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- Economic Development Element Policies 8.1 and 8.5 <br />Economic Development Element Policies 8.1 and 8.5 address the use <br />of incentives, including increased densities, to reduce the cost <br />per housing unit and to encourage the provision of affordable <br />housing. By allowing increased density on the subject property, <br />consistent with its comprehensive plan land use designation, the <br />request would implement Economic Development Element Policies 8.1 <br />and 8.5. <br />- Mass Transit Element Policy 1.2 <br />Mass Transit Element Policy 1.2 states that the county will provide <br />higher densities along major transportation corridors in order to <br />facilitate future mass transit provision. Since the proposed <br />rezoning will increase the allowed density along SR 60, one of the <br />county's major transportation corridors, this request implements <br />Mass Transit Element Policy 1.2. <br />As part of its consistency analysis, staff compared the proposed <br />request to all the objectives and policies in the plan and found no <br />conflicts. Therefore, the request is consistent with the <br />comprehensive plan. <br />Compatibility with the Surrounding Area <br />Staff's position is that multiple -family residential development is <br />appropriate for the site and that such development would be <br />compatible with surrounding land uses. Multiple -family development <br />is already prominent in that area of the county. Located near the <br />SR 60/58th Avenue commercial/ industrial node, the subject property <br />is particularly well suited to meet the demand for multiple -family <br />housing generated by development within that node. In effect, the <br />proposed rezoning would increase the opportunity for people to live <br />near their place of employment. <br />The primary impacts of development on the subject property would be <br />on the Lake -in -the -woods development. Abutting the subject <br />property's west boundary, Lake -in -the -Woods is a multiple -family <br />residential development that is zoned RM -6. With respect to the <br />potential impacts development of the subject property may have on <br />Lake -in -the -Woods, there are several mitigating factors. <br />The first factor relates to the layout of Lake -in -the -Woods. That <br />project is designed with most buildings located in, and oriented <br />towards, the interior of the development. In contrast, most open <br />space and stormwater retention areas are located along the <br />development's perimeter, thus acting as a buffer. The required <br />site plan approval process for multiple -family development would <br />work to provide similar features for such a project on the subject <br />property. <br />Additionally, under the requested RM -8 zoning district, building <br />coverage for multiple -family development on the site would be <br />restricted to a!maximum of 25% of the lot, while a minimum of 305 <br />of the site mush be open, or green, space. Finally, county LDRs <br />require side yards that are at least 10 feet wide (chapter 911), <br />perimeter landscaping (chapter 926), and landscaping of parking <br />lots and open space (chapter 926). For these reasons, staff feels <br />the requested land use designation and zoning district would be <br />compatible with adjacent residential development. <br />27 <br />January 21, 1997 <br />BOOK PAGE 33 <br />