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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHALCYON SECOND ANNEXATION & ZONING - 9-03 - CORRESPONDENCE - CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONlandbank program is a great and daring step for this City. Other tools are also at your disposal which can foster more Affordable developments .... reduction of City fees, fee waivers, cost - sharing of development infrastructure that benefits City residents OR reduces City costs and overhead. Today, building affordable housing needs to be seen as a partnership with the City. We are creating the homes for teenagers renting their first apartment, college students living off -campus, many school teachers, numerous public and private employees, folks looking to retire in a less expensive, but modern home, couples choosing the home and neighborhood to raise their family ... and the lifestyles could go on. Asa building industry working alone, we will never meet the demand for Affordable Housing. But if the City could chip in MORE, and expedite processing, provide cost-cutting incentives, and show more flexibility on density, and on building types for Affordable Homes in LMN and other Zones, the cooperation could insure our children and grandparents will be provided a broader selection of homes that they can afford. Rocky Mountain Research Institute 2 RMRI ,& , rocky mountain research institute marketing, real estate and economic consultants DATE: April 17, 2003 6645 a heritage place so ❑ englewood, co 60111 303-721-9054 fax 303-721-0245 TO: Ft. Collins Planning Commission Members FROM: Bill Veio, Manager SOLITAIRE INVESTMENTS FT. COLLINS, LLC RE: CONCENTRATING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THIS AREA OF THE CITY I represent the ownership of the 33 acre and 19 acre parcels that are adjacent to the City property on the north border. Our property extends from College on the West to Trilby on the East. We have presented two proposed Affordable Housing development Site Plans for 33 acres to the City staff in 2001 and 2002 and one Concept Review meeting was held in December 2001. We have had further discussions in 2002 With the Planning Dept. staff about our intent to develop Affordable Housing of various types and densities on this land. My purpose in speaking very briefly tonight is three -fold: First, we are certainly in favor of the annexation of the 17-acres with the condition that it be used for Affordable Housing in the future. Second, we are averse to any City Policy, either overt or covert, that restricts the amount, the location, or the concentration of Affordable Housing within the City limits of Ft. Collins. Third, when the adjacent 52-acre property is presented for annexation into the City with a zoning request for a Site Plan that may contain Affordable Housing as a major component of the proposed neighborhood, it would be expected that this body would not cite NOR adopt a City Policy restricting the location or concentration of Affordable Housing in this OR any other area of the City. City -owned, land -banked property such as this 17-acre parcel, purchased for future Affordable Housing should in NO WAY influence nor restrict private or non-profit developers from building Affordable Housing on their own land within this area OR any other area of the City. Land is expensive. The entitlement process is too lengthy and costly. The ever escalating cost of building and development, and the add -on fees and City charges, make the word "Affordable is a misnomer. The truth is market -priced "Affordable Housing" today, is any new housing which is priced under $200,000 in the City of Ft. Collins. As City Leaders you need to adopt more policies to encourage its development. The innovative ideas for industry since 1972