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HomeMy WebLinkAboutA039 - Council Action Form dated May 22, 2012 ITEM # 28b DATE 05-22-12 COUNCIL ACTION FORM SUBJECT: URBAN REVITALIZATION TAX EXEMPTION FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT 127 STANTON (THE RESORT) BACKGROUND: Each year, property owners who have developed, redeveloped, rehabilitated, or remodeled property within the Urban Revitalization Areas of the city claim tax exemption for work that has been done, as provided for in Chapter 404 of the Code of Iowa. Campus Acquisitions, the property owner of 127 Stanton (The Resort, south of Legacy Tower in Campustown) is requesting prior approval for a 10-year tax exemption on increased value by the proposed improvements. The property is within the already- established Campustown Urban Revitalization Area. (See Attachment A Location Map and Attachment B Request for Prior Approval) The proposed improvements replace the existing wood frame residence with a three- story "amenity building" that provides recreational and leisure facilities for the residents of all of the properties that Campus Acquisitions owns in Campustown. The building will include facilities for yoga, weight, circuit, and cardio training, as well as tanning and sauna. The third story of the building contains four residential units with a total of nine bedrooms. Parking will be provided in the existing parking structure in Legacy Tower, if City Council approves the Remote Parking Agreement, a separate item on this City Council agenda. In the back of the building there are exterior decks and patios that contain a swimming pool, hot tub, and seating areas. To be eligible for Tax Abatement the project must comply with the criteria established by the approved Campustown Urban Revitalization Plan. (See Attachment C) Before the pre-existing building was demolished, the Building Inspections Division staff examined the building and determined that the building was a blight upon the neighborhood and a public nuisance, and therefore complies with the City of Ames Urban Revitalization Program definition of slum and blight. (See Attachment D Building Official Determination) City staff have reviewed the building and site plans and determined that the design meets the Urban Revitalization "Design Standards" criteria. In particular, 100% of the visible area of facades will be faced with clay brick. Note that this exceeds the zoning requirements for the Campustown Service Center Zoning District. The project also meets the zoning requirement that more than 50% of the ground floor portion of the fagade that faces the street be transparent glass. To be eligible for Tax Abatement, a third set of criteria must be met for any residential uses. Due to the specific facilities provided and the relationship of this site between the Legacy Tower to the north and the bar to the south, the property owner has been working for several months with the Police Department to make the proposed facility safe and secure. Some of the detailed criteria of the Campustown Urban Revitalization Plan were developed with much larger residential uses in mind and are not applicable to this project. Other measures needed for the safety of the proposed project are not t included in the listed criteria for Tax Abatement. The Campustown Urban Revitalization Plan includes a provision for City Council approval of criteria equivalent to the specific criteria listed. The applicant seeks approval of the equivalent criteria as described below. 1. Listed criterion: Limit commercial space in the same building to the ground floor. Although two floors contain commercial uses, due to site topography both are ground floors. Also, it is not necessary to go through the residential area to access the commercial uses, which is an improvement to the arrangement of uses in the Legacy Tower that has led to difficulties in controlling access to the residential areas. 2. Listed criterion: Provide separate entrances for commercial and residential uses. The access to the amenity facilities will be completely separate from access to the residential units by design. 3. Listed criterion: Locate all residential entrances to be visible from the street and provide secure access control at each. These entrances will be visible from Stanton and an electronic locking system will be installed. 4. Listed criterion: Prevent access from the exterior to the interior through doors that serve only as fire exits. The hardware for all fire exits allow exiting but prevent access, with a monitoring system to indicate when doors are left open. 5. Listed criterion: Prohibit public access to structured parking, using overhead door and secure access control. (No additional structured parking will be built.) 6. Listed criterion: Provide transparent glass windows into all stairwells. All stairwells include transparent glass windows and/or a camera monitoring system. 7. Listed criterion: Provide camera monitoring of all pedestrian and vehicle entrances and areas. Cameral monitoring is provided to all entrances. The only access to the amenity facilities is through the amenity building and a staffed monitoring station. In addition, an infrared monitoring system will be installed to monitor the exterior area when it is closed. 8. Listed criterion: Minimum widths of all exit routes: 48"for halls, 42"for doors, 60" between rails for stairs. Equivalent criterion: Due to the small number of residential units, providing wide exit routes from the residential floor is not a high priority. The interior and exterior amenity areas will be provided with exits to meet the occupant loads. 9. Listed criterion: No balconies are permitted. No balconies will be included. 10.Listed criterion: Provide for natural daylight requirements of applicable codes with exterior windows. Natural daylight is provided. 2 11.& 12. Listed criteria: On facades facing any street use only fixed windows. & Design of all other windows to prevent passing of sphere larger than 4"diameter. Equivalent criteria: Due to the small number of residential units, preventing objects from being thrown from the street facade windows is not as important as controlling access to the outdoor pool area and preventing objects from being thrown from the balconies on the south facade of Legacy Tower. Therefore, the following equivalent elements will be included in the project a. Access from the west is prevented by an 8-foot tall green fence, a sturdy metal mesh structure with vines planted on it. b. Access from the bar to the south is prevented by a 12-foot tall, roofed, green building, which has been specifically designed to deter patrons who are using the raised deck of the bar next door from throwing things into the pool area of the subject site. c. Screens will be installed on all of the balconies on the south facade of Legacy Tower designed to prevent throwing any object more than four inches in diameter down to the pool area. 13.Listed criterion: Prevent by physical means access to all roofs. Access to roofs is prevented by separation from any surrounding means of access. 14.Listed criterion: Where access is not required, provide security fencing controlling access to all areas between new or existing buildings The measures described above under 11 & 12 meet these criteria for access control. 15.Listed criterion: Provide a minimum of four 100-watt metal halide light fixtures on each building facade: two at elevation between first and second floors and two at elevation between third and fourth floor. Security lighting and a camera monitoring system will be installed. The attached Minor Site Development Plan includes all of these features. However, for many of these features to be effective requires consistent maintenance and operational control. Attachment E describes these maintenance and operational requirements. Agreements are being prepared that commit this and any future property owners of both this facility and Legacy Tower to control and maintain these systems. It should be noted, however, that once the project is completed and the tax abatement has been approved and established, the tax abatement cannot be rescinded if the property owners fail to perform as agreed. The Police Department has carefully considered the security and safety issues of this project and finds that with an operations and maintenance agreement in place, the proposed features described above are equivalent to the criteria listed for residential uses in Campustown Urban Revitalization Plan. ALTERNATIVES: 1. The City Council can give prior approval to tax abatement for the improvements at 127 Stanton under the following conditions: a. The project is constructed in compliance with the approved Minor Site Development Plan (Case #SDP-12-07) b. An agreement regarding the operational and maintenance issues listed in Attachment E is executed and presented to City Council before Tax Abatement is applied for. 2. The City Council can deny the request for prior approval of the proposed project. MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION: As new apartment projects have been developed in Ames, the inclusion of amenities for residents has increased, which is a plus for renters. Providing safe leisure activities to more than 1200 residents in 15 buildings in Campustown is a plus for the community, as well. However, it is important that the facility meets the challenges of its location and that it does not increase the demand for City services. Outdoor swimming pools anywhere in the community require some Police services, but there is substantial potential for increased Police calls due to an outdoor pool in Campustown. Campus Acquisitions and its architect, GE Wattier, have made a sincere and concerted effort to work cooperatively with City staff to incorporate workable responses to these challenges of this project. All of these features are beyond what the zoning ordinance requires, but staff believes they do meet the criteria for Tax Abatement in the Campustown Urban Revitalization Area. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative #1, giving prior approval to tax abatement for the improvements at 127 Stanton under the following conditions: a. The project is constructed in compliance with the approved Minor Site Development Plan (Case #SDP-12-07) and other Plan documents. b. An agreement regarding the operational and maintenance issues listed in Attachment E is executed and presented to City Council before Tax Abatement is applied for. 4 Attachment A LOCATION MAP f .c jf� Ir Xd F'i .r l f !h Z le Location Map 127 Stanton Ave. OSubjectProperty . rr 80 40 0 80 Prepared by Planning&Housing Department Feet Map Prepared-5117112 5 Attachment B LETTER REQUESTING PRIOR APPROVAL OF TAX ABATEMENT Campus Acquisitions 161 N,Clark,Suite 4900 Chicago,Illinois 60601 (3121994-1880 Phone Campusar qulsltions.com May ld,2012 TO:City of Arises Planning Department Attn:Jeffrey 0 Benson 515 Chet Avenue Amens,IA 50010 FPQM:Michael Yeagla Campus Acquisitions 161 k Clam Stmet,Suit*49M Chicago,IL 60601 Dear Jeff, The purpose of my correspondence is to request prior approval of tax ahaten.ent eligibility for the proposed improvements to 127 Stanton Avenue located in the Carrrpustvwn Urban Revitalinition Area, The improvements will include a new 3 story structure containing a fitness a recreational facility to serve the residents of the apartment buihfing owned and operated by Campus Irrvestors IS,ULC,Campus Irrrestors Z17 W*kh,I.I.C.309 tynn,ttC,and lanes NoWng,I.I.C. Additional the building will captain 4 apererments consisting of 9 bedrooms,The outdoor recreational facility will include a swimming pool,hw tub.880 Billa,and a tundwA we aetklpete the total costs for the project to be$1,000.000 and the estimated completion date as Wobar 1,2013.We are requesting the 10 year exemption plan following the cchaduli:below. For the twat year, am second 70% third 60% fourth SOIA fifth 40% sixth 40% seventh 30% eighth 309rr ninth 209E tenth 20% The following page includes an image of the proposed development. It you have arry lurther questions please do not h"itate to contact me. Bast ra&ards, AA'1 ' I *-"� Michael T.Yeagle Campus Acquisitiom 6 / ��- __ r 1 r � _T ] 1 - � � I � _ I _ � i .t 7 Attachment C c r� ti is 16 'sl U 2 r E ILN� n'�+ AO two Sfe1.E � E !S rAI w � tt yy �` US g g� 5 0 'I c. vJ5b5 � St R r L > C � � E � + F7� ECs��� �yi � a iLGL Ze zt _ 7 CP s O E O y 3 g_ }t $ G 'i 8 Attachment D BUILDING OFFICIAL'S DETERMINATION Fire Department - Inspections Division St 5 Ciark Avenue p.0 Boo 811 Phofw: 515-230.5153 Fox 5/S239-%Wi February 14.2u12 Jeff Henson City of.1mes Planning and Nousint Depanmrnt 515 Clark.lvrnue Ann, IA,500111 Re: Vacant multi family dwelling of 127 Slanton, Armes. luwa Mr. Benson; An inspection of this propene wax recenllt made hs this office at the request of thr owner,1n determine whether the multifamily dwrlling located thereon tna% be cumidervd a %lum and hUghted structure. The inspection was coodaeted on Friday Febroan 3. 2012, Natalle lierrington and I made the inspection.accompanied by two of your employees. The vacant strociare ism a general state of disrepair,and appears to have been so vacant fa• w%tral months. much of the interior bag been vandalized sad datnstaed by either prior tenants or subsequent trespassers, %lrchanicsi,electrical.plumbing systems and fittutrs are in a harardous state of disrepair.Several windows here been broken and suh%equeatly boarded up.There is risible deterioration of the roof covering,and all exterior siding.soffiU.Culten,dowospools, stairways,doors.]'be general appearance and interior condition presems is Might upon the neighborhood and coastitutes a public nuisance to the extent that it meets the( ity of Ames Urban Rrviialiration Program definition of slons and I)liRht: Prooevtres w#h a pnncrpal outldrng it's(has been defevrntrW by Noe Bad mtg Of nal as meeting the dektdian of'Public:Nuisance"rn Ohre Ames Munippal Code, Chapter 5. 'building, Elecfracal, Mechanical and Plumbing Code"(Curmnfly Sed oft 5.401(7)1 Respectfully. David Brown Building Official Cc Michael T.Yeagle, ans.com Urnpus A(quwit-on% i "tonal We President 161 N.Mark Suite 4900 Ch"gor 111mos WWI 9 Attachment E Operations and Maintenance for Safety and Security Systems The Resort, 127 Stanton, Ames, Iowa May 10, 2012 1. Supervise, operate and maintain key fob access control system allowing for specific access rights to individual interior and exterior doors of the facility and the elevator. Among the purposes of this activity is to allow access to the amenity areas only to renters in properties owned by Campus Investors and to limit access to the entire facility after open hours only by renters in 127 Stanton. 2. Maintain in proper working order and provide monitoring and supervision of an infrared detection system for the exterior amenity area that detects intruders to any part of the secure exterior area after hours. Take appropriate action in reference to the intruders. 3. Maintain security lighting and maintain and monitor a camera system to detect activities that endanger residents, damage property and violate lease conditions and take appropriate action in response. 4. Maintain structures intended to prevent entry from neighboring properties and to prevent objects being thrown into the property from neighboring areas. 5. Maintain screens to be installed on all balconies on the south-facing fagade of the adjacent building to the north sufficient to prevent people jumping or falling from the balconies and to prevent objects larger than 4 inches in diameter from being thrown from balconies. Materials and connections will comply with specifications to be approved by City staff. (This will need to be agreed to by the owner of the property to the north and will need to be binding on future owners of that property.) 10 � I ■I I -� NEW IUW STEEL a WIRE M[.%f FPAME SE T PACK ' � 1'�gNT EDGE - { FXLSTINGGUAMD"L IU FW MNN 4 UP T C;NAI I _ - i ENLARGED BALCONY CONCEPT VIEW SC EX.STING TUBE STEEL TY Z!