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HomeMy WebLinkAboutVILLAGE ON HORSETOOTH (AFFORDABLE HOUSING) - PDP - PDP160025 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - MODIFICATION REQUEST (4)August 17, 2016 Modification Request 3.8.30 Multi-Family Dwelling Development (C) Access to a Park, Central Feature or Gathering Place. At least ninety (90) percent of the dwellings in all development projects shall be located within one thousand three hundred twenty (1,320) feet (one-quarter [¼] mile) of either a neighborhood park, a privately owned park or a central feature or gathering place that is located either within the project or within adjacent development, which distance shall be measured along street frontage without crossing an arterial street. Such parks, central features or gathering places shall contain one (1) or more of the following uses: (2)Privately owned parks, meeting the following criteria: (b)Location. Such parks shall be highly visible, secure settings formed by the street layout and pattern of lots and easily observed from streets. Rear facades and rear yards of dwellings shall not abut more than two (2) sides or more than fifty (50) percent of the perimeter frontage of the park. Reason for the Request The reason that the proposed site plan does not meet the above standard is largely related to the decision that it was not in the best interest of the existing neighborhood or future residents of the Village on Horsetooth to have Birmingham Drive extend through the site and connect to Horsetooth Road. (See Modification – Orientation to a Connecting Walkway) Without a public street through the property it is difficult to make the privately owned park highly visible from public streets. The entrances to the multi-family buildings are purposely located adjacent to the parking areas, rather than facing the park, to provide convenience for the residents by shortening how far they need to walk from their car to the entrance sometimes with children and groceries. The other side of the building does have doors that exit onto patio spaces of individual residences. Those doors and patios face the park. 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; We believe that granting the Modification will not be detrimental to the public good and is equal to or better than a plan that complies with the standard for the following reasons:  At 30,000 square feet, the privately owned, centrally located, park is over three times as big as the Land Use Code requires. The generous size is due to the fact that Birmingham Drive does not connect through the site to Horsetooth Road.  The park is surrounded by a public, tree-lined walkway that defines the space and provides the visual access that the standard encourages.  The clubhouse with exterior amenities including patio/deck space, shade structures, seating, barbeque and playground are located at the south end of the central park space. The enclosed space makes it ideal for the families that will live in this community. While the space is not highly visible from surrounding streets, it is highly visible to most of the people living in the community and purposely semi-enclosed to make it safer for children.  The park space functions better for the residents than a park bordered by streets because it is safer, more convenient and encourages social interaction between residents as they utilize site amenities such as the clubhouse, mail boxes, playground, and community gardens, without having to cross a street.  The entrances to the multi-family buildings are purposely located adjacent to the parking areas, rather than facing the park, to provide convenience for the residents by shortening how far they need to walk from their car to the entrance sometimes with children and groceries.  The proposed multi-family buildings are visually attractive on all sides utilizing similar architectural detailing and consistent high quality materials on all sides.  The building elevations that face the park include doors that exit onto patio spaces of individual residences. Those doors and patios provide visual interest and create opportunity for social interaction around the park. (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; The proposed project is an affordable housing community that will result in a substantial benefit to the City. It is designed to address the critical need for affordable rental housing in the community. The proposed site plan solution supports the objective of providing well-designed, safe, affordable housing in a managed setting. The central green with a clubhouse and playground is key to achieving project goals and objectives. The proposed mixed-income community will serve residents earning between 30% and 60% of Area Median Income (AMI.) Currently, 60% AMI for a family of four is $46,920; and 30% AMI for a family of four is $23,460. The need for affordable housing is defined in City Plan and the Affordable Housing Strategic Plan, and the opportunity to provide such housing for 96 households is a significant step towards addressing this important community need and provides a substantial benefit to these individuals and the community as a whole.