PC Minutes 1/25/06

ITEM NO. 14:           RS-2 TO RM-D; 8.19 ACRES; NORTH OF HARVARD ROAD & EAST OF GEORGE WILLIAMS WAY (SLD)

 

Z-12-78-05:  A request to rezone a tract of land approximately 8.19 acres from RS-2 (Single-Family Residential) District to RM-D (Duplex Residential) District.  The property is generally described as being located  north of Harvard Road and east of George Williams Way, and is a portion of Greentree Subdivision.  Submitted by Paul Werner Architects for Harvard, LC, property owner of record.

         

Staff Presentation

Ms. Day introduced this item, a proposed rezoning from single-family to duplex uses and described the surrounding area.

 

Applicant PresentatiOn

Paul Werner, architect for applicant, stated that the purpose of the request is to provide an affordable solution in West Lawrence; any effect from duplex development would occur within the development. He stated the owner has an investment in the area with the single-family home he will be constructing.

 

Vice Chair Krebs asked the applicant to respond to the purpose of the RM-D zoning. The applicant responded that the use of duplex cuts the land cost in half and allows for the construction of a more affordable product.

 

Commissioner Burress sated that he objected to the use of affordable housing. He would be amenable to moderate housing. He discussed housing costs projected for the area as $200,000 per side for a duplex versus $300,000 for single family. Several single-family houses have sold south of 15th Street on George Williams Way. That price range part of the market has changed.

 

Commissioner Eichhorn asked why the applicant had requested the original change from RM-1 to RS-2. Mr. Werner noted that the proposed change of direction was in response to market conditions.

 

Public Hearing

 

Gwen Klingenberg, representing the West Lawrence Neighborhood Association, described the subject property as being across from The Cove subdivision and that it is all ready duplexes. There was no need to buffer from the existing RM-1 district. There are single-family homes in this neighborhood less than $200,000.  She commented that most duplexes are rentals and not characteristic of the neighborhood.

 

Randy Habinger, Robinson Drive, stated that he has been a resident for 4 months. He described access to Harvard and proximity to the school. He has been witness to accidents and many properties have sold recently.

 

Allen Cowles, West Lawrence Neighborhood Association President, complimented the efforts of Paul Werner and Mike Stultz and recognized the efforts to communicate with residents. He restated the neighborhood concerns about schools, and the incremental growth in traffic. Incremental rezoning should result from other conditions not witnessed in the area. He recommended that the current zoning stay.

 

Mike Stultz, developer of the project, stated that he has been a builder in Lawrence for 30 years and has built about 20% of the market and 50% of those homes under $200,000 as starter homes. He noted that he has built in the Legends Trail, Ironwood, and Stoneback Ridge subdivisions which do not have much of a traffic problem. The east portion of the subject property was replatted to reduce the lot size and provide a more affordable product. He found that the $300,000 market was not there. Other projects were turned down and that he proposed to revisit this project. He stated that it is possible to blend townhomes in to single-family projects.

 

Commissioner Burress stated that he had concerns about rentals and asked the applicant for examples of townhouse development that was mostly owner occupied.

 

Mr. Stultz referenced Ironwood and Legends subdivisions. He stated that rental uses are a fact.

 

COMMISSION DISCUSSION

 

Commissioner Eichhorn stated that he understood the economics but recognized the presence of single-family residences in this area and that property owners had made investments based on previous zoning and subdivision decisions.

 

COMMISSION ACTION

 

Motioned by Eichhorn, seconded by Harris to deny Z-12-78-05 the rezoning of approximately 8.19 acres from the RS-2 District to the RM-D District and forwarding the application to the City Commission with a recommendation for denial based on the findings of fact found in the body of the staff report.

 

Commission Discussion:

Commissioner Burress stated that he was sympathetic to affordable concerns and to get denser the community needs to allow this to happen.

 

Commissioner Jennings stated that he wants to encourage mixed housing, but was not sure this applicantion was appropriate.

 

Commissioner Ermeling stated that she supported higher density but this request was not planned that way from the community. She stated that she did support the concept, but that the higher density should be planned upfront.

 

Vice Chair Krebs stated that mixed of housing within a block, providing bigger houses on corners would be more applicable rather than as a strip. Such development needed to be planned within the entire neighborhood.

 

Motion carried 6-3 for denial with Commissioners Jennings, Lawson, and Haase voting in opposition.