HomeMy WebLinkAboutA013 - Council Action Form dated April 28, 2020 ITEM #: 31
DATE: 04-28-20
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
REQUEST: PRELIMINARY PLAT FOR 321 STATE AVENUE (BAKER'S
SUBDIVISION)
BACKGROUND:
The City of Ames is the property owner of a 10.86-acre site located at 321 State Avenue.
The property is located on the west side of State Avenue and east of Wilmoth Avenue.
The property is currently zoned Residential Low Density (RL) (See Attachment A). The
proposed subdivision will support affordable housing goals of the City as a mixed income
development with a minimum of 51% of the homes affordable to low- and moderate-
income households. The City of Ames will be the developer for the subdivision.
The proposed Preliminary Plat consists of 27 buildable lots; 26 single-family home lots
and 1 lot for future development. There are also three Outlots for purposes of open space,
stormwater management, and a future bike trail. (See Attachment B, C, D, E). The layout
includes the construction of one new public street named Latimer Lane. The proposed
plat follows the design chosen by the City Council as the preferred concept on
February 25th. Council directed staff on February 25th to proceed with the preferred
single-family layout that matches the proposed design, including a lot for future
development of multi-family housing to the south, single-family homes along Wilmoth,
creation of a loop street for single-family homes, and a central open space within the loop
street.
The 26 single-family home lots will be accessed from Wilmoth Avenue, Latimer Lane and
Tripp Street. Access to State Avenue from abutting homes along Latimer Lane is
restricted and no access from the alley along the north property line is planned. The
proposed street design meets City subdivision standards in regard to lot size and
orientation. Staff has included a landscaping easement along the State Avenue rear lot
lines in order to support a small buffer in this area. Due to the oversized right-of-way of
State Avenue, the proposed lots are approximately 50 feet from the street.
The single-family lots (1-26) are generally consistent in size throughout the development.
The lots range in size between .13 and .33 acres. All lots meet minimum size
requirements and frontage requirements for the RL zoning district. The proposed lot width
exceeds the minimum standard of 35 feet at street line and 50 feet at the building line,
the lot widths will allow for options to configure sites with modest sized homes and one
or two car wide driveways and parking options. Staff also reviewed options for including
additional lots within the Outlot Y area but settled upon the original open space proposal
depicted in February. The addendum provides additional information on lot design.
Lot 27 south of Tripp Street is planned for future multi-family development. The zoning
1
designation of Lot 27 will be changed in the future to accommodate multi-family uses that
are not currently permitted in RL zoning. Any future rezoning will follow the established
process for a public hearing with Planning and Zoning Commission for their
recommendation and a public hearing with the City Council for a final decision. The City
Council has targeted this summer to review and discuss concepts for multi-family
development in this area.
There are three Outlots in the proposed subdivision, which total 1.78 acres. The Outlots
will function as open space, storm water detention, and a small city park. Outlot Y is
centrally located and will be used as open space toward a new .5-acre park to be owned
and maintained by the City. Outlot Z is located to the southeast along State Avenue and
is devoted to stormwater detention and treatment. If feasible, the pond design may in the
future also support an initiative of creating fishponds through a program of the Department
of Natural Resources (DNR). The far southeast boundary of the site is also subject to the
100-year flood plain. The floodplain will all be contained on Outlot Z, no individual lots will
be within the 100- year flood plain. Outlot X along the portion of the north property line
from Manning Avenue to State Avenue will contain the future bike trail as part of the
Shared Use Path Trail Connection South of Lincoln Way. The construction of the bike
path shown within Outlot X will be coordinated with development of this site consistent
with the infrastructure requirements of the Subdivision Code. The remaining portion of the
trail between South Wilmoth Avenue and Manning Avenue will be located in a combined
paved trail/alley design discussed in greater detail below.
An exciting new concept being introduced by Electric Services for this subdivision
is a distributed geothermal heating and cooling system. (See Attachment G) This
system will include loops and a pump house within Outlot Y and provide the
heating and cooling for each home in the subdivision and potential for multi-family
housing in the future. The proposed layout has been reviewed by the City's engineer
for coordination with other public utility needs. The geothermal system will be installed,
owned and maintained by Ames Electric. The homes constructed within the subdivision
would be required to utilize geothermal heating and cooling. Staff estimates a
substantial energy savings from the efficiency of the system, with no substantial
increase in initial housing costs to have a heat pump in lieu of a conventional
heating and cooling system. There will also be ongoing savings for the
homeowners depending on cost of electricity compared to natural gas. This system
will serve as a trial concept to prove the viability for future subdivisions developed
by private sectors entities.
BIKE TRAIL DESIGN AND LOCATION:
The north boundary of the site is the planned location for the construction of the Shared
Use Path Trail Connection South of Lincoln Way from Wilmoth to State Avenue. This
segment is part of a larger City project that extends from Beedle Drive to Campustown.
Staff considered multiple configurations for this trail segment to address issues related to
lot size, utility locations, safety, and paving costs. Currently the alley is unimproved and
there are overhead power lines within the alley area.
2
Staff is currently considering a 16-foot paved alley improvement as a combined
bicycle/vehicle improvement. This improvement also requires the undergrounding of
utility lines in the alley right-of-way. The alley paving is planned to be funded by CDBG
funds and removal of overhead electric lines by Ames Electric.
Although this is the preferred accommodation by staff for the bicycle path, its full
costs are not know at this time. If the overall expense is too great at the time of
bidding, the City will consider creating a lower cost (less paved area) option for a
separated bicycle path outside of the alley and adjusting the lot dimensions
accordingly. The alley project could also be deferred to a date when additional
CDBG funding is available. If the combined bicycle facility is not feasible, the alley
will not be paved as it does not serve the proposed subdivision.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
On January 23, 2020, City staff from multiple departments participated in an Open House
meeting to address three potential City projects in the State Avenue area; the bike path,
relocation of Fire Station #2, and development of 321 State Avenue. Staff presented a
map of the 321 State development scenarios of either placing the multi-family or single-
family housing units on either the north or south side of the parcel and discussed different
attributes of the site. Staff shared the feedback received from the neighborhood with City
Council prior to proceeding to a preliminary design phase. Information from the meeting
can be found at Planning Division webpage under the CCOAMSproject link (College
Creek Old Ames Middle School).
On February 17, 2020, City staff along with Civil Design Advantage (CDA) Engineering,
the City's consulting design engineer for the project, held a second neighborhood meeting
to share five (5) design concepts that included lot lay out configurations. There were
approximately 18 neighborhood residences in attendance who shared their feedback for
City Council's consideration at the February 25, 2020 meeting. Residents were noticed
directly via mail about the neighborhood meetings in January and February.
The proposed subdivision includes a public notice requirement for all property owners
within 200 feet of the site prior to the Planning and Zoning Commission review. Although
no notice is required prior to City Council review, staff provided a courtesy notice
by mail to single-family property owners from Village Drive to Highland Avenue
south of Lincoln Way. Email notification was also provided to interested parties
for the City Council meeting.
PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION:
At the April 15, 2020, the Planning & Zoning Commission meeting staff reviewed the
proposed layout and discussed some of the design features that were still under review,
including the alley improvements and bike path options. The preliminary plat presented
to Commission included the bike path in a separate outlot at that time. The Commission
voted 6-0 to recommend approval of the Preliminary Plat for Baker's Subdivision to City
3
Council, reflective of the subdivision layout with the outlot for the bike path.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. The City Council can approve the preliminary plat for Bakers Subdivision if it finds the
preliminary plat complies with City zoning and subdivision standards.
2. The City Council can deny the preliminary plat for Bakers Subdivision, if the Council
determines the design does not meet the standards of the Municipal Code.
3. The City Council can direct changes to the plat or 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 proposed subdivision design accomplishes many of the City Council's goals for this
site that was acquired in 2015. The proposed single-family lot layout integrates with the
existing single-family homes to the west and north by the pattern of its design. The
proposed lots create usable lots for a mix of smaller and medium sized homes. The overall
street layout provides for connectivity and integration of the homes with each other. The
proposed layout conforms to the zoning requirements and infrastructure requirements of
the Subdivision Code. Future rezoning to accommodate a multi-family use south of
Tripp Street will occur at a later date after City Council has reviewed potential
development concepts.
Additionally, the development of the site includes coordination and cooperation with a
number of City departments to create a high-quality residential subdivision. This includes
department support by Parks and Recreation for the .5-acre park, Public Works for storm
water features and bicycle/shared use path improvements, and Ames Electric Services
for the geothermal trial project. Currently approximately $537,00 of the 2019-20 CDBG
funds (including $250,000 of GO Bonds) have been budgeted for this project, with
anticipated budget of approximately $489,000 of CDBG funds for 2020-21 , totaling
1,026,000. This amount does not include any projected revenue from the sale of lots of
homes.
With City Council approval of the preliminary plat, staff and CDA can move forward on
finalizing design plans and prepare an estimated cost and bid package for public
improvements needed for the final plat.
Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council act
in accordance with Alternative #1 to approve proposed the preliminary plat.
4
ADDENDUM
Project Description. The Preliminary Plat of "Baker's Subdivision" includes 26 single-
family lots for development, 1 future development lot and, three Outlots (Outlots X, Y, Z).
Outlot X (.08 acres) is to be used as an Outlot for future bike trail construction in
conjunction with the abutting alley to the north. Outlot Y (.50 acres) is to be used as a
park land and other support functions. Outlot Z (1.20 acres) will be the primary
stormwater detention facility for the development and contains the 100- year flood plain
to the far south. (See Attachment 8-E - Preliminary Plat)
The main access for the development is comprised of Tripp Street, Latimer Lane and
Wilmoth Avenue. The proposed Plat includes the construction of Latimer Lane, which
provides direct access to 13 single-family lots in the northern half of the subdivision. Tripp
Street, constructed in 2019, is designed to allow for a west to east roadway that provides
vehicle and pedestrian access to Latimer Lane and Lot 27 in conformance with
subdivision requirements through the subdivision. The remaining 13 single family lots in
the subdivision will gain frontage and driveway access from South Wilmoth Avenue.
The lots fronting on South Wilmoth Avenue will gain access from South Wilmoth and are
designed as such to make use of an existing street. This helps to minimize new street
construction. Excepting out corner lots which are 68-80 feet in width the majority of the
lots along South Wilmoth are anywhere from 53' to 55' feet in width. This allows for
adequate space to place driveways and allow for accessory building or garages with one-
or two-story homes. The majority of homes configured along Latimer Lane are slightly
smaller in width at the street line ranging from 37' to 52' feet but widen significantly from
the building line into the rear half which provide for adequate space to configure one or
two-story homes and accessory buildings or garages. The average size of the lots along
Latimer Lane are larger due to additional space in the rear of the lots.
The lot design allows for conformance to the subdivision standards. All of the homes will
have frontage on a local residential street. The homes along the east leg of Latimer Lane
will be "through lots" by design but are permitted when the rear of the lot abuts an arterial
street which in this case is State Avenue. A 5' landscaping easement in shown along the
rear of these lots to provide greenspace between the edge of the State Avenue shared
use path and any fences that may be placed along the rear of these properties in order
to provide safety along the path and allow for additional buffering between the rear of the
homes and State Avenue.
All of the lots in the subdivision have public utility easements (P.U.E.) along the front and
rear to allow for future utility placement as well as storm sewer easements along the rear
of the lots. Development of the lots south of Tripp Street along South Wilmoth will require
more grading than those further north as the natural grade will be steeper due to the
topography of the site.
Density. The total net development area of the subdivision for single-family homes is
4.68 acres with lots that range in size from .13 acres to .33 acres. Density calculations
have been based on net area consistent with the allowance for the RL zone, by
5
subtracting out of the gross lot area the total area to be held as Outlots, the future
development lot, and land to be dedicated to the City as public street right-of-way. With a
total net area of 4.80 acres the net density of 26 proposed single-family homes is 5.41
dwelling units per net acre, whereas up to 7.26 units per acre is permitted.
Outlot Y Development Options. City Council reviewed multiple design concepts at its
February 25th meeting. Council directed staff to prefer a single-family layout that match
the proposed design, including a lot for future development of multi-family housing to the
south, single-family homes along Wilmoth, creation of a loop street for single-family
homes, and a central open space within the loop street. In consultation with the City's
consulting design engineer, Civil Design Advantage (CDA), staff explored additional lot
configurations for the loop street to ascertain optimal lotting configurations, including the
configuration of Outlot Y. During the review process staff explored options for use of
Outlot Y.
City staff concluded up to three additional single-family home lots could be configured
within the Outlot Y area and meet design standards and access limitations. Options
included one or two lots with open space and storm water treatment or fully developing
the area with three lots and provide for all open space and storm water facilities in the
Outlot to the south. Staff also considered using the Outlot exclusively for storm water to
reduce overall costs of development.
After discussion and review with other City departments it was determined that at this
time planning for Outlot Y as open space, subject to Council approval and final cost
estimates, is a desirable use of the site. It is believed that the open space and amenity of
a park adds value to the neighborhood environment. This configuration of Outlot Y and
the addition of additional storm water piping assists in providing the water necessary to
maintain fish in the pond in Outlot Z. The fishpond option is in response to a DNR program
for stocking ponds that the City would then maintain as a City facility.
Lot 27 Multi Family Development. City Council will continue discussions with the
surrounding neighborhood on possible configurations of multi-family development later
this summer. The intent is for the City to partner with an affordable housing developer
and prepare an application for financial assistance through Low Income Housing Tax
Credits (LIHTC). Numerous options could be chosen from duplex style housing to small
apartment buildings. To accomplish this goal of additional housing options, part or all of
the site would require a rezoning to a Planned Residence District (PRD) or to Medium
Density zoning. The proposed subdivision layout does not impact future rezoning options
for the City. Depending on future multi-family design a road extension from the
intersection of the west leg of Latimer Lane with Tripp Street into Lot 27 is possible.
Public Improvements. One new public street will be constructed known as Latimer
Lane. The street has a loop design that serves 13 lots in the north half of the subdivision.
On-street parking will be permitted on Latimer Lane. Latimer Lane will be a 55'wide Right
of Way and will be a 26' foot wide street as required by street design standards in the
Subdivision ordinance. Tripp Street which was constructed in 2019 has a 55' right of way
and is a 26' wide street which meets street design standards in the subdivision ordinance.
6
Tripp Street connects to South Wilmoth Avenue on the west and State Avenue on the
east for outside connections. The State Avenue frontage will be graded to improve
drainage but will be left as a non-urban section that does not have curb and gutters. Street
lighting will be provided by Ames Electric throughout the subdivision.
Water. Water service is already provided along South Wilmoth Avenue to serve lots 1-
13. Existing water main is also located along State Avenue. Tripp Street also has 8"
water service currently in place. Latimer Lane will have 8" water main installed upon
construction to serve lots 14-26. Lot 27 will be serviced from the 8" Tripp Street main. The
water service will connect to the system at Tripp Street from South Wilmoth Avenue and
State Avenue. The water mains will primarily serve all of the proposed lots from the front
along and within the public rights-of-way.
Sanitary Sewer. Sanitary sewer currently exists as 8" main along South Wilmoth Avenue
to serve Lots 1-13 and will be installed along Latimer Lane to service lots 14-27 as 8"
main. The line will go from Latimer Lane south across Tripp Street in order to serve the
future development of Lot 27 and connect the city system near the south property line of
the subdivision in Outlot Z. The City has concluded that sanitary sewer capacity is
available to serve the proposed subdivision.
Geothermal Heating & Cooling. A distributed or neighborhood geothermal system is
planned to be installed for the heating and cooling of the proposed homes in this
subdivision. Ames Electric will own the geothermal system. Each home will have
appropriate connections for the system and must hook up to the system for heating and
cooling services to replace the need for a furnace and air conditioning unit. The system
will originate underneath Outlot Y via subterranean vertical boreholes and a surface level
pump house. The system will deliver heating and cooling to the subdivision via delivery
lines along South Wilmoth Avenue, Tripp Street and Latimer Lane. A layout and design
are included in attachment G. In the event the geothermal does not materialize, the layout
of the subdivision will not change.
Transit. Cy Ride currently has bus stop locations at the intersection of Lincoln Way and
State Avenue approximately 3 blocks north of the proposed subdivision and near the
intersection of South Wilmoth and Lincoln Way approximately 3 blocks to the northwest
of the proposed subdivision. CyRide currently has no plans to extend service into Baker's
subdivision. As such this subdivision will not have direct CyRide service from within the
subdivision. Pedestrian access to the two nearby Lincoln Way CyRide stops is available
from the proposed subdivision site.
Sidewalks, Pedestrian Trails and Street Trees. Across the northeast edge of the
subdivision between Manning Avenue and State Avenue a 20-foot wide outlot labeled as
Outlot X is proposed with a 10-foot wide bicycle trail connection to the alley. The trail is
part of the Shared Use Path Trail Connection South of Lincoln Way project that will
eventually extend from Dotson Drive to Campustown. The remainder of the trail will be
located within the alleyway north of the subdivision abutting the property line west of
Manning Avenue. The improvement would include a division between the alley and bike
trail with detectable warning panels at the trail access point with the alley at Manning
7
Avenue. The trail access point into the alley has a tapered design at the access point with
the alley at the south end of Manning Avenue. The alley would not be paved unless it was
part of a combined bicycle facility design.
At the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting an earlier version of the Preliminary Plat
included Outlot X as a 15-foot wide area for the bike path located outside of the alley
right-of-way. However, the bike path was planned to transition into the alley to make a
connection across Wilmoth. In the event the alley improvement option is not determined
to be feasible, the original concept could be reinstated. This would result in a reduction
of lot size for the abutting lots and the construction of a 10-foot path with 2.5 foot shoulders
areas between the property lines and the alley right-of-way.
Tripp Street currently has a 5'-foot sidewalk installed along the south side of the street. A
5-foot sidewalk will be installed along the north side of the street as part of the subdivision.
South Wilmoth Avenue has sidewalk in place from the north edge of the subdivision to
Tripp Street. A 5-foot sidewalk will be extended south along South Wilmoth to the south
edge of Lot 1. A shared use path is currently in place along the west side of State Avenue
and will provide pedestrian access to and from the subdivision. Latimer Lane will have 5'
wide sidewalks installed on along the single-family home frontage. Sidewalks will be
replaced and improved in certain locations along the east side of South Wilmoth Avenue.
Chapter 23 of the Municipal Code, requires street trees for residential subdivisions along
both sides of the street at a spacing of 30-50 feet on center to allow for the growth of the
tree canopy, however, adjusted spacing is permitted by the Code for obstructions in the
right-of-way including driveway locations, underground utilities, and the location of street
lights. Adequate spacing is available in most areas for street tree planting on the
proposed plat. The 5' wide landscaping easement north of Tripp on the rear of the
properties abutting State Avenue will contain trees planted in lieu of street trees in the
ditch along State Avenue.
Storm Water Management.
Storm Water Management is principally provided via a detention basin along the
southeast side of the subdivision where it will collect stormwater from the north and west
within the subdivision. The stormwater lines are proposed along the rear property lines of
the homes abutting South Wilmoth, along Tripp Street, along the north edge of the
subdivision along the rear property lines of the homes facing Latimer Lane near the bike
path then flowing south along Latimer Lane into the basin inside Outlot Z. The stormwater
will discharge to the south according to stormwater management regulations into College
Creek. The Public Works Department would like to pursue a DNR certification in the future
to stock the detention pond with fish. This will allow fishing to occur at the pond to be
overseen by the Parks & Recreation Department. The ability to design the pond for fish
may be revised depending on cost based on final bids for this project. If financially the
timeline for the DNR certification has not yet been determined and will be dependent on
budgetary abilities for small improvements around the pond such as paths and benches.
If found to be unfeasible the grading design of the pond can be changed without a Major
Amendment to the preliminary plat.
8
Applicable Law.
Laws pertinent to the proposal are described on Attachment F—Applicable Law. Pertinent
for the Planning and Zoning Commission are Sections 23.302(3) and 23.302(4).
Public Notice. Courtesy mailed notice was provided to single-family home property
owners south of Lincoln Way between Hyland and Village. Staff provided additional
notice to an interested parties list and the CCOAMS neighborhood representative. A
sign notifying the public of a pending zoning action was also placed at the site.
9
Attachment A- Location & Zoning
r
4e°
o " €
3 � "97ORM lt.cg
O.
w ggP
4
Qa a
8
HOC
J t „_.. ...... .,._ LINCOLN WAY'-_.
r
'a
waoc sT
f3H ' �� z
I
�.
Q: Baker's Subdivision Location & Zoning
Y
ARBOR ST
t ro
t
-ITRIPPST
�!
d' t e
-�LI i
a
S GA, -
:. -� iw Ado
,-......MQ RNINGSI BEST '"L"
�R�b�< �� j 5.GA; 4i �.
�aF u
A
Baker's Subdivision
Location ,& Zoning
10
Attachment B- Preliminary Plat
� n -
ZE
74
� R
k "� ' 3nN3AY 31tli8
r
2 1 � S U4 �++ �=FFg .. m C�4".. �•���tt// �� ��k d� i ,�
— 0/7
it t,
M
N >
h a
_ � Tr rrkk yy
02
` 33+++++11111 55
1h Ih br :k P M & U a M IA 4 B
I ^
n
xu,
arM,3AYt+ vow wnos
11
Attachment C- Grading Plan
.......'
3nW,4AY 31VIS
z
w c.
.t
,sA„
� Yk
r
.. t S �'\ � !' "�`'+_....."'"...�....'.�y,'.—.�... �G i�� '•� 03 �r rf�r rr r t '�
. � V
i
...... _ h
\ t
i
*1 r t
d l�
—rl
' r
7
�.._._—
r
12
Attachment D- Utility Plans
ZI,
3nN3AV31vis -
W
..-
_ v
� r w r
S
i
g
g
m
JE
t
E
e j
13
Attachment E- Street Tree Plan
a�
F�
Z �
lJJK � e5
WIt
I L
W
z B �
F a LLJ
€ , >
b s ' agSx �[ • pc -56 `�'8 }fE 'yd!y} E
4 W
34F.
z
t t
' 31113Av 31VLS
5
w F
ZD
a 1 IX
HLOOS
LI
iM-
14
Attachment F
Applicable Subdivision Law
The laws applicable to this Preliminary Plat Subdivision include, but are not limited to, the
following: (verbatim language is shown in italics, other references are paraphrased):
Code of Iowa Chapter 354, Section 8 requires that the governing body shall determine
whether the subdivision conforms to its Land Use Policy Plan.
Ames Municipal Code Chapter 23, Subdivisions, Division I, outlines the general
provisions for subdivisions within the City limits and within two miles of the City limits of
Ames.
Ames Municipal Code Section 23.302(3):
(3) Planning and Zoning Commission Review:
(a) The Planning and Zoning Commission shall examine the Preliminary Plat, any
comments, recommendations or reports assembled or made by the
Department of Planning and Housing, and such other information as it deems
necessary or desirable to consider.
(b) Based upon such examination, the Planning and Zoning Commission shall
ascertain whether the Preliminary Plat conforms to relevant and applicable
design and improvement standards in these Regulations, to other City
ordinances and standards, to the City's Land Use Policy Plan, and to the
City's other duly adopted Plans.
Ames Municipal Code Section 23.302(4):
(4) Planning and Zoning Commission Recommendation: Following such examination
and within 30 days of the regular meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission
at which a complete Application is first formally received for consideration, the
Planning and Zoning Commission shall forward a report including its
recommendation to the City Council. The Planning and Zoning Commission shall
set forth its reasons for any recommendation to disapprove or to modify any
Preliminary Plat in its report to the City Council and shall provide a written copy of
such reasons to the developer.
15
Attachment G-Preliminary Geothermal Design (*Lot labels Have Changed*)
T AIL
9
9 ;
I 20 g �
12 57 .F
F �
22
23
z F
OUTLOTx
� . uj
LU
ED
.5
w,
F
5l,
i
za F aMcr Tz �w
4 i
s
t 2 `
d
16