CITY COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM

Department:	Planning and Development Services		Commission Meeting Date: May 7, 2019
Staff Contact:	Becky Pepper, Planner ll
Recommendations/Options/Action Requested:
Consider a Special Use Permit, SUP-18-00502, for ground floor dwelling units, The Hub at Lawrence, located at 1040 Massachusetts Street and 1041 New Hampshire Street Submitted by Core Lawrence Massachusetts LLC on behalf of Allen Press Inc and Allen Realty Inc, property owners of record. If the City Commission upholds the decision of the Historic Resources Commission and denies the appeal request associated with the Certificate of Appropriateness and the Downtown Design Guidelines, then staff recommends denying Special Use Permit No. SUP-18-00502 for ground floor dwelling units for The Hub at Lawrence, located at 1040 Massachusetts Street and 1041 New Hampshire Street. If the City Commission overturns the decision of the Historic Resources Commission and approves the appeal request associated with the Certificate of Appropriateness and the Downtown Design Guidelines, then staff recommends approving Special Use Permit No. SUP-18-00502 for ground floor dwelling units for The Hub at Lawrence, located at 1040 Massachusetts Street and 1041 New Hampshire Street, per the Planning Commission’s recommendation and adopt on first reading, Ordinance No. 9669, if appropriate.
Executive Summary:		This special use permit application was submitted for proposed ground floor dwelling units that are a component of a mixed-use development, The Hub at Lawrence. The overall project would include the demolition of the existing buildings at 1040 Massachusetts Street and 1041 New Hampshire Street, and the construction of a mixed-use 5-story structure. The development also proposes a 3-level parking garage and mixed-use structure on the east side of New Hampshire Street (1000 New Hampshire Street Block 1). This special use permit request is associated with the ground floor dwelling units in the mixed-use structure proposed at 1040 Massachusetts Street and 1041 New Hampshire Street. A second special use permit application was submitted for ground floor dwelling units proposed as part of the mixed-use structure proposed at 1000 New Hampshire Street Block 1 (SUP-19-00033) and is also being considered by the City Commission at their May 7, 2019 meeting. Per Section 20-517(ii) of the Land Development Code, multi-dwelling structures require a special use permit in the CD (Downtown Commercial) District when ground floor residential uses are proposed along numbered streets, Vermont Street, or New Hampshire Street. This special use permit application proposes ground floor dwelling units near, but with no frontage on, New Hampshire Street, along the north portion of the building and internal to the project. This special use permit application would facilitate 10 units/29 beds located on the first floor of the proposed building. The total number of units and beds associated with the overall project (including the structure on the east side of New Hampshire Street) is 215 units and 610 beds. The uses contained within the overall project include retail, office, apartment amenities, and residential. These uses are permitted by right in the CD District and are reviewed for compliance with the Land Development Code through the site plan process. Submittal of the site plan application for review and approval will be required prior to development. The Planning Commission considered this special use permit request for ground floor dwelling units at their March 27, 2019 meeting and voted 8-1 to forward the rezoning request to the City Commission with a recommendation for approval though there was acknowledgment that the project must also receive design review approval by the Historic Resources Commission or the City Commission.
Strategic Plan Critical Success Factor		Safe, Healthy, and Welcoming Neighborhoods Core Services Economic Growth and Security
Fiscal Impact (Amount/Source):		n/a
Attachments:		Ordinance No. 9669 Planning Commission Staff Report Planning Commission Minutes Plans Revised Unit Matrix Memo to Planning Commission from Historic Resources Commission Page Map

Reviewed By: (for CMO use only)

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