HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-29-19 Public Comment - S. Shope - UDC ChangesFrom: Chris Mehl
To: Agenda
Subject: FW: Uniform Development Code Changes/Discussions
Date: Tuesday, January 29, 2019 2:40:08 PM
Attachments: City of Bozeman UDC Change.pdf
Chris Mehl
Bozeman Deputy Mayor
cmehl@bozeman.net
406.581.4992
________________________________________
From: steve . [arch45n@hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2019 10:31 AM
To: Chris Mehl
Subject: Uniform Development Code Changes/Discussions
Hi Chris,
Thanks again for meeting with me last Friday, I apologize for not getting back to you with a digital copy of the
document that I gave to you, I guess it is a symptom of how busy I am these days for good or bad. Anyway here it
is attached.
Steve Shope
406.570.5293
Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for Windows 10
This discussion is mainly meant to address “Dwelling Units” (DUs) as they apply to multi-family
housing/apartment submissions requiring City of Bozeman Planning review but could also be applied to
detached housing-lot size relationships. It outlines a subtle change in the UDC that would start to
address some of the issues facing the City of Bozeman’s growth and development, specifically
affordability and density/sprawl.
• As written, the City of Bozeman’s Unified Development Code (UDC), section 38 of the City
Municipal Code, makes a direct correlation between the square footage of a residential lot and
the number of DUs that may be place on the lot.
• The UDC calls out a minimum of 3000 square feet of lot area per DU or 2500 square feet of lot
area per DU if an “affordable housing” label is assigned to the lot/project. As an example, a
12,500 square foot lot would support a maximum of four DUs in a standard case or in the case of
an “affordable” lot/project it would support five DUs.
• A DU has no specific definition other than, by default, a “permitted” dwelling. As it stands, a
“Dwelling Unit” could represent anything from an efficiency studio unit* to a four-plus bedroom
(bdrm) unit and everything in between (one-bdrm, two- bdrm and three-bdrm), either attached or
detached.
• As outlined above, relative to lot square footage, the UDC views an efficiency studio unit of 3301
square feet with a maximum occupancy of two residents2 the same as a four-bdrm unit of 24673
square feet with a maximum occupancy of eight residents2.
• Relating the above unit square footages to the 3000 square foot per unit requirement (similar to a
Planning metric, FAR) results in percentages that further demonstrate the major differences in lot
use/coverage/impact posed by these units and why there should be differentiation within the DU
designation. The percentages are 11% (330/3000, studio unit) and 82% (2467/3000, 4-bdrm unit)
and demonstrate a more than seven-fold difference in lot use/coverage/impact between the two.
The question is, “why isn’t there any differentiation in the UDC between these units given their
obvious difference in size and impact”?
• Differentiation within the DU designation is important for several reasons.
1. First and foremost being the number of units allowed on a given lot, as well as, the
variety of units within that number, i.e. efficiency/studio, two-bdrm, three-bdrm, etc.
By treating each type of unit the “same” relative to lot size, development is steered
toward three/four-bdrm DUs as these choices currently provide the most bedrooms
per lot square footage within the current UDC requirements and therefore the highest
return on investment.
However, if the UDC were to look at multifamily development in terms of a metric
combining bedroom number per lot and land use impact rather than simply DUs, it
would allow contractors to look at a mix of unit types. For example, four three-bdrm
units (4 DUs under the current UDC and permitted) on a given 12,500 SQ FT lot
could become two studio units, two two-bdrm units and two three-bdrm units (6 DUs
under the current UDC and not permitted) creating options within a development
more suited toward the varied rental/first time buyers market. Not everyone wants or
needs a three to four-bedroom unit.
Additionally, with an increase in the volume of units, the potential for greater
market/rental value within the development also increases (the potential value for a
studio unit plus a two bdrm unit is probably greater than that of a single three-bdrm
unit) providing increased incentives for developers and contractors without the use of
subsidy or arbitrary machinations.
It should be noted that all other existing Planning requirements such as parking,
property line offsets, landscaping, etc. apply.
2. Secondly, the most common method of determining the area of parkland required by
a proposed multi-family project utilizes the number of proposed DUs (Parkland
Requirement = Number of DUs X 0.03 Acres/DU).
A studio unit in this example presents 330 SQ FT of impact on the 3000 with a
maximum occupancy potential of two people while the four-bdrm unit presents 2200
SQ FT of impact with a maximum occupancy potential of eight people. Given that the
maximum occupancy potential is four times greater with the four-bdrm unit it is
reasonable that this unit should be responsible for a greater parkland requirement.
3. Thirdly, the most common method of determining the area of open space required by
a proposed multi-family project utilizes the number of proposed DUs (Open Space
Requirement = Number of DUs X 150 SQ FT/DU).
As outlined above, the four-bdrm unit has a four times greater occupancy potential.
Additionally, relative to 3000 SQ FT, the studio leaves 2670 SQ FT of space for open
space, circulation and parking, while the four-bdrm unit would leave between 800 and
1900 SQ FT depending on the layout (single level, double level or somewhere in
between).
The Larger unit utilizes a larger portion of its 3000 SQ FT while presenting a four-fold
greater occupancy, therefore it seems reasonable that a larger amount of open
space should be required of it within the overall lot layout relative to the studio unit.
4. Additionally, differentiation within the DU designation has consequences in the
affordable housing discussion. Please refer to item number 1, a studio is more
affordable than a two-bdrm which in turn is more affordable that a three-bdrm and so
forth. Differentiation would create incentives for contractors to create smaller, more
affordable and more useful units.
5. Lastly, DUs are used to determine whether or not a project will be reviewed by
Planning or sent straight through the Building Department. When everything is said
and done, site plan review through Planning adds cost to a project, mainly through
higher fees, additional engineering, a more time/material intensive submission and
elevated landscaping requirements, as opposed to a simple review through the
building department.
Submitting four three-bedroom units or four DUs in a single building to the City would
not require the strenuous Planning site plan review. However, if you were to break
one of the three-bedroom units up into three single efficiency units you would now
have three three-bedroom units and three efficiency units or six DUs and Planning
site plan review would be required even though the number bedrooms and buildings
has not increased and the square footage has possibly decreased using the 330 SQ
FT efficiency sizing.
A scaled division of the units presented in a project would address and help to bring sense to the issues
surrounding the “Dwelling Unit”–lot size relationship, the consequences of this relationship as outlined
above and provide an avenue for more creative and affordable multi-family housing.
Proposed Scaling:
Define a Dwelling Unit (DU) as a Three-Bedroom4 Unit either attached multi-family or
a detached single family. It should be noted the City of Bozeman Planning/Building
Departments need to develop a working definition of a “Bedroom” 5.
A Two-Bedroom Unit = 0.75 DU
A One-Bedroom or Efficiency Unit = 0.5 DU
One DU per 3000 SQ FT still applies. The “special” affordable housing relationship of
one DU per 2500 SQ FT would no longer be needed as the “scaled division would be
more effective without making “special” considerations for affordable housing.
Examples:
A 12,000 SQ FT lot supports four DUs at three bedrooms each for a total of 4 units and twelve
bedrooms. Note: 12,000 SQ FT is the size of two “traditional” 50’x120’ city lots.
The 12,000 SQ FT lot would also support 2 DUs (at three bedrooms) 2-two bedroom units (.75
DU + .75 DU) and 1-one bedroom unit (.5 DU) for a total of four DUs, five units and eleven
bedrooms.,
1 DU + 1 DU + .75 DU + .75 DU + .50 DU = 4 DUs
3 Bdrm + 3 Bdrm + 2 Bdrm + 2 Bdrm + 1 Bdrm = 11 Bdrm
The 12,000 SQ FT lot could also support 4-two bedroom units (.75 DU + .75 DU + .75 DU + .75
DU) and 2-one bedroom units (.5 DU + .5 DU) for a total of four DUs, six units and ten
bedrooms.,
.75 DU + .75 DU + .75 DU + .75 DU + .50 DU + .50 DU = 4 DUs
2 Bdrm + 2 Bdrm + 2 Bdrm + 2 Bdrm + 1 Bdrm + 1 Bdrm = 10 Bdrm
And so forth, in each case the total number of DUs remains at 4 while the number of units
increases and the number of bedrooms decreases.
The total number of units is “controlled” by building height restrictions, parking requirements,
property line offsets, open space requirements, historical considerations, etc..
*Unit in this context could be an apartment, a condominium unit or a detach residence.
1The square footage of a compact layout for a single level stand-alone efficiency/studio residence on a
permanent foundation.
2Maximum occupancy is based on up to two residents per bedroom. This is not out of the question given
the cost of rentals in Bozeman and that Bozeman is a college town with renters trying to minimize the
cost of living.
3The median square footage of a new home construction in the US in 2018.
4The single Dwelling Unit designation would probably have to include Four and possibly Five bedroom
homes in a SQ FT range of 1320 to 2467.
5 A Bedroom has: A minimum area of 70 SQ FT., A minimum horizontal dimension of 7 FT in any
direction., A ceiling where 50% of its area is 7 FT or greater., An egress door (would not apply in a
efficiency design)., An additional egress opening w/ 5.7 SQ FT clear opening (min width of 20” and min
height of 24”) with a sill height of 44” or less., A permanently conditioned environment and, The general
requirements of the International Residential Code (IRC). Please note, a bedroom definition does not
necessarily need to include a closet, a closet could also be a part of a home office or craft room. What is
required is intent, therefore, a bedroom must have all of the items outlined above along with a signed
statement of intent to create the number of bedrooms present in a submission.
Please review the outlined proposal for inclusion in the 2019 version of Muni-Code UDC.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Steve Shope
arch45n@hotmail.com
406 570-5293