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8.d.
City Zoning Commission
Meeting Date:
03/03/2015
SUBJECT
Special Review #925 72 & 77 Lily Valley Circle - Retirement Center
THROUGH:
Candi Millar
PRESENTED BY:
David Green

Information

REQUEST

City Special Review #925 – 72 & 77 Lily Valley Circle – Retirement Center: This is a special review to allow a retirement center with 15 units in a 16,438 square foot addition to an existing assisted living residence in a Residential 9,600 (R-96) zone on Lots 26 and 27, Block 2, Howard Heights Subdivision and additional land (13,151 square feet) from adjacent owners to the south and east, a 34,429 square foot parcel of land. The property received previous special review approval for an assisted living home in 2005. The owner is BLW Investments, LLC and the agent is AT Architecture, Inc.   

RECOMMENDATION

The Planning Division is recommending conditional approval.

APPLICATION DATA

OWNER: BLW Investments, LLC  
AGENT: AT Architecture, Inc., Alex Tommerup  
LEGAL DESCRIPTION: Lots 26 and 27, Block 2, Howard Heights Subdivision, 10,576 sf and 7,865 sf (34,429 sf total) additional land from Churches  
ADDRESS: 72 &77 Lily Valley Circle  
CURRENT ZONING: R-96  
EXISTING LAND USE: Vacant  
PROPOSED USE: Retirement Center  
SIZE OF PARCEL: 50,867 Square feet  

CONCURRENT APPLICATIONS

None

APPLICABLE ZONING HISTORY

Subject Property – Special Review #714 – Special Review to allow the location of an assisted living facility was approved January 14, 2002.  Original Special Review for this facility.

Surrounding Properties
Four special reviews have been submitted within this area, three for the churches, Trinity Church of the Nazarene has two Special Reviews, one for the original construction and one for a future expansion.  The forth special review was the original special review for this facility.

SURROUNDING LAND USE & ZONING

NORTH: Zoning: R-96
Land Use: Residential
SOUTH: Zoning: R-96
Land Use: Trinity Church of the Nazarene
EAST: Zoning: R-96
Land Use: Residential / Vacant
WEST: Zoning: R-96
Land Use: Residential

BACKGROUND

This is a special review request to expand an assisted living facility in a Residential 9600 district in the Howard Heights Subdivision.  An assisted living facility is not considered a multi-family residential use since additional services are provided to residents that can no longer live independently.  There are several assisted living facilities in the Heights area of Billings.  Most of them are smaller facilities with as few as 9 residents with others up to 30.  There is one large facility at 1439 Main Street.  Staff was able to identify 6 facilities with a search on the internet.  Compared to the other areas of Billings, the Heights does not have a lot of options for assisted living facilities.  As the number of people age 65 and older increases, the demand for assisted living and similar supportive living facilities will increase. The population age 65 and older in Yellowstone County in 1990 was about 14,000, or 12% of the total population. In 2013, this population group increased to 23,000 or about 15% of the total population. Census projections estimate by 2030, persons over age 65 will approach 39,000 or 22% of the total population in Yellowstone County.
 
This facility is in a residential setting where the residents can be in a less institutional feeling area.  They are also located where there is a minimum of traffic. The proximity to social, community, and commercial services will allow the residents to exercise a modicum of independence.  The site plan shows the same type and style of landscaping will be installed and there is also a fence along the southern edge of the proposed addition. 
 
The Planning Division has reviewed this application and is recommending conditional approval.
Before a recommendation of approval or conditional approval can be made, each special review request must demonstrate conformance with three primary criteria: 1) The application complies with all parts of the Unified Zoning Regulations, 2) The application is consistent with the objectives and purposes of the Unified Zoning Regulations and the 2008 Growth Policy, and 3) the application is compatible with surrounding land uses and is otherwise screened and separated from adjacent land to minimize adverse impacts. This application conforms to the first criteria in so far that it is within a district where an assisted living facility may be allowed by special review.
 
The application also conforms to the second and third criteria. The zoning regulations adopted by the City Council have designated all residential zoning districts as areas where assisted living facilities for more than 8 persons may be allowed. The proposal is consistent with goals of the 2008 Growth Policy – specifically the goal of encouraging uses that are compatible with the character of the adjacent land use patterns. This site is adjacent to single family uses within the city limits and will share a common boundary with the Heights Baptist Church and Trinity Church of the Nazarene. There are minimal impacts from the proposed location of the assisted living facility that need to be mitigated. The conditions recommended with the exception of condition 3 are standard conditions applicable to all special review approvals. 

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