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HomeMy WebLinkAboutGPA Narrative 01-11-19 Bridger View Redevelopment Growth Policy Map Amendment Narrative Summary: The Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) and The Trust for Public Land, together, propose to amend the Bozeman Community Plan “Future Land Use Map” to allow an 8-acre property on Bridger Drive (between Story Mill Community Park and Story Mill Road) to be designated “Residential Emphasis Mixed Use.” This proposal to change the land use designations stands on its own merits by meeting the required criteria for a Growth Policy Amendment (GPA). While individual planned projects are not considered within the criteria for a GPA, the proposed change to the underlying land use designations will enable these non-profit entities to continue to pursue and invest in the creation of a mixed-income residential neighborhood offering modest, efficient homes that residents can afford to purchase and a community land trust to ensure the investment and affordability are maintained. This innovative model neighborhood will meaningfully address Bozeman’s community housing needs, complement the adjacent park and benefit the entire community. The idea to reestablish a residential neighborhood on this property was conceived as a separate but parallel component of The Trust for Public Land’s work to create the adjacent Story Mill Community Park in partnership with the City of Bozeman. A portion of the larger site formerly housed a 92-family trailer park that was removed in 2008 to make way for a 1,200-unit housing and commercial development proposal that failed to move forward. The existing land use designations (as well as existing zoning designations) are the direct result of that failed plan. The Trust for Public Land acquired the property in 2012 as part of the larger Story Mill Community Park property purchase. The 8-acre parcel was retained to explore the feasibility of returning some affordable homes on a portion of the site – honoring the history and complementing the new park. In 2017, the Bridger View Concept Planned Unit Development (PUD) was informally reviewed by the City. Submittal of a Preliminary PUD is contingent upon approval of this application and the corresponding Zone Map Amendment (ZMA) Application. The property is currently divided by two different land use designations - the east portion (4.56 acres) is designated “Community Commercial Mixed Use” and the west portion (3.46 acres) is designated “Residential.” The adjacent right-of-way for Bridger Drive is designated “Industrial.” This application proposes a designation of “Residential Emphasis Mixed Use” on the entire property and half (1.35) of the adjacent right-of-way (note that using road centerlines as boundaries is the current preferred policy of the City). Please note that the concurrent ZMA Application proposes a zoning designation of “R-3,” Residential Medium Density District, to ensure the smallest scale of this land use classification is developed in the future. This combination of Residential Emphasis Mixed Use and R-3 zoning will allow a future neighborhood of single household dwelling units up to five attached units. With a Planned Unit Development (PUD), there is also the possibility of some light commercial activity such as a flexible community center with guest rooms, coffee bar or exercise classes. The Residential Mixed-Use designation is described in the Community Plan as follows: The graphics on the next page show the existing and proposed maps for the subject property. This is followed by a detailed narrative addressing the required review criteria for Growth Policy Amendments. Note that the required engineering exhibits which include more site-specific detail are also included at the end of the application materials. The Residential Emphasis Mixed -Use category promotes neighborhoods with supporting services that are substantially dominated by housing. A diversity of residential housing types should be built on the majority of any area within this category. Housing choice for a variety of households is desired and can include attached and small detached single-household dwellings, apartments, and live-work units. Residences should be included on the upper floors of buildings with ground floor commercial uses. Variation in building massing, height, and other design characteristics should contribute to a complete and interesting streetscape and may be larger than in the Residential category. Secondary supporting uses, such as retail, offices, and civic uses, are permitted at the ground floor. All uses should complement existing and planned residential uses. Non-residential uses are expected to be pedestrian oriented and emphasize the human scale with modulation as needed in larger structures. Stand alone, large, non-residential uses are discouraged. Non-residential spaces should provide an interesting pedestrian experience with quality urban design for buildings, sites, and open spaces. This category is implemented at different scales. The details of implementing standards will vary with the scale. The category is appropriate near commercial centers and larger areas should have access on collector and arterial streets. Multi-household higher density urban development is expected. Any development within this category should have a well integrated transportation and open space network which encourages pedestrian activity and provides ready access within and to adjacent development. Bozeman Community Plan Application Narrative 1. A thorough project narrative is required including a detailed response to the following: a. Does the proposed amendment cure a deficiency in the growth policy or result in an improved growth policy which better responds to the needs of the general community? How? Yes. The proposed amendment both cures a deficiency in the growth policy and results in an improved growth policy which better responds to the needs of the general community. The current parcel has a split designation that is the direct result of a ten+ year old expired project that was never developed because of the economic recession and ownership issues. Since that time, the development of the 60-acre Story Mill Community Park has and will continue to positively influence the larger neighborhood and overall growth patterns. Note that the growth policy shows a residential land use designation on the dedicated park parcel; however, it is anticipated that the Update to the Growth Policy will correct this land use designation to Public Lands and Institutions. As stated in the Community Plan, it is preferable for land use designation boundaries to follow the parcel boundaries established by recorded plats 1. This amendment proposes exactly that by designating the entire 8-acre subject property “Residential Emphasis Mixed Use.” This is an appropriate land use designation for any future project. The proposed amendment also results in an improved growth policy which better responds to the needs of the general community by allowing a greater emphasis on housing in an appropriate location. The 2018 Demographic and Real Estate Market Assessment (EPS Report) discusses the need for long-term affordable housing because most of the job growth in Bozeman is at wage levels less than $16 per hour which further increases the demand for income restricted affordable and market rate attainable housing. Conversely, on the retail growth side, the report states that: “retail development does not need to be a priority for the City.” 2 A “Residential Emphasis Mixed Use” land use designation will increase the supply of residential land and any future residential subdivision on this property will need to meet code requirements for at least 10 percent of the homes to be priced at levels that that households earning less than 80 percent Area Median Income (AMI) can afford to purchase. Housing affordability is undeniably one of the most important issues facing Bozeman today as evidenced by the many past and ongoing planning efforts including: · Goal H-3 of the Community Plan states: encourage an adequate supply of affordable housing and land for affordable housing. The rationale further explains this need: “There will always be a portion of the population which earns less than the median income. This may be for many reasons. This affects the ability to find market rate housing which is adequate for basic housing needs. Lack of adequate housing effects health, social stability, and many other issues which can have severe negative and intergeneration effects.” 3 · This community goal is emphasized even more today by the ongoing Community Plan Update. During the initial public outreach efforts, increasing housing affordability was listed as #3 on the 1 Bozeman Community Plan, Page 3-15 2 2018 Demographic and Real Estate Market Assessment (EPS Report), Page 3 and Page 5 3 Bozeman Community Plan, Page 6-4 list of things that need to be improved in Bozeman. Similarly, when asked what Bozeman should imagine for the year 2040, “More affordable” was also listed as #3. 4 · This ongoing growth policy update is guided by the Bozeman Strategic Plan which was adopted in 2018 as a community-wide plan to guide policy and funding decisions in response to considerable growth. Efforts were made to include a vision, strategies and action items based upon input from a wide cross-section of the community. The Strategic Plan lists affordable housing as the second most important priority, behind community outreach: o 1.4 Business and Institutional Partnerships - Explore opportunities for partnerships with key business groups and non-profit organizations. o 4.5 Housing and Transportation Choices - Vigorously encourage, through a wide variety of actions, the development of sustainable and lasting housing options for underserved individuals and families and improve mobility options that accommodate all travel modes. 5 · The public engagement initiative “A Seat at the Table” (Bozeman Area Community Foundation and Future West) recently collected information from over 900 Gallatin Valley residents over dinner on October 25, 2018. Affordable housing was listed as one of the most pressing challenges of our community. 6 · The 2019 Community Housing Needs Assessment calls for an average of 770 to 905 housing units per year which demonstrates the need to increase the supply of housing. Furthermore, the assessment highlights this issue from an employer perspective. An employer survey fielded in the fall of 2018 shows that 53 percent of nearly 500 employer respondents (representing 31 percent of jobs in the City) feel that housing that is affordable to the workforce is one of the more serious problems in the City of Bozeman. Another 22 percent feel that it is the most critical problem in the area. 7 Approval of this amendment will allow more residential opportunities and potentially non-profit partnerships for this key parcel. Overall, the amendment both cures a deficiency in the growth policy and results in an improved growth policy which better responds to the needs of the general community by elevating housing to a higher priority on the site. b. Does the proposed amendment create inconsistencies within the growth policy, either between the goals and the map or between goals? Why not? If inconsistencies are identified, then additional changes must be provided to remove the inconsistencies. No, the proposed amendment does not create inconsistencies between different goals or between the map and goals. Since the adoption of the growth policy map and goals for this larger neighborhood, The Trust for Public Land in partnership with the City of Bozeman is building a 60-acre community park. The proposed amendment is intended to return some residential uses to the area to both complement and activate the edge of the new park and support some local commercial uses in the area. The larger neighborhood will benefit from this change, and the following points address these benefits: 4 Community Plan Update, Phase 1 Summary, V2, Pages 7-8 5 Bozeman Strategic Plan, Pages 2 & 7 6 “A Seat At the Table,” Bozeman Area Community Foundation, Planning Board Presentation, 3/5/19 7 Community Housing Needs Assessment February 2019 Final Draft, Page 10 and Page 1 · It is important to reiterate that the existing split land use designations (as well as the existing zoning) are a direct result of the “Go Build Inc.” and “Blue Sky Development” project from 2005- 2008 which planned for a very specific mix of commercial uses and 1,200 dwelling units across 106 acres. While a commercial node in this vicinity makes sense in a broader context, it is not required to be on this parcel. The historic use of this parcel was housing and this application proposes a return to that use. · With approval of this amendment, the immediate neighborhood will still contain several acres of “Community Commercial Mixed Use.” Additionally, the Trust for Public Land and the HRDC would be supportive of expansions to the “Community Commercial Mixed Use” land use designations to the south and southeast should those property owners choose to also apply for a Growth Policy Map Amendment or should the ongoing Update to the Growth Policy identify these areas as appropriate for additional commercial uses. The Community Plan Update is specifically exploring the notion of encouraging appropriately-sized commercial nodes within neighborhoods. 8 In the Demographic and Real Estate Market Assessment, the consultants note that other communities have reported the difficulty of creating new un-anchored retail locations without significant housing density. 9 This growth policy amendment would allow the creation of a residential neighborhood that would support the adjacent community commercial node within walking distance. This emphasis on residential is even more important on the subject parcel now since the area to the west is a dedicated park. · The proposed land use designation of “Residential Emphasis Mixed Use” allows for a variety of different underlying zoning designations. While this application is accompanied by a Zone Map Amendment request of R-3 zoning to implement the smallest possible scale of this land use designation to be most compatible with the adjacent park and residential uses farther north and east, Table C-16 (Appendix C of the Community Plan) clipped below, shows that other mixed-use zoning designations could also correlate with the land use category. · The land use map, combined with a windshield survey, indicates that the adjacent industrial district across Bridger Drive currently houses a wide variety of neighborhood type uses including retail, offices, veterinarian services, a wellness center, a gas station/convenience shop, an alternative school, a coffee roastery/shop, a bar and a winery with restaurant components. · The Cannery District, a thriving walkable medium-scale commercial center, is located less than one mile away and is now connected to the greater neighborhood by safer pedestrian and bicycle facilities with recent improvements to North Rouse Avenue. · The nearby Northeast Neighborhood is comprised of a mix of residential and commercial uses and is connected to this parcel by the existing Story Mill Spur Trail as well as the new trails in the Story Mill Park. 8 Community Plan Update, Planning Week 2 Community Event Summary, 12/17/18, V2, Page 2 9 2018 Demographic and Real Estate Market Assessment (EPS Report), Page 63 · The site is also easily accessible by trail to Downtown with a 30-minute walk or a 10-minute bike ride. In summary, the change of 8 acres from “Community Commercial Mixed Use” + “Residential” to “Residential Emphasis Mixed Use” will positively impact the greater neighborhood and does not create any inconsistencies within the growth policy goals or between goals and maps. c. Is the proposed amendment consistent with the overall intent of the growth policy? How? Yes, the proposed amendment is consistent with the overall intent of the growth policy. Bozeman’s growth policy is intended to protect the health, life, safety, and welfare of the people who live, work, and play in the community.10 Amending this land use designation will allow the subject property to develop with a greater emphasis on residential uses to complement the adjacent park as well as the existing and planned commercial uses in the vicinity. Located in the northeast quadrant, the area to the east is characterized by new subdivisions with a mixture of higher end homes, duplexes and condominiums. Bridger Drive, the major arterial linking Main Street to Bridger Bowl, is seeing a transition from industrial to more of a mix of commercial and industrial businesses. Montana Department of Transportation has recently completed a major upgrade to Bridger Drive, adding a middle turning lane, bicycle lanes and sidewalks. The planned Main Street to the “M” pathway is directly adjacent to the subject property. An easement was granted by TPL in 2017 to ensure the mature vegetation between the roadway and the pathway would be maintained as a buffer for a future residential neighborhood. The change of a small piece of “Community Commercial Mixed Use” and “Residential” to “Residential Emphasis Mixed Use” will act as a catalyst in this area providing some appropriately scaled residential development that complements and activates the park, respects the existing neighborhoods, and supports existing and potentially new commercial uses. Additionally, the limitations of access on Bridger Drive (which now includes a 10-foot wide pedestrian pathway with mature vegetation) and Story Mill Road (note the linear park and trail that separates the subject site from Story Mill Road) support a more residential emphasis for this site. Finally, one of the twelve key components of the Community Plan vision statement is that: “The housing stock provides quality, affordability, and choice.”11 The City can help to realize this vision with implementation policies that include tools such as incentives, programs and partnerships with local non- profits as suggested by the Strategic Plan: “explore opportunities for partnerships with key business groups and non-profit organizations.” 12 d. Does the proposed amendment adversely affect the community as a whole or significant portion by: i. Significantly altering acceptable existing and future land use patterns, as defined in the text and maps of the plan? How does it not? 10 Bozeman Community Plan, Page 2-1 11 Bozeman Community Plan, Page 1-2 12 Bozeman Strategic Plan, Page 2 No, the proposed amendment does not adversely affect the community by significantly altering acceptable existing or future land use patterns. The existing land use designations are “Community Commercial Mixed Use” + “Residential” and the proposed land use designation is “Residential Emphasis Mixed Use.” The proposed amendment combines the existing split designations into one cohesive designation for the entire property with a stronger emphasis on the residential component. ii. Requiring unmitigated larger and more expensive improvements to streets, water, sewer, or other public facilities or services and which, therefore, may impact development of other lands? How does it not? No, the proposed amendment will not change any required improvements to infrastructure. The site is within the planned service area for municipal utilities. Any future development will require municipal review for impacts and specifics for improvements and connecting to services will be outlined and evaluated at that time. The change from “Community Commercial Mixed Use” + “Residential” to “Residential Emphasis Mixed Use” has no substantial impacts on streets, water, sewer or any other public facilities or services. The addition of a residential neighborhood (combined with the existing community park) will increase the viability of commercial development on adjacent parcels by providing a significant customer and employee base within walking distance. iii. Adversely impacting existing uses because of unmitigated greater than anticipated impacts on facilities and services? How does it not? No, the proposed amendment would not adversely impact any existing uses. The addition of a residential neighborhood will improve the park by increasing daily users and the opportunities for informal surveillance. Similar to an “eyes on the street” approach to planning, a neighborhood in this location will establish more “eyes on the park” and create a more active edge along the park’s western boundary. Also, development of this parcel, in combination with the ongoing improvements to the Story Mill Community Park will continue to incrementally improve this overall area of town and support redevelopment projects to the south and east. iv. Negatively affecting the livability of the area and the health and safety of residents? How does it not? No, designation of this site as “Residential Emphasis Mixed Use” is compatible with surrounding land uses and will not negatively affect the livability of the area or the health and safety of residents. This designation (along with the R-3 zoning) will provide an appropriately scaled residential neighborhood to activate the west edge of a community park and provide a customer/employee base for the existing and potential commercial nodes near the property. This amendment will place residents adjacent to a great community park, enhancing the livability of the area and improving resident’s health outcomes. No negative impacts on livability or health and safety are identified. 2. If text amendment provide language to be removed from the growth policy in strikeout format on the original pages, if new text is proposed provide new text and location to be inserted into the growth policy. Non-applicable – this application is for a map amendment and not a text amendment. 3. If map amendment, provide an exhibit of the property to be modified. Provide existing land use designation and the proposed land use designation. The exhibit should include the legal limits of the property and size in square feet and acreage. The required exhibit has been prepared by Stahly Engineering & Associates and is being submitted as part of this application.