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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHARMONY COTTAGES (AFFORDABLE HOUSING) - PDP - PDP150030 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - MODIFICATION REQUESTland planning g landscape architecture g urban design g entitlement Thinking outside of the box for over two decades. 401 W. Mountain Ave., Suite 100 g Fort Collins, CO 80521 g tel. 970.224.5828 g fax 970.224.1662 g www.ripleydesigninc.com Habitat for Humanity Harmony Cottages Modification Request DIVISION 3.5.2(E)(1) RESIDENTIAL SETBACKS Setback from Arterial Streets. The minimum setback of every residential building and of every detached accessory building that is incidental to the residential building shall be thirty (30) feet from any arterial street right-of-way, except for those buildings regulated by Section 3.8.30 of this Code, which buildings must comply with the setback regulations set forth in Section 3.8.30. Reason for Request Habitat for Humanity is seeking to fill a need for affordable housing in Fort Collins. As stated later in this document, Habitat seeks to build single family attached and detached houses for people whose income is between 35% and 60% of the Fort Collins average median income (AMI). With the dramatic increase in home and land prices in Fort Collins, it is crucial the City has attainable housing for it’s citizens who fall in the modest income category. For a community to be healthy, housing needs to be available for the certified nursing assistant, the local barista, the single parent and a myriad of other professionals who are crucial to our economy but can not afford to enter the costly and competitive Fort Collins housing market. In order to bring the price of these needed homes to a level these citizen can afford, the density of Harmony Cottages needs to be at a certain level to cover the cost of development infrastructure. In order to get to that density, there are a few of the single family attached units that will be closer than the 30’ right of way off set required in section 3.5.2(E)(1). In addition, if these units were a multifamily product (3-plex or greater) the current separation from the right of way would meet code. Below we have laid out our justifications for the modification. Our arguments center around an enhanced landscape buffer to mitigate the proximity to Harmony and Taft Hill roads and the ability of the project to fulfill the need for affordable housing as stated in City Plan and the City’s Affordable Housing Strategic Plan. Habitat for Humanity Harmony Cottages Modification Request – 30’ right of way offset Page 2 of 3 Thinking outside of the box for over two decades. 401 W. Mountain Ave., Suite 100 g Fort Collins, CO 80521 g tel. 970.224.5828 g fax 970.224.1662 g www.ripleydesigninc.com Justifications The Land Use Code states that 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 the decision-maker must also find that the Modification meets one of the following four criteria described in the LUC. (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; The standard set forth in section 3.5.2(E)(1) is to provide an adequate buffer from arterials and single family dwellings. Below are two plan elements incorporated into the Harmony Cottages design that will meet or exceed the intent of the standard set forth in this section. In order to mitigate the proximity of the single family attached houses to the Harmony and Taft Hill road ways, we are proposing to more than double the amount of landscape required along the street scape. The code would require 17 trees along Harmony Road and 8 trees along Taft Hill. In order to provide a visual buffer from the houses and the roads, we are proposing to provide 44 trees along Harmony and 16 along Taft Hill. That would more than double the required landscape. The existing right-of-ways along Harmony and Taft Hill are also larger than the City standard providing a greater distance from the homes and the road than would be typical in the City. The typical park way along a 4 lane arterial is 16’ (the area between the back walk and the road). The park way along Harmony is 24’ and the park way along Taft Hill it is 55’. With a 30’ set back along an arterial and a typical 16’ parkway, the code would require single family homes to be set back 46’ from the arterial road. Our current design is very close to meeting or exceeding that dimension. The homes along Harmony will be setback from the road between 39’ and 44’. That is only 2’-7’ closer than the current standards would require. The homes along Taft Hill are set back 72’ from the road way exceeding the required 46’ set back by 26’. Lastly, if the units along Harmony and Taft Hill were a 3-plex unit rather that a duplex, the code would allow the homes to be 15’ from the right of way matching the closest set back shown on the plans. Therefore, due the substantial increase in the streetscape landscape, the separation of the homes from the road ways and the fact that a 3-plex unit would comply with the Code, the applicant believes the proposed development promotes the standard set forth in section 3.5.2(E)(1) equal to or better than a plan that would comply with the code. Habitat for Humanity Harmony Cottages Modification Request – 30’ right of way offset Page 3 of 3 Thinking outside of the box for over two decades. 401 W. Mountain Ave., Suite 100 g Fort Collins, CO 80521 g tel. 970.224.5828 g fax 970.224.1662 g www.ripleydesigninc.com (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; Development of the Harmony Cottages project would result in a substantial benefit to the City because the proposed community would address the need for affordable housing as expressed in City Plan. City Plan contains overarching policy statements that promote balanced and integrated living patterns. Topics addressed include the goal of a mix of housing types in all City sectors. Additionally, affordable housing is encouraged to be dispersed throughout the City. The City also has an Affordable Housing Strategic Plan, which establishes priorities and strategies for the City’s affordable housing programs and informs the Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plans required by HUD. The most recent plan (2010) identifies four priorities to address affordable housing needs: • Increase the inventory of affordable units; • Preserve existing affordable housing units, and; • Increase housing and facilities for people with special needs; To meet the definition of Affordable Housing in the City of Fort Collins, 10% of units must be set-aside for households earning less than 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) adjusted for household size. The Applicant is proposing to set aside 100% of the dwelling units for households earning less than 60% of AMI. In addition the properties will be deed income restricted for 20 years. The first homeowner will have to qualify earning between 35-60% AMI and then, if resold, the new buyer would need to earn less than 80% AMI. Conclusion Affordable housing will become an increasingly important issue within the City of Fort Collins as the property values continue to rise. By filling this City wide need and providing an enhanced landscape buffer between homes and the adjacent arterials, the applicant believes the proposed plans meet the modification requirements set forth in section 2.8.2 of the Land use Code.