HomeMy WebLinkAboutComp Plan CH 06Chapter 6
Housing Element
Sections:
6.01 Introduction
6.02 Historical Trends
6.03 Income and Housing
6.04 Estimating Housing Demand
6.05 Housing Types
6.06 Estimating Land Needs
6.07 Development Standards
6.08 Energy and Housing
6.09 Assumption
6.10 Goal
6.11 Policies
Section 6.01 Introduction
The City's Housing Element is an important part of the overall Comprehensive Plan, as housing makes up the vast majority of land use in an urban area. Cities have taken various roles
in housing, ranging from the very active role of being a housing provider and landlord to one of simply allowing the housing market to freely determine what should occur in a given
area with very little regulation. The role Ashland has chosen is more toward the latter than the former, although certainly Ashland has not adopted an entirely laissez-faire housing
policy.
While Ashland does not see itself as a provider or major developer of housing, its policy and land development ordinances will have an impact on land availability, development sites,
and housing types which will be used to meet the City's housing needs.
In addition, LCDC Goal 10 requires that:
Buildable lands for residential use shall be inventoried, and plans shall encourage the availability of adequate numbers of housing units at price ranges and rent levels which are commensurate
with the financial capabilities of Oregon households and allow for flexibility of housing location, type, and density.
Because of this, the City has a responsibility to inventory its land and ensure that the proper amounts of land are set aside to accommodate the various housing needs in the City, and
that its land development ordinances are broad enough to allow for variation in housing type and density.
Section 6.02 Historical Trends
Table VI-1 shows that Ashland has grown from 4774 persons in 1940 to 14,922 in 1980. The City's housing stock has grown from 1785 in 1940 to 6312 in 1980. The number of persons per
household increased steadily from 1940 to 1960, reaching a high of almost 3 persons per household in the 1960 Census. Since that time, it has declined dramatically, dropping from 2.84
persons per household in 1970 to 2.36 in 1980.
This dramatic drop in persons per household unit has a very significant impact on Ashland. While population growth will be rather moderate in the future, growth in housing units will
continue to escalate, as the number of persons per household drops and levels off at about 2.3 or 2.2 persons per household. Also interesting are the ownership patterns, which are
changing in the City. Table VI-1 shows that the percent of owner-occupied housing has dropped steadily from 1950 to 1970, and the trend is expected to continue, leveling out in the
1980s at about 50%. This is because the increased cost of financing and purchasing new housing has put the goal of owning a home beyond the reach of many citizens in Ashland.
[See "TABLE VI-1 - Housing and Population Data 1940-1980, U.S. Dept. of Census" on Comp. Plan page VI-2.]
Table VI-2 shows the difference in the housing mix in Ashland over the last decade. In 1970, single-family detached units accounted for almost 77% of all the units in Ashland. In
1980, they accounted for only 64%. Multi-family units rose from 21% to 33% in the same period. Mobile homes account for an insignificant amount of Ashland' s housing stock, from a
little less than 2% in 1970 to 3% in 1980. These figures indicate that much of the growth in Ashland is in higher-density housing types, with smaller-sized units. This corresponds
to the decrease in the number of persons per household,which has occurred over the last decade and the increase in non-owner-occupied housing units in the City.
Housing quality in Ashland is fairly good compared to the rest of the state. Ashland, in 1975, rated 182nd in all the cities in the state in the percentage of substandard units. The
City had only 233 substandard units lacking adequate plumbing facilities in 1975. The City also has a relatively old housing stock. Out of the 1785 housing units existing in 1940,
1526 still exist today and are still used for housing. This represents a demolition rate of about 0.36% of the housing stock per year, about one-third lower than the national average
of about 1% per year.
Undoubtedly, this accounts for the large numbers of older homes in Ashland which have become more valuable in the past decade, as an appreciation for their uniqueness increases.
Section 6.03 Income and Housing
The major determinant of the housing types that will be desired in the City of Ashland is the income range of existing and new occupants of Ashland between 1980 and the year 2000. The
income groups estimated in the City for 1977 are shown in Table VI-3. This is an update of the income ranges from 1970 Census data, assuming that increases in personal income in Ashland
were the same as increases in personal income in the State of Oregon. Given this assumption, Ashland shows a profile typical of many Oregon cities.
[See "Figure VI-1 Income and Affordable Housing Types", and Tables VI-2 - Housing Mix and VI-3 - Income of Households in Ashland, 1977 on Comp. Plan page VI-3.]
The severity of the problem resulting from the high cost of housing is shown in Figure VI-1. Several housing types have been graphed to indicate the income ranges, which normally occupy
such units. For rental units, it was assumed that 25% of the monthly gross income would be applied towards rent. For purchase units, it was assumed that 28% of the monthly gross income
would be used to make payments, assuming 12% mortgage interest rates and a 10% down-payment. The cost of the units in this case and the estimated rent levels are in 1977 dollars.
As can be seen, a large proportion of Ashland's population falls in the range of apartment rentals, subsidized housing and mobile homes in parks. In the very low range of income are
persons who can only be helped through subsidized housing, either through subsidized mortgages or direct subsidies to the persons occupying the household. This will be an activity
not carried out directly by the City, but rather one in which the City can simply support and indirectly participate in the placement of such housing units.
As mobile homes in parks are not a very efficient use of higher density land, and, as they have significant problems in locating in Ashland, as will be explained later, they are not
expected to form a very significant portion of the lower-cost housing for the City. Therefore, the major contributor to housing for the lower income households in Ashland will be apartments
that have been built expressly for the purpose of rentals, as well as some townhouse condominiums and single-family attached and detached homes held as rental properties.
For persons with incomes ranging from between $14,000 and $20,000 (in 1977 dollars), there are four options in the City for purchase, in addition to renting. These four options are
condominium or townhouse purchases, used home purchases, new attached unit purchases, or mobile homes in subdivisions. In these ranges are the majority of persons in Ashland that would
be purchasing new homes for the first time -- young families and other groups which contribute to the lower population per household figures which have been mentioned above.
Unfortunately, the group able to purchase single-family detached homes is much smaller than even a decade ago. As the graph indicates, it is the highest cost option available. Undoubtedly,
persons in this category will also consider all of the other options available to persons of lower income, especially condominiums, townhouses, used houses, and new attached unit purchases.
While it is important to discuss housing types in Ashland, it is impossible to accurately predict how the marketplace will allocate housing units. Therefore, it is necessary for the
City simply to set aside amounts of land that are correctly zoned so that the housing needs of Ashland can be met. The marketplace will then be the major determinant of which type
of housing will be built in the various zones, within limits imposed by the City based on density, aesthetics, and neighborhood compatibility.
Section 6.04 Estimating Housing Demand
[See "TABLE VI-4 - Estimated Housing Demand for New Migrants" on Comp. Plan page VI-5.]
For the purposes of estimating demand for various housing categories, four general types of housing demand are assumed. These are summarized in Table VI-4. The first demand type is
for households with extremely low incomes. This would be the "subsidized" housing type. As mentioned before, this housing type would not be impacted directly by the City, as we would
not directly participate in the development of this housing type. However, the City could cooperate with the implementation of low-cost housing. A majority of the persons in the low-income,
subsidized group are college students who have a very low income but also very limited housing needs, as they typically do not have families and often share more expensive housing forms
with other students. As the College is not expected to grow significantly in enrollment, Table VI-4 shows that our estimated housing demand in Ashland for this category would be only
5% of the population increase, rather than the 9.5% of the population presently represented in Ashland. If the College enrollment were to increase significantly, this figure would
have to be increased.
The second group is those persons most likely to rent. Based on past trends and existing income levels in the City, we estimate that 38% of the population increase expected in Ashland
will be in the market for rental housing units.
The third category is the broadest--moderate-income purchase homes. These homes would be ranging in monthly payments from $250 to $630 per month (1977 dollars). This accommodates the
broadest section of the City and ranges from relatively low-cost attached housing and condominium units to the traditional single-family home on a large lot.
Approximately 14% of the increase in population will be in the market for high-income purchase. These are homes that would require, with the above criteria of 10% down-payment and 12%
mortgage money, greater than $630 per month payments for a home. Approximately 14% of all the new households are estimated to be in this category, called high-income purchase. Table
VI-4 summarizes the various housing demands estimated above.
Housing Demand in Different Zones
Assuming that each type of housing would be provided in several zones, an estimate must be made of the percentage of total housing demand in each zone. We estimate the following to
be the types of housing and the zones in which the housing will be provided:
Subsidized or Shared Housing - Subsidized housing depends primarily on the type of assistance which will form the subsidy. Most subsidized housing is higher-density apartments and,
therefore, the majority of this housing type would be met in the R-2, or Urban Low Residential zone.
Rental - Rental housing types form a large cross-section in the City. In Ashland there are single-family homes which have been built primarily for the purpose of renting. About 27%
of the single-family housing stock was rental in 1970. Assuming that this practice will continue in the single-family detached housing market, and in the attached townhouse and condominium
markets, then we estimate that about 4O% of this demand would be met in the R-2, or Urban Low Residential zone, 30% in the townhouse zone (R-l-3), and another 30% in the R-l-5 Planned
Unit Development areas, specifically by smaller, inexpensive housing units, and duplexes with the owner occupying one unit and renting the second unit.
Moderate Cost Purchase - The moderate cost purchase units will also be spread across several zones. We estimate that 20% of it will be met in the R-l-3, or townhouse, zone, and 80%
in the single-family residential areas in the R-l-5, R-1-7.5, and R-l-10 zones.
High Cost Purchase - Most of the high cost housing would involve relatively large lot sizes and correspondingly low densities. As such, we would expect that 50% of this demand would
be met in the single-family residential areas and 50% in the low-density residential areas.
Section 6.05 Housing Types
Various housing types each have a place in Ashland in providing for housing demand. However, it should be recognized that some of these are more compatible than others with the City
and with the neighborhoods in which they would locate, so that care must be exercised in allowing some housing types.
Multi-family, multi-unit apartments
Multi-unit apartments refer to those units in which one individual living quarter is placed above another, also commonly referred to as flats or garden apartments. These have the advantage
of relatively low cost per unit and relatively high density without a great deal of lot coverage. Densities in this type of garden apartment usually range from 15-22 dwelling units
per acre in Ashland. However, they are most successful in the range of 15-20 dwelling units per acre. Because of this, Ashland will use the R-2, or Multi-Family Residential, zone
to meets its new housing needs for this type of housing. The user and income groups in multi-family apartments would include households ranging from subsidized housing up through the
$15,000 to $20,000 per year income groups.
Townhouses
Townhouses differ from multi-unit apartments in that each individual living unit is contained in a separate structure, attached by common walls to other structures. These units are
usually grouped in clusters of four or more and are associated with higher density developments. They have the advantage of providing greater privacy and sometimes an opportunity for
individual ownership. Densities can range from 7 to 8 dwelling units per acre up over 20 dwelling units per acre. However, as these units typically have a larger lot coverage per
square foot of interior living space than multi-family, multi-unit apartments, the lower densities are preferable for townhouse developments. Very attractive and desirable homes can
be built with this housing type. It is used for moderate to high cost rental units, and low to moderate cost purchase units in Planned Unit Developments or condominium developments.
Mobile or manufactured homes
This housing type forms an insignificant part of Ashland's housing stock at present, and is expected to continue to be a small percentage in the future. Presently, all mobile homes
are situated in mobile home parks. In other communities around Ashland, mobile home subdivisions have grown to be increasingly popular. But mobile or manufactured housing has certain
disadvantages in locating in Ashland, limiting its usage to certain areas of the City. The disadvantages are:
a. Because of the uniformity of design, they are incompatible for difficult siting or development choices, especially any siting on hillsides or siting on properties, which have unusual
features or are irregularly shaped. This typifies all of Ashland south of Siskiyou Boulevard, and much of the area set aside for single-family development north of Siskiyou Boulevard.
b. They are incompatible with existing neighborhoods. While great progress has been made in making mobile homes resemble site-built housing, they possess certain design features which
immediately tell the observer that they are indeed manufactured housing. The general rectangular shape, low-pitched roof, and window orientations form a monotonous and undesirable
appearance. Because of this and the materials used in exterior siding, they were almost unanimously rejected during the citizen involvement phase of the Comprehensive Plan development
as a major provider of new, low-cost housing in Ashland.
c. They are usually energy-inefficient. While additional insulation in newer units has increased the thermal performance of mobile homes, they are still less thermally efficient than
a comparable site-built house. As they are constructed mostly of kiln- dried wood and aluminum, they also have a large amount of embodied energy compared to a site-built home. Some
experimental solar units have been constructed, but passive design techniques cannot be successfully implemented in a lightweight structure.
d. They have a limited life span of twenty years or so, and are meant to be disposed of after this fairly short time. Ashland considers it better to have housing types, which make a
permanent contribution to the built environment of the City, as homes have in the past.
However, realizing that the marketplace may demand these, even if cost-competitive alternatives are provided, there should be land set aside for mobile home developments at densities
relatively consistent with their needs. The R-2 and R-1-3.5 zones are the areas which can most easily accept mobile or manufactured housing.
The new lands within the Urban Growth Boundary which have these zoning designations are relatively flat and have large, regularly shaped parcels available. Also, these areas have little
existing development so that neighborhood compatibility is not a problem. Thus, they are the most suitable location for mobile home development.
Attached single-family homes
Ashland considers the attached single-family home to be a more suitable low-cost alternative. Since they are attached by one or two walls, there are some savings over the same square
footage built as detached units. They are also more energy-efficient than either mobile homes or detached single-family housing, and can be easily adapted to passive solar applications.
Therefore, attached single-family houses are one of the major components of Ashland's housing strategy. They should be allowed in most un-developed portions of the City as an out-right
permitted use, along with single-family detached housing.
Detached single-family homes
Detached single-family homes, which include the vast majority of the existing housing units in Ashland, will unfortunately only be available to persons of relatively high income. However,
changes in development standards may alter this situation, as discussed below. Single-family homes will continue to be built and are encouraged in conjunction with other housing types,
especially in Planned Unit Developments. Alternatives to the conventional subdivision home, such as lot-line homes, or small cottages on small lots in developments with common open
space, should help reduce the cost of some units. They typically work best in relatively low-density situations of less than 5 dwelling units per acre.
Section 6.06 Estimating Land Needs
Future availability of housing in Ashland will be heavily influenced by the availability of land for development. The City should therefore ensure that there is sufficient land set
aside for the development of housing. In general, there should be at least a five years' supply of land for each of the Comprehensive Plan designations shown in Figure VI-2 vacant
and available for development.
Figure VI-2 shows how the City has estimated its land needs, based on the number of housing units we believe will be necessary between 1980 and the year 2000. The bottom line shows
that approximately 54 acres of multi-family residential land, 83 acres of townhouse residential, 388 acres of single-family residential, and 127 acres of low-density residential land
will be needed to meet the City's housing demand.
Section 6.07 Development Standards
The City's development standards also have an impact on the provisions of housing and on the expense of each house. In the past, conventional subdivision development has resulted in
attractive but sometimes monotonous neighborhoods. The attractiveness decreases as the density increases. At the present time, the cost of developing land is usually too high for moderate-cost
housing to be located in areas that are zoned for 7500-10,000 square feet lot size. Also, because of the changes in housing patterns and market perceptions, conventional subdivision
regulations no longer can accommodate the full range of housing types and residential environments desired in the marketplace. As a result, Ashland has adopted a performance standards
approach, which will govern development on most new land. The performance standards approach will be used in the future to guide residential development. It emphasizes quality of
life, overall density, and the residential environment created in each neighborhood, and compatibility with surrounding neighborhoods, with less emphasis on the type of housing to be
built on the site, within the guidelines established by the City. Several different housing types may be compatible with an existing neighborhood. Subdivision standards should continue
to be used where development occurs in neighborhoods, which have largely been developed under subdivision standards and for minor land partitioning needs.
Section 6.08 Energy and Housing
The residential sector uses more energy than any other in Ashland. The detailed analysis of this use is contained in the Energy Element of this Plan. Older houses use between 10 and
20 therqs* of energy, new homes from 6 to 8 therqs, as do older apartments. New, passive solar homes can be constructed which use from 1 to 3 therqs, and can be built for about the
same cost as conventional units. This form of space heating is obviously one of the best from the City's perspective of energy conservation. One therq (thermal requirement) is equal
to one BTU per degree day per square foot.
[See Figure VI-2 "Estimated Land Need" on Comp. Plan page VI-10.]
Residential neighborhoods can also contribute to a reduction in energy use by providing solar access and encouraging trips by bicycle and foot. The more functions of day-to-day life
that can occur at the neighborhood level, the greater the savings in energy. This type of development shall be encouraged.
Section 6.09 Assumption
Ashland will continue to increase in the number of housing units. Existing, older residential neighborhoods will be preserved and will experience relatively few shifts in housing types
and styles. New housing areas will contain housing types other than single-family residential detached units, and much of the City's new housing demands will be met by single-family
detached units in unconventional Planned Unit Developments, attached units in Planned Unit Developments, and housing in higher densities than experienced in the past, such as townhouse
developments and garden apartments. Rising new home construction costs and smaller households will result in housing units with relatively small living spaces in each unit compared
to past housing.
Section 6.10 Goal
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.
Section 6.11 Policies
1. Given the scarcity and cost of land as a limited resource, conserve land and reduce the impact of land prices on housing to the maximum extent possible, using the following techniques:
a. Use the absolute minimum street widths that will accommodate traffic adequately in order to reduce aesthetic impacts and lot coverage by impervious surfaces.
b. Allow a wide variation in site-built housing types through the use of the City's Performance Standards Ordinance. The use of attached housing, small lots, and common open spaces
shall be used where possible to develop more moderate cost housing and still retain the quality of life consistent with Ashland's character.
c. Consistent with policies relating to growth form, City policy should encourage development of vacant available lots within the urban area, while providing sufficient new land to avoid
an undue increase in land prices. This shall be accomplished with specific annexation policies.
d. Zone lands in the single-family designation consistent with the surrounding neighborhood if the area is mostly developed. Generally, lands south of Siskiyou Boulevard-North Main
should be R-1-7.5 and R-l-10, and lands south of the Boulevard should be R-l-5.
2. Using the following techniques, protect existing neighborhoods from incompatible development and encourage upgrading:
a. Do not allow deterioration of residential areas by incompatible uses and developments. Where such uses are planned for, clear findings of intent shall be made in advance of the area
designation. Such findings shall give a clear rationale, explaining the relationship of the area to housing needs, transportation, open space, and any other pertinent Plan topics.
Mixed uses often create a more interesting and exciting urban environment and should be considered as a development option wherever they will not disrupt an existing residential area.
b. Prevent inconsistent and disruptive designs in residential areas through use of a limited design review concept, in addition to using Historic Commission review as part of the site
review, conditional use permit, or variance approval process.
c. Develop programs and efforts for rehabilitation and preservation of existing neighborhoods, and prevent development, which is incompatible and destructive.
3. Regulation of residential uses shall be designed to complement, conserve, and continue the aesthetic character of Ashland through use of the following techniques:
a. Slope protection and lot coverage performance standards shall be used to fit development to topography, generally following the concept that density should decrease with an increase
in slope to avoid excessive erosion and hillside cuts. This objective shall be used consistent with the desire to preserve land by using the smallest lot coverage possible.
b. Site and design review shall be used to ensure compatible multiple-family structures. Density incentives shall be used to encourage innovative, non-standardized design in single-family
areas.
c. Performance standards shall be used to regulate new development in Ashland so that a variety of housing types built for the site and imaginative residential environments may be used
to reduce cost and improve the aesthetic character of new developments and decrease the use of traditional zoning and subdivision standards.
d. Street design and construction standards shall promote energy efficiency, air quality, and minimal use of land. To this end, the City shall:
1. Adopt a master conceptual plan of future streets by size and use category.
2. Adopt minimum street width standards which provide only what is needed for adequate traffic flow and parking.
3. Incorporate bicycle and pedestrian traffic planning in street design.
4. Limit street slopes, requiring curvilinear streets along contours in steeper areas.
4. Create and maintain administrative systems that will assist in all phases of housing and neighborhood planning through use of the following techniques:
a. Establish and maintain a data base system, which includes measurement of: vacant land and land consumption; housing conditions; land use, land values, and any other pertinent information.
Simplify and strengthen the processing approval mechanism so that the intent of state and local laws is fulfilled with the greatest possible thoroughness and efficiency.
b. Cooperate fully with the Jackson County Housing Authority in locating low-income units in Ashland when this can be done in low-impact, relatively small developments, or through funding
of individual home-owner loans or rental assistance.
5. The residential sector is the major user of energy in Ashland. Consistent with other housing goals, the City shall strive to promote, encourage or require energy- efficiency design
in all new residential developments.
[Additional policies relating to housing are in Chapter XI - Energy.]
ASHLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
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