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Home My WebLink AboutWashington Avenue Live_Better_Canva_Exact.pptxLIVE BETTER Boutique Building Zoning A TARGETED HOUSING & REVITALIZATION PILOT FOR WASHINGTON AVENUE The Goal •PRESERVE WASHINGTON AVENUE •CREATE HOUSING FOR MISSING MIDDLE •REMOVE NUISANCE RETAIL WASHINGTON AVENUE IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CORRIDORS IN OUR CITY BUT IT IS NOT LIVING UP TO ITS POTENTIAL. The Challenge WHY WASHINGTON AVENUE ISN’T REDEVELOPING? •SMALL LOTS DEFINE WASHINGTON AVENUE •THESE LOTS ARE OWNED BY MOM & POP PROPERTY OWNERS , NOT LARGE DEVELOPERS •CURRENT REGULATIONS MAKE REDEVELOPMENT: TOO SLOW, TOO EXPENSIVE, TOO UNCERTAIN •BLANKET UP ZONING ENCOURAGES SPECULATION AND DRIVES UP LAND COSTS — MAKING PROJECTS EVEN HARDER TO DELIVER. What Residents Are Telling Us DO NOT WANT BLANKET UP ZONING APPLIES ONLY TO LOTS UP TO 15,000 SQ FT REQUIRES CITY COMMISSION VOTE TO UNLOCK INCENTIVES FEAR MASSIVE OVERDEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL INCLUDES A CAP OF 250 UNITS CONCERNED ABOUT EXCESSIVE HEIGHT USES HOTEL INCENTIVE HEIGHT FRAMEWORK FOR RESIDENTIAL What Defines Washington Ave •SMALL LOTS → 66 LOTS UNDER 10,000 SQ FT (22% OF LAND AREA) •AVERAGE LOTS → 22 LOTS BTW 10,000 –15,000 SQ FT (16%) •MID LOTS → 17 LOTS BETWEEN 15,000 –25,000 SQ FT (16%) •LARGE LOTS → 11 LOTS BETWEEN 25,000 –50,000 SQ FT (18%) •MEGA LOTS → 6 LOTS OVER 50,000 SQ FT (27%)72% LOTS = SMALL/AVG 61% LAND = MID/LRG/MEGA LOTS What This Tells Us SMALL LOTS DOMINATE VISUALLY BUT NOT PHYSICALLY APPROXIMATELY 61%, BULK OF LAND AREA IS IN LARGER PARCELS BY FOCUSING ON SMALL LOTS WE PRESERVE BULK OF LAND AREA Why This Matters AVOID BLANKET UP ZONING •LIMITED FOCUS ON SMALL LOTS ~38 – 39% OF THE LAND AREA •IMPROVE THE MAJORITY OF VISIBLE PARCELS •PRESERVE THE VISUAL SCALE OF WASHINGTON AVENUE •CREATE NEW FULL -TIME HOUSING (BY COVENANT) •REQUIRE THE PHASE -OUT OF NUISANCE COMMERCIAL USES The Policy Framework BOUTIQUE BUILDING ZONING “Boutique style” residential buildings compatible in scale and character with the historic district. How We Avoid Overdevelopment BUILT -IN GUARDRAILS •Cap of approximately 250 units •Maximum lot size: 15,000 sq ft •Limited applicability to smaller properties •Commission approval required •HPB review required Zoning Incentives MAKING PROJECTS FEASIBLE •FAR from 2.0 → 3.5 •Height from 50 ft → 75 ft •Limited additional height when providing setbacks •Priority permitting •Elimination of Conditional Use Permit •Elimination of parking requirements — allow parking without FAR penalty •Waive ALL fees Additional Incentive (Optional) PRESERVE SMALL LOT PATTERN •CONSIDER +0.5 FAR BONUS FOR LOTS UNDER 10,000 SQ FT Eligibility Requirements STRICT CRITERIA FOR PARTICIPATION •Maximum lot size: 15,000 sq ft •No aggregation beyond this limit •Must be rentals —12 -month leases •HPB review: Consent agenda if no variances; Removal from consent with majority vote •Max ground floor commercial: 3,000 sq ft •Subject to overall unit cap •Unit sizes: Min: 600 sq ft; Max: 1,200 sq ft Commission Oversight SINGLE CITY COMMISSION 4/7 VOTE TO UNLOCK THE INCENTIVE COMMISSION REVIEW LIMITED TO: •Compliance with eligibility criteria •Compliance with unit mix and non - transient covenant •Compliance with lot size limitations •Compliance with unit cap availability Helping Small Property Owners BOUTIQUE REDAP (REDEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM): •Predevelopment funding (design, legal, engineering) •Concierge permitting / staff liaison •Developer matchmaking PRE-APPROVED DESIGNS: •Library of 2 –3 architectural prototypes •Reduced upfront costs •Faster delivery Reducing Barriers HELPING PROJECTS MOVE FORWARD Reduce time Reduce bureaucracy Reduce cost •Priority permitting •Elimination of CUP •Reduced parking requirements •Streamlined Commission approval •HPB consent agenda process •Fee waivers Pilot Structure MEASURED & ACCOUNTABLE •Unit cap: ~250 units •Defined sunset •Ongoing evaluation A controlled pilot designed to test, measure, and refine. A LIVE BETTER PATH FORWARD