Consideration and Approval of Modifications of Property Development Standards: Request by Lincoln Avenue Communities to approve modifications to property development standards for a 100% affordable housing development located at the northeast corner of Lone Tree Road and Pine Knoll Drive (APN 104-14-003G, H, and J).
 

Section 10-30.20.040.B.4 of the City of Flagstaff Zoning Code allows a Category 1 affordable housing development that provides 100% of the dwelling units to persons or families with a household income equal to 80% or less of the area median income to have adjustments of the property development standards greater than 15% approved by the City Council. The “property development standards” means building form, building placement, building types, encroachments and frontage types, fences and screening, landscape standards, lot requirements, open space, parking standards and required parking, private frontage types, and any other amount, area, dimension, quantity, size, or design requirement of the Zoning Code as determined by the Zoning Administrator.  The applicant is requesting a modification to the following standards:
Site Layout and Parking
1) Eliminate the “building forward” design guideline that calls for building fronts to be located at or near a sidewalk edge to allow parking between the Lone Tree Ranch’s buildings and Pine Knoll Drive.
2) Adjust the number of parking stalls that may be aligned in a row before requiring a landscape island from eight (8) to twelve (12).
Building and Architectural Standards
3) Increase the permissible height of exposed or visible retaining walls from five feet to thirteen feet.
4) Decrease the required recess depths along primary façade planes from approximately six feet and eight feet to approximately two feet and four feet.
5) Allow windows to be installed in a single vertical plane with the building’s exterior façade.
Landscape Standards
6) Reduce the number of trees installed on the Property from 175 to 120 trees.

To approve these requests, the City Council shall find that the following criteria have been met:

1. The adjustments are consistent with and conform to the goals of the General Plan and any applicable specific plans;
2. The adjustments will not be detrimental to the public interest, health, safety, convenience, or welfare of the City and will add to the public good as described in the General Plan;
3. The requested adjustments will not endanger, jeopardize, or otherwise constitute a hazard to the property or improvements in the vicinity in which the property is located;
4. The proposed development is consistent with the character of the area; and
5. The type, quality, and amenities of the development are consistent with those found in similar developments that are available to the public at market rate.

Please refer to the attached Adjustments Narrative for the applicant's analysis of the requests and findings.

No financial impacts are anticipated with this request.

No policy impacts are anticipated with this request.

There has been no previous Council decision on this item.

1. The City Council may approve the modifications of the property development standards as presented.
2. The City Council may approve the modifications of the property development standards with conditions.
3. The City Council may approve some of the modifications of the property development standards as presented or with conditions and may deny other modifications.
4. The City Council may deny the modifications of the property development standards

The applicant has also requested a Direct to Ordinance Zoning Map Amendment of approximately 8.51 acres located at the northeast corner of Lone Tree Road and Pine Knoll Drive to allow the construction of a 168-unit multi-family residential development, consisting of 100% Affordable units.  The proposed development consists of four three/four-story apartment buildings, a clubhouse, outdoor amenities, and on-site surface parking.

Notification of this request was made by first-class mail to all property owners within 300 feet of the subject property, to all homeowners' associations that govern land within 1000 feet of the subject property, as well as all persons or groups whose names are on the registry of interested persons and groups. In addition, notification by first-class mail was made to all affordable housing advocacy agencies on file with the City of Flagstaff’s Housing Section. The applicant also installed a sign on the development site.

Safe and Healthy Community: Support social services, community partners and housing opportunities

Robust, Resilient Economy: Support and strengthen a more robust, diverse, and sustainable economy in ways that reflect community values and provides for affordable housing opportunities

Livable Community: Actively support attainable and affordable housing through City projects and opportunities with developers

An analysis of the Regional Plan goals and policies can be found with the related Zoning Map Amendment request.

HA-1: Create housing options for households at all income levels and family sizes occupied by local residents

Create 2.2: Identify suburban areas to support greater density and intensity of development