Title
To authorize the special use of the property known as 1031 Fourqurean Lane, 1031 Fourqurean Lane Rear, 1111 Fourqurean Lane, and 1101 Fourqurean Lane, for the purpose of multifamily dwellings with up to 80 dwelling units upon certain terms and conditions.
Body
O & R Request
EDITION: 1
TO: The Honorable Members of City Council
THROUGH: Levar M. Stoney, Mayor (Patron: Mayor, by Request)
(This in no way reflects a recommendation on behalf of the Mayor)
THROUGH: Selena Cuffee-Glenn, Chief Administrative Officer
THROUGH: Peter L. Downey, Jr., Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Economic Development and Planning
FROM: Mark A. Olinger, Director, Dept. of Planning and Development Review
RE: Special Use Permit to authorize the construction of a new multi-family dwelling
ORD. OR RES. No.
PURPOSE: To authorize the special use of the properties known as 1031 Fourqurean Lane, 1031 Fourqurean Lane Rear, 1111 Fourqurean Lane, and 1101 Fourqurean Lane for the purpose of multi-family dwellings with up to 80 dwelling units upon certain terms and conditions.
REASON: The applicant is proposing to develop a new multi-family affordable housing development on the site, including demolishing a vacant building. The project includes multiple parcels, the main one of which is zoned R-53 Multi-Family Residential Conditional, as well as parcels zoned R-5 Single-Family Residential which do not permit the proposed multi-family development. The project will require the acquisition of City-owned land.
RECOMMENDATION: In accordance with the requirements of the City Charter and the Zoning Ordinance, the City Planning Commission will review this request and make a recommendation to City Council. This item will be scheduled for consideration by the Commission at its February 6, 2017 meeting. A letter outlining the Commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to City Council following that meeting.
BACKGROUND: The subject property is located on the southern side of Fourqurean Lane between 2nd Avenue and Harold Avenue. The primary property is 1031 Fourqurean Lane; an additional three properties around the site are included in the proposal and bring the total site area to approximately 6.2 acres. The former St. Elizabeth’s School, constructed in 1950 and currently vacant is located on the property set back approximately 85 feet from the curb of Fourqurean Lane. The dilapidated three story brick building contains approximately 17,200 square feet of floor area.
The applicant proposes to demolish the blighted school building and develop new multi-family dwellings on the site for Better Housing Coalition to operate as affordable housing with multi-family dwelling uses. The proposed uses of the property associated with this program would be multifamily dwelling with up to 80 dwelling units.
The subject properties fall within the R-53 Multi-Family Residential Zoning District and R-5 Single-Family Residential District. The R-53 Multi-Family district allows for multi-family dwellings, as well as parking areas serving uses permitted in the district. Multi-family dwellings must be located on lots of not less than 5,000 square feet in total area and not less than 1,250 square feet in area for each dwelling unit, with yard depth of at least 15 feet from front, side, and rear yards. Where there are more than one building on the same lot for dwelling uses, the space between buildings must be at least 15 feet, and the site overall must have a usable open space of at least 40% of the lot.
The R-5 Single-Family district allows for single-family detached dwellings as a principal use, as well as uses such as schools, places of worship, and parks, among others. It does not allow multi-family dwellings as a use. Front yard depths are required to be at least 25 feet, with side and rear yards of not less than 5 feet. Building height is limited to 35 feet.
The subject properties are in the North Planning District as defined by the 2000-2020 citywide Master Plan, which recommends Single-Family (Low Density) uses for this property. The Plan defines the primary use for this land use designation as “single-family detached dwellings at densities up to seven units per acre” (page 133).
Properties to the north of the site alongside Fourqurean Lane, as well as to the west of the site, are in the R-5 Single-Family Residential District and are occupied by single-family detached dwellings. The property to the east of the site include institutional uses, including St. Elizabeth’s Church and a City of Richmond Fire Station, as well as single-family detached dwellings. Hotchikiss Community Center and the Brookland Park Commercial Corridor are only a few blocks from the site.
The site area is approximately 6.2 acres, with 3.3 acres of open space proposed. 134 parking spaces, or 1.5 spaces per unit, are proposed for the project, meeting the zoning requirement for multi-family dwelling use parking of 1.5 spaces per unit with over 2 bedrooms; the project is proposed to include one bedroom units as well as two and three bedroom units. There are two entrances off of Fourqurean Lane to the parking area, one on axis with Groveland Avenue and one to the west of Woodcliff Avenue. The parking area is located behind the three buildings along Fourqurean Lane, as well as on the western side yard of the second building. An access drive continues around the rear of the property, with a gate for firehouse to access, and there in further parking on the east side yard, as this is a triangular site. The parking area is proposed with trees in the bump-outs, as well as shrubbery boarding the western and eastern limits of the site. The parking areas will be lit.
Along Fourqurean Lane, three buildings will front the street. The facades are varied with window and entrance treatments in keeping with the surrounding neighborhood character; the top of the roof of these three buildings comes to a height of 33 feet. Building A1 is two stories at the front elevation, with an additional terrace level at the rear; Building A2 and A3 are two stories in height.
A fourth building, Building B, is located in the middle of the parcel, surrounded by the parking area and access drive. It is three stories tall and in an L-shape, with a defined cornice at the floor of the third story, for a height of approximately 40.5 feet. The façade is varied along its length, and includes covered entries and porticos. The two branches will be approximately 206’ and 215’ long, with a double-loaded corridor for building width of approximately 58’.
FISCAL IMPACT / COST: The Department Planning and Development Review does not anticipate any impact to the City’s budget for this or future fiscal years.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: The Department Planning and Development Review does not anticipate any fiscal implications from this proposal.
BUDGET AMENDMENT NECESSARY: No
REVENUE TO CITY: None
DESIRED EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon adoption
REQUESTED INTRODUCTION DATE: January 9, 2017
CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING DATE: February 13, 2017
REQUESTED AGENDA: Consent
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL COMMITTEE: None
CONSIDERATION BY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES: City Planning Commission, February 6, 2017
AFFECTED AGENCIES: Office of Chief Administrative Officer
Law Department (for review of draft ordinance)
RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING ORD. OR RES.: None.
ATTACHMENTS: Draft Ordinance
STAFF: Kathleen Onufer, Executive Staff Assistant (Room 511)
646-5207
Lory Markham, Principal Planner
Land Use Administration (Room 511)
646-6309