HomeMy WebLinkAbout001 ZMA NarrativeNorth 8th ZMA
Zone Map Amendment
November 2022
Table of Contents
Narrative
I. Project Overview
II. Response to Zone Map Amendment Approval Criteria
III. Response to Spot Zoning Criteria
Appendices
Appendix A.1: Vicinity Map
Appendix A.2: Current Zoning Map
Appendix A.3: Future Land Use Map
Appendix A.4: Proposed Zoning Map
Appendix B: Zone Map Amendment Editable Legal Description
1. Project Team
Owners & Applicant:
Dark Horse Properties LLC
Attn: Shaun Marshall-Pryde
8652 South 19th Avenue
Bozeman, MT 59715
Email: darkhorsesmp@gmail.com
Catron Creek LLC
Attn: Luke Wellborn
PO Box 6507
Bozeman, MT 59771
Representative:
Intrinsik Architecture, Inc
Attn: Tyler Steinway
106 East Babcock Street, Suite 1A
Bozeman, MT 59715
Ph: 406.582.8988
Email: tsteinway@intrinsikarchitecture.com
Project Narrative
Executive summary
The project team is submitting an application for a zone map amendment to change the zoning from R-4
to R-5 for three parcels (.49 ac), with two unique owners, located at the southwest corner of West
Lamme Street and North 8th Avenue. These parcels are designated by the Community Plan to be Urban
Neighborhood.
Project description
The applicant is requesting to rezoning 3 separate parcels located on the edge of the Mid-Town TIF
district from R-4 (Residential High Density District) to R-5 (Residential Mixed-Use High Density District).
This request encompasses the addresses: 810 West Lamme Street, 119 North 8th Avenue and 115 North
8th Avenue. All of the subject parcels are located within the Community Plan’s Urban Neighborhood
Designation, which provides R-5 zoning as an implementing zone.
All three of these parcels are uniquely situated and will act as a transition zone into the R-4 zoned
neighborhood. These parcels are located on the boundary of the Mid-Town TIF district to the east and
bound on 2 sides by B-2M zoned parcels. These parcels are a block away from a principal Arterial (North
7th Avenue) and a minor arterial (West Mendenhall Street). While there are relatively low intensity land
uses surrounding these three lots they are zoned and designated for higher and more intense uses.
These properties included in this ZMA cover approximately .49 acres. All three of these parcels have
single households and associated accessory buildings located on site. While no change or additional
development is proposed concurrently with this ZMA, the applicant is considering future development
on one of these lots. At this time the applicant is considering and studying a future development project
that will look to have an affordable housing component through the utilization of the affordable housing
incentives.
This rezoning request demonstrates a vision for this property one that aligns with the Bozeman Unified
Development Code, Montana Code Annotated and the Bozeman Community Plan. The proposed zoning
allows for more creative neighborhood design, that aims to accomplish several goals and themes of the
community plan as outlined in our application responses below.
Responses to ZMA Approval Criteria
Below are responses to the ZMA Approval Criteria (Section 76-2-304, MCA) that address how the project
relates to and meets the criteria outlined for the approval of a zone change.
a. Is the new zoning designed in accordance with the growth policy? How?
Yes. The future land use map as an illustration is the fundamental building block to communicate the
City’s desired outcome to accommodate the complex and diverse needs of its residents. The Future Land
Use Map in the Bozeman Community Plan 2020 designates the property as Urban Neighborhood. The
intent of the Urban Neighborhood designation is to allow for a variety of types, shapes, sizes and
intensity of homes. The community plan states, “Higher density residential areas are encouraged to be,
but are not required or restricted to, proximity to commercial mixed-use areas to facilitate the provision
of services and employment opportunities without requiring the use of a car.” This project site is directly
adjacent to a B-2M zoned parcels and a block away from the North 7th commercial corridor.
Furthermore, the Community Plan states that large areas of single types of housing are discouraged.
While the R-4 allows for a diverse range of housing options they occur at a relatively low density,
drastically limiting both the number of units you are able to provide onsite as well as the types of
housing generally developed in this zoning district. The R-4 zoning district when applied to smaller lots
drastically limits the number of dwelling units you can place on a site given the required minimum lot
size and maximum lot coverage. R-5 as a zoning district is one of the best zoning districts for
accomplishing the intent of the Urban Neighborhood designation. The proposed zone map amendment
from R-4 to R-5 would allow for similar single-household dwellings as the current R-4 district, and also
provide for multi-household dwellings such as apartment buildings, two- and three-household dwellings
and townhouses/rowhouses as permitted uses to serve the varying needs of the residents.
neighborhood service opportunities. The proposed R-5 designation is appropriate for the property,
which abuts the B-2M district to the south and east as well as R-4 district on the west and north sides.
Furthermore, this change to R-5 will create a transition zone from the nearby commercial B-2M areas
back into the neighborhood to the northeast.
This development pattern is consistent with several goals and objectives of the Community Plan
including:
Goal N-1: Support well-planned, walkable neighborhoods.
R-5 is a mixed-use district zone that would allow for a mix of housing and commercial uses. The location
of this project site makes for a great opportunity for residents to have the opportunity to live, work, and
shop in close proximity to where they live which facilitates walkability. The built environment and the
adjacent zones create the opportunity for a great walkable, well-planned neighborhood. This proposed
zone changes further enhance and support the commercial corridor that is north 7th.
Another measure for how walkable a neighborhood is based on its overall walk score, which for these
subject properties is 89. Walkscore.com rates a score of 89 as very walkable so most errands can be
accomplished on foot. Furthermore, the bike score is 74 which is described as convenient for most trips.
Lastly, the transit score is 27, which indicates that there also a few public transportation options nearby.
This walk score shows that this site is very walkable and situated just right for a change in zoning to R-5.
N-1.1 Promote housing diversity, including missing middle housing.
The request to change to R-5 will allow for the creation of more housing units than is currently allowed
in the R-4 zoning district, given the site constraints of minimum lot size, maximum lot coverage and
maximum height allowed in the R-4 zoning district. While at this point it can’t be guaranteed,
the applicant has every intention on utilizing the shallow affordable housing incentives to create missing
middle housing unit.
N-1.3 Revise the zoning map to lessen areas exclusively zoned for single-type housing.
As described above, while the R-4 district allows for a variety of housing options, when applied to
smaller sites the number of units a property owner can do is limited, eliminating several of the allowed
housing types. The R-5 zoning district will allow for the creation of more housing units at a variety of
scales to support the adjacent B-2M zoning district and the North 7th commercial corridor.
Goal N-2: Pursue simultaneous emergence of commercial nodes and residential development through
diverse mechanisms in appropriate locations.
In close proximity to the site is the north 7th commercial node, which situates this project site in a prime
position to support this node and ultimately allow for it emergence/prosperity. The change from R-5 will
allow for residential development to happen at a good scale that will help bolster this commercial area.
N-2.1 Ensure the zoning map identifies locations for neighborhood and community commercial nodes
early in the development process.
The north 7th commercial node is identified in the community plan and this site is a block away from this
node. Furthermore, the project site is directly adjacent to the north 7th TIF district, which is actively
incentivizing the further development of this node.
Goal N-3: Promote a diverse supply of quality housing units.
N-3.1 Establish standards for provisions of diversity of housing types in a given area.
The R-5 zoning designations would allow for a diversity of housing units which would complement the
adjacent B-2M zoning district as well as act as a good transition zone into the neighborhood adjacent to
the west. Furthermore, it is the applicant’s intent to utilize the shallow affordable housing incentives to
further promote diverse housing supply.
N-3.7 Support compact neighborhoods, small lot sizes, and small floor plans, especially through
mechanisms such as density bonuses.
The applicant intends to utilize the shallow affordable housing incentives to create additional housing
units for the benefit of the community.
N-3.8 Promote the development of "Missing Middle" housing (side by side or stacked duplex, triplex, live-
work, cottage housing, group living, rowhouses/ townhouses, etc.) as one of the most critical
components of affordable housing.
The proposed R-5 zoning is in alignment with the goals of development for the “missing middle” housing
by allowing higher densities and a more diverse array of housing types than the current R-4 zoning.
Multi-household dwellings, such as apartments, two- and three-household dwellings and
townhouses/rowhouses, are permitted uses within the proposed zoning districts. Furthermore, the
applicant’s intent is to utilize the shallow affordable housing incentives to create more missing middle
housing units.
Goal DCD-1: Support urban development within the City.
The subject sites are located within the city and are in close proximity to a commercial node making
them the perfect place for urban development.
Goal DCD-2: Encourage growth throughout the City, while enhancing the pattern of community
development oriented on centers of employment and activity. Support an increase in development
intensity within developed areas.
The proposed R-5 zoning would allow for higher density residential development in proximity to jobs
and services, thus encouraging growth and enhancing the patter of community development oriented
on employment and activity areas.
b. Will the new zoning secure safety from fire and other dangers? How?
Yes. The subject property is currently served by the City of Bozeman Fire and Police Departments. The
fire department can access all three of these properties from the street and also from the alley way in
the rear. Additionally, these departments will review any future development of the property during site
plan review ensuring adequate services can be provided. Any future development will conform to the
City of Bozeman public safety, building, setback and land use requirement in compliance with the UDC.
Any building will go through the building permitting process to ensure safety from fire and other
dangers. This zoning changes will therefore will not have an impact on site safety.
c. Will the new zoning promote public health, safety and welfare? How?
Yes. Future development of the site will require site plan review and compliance with the City’s Unified
Development Code which ensures the promotion of public health, safety and general welfare. The
proposed amendment will not put undue burden on municipal services, emergency response capability,
or similar existing requirements. Furthermore, any future development will be reviewed as a site plan
application which will allow for the appropriate City departments to weight in municipal services, and
emergency response capability.
d. Will the new zoning facilitate the adequate provisions of transportation, water, sewage, schools,
parks and other public requirements? How?
Yes. Future development of the project site will require site plan review and compliance with the
standards in the City’s Unified Development Code ensuring adequate provisions of transportation,
water, sewage, schools, parks and other public requirements. As stated in the UDC, the designation of a
zoning district does not guarantee approval of proposed development plans until the city can verify the
availability of the needed infrastructure and services. If it is determined during the site planning process
that additional improvements are needed to adequately serve the project, those improvements would
be required to be constructed and/or pay impact fees, assessments, taxes to ensure adequate
transportation, water, sewage, schools, and parks for these sites.
Public infrastructure to serve the future development will be determined during the site planning
process and City review. It is anticipated that these lots will have access to utilities located in North 8th
Avenue. there is a 6” vitrified clay sewer pipe in North 8th that may have to be upgraded with any future
development, but that will be further evaluated during the site planning process.
e. Will the new zoning provide reasonable provision of adequate light and air? How?
Yes. The subject properties are within City limits and subject to the Unified Development Code, which
has provisions for setbacks, lot coverage, height, and open space to specifically address concerns about
access to adequate light and air. Future development of the project site will also be subject to the
provisions of the Building Codes adopted under Chapter 10 of the municipal code These adopted codes
ensure adequate light and air including park and recreation requirements, maximum building heights,
on-site open space requirements, lot coverage and setback requirements.
f. Will the new zoning have an effect on motorize and non-motorized transportation systems? How?
Yes. Additional development permitted within the R-5 zoning district is likely to result in increased trips
along North 8th Avenue and West lamme Street. Future development of the property will be required to
comply with transportation-related standards and be examined for impacts on surrounding streets,
intersection, and sidewalks. Any future development will likely require a Traffic Impact Study to gauge
the potential impacts of future development. Any potential impacts as an outcome of that study will be
mitigated for as apart of the site planning process. The applicant acknowledges that any future
development may require the property owners to waive their right to protest the creation of a future
Special Improvement District (SID) and participate in funding nearby future infrastructure improvements
that may be required to offset impact created by development.
g. Does the new zoning promote compatible urban growth? How?
Yes. This property is directly adjacent to North 7th TIF district boundary line, an area that the City is
actively incentivizing urban mixed-use development. Furthermore, to the south and east of these lots
are lots zoned B-2M, which are also areas identified as allowing mixed use development. The R-5 zoning
will promote compatible urban infill development that compliments the adjacent mixed used areas as
well as act as a transition into the more residential neighborhood to the west.
These properties are designated as Urban Neighborhood on the Bozeman Community Plan Future Land
Use Map. The R-5 zoning district is listed as one of the compatible zones under the Urban Neighborhood
designation. The growth policy supports development that provides a range of housing options to meet
the needs of residents. The growing demand for housing suggests the proposed R-5 zoning district is
appropriate to facilitate higher densities and variety in housing options in proximity to commercial
areas. Future development on the project site must conform to the City’s zoning standards, such as
setbacks, building heights, and parking requirements, to ensure compatibility of uses.
The UDC defines compatible urban growth, which does not require uniformity in order to insure
compatibility. Furthermore, the city’s zoning ordinance defines the uses and development standard
associated for proposed development under the auspices of each zoning. The proposed R-5 District
includes a range of uses that are appropriate and compatible with the surrounding neighborhoods.
h. Does the new zoning promote the character of the district? How?
Yes. This proposal amends the zoning map and not the text. Therefore, no element
of this amendment modifies the standards of any zoning district. The character of the districts
as created by those standards remains intact. The character of the district as the intent of the R-5 Zoning
District is to:
“The intent of the R-5 residential mixed-use high-density district is to provide for high-density residential
development through a variety of compatible housing types and residentially supportive commercial
uses in a geographically compact, walkable area to serve the varying needs of the community's
residents. These purposes are accomplished by:
• Providing for a mixture of housing types, including single and multi-household dwellings to serve the
varying needs of the community's residents.
• Allowing offices and small-scale retail and restaurants as secondary uses provided special standards
are met.
Use of this zone is appropriate for areas adjacent to mixed-use districts and/or served by transit to
accommodate a higher density of residents in close proximity to jobs and services.”
One of the main themes for the community plan is that a city is bolstered by is downtown and
complementary districts. It was also identified in the phase 2 analysis and visioning for the Community
Plan that this area should be investigated for a primary location of taller buildings, emphasized for
affordable housing and density requirements should be enforced. The community plan sets the
direction of what the character of a district is intended to be and, in this case, says that higher intensity
development is needed surrounding the mid-town district. R-5 is the best zoning district for achieving
these goals of the community plan.
The site is in proximity to residential, and commercial zoning district. Neighborhood scale commercial
and the variety of housing options possible under the proposed zoned will be compatible with the
existing and planned nature of this area. For this review the zone map amendment proposed the uses
allowed in R-5 aren’t significantly different than those currently allowed, and therefore it is hard to
foresee significant and negative impact on community character.
i. Does the new zoning address the affected area’s peculiar suitability for particular uses? How?
Yes. The proposed R-5 zoning district would be adjacent to both a B-2M & R-4 zoning district making the
suitability quite large. All three of the zoning districts offer opportunities for similar residential uses,
with the B-2M being slightly more intense than the proposed R-5 district. All three districts provide for
high density residential development through a variety of compatible housing types and residentially
supportive commercial uses in a geographically compact, walkable area to serve the varying needs of
the community residents.
j. Was the new zoning adopted with a view of conserving the values of buildings? How?
Yes. There are three single household dwelling all with associated accessory buildings located on these
parcels. R-5 zoning allows for more diverse development on the subject parcel. One can argue that the
value of these parcels and the ones is the nearby vicinity will increase due to the diverse array of
development allowed in the R-5 zoning district. It is unlikely that any property values will be negatively
impacted by rezoning these parcels.
k. How does the new zoning encourage the most appropriate use of land throughout the jurisdictional
area? How?
Yes. As stated above, the Community Plan illustrates the most appropriate uses of land through the
future land use map. The future land use map category in this case identifies these parcels as urban
neighborhood as the most appropriate type of development for this property. The R-5 zoning district in
this location will act as a transition zone between B-2M mixed use commercial areas and the adjacent R-
4 zoned parcels to the west.
There is a growing demand for housing in the city, and the proposed zoning designations provide for a
variety of housing options to meet this need. The Unified Development Code further contains standards
and review procedures that will ensure the land is developed in ways that protect and promote public
health, safety, and general welfare, and further ensure appropriate future development of this property.
III. Response to Spot Zoning Criteria
A. Are the requested zoning designation and potential uses significantly different from the prevailing
uses in the area?
No, therefore this criterion has been met. There is considerable diversity of uses in the area ranging
from dense multi-family, single family homes and commercial uses in this area. Bozeman has
deliberately developed a zoning system that includes districts with diverse uses and opportunities. The
city has chosen to encourage diverse development and avoid single use concentrations. Furthermore,
there are only slight differences between the R-4 and R-5 zoning districts. The uses largely remain the
same from the adjacent R-4 to R-5. R-5 offers a diverse array of possible land uses, and those envisioned
for this site will enhance the character of the area and contribute to the sense of place for the
neighborhood. R-5 zoning, and the potential uses are therefore not significantly different from the
prevailing zones and uses in proximity.
B. Does the requested zoning designation benefit a small area and only one or a few landowners, or
does the requested zoning benefit the surrounding neighborhood, community and general public?
This criterion has been met. This zone change, while may be relatively small in size it is for three parcels
with two unique owners this change will conceivably be a benefit to both the surrounding neighborhood
as a whole. This change will create a transition zone between the adjacent B-2M zoning districts and the
parcels located in the North 7th TIF district. This proximity of this site to supporting residential
development and other commercial areas will generally be conducive to simultaneous emergence of
residential and commercial activities supported by the Community Plan, Specifically, Goal N.2
C. Is the requested zoning designation compatible with the zoning district’s plan or is it special
legislation designed to benefit only one or a few landowners at the expense of the surrounding land
owners?
This criterion has been met. This ZMA does not represent special legislation designed to benefit the
landowner at the expense of the adjacent property owners. The proposed zoning allows similar uses at
similar scales as that of the adjacent properties, and therefore it is difficult to foresee this proposed
change to R-5, respectively, will negatively impacting the surrounding landowners.
Additionally, the proposed zone change is compatible with City policies and state statute governing the
approval of such requests. Compact infill will be the result of redevelopment, and the requested zoning
thus proposes thoughtful future development opportunities that will meet the needs of the
neighborhood and the community, not negatively impact surrounding landowners.