HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-05-22 Housing MIN
ASHLAND HOUSING COMMISSION
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May 22, 2008
CALL TO ORDER
Vice Chair Carol Voisin called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m. at the Community Development and Engineering
Services Building, 51 Winburn Way, Ashland, OR 97520.
Commissioners Present: SOU Liaison: Alexandra Amarotico,
Richard Billin Absent
Carol Voisin
Graham Lewis Council Liaison: Alice Hardesty
Steve Hauck
Bill Smith, arrived at 4:38 Staff Present::
Aaron Benjamin Brandon Goldman, Housing Specialist
Carolyn Schwendener, Account Clerk
Commissioners Absent
Regina Ayars
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Page two, liaison reports last sentence of the first paragraph should read “Hardesty encouraged the Commission
too not go to far away from the 200 goal.” Hauck/Lewis m/s to approve the minutes as corrected from the April 22,
2008 Housing meeting. Voice Vote: Approved
PUBLIC FORUM
Allan Sandler, 1260 Prospect, gave a presentation of a proposed ten unit apartment rental project over the City of
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Ashland Lithia parking lot. It is Mr. Sandler’s desire to get on the June 17 Council meeting agenda. Mr. Sandler
would like the Housing Commission to advise the Council at to whether this is something they think should be
looked into. Mr. Sandler would like the City Council to ask staff to put in about two hours of their time to go over his
plan and submit their opinions back to the Council. Mr. Sandler read through his plan and gave a copy of his
presentation to each of the Commissioners.
The Commissioners briefly discussed Mr. Sandler’s project.
Goldman explained if the City Council directs staff to go forward they can also direct that any agreement be put
before the Housing Commission before going back to them.
Hardesty said this project makes a lot of since but the only reason why she wants so see the Commission take
more time with it is if they want to talk about the possibility of doing a different parking lot so they get more units.
Hauck/Voisin m/s to place this item on the agenda today for discussion. Voice Vote: Motion passed with Hardesty
and Lewis opposing.
REPORTS AND UPDATES
Subcommittee Reports
Finance – Voisin reported the committee met and their intent was to look at means of revenue for the Housing
Trust Fund. The Committee decided they wanted Goldman to begin working on the ordinance and resolution
that outlines the policy procedures. While that’s in process they will be working on revenue streams. Goldman
gave an update that he just finished an initial draft of the ordinance establishing the Housing Trust Fund and a
resolution establishing procedures. Goldman has sent them to legal for initial review and was hoping to have
them back in time for the June 10, 2008 Finance Committee meeting.
Liaison Reports
Council – Hardesty reported that at the last meeting the Council repelled the twenty foot setback on the north
side of Lithia Way and asked the Planning Commission and Planning Department to look at what kind of
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business would inhabit the first floor of Commercial spaces downtown. The reason they requested this was
because offices tend not to be friendly to pedestrian shoppers, and retail spaces are more appropriate. The
Council also asked the Planning Commission to look for a way to increase the sidewalk space on the south
side of Lithia Way. Hardesty said the Council passed a fifteen foot sidewalk including the park row for arterials
downtown as part of this ordnance.
Goldman informed the Commission that Linda Reid the new Housing Specialist will be starting on June 3, 2008.
Parks – Hauck did not attend the Parks meeting but got the tape and watched it. There was nothing relating to
housing issues. Hauck will be attending the next scheduled Hearing with the Parks Commission on June 23,
2008.
School Board – No report.
Planning Commission– No report.
Ad-Hoc/Public Meeting Updates
Annexation and Zone Change Ordinances Ad-Hoc Committee –
Goldman reported they did meet and went over the proposed annexation and zone changes to bring up the
familiarity with the Planning Commission members as to what the Housing Commission had worked on. The
Housing Commission forwarded to the Ad-Hoc Committee two points;
1) Rentals be restricted to sixty percent AMI as opposed to the eighty percent which was allowable under
the existing and proposed annexation ordinance. On that specific issue there was some concern at the Ad-
Hoc meeting if that discourages the development of apartments.
2) One of the Planning Commissioners recognized that the Housing Commission had established minimum
size for a one bedroom unit was six hundred square feet and that was taken from the home program rules.
Under the City of Ashland parking requirements as well as density requirements five hundred square foot
units are counted as only .75 of a unit. This means that if 600 feet were rolled back to 500 feet it may allow
for either an increase in number of units or a reduction in parking requirements.
The draft annexation ordinance is scheduled to come before the Housing Commission in June. Study Session
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of the Planning Commission is tentively scheduled for June 24 to review the Ordinance. The Commission
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meeting to make a formal recommendation on the draft would be at the regular meeting on June 26
SDC Meeting-Hauck reported that the recommendation from consultants was when they set the formula for the
SDC’s they left out pedestrian and bicycle facilities as part of how they would calculate those. The Committee
voted to go back to the way they have always done and consider those fees part of transportation.
Facilities Plan – Hardesty said there is a Study Session planned in June 2 to discuss the gun club. Hardesty
said the lease is up in 2009 and they are asking for the Council to give them an early lease. Someone from the
Planning Department is working on possibilities for use of the gun club property. Voisin said that the City is still
looking at serious consideration of using the Grove. Lewis stated his group has decided not to try to utilize the
building and is not prepared at this time top make such a request.
HOUSING WORK PLAN 2008-2010 REVIEW
Staff Presentation – The Commissioners had received the 2008-2010 Housing Work Plan in their packet. Goldman
reported that the Housing Work Plan was presented to the City Council to provide them with a better understanding
of the different activities that are currently being worked on by the Ashland Housing Program. Goldman reviewed
the distribution of time dedicated to each aspect of the Housing Program over the course of a year and gave a
general overview of the Work Plan.
COMMISSION ANNUAL RETREAT
The Annual Retreat will be on Saturday July 12, 2008 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Lunch will be provided by the City.
It was suggested to spend the majority of the time on Goal setting and the Action Plan.
ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONERS NOT ON THE AGENDA
The Commissioners discussed Allan Sandler’s proposal for a ten unit apartment rental project over the City of
Ashland Lithia parking lot. Smith confirmed with Mr. Sandler that he was requesting the Commission to decide if
they think the business aspect of the project is worth the City Council’s time for reviewing.
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Mr. Sandler said they have chose to build a very attractive, more expensive, units then most low income housing in
order that the tenants would take pride in ownership. Mr. Sandler confirmed that he is open to using a different
parking lot if one is available and works with his plans.
Hardesty said her concern is that the Housing WorkPlan has a ten percent time allocation for project development
and is not sure they have the extra time this takes to devote to the project. Hardesty would maintain that the
Commission should consider thinking more seriously about using a bigger parking lot in order to get more units.
Hauck believes this is worth taking a look at and Billin doesn’t see any downside since its not taking the funding
away from anything else.
Benjamin see this project as a possibility for not just low income Housing but could be an affordable workforce
project as well.
Lewis stated it’s a good idea to give it to the Council for them to talk about and decide if it’s a project worth going
forward with.
Hardesty commented she is not sure this is a good use of the Housings Specialist’s time and believes the
Commission should set their priorities first before deciding.
Hauck/Lewis m/s to recommend to the City Council that they take a look at this project to see if it’s worth
proceeding with. Voice Vote: Motion passed with Hardesty and Voisin opposing.
Community Meeting Regarding Homelessness and Poverty in Ashland
Lewis met with Chief Holderness, United Way, Saint Vincent DePaul and a group of other interested organizations
regarding the poverty and homelessness in Ashland. They are putting together a document that can be handed out
to individuals who ask for help explaining the different available programs in the Community. They will also be
giving out bus tokens. Lewis said there will be another meeting with the Faith Community people and the City to
see how they can work together to help not just the homelessness but the impoverished.
Frost asked questions regarding the Education sub-committee. Benjamin explained what the past efforts and
direction of the sub-committee had been. Currently this Committee has been put on hold.
UPCOMING EVENTS AND MEETINGS
The next regular meeting will be Thursday June 26, 2008 at the Community Development Building 4:30-6:30 pm.
The Planning Commission Study Session on Annexation Ordinance revision will be June 24, 2008
ADJOURNMENT – The meeting was adjourned at 6:20 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by,
Carolyn Schwendener, Account Clerk
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