Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutOAK 140 - PDP200009 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - MODIFICATION REQUEST (2)MINIMAL RISK. PAINLESS PROCESS. BEAUTIFUL SPACES. o: 970.224.5828 | w: ripleydesigninc.com RIPLEY DESIGN, INC. | 419 Canyon Avenue, Suite 200 | Fort Collins, CO 80521 July 8, 2020 Modification Request Oak 140 – Project Development Plan 4.16 (B)(1) Street Frontage and Building Placement Requirements Figure 18.2 establishes that the minimum alley setback is 5 feet. Reason for Request The ground floor footprint of the proposed building respects all required building setbacks from both Oak and Remington streets as well as Montezuma Fuller Alley. On the west elevation of the building, along Montezuma Fuller Alley, it became infeasible to provide the 5-foot setback at the second-floor parking level, approximately 11’-6” above the finished grade. Early in the design process, underground parking was proposed, however, it was shown to be inefficient and cost prohibitive. The design solution that enables the project to meet parking requirements cost effectively and efficiently is to allocate the second floor as a parking garage for the project. The layout of the parking structure with its precise requirements for parking bay dimensions requires that the building façade on the west second through fifth floors encroach into the 5-foot setback. Justification The Land Use Code states that the decision-maker may grant a modification of standards if the decision-maker finds that the granting of the modification would not be detrimental to the public good and that it meets one of four justification criteria. We believe that the project as proposed meets Criterion (2) below: 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. MINIMAL RISK. PAINLESS PROCESS. BEAUTIFUL SPACES. o: 970.224.5828 | w: ripleydesigninc.com RIPLEY DESIGN, INC. | 419 Canyon Avenue, Suite 200 | Fort Collins, CO 80521 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 need for affordable housing is defined in City Plan and the Affordable Housing Strategic Plan. The 2015 adopted Affordable Housing Strategic Plan sets the goal to have 6% of Fort Collins housing stock be comprised of affordable housing (defined as housing for residents earning 80% AMI or less), increasing to 10% beyond 2020. Currently, the City is hundreds of units short of meeting this goal. One of the top identified pillars is to increase the inventory of affordable rental units. The opportunity to provide affordable housing for 79 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. As the developer of the affordable housing component, Housing Catalyst will be utilizing 4% Federal and State Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) to develop the project. The LIHTC equity is the most critical component of the project financing. The LIHTC program has specific requirements and associated costs. There is a general economy of scale that is necessary to make LIHTC projects feasible. The most recent reports tell us that the average size of a 4% LIHTC project in Colorado is 114 units. In general, projects that are closer to 100 units are more viable, stable, and cost effective when utilizing the 4% LIHTC program. When approaching the programming for Oak 140, the team wanted to maximize the density and efficiency of the project while also balancing the size, height, parking needs, and cost of the building. It is not feasible to achieve the necessary number of units in a building less than five stories in height. The only way to avoid encroaching into the alley setback at the second level would be to move the parking from the second-floor podium to an underground format or reduce the number of parking by approximately 12 stalls. The underground parking option was problematic because of the risk of water infiltration, increased duration of construction activity and costs associated with mitigating water underground, and constructing the parking underground. Since the design of the parking garage utilizes the minimum dimensions allowed for parking stalls and drive aisles, the other option would require the loss of an entire row of parking, or 12 stalls. This would reduce the off-street parking provided below that which is required and would add undue burden to the limited on-street parking areas beyond the 140 E Oak property. The setback at the ground level along the alley varies from 5 feet to 9.5 feet and is enhanced in a variety of ways. Glass storefront windows wrap the corner of Oak Street and the start of Montezuma Fuller Alley, creating an upscale inviting entrance to the alley. A west side building entrance, planters, bicycle parking, pedestrian lighting and colorful murals expand the eclectic feel of the existing alley, making it a comfortable and interesting space. The fact that the second story comes out over the setback area adds the advantage of weather protection. MINIMAL RISK. PAINLESS PROCESS. BEAUTIFUL SPACES. o: 970.224.5828 | w: ripleydesigninc.com RIPLEY DESIGN, INC. | 419 Canyon Avenue, Suite 200 | Fort Collins, CO 80521 The proposed 5-story building with the 5-foot encroachment into the alley setback at the second through fifth floors, is the plan that best meets the goals of the project – to deliver the greatest amount of affordable housing that is feasible, while embracing high quality design that recognizes and is sensitive to the surrounding community.