1. Planning and Zoning Division Jefferson County 14-104670RZ Belle Vista Official Development Plan Case Manger: Russell D Clark

2. Planning and Zoning Division Jefferson County Background This is a request to rezone from Planned Development (PD) and A-2 (Special Use) to a new Planned Development (PD) to allow up to 288 multi-family units (Apartments).

3. Planning and Zoning Division Jefferson County

4. Planning and Zoning Division Jefferson County 12.35 Acres SW corner of Belleview Ave and Alkire St.

5. Planning and Zoning Division Jefferson County

6. Planning and Zoning Division Jefferson County

7. Planning and Zoning Division Jefferson County North – PD SF-D ~2.5du/acre East – PD SF-D ~2du/acre South – CD-OLI West – A-2 Drainage tract / C- 470

8. Planning and Zoning Division Jefferson County Background Currently two zonings on the site: – Eastern portion: A-2 with a Special Use Church (1,000 person capacity) Day Care – child or adult (250 clients) Private School – Pre-8 (300 students) Recreational Facilities – fields, stadium, courts, gymnasium, swimming pool, concessions (15,000 sq ft) – Western portion: PD Offices, medical, dental, veterinary (2 – 12,000 GLA each) – 30 ft height limitation – 50 ft setback from Alkire

9. Planning and Zoning Division Jefferson County In 2004, Jefferson County acquired the western 6.2 acres from the church for use as a regional drainage tract.

10. Planning and Zoning Division Jefferson County The subject property is located within the Bowles/C-470 Activity Center of the South Plains Area Plan

11. Planning and Zoning Division Jefferson County Background In October of 2013, the applicant submitted for a pre-application meeting to discuss rezoning the property for multi-family. Staff informed the Applicant that the South Plains Area Plan did not support multi-family uses in this location. The applicant held a community meeting on December 5, 2013 at which over 100 citizens attended. – Concerns raised: Traffic Parking Safety of Belleview & Alkire intersection Lower property values Visual impacts Applicant made formal application in March of 2014. The applicant included a “Plan Exception Letter” with supporting documentation at this time. Staff again did not support the proposal.

12. Planning and Zoning Division Jefferson County Background In September or 2014, a second submittal was received wherein the applicant made modifications to the proposal in an attempt to mitigate visual impacts. – Added Use Areas and limited building heights on the eastern portion – Define with graphics the heights of buildings – ‘stepped’ into the site – Limit the length of any single building – Revised Visual Simulation Staff’s position did not change Originally scheduled for PC in November, 2014 Continued to today (January 28, 2015) at applicant's request

13. Planning and Zoning Division Jefferson County Proposal The applicant seeks to rezone the property to allow the construction of up to 288 apartments (23.3 units per acre). In Use Area A, the maximum building height allowed is 30 feet, except garages and carports are limited to 20 feet. In Use Area B, the maximum building height allowed is 39 feet for the east facing (uphill) side, and 49 feet on all other sides. (garages and carports are limited to 20 feet)

14. Planning and Zoning Division Jefferson County Proposal: Architectural standards exceed those in the Zoning Resolution, or cite the ZR. – 360 degree architecture – Minimum 2 types of building materials – Sloping rooflines – Colors (earth tone, muted, low reflectivity, indigenous) – Roofplane change defined with graphic – Surface plane change in walls every 35 feet – Refers to ZR for everything not addressed in ODP Lighting standards exceed those in the Zoning Resolution – 18’ tall pole lights – 12’ pole lights within 100’ of east and north property lines

15. Planning and Zoning Division Jefferson County Proposal Parking: ODP proposes less parking than the Zoning requires – 1 space for one bedroom or studio unit – 2 spaces for two bedroom unit – 3 spaces for three bedroom unit – 0.25 spaces per unit for guests No parking is allowed on either Belleview or Alkire This parking standard has been used for other multifamily developments in Lakewood and Arvada with success This is the minimum parking, the developer may install more parking than this if necessary.

16. Planning and Zoning Division Jefferson County Proposal Traffic: The applicant supplied a traffic study (reviewed by Transportation and Engineering as well as Planning Engineering) stating that the potential traffic generation of the existing zoning is LESS than the traffic generation of the proposed uses The applicant has agreed to provide 25% of the cost of a traffic signal at Belleview and Alkire Current traffic counts do not meet the requirements for a traffic signal at this location T&E has designated Belleview/Alkire as a planned traffic signal location and expect that future development of the Mountain West Business Center and this application will warrant the signal once occupied

17. Planning and Zoning Division Jefferson County Land Use Recommendation The South Plains Area plan recommends this area for Office and Light Industrial uses. Within Bowles/C-470 Activity Center

18. Planning and Zoning Division Jefferson County Economic Development The South Plains Plan states that this activity center should focus on primary job creation. C-470/Bowles Activity Center: Emphasis should be on employment uses that pay, on average, higher than the median salary, such as general and medical offices, retail and wholesale facilities, light manufacturing, research and development, and flex space. Stand-alone retail uses should be limited to the intersection of Alkire Street and Bowles Avenue as indicated in the land use map. The Jefferson Economic Development Corporation commented that they would prefer not to change the zoning on this site to allow multifamily uses.

19. Planning and Zoning Division Jefferson County Design/Visual Impacts The proposed ODP allows building heights of up to 49 feet, and 50% building coverage. The ODP limits the heights of buildings on the east to 30’ Applicant has supplied Visual Simulations

20. Planning and Zoning Division Jefferson County

21. Planning and Zoning Division Jefferson County Plan Exception The Planning Commission may approve exceptions to the Comprehensive Master Plan if they are provided evidence that: The purpose of the exception is to address a unique situation and it articulated as to the reasons of the unique situation; The negative impacts, if any, to the surrounding community can be mitigated or eliminated or that these impacts are comparable to the recommended land use; and The exception is not considered to be setting a precedent.

22. Planning and Zoning Division Jefferson County Plan Exception Unique Situation The applicant explains that the unique situation is a combination of multiple issues. While staff agrees that the terrain is not well suited for certain industrial uses, office uses are well suited for this site. The “market conditions” unique situation is not persuasive to staff. The CMP and South Plains Area Plan are long-range plans that do not base land use recommendations on fluctuating market conditions. The current market demand for multi-family residential does not contribute to a unique situation for allowing an alternative land use than what is recommended by the plan.

23. Planning and Zoning Division Jefferson County Plan Exception Mitigate Impacts The negative impacts (sound, light, traffic) of the proposed use will likely be similar to those of the recommended land use, although they will be felt at different times. Office and industrial uses typically have the highest impacts on weekdays during the day, while multi-family impacts will typically be felt more on weekends and evening.

24. Planning and Zoning Division Jefferson County Plan Exception Precedent The letter explains that the combinations of location, topography, existing zoning and current market conditions work to ensure that a plan exception for this site is not transferrable to other sites. Staff is concerned that if a plan exception is based to a large degree on current market conditions, then that component is what will be emulated by future plan exception seekers, making this potentially precedent setting.

25. Planning and Zoning Division Jefferson County FINDINGS/RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff does not support the proposed rezoning. In addition to the potential visual impacts created by the multi-family structures, staff is concerned that the continued loss of land currently zoned for commercial uses, in addition to the loss of lands that are recommended for commercial uses is not in the best interests of Jefferson County. Staff recommends the Planning Commission recommend DENIAL of Case 14-104670RZ.