Planning Report

Date:	July 18, 2000

Subject:	New Brighton's Housing Mix &

Land Use Consideration of the Jones Lake Site

Background

As a result of the moratorium placed on multiple family housing within the City, the Planning Commission is asked to consider the mix of housing within the City of New Brighton. Concern has been raised about the effect on the city's abilities to meet its housing goals if additional multi-family housing is constructed before adequate studies are conducted and appropriate zoning changes are considered. The city must proceed further with planning and study before it can determine the appropriate mix of owner-occupied and rental units within the city's housing stock, the most desirous locations for new multi-family housing within the city, and the most efficient transportation and other facilities to serve residents of the city.

Based on the City's current mix of housing, the Planning Commission is also asked to consider the appropriate use of the Jones Lake Apartment site located on Old Highway 8 NW.

To provide some background the following is a chronology of events regarding this site and high density residential housing within the City, and the Jones Lake site:

August 1999. Application made for a 43-unit apartment (withdrawn)

January 2000. Application made for a 50-unit apartment (withdrawn)

March 2000. Application made for 36-unit townhome development (withdrawn)

May 2000. Application made for a 50-unit apartment (suspended)

May 2000. Moratorium adopted on multiple family housing development. Purpose of the moratorium is to allow time for the City to review the mix of housing opportunities in the City.

Findings

The city has conducted studies relating to housing within the city, including "An Analysis of the New Brighton Housing Market" in June 1993 (the "Housing Study"), "A Vision for the Heart of New Brighton" in July 1997 (the "Vision Study"), has reviewed housing issues as part of the process of updating city's comprehensive plan (the "Comprehensive Plan") and as a function of its participation in the Local Housing Incentives Account Program under the Metropolitan Livable Communities Act (the "Livable Communities Documentation"), and has been involved, with other members of the North Metro I-35W Corridor Coalition (the "Coalition"), in a multi-jurisdictional review of housing and other land uses within the Coalition's member cities. The following summarizes some of the findings of those efforts:

The Housing Study found that:

a.	"To remain vital, New Brighton will have to maintain its existing housing stock and continue to appeal to entry-level and move-up home buyers."

b.	"By the year 2000, two-thirds of New Brighton's housing will be over 30 years old. At this point, the house may be showing signs of deterioration."

c.	Approximately 30% of the city's housing stock consisted of apartments, with less than 56% consisting of single-family units.

The Vision Study concluded that:

a.	The Old Highway 8 Corridor was the city's "gateway" and was in need of "life cycle housing for all sectors of the people of New Brighton."

b.	"The important thing [in this area] will be to protect the edges of existing single-family neighborhoods so that they can be maintained as quality living environments."

c.	Townhomes shall be constructed on the subject "Jones Lake Apartment site" (see attached graphic).

The Comprehensive Plan indicates that:

a.	In 1997, multi-family housing units continued to make up more than 30% of the city's housing stock.

b.	New Brighton's rental housing stock mainly consists of "older apartment buildings that lack the amenities offered by newer apartment buildings."

c.	The issues identified in the Housing Study remain the matters of greatest concern to the city.

d.	The city lacks an adequate number of moderate to upper-level income apartment units.

The Livable Communities Documentation indicates that:

a.	The city exceeds its goal for affordable rental housing, but does not meet its goal for affordable owner-occupied housing under the Livable Communities Act (The City has also received a petition with 1,200 signatures stating they did not want to see any more high density housing).

b.	The city's owner to renter ratio is lower than its goal under the Livable Communities Act.

Based on the above findings, it may be determined that the City has an adequate number of multiple family housing opportunities, in particular the "lower-end" style apartment with few amenities. The City does lack up-scale style apartments that offer amenities to its residents.

Jones Lake Site

When looking at the Jones Lake site, it is difficult to vision this property with up-scale apartments, given the surrounding land uses. To the north there is an existing run-down apartment, which is the source of many maintenance concerns, there is a trailer park to the west, a swamp (Jones Lake) and industrial development to the east and northeast, and an appraisal office to the south. Given the restrictive setback from Jones Lake and the size of the site, it is difficult to develop this site with a quality high density apartment complex that would attract an up-scale development of this site.

As noted above, the City has a shortage of owner-occupied residential development. The City has agreed to a goal, as part of the Livable Communities Act, to development of affordable owner-occupied housing.

Therefore, a more appropriate use of this site may be an affordable owner-occupied medium density residential development. A development similar to the Silver Oak townhome development on Old Highway 8, which were constructed two years ago. The overall density of that development is 6.8 units per acre (29 units on 4.23 acres of land).

Additionally, the New Brighton Vision Plan has called for the development of owner-occupied Townhomes on this site (see attached). In order to ensure development of medium density residential (townhomes) on the Jones Lake site, a rezoning to R-2, Two Family residential would be necessary.

Under an R-2 Zoning, Townhomes are allowed by Special Use Permit at a density up to 7 units per acre. The vacant portion of the Jones Lake apartment site (3.37 acres), could accommodate 23 townhome units. The appraisal office site (60,113 s.f.) could hold 10 units.

Multiple Family Housing

The Jones Lake site is the only site available within the City that is currently zoned for high density residential development, with the exception of the MX District, which does allow high density residential. In order to ensure upscale multiple family housing within the City, the planning commission has been asked to consider design guidelines to ensure quality development. Additionally, the City may want the examine the MX Zoning district regulations on high density development.

Currently high density residential is a permitted use within the MX District. The Zoning Ordinance could be revised to allow only as a special use under certain conditions, such as providing certain amenities within the development along with meeting architectural standards.

Staff Recommendation

Based on the information contained herein, staff recommends that the Jones Lake Site be rezoned from R-3A, Multiple Family Residential to R-2, Two Family Residential to be consistent with the Old Highway 8 Vision Plan and to aide the City of New Brighton in achieving its established goals as part of the Livable Communities Act.

Staff further recommends that the Planning Commission and City Council consider a Zoning Ordinance Amendment to the MX District, to place closer regulations on apartments within the MX District.

If the Planning Commission is comfortable with these recommendations, they would be forwarded on to the City Council for their consideration. The issues would then be brought back to the Planning Commission for formal consideration including the necessary public hearings.

Cary K. Teague, City Planner