A small parcel in the Hancock neighborhood may see more intense zoning in the future after winning an endorsement from the Planning Commission during their September 23 meeting.<\/p>\n
Property owners are seeking a change from multifamily residence-limited density, or MF-1, to multifamily residence-medium density, or MF-3, at 3305 and 3303 Duval Street and 501 and 505 Harris Ave. According to a presentation from Planning Department staff, the applicant is asking for the new zoning to allow for the demolition and replacement of a garage apartment with \u201cup to four\u201d new units in a yet-undescribed configuration.<\/p>\n
Planning staff recommended the zoning change with the addition of a conditional overlay. That overlay would limit the site to a maximum of six units regardless of what would be allowed by the MF-3 zoning.<\/p>\n
Victoria Haase, who spoke in favor of the rezoning as an agent of the applicant, noted that the total unit density allowable on the site under the requested rezoning would not be very different in practice from what would be possible currently with single-family zoning under the city\u2019s HOME Initiative.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe request is actually more traditional than many realize,\u201d Haase said, pointing to a map that showed a large number of sites in the neighborhood that are effectively being used as multifamily housing.<\/p>\n
Neighbors opposed the rezoning, arguing that the same overall amount of housing could be provided by the less-intense zoning. Charles d\u2019Harcourt, who is president of the Hancock Neighborhood Association, spoke against the request on behalf of the association, which voted to oppose the rezoning during their meeting in July.<\/p>\n
d\u2019Harcourt said the applicant had previously been willing to communicate about an earlier zoning change request, but this time around something had \u201cbroken down.\u201d He asked the commission to either recommend against the rezoning or consider postponing a decision by three weeks to allow time for more discussion between the applicant and the neighborhood.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re able and willing to discuss, the only concern is we\u2019ll have to make sure that we don\u2019t end up in the situation where the owner talks \u2014 which is already much better than what we have now \u2014 but doesn\u2019t listen,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Several other neighbors joined d\u2019Harcourt in speaking against the rezoning at the meeting, raising familiar\u00a0concerns like traffic safety, parking and neighborhood character.<\/p>\n
Commissioner Greg Anderson moved to recommend the applicant\u2019s request, which would not include the conditional overlay recommended by city staff. That motion carried 7-1-1, with commissioner Danielle Skidmore voting against and commissioner Imad Ahmed abstaining.<\/p>\n
\u201cI understand that there\u2019s a fear of new housing, there\u2019s a fear of students in some places. I do not have that fear,\u201d commissioner Greg Anderson said, speaking for the motion. \u201cI think this place will be all the better for having some more homes and some more students and some more vitality.\u201d<\/p>\n
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