HomeMy WebLinkAboutA034 - Request for Zoning Ordinance Changes to Standards Related to Property Zoned Residential High Density with the West University Impacted Overlay at Oakland Street and Hyland AvenueITEM #:35
DEPT:P&H
March 11, 2025
Staff Report
REQUEST FOR ZONING ORDINANCE CHANGES TO STANDARDS RELATED TO
PROPERTY ZONED RESIDENTIAL HIGH DENSITY WITH THE WEST UNIVERSITY
IMPACTED OVERLAY AT OAKLAND STREET AND HYLAND AVENUE
BACKGROUND:
The City Council initiated a referral for a staff memo on February 11th for a request from Chuck
Winkleblack of Hunziker Companies regarding zoning changes to facilitate the redevelopment of
the properties at 259 and 263 Hyland (see attached letter and Location Map). A memo was
provided to City Council on February 25th, and Council directed that the item be placed on an
agenda for discussion.
The subject properties are currently developed with a single-family home and a 15-unit apartment
complex at the southwest corner of the intersection of Oakland and Hyland . Together, they total
approximately .74 acres in size. The redevelopment involves the demolition of the existing structures
and desired construction of a 56-unit apartment complex with 33 one-bedroom units and 23 two-
bedroom units.
Ames Plan 2040 designates the properties as RN-4 “Walkable Urban Neighborhood,” reflecting a mix
of higher density housing and commercial uses (see Plan Excerpt). This designation applies to the larger
area generally west of Campus, extending to Hyland, bounded by Lincoln Way and Oakland (see
Future Land Use Map).
This designation does not address significant redevelopment plans for the area, but it does
indicate a potential need for an area plan to guide redevelopment. It also notes the need for
streetscape improvements and district identification.
The RN-4 area that applies to this request does not immediately abut traditional residential
neighborhoods. The single-family homes to the west are separated by about a one- to two-block buffer.
Note that to the west of the RN-4 designation is a Redirection Area planned for future study and
neighborhood planning to consider its redevelopment potential; this area would include Campus
Avenue, Woodland Street, and Howard Avenue.
The subject properties and adjacent properties to the south and east are zoned Residential High Density
(see Zoning Map). The general RN-4 designated area is zoned the same with an area zoned
Neighborhood Commercial along West Street to the south. These zoning districts accommodate the
current uses in the area but are not designed to facilitate redevelopment as desired by the
developer.
Historically, the area has had RH zoning, but in 2006 the East and West University Impacted
Overlay was added to the area to establish minimum design standards and--more significantly--a
requirement for 25% more parking than i s otherwise required for most apartment types outside
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of the Overlay. The parking requirement was a result of concerns from neighborhoods to the south of
campus and west of campus that there would be an overflow of parking with larger student apartments
and over-occupancy of units, thereby justifying a need for more on-site parking.
There are two significant policy issues embedded in the developer’s request that are applicable to
the broader area and its redevelopment under the RN-4 Designation:
Issue #1 Reduced Parking Requirements Not only does the developer desire to eliminate the 25%
additional parking required by the Overlay, but they are also requesting Council lower the
parking rate to a one space per unit standard for one- and two-bedroom apartments. This rate is
similar to the Campustown CSC Zoning standard, except that in Campustown, apartment sizes of up to
five bedrooms are allowed compared to this proposal. In other zoning districts, currently 1.5 spaces per
unit is required for one-bedroom units and one space per bedroom for units of two bedrooms or more.
As the City's Rental Code also has adopted these parking rates, including the increased rate in
West University Impacted Overlay, any amendment to the rates in the Zoning Ordinance will
require to be mirrored in the Rental Code.
The justification for this request is the proximity of the site to campus two blocks away, and the
walkable nature of the area. This type of requested change should be thought of applying to the
whole of the area within two blocks of campus as the justification would apply to more properties
than just this site.
Staff would be generally supportive of the concept of reduced parking in highly walkable areas,
which in this case is reflective of the Plan 2040 designation of RN-4. Staff believes that targeting
new construction of smaller units, as proposed by the developer, with lower parking compared to
the five-bedroom apartment allowances of Campustown would also be appropriate to mitigate
overall intensity of use and related parking concerns.
Ideally, as student housing, resident parking can be lower on a development site due to lower car
ownership and the option of parking remotely as an ISU student (ISU officials have indicated to staff
that students who live in residence halls are given first priority for on-campus parking an off-campus
could have access to remote parking). The only obvious parking impediment to lowering the rate in
this area is a low availability of street parking, meaning that on-site parking is the primary means
of meeting demand with little secondary parking available along Oakland and none on Hyland.
Issue #2 Increased Density The second issue relates to the permitted dwelling units per acre density
standard. All RH zoned properties are limited a maximum density of approximately 38.5 dwelling units
per acre. Bedroom counts within the dwelling unit are not part of the density calculation but are
traditionally part of the parking requirement for a site. The combination of density and parking
standards are the primary controls of intensity of use with RH zoning, along with building height
limits.
The developer, as they desire a mix of one- and two-bedroom units, in tandem with the requested
reduced parking rate, could construct more smaller units on the site than a typical RH development
where units have higher bedroom counts. As a result, the proposed density would exceed the current RH
limitation, approaching a maximum of 74 units per acre where 38.5 per acre is allowed.
The reason for the higher density calculation with this proposal is the preponderance of one-
bedroom units with the project rather than larger three- or four-bedroom units. For example, the
developer’s initial concept would have 56 units and 79 bedrooms. A density-compliant project of
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28 units as three-bedroom units totaling 84 bedrooms would be similar in intensity and not
require a zoning change to RH standards for density.
From staff ’s review of the initial concept, the project can fit within the current West Impacted
Overlay height limit of four stories and 50 feet regardless of unit density. Such a building would
be similar in scale to many buildings along Hyland, including across Hyland at the corner of
Oakland. Because a large high rise building like those in Campustown would not be needed to
accommodate the proposed density, changes focused on smaller unit densities could be compatible
with the intent of the RN-4.
OPTIONS:
From the issues discussed above, it is evident how zoning standards for density, parking, and height tie
together to manage building and development intensity based upon different priorities for areas of the
City and applicable zoning districts. The developer ’s request would require Zoning Ordinance changes
that would be applicable to other sites. If Council is interested in the request to increase infill
intensities, below are four options to respond to the developer’s request.
1. Neighborhood Plan and Rezoning for Sheldon and Hyland corridors with lower parking
standards and higher densities.
The issues identified by the developer and justification of proximity to the University apply to a
broad area along Sheldon and Hyland. It would be appropriate to evaluate existing conditions and
overall redevelopment potential and assess appropriate options for opportunity sites in the area.
This approach would look at the intent of the RN-4 designation for compatible densities,
walkability, and preserving or adding small commercial options. To do this, public consultation
would be needed and drafting of standards for public review before finalizing a plan, new zoning,
and amendments to the parking rate in the Rental Code.
This option may meet the developer’s overall interests, but not on the proposed timeline of
developing the site in August 2025. A neighborhood plan would include broader
involvement and not start until the summer of 2025 based upon the Department Workplan.
A subsequent rezoning would require an additional two to three months after the
completion of a plan.
2. Create New Overlay for individual property rezonings that allow lower parking and higher
densities on a project-specific basis (Developer Preferred Option).
This approach would not assess overall conditions of the area or formulate a general plan as
described in Option 1 but instead focus on creating a new Urban Walkable Area Overlay zoning
district that focuses on reducing parking and compatible design standards for medium to high-
density apartments. This process would establish a new overlay that then could be applied to
specific project sites as needed, rather than rezone the whole area at one time. Subsequent
amendments to the parking rate in the Rental Code would also be made.
This option would likely meet the developer ’s overall interests and could be accomplished with
approval of a text amendment and property rezoning within the next five months. This option
would be focused on specific changes and not involve broader outreach to shorten the overall
timeline. The text amendment process could be prioritized by Council to begin at the end of
March 2025 and may allow for all steps to be completed by August 2025 due to limited
public outreach expectations.
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3. Direct staff to include lower parking and modified density standards for the West
University Impact Area with Zoning Ordinance Update.
This option would be similar to Option 2, but instead of being prioritized for immediate response,
it would be included as part of the Zoning Ordinance update planned to occur this year and next.
This would be one of many zoning standards changes that would occur within the update. This
option may meet the developer’s overall interests, but not on the proposed timeline of
developing the site in August 2025.
4. Take no action at this time and consider it with a future Workplan update in May 2025.
The request has significant policy implications for the general area and could be weighed against
other Council interests with the next workplan update to determine if it is a high-ranking priority.
A decision regarding the timing and process would then occur with the next workplan review.
STAFF COMMENTS:
The concepts of the developer are worthy of policy consideration based upon the Goals and Policies of
Plan 2040. This RN-4 area and associated zoning changes were not designated as a priority for
implementation of the Plan and were assumed be a component of a broader ordinance update.
However, if Council wishes to consider these changes prior to the Zoning Ordinance update, they
should consider Options 1 or 2.
Option 2 would be the most expedient option to facilitate the development. However, as the RN-4
designation contemplates the need for a plan to inform zoning changes in the area and as the
changes could apply more broadly to this or other areas, Option 1 may be more appropriate.
If Council does not see this request as an immediate priority, Options 3 or 4 as a referral to the
Workplan for future consideration would be appropriate.
ATTACHMENT(S):
Chuck Winkleblack Letter - Zoning Code Hyland.pdf
Location Map.pdf
Ames Plan 2040 Excerpt RN-4.pdf
Future Land Use Map.pdf
Zoning Map.pdf
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COUNCIL ACTION SUMMARY
Meeting Date: February 11, 2025
Agenda Item #: Dispositions
SUBJECT: Request from Chuck Winkleblack, Hunziker Companies, for Zoning Code
changes
ACTION TAKEN: Refer to staff for a memo
MOTION BY: Corrieri
SECOND BY: Junck
VOTING AYE: Beatty-Hansen, Betcher, Corrieri,Gartin, Junck, Rollins
VOTING NAY: None
ABSENT: None
By: Grace A. Bandstra, Deputy City Clerk
Sent to: Director of Planning and Housing, Kelly Diekmann
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February 6, 2025
Honorable Mayor and Council,
The Hunziker Companies currently own the property located at 263 North Hyland, and I own the
adjacent property to the South at 259 Hyland. Combined, these two properties currently contain 15
apartment units and one single family home. Both of those properties are in need of a major
transformation. These properties are located on the western edge of Campus, making them an ideal
location for student housing. The preliminary plan that we have for the property could increase the
density from 16 total units to 56 total units.
For that to happen there will need to be some changes to the current zoning codes and overlay.
The 2040 plan calls for this area to be RN-4. There have been no actual zoning ordinances written for
the new classification. The current zoning is RH- which is high density. It does not allow for the
density and intensity that we are looking for in this area.
The other issue that needs to be addressed is the parking standards. The current overlay requires
1.25 parking stalls per bedroom. We would ask that the parking standards be amended to the same
standard as the Campustown area.
Last week we took this project through the DRC review process with the city staff. I believe that staff
were generally supportive of the project except for the issues that I have outlined in this letter.
I would respectfully request that you direct staff to consider an overlay for this area to allow for this
type of density in the area. That will allow staff time in the future to develop the zoning ordinance that
is consistent with the 2040 plan. Our goal would be to start the project in August of 2025 so that the
building would be completed by August of 2026. For this to happen we will need to have the changes
made in the next 4 to 5 months.
We believe that this is a great example of infill and adaptive use of the area so close to the
University. By providing student housing in such proximity, we can help reduce the need for car use,
promoting a more sustainable and walkable campus community.
Thanks in advance for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Chuck Winkleblack
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P L A N E L E M E N T S G R O W T H & L A N D U S E
56 A M E S P L A N 2 0 4 0
Residential Neighborhood 4 (RN-4: Walkable Urban)
»Based on master development plan or organic evolution of walkable mixed-use districts.
»Strongly connected mixed uses as a “place” or district.
»High level of street and path connectivity, highly walkable design where vehicles are secondary.
»Individual development areas may have separate dominant uses but relate to each other.
»Interior, street-oriented “village center.”
»Common open space and community streets as elements of urban structure.
» Thematic street character, e.g., “main street” environments.
LAND USE: CATEGORIES
PUBLIC ACTIONS
»Improve streetscape and district identification to focus attention and encourage reinvestment in existing areas, such as in the West Street “village” west of the ISU campus and similar small-scale mixed-use districts. In these areas, encourage upgrades and improved relationships among existing multi-family buildings. May require a special development area plan.
» Review and modify zoning and subdivision regulations to address the intended range of uses and design standards.
» Review parking requirements to ensure there is not excess required parking that impacts financial feasibility of reinvestment and design that detracts from character.
DEVELOPMENT GUID ELINES
»Emphasis on mixed uses in the neighborhood overall with walkability, functional public space, appropriate street design, and green infrastructure; provide flexibility in how these goals are accomplished.
» Similar design approach to a PUD to ensure details for mixed-use and design are successful, allowing for greater density and more commercial uses than conventional options.
»Overall minimum gross density > 6 du/A; Village Centers may have much higher density.
»Avoid dictating specific architectural style, while recognizing that some styles are more consistent with intended character than others, however, elements supportive of street level design details are required. This includes features such as porches, large amounts of fenestration for commercial uses, reduced setbacks, durable and interesting building materials, identifiable entrances, and minimized dead space of walls and garage doors.
GOALS
»Village master planning and development in key opportunity sites within growth areas.
»Extension of positive “village” development principles into more conventional development options that achieve walkable and identifiable centers to neighborhoods.
APPL ICABLE EXISTING ZONING CATEGORIES
»PRD Planned Residence District
»F-VR Village Residential
»RH Residential High-Density (existing development only)
» PUD Planned Unit Development Overlay District
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RN-2
RN-2
Near Campus Overlay
NC MU
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Ames Plan 2040 Excerpt - Future Land Use Map
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Near Campus Overlay
Civic - University
Open Space
Neighborhood Core - Mixed Use
(NC MU)
Residential Neighborhood 4 -
Village (RN-4)
Residential Neighborhood 2 -
Established (RN-2)
Plan 2040 Future Land Use
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O-E
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Overlay Disctrict
Overlay Zones
West University
Impacted District ''O-
UIW'' (sec 29.111)
Environmentally
Sensitive Area Overlay
"O-E"
Zoning Districts
Residential
Residential Low Density
Zone "RL" (sec 29.701)
Residential High
Density Zone "RH" (sec
29.704)
Commercial
Neighborhood
Commercial Zone
"NC" (sec 29.801)
Special Purpose
Government/Airport
District "S-GA" (sec
29.1002)
Floating Zones
Planned Residence
District ''F-PRD'' (sec
29.1203)
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