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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNarrative_Growth Policy Amendment_12-18-2019 BLACKWOOD GROVES |Bozeman, Montana Growth Policy Amendment BLACKWOOD GROVES Growth Policy Amendment Page 2 of 6 I. PROJECT OVERVIEW Bridger Builders (“Applicant”) is requesting the annexation and an initial zone map amendment for 119.45 acres of land generally located to the south and west of the current terminus of S. 11th Avenue. The subject property (the “Property” or “Blackwood Groves”) is currently zoned Agriculture – Suburban (AS) and lies within the Gallatin County “donut” surrounding the City. The Annexation, Growth Policy Amendment (GPA) and Initial Zone Map Amendment (ZMA) applications request the annexation of the entire property into the City of Bozeman and initiation of a Zone Map Amendment for a Residential Emphasis Mixed-Use (REMU) zoning designation. The City of Bozeman’s draft Community Plan’s Future Land Use Map – dated October 17, 2019 – proposes to amend the land use category for the entire Property to Residential Mixed-Use, which is consistent with the Applicant’s request. Succinctly, Blackwood Groves is envisioned as a walkable, lifestyle-oriented, mixed-use community, which consists of a diverse set of residents with a range of income and demographics, that also provides amenities and services to all surrounding neighborhoods. The Property, approximately 2.5 miles south of Downtown Bozeman, is situated with panoramic views to the Bridger Range to the north, Gallatin Range to the east, Spanish Peaks to the south, and Madison Range to the west. The community is specifically planned to embrace the Property’s proximity, natural features and stunning vistas to create a public realm that is seamlessly connected to greater Bozeman and distinct in its inherent walkability and sense of place. The neighborhood will live around a dynamic center that is planned to serve as a hub of community-oriented amenities such as restaurants, retail and commercial services, entertainment and recreational activities. This mixed-use hub of amenities and services will be surrounded by a variety of housing types and price points, specifically intended to encourage a diverse and dynamic mix of residents with a range of demographics and income levels. This is of particular importance given the proximity of significant education centers to the Property – namely Sacajawea Middle School, Morning Star Elementary and Montana State University. The residential and mixed-use town center neighborhoods within the Property are envisioned to be interconnected by a series of parks, plazas, natural open spaces and biking/hiking trails that celebrate the connection to the outdoors and encourage vehicles to be used as a last resort – instead of the first (or more often, the only) option. This series of multi-modal connections throughout the Property, along with well-planned and activated streetscapes, are intended to encourage a social atmosphere within the community. BLACKWOOD GROVES Growth Policy Amendment Page 3 of 6 II. RESPONSE TO GROWTH POLICY AMENDMENT CHECKLIST Below are responses to the GPA criteria that address how the project site relates to and meets the criteria outlined for GPAs. 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. In Bozeman’s 2009 Community Plan, it states that a primary goal and strategy guiding growth is to create neighborhoods that “can once again be centers of social activity and interaction. Traffic congestion and air quality impacts can be reduced. Other aspects of this new paradigm include increased acceptance of mixed-use projects, higher residential densities, and pedestrian-friendly site development.” Unfortunately, this has not been achieved under the 2009 Growth Plan for this southern area of Bozeman. The area south of Kagy lacks any significant commercial services, and certainly lacks anything that would be considered walkable for residents. In addition, existing neighborhoods are largely homogeneous in regards to product type, with single family homes comprising nearly 83% of the market within a mile of this site. Projects that include 10 or more units comprise just ~13% of the market within a mile. This has created a wide area of single-family subdivisions that are not dense, and a lifestyle that forces residents to solely rely on motor vehicles to reach amenities and services. City staff has recognized this need and recently designated the Property as Residential Mixed Use within the current draft of the City’s 2019 Community Plan. Principles applied within this plan include integrating “residential and commercial land use activities, multimodal transportation, and open spaces” and a “variety in housing and employment opportunities is essential for a healthy community.” Each of these principles are captured within the goals of the Residential Mixed-Use growth designation and REMU zoning designations, which allows the Property and this specific zoning designation to cure an existing deficiency in the 2009 Community Plan for this area of Bozeman. 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 inconsistencies. BLACKWOOD GROVES Growth Policy Amendment Page 4 of 6 The current plan governing the subject parcel (the 2009 Community Plan) includes a residential designation for the Property. However, the proposed Residential Mixed-Use designation is fully consistent with the current City staff’s recommendations as reflected in the Future Land Use Plan as part of the Community Plan update to be reviewed by Council in early 2020. Importantly, designating this property as Residential Mixed Use aligns with the broader goals of both the 2009 and 2019 Community Plans. C. Is the proposed amendment consistent with the overall intent of the growth policy? How? Yes; the current growth policy includes the Property and designates it as residential. The update to the Community Plan describes the development of connected residential neighborhoods with access to goods and services entirely consistent with the proposed Residential Mixed-Use designation. One purpose of the 2009 Community Plan was to be “committed to maintaining [Bozeman’s] quality environment and community character so that it may be enjoyed for many years to come.” This goal will not only be preserved in the updated designation, but this project will enhance the character of this community dramatically by establishing a self-sustaining community drawing on assets of the land it is built on and by emphasizing important open space connections that will create a pedestrian-oriented environment with a rich, active public realm. According to the 2009 Community Plan, the City’s mission is to “maintain Bozeman as a desirable and sustainable place to live, work, and play within a diverse and rich natural environment.” As this southern area of the City has developed, it has forced residents to become solely reliant on motor vehicles to access commercial services. By adopting the Residential Mixed-Use designation and incorporating the Property with REMU zoning, a sustainable, diverse, and rich environment will emerge. 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? The proposed amendment does not significantly alter the current growth plan expectations or land use patterns. In fact, it supports the expectations carried by the growth plan for continued neighborhood-scale development to the south of current city boundaries between 19th Avenue and 11th Avenue. The Residential Mixed-Use designation for the Property helps to solve a number of goals outlined BLACKWOOD GROVES Growth Policy Amendment Page 5 of 6 in the 2009 Community Plan and expanded upon in the 2019 Community Plan, which were not fully achieved under the prior growth plan. Within the 2009 Community Plan, under its land use goals it states “a sense of community is strengthened by distinctive areas which facilitate neighborhood identity. This is strengthened when essential services are available […]. Full featured neighborhoods allow extensive interaction and build identity with a specific part of the community. A sense of place does not prohibit change or continued evolution of the community.” This is exactly what the Residential Mixed-Use designation is attempting to achieve. It seeks to blend with the existing residential neighborhoods while evolving and adapting as the community grows and the community’s desires for walkability and connectivity changes. This vision has been accelerated within the draft 2019 Community Plan, which states “community development oriented on centers of employment and activity shorten travel distances and encourage multi-modal transportation, increase business synergies, and permit greater efficiencies in the delivery of public services.” With Residential Mixed-Use designation and REMU zoning, these goals can be achieved through a community that is more connected, more walkable, and more diverse. 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? The proposed growth policy amendment will not require larger and more expensive improvements to streets, water, sewer, or other public facilities. The proposed Residential Mixed-Use designation will be adequately served by existing services, and future services as identified in the 2015 Wastewater Facility Plan, 2015 Water Facility Plan, and 2019 Transportation Master Plan. The project will extend City facilities to surrounding properties which will improve the ability of other lands to develop in the future. iii. Adversely impacting existing uses because of unmitigated greater than anticipated impacts on facilities and services? How does it not? Adequate infrastructure and emergency services exist to serve this property. o Education. The Property is anticipated to be within the following school boundaries: Morning Star Elementary School (less than 1 mile by vehicle, 0.4 BLACKWOOD GROVES Growth Policy Amendment Page 6 of 6 miles by existing trail system); Sacajawea Middle School (immediately adjacent to the east property boundary); and the existing Bozeman High School (2.8 miles by vehicle). o Fire. Bozeman Fire Station No. 2 on South 19th Avenue is 2.2 miles from the property (a six-minute drive directly along 19th Avenue). The City of Bozeman owns a 2.28-acre parcel at the southwest corner of the Graf Street and 19th Avenue intersection. It is understood that this parcel will be developed as a future City of Bozeman Fire Station once conditions warrant. This future fire station would be less than one half mile from the subject property. o Water. The existing 16” water main on the property will provide water service for future development. o Sanitary Sewer. A sanitary sewer main is readily accessible from South 15th Avenue at the parcel’s north property line. The 2015 Wastewater Facilities Plan recommends that the Property be serviced by the Davis-Fowler interceptor which currently terminates as an 18” PVC main at the intersection of South 19th Avenue and Graf Street. This interceptor is currently operating at less than 50% of its maximum capacity according to the 2015 Wastewater Facilities Plan. o On-Going Development. The Applicant will be required to demonstrate adequate provision of public services, parkland development, natural resource protection and other required improvements as it continues to develop the Property. iv. Negatively affecting the livability of the area of the health and safety of residents? How does it not? The proposed amendment will improve the livability and the health and safety of residents by creating continuity of transportation, open space and land use connections to south Bozeman, as well as providing area residents with retail, commercial and employment services that will reduce the distance of access to these amenities currently experienced by the surrounding neighborhoods.