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TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the Common Council FROM: Kelly Nieforth, Director of Community Development DATE: February 25, 2025 SUBJECT: Res 25-64 Approve Specific Implementation Plan for a Multi-Family Residential Development at 0 Bowen Street, Commonly Known as Vacant Property Located Near the Southwest Corner of East Murdock Avenue and Bowen Street (Parcel 1504830300) (Plan Commission Recommends Approval)

BACKGROUND

The subject site consists of a 2.26-acre vacant lot on the southwest corner of East Murdock Avenue and Bowen Street. The site is zoned Urban Mixed-Use District with Planned Development Overlay (UMU-PD). The surrounding area consists of industrial uses to the north, commercial and institutional uses to the east, commercial uses to the west, as well as vacant land to the south. The 2040 Comprehensive Land Use Plan recommends Neighborhood Commercial use for the subject area. On October 22, 2024, Common Council approved a General Development Plan (GDP) for a multi-family development at the subject site.

ANALYSIS

The applicant is proposing a multi-family development, which will include two 8-unit apartment buildings, one 16-unit apartment building, and detached garages. The proposed site will utilize existing driveway access from East Murdock Avenue and Bowen Street. As part of the GDP approval, a condition was included that a cross access agreement will need to be registered with the Winnebago County Register of Deeds to allow the shared accesses.   The proposed 32 units results in a density of 14.2 units per acre, while the maximum density is 36 units per acre for apartment buildings in the UMU district. The minimum lot area is 1,200 sq. ft. per dwelling unit, and the applicant is proposing 3,049 sq. ft. of lot area per dwelling unit which exceeds the necessary requirement. As proposed, two of the apartment buildings will have 8 units and one of the buildings will have 16 units. The UMU district allows apartments of 3-12 units per building. Apartments with 13-16 units are allowed as a Conditional Use. Staff does not have concerns with the proposed 16 unit building as the site will remain under the maximum density and is not adjacent to lower intensity land uses. The applicant is requesting a base standard modification (BSM) to allow primary building entrances not located on the front façade facing the street.  Staff is supportive of this BSM request as the buildings are oriented toward the centralized parking area on the site, where it is more functional to provide the primary entrance.  To offset the requested BSMs, the applicant has provided increased landscaping and enhanced building materials.  The proposed Specific Implementation Plan (SIP) is consistent with the approved GDP for the site.

FISCAL IMPACT

Approval of this may result in an increase in the assessed property value for the site. The applicant is anticipating spending approximately $4.8 million on the proposed project.

RECOMMENDATION

The Plan Commission recommended approval of the requested Specific Implementation Plan with findings and conditions on February 19, 2025. Please see the attached staff report and meeting minutes for more information.

Attachments RES 25-64 SIP - 0 Bowen St

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