HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-11-22_Planning PACKET
Note: Anyone wishing to speak at any Planning Commission meeting is encouraged to do so. If you wish to speak,
please rise and, after you have been recognized by the Chair, give your name and complete address for the record.
You will then be allowed to speak. Please note that the public testimony may be limited by the Chair and normally is
not allowed after the Public Hearing is closed.
ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION
STUDY SESSION
NOVEMBER 22, 2016
AGENDA
I. CALL TO ORDER:
7:00 PM, Civic Center Council Chambers, 1175 E. Main Street.
II. ANNOUNCEMENTS
III. AD-HOC COMMITTEE UPDATES
IV. PUBLIC FORUM
V. DISCUSSION ITEMS
A.Ashland Transit Triangle – Infill Strategies Project
VI. ADJOURNMENT
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please
contact the Community Development office at 541-488-5305 (TTY phone is 1-800-735-2900). Notification 48 hours prior to the
meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to the meeting (28 CFR 35.102-35.104
ADA Title 1).
Memo
DATE: November 22, 2016
TO: Ashland Planning Commission
FROM: Brandon Goldman, Senior Planner
RE: Transit Triangle Study Session
SUMMARY
The City Council identified the infill strategies project as a high priority long range planning project in
2014. Specifically, the project was described as “create and analyze development scenarios
accommodating varying levels of future employment and housing growth for the transit corridors in the
southeast portion of the city. Identify strategies to encourage a concentration and mix of housing and
jobs and increase the desirability of the corridors for residential living.”
At a study session on October 11, 2016 the Planning Commission reviewed the initial presentation of a
return on investment (ROI) analysis by Fregonese and Associates to examine the market feasibility of
different types of development within an area referred to as the “Transit Triangle”. The transit triangle
area is the area bounded by Ashland St. along the north edge, Siskiyou Blvd. on the southwest side and
Tolman Creek Rd. on the eastern edge. The Rogue Valley Transportation District (RVTD) Route 10
provides bus service on Ashland St., Tolman Creek Rd. and Siskiyou Blvd.
BACKGROUND
This initial phase of the long range planning project is intended to provide a basis of information for the
Planning Commission and City Council to determine if land use ordinance amendments within the
Transit Triangle would encourage a greater concentration of residential and commercial land uses,
increase transportation choices, and promote sustainable planning initiatives.
At this time no land use changes, or development proposals, are under consideration. Should the City
Council elect to proceed with this project, the second phase of the Transit Triangle project would
further evaluate specific land use strategies intended to support the following community objectives:
Construction of moderately prices rental and for purchase housing
Provide a better environment for local business development and expansion
Increase ridership of public transit
Create a walkable, pedestrian-friendly setting within close proximity to existing residential
neighborhoods.
Ensure the efficient use of land within the Urban Growth Boundary.
As presented to the Planning Commission on October 11, 2016 the guiding principles for the Transit
Triangle Project are as follows:
Update infill strategy along major transportation corridors to promote housing and business
development, as well as alternative transportation choices (Council Goal 13.2).
Conduct a Return on Investment (ROI) analysis on sample properties to examine the market
feasibility of mixed use development within the project area.
Consider changes to the land use ordinance that may be inhibiting redevelopment or new
construction (Economic Development Strategy 7.3).
Consider additions to the Site Design Standards and other land use ordinances to ensure that
higher density buildings are compatible with their settings.
Promote a development pattern that results in a balanced, multi-modal transportation system
and that enhances opportunities for walking, bicycling or using transit in areas planned for
transit service.
Promote infill development along transit corridors to provide alternatives to, or delays the need
for, expansion of the City UGB (RPS).
Reduce emissions that contribute to climate change through changes to transportation or land
use plans that reduce expected automobile vehicle miles traveled.
Provide a strategy for implementation of project outcomes.
The general objective of this project is to provide for housing for small households; provide high quality
infill development; and meet regional plan commitment to accommodate future population growth
within the City’s existing boundaries.
The following objective was identified in Council’s most recent goal setting effort, “Ashland 2020,” that
relates to the creation of vertical housing along transit corridors affordable to households earning a
median income.
Support and promote, through policy, programs that make the City affordable to live in.
Pursue affordable housing opportunities, especially workforce housing. Identify specific
incentives for developers to build more affordable housing. (high priority for 2015-2017)
The City adopted a new chapter in the Ashland Comprehensive Plan in 2012 to incorporate the
applicable portions of the adopted the Greater Bear Creek Valley Regional Plan. As a part of the
regional planning process, six of the seven communities identified areas outside their respective urban
growth boundaries (UGB) for future growth. However, the City of Ashland did not identify UGB
expansion areas and committed to evaluating innovative land use strategies to accommodate future
residential and employment growth within the City’s existing boundaries. The Ashland Comprehensive
Plan includes the following performance indicators in the Regional Plan Element.
Reach density of 6.6 dwelling units per acre for land in the UGB that is annexed or offset by
increasing the residential density in the city limits.
Achieve targets for dwelling units and employment in mixed-use/pedestrian-friendly areas.
Participate in a regional housing strategy that strongly encourages a range of housing types.
Other related goals and policies in the Ashland Comprehensive Plan include the following.
Ensure a variety of dwelling types and provide housing opportunities for the total cross-section of Ashland’s
population, consistent with preserving the character and appearance of the city. (Housing Element)
Maintain and improve Ashland’s compact urban form to allow maximum pedestrian and bicycle travel.
(Transportation Element)
Successful implementation of infill strategies developed as part of this project would result in the
construction of several hundred moderately priced housing units; additional businesses offering goods
and services for Ashland residents; increases in local employment opportunities; increased utilization of
transit; and enhancements to the character of the area through creation of vibrant walkable areas and
more efficient development patterns.
ATTACHMENTS
Ashland Scenarios Memo from Fregonese & Associates dated 11/15/ 206.
DATENovember15,2016
TOBillMolnar,PlanningDirector
MariaHarris,BrandonGoldman
FROMJohnFregonese,FregoneseAssociates,Inc.
RETransitTriangleΑPrototype&ScenarioReview
DearBill,MariaandBrandon:
WehavebeenworkingondevelopingscenariosfortheTransitTrianglearea,and
fortheNovember22meeting.
consolidatingourrecommendationsinpreparation nd
BasedonthediscussionwiththePlanningCommission,wedecidedtolookattheeffect
buildingheight and numberofstories hason density and cost.Wealsolookedatthe
effectofa ЊЉstepback onthe thirdandhigherfloors.
1896AshlandStreetacurrentlyunderdevelopedpropertyatthecorner
ofParkStreetandAshlandStreet
CurrentZoningintheR2MultifamilyZone:
13.5duperacre
ЌЎmaximumheight(2.5stories)
Existingparkingrequirementsformultifamilydevelopmentsare:
Studio units or 1-bedroom units less than 500 sq. ft. – 1 space/unit.
o
1-bedroom units 500 sq. ft. or larger -- 1.50 spaces/unit.
o
2-bedroom units -- 1.75 spaces/unit.
o
3-bedroom or greater units -- 2.00 spaces/unit.
o
35%landscapingisrequired
R2currentlyhasaverylowmaximumdensityallowance.Aswehavesaid,densityis
relatedtoaffordability.Sincelandcostisafixedcost,theonlywaytoaffordtheland
andconstructioncostinalowdensityzoneistopricethehousingunitsatahighprice
point.TheR2zonehasamaximumdensityof13.5unitsperacre.Adensitylimitthis
lowresultsinoneoftwooutcomes.Eitherinvestmentisnotfinanciallyfeasibleandnew
constructiondoesnothappen,ortheresultingunitsareverylargeandhaveahighprice
tag.TheR2residentialzonealsohasveryhighlandscapingrequirements,whichcan
1525 SW Park Avenue, Suite 200 Portland, OR 97201 503-228-3054 Fax 503-525-0478
furtherrestrictfinancialviabilityofnewconstruction.TheR2zonerequires35%
landscaping,respectively,however,15%wouldbemoreviableurbanstandards.
TheR2allowsonly2.5stories,whichisthesameastheSingleFamilyR15zone.As
costeffective.
discussedabove,3storyconstructioncanbemore
PrototypeSummary:
Wecreatedandmodeledamixedusebuildingprototypeforacurrentlyunder
developedpropertyatthecornerofParkStreetandAshlandStreet.Thisstudyreveals
whataspecificprojectwouldlooklikeonarealsite.
Height ΑThebuildingrepresentsaͻƩĻğƌͼͲmodern3storybuilding,whichwould
permituptoaЍЎheightforabuildingwith3floors.Thisisbecausethefirst
floorinmodernmixedusebuildingsisoftenveryhigh:14to16feet.Theroof
alsocanhaveaparapet,whichallowstherooftobeusedforoutdoorfacilities,
suchasabarbequefacilityorevenasmallpool.
Landscaping Α15%landscaping
Unitlimit ΑNounitlimit(determinedbyFARratherthanunitcount)
Parking ΑOneparkingspaceperunit;Noparkingrequiredfortheonsiteretail
upto2,000squarefeet.
Unitsize ΑThebuildinghas650to700squarefootapartmentunitsandasmall
amountofretailontheAshlandStreetfrontage.
Weexperimentedwith3,4and5stories.Thefollowingaretheresultsfortheheight
experimentastheypertainto dwellingunitsperacre and averagerents:
DwellingUnitsperAcre
StoriesStepbackNoStepback
344.5Du/acre48.7
451.155
556.260
AverageRent
StoriesStepbackNoStepback
3$1,295$1,295
4$1,282$1,282
5$1,270$1,270
2
Asyoucanseetheheightincreasecanadd35%tothenumberofunitsperacre.The
effectonpriceisnotverydramatic.Thereisnochangebetweenthestepbackdesign
andthestandarddesigninrent.However,wehavebeeninformedthatthestepback
willbemoreexpensiveandcomplextoconstructbecauseofloadbearingissues.This
additionalcostisnotreflectedinourmodel.
Wealsoconductedmassingandphotomorphstudieslookingathowthiswouldappear
atthesiteonAshlandStreet.
SitePlan
3
Thefollowingtwoimagesshowthemassingstudywitha3storystepback,anda4story
stepback.
3StoryMUwithЊЉstepback
4StoryMUwithЊЉstepback
4
Finally,wehavephotomorphsofthesitewitha3storystepback,afull3story(no
stebpack),andafull4storybuilding
1896AshlandStreetSiteΑToday
3storywithstepback
5
Full3story(nostepback)
Full4story(nostepback)
Webelievethatthisprovidesagoodrangeofoptionsfortheprototypetomove
forwardwith.Basedonourpreliminarystudies,weareleaningtoward recommending
the3storystepback,asitappearstoyieldafairnumberofrelativelymoderatelypriced
newunitsavailabletomediumincomehouseholds.However,wewillwantto
investigatethecostissue.Thesecondchoicewouldbethefull3story,whichmaybe
lessexpensivetoconstructandwillyield10%moreunits,allotherthingsbeingequal.
6
TransitTriangleScenario
Wealsoranascenariousingthe3storystepbackunitbasedon vacantand
redevelopableparcels withintheTransitTrianglestudyareathatwere zonedC1,R2
andR3.Itachievedthefollowingresults:
DevelopmentCharacteristicsScenarioResults
Newdwellingunits876
Newpeoplehoused1,072
Newjobs79
Ifwewenttothefull3storydesignthesenumberswouldincreasebyapproximately
10%.
NextSteps
1.ItwouldbehelpfultoseehowourscenariorelatestotheRVCOGforecastand
trafficmodeling.WehavetheTAZdataandareconsideringthenumberofunits
thatareexpectedinthisarea.
2.WearepreparinganothervisualizationonAshlandStreetaswell.
3.WelookforwardtofurtherdiscussionbeforethePlanningCommission.
7