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HomeMy WebLinkAbout215 MATHEWS OFFICE BUILDING - PDP - PDP150020 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - MODIFICATION REQUESTModifications of Standards Requests 215 Mathews Street Offices October 20, 2015 1 Project Description This is a request for four Modifications in conjunction with a pending Project Development Plan (PDP) for 215 Mathews Street. All four Modifications relate to development standards in the Neighborhood Conservation Buffer, N-C-B, zone district. The pending PDP request is a request for redevelopment that results in a new three story office building of approximately 8,550 square feet. The existing home would be razed in order to accomplish this. Site plan, architectural, landscape, lighting and utility plans have been provided for the project that provide visual tools to understand the scope of the modifications proposed. Context The subject property is a 7,000 square foot lot with a small dilapidated home currently on it. The property faces the City Creative Center (former museum) and Library Park to the east. Immediately to the south is the Parkview Apartments. To the west is an existing alley and to the north is the Library Park Apartments. The surrounding land uses are as follows: E: N-C-M; Existing City Creative Center and Library Park S: N-C-B; Existing Parkview Apartments W: D; Existing commercial and residential N: N-C-B; Existing Parkview Apartments Parking The current standards for parking in the N-C-B zone district for an office use require one space per 1,000 square feet of gross leasable area. This results in a requirement of nine spaces for the proposed facility. Nine spaces will be provided on site and four new spaces will be provided on Mathews Street in lieu of the existing curb cut serving the existing driveway that will be removed. One of these new street parking spaces will be a van accessible space and a new ramp will be provided for the space to the walkway paralleling Mathews Street. Neighborhood Impact Redevelopment of this property will add much needed quality office space to the Old Town area and clean up the current unsightly and dilapidated existing home and site. Since parking is being provided on site, as required, plus additional spaces will be provided on the street, this project should have no adverse effect on the neighborhood. Land Use Code Standards Relating to the Four Modification Requests Modification 1 - 4.9(D)(1) Density Modification 2 - 4.9(D)(5) Allowable Floor Area on Rear Half of Lots. Modification 3 - 4.9(D)(6)(b) Dimensional Standards. Minimum front yard setback. Modification 4 - 4.9(D)(6)(d) Dimensional Standards. Minimum side yard width. Modifications of Standards Requests 215 Mathews Street Offices October 20, 2015 2 Land Use Code Modification Criteria: “The decision maker may grant a modification of standards 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 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). Modification Criteria and Support Findings Modification 1 – 4.9(D)(1) Density Standard: Minimum lot area shall be equivalent to the total floor area of the building(s), but not less than five thousand (5,000) square feet. For the purposes of calculating density, "total floor area" shall mean the total gross floor area of all principal buildings as measured along the outside walls of such buildings, including each finished or unfinished floor level, plus the total gross floor area of the ground floor of any accessory building larger than one hundred twenty (120) square feet, plus that portion of the floor area of any second story having a ceiling height of at least seven and Modifications of Standards Requests 215 Mathews Street Offices October 20, 2015 3 one-half (7½) feet located within any such accessory building located on the lot. (Open balconies and basements shall not be counted as floor area for purposes of calculating density). Proposal: The proposed total floor area is 8,550 square feet and the lot area is 7,000 square feet thus the proposed building exceeds the standard by 1,550 square feet. Justification: The N-C-B zone district, the subject property is located within, is intended as a transitional district between more intense downtown commercial uses and the surrounding single-family residential neighborhoods. The subject property happens to abut the Downtown District and in many ways the subject block more closely resembles the character and intensity of the Downtown District than the surrounding single-family neighborhoods. The existing single-family home, on the subject property, is the last remaining on the block face and is sandwiched between two much more intense and dense multi-family residences with an approved even more intense attached-dwelling project, the Townhomes at Library Park, about to begin construction further south on the block. The existing adjacent buildings, and certainly the approved Townhome project, exceed many of the zone district standards but do so in what seems to be an appropriate manner given the closer proximity to downtown and the lack of immediate proximity to single-family homes. Given the requested increase is just a 22% increase beyond the standard and given that the adjacent properties exceed this criteria significantly more, it is argued that the proposed solution is minimal and inconsequential. Furthermore, the building massing is mitigated by the inclusion of a high grade building material palette similar to the surrounding buildings. The front elevation is proposed to be constructed entirely of masonry (brick and stone) with the exception of the windows, which are similar in character to the apartments. Modification 2 - 4.9(D)(5) Allowable Floor Area on Rear Half of Lots. Standard: The allowable floor area on the rear half of a lot shall not exceed thirty-three (33) percent of the area of the rear fifty (50) percent of the lot. Proposal: The proposed total floor area on the rear half of the lot is 2,943 square feet on a 3,500 square feet equating to eighty four (84) percent of the rear half of the lot. Justification: The N-C-B zone district, the subject property is located within, is intended as a transitional district between more intense downtown commercial uses and the surrounding single-family residential neighborhoods. The subject property happens to abut the Downtown District and in many ways the subject block more closely resembles the character and intensity of the Downtown District than the surrounding single-family neighborhoods. The existing single-family home, on the subject property, is the last remaining on the block face and is sandwiched between two much more intense and dense multi-family residences with an approved even Modifications of Standards Requests 215 Mathews Street Offices October 20, 2015 4 more intense attached-dwelling project, the Townhomes at Library Park, about to begin construction further south on the block. The existing adjacent buildings, and certainly the approved Townhome project, exceed many of the zone district standards but do so in what seems to be an appropriate manner given the closer proximity to downtown and the lack of immediate proximity to single-family homes. While this proposed increase in area is significant, the public record shows that the Townhomes at Library Park project was granted a Modification which exceeds this criteria by a greater amount and it appears that the adjacent Park View Apartments may also exceed this criteria. It is argued that the proposed solution is minimal and inconsequential given the surrounding context. Furthermore, it seems as if this standard was intended to apply more to single-family residential projects allowing them to have a back yard area and also to maintain the quality of the adjacent back yard areas. Since the Apartment project to the south does not have a back yard area and likely exceeds this criteria and since the apartment project to the north places a parking lot at the rear half of its lot, it would seem that there would be no benefit to the adjacent projects in holding the subject property to the standard. Modification 3 - 4.9(D)(6)(b) Dimensional Standards. Minimum front yard setback. Standard: Minimum front yard setback shall be fifteen (15) feet. Proposal: The majority of the proposed building is setback eight (8) feet with a minority portion at the main entry setback six (6) feet. Justification: The N-C-B zone district, the subject property is located within, is intended as a transitional district between more intense downtown commercial uses and the surrounding single-family residential neighborhoods. The subject property happens to abut the Downtown District and in many ways the subject block more closely resembles the character and intensity of the Downtown District than the surrounding single-family neighborhoods. The existing single-family home, on the subject property, is the last remaining on the block face and is sandwiched between two much more intense and dense multi-family residences with an approved even more intense attached-dwelling project, the Townhomes at Library Park, about to begin construction further south on the block. The existing adjacent buildings, and certainly the approved Townhome project, exceed many of the zone district standards but do so in what seems to be an appropriate manner given the closer proximity to downtown and the lack of immediate proximity to single-family homes. Neither of the adjacent buildings meet this standard. The building to the north of the subject property is setback approximately fourteen (14) feet. The building to the south of the subject property is setback approximately two (2) feet at the eastern-most masonry piers of the main entry, approximately eight (8) feet at the main entry wall and approximately eleven (11) feet for the remainder of the building and the Townhomes at Library Park project, further to the south, has a virtual zero setback for the full width of the two buildings. Viewing the four properties of Modifications of Standards Requests 215 Mathews Street Offices October 20, 2015 5 the block face, a nice undulation pattern of facades is developing in a mild in and out fashion. It is argued that the proposed solution is minimal and inconsequential given the surrounding context. Furthermore, the front building elevation is further mitigated by the inclusion of a high grade building material palette similar to the surrounding buildings. This elevation is proposed to be constructed entirely of masonry (brick and stone) with the exception of the windows, which are similar in character to the apartments. As well, the ground plane is treated with extensive landscaping all serving to further mitigate the issue. Lastly, the proposed project will greatly improve the streetscape and pedestrian experience through the removal of the existing driveway which presently disrupts the pedestrian flow across the site. Modification 4 - 4.9(D)(6)(d) Dimensional Standards. Minimum side yard width. Minimum side yard width shall be five (5) feet for all interior side yards. Whenever any portion of a wall or building exceeds eighteen (18) feet in height, such portion of the wall or building shall be set back from the interior side lot line an additional one (1) foot, beyond the minimum required, for each two (2) feet or fraction thereof of wall or building height that exceeds eighteen (18) feet in height. Proposal: This standard has two components. The proposed project complies with the first component of providing a five (5) foot building setback. The second component requires the building height that exceeds eighteen (18) feet to be stepped back. The proposed building will be approximately thirty (30) feet high at the eave line and approximately thirty-one (31’) high at the property line without stepping back Justification: The N-C-B zone district, the subject property is located within, is intended as a transitional district between more intense downtown commercial uses and the surrounding single-family residential neighborhoods. The subject property happens to fall on edge of the Downtown District and in many ways the subject block more closely resembles the character and intensity of the Downtown District more so than the surrounding single-family neighborhoods. The existing single-family home is the last remaining on the block face and is sandwiched between two much more intense and dense multi-family residences with an approved even more intense attached-dwelling project, the Townhomes at Library Park, on the way further south on the block. The existing adjacent buildings, and certainly the approved Townhome project, exceed many of the zone district standards but do so in what seems to be an appropriate manner given the proximity to downtown and the lack of immediate proximity to single-family homes. Neither of the adjacent projects comply with this standard as, like stated previously, the general character of this block is more like the Downtown District in this regard. It should be noted that the setback for the project to south varies with the easternmost portion at the required setback and the western portions setting back significantly further, which helps provide further buffer. And, it should also be noted that the project façade to the north contains no windows that would be impacted. Given this surrounding context, it is argued that the proposed solution is minimal and inconsequential. Modifications of Standards Requests 215 Mathews Street Offices October 20, 2015 6 Furthermore, it seems as if this standard was intended to apply more to single-family residential projects, like those found further to the east of this project. Most two story or taller office buildings, other than those in former houses, would not comply with this standard. This is demonstrated by most office uses in the adjacent Downtown zone district. Since this zone district is intended as a transition area and since this particular block is more adjacent to and more closely resembles the intensity of the Downtown district, this standard does not seem as appropriate as it might elsewhere within the district. Summary The proposed modifications are all nominal when compared to the entire development that provides high quality, high performing architecture that is sensitive to the character of the surrounding neighborhood, and as such is consistent with the policies of the Land Use Code described in Section 1.2.2 as follows: (B) Encouraging innovations in land development and renewal. (F) Encouraging patterns of land use which decrease trip length of automobile travel and encourage trip consolidation. (J) Improving the design, quality and character of new development. (K) Fostering a more rational pattern of relationship among residential, business and industrial uses for the mutual benefit of all. (L) Encouraging the development of vacant properties within established areas. (M) Ensuring that development proposals are sensitive to the character of existing neighborhoods. Approval of these requests for Modifications would facilitate a positive infill development adding much needed quality office space to the Old Town area. Furthermore, granting these requests would not be detrimental to the public good but would provide for a substantial improvement over the existing conditions of the property.