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Home My WebLink About12-17-2012 Planning and Zoning CommissionPLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION Monday, December 17, 2012 — 5:15 PM Informal Meeting Iowa City City Hall Helling Conference Room 410 E. Washington Street AGENDA: A. Call to Order Thursday, December 20, 2012 - 7:00 PM Formal Meeting Iowa City City Hall Emma J. Harvat Hall 410 E. Washington Street C. Public Discussion of Any Item Not on the Agenda D. Comprehensive Plan Item Consider setting a public hearing for January 3. 2013 to amend the Comprehensive Plan to change the land use designation on the Central District Plan Map from Office Commercial to High Density Multi - Family Residential for property located at 821 E. Jefferson Street. E. Rezoning Items 1. REZ12-00016: Discussion of an application submitted by City of Iowa City for a rezoning from Multifamily (R3B) zone to High Density Single Family Residential (RS-12) zone for approximately .47 acres of property located north of 906 N. Dodge Street. 2. REZ12-00018: Discussion of an application submitted by City of Iowa City for a rezoning from Commercial Office (CO-1) zone to High Density Single Family Residential (RS-12) zone for approximately 1.15 acres of property located at 911 N. Governor Street. 3, REZ12-00019: Discussion of an application submitted by City of Iowa City for a rezoning from Multifamily (R313) zone to Medium Density Multi -Family Residential (RM-20) zone for approximately 1.78 acres of property located at 902 & 906 N. Dodge Street. F. Consideration of Meeting Minutes: December 3 and December 6, 2012 G. Other H. Adjournment STAFF REPORT To: Planning and Zoning Commission Prepared by: Karen Howard & Andrew Bassman Item: REZ12-00016, REZ12-00018 Date: December20, 2012 and REZ12-00019 Dodge and Governor Street rezoinings. GENERAL INFORMATION: Applicant: City of Iowa City 410 E. Washington St. Iowa City, Iowa, 52240 Requested Action: Rezoning from R313 to RM-20 & RS-12 and CO-1 to RS-12 Purpose: To bring zoning into compliance with the Comprehensive Plan Location: 902 and 906 N. Dodge St.; vacant parcel on the lot adjacent to 906 Dodge Street and 911 N. Governor Street. Size: 911 N. Governor — 1.15 acres 902 N. Dodge - .98 acres 906 N. Dodge - .8 acres Vacant parcel-.45 acres Existing Land Use and Zoning: 902 N. Dodge St: multi -family, R3B; 906 N. Dodge St: multi -family, R3B; Parcel adjacent to 906 Dodge: vacant, R3B 911 N. Governor St: office, CO-1; Surrounding Land Use and Zoning: North: Single-family and duplex -RS-8 & RS-12 South: Single-family and duplex -RS-8 & RS-12 East: Single-family (RS-8) West: Single-family (RS-8) Comprehensive Plan: Central District Plan: 902 and 906 Dodge Street - low- to medium -density multi -family residential (8-24 dwelling units per acre); 911 Governor and adjacent properties single family and duplex residential. File Date: August 17, 2012 BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The Comprehensive Plan, North District Plan indicates that properties at 902 and 906 Dodge Street are appropriate for low to medium density multi -family development or a density of 15 to 24 units per acre. Unique circumstances apply to the current zoning designations of these properties. The Multi -family (R3B) zoning has been in place as a result of court cases that began in 1974 and were complete in 1987. The R3B zone is an obsolete designation that no longer exists in the zoning ordinance. The City has initiated these rezonings to zone the property in compliance with the City's current comprehensive plan. As a result of a recent Comprehensive Plan amendment, 911 N. Governor Street and the vacant property north of 906 N. Dodge Street are designated for single family and duplex development. The current Commercial Office (CO-1) zoning at 911 N. Governor and the R313 zoning of a vacant parcel north of 906 N. Dodge are inconsistent with the Comprehensive Plan. To address these issues, City staff proposes the following rezonings: 1) 911 N. Governor Street (1.15 acres) from Commercial Office (CO-1) to High -density Single-family Residential (IRS-12), 2) 902 N. Dodge Street (.98 acres) from R36 to Medium -density Multi -family Residential (RM-20); 3) 906 N. Dodge Street (.8 acres) from R313 to RM-20; 4) The vacant parcel adjacent to the north of 906 N. Dodge Street (.45 acres) from R3B to RS-12. ANALYSIS CURRENT AND PROPOSED ZONING: 911 N. Governor Street and adjacent vacant parcel - CO-1 zoning provides space for office uses, compatible businesses, apartments and some public and semi-public uses, and can serve as a buffer between residential and more intensive commercial or industrial areas. CO-1 zoning allows multi -family residential uses above the ground floor at the same density as RM-12 zoning or approximately 15 units per acre, Given the location of this property on a one-way street with poor access it is not well suited for a commercial office designation. The proposed RS-12 zoning for 911 N. Governor Street and the vacant property to the west provides for development of single-family dwellings, duplexes and attached housing units at a higher density than in other single-family zones. Minimum lot size in the RS-12 zoning is 5,000 square feet for detached single-family uses, 6,000 square feet for duplexes and 3,000 square feet per unit for attached single-family dwellings (townhouses on individual lots). A Planned Development Overlay plan would allow for flexibility within the zoning code and would allow a maximum density for OPDIRS-12 of 13 dwelling units per acre of net land area. 902 and 906 N. Dodge Street - R31B zoning allowed single-family, two-family and multi -family residential uses, along with fraternity and sorority houses, lodging and boarding houses, hospitals and other institutional uses, clinics and nursing homes. Apartments in the R313 zoning could be built at a density of 58 units per acre. The proposed RM-20 zoning for 902 N. Dodge Street and 906 North Dodge Street allows for a mix of detached and attached single-family housing, duplexes and multi -family housing. RM-20 zoning allows densities up to 24 units per acre for multi -family development. The density of the existing apartment building at 902 N. Dodge Street is 27 units per acre (slightly more than the 24 permitted within the RM-20 zone). The density of the existing apartment building at 906 N. Dodge Street is 15 units per acre. When combined the two properties have a density of 20 units per acre. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: In the time since the land was first zoned 13313, the City's view of what would constitute the most appropriate land use for the area has fundamentally changed. The 1962 Comprehensive Plan indicated that this was an area of deteriorating housing stock that should be replaced, and that population density in the area should increase. As a result it was zoned R313. The R313 zoning allowed development at 58 units per acre. The rationale was that allowing development at such a high -density would encourage the removal of the existing housing stock and its replacement with new development. The evolution of the City's approach to land use for the area can be seen in the policies promoting neighborhood stabilization of older neighborhoods contained in the current Comprehensive Plan, and Central District Plan. The historic preservation movement started in the 1970s and resulted in a policy of preserving several older areas of the city. This included a review of zoning patterns and rezonings intended to encourage reinvestment in the existing housing stock rather than demolition and new construction. There are no properties anywhere within the residential areas north of downtown that are zoned high density residential. The current zoning code allows higher densities than the R3B zoning, but only when located downtown or near the University of Iowa campus where adequate infrastructure is in place to serve such high densities, and where high density development can be achieved without negatively affecting adjacent residential neighborhoods. The Central District Plan notes the mismatch between the zoning on this property and current policies: "Another pocket of multi -family development in the northern part of the district along Dodge Street is zoned R3B, which is an obsolete zoning designation no longer used in the City Code. This area should be rezoned to a valid designation such as RM-20, which acknowledges the density of the existing multi -family development on the property." The Comprehensive Plan states that portions of the Central Planning District located to the north and east of downtown contain older neighborhoods where issues of neighborhood integrity are a concern. Where existing zoning allows development at a higher density, the City Council has indicated that measures should be taken to assure that new structures are designed to be compatible with the adjacent neighborhood. The Comprehensive Plan contains a goal of achieving a healthy balance of rental and owner -occupied housing in older neighborhoods. Currently the neighborhood around the subject properties (Dodge and Governor Streets north of Brown Street shown on the attached map) contains a high percentage of rental units. Census data and a survey of City rental permits show that approximately 80% of the dwelling units within the area are rental. The Comprehensive Plan also contains the objective of examining existing zoning rules to ensure that they support housing goals and neighborhood stabilization efforts. Given the current imbalance of rental and owner occupied housing units within this area, zoning designations that encourage the development of alternatives to dorm -style rental housing would be appropriate. TRAFFIC IMPLICATIONS: The property at 911 Governor Street is located on a one-way section of the street. The access to this property is problematic due to the change in grade and the curve of the street that inhibit site distance for motorists. This constraint should be taken into consideration regarding zoning designations and development plans for the property. SUMMARY Since the Comprehensive Plan and the zoning practices of the 1960's and the 1970s, the City's view of what would constitute the most appropriate land use for the area has fundamentally changed. Evidence of the evolution of the City's approach to land use for the area can be found in current policies promoting the stabilization of older neighborhoods set forth in the current Comprehensive Plan and Central District Plan. Amending the zoning for these properties would be consistent with these plans, as well at the City Council's Strategic Plan and will provide for development that is compatible with the adjacent properties. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of rezoning: 1) 911 N. Governor Street (1.15 acres) from Commercial Office (CO-1) to High -density Single-family Residential (RS-12), 2) 902 N. Dodge Street (.98 acres) from R3B to Medium -density Multi -family Residential (RM-20); 3) 906 N. Dodge Street (.8 acres) from R3B to RM-20; 4) A vacant parcel adjacent to the north of 906 N. Dodge Street (.45 acres) from R3B to RS-12. ATTACHMENTS 1. Location Maps 2. Governor -Dodge Street Survey Area Approved by: 7 + 0` � 1 Jeff Davidson, Director Department of Planning and Community Development p� o Oz o 0 N � I W co I -- -------_�s�Ma--- I T-A 1S (JON(J3AOO IH 31VIS C E ill-I� N rz, cccn l m • � cc \MME cn ,o CV N is 3Oaoaco o N M CDCD co IO LO r a •� Cf) 1S NOSNHOf �� r U F U) cc Governor -Dodge Street Survey Area i