City Variance – 1264 – 909 Wyoming Avenue - The applicant is requesting a variance from 27-308 requiring a minimum lot area of 40,000 square feet for 24 attached dwelling units to allow a minimum lot area of 34,110 square feet to allow the construction of a new supported residential apartment complex in a Community Commercial (CC) zone, Lots 1-10, YWCA Subdivision (proposed Lot 8A), and vacated 10th St West. Tax ID: A18723. Presented by Karen Husman, Planner I

Planning staff has reviewed this application and is forwarding a recommendation of conditional approval for Variance #1264, based on the determinations for granting a variance.

OWNERS:                              Young Woman’s Christian Association
AGENT:                                  Mary Lee Olson, CEO YWCA Billings
PURPOSE:                             To allow 24 units on a lot area of 34,110
LEGAL DESCRIPTION:            Lots 1-10, YWCA Subdivision (proposed Lot 8A), and vacated 10th St West
ADDRESS:                             909 Wyoming Avenue
EXISTING LAND USE:             Vacant
PROPOSED LAND USE:         Residential Multi Family
EXISTING ZONING:                 CC

• Building Permit for residential multi-family apartment complex has been reviewed by the City for construction.
• Exempt plat to create the lot for the multi-family apartment complex so it may be separated from the existing YWCA property.

Subject Property – None
 
Surrounding Property – There have been 14 variance requests in this area. Four of the 14 variances were requests for lot size reduction, and they were all granted.  The other variances were for setbacks or changing from one non-conforming use to another.  

NORTH:   Zoning:      CC/R-70/RMF-R
                  Land Use:  Residential/commercial
SOUTH:    Zoning:      CC
                  Land Use:  Residential/commercial
EAST:       Zoning:      R-70
                  Land Use:  Residential
WEST:      Zoning:      R-60
                  Land Use:  Residential

The applicant is requesting a variance from 27-308 requiring a minimum lot area of 40,000 square feet for 24 attached dwelling units to allow a minimum lot area of 34,110 square feet to allow the construction of a new, 24-unit supported residential apartment complex in a Community Commercial (CC) zone Lots 1-10, YWCA Subdivision (proposed Lot 8A), and vacated 10th St West.
 
The 24-unit apartment complex is to be funded in part by the low income housing tax credit program processed through the State.  Through this program, the property is required to have 24 units, and to be separated from the YWCA property holdings.  The new “Gateway Vista Apartments” would still be part of the overall YWCA campus that occupies a full city block, but would sit on its own parcel.

Planning staff has reviewed this application and is forwarding a recommendation of conditional approval for the variance based on the determinations for review provided within this report.  

Planning staff has reviewed this application and is forwarding a recommendation of conditional approval for Variance #1264, based on the determinations for granting a variance.