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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995-03-14 Planning MINASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES MARCH 14, 1995 CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m. by Chairperson Barbara Jarvis. Other Commissioners present were Cloer, Armitage, Finkle, Bass, Carr and Bingham. Absent members were Giordano and Hibbert. Staff present were McLaughlin, Molnar and Yates. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Carr asked on page 4 of the Minutes, to change the wording from "the applicant has proposed to provide curbs .... "to "the applicant shall provide curbs .... ". Carr moved to approve the Minutes of the February 14, 1995 Minutes as amended and the Findings, Cloer seconded the motion and all approved. PUBLIC FORUM No one came forward to speak. TYPE III PUBLIC HEARING PLANNING ACTION 95-021 REQUEST FOR A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MAP AMENDMENT FROM SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL RESERVE TO SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL/SENIOR OVERLAY AND ZONE CHANGE FROM RR-.5-P TO R-1-5-P (W/SENIOR OVERLAY) FOR 21.82 ACRES LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF NORTH MOUNTAIN AVENUE, BETWEEN INTERSTATE 5 AND BEAR CREEK. APPLICATION WILL INCLUDE AN AMENDMENT TO THE LAND USE ORDINANCE INVOLVING THE ADOPTION OF A NEW SENIOR OVERLAY ZONING DESIGNATION. MAP #: 4DA; TAX LOT: 100 (6.45 ACRES); MAP #: 4AD; TAX LOT: 200 (15.37 ACRES). APPLICANT: MADELINE HILL Jarvis read the prepared statement applying to public hearings. Site Visits and Ex Parte Contacts Bingham had a site visit, and he had a phone conversation with Ron Roth. Roth is opposed to the zone change and thought the land would be better used for a vineyard. He also had a conversation with Ken Hagen about how to zone the property. They had a general discussion but nothing came from the discussion. Jarvis had a site visit and talked with the City Attorney and the Planning Director about the project. All other Commissioners had a site visit. Cloer has had a great deal of ex parte activity relating to senior housing in Ashland. At one point, he met with a group of individuals who met with Madeline Hill to discuss her particular project. He has a concern, particularly because the emeritus faculty at SOSC had asked Cloer to investigate senior housing because there are about 87 professors that have emeritus status and about 100 staff members that live in town and have a concern with staying in Ashland. Jarvis asked Cloer to consider whether or not he could give a fair and impartial decision on either side of this action. Cloer thought it would be difficult to convince him that it would not be a good project. Therefore, Cloer stepped down. McLaughlin noted that the Planning Commission met two weeks ago for an all day work session and took a tour of different sites in the City with a quorum present. The Commissioners were told at that time the application would be on this month's agenda. No merits or any further issues of the application were discussed. STAFF REPORT McLaughlin stated there are two issues involved in the this application. The rezoning of the property from half acre to R-1-5 with a senior overlay is one part and the other is an ordinance amendment to the Land Use Ordinance to adopt a section regarding senior overlay as part of the R-1 zoning district. A copy of the revised R-1 section was distributed to all Commissioners. A section has been added for senior overlay. Section I has been added to the permitted uses stating that senior housing is a permitted use in areas designated as senior overlay. Page 4 discusses senior overlay as a zone. Definitions are provided along with styles such as assisted living, congregate living, and independent living. The next section involves density. Senior housing has a different impact on services, transportation, etc. than does standard housing, therefore, multipliers will be used to determine the base density of a project. When asked by Carr if "aging in place" would be a mix of all housing types, McLaughlin said it would. ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES MARCH 14, 1995 2 Finkle asked for an explanation of the Housing for Older Persons Exemption under the Federal Fair Housing Act and allowable HUD regulations. McLaughlin said a housing complex cannot be for housing only seniors unless one comes into compliance with A, B, or C indicated in the ordinance (page 9) which is the Fair Housing law. Armitage would like this project to be developed similar to R-1 because that is what is in the area. He is concerned about lot coverage and does not see anything under the senior overlay about lot coverage. McLaughlin said it should probably be recognized under Section E to address lot coverage. Carr wondered why there was a difference in the landscaping percentages (among assisted, congregate and independent living). McLaughlin said assisted living was assumed to be at a style and level of development similar to an R-3, and that congregate and independent living would have standards similar to the R-2 zone. McLaughlin thought from the Commissioners questions that issues of concern seem to be maximum numbers and levels of development. Section C was added to recognize that there would be a mix in the style of buildings including multi-family style and that development of this nature should be a minimum of four acres in area to allow for some buffering from surrounding areas and give some options for larger setbacks. Developments that involve single family detached will follow the Performance Standards Options and the multi-family, attached units or assisted living units would follow the Site Design and Use Standards that are used for multi-family development. Jarvis had done some reading on senior housing and one concern she has is that the City has made a commitment towards mixed use and now we are segregating neighborhoods. Her reading has indicated that mixes in neighborhoods are beneficial to the aging, such as having children around the elderly. Jarvis is disturbed about placing the elderly a long ways away on ten acres. When a person has less flexibility in getting places, accessibility becomes more important. Many communities have been designing senior housing next to colleges so that the residents can utilize the college to attend classes. She is aware there is limited space in Ashland, but she feels the four acre limitation would be impossible to meet. However, an acre in town may only have four to ten units of assisted living that would work--but something different than a development with a four acre limitation. Another thought that Jarvis had is regarding the constraints we are under with transportation in trying to cut down on traffic. Her understanding of aging in place means residents stay in the places they have always lived in--in their neighborhoods in homes. Jarvis is not certain she likes ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES MARCH 14, 1995 the idea of building block buildings away from the heart of the community to house the aging. Senior overlays also make Jarvis uncomfortable. The Commission may need to do this, but if something is designed for four acres, we would be stuck with that formulation. McLaughlin remembered when looking at other revisions in the R-1 zone in the past, Staff has looked at options for allowing senior housing either as a special permitted use or as a conditional use everywhere in the R-1 zone and setting some criteria for its location near collectors and setting standards on scale for the smaller levels of development. It may be that the overlay would apply to someone wanting to do a larger project where greater controls could be imposed. McLaughlin noted a couple limitations--maximum building heights for independent living units use the standard R-1 height limits. For assisted and congregate care, understanding there is a different scale of higher density, a 40 foot height is allowable with an additional setback required of one foot for each foot of height from the perimeter property line of the project to prevent imposing on other properties. Armitage thought this seems like a ordinance that still needs some reworking. If a project is placed in the middle of an R-1 area, it should look similar to the surrounding R-1 area and he envisions the scope and scale of this project being out of alignment. He feels rushed and would like more discussion and is concerned about the 40 foot height. McLaughlin indicated specific parking standards will be set for the types of units as noted in the ordinance. Sections have been included for open space and accessory uses. Bass felt the senior overlay has been written for a large master planned senior project, whereas there may be some small five to ten unit senior projects that could sit very well in a neighborhood that could never make it under this ordinance. Armitage suggested maybe this is not an overlay. It appears to be a mix of R-1 and R-2 and that is a zone, not an overlay. It might be appropriate for the proposed parcel, but should it be an overlay? McLaughlin said that according to the City Attorney, this project could be a rezoning process with the requirements in the senior overlay attached as conditions. ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES MARCH 14, 1995 Carr is uncomfortable with the senior overlay at this point. Jarvis opened the public hearing but asked for testimony solely on the ordinance. PUBLIC HEARING LARRY MEDINGER, 695 Mistletoe, understands that since most of the Commissioners believe approval of this zone change is premature without a study session, he would like preliminary approval of this application brought before the Commission. At that time, if criteria or conditions needed to be attached, that would seem appropriate. The applicants are asking for conditional approval of the zone change and the applicants will go through the Council process and bring before the Commission a preliminary approval application. Bingham thought the Commission could move forward with testimony and consider the application after the Council has considered the zone change. Bass wondered if the senior overlay is taken out, to what can the project be rezoned? Medinger said historically, there has never been a question from the neighbors that the project Madeline would be proposing is senior housing. If it is not approved, then it will go back to the neighborhood planning process. STAFF REPORT FOR THE PROJECT McLaughlin reported that the site is almost 22 acres in size located on North Mountain Avenue. The land is presently vacant and used for pasture. The applicant is requesting a rezone to allow an opportunity for a senior project. The Staff Report outlines the history of the parcel. The parcel has not had full urban services and just recently a sewer service was provided. The Comprehensive Plan Designation for this area was Single Family Residential Reserve and was not included in the City's land needs because it was not assumed that it would develop during the 20 year planning period (from 1979). It is better to try and plan for this area than let services come and let it develop without any discussion of how this project will fit into the community in creating a neighborhood that will have some value to it. The applicants have provided lots of information regarding the need for senior housing. The options in Ashland at this time for very low income housing and moderate income housing are few (near McDonalds, on Highway 66 and on Siskiyou ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES MARCH 14, 1995 Boulevard). Many residents move from Ashland to the Rogue Valley Manor in Medford. Areas removed from the inventory of Single Family Residential lands recently are in the Fordyce area (Millpond), the area along Tolman Creek Road (Grizzly Meadows) and land on Orange Street into two subdivision. The R-1-5 land is being depleted along with the land for the North Mountain Avenue park. McLaughlin reported that the recommendations being generated from the neighborhood plan for North Mountain is the same as the applicant's proposal. That is why the Condition was attached that should this property owner and applicant not pursue this project as envisioned, the property would revert back to the original zoning. Given the need for senior housing and the inventories of R-1-5 land, the zone change could be justified. The exact vacant land inventory is not yet available. PUBLIC HEARING MADELINE HILL, Box 1334, stated she has been participating in the neighborhood process for a couple of years and there has never been an objection for what she has wanted to do. Hill has brought a great deal of experience and expertise from her background to the planning of this project. She would want one-story assisted living. She is looking at a range of options for seniors from single family residential, cottages, and apartments and rather than three meals a day, meals would be available as wanted. A person could move into any level of service they might need. Van service will be provided. Aging in place is a good concept and good for this parcel. She is getting pressure from seniors everyday for housing and the neighborhood planning process seems to have no timeline. LARRY MEDINGER responded to Jarvis' concerns about whether this project would segregate people or provide a supporting environment for seniors. The property has about 18 usable acres. In a small area, with enough critical mass to support a certain level of service to do a senior building. A day care center is planned to be in or near the main building, prioritizing for children of employees of the senior care facility. This could provide low cost day care and meet a need in the community. This type of housing will allow seniors to plan ahead for the their future instead of having decisions made for them. Bingham wondered if some employees would live on-site. Medinger said provisions ASHLAHD PLAHNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES MARCH 14, 1995 were made in the senior overlay that would allow for two families to be available on the project. Currently, they are thinking about 15 single family residences. Armitage asked Hill and Medinger to describe the size of the main facility. Medinger said the large building will not look like a single family residential zone. It will be for congregate care but by working the building into the hillside, it will not look so tall. There might possibly be underground parking. The building could be as tall as five stories but with the bottom end in parking, only three stories would be above ground. Medinger did not know exactly how large the buildings would be. Armitage is very much in favor of the project, but the building size is important. McLaughlin reminded the Commission that a specific proposal will be offered to the Planning Commission at a later date. Hill provided the name of a facility in Phoenix, OR and suggested the Commissioners visit that facility. It is Northridge Terrace on Highway 99 in Phoenix. Jarvis entered the letters from Quinn, Fitch, Hinkie, RVCOG, and Berryhill into the record. McLaughlin read a letter from Julie Burns. WES HOXlE, 851 Hillview Drive, favors the proposal and is looking for a retirement center to move into. He had a letter from Matt Kocmieroski that he read and entered into the record. DAN WHITE, 945 No. Mountain, said he lives across from the proposed projeot. He is not opposed to the project, but wondered how the zone change would effect the neighborhood. He asked the Commission to consider the entire neighborhood, not just Madeline's project. McLaughlin said it was Staff's intent to keep pursuing and solving the problems that have arisen during the neighborhood planning process. Hill's proposal is in keeping with the intent of the neighborhood plan. Hill has chosen to move ahead for her own personal reasons. McLaughlin does not see approval of this project damaging to the neighborhood process. GINNY PRYNE, 590 Glenview Drive, entered a letter into the record and wanted to add that her children live in Ashland, she needs to be near them but not in their backyards. She likes this proposal and wants to get it going. ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES MARCH 14, 1995 7 BRAD BAYLISS, 385 Idaho St., explained that he taught gerontology, and thinks we need more senior housing here. He said it is fortunate to have Madeline Hill as the person wanting to provide it. He hopes that the technical aspects can be resolved and approved. Bayliss is retired and came here 16 years ago. He said there is a wide variation between those who want to be isolated without children and those who want to have children around. He is one of 20 persons representing Oregon at the White House conference on aging to advocate for senior issues and senior concerns. Those from Oregon want to press for national recognition for the five levels of senior living in Oregon. There is more autonomy in assisted living than in nursing homes. Bayliss praised Hill for her many accomplishments dealing with seniors. AUGUSTA SENNETT, 1960 Nezla, echoed the favorable comments about Hill and the project. The project would provide many personal benefits to her. Seniors like to be together to help each other. She would like to stay in Ashland. The project would be only a mile from the college and the downtown. DON MOORE, 740 No. Mountain Avenue, owns property on No. Mountain. He is a physician and has been somewhat taken aback by the comments from the Commission. This project is in the mainstream of the way things should be going, that is, getting away from nursing homes to tiered living. The people he has known have been very satisfied with tiered living. He would strongly disagree with Jarvis' comment of isolation and believes the majority want security with people to support. Seniors receive care from their neighbors instead of being stuck away without family. Moore wanted to emphasize that being a resident of Mountain Avenue, he has never heard any opposition to the project. He does not look at this development as a threat. SUE LOPEZ, 712 Terrace Street, participated in the early neighborhood meetings and supports Hill's proposal. This would be a good way for Ashland to grow. DENISE EWING, 144 Strawberry Lane, supports this project. She works as an RN in home health. She cannot say enough about services for seniors in this community, however, many times many of clients needed to be put in nursing homes and this type of facility would be so helpful in caring for seniors. Ewing has been in contact with Madeline and has been impressed how thoroughly she has researched the design issues of this project. NANCY PETERSON, 367 Maple, stated she has been impressed with Madeline's integrity-she has known her for 20 years. Numerous seniors choose to live in a more segregated community. There is a range of possibilities and it is another possibility we don't have in Ashland right now. ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES MARCH 14, 1995 8 RON ROTH, 6950 Old 99 South, expressed concerns with the site in terms of big picture planning. This property is in the City but only by historical accident. It is the only piece across Bear Creek (the natural boundary). Roth would want his own mother close to shopping and transportation. If this was not in the City limits, the applicants would be looking for property on the flat, and infilling where it would be close to shopping and public transportation. He shares similar concerns with Jarvis about segregating senior housing. HAL CLOER, 1036 Prospect Street, regards how difficult it is for Madeline to do this type of development. Most seniors would probably like to be within close distance to the post office, etc. We all think of what might be ideal. However, he has looked at many pieces of property and there are not really many possibilities for an assisted living facility. If Madeline is able to move along, Cloer has no doubt there is clientele there for a senior facility. Staff Response Staff came forward with a plan that allows for maximum flexibility over time. In trying to develop a senior overlay, it may be overkill. The difficulty of developing the R-1-5 zone is that it would not allow this type of development. Perhaps the Health Care zone would work. It would allow outright, the full spectrum of housing types requested in this application. This could be an appropriate option. With regard to noticing the neighbors, this would require a continuation. In considering the Health Care zone, MEDINGER said they had not had a chance to think about how that would work but they would be open to the idea. HILL thought the idea that McLaughlin came up with sounds hopeful. JOHN HASSEN, 129 N. Oakdale, thought the Health Care zone could work well. Would all the same things be allowed in HC as are allowed under the senior overlay? McLaughlin would want to look at certain uses as accessory and allowable in order to have a complete range of services. Hassen asked that the hearing be continued and said the applicants would waive the 120 day time limit. COMMISSIONERS DISCUSSION AND MOTION Carr moved to continue Planning Action 95-021 until the April 11th meeting. Bingham seconded the motion and it carried unanimously. ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES MARCH 14, 1995 Armitage felt that the applicant for the assisted living facility approved on Maple and North Main did not take into consideration any design changes that would make the project fit in size and scale. He would like to see a design that looks like it fits into the R-1 and R-2 environment. That is his only concern. Finkle still sees No. Mountain as one neighborhood and this project is a part of the whole. He likes the idea of working with the slope of the hillside to allow some larger structures to fit into it, but have a mix of structures. Finkle believes there should be shared facilities on both sides of No. Mountain with commercial included. Bass would advocate for completing the No. Mountain planning process as an entire community in advance of taking up any rezoning. This is taking a piece of the neighborhood ahead of the entire area being planned. Carr had concerns about dealing with a piece of the neighborhood while the plan for the whole is still under consideration. She would like some time at a Study Session to discuss the Health Care zone on No. Mountain. Bingham still has concerns that he views this as whole neighborhood. In the six years he has been on the Commission, they have never had an opportunity to deal with a piece of property this size. Bingham will have to wrestle with considering the whole hillside together and whether it should be developed in a unified manner or be allowed to continue in one-half acre parcels and be allowed to sprawl. The Health Care zone makes more sense to him than the senior overlay. However, is the Health Care zone they will create for this parcel very different than what would be created someplace else? Jarvis' concerns are related to the zone as a senior overlay. If a senior overlay zone is allowed, there will be four acre pockets of seniors around town and she does not agree with that concept. She is not convinced a senior overlay zone is the best for the City. She provided McLaughlin with some articles about senior housing to be distributed to the Commissioners. McLaughlin explained that it is difficult to put everything in a zoning code. CARR MOVED TO CONTINUE MEETING TO 10:30. THE MOTION WAS SECONDED AND CARRIED. Bass left the meeting. ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES MARCH 14, 1995 10 PLANNING ACTION 95-022 REQUEST FOR AN AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 18 OF THE ASHLAND LAND USE ORDINANCE RELATING TO FRONT YARD SETBACK REQUIREMENTS FOR THE INSTALLATION OF A FRONT PORCH WITHIN THE R-2 AND R-3 ZONING DISTRICT, EXCLUDING PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE ASHLAND HISTORIC INTEREST AREA. APPLIANT: CITY OF ASHLAND STAFF REPORT Molnar reported that an identical amendment was adopted for the R-1 zone. This amendment will not include the Historic District because Staff does not want a change to the streetscape. A draft is being worked on for the Historic Preservation ordinance that will discuss compatibility. A conservative approach is being taken at this time. Finkle asked if there was enough flexibility in the ordinances to reduce the front yard setback within the Historic District at all since some homes are almost on the street now. Molnar said the ordinance states you can average a front yard setback. (18.68) CARR MOVED TO CONTINUE THE MEETING TO 11:00 P.M. THE MOTION WAS SECONDED AND CARRIED. Carr recommended to the Council adoption of Planning Action 95-022. Finkle seconded the motion and it carried unanimously. OTHER McLaughlin reviewed the calendar for the next few months. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 10:35 p.m. ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES MARCH 14, 1995 '11