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Home My WebLink AboutRIVERBEND PDP - MODIFICATION OF STANDARDS - 39-01A - REPORTS - MODIFICATION REQUESTRIVERBE C PONDS A' AR ARK AND TRAIL ia, OPTION B - PLAN MEETING CODE OFF STREET PARKING �- VEHICULAR USE AREA - SCORED CONCRETE V PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY w PLANTING BEDS 0 o - UNIT ENTRIES 100 FOOT NATURAL AREA BUFFER i PATIOS DETENTION POND 0 4 z 0 U RIVERBE D PONDS' ATUR/ AR RKING AND TRAIL / ONE ME or, Ioil-monsim ENOS soon "Io�� 6 • Z. �� o'o'o' •'oo e o •11Ir• • i I ®o / t o o ■ O F`H p a 0 11 • • aa�c�,_„od�.0o��:�.o�^'O^00o00:�=�o ��.•y *A o o!a{t�QiY io' `-��0 .�►�-� , �aLO��OTOt�ol�l0 i� III s��m� r PREFERRED OPTION The purpose of the LUC code section 3.5.2(C)(1) "are intended to promote variety, visual interest and pedestrian -oriented streets in residential development." We feel that the proposed plan promotes the general purpose of the standard equally well or better than a plan that satisfies the standard as follows: • This site has limited street frontage; • Creating a courtyard plaza provides for a visual separation between the pedestrian and vehicular uses with a change of paving, and planter beds. • Internalizing the circulation systems reduces and/or eliminates the impact on the natural area and the natural area buffer. • The preferred plan provides a greater variety in building types, and a greater variety in the visual interest from the natural area. Findings of Fact/Conclusion We understand that in order to approve the Modification Request the Planning and Zoning Board must make the following findings: A. The request for a modification to Land Use Code Section 3.5.2(C)(1) is subject to review by the Planning and Zoning Board. B. Granting the requested modification would neither be detrimental to the public good nor impair the intent and purposes of this Land Use Code. C. Granting the requested modification would allow the project to advance the public interests and purposes of the standard equally well or better than a plan that satisfies the standard as follows: • The proposed site plan promotes greater visual interest within and outside of the site with a greater variety of building massing. • Keeping circulation internal to the site better enhances the natural area buffer, and • The plan as proposed provides a unique site design, an enhanced vehicular and pedestrian use area, a strong visual connection between units, and easy pedestrian access to the off- street parking, the individual units, and the adjacent street. We recommend approval of the Riverbend Modification Request. Riverbend Modifications of Standards Request 8/13/02 3 orienting the private living areas of the units to the adjacent natural area or public street. This effectively screens the vehicular circulation from public view, and also provides a good buffer and transition to the natural area. For Riverbend, we are requesting to modify the code requirement by providing an alternative means of providing pedestrian access to units 7 and 8. Two options are illustrated and discussed below: Option A (preferred Option) • This option creates a courtyard plaza that is shared by both vehicles and pedestrians. • Pedestrian areas are visually separated from vehicular areas by the use of colored scored concrete, and by using raised planting beds where possible. • There are only eight units within the project, providing limited vehicular movements and traffic. • Three of the eight units have direct pedestrian access to a public street. • Public on -street parking will not be allowed on Countryside Drive and the department of natural resources prefers a design, which discourages overflow parking at the natural area. • This design option provides greater visual interest in building variety and massing from the natural areas, with a total of six end units. This allows greater liveability for the majority of the units. Option B (plan meeting code) • This option creates a single six unit building against the natural area. • Per the land use code, only one of the units is required to meet the connectivity requirements with multi -family buildings, which is provided. • Less diversity in units. • Less variety in building types. • Greater massing and visual intrusion on the Natural Area. This is a unique site, small in size, adjacent to the Riverbend Ponds Natural Area, and with limited street frontage and no on -street parking. With these amenities and restrictions, the site design places all the active circulation components into the interior of the site, with the more passive patio uses to the exterior of the site, providing a visual buffer to both the natural area and to Countryside Drive. Justification We understand that in order to approve the Modification Request the Planning and Zoning Board must make the following findings: A) The Planning and Zoning Board may grant a modification of standards only if it rinds that the granting of the modification would not be detrimental to the public good; We feel that the proposed design allows the pedestrian to interact with the vehicle in a safe and convenient manner, provides visual separation between the pedestrian and vehicular, provides better visual massing to the adjacent natural area, and is not detrimental to the public good. B) 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; Riverbend Modifications of Standards Request 8/13/02 2 MODIFICATION REQUEST Rir ERBEND ALTERNATIVE PROPOSED SITE PLAN We are submitting this request for modification of standards for the Riverbend project to address the following item: A. Modification of standards to Section 3.5.2(C)(1) of the LUC PROJECT BACKGROUND Riverbend is a small infill housing site located along Countryside Drive, west of Timberline, immediately north of the Riverbend Ponds Natural Area. This site is one acre in size. The applicant is proposing eight townhome style multifamily units on the site placed in three separate buildings. Two of the buildings face south, with the other facing onto Countryside Drive. The buildings are oriented around a central courtyard drive, which provides access to the garages, off-street parking, as well as the public entrances of the units. The issue is providing a pedestrian connection to the east side two unit building, units 7 and 8. The applicant prefers a two building configuration with a four unit and a two unit building. The code could easily be met by construction one six unit building. We have worked with staff on a variety of options, outlined below, one meeting the code requirements, and the preferred option which does not. As a result, the applicant is requesting a modification to 3.5.2(C)(1), Orientation to a Connecting Walkway Modifications to setback requirements Code Sections: 3.5.2(C)(1) Orientation to a connecting walkway. Every front facade with a primary entrance to a dwelling unit shall face the adjacent street to the extent reasonably feasible. Every front facade with a primary entrance to a dwelling unit shall face a connecting walkway with no primary entrance more than two hundred (200) feet from a street sidewalk. The following exceptions to this standard are permitted: (b) A primary entrance may be up to three hundred fifty (350) feet from a street sidewalk if the primary entrance faces and opens directly onto a connecting walkway that qualifies as a major walkway spine. (c) If a multifamily building has more than one (1) front facade, and if one (1) of the front facades faces and opens directly onto a street sidewalk, the primary entrances located on the other front facade(s) need not face a street sidewalk or connecting walkway. Purpose: These standards are intended to promote variety, visual interest and pedestrian -oriented streets in residential development. Discussion: At Riverbend, street frontage is very limited, with frontage on only a small section of Countryside Drive to the west, the Riverbend Ponds Natural Area to the south, the existing Countryside development to the east, and the Country Gardens Nursery to the north. Due to this, providing public street frontage for all the units was not a feasible option. As a result, the applicant has elected to internalize the circulation system, and Riverbend Modifications of Standards Request 8/13/02