Attachment C - VPC Summary - Z-50-22-4.pdf
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City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona 85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 Village Planning Committee Meeting Summary Z-50-22-4 Date of VPC Meeting December 20, 2022 Request From C-2 TOD-1 Request To WU Code T5:5 UT Proposed Use Multifamily residential Location Approximately 180 feet north of the northeast corner of 7th Avenue and Camelback Road VPC Recommendation Approval, per the staff recommendation, with an additional stipulation VPC Vote 12-4 VPC DISCUSSION & RECOMMENDED STIPULATIONS: Committee Members Jak Keyser and Jamaar Williams joined during this item, bringing quorum to 16 members. Three members of the public registered to speak on this item. STAFF PRESENTATION Sarah Stockham, staff, reviewed the surrounding land uses, zoning designations, and the Uptown TOD Policy Plan transect map. Ms. Stockham displayed the proposed site plan, elevations and concluded with staff findings and recommended stipulations. APPLICANT PRESENTATION Brian Greathouse, representing the applicant with Burch & Cracchiolo, PA, displayed an aerial image of the site, reviewed the surrounding land uses, and displayed the proposed elevations and site plan highlighting the location of the open space along 7th Avenue. Mr. Greathouse showed a trip generation comparison of the current zoning and proposed zoning revealing a reduction in AM and PM trips, a route comparison showing that it is a shorter route to turn left onto 7th Avenue rather than a right to travel along Colter Street to go south on 7th Avenue, or west or east on Camelback Road, and concluded by showing a gap analysis detailing the number of left turns onto 7th Avenue possible during AM and PM peak hours. Attachment C Alhambra Village Planning Committee Meeting Summary Z-50-22-4 Page 2 of 7 City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona 85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE Committee Member Jim DeGraffenreid asked what is the targeted renter demographic, what the price ranges will be for the units, if residents using light rail was incorporated into the traffic trip generation calculation, and if any water conservation or heat mitigation measures are going to be incorporated into the site design. Mr. Greathouse replied that they are targeting young professionals and empty nesters, the price range will be $1,400 for a studio, $1,700 for a one-bedroom unit, and $2,400 for a two-bedroom unit, the traffic study did not reduce the number of trips due to residents using light rail, but that now that working from home is more popular they expect the actual trips generated to be 20% less than the projected trips, and they will use a white TPO roof for energy efficiency and low-flow plumbing fixtures. Committee Member Tracey Adams asked what is a forecourt, what was the response of the nearby historic district to the traffic study, and how far is the building from the back of curb. Mr. Greathouse replied that the building will be recessed in the center to allow for a seating area which is the forecourt, Medlock Place Historic District provided a letter of support for the project, and they also want the Colter Street improvements in the Colter Street Improvement Project completed, and the building is 22 feet from the back of curb. Committee Member Adams commented that while it is great to have City stipulations and policy for shade trees, in actuality there is not enough space to grow them, an Italian Cypress tree can grow to be 20 feet wide, and maintenance is an issue as well as some property owners cannot keep up with pruning. Committee Member Adams concluded that she wants to see this project succeed, but when you have a beautiful building and landscaping that is not up to par, it can have an impact on the entire site. Committee Member Keith Ender asked how the parking spaces along the northern border of the site will impact the traffic flow along the shared driveway to the north, and if the applicant has spoken to the neighboring property owner to the east who shares the driveway. Mr. Greathouse replied that they have not spoken with the neighboring developer, and their calculations show that the driveway is wide enough to accommodate the parked cars. Committee Member Maurita Harris asked if the historic neighborhood commented on turning left during certain times of day, adding that during the mornings and evenings the reverse lane on 7th Avenue is not a turn lane. Mr. Greathouse replied that they were surprised with the number of gaps available to turn left in the traffic study, and they have drone footage showing the gaps available to make left turns throughout the day. Committee Member Harris asked if the land has already been acquired and if these units will be for low-income renters. Mr. Greathouse replied that the site is under contract but has not closed, and that the units will be market rate. Committee Member Charlie Jones shared a concern with the parking spaces along the north side of the development, and that they will stop the traffic flow in the shared driveway when they are backing out. Mr. Greathouse replied that if there was a car Alhambra Village Planning Committee Meeting Summary Z-50-22-4 Page 3 of 7 City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona 85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 driving in the shared driveway it would yield to the car backing out, and they don’t anticipate cars driving quickly down the driveway. Committee Member Jones replied that there will be a lot of traffic using that driveway as it is shared with the development to the east and asked if the users of this site can access the site to the east which has access onto Camelback Road. Mr. Greathouse replied that the neighboring site will be gated so residents of the subject site will not be able to drive through to reach Camelback Road, and they only used their proposed project in their trip generation calculations, but they would be happy to look into it more. Vice Chair Drew Bryck asked if they could stripe a dedicated left turn lane within the shared driveway, because one car waiting to turn left onto 7th Avenue will back up the rest of the cars in the driveway who want to turn right and asked who is responsible for the driveway. Mr. Greathouse replied that the driveway is 30-feet-wide, which is wider than a typical driveway, but they are expecting it to be one lane in, one lane out without striping, and that both property owners have rights to the shared driveway. Vice Chair Bryck asked for clarification on the funds provided in an escrow account and asked if they anticipate traffic will spill onto Oregon Avenue or Georgia Avenue due to the improvements proposed on Colter Street. Mr. Greathouse replied that they have agreed to deposit funds into an escrow account for the Colter Street Improvement Project, which is still in the design phase, and that is hard to gauge human behavior, but they do not anticipate many people turning right onto those streets. Committee Member Alexander Malkoon asked if the purchase of the site if contingent on the zoning approval, if the units will be built with the potential for condo conversions, why the property to the east appears to have no building setback on Camelback Road, when is it required for developers to underground utility lines and what was the amount provided for traffic improvements by the property to the east to the Medlock Place association. Mr. Greathouse replied that the sale of the site is contingent the zoning approval and they are not planning on building the units to condo standards to allow for a conversion in the future. Ms. Stockham, staff, replied that the Walkable Urban Code requires a maximum setback, not a minimum, so a 0-foot setback on Camelback Road would be within Zoning Ordinance standards, it is a common requirement through the development review process to underground utility lines, and that she is unfamiliar with the details of the private agreement between the developer of the property to the east and the nearby historic neighborhood. Committee Member Charlie Jones asked how many parking spaces will be provided and what was the unit mix. Mr. Greathouse replied they are providing 272 parking spaces, which is in the middle of what the Phoenix Zoning Ordinance requires, and the amount allowed with a 25% reduction due to the proximity of the light rail station, and they are providing 97 studios, 115 one-bedrooms and 37 two-bedrooms. Committee Member Christian Solorio shared that unlike the City of Tempe, the City of Phoenix does not have the infrastructure in place for a fund for voluntary donations by market-rate developers towards building affordable housing, but the AZ Housing Fund is an option and encourages all market-rate developers to consider a donation. Alhambra Village Planning Committee Meeting Summary Z-50-22-4 Page 4 of 7 City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona 85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 PUBLIC COMMENT Ken Waters shared that his TOD journey began in October when there was a PHO proposal for a PUD-zoned site near Central and Camelback, where the developer wanted to reduce the amount of retail on the ground floor from 14,000 square feet to 2,000 square feet. Mr. Waters added that the City is missing mixed-use opportunities in projects along the light rail line, that the ground floor should be sacred ground for retail for properties along the light rail line and asked each committee member do their own walk through or inventory of sites near the light rail to see how many incorporate ground-floor retail and how many are 100% residential. Ellen Bilbrey, with the Medlock Place Historic District Association, shared her support for the project, that they worked with both the hotel and multifamily residential development to the east who did contribute funds for traffic mitigation into an escrow account, and that she liked that the project was only four stories and the way it integrates tree and shade, that the shopping center across the street has enough retail and ultimately thanked the applicant for their early collaboration on the project. Rick Mountjoy, with the Medlock Place Historic District Association, thanked the developer for reaching out early in the process, and shared that traffic is a concern now that this site and the site to the east will add a combined 535 dwelling units to the neighborhood, but they are working with the City on traffic mitigation measures. APPLICANT RESPONSE Mr. Greathouse thanked the speakers for the support and shared that there is retail on the corner of 7th Avenue and Camelback Road. FLOOR/PUBLIC DISCUSSION CLOSED: MOTION Committee Member Alexander Malkoon motioned to recommend approval of Z-50- 22-4 per the staff recommendation. Committee Member Charlie Jones asked to make a friendly amendment that a stipulation be added to relocate parking on the north so that it will not interfere with traffic flow on the shared driveway. Vice Chair Drew Bryck asked to make a friendly amendment that the driveway include a dedicated left-turn lane. Committee Member Alexander Malkoon accepted and amended his motion to include an additional stipulation: The developer shall work with the Street Transportation and Planning and Development Departments regarding the proposed parking along the north side of the site so that it does not interfere with traffic flow along the shared driveway and to potentially stripe the driveway to include a left-turn lane. Alhambra Village Planning Committee Meeting Summary Z-50-22-4 Page 5 of 7 City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona 85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 Committee Member Alexander Malkoon motioned to recommend approval of Z-50- 22-4 per the staff recommendation with an additional stipulation. Committee Member Charlie Jones seconded the motion. DISCUSSION Committee Member Tracey Adams shared a concern with the landscaping along the streetscape, sharing that often time there is not adequate space for trees to grow or they grow too close to the building, and apartment management companies excessively prune or remove the trees. Committee Member Jak Keyser shared that while he understands the request to have retail at this location, this could also be a location to have professional offices on the ground floor, as this site does not immediately face the light rail line. Committee Member Crystal Carrillo shared that she does not approve of the request, stating a need for affordable, not market rate, housing in the Village. VOTE 12-4; motion to recommend approval of Z-50-22-4 per the staff recommendation with an additional stipulation passes with Committee Members Adams, Ender, Fitzgerald, Harris, Jones, Keyser, Krietor, LeBlanc, Malkoon, Solorio, Bryck and Shore in favor with Committee Members Carrillo, DeGraffenreid, Sanchez and Williams opposed. STAFF COMMENTS REGARDING VPC RECOMMENDATION & STIPULATIONS: None. VPC Recommended Stipulations: 1. The developer shall provide a minimum 10,000 square feet of publicly accessible open space in a forecourt configuration, as described below and as approved or modified by the Planning and Development Department. The publicly accessible open space shall be: a. Adjacent and accessible to the public sidewalk on 7th Avenue b. Provided in areas of not less than 500 square feet and 20 feet in width; c. Shaded to a minimum of 50 percent by vegetative shade; d. Maintained in perpetuity without fences or barriers; e. Eligible to qualify as a forecourt frontage type; Alhambra Village Planning Committee Meeting Summary Z-50-22-4 Page 6 of 7 City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona 85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 f. Improved to contain, at minimum, a drinking fountain for people and pets, art, and seating. 2. All ground floor dwelling units adjacent to 7th Avenue shall utilize the stoop and doorwell, forecourt, or porch frontage types, as approved or modified by the Planning and Development Department. 3. Between the public sidewalk and the building fronts, there shall be a 6-foot- wide landscape area planted with minimum 3-inch caliper shade trees placed 20 feet on center or in equivalent groupings, as approved or modified by the Planning and Development Department to comply with frontage requirements. 4. The development shall incorporate masonry elements into the primary exterior building materials and shall be reflective of the architectural style in the area, as approved by the Planning and Development Department. 5. The developer shall install traffic calming devices along the driveways of the property so that vehicle drivers exercise caution prior to crossing the sidewalk when exiting the property, as approved or modified by the Planning and Development Department. 6. The developer shall incorporate bicycle infrastructure, as described below and as approved by the Planning and Development Department. a. All required bicycle parking for multifamily use, per Section 1307.H of the Phoenix Zoning Ordinance, shall be secured parking. b. Guest bicycle parking for multifamily residential use shall be provided at a minimum of 0.05 spaces per unit with a maximum of 50 required spaces near entrances of buildings and installed per the requirements of Section 1307.H of the Phoenix Zoning Ordinance. c. One bicycle repair station shall be provided and maintained by the developer in an area of high visibility near the secure bicycle parking areas. 7. A minimum 35 percent of the uncovered parking lot area shall be shaded by minimum 3-inch caliper shade trees, as approved by the Planning and Development Department. 8. The applicant shall submit a Traffic Impact Study (TIS) to the City for this development. The TIS shall include evaluation of 7th Avenue peak hour restrictions and resulting site traffic routing on the surrounding street network and proposed mitigation to Colter Street. The developer shall be responsible for all costs for mitigation measure determined by the Study and contribute funds for the Colter Street Project. No preliminary approval of plans shall be Alhambra Village Planning Committee Meeting Summary Z-50-22-4 Page 7 of 7 City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona 85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 granted until the study is reviewed and approved by the City. 9. The southern driveway onto 7th Avenue, as depicted on the site plan date stamped October 31, 2022, shall be restricted to right-in/right-out only and access shall be coordinated with the Public Transit Department, as approved by Planning and Development. 10. The developer shall construct a minimum 6-foot-wide sidewalk separated from the curb by a minimum 10-foot-wide landscape area along the east side of 7th Avenue and planted with minimum three-inch caliper shade trees placed 20 feet on center or in equivalent groupings, as approved by the Planned and Development Department. 11. The developer shall dedicate a sidewalk easement to accommodate a minimum 6-foot-wide sidewalk and minimum 10-foot-wide landscape area located between the back of curb and sidewalk, as approved by the Planning and Development Department. 12. The developer shall construct all streets within and adjacent to the development with paving, curb, gutter, sidewalk, curb ramps, streetlights, median islands, landscaping, and other incidentals, as per plans approved by the Planning and Development Department. All improvements shall comply with all ADA accessibility standards. 13. In the event archaeological materials are encountered during construction, the developer shall immediately cease all ground-disturbing activities within a 33- foot radius of the discovery, notify the City Archaeologist, and allow time for the Archaeology Office to properly assess the materials. 14. Prior to preliminary site plan approval, the landowner shall execute a Proposition 207 waiver of claims form. The waiver shall be recorded with the Maricopa County Recorder's Office and delivered to the City to be included in the rezoning application file for record. 15. THE DEVELOPER SHALL WORK WITH THE STREET TRANSPORTATION AND PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTS REGARDING THE PROPOSED PARKING ALONG THE NORTH SIDE OF THE SITE SO THAT IT DOES NOT INTERFERE WITH TRAFFIC FLOW ALONG THE SHARED DRIVEWAY AND TO POTENTIALLY STRIPE THE DRIVEWAY TO INCLUDE A LEFT-TURN LANE.