HomeMy WebLinkAboutA003 - Council Action Form dated July 28, 2015 ITEM # 51
DATE: 07-28-15
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
REQUEST: REZONING OF PROPERTY AT 519, 525 AND 601 61h STREET FROM
RESIDENTIAL MEDIUM DENSITY (RM) WITH SINGLE FAMILY
CONSERVATION OVERLAY (O-SFC) TO RESIDENTIAL MEDIUM
DENSITY (RM)
BACKGROUND:
In July 2014, the City acquired three properties at 519, 525, and 601 6th Street (formerly
the Ames Community Pre-school) with Community Development Block Grant funds.
The three subject properties total approximately 27,000 square feet and are currently
zoned Residential Medium Density with the Single Family Conservation Overlay District
(RM with O-FSC) (Attachment A). The site has frontage along 6th Street and access
from a rear alley. City Council initiated rezoning the property to RM in May of 2015
along with issuing a request for proposals to develop up to 10 affordable housing units
on the site.
The O-SFC district was created in response to a disruptive redevelopment pattern of
building apartment buildings in place of single-family homes. The purpose of the O-
SFC district "is intended to conserve the existing single-family residential character of
areas identified as O-SFC adjacent to downtown" and to "protect single family
neighborhoods while guiding the transition to higher density and compatibility with the
surrounding uses where intensification is permitted". The O-SFC applies to residential
properties generally between Grand and Duff and 6th Street and 13th Street.
Under the regulations of the O-SFC district, individual lots may not be consolidated to
allow for intensification of housing density. For the City's three properties, the maximum
density for each property currently is limited to only one duplex structure per lot for a
total of 6 affordable housing units on the three properties. The combined sites
maximum density without the O-SFC is 12 apartment dwellings or 10 attached single
family dwellings. Attached single family is the Zoning Ordinance term for townhouse or
row house buildings on individual lots. Development of the site would still require
compliance with parking and other site design standards for the lots. The RM District
allows for both Single Family Attached and Apartment style housing as an
administrative minor site plan approval. Subdivision of the lots would be required for a
true single family attached residential housing type that have units on individual narrow
lots.
The LUPP map (Attachment B) designates the properties as Downtown Service Center.
The LUPP plan notes this block (from 6th to 7th Street between Grand and Clark
Avenue) specifically as being within the residential area adjacent to downtown and does
not identify this as a core part of Downtown. LUPP Goals 5 and 6 and their objectives
support providing for additional housing opportunities and for integration of infill
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development within existing neighborhoods. In planning for the residential areas
surrounding the downtown, the LUPP discusses the desire to conserve the older
residential areas but also notes that the zoning in some surrounding residential areas
would indicate that "intensification is likely" but that the change should be both "selective
and limited." Staff has determined that a LUPP Amendment is not necessary to
remove the overlay district zoning of the site since the base zone of RM and its
allowed uses of residential would not change with removal of the overlay.
A request for proposals (RFP) for redevelopment of these three lots includes
requirements that the project develop at a maximum intensity of 10 units for the
combined site. The RFP described project is a mix of affordable rental housing units
with a minimum of 80% of the units as three bedroom units. The development shall be
of townhomes or having the appearance of individual townhomes units with front entries
oriented to 6th Street, rather than a single apartment building. Proposed projects will
also be required to have brick as the primary exterior building material for the front and
side facades. Parking will be accessed from the existing alley north of the properties
and is expected to be provided at a rate of two spaces per unit. Even though the
rezoning request seeks to remove the O-SFC district from the property, staff has
included the Single Family Conservation Overlay District design guidelines within the
RFP in order to keep the project design cohesive with the surrounding neighborhood
that is still within the conservation district.
Staff held an outreach meeting in March with the neighboring property owner to the
west and the church to the east. Staff explained the concept of townhome housing and
intent for rental affordable housing. The discussion covered topics of the density of
development, access to the site, use of the alley and church parking lots, need for
housing, and use of the site.
Planning and Zoning Commission Recommendation: At its public hearing on July
1, 2015, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted 6-0 to recommend that the City
Council rezone the subject properties from Residential Medium Density (RM) with the
Single Family Conservation Overlay District (O-SFC) to Residential Medium Density
(RM). A resident from the neighborhood spoke in regards to the rezoning petition noting
concern for more than 6 units on the three lots and the effect more units will have
regarding traffic in the alley. No others comments in favor or opposition to the rezoning
were received.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. The City Council can approve the request for rezoning of the properties at 519, 525,
and 601 6th Street from Residential Medium Density (RM) with a Single Family
Conservation Overlay District (O-FSC) to Residential Medium Density (RM), based
upon staff's findings and conclusions as found in the addendum.
2. The City Council can deny the request for rezoning of the properties at 519, 525,
and 601 6th Street from Residential Medium Density (RM) with a Single Family
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Conservation Overlay District (O-FSC) to Residential Medium Density (RM) if it finds
that the City's regulations and policies are not met.
3. The City Council can defer action on this request and refer it back to City staff and/or
the applicant for additional information.
CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
The City has a need for more affordable housing opportunities and the subject site is an
opportunity to maximize this opportunity in a context sensitive manner. The subject
sites are a great example of a transition area from downtown to other residential
neighborhoods to the north as there are residential structures only to the west and north
edges of the site. Development of the site with medium density townhomes would be
compatible within a transition area that is not part of a substantially residential
neighborhood.
Because the rezoning of these properties will facilitate the City Council's goal to
increase the availability of affordable housing, it is the recommendation of the City
Manager that the City Council accept Alternative # 1 as described above.
ADDENDUM
REZONING BACKGROUND:
Existing Land Use Policy Plan. The LUPP Map designates the three properties as
Downtown Service Center. Based on the LUPP Map this designation applies to the
entire area generally lying from the railroad tracks north to 7th Street between Grand
Avenue and Duff Avenue. The LUPP text identifies the boundaries of the Downtown for
planning purposes as "6th Street on the north; Duff Avenue on the east; South 3 d Street
on the south; and Grand Avenue on the west." It further identifies this block (from 6th to
7th Streets between Grand and Clark Avenue) specifically within the residential area
adjacent to downtown. Therefore, it is believed that maintaining the existing residential
base zoning of the property is consistent with the LUPP.
Existing Zoning. In line with the text of the LUPP, the current zoning boundary for the
Downtown Service Center (DSC) District is 6th Street on the north. The Neighborhood
Commercial (NC) District encompasses the area between 6th and 7th Streets from Clark
Avenue to Duff Avenue. This is the general area of commercial properties north of 6th
Street. The use of the block between Grand Avenue and Clark Avenue is still strictly
residential uses north of 6th Street. Therefore, the intent of this rezoning request is not
to change the current base zone of the subject properties. It is the intent of the City to
maintain the Residential Medium Density (RM) base zone, but to remove the current
Single Family Conservation Overlay District to allow for an increase in the number of
units available for affordable housing and also to allow for flexibility in subdivision of the
lots on the buffer area between the Commercial and Residential Zoning Districts.
Existing Uses of Land. Land uses that occupy the subject property and other
surrounding properties are described in the following table:
Direction from Existing Land Uses
Subject Property
Subject Property Vacant
North Owner/Rental Occupied Housing
East First Community Christian Church and Parking Lot
South Ames City Hall and Parking Lot
West Owner Occupied Housing
Infrastructure. The site is fully served by City infrastructure. Sanitary sewer and water
are available, as is electric services. Additional easements may be needed to
accommodate the proposed location of the future residential building(s) which will be
determined at the time of Site Plan review.
Access. Vehicular access is provided to the site from Grand and 7th Street through the
existing alley along the north side of the properties. No traffic improvements are
anticipated. The church has expressed concern that increased use of the alley may
result in people driving the wrong direction through their parking lot as a cut-through to
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6th street. This issue may be considered at the time of site plan review rather than
rezoning.
Applicant's Statements. This is a City initiated request for the redevelopment of the
site. City Council initiated the rezoning request at its meeting in February of 2015.
Findings of Fact. Based upon an analysis of the proposed rezoning and laws pertinent
to the applicant's request, staff makes the following findings of fact:
1. Ames Municipal Code Section 29.1507(1) allows for City Council to initiate the
amendment, supplement, or change the regulations, districts, or Official Zoning
Map of the City.
2. The subject property has been designated on the Land Use Policy Plan (LUPP)
Future Land Use Map as "Downtown Services Center."
3. The LUPP text identifies the boundaries of the Downtown for planning purposes
as "6th Street on the north; Duff Avenue on the east; South 3rd Street on the south;
and Grand Avenue on the west." It further identifies the block encompassing the
subject properties (6th to 7th Streets between Grand and Clark Avenue) specifically
as within the residential area adjacent to downtown. Maintaining the RM base
zoning district for the subject properties is in line with the goals of the LUPP to
maintain residential infill uses surrounding the downtown service center area and
allowing for areas of intensification, where appropriate, as a transition to the
surrounding neighborhoods.
4. Infrastructure is adequate to serve the site. Necessary easements for service line
connections to the site will be determined at the Site Plan review stage.
5. Existing access to this site will remain from the alley north of the properties
accessed from Grand and 7th Street.
Public Notice. Notice was mailed to property owners within 200 feet of the subject site
and a sign was posted on the subject property. As of this writing, no comments have
been received.
Conclusions. Based upon the analysis in this report, staff concludes that the proposed
rezoning of the subject property is consistent with the Future Land Use Map, as well as
the Goals and Objectives of the City of Ames Land Use Policy Plan.
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Attachment A: Location and Current Zoning
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Attachment B: Land Use Policy Plan Map [Excerpt]
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Land Use Policy Plan Map
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DO NOT WRITE IN THE SPACE ABOVE THIS LINE,RESERVED FOR RECORDER
Prepared by:Judy K.Parks,Ames City Attorney,515 Clark Avenue,Ames,IA 50010 Phone:515-239-5146
Return to:Ames City Clerk,P.O.Box 811,Ames,IA 50010 Phone:515-239-5105
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP OF THE
CITY OF AMES,IOWA,AS PROVIDED FOR IN SECTION 29.301 OF THE
MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE CITY OF AMES,IOWA,BY CHANGING THE
BOUNDARIES OF THE DISTRICTS ESTABLISHED AND SHOWN ON
SAID MAP AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 29.1507 OF THE MUNICIPAL
CODE OF THE CITY OF AMES,IOWA;REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES
AND PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH AND
ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE
BE IT HEREBY ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Ames, Iowa;
Section 1: The Official Zoning Map of the City of Ames, Iowa, as provided for in
Section 29.301 of the Municipal Code of the City of Ames, Iowa, is amended by changing the
boundaries of the districts established and shown on said Map in the manner authorized by
Section 29.1507 of the Municipal Code of the City of Ames,Iowa,as follows: That the real estate,
generally located at 519,525,and 601 61h Street,is rezoned from Residential Medium Density(RM)
with Single-Family Conservation Overlay District(O-SFC)to Residential Medium Density(RM).
Real Estate Description: Lot 17, Lot 18, and Lot 19, Well's Subdivision of Block 43 in
Blair's Third Addition to Ames, Story County, Iowa.
Section 2: All other ordinances and parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby
repealed to the extent of such conflict.
Section 3: This ordinance is in full force and effect from and after its adoption and
publication as provided by law.
ADOPTED THIS day of ,
Diane R. Voss, City Clerk Ann H. Campbell, Mayor