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HomeMy WebLinkAbout606 S. HOWES STREET BOARDING HOUSE - PDP - 18-06 - REPORTS - RECOMMENDATION/REPORTAdministrative Public Hearing Sign -In Project: Meeting Location: 2KI ill. C011mO v Date: PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY Name Address Phone Email P S.k4 T7a 6-I6M / eo �. fl 2- �a6 iq i� F,os�� Q7D _ �193-5�+Z e— ,� 606 S. Howes Boarding House - PDP, #18-06 October 5, 2006 Administrative Hearing Page 7 5. Staff finds that the project as submitted, based on the land use and its contextual compatibility with the surrounding land uses, it is not detrimental to the public good. 6. Staff finds that the project, as submitted, based on the land use and its contextual compatibility with the surrounding land uses, is not detrimental to the public good: and the plan as submitted will promote the general purpose of the standard for which the modification is requested equally well as a plan which complies with the standard for which a modification is requested. The common parking lot functions adequately for the number of residents currently using the lot, and while the use classification of the 606 S. Howes property will change with this proposal, there will not be a change in the number of residents (eight total) living in the house or parking in the common lot. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the request for a modification to standard as set forth in Section 3.2.2(K)(1)6) — Boarding and Rooming House Parking Requirments of the LUC. Staff recommends approval of the 606 South Howes Boarding House - Project Development Plan - #18-06. 606 S. Howes Boaromg House - PDP, #18-06 October 5, 2006 Administrative Hearing Page 6 The proposal complies with the design standards, requirements, and specifications for the services as set forth in this section. C. Division 3.5, Building Standards 1. Section 3.5.1, Building and Project Compatibility The existing building is of similar mass, scale and architectural character to other residential buildings in the area. 2. Section 3.5.2, Residential Building Standards This proposal complies with all applicable standards set'forth in this section of the Land Use Code. D. Division 3.8, Supplementary Regulations 1. Section 3.8.28, Boarding and Rooming House Regulations The proposal complies with the occupancy limits for the CC — Community Commercial Zone District, by providing 378 square feet of habitable space per boarder where a minimum of 350 square feet is required. Therefore, a total of 3,022 square feet of habitable floor space ,will be provided. FINDINGS OF FACT/CONCLUSIONS After reviewing the 606 South Howes Boarding House - PDP, staff makes the following findings of fact and conclusions: 1. The proposed land use is permitted in the CC — Community Commercial Zone District. 2. The change of use plan complies with all applicable Land Use and Development Standards contained in Article 4, Division 4.14.- Community Commercial District . of the Land Use Code. 3. The Project Development Plan complies with all applicable standards.contained in Article 3 — GENERAL DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS of the Land Use Code, with the following exception: • the standard located in Section 3.2.2(K)(1)6) — Boarding and Rooming House Parking Requirments. A request for a modification to the standard has been submitted for consideration. 606 S. Howes Boarding House - PDP, #18-06 October 5, 2006 Administrative Hearing Page 5 each single-family property. Strict application of the parking standard would require the boarding house proposal at 606 S. Howes to provide five additional parking spaces (in conjunction with the one existing space for a total of six assigned spaces) for a grand .total of 32 parking spaces in the common parking lot. Parking in the common parking lot operates on a first -come basis for all of the properties in the Myrtle Street Village Homeowner's Association. According to the other members of the association, the parking lot is rarely full, and there seems to be an adequate number of parking spaces for all six properties as they are currently rented. The property at 606 S. Howes is currently and has historically been rented to eight tenants. The purpose of the change of use request at 606 S. Howes is to comply with current occupancy limits, but the actual number of people living at the house will not change the current number of tenants or people utilizing the common parking lot. In addition, staff has made several informal site visits at different times of the day and week to observe the parking lot. Staffs observations coincide with the Homeowner's Association members' comments that the parking lot was never full to capacity and the number of open spaces in the lot range from 4 open spaces on a school -day at noon, to 10 open spaces on a weekday morning at.8 am, and 6 open spaces on a school day at 3 pm. Finally, a signature block for the Homeowner's Association representative is required on the site plan, and in order for the change of use project development plan to be recorded, a signature from this representative, acting on behalf of all member properties, is required. Staff finds that the project, as submitted,,based on the land *use, and its contextual compatibility with the surrounding land uses, is not detrimental to the public good: and the plan as submitted will promote the general purpose of the standard for which the. modification is requested equally well as a plan which complies with the standard for which a modification is requested. The common parking lot -functions adequately for the number of residents'currentiy"using the lot, and while -the use classification of the 606 S. Howes property will change with this proposal, there will not be a change in the number of residents (eight total) living in the house or parking in the common lot. B. Division 3.3, Engineering Standards 1. Section 3.3.5, Engineering Design Standards 606 S. Howes Boarding House - PDP, #18-06 October 5, 2006 Administrative Hearing Page 4 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 LUC 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 LUC as contained in Section 1.2.2. The applicant's justification for the modification request is as follows: "Approving the modification of standards and accepting the current parking conditions would not be detrimental to public good. The plan, as submitted, promotes equally well the general purpose for the standard which in this example is to insure adequate off street parking. The number of spaces available and the utilization of the spaces results in excess parking for occupants of the units within the association. All other requirements within Section 3.2.2(K)(1)(j) the Fort Collins Land Use Code have been met." Staffs evaluation of this request for modification is as. follows: Per the standard in Section 3.2.2(K)(1)(j) of the LUC, this property is required to provide a minimum of six parking spaces for the proposed eight boarders. The applicant's request is to allow the existing parking lot with 27 parking spaces to satisfy the parking requirements, without providing any additional parking spaces. Currently the parking lot adjacent to the 606 S. Howes property is shared by the properties at 600 S. Howes, 606, S. Howes, 608 S. Howes, 215 W. Myrtle, 219 W. Myrtle and 223 W. Myrtle. The properties at 606 and 608 S. Howes are currently classified as single- family residential, and the remainder of the properties are multi -family residential. In total there are 14 two -bedroom units plus the two single- family homes sharing the common parking lot owned by the Myrtle Street Village Homeowners Association. The parking lot contains 27 parking spaces, two of which are designated as handicap accessible spaces. The multi -family properties on West Myrtle and at 600 S. Howes were constructed in 1998, and building permits indicate that parking requirements were satisfied with this development, though the assignment of parking spaces to each unit in the common lot was not required. If parking spaces had been assigned, 25 of them would be required for the multi -family properties, with one space provided for 606 S. Howes Boarding House - PDP, #18-06 October 5, 2006 Administrative Hearing Page 3 "For each boarding and rooming house, there shall be .75 parking space per boarder, rounded to the nearest whole parking space is the boarding house is owner -occupied." The applicant has submitted a request for modification to this standard to allow the existing shared parking lot adjacent to this property to satisfy the parking requirements for this proposal. The applicant's request is as follows: "Please except my request for a modification of Section 3.2.2(K)(1)(j) of the Fort Collins Land Use Code for the project located at 606 S Howes. It is my opinion and the opinion of all members of the Myrtle Street Village Association that there is.sufficient parking if not excess parking to accommodate parking needs for the units within the association including the proposed change of use." As specified in Section 2.8.2 Modification Review Procedures, the decision maker may grant a modification of standards only if it finds 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 LUC, 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 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 606 S. Howes Boarding House - PDP, #18-06 October 5, 2006 Administrative Hearing Page 2 COMMENTS: 1. Background The surrounding zoning and land uses are as follows: N: CC, D; Existing multi -family and single-family residential uses S: CC, CSU; Existing multi -family and single-family residential, university and fraternity uses E: CC; . Existing multi -family and single-family residential uses W: CC, NCB; Existing multi -family and single-family residential uses This proposal was submitted to the City on after the City Council's adoption of Ordinance 123,2005 on November 15, 2005, which made amendments to the Land Use Code related to residential occupancy limits, including boarding houses. Therefore, the intent of this proposal is to comply with the new residential occupancy limits. The property was platted as portion of lot 7 of the Harrison Addition of 1881. 2. Division 4.14 of the Land Use Code, Community Commercial Zone District Boarding houses with more than five boarders are permitted in the CC — Community Commercial Zone District, subject to administrative review. This proposal complies with the purpose of the HMN District as it is a permitted land use which adds higher density housing. No changes are proposed to the site, building or parking lot at 606 South Howes Street. This change of use proposal will bring the property into compliance with current City occupancy codes. 3. Article 3 of the Land Use Code — General Development Standards The change of use request complies with all applicable General Development Standards as follows: A. Division 3.2, Site Planning and Design Standards 1. Section 3.2.2, Access, Circulation and Parking a. The proposal complies with all applicable requirements in this section, except for 3.2.2(K)(1)G) — Boarding and Rooming House Parking Requirments, which requires that: ITEM NO. #18-06 MEETING DATE 10/5/06 STAFF Shelby Sommer City of Fort Collins HEARING OFFICER STAFF REPORT PROJECT: 606 South Howes Boarding House - Project Development Plan (PDP) - #18-06 APPLICANT/ OWNER: Andrew Luttropp 1719 Norwood Lane Fort Collins, CO 80525 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: This is a request for to convert an existing single-family house at 606 South Howes Street to an eight -person boarding house. There are no changes proposed to the building or the parking lot east of the residence. The property is located on the east side of South Howes Street, just south of West Myrtle Street, and is in the CC — Community Commercial Zone District. RECOMMENDATION: Approval EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The owner of the single-family house at 606 South Howes Street proposes a change of use to an eight -person boarding house. Boarding houses with more than five boarders are permitted in the CC — Community Commercial Zone District, subject to administrative review. The purpose of the CC District is to: "provide a combination of retail, offices, services, cultural facilities, civic uses and higher density housing..." This proposal complies with the purpose of the CC District as it is a permitted land use which adds higher density housing within easy walking distance to Colorado State University. No changes are proposed to the site, building or parking lot. COMMUNITY PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES 281 N. College Ave. P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO.80522-0580 (970) 221-6750 PLANNING DEPARTMENT