HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-15-20 Public Comment - T. Menuez - Ordinance 2062 and 2063 City Commission meeting 12.15.20 Items 4 and 5From:Tracy Menuez
To:Agenda
Cc:Heather Grenier
Subject:[SENDER UNVERIFIED]Public Comment - City Commission meeting 12.15.20 Items 4 and 5
Date:Tuesday, December 15, 2020 12:33:14 PM
Dear Commissioners:On behalf of HRDC, I am writing to provide public comment for agenda items 4 (Ordinance
2062) and 5 (Ordinance 2063).
Concerning Ordinance 2062, we would encourage the City to edit the code language to requireminimum floor-to-floor heights versus floor-to-ceiling heights. Floor-to-floor heights are a
more straightforward standard with less room for differing interpretations. We would alsosuggest exemption from this requirement for approved residential uses meeting the City's
definition of "affordable housing" on the ground floor. The Arrowleaf and Perennial Parkproject is a good example of a development that has a ground floor, affordable use that
benefits from a more flexible floor-to-floor height.
Concerning Ordinance 2063, it's our experience that our community benefits from a variety ofhousing types and flexible development options. This ordinance takes our community further
down the road of a "one-size-fits-all" approach to development, creating less housing diversityand fewer options for creative development. As pointed out in the public comment, there are
numerous examples of homes that do not have front doors facing a street that more thanadequately meet the occupants' needs. In our efforts to create more housing that meets our
community needs, it doesn't make sense to limit options to do so. Further, we are concernedthat this new design standard may create a barrier to the development of affordable homes.
The growth policy calls out a desire for missing middle homes as a typology, defined as:"...housing constructed in buildings which are of a size and design compatible in scale and
form with detached individual homes. Example housing types include duplex, triplex, live-work, cottage housing, group living, rowhouses, townhouses, horizontally layered apartments,
flats, and other similar configurations." In many communities, this is executed through thedevelopment of a structure that looks like a single-detached home but contains multiple units.
Typically, only one front door is emphasized while the other unit front doors are intentionallydeemphasized. This language may present a barrier to this type of solution.
Thank you for all of your work on behalf of our community.
Sincerely,
-- Tracy Menuez
Associate DirectorShe/Her/Hers
HRDC IX, Inc.406.585.4890