Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutF.2 CAHAB RFP ideas staff memo and attachments MEMORANDUM ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TO: Community Affordable Housing Advisory Board (CAHAB) FROM: Tanya Andreasen, COMMUNITY HOUSING PROGRAM MANAGER RE: Discussion and recommendation to staff on two action strategies: 1) a review of City policies to identify potential changes that could reduce barriers and encourage affordable residential development and preservation, and 2) an audit of the current Unified Development Code MEETING DATE: 8/12/2020 AGENDA ITEM TYPE: Action ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Background: The Community Housing Action Plan, accepted by the City Commission on November 19, 2019, identifies 19 Strategies and 78 associated Action Items to address the faceted aspects of affordable housing in our community. One of those Strategies is called Removal of Regulatory Barriers. There are 6 Action items associated with that strategy, and 3 of them have been identified as priority work for City Staff by the City Commission. Those three Action Items are: 1. Engage third party to edit, reorganize and reformat the UDC to be more streamlined, functional and user friendly. Remove duplicative language and inconsistencies. 2. Engage third party to review all city codes, regulations and policies to identify disconnects and recommend methods to resolve. 3. Explore revisiting Engineering Design Standards and Specifications Policy to allow more compact development standards. CAHAB members expressed a desire to participate in the crafting of the Request for Proposals that staff will publish to seek professional consultant(s) to undertake these processes, and eventually be active in contributing substantively to the process of the projects and their outcomes. Of the three projects listed, the first two will be led by Community Development staff, with the third project led by Public Works. The Engineering Design Standards review and update has already begun, and a consultant team selected. Staff requested that individual CAHAB members email or otherwise communicate their individual ideas related to the two Community Development projects. At this meeting, City staff will be present and lead a discussion regarding these two projects, and answer any questions from CAHAB members. CAHAB input will be gathered by staff, and be memorialized in a written document. Chairman Thane has created an initial draft for discussion and amendment by the whole body at the August 12 meeting. The draft is attached to this staff memo. The Request for Proposals for these two projects will be submitted for review and may be amended by the City Attorney’s Office prior to publication. Suggested Motion: Having reviewed the materials provided, I move to approve CAHAB’s recommendations as discussed and memorialized by staff for inclusion in the advertised Request for Proposals for two City projects: 1) a review of City policies to identify potential changes that could reduce barriers and encourage affordable residential development and preservation, and 2) an audit of the current Unified Development Code. Attachments: - Draft ideas for RFP scope of services RFP Language Introduction The City of Bozeman is undertaking this code analysis and revision in order to make the building of all dwelling units less expensive and to place emphasis on the creation of a continuum of housing from small affordable rental units to stand alone single family housing. This housing spectrum should include both subsidized units and market rate units. The proposed UDC update may include revisions and deletions to the existing code and the creation of totally new sections of code. It is intended, to the extent possible, that the resulting code will provide language that encourages and incents affordable housing, focusing on code changes that foster flexibility and creativity that will directly reduce the cost of developing and building in Bozeman, including a reduction in the time it takes for City approval from concept to entitlement. Public Input Recognizing that, in addition to City Staff, the Bozeman City Government includes several longstanding boards with a deep history and understanding of City Government and the local community, in conjunction with the City Staff, the consultants are to engage each of the following Boards, in a discussion format, to elicit from each Board its perspective and desired code changes as a first step in understanding the direction and focus of each of the appropriate City Advisory Boards. 1. Community Affordable Housing Advisory Board Community 2. Planning Board 3. Design Review Board 4. Development Review Committee 5. Impact Fee Advisory Committee 6. Zoning Commission 7. Other Boards as appropriate Additionally, Bozeman has a variety of experienced stakeholders in the development and building communities, with a long history and understanding of the current code, and a desire to help craft the best possible outcome. The vendor who will be awarded this work must commit to using a discussion format with various stakeholder groups, as well as the City Staff, to solicit feedback, suggestions, ideas, and comments that will result in achieving the best possible resulting code. Possible stakeholders include: Southwest Montana Building Industry Association; Habitat for Humanity; Human Resources Development Council; Bozeman Development Consortium; among others. Participation by the general public in all discussion sessions must be advertised and encouraged by the Consultant. The discussion format shall, at a minimum, be two hours in length and shall be continued as necessary until the topic(s) under consideration during the discussion has been deemed to have been fully explored by the participants. Initial Discussion Topics 1. Lot Size Requirements 2. Accessory Dwelling Units 3. Utility Connections and Engineering Standards 4. Including all dwelling units under the Affordable Housing Ordinance 5. Requiring design features that are only aesthetic in nature 6. Encouraging the construction of entry level dwelling units 7. Providing for affordability in perpetuity 8. Stressing functionality over form 9. Costs associated with Home Owner Associations / Condo Associations 10. External Barriers – Financing; Appraisals 11. Incentives for Buyers, Builders, and Developers Additional discussion topics are to be solicited from the Boards, Stakeholders, and the general public. Subsequent to the first round of discussions, the consultant will provide a draft of potential code changes to the City Staff and all participating City Boards, stakeholders and the general public at least two weeks prior to a second round of discussions on each topic at which time the consultant will discuss with the afore mentioned parties all of its proposed changes, justification for proposed changes, and the ramifications of each change. During this second round of discussions, additional input, amendment, and modification will be accepted and incorporated into a final draft to be presented to the City Commission. The final draft must be released to the general public, City Staff, and the participating City Boards and stakeholders at least two weeks prior to being presented to the City Commission.