the fact that the proposed project would substantially address an important community need specifically and expressly defined and described in the city's Comprehensive Plan or in an adopted policy, 11 Carriage House Apartments, Modification of Standard — MOD120001 February 16, 2012 P&Z Hearing Page 7 • Policy LIV 22.2 Creativity — The Carriage House Apartment Home community will be comprised of smaller buildings that are typically associated with single family homes. • Policy LIV 43.3 — Support Transit -Supportive Development Patterns — The proposed plan is located in the Transit -Oriented Development Overlay Zone. The density associated with the proposed plan will support walking, biking and transit use while minimizing the reliance upon automobiles. • Policy T3.4 — Travel Demand Management — The proposed plan will minimize automobile dependence and maximize the choices among other modes of local and regional travel. • Figure P-4 - Pedestrian Priority Areas — The subject property is located within the Downtown/CSU Pedestrian District. Additionally, the proposed project substantially addresses specifically and expressly defined and described policies outlined in the West Central Neighborhood Plan (WCNP) including the following principals: • The WCNP was adopted in March of 1999. The plan identifies the subject property as a Redevelopment Area. (Map 2) • The WCNP Land Use and Housing Densities Plan identifies the subject property as Neighborhood Conservation Buffer (NCB) zoning acting as a buffer between the older, single family residences and the more intense uses of the Campus District and HMN zoning on the immediate east side of Shields Street. (Map 3) The WCNP identified this specific area as predominantly rental properties catering to university students and recognized that this area is growing to meet the housing demands of the university. Therefore, the scale and density of the proposed plan reflect that housing type. (Map 3) • The WCNP recommends that higher density uses such as the proposed Carriage House Apartment Homes development be located next to the CSU Main Campus. (Policy F7) • The WCNP encourages redevelopment within this area of the neighborhood, as the existing single family homes are being converted to multi -family uses in order to meet the demand of student housing (HO 4). • The WCNP specifically contemplates the subject property as a buffer area that can be made up of small-scale apartment buildings. (Future Housing Needs (B)). • The WCNP encourages the height of student housing complexes built adjacent to the CSU Main Campus to exceed 3 stories (Housing Design (B)). 7 Carriage House Apartments, Modification of Standard — MOD120001 February 16, 2012 P&Z Hearing Page 6 Mitigation scenarios to develop around the 1305 S. Shields St. residence have been explored by the applicant, to no avail. The 1305 S. Shields residence has been a rental for a number of years. It is rapidly reaching the end of its functional life due to deterioration and deferred maintenance. Further, the home is woefully inadequate with respect to the energy efficiency, basic insulation values and water saving features that are required in the current City code. The applicant doesn't acknowledge any historic character to the 1305 S. Shields property, and therefore can find no sound reason to retain it. City Plan specifically and expressly defines and describes the following policies that support the proposed project. • Policy EH 4.1 Prioritize Targeted Redevelopment Areas — The Targeted Infill and Redevelopment Areas (depicted in LIV1) encompass the subject property. • Policy LIV 5.1 — Encourage Targeted Redevelopment and Infill — The project will concentrate higher density housing in a location that is currently served by high frequency transit and can thus support higher levels of activity. • Policy LIV 6.1 — Types of Infill and Redevelopment in Residential Areas — The project will provide new multi -family residential dwellings through the expansion or redevelopment of an under-utilized parcel surrounded by existing residential development. • Policy LIV 7.2 — Develop an Adequate Supply of Housing — The City is encouraging private sectors to take actions to develop and maintain an adequate supply of multi -family dwellings necessary to serve the growth patterns of CSU. • Policy LIV 7.4 — Maximize Land for Residential Development — The proposed development will maximize the potential of the subject property for housing, thereby positively influencing housing affordability. • Policy LIV 7.7 — Accommodate the Student Population — The project will serve to provide new housing for the burgeoning student body at the southwest corner of the campus immediately across Shields Street that is well served by public transportation. • Policy LIV 10.1 — Incorporate Street Trees — The proposed site plan will serve to preserve the majority of the existing _16 crabapple trees along the Springfield frontage. • Policy LIV 22.1 — Vary Housing Models and Types — The proposed plan for five separate buildings will allow for variation in exterior materials, color, articulation and avoid the appearance of monotonous, standardized community. Co Carriage House Apartments, Modification of Standard — MOD120001 February 16, 2012 P&Z Hearing Page 5 maximum extent feasible, attempted to preserve the site, structure or object in accordance with the standards of this Section, and the preservation of the site, structure or object is not feasible. 4. Applicant Modification Request: The proposed Overlay Plan, (Exhibit PDP2) depicts .the relationship with the 1305 S. Shields Street house with the proposed site plan for Carriage House Apartments. As indicated, if the house is preserved, two of the proposed buildings (#3 + #4) would not be developable. The loss of two buildings represents 40% of the project. Considerable economies of development, construction and operations are lost with a 40% reduction in volume which would jeopardize the viability of the project. Further, the Owner has a contract to sell the entire 1.15 acre parcel. The contract does not contemplate purchasing just the back portion of the subject property. Proposed Site Plan — The proposed Site Plan, (Exhibit PDP3) contemplates five (5) separate buildings. Each of the buildings shall be designed to look more like single family houses than typical apartment buildings with the inclusion of porches, orientation of the building to the street, a consolidation of most of the access to the back of the building and extensive articulation on the exterior. The NCB zoning requires that the buildings be located predominantly on the front half of the site. The subject property is rectangular in shape making the frontage facing the 335' along Springfield Street. The NCB zoning imposes a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) restriction that minimizes the amount of building area in the back half of the site to just 0.33 of the total land area. In the case of the subject property, only 21,610square feet can be built on the back half of the site. The net result is that in order to optimize the site plan as required in NCB zoning, the bulk of the buildings must be on the front half of the site. Further, the 2010 City Plan places an emphasis on new multi -family residential buildings that have variation to the exterior to avoid monotony and are situated to face the street, as is the case with the proposed plan. The West Central Neighborhoods Plan — Housing Policies also stresses attached dwelling unit buildings to be designed to a scale appropriate to their surroundings (F4). Rather than designing the typical large building, the proposed plan contemplates five smaller buildings. The result is that the proposed site plan is tailored to developing smaller, separate buildings rather than a more typical large building. Thus, the placement, size and quantity of buildings contemplated in the proposed Carriage House Apartments site plan is the result of addressing and conforming to the City's stated objectives. 5 Carriage House Apartments, Modification of Standard — MOD120001 February 16, 2012 P&Z Hearing Page 4 topography, or physical conditions which hinder the owner's ability to install a solar energy system, the strict application of the standard sought to be modified would result in unusual and exceptional practical difficulties, or exceptional or undue hardship upon the owner of such property, provided that such difficulties or hardship are not caused by the act or omission of the applicant; or (4) the plan as submitted will not diverge from the standards of the Land Use Code that are authorized by this Division to be modified except in a nominal, inconsequential way when considered from the perspective of the entire development plan, and will continue to advance the purposes of the Land Use Code as contained in Section 1.2.2. Any finding made under subparagraph (1), (2), (3) or (4) above shall be supported by specific findings showing how the plan, as submitted, meets the requirements and criteria of said subparagraph (1), (2), (3) or (4). 3. Land Use Code Citations for the two (2) Standards: A. Section 3.4.7(B) General Standard If the project contains a site, structure or object that (1) is determined to be individually eligible for local landmark designation or for individual listing in the State or National Registers of Historic Places; (2) is officially designated as a local or state landmark, or is listed on the National Register of Historic Places; or (3) is located within an officially designated historic district or area, then to the maximum extent feasible, the development plan and building design shall provide for the preservation and adaptive use of the historic structure. The development plan and building design shall protect and enhance the historical and architectural value of any historic property that is: (a) preserved and adaptively used on the development site; or (b) is located on property adjacent to the development site and qualifies under (1), (2) or (3) above. New structures must be compatible with the historic character of any such historic property, whether on the development site or adjacent thereto B. Section 3.4.7 (E) Relocation or Demolition A site, structure or object that is determined to be individually eligible for local landmark designation or for individual listing in the State or National Registers of Historic Places may be relocated or demolished only if, in the opinion of the decision maker, the applicant has, to the 4 Carriage House Apartments, Modification of Standard — MOD120001 February 16, 2012 P&Z Hearing Page 3 Following the November LPC meeting, the applicant requested a third Determination of Eligibility from the CDNS Director and LPC Chair, and provided additional information to support this request. At that time, neighbors also provided additional information on the property for consideration. Due to the new information provided, the CDNS Director and LPC Chair both re-evaluated the eligibility of the house. In December 2011, the house at 1305 South Shields Street was again found to be individually eligible for local landmark designation, for both its architectural significance and for its historical significance, based upon its association with Dr. William Carlson, University of Wyoming President. The Commission found that the proposed demolition of 1305 South Shields Street does not meet the criteria contained in Section 14-72(b) (1) (b) of the Municipal Code, and the Commission moved to recommend that the application proceed to the LPC Final Hearing. A final LPC hearing can only take place after the receipt of the submittal requirements, of which include approved from the Planning and Zoning Board plans (in this instance). The plans, as proposed, do not meet Land Use Code requirements and the applicant is asking for modifications to the specific standards in which they do not meet. 2. Review Criteria A. Land Use Code Section 2.8.2 — Modification of Standards: (H) Step 8 (Standards): The decision maker may grant a modification of standard only if it finds that the granting of the modification would not be detrimental to the public good, and that: (1) the plan as submitted will promote the general purpose of the standard for which the modification is requested equally well or better than would a plan which complies with the standard for which a modification is requested; or (2) the granting of a modification from the strict application of any standard would, without impairing the intent and purpose of this Land Use Code, substantially alleviate an existing, defined and described problem of city-wide concern or would result in a substantial benefit to the city by reason of the fact that the proposed project would substantially address an important community need specifically and expressly defined and described in the city's Comprehensive Plan or in an adopted policy, ordinance or resolution of the City Council, and the strict application of such a standard would render the project practically infeasible; or (3) by reason of exceptional physical conditions or other extraordinary and exceptional situations, unique to such property, including, but not limited to, physical conditions such as exceptional narrowness, shallowness or 3 Carriage House Apartments, Modification of Standard — MOD120001 February 16, 2012 P&Z Hearing Page 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Section 3.4.7 contains standards requiring the preservation of structures determined to be individually eligible for local landmark designation, to the maximum extent feasible. The applicant is not willing to provide for the preservation of the individually eligible home at 1305 South Shields Street by incorporating the building in their proposal. While providing for infill and redevelopment as well as student housing is a goal of City Plan and the West Central Neighborhood Sub -Area plan, providing for the protection of historic resources is required. Due to the fact that this project is only providing, at most, fifty (50) dwelling units and is not incorporating the historic home into the site design, both modifications are unable to be justified because they do not substantially meet a City-wide need, considered on a city-wide basis. COMMENTS: 1. Background The surrounding zoning and land uses are as follows: N: N-C-B—Neighborhood Conservation Buffer District (existing single-family residential with free -stall barns and farm character); S: R-L— Low Density Residential District (existing single-family residential and Bennett Elementary School); E: H-M-N—High Density Mixed -Use Neighborhood District (existing commercial); W: R-L— Low Density Residential District (existing single-family residential neighborhoods) The existing buildings proposed to be demolished are both over fifty years old and therefore subject to Chapter14, Article 4, of the Municipal Code, commonly called the "Demolition/Alteration Review Process". In September 2011, the Community Development and Neighborhood Services (CDNS) Director and Landmark Preservation Commission (LPC) Chair determined that the building at 1319 South Shields was not individually eligible for local landmark designation, due to previous alterations which negatively affected the building's historic integrity. However, the CDNS Director and the LPC Chair determined that the house at 1305 South Shields Street was individually eligible for local landmark designation. In November 2011, the LPC conducted a Preliminary Hearing on the proposed demolition of the house. The Commission and the applicant were not able to identify a mutually agreeable solution that would preserve the house and allow for the applicant to redevelop the property as desired. 2 P m City of ort Collins ITEM NO T MEETING DATE R. STAFF o„ PLANNING & ZONING BOARD PROJECT: Carriage House Apartments Stand -Alone Modification of Standard, MOD120001 APPLICANT: Charles Bailey Catamount Properties 7302 Rozena Drive Longmont, CO 80503 OWNER: Beverly Carlson Beverly Carlson Residential, LLC 210 Hollyhill Lane Denton, TX PROJECT DESCRIPTION: This is a request for two stand-alone modifications; one relating to the general standard in Section 3.4.7 of the Land Use Code (LUC) regarding the preservation of structures deemed individually eligible for local landmark designation and one for the demolition of an individually eligible structure. The applicant is requesting to redevelop the properties located at 1305 and 1319 South Shields Street by demolishing two existing single family residences and associated outbuildings and constructing five multi -family buildings with approximately ten units per building. The project will have a mix of one, two and three bedroom units; however the specific quantity of each bedroom type is not finalized at this time as a Project Development Plan is yet to be submitted. The project is located in the Neighborhood Conservation Buffer (N-C-B) District and is within the Transit - Oriented Development (TOD) Overlay District; Multifamily dwellings are a permitted use. If approved, a stand-alone modification is valid for one year. As part of the redevelopment, two standards will not be satisfied; therefore, two Modification of Standard requests have been submitted as stand-alone requests. RECOMMENDATION: Denial Current Planning 281 N College Av PO Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 fcgov.com/currentplanning 970.221.6750