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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-08-17 YPC PacketDEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT � Joan Davenport, AICP, Director �tx OF r Y'An q 129 North Second Street, 2nd Floor, Yakima, WA 98901 ask.planning@yakimawa.gov • www.yakimawa.gov/services/planning City of Yakima Planning Commission PUBLIC MEETING City Hall Council Chambers Wednesday February 8, 2017 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. YPC Members: Chairman Scott Clark, Vice -Chair Patricia Byers, Al Rose, Bill Cook, Peter Marinace, Gavin Keefe, Tom Trepanier Council Liaison: Avina Gutierrez City Planning Staff: Joan Davenport (Community Development Director/Planning Manager); Jeff Peters (Senior Planner); Joseph Calhoun (Senior Planner); Eric Crowell (Assistant Planner); Rosalinda Ibarra (Administrative Assistant); and Lisa Maxey (Department Assistant) Agenda I. Call to Order II. Roll Call III. Staff Announcements IV. Audience Participation V. Approval of Meeting Minutes of January 11, 2017 VI. Consideration of Amendment to the Definition of "Dwelling, Multiple -Family" and the Addition of Other New Definitions to Accommodate Tiny Homes/Efficiency Units VII. Other Business VIII. Adjourn Next Meeting: February 22, 2017 MIS 094 To: City of Yakima Planning Commission & Council Liaison From: Joan Davenport, Planning Manager & Jeff Peters, Supervising Planner Date: 2/7/2017 Re: Consideration of Amendments to the Definition of Multi -Family Residential Over the past three to four years, there has been a growing movement throughout the State of Washington to allow alternate forms of housing such as tiny homes/efficiency units. As a result, some communities have permitted tiny homes/efficiency units in both their Single and Multi -Family zoning districts, both permitting them as single-family homes on individual lots of record, or as multi -family dwelling units that are clustered around a common open space or a community building. As the City of Yakima is presently in the process of updating its Comprehensive Plan, it has come to the Planning Division's attention that the City's current definition of Multi -Family Residential development ("Dwelling, multiple -family" means a structure or structures, or portion thereof, designed for occupancy by three or more families living independently of each other and containing three or more attached dwelling units on a lot.) has not kept pace with the changing trends in housing choices, and at present would not allow tiny homes/efficiency units as multi- family development. The main issue is that multi -family dwellings have to be attached units under the City's current definition. As the State of Washington has emphasized and required that cities allow for accessory dwelling units, increased density in residential zoning districts, and because the City's draft 2040 Comprehensive Plan supports these new forms of housing, the Planning Division requests that the City Planning Commission consider the following zoning amendments, which would allow this new form of housing. City of Yakima 2040 Comprehensive Plan Goals and Policies, which Support Tiny Homes/Efficiency Units: Land Use Element: Goal 1.3 — Preserve and enhance the quality, character and function of Yakima's Residential Neighborhoods. Policy 1.3.1. — Provide for a wide variety of housing types within the city to meet the full range of housing needs for Yakima's evolving population. February 7, 2017 A. Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU). Allow for attached and detached ADU's in all residential districts provided size, design, and other provisions are included to promote compatibility with surrounding uses. D. Cottage Housing. Allow the development of cottage housing (a cluster of small homes around a common open space) in residential zones, provided special design provisions are included to ensure a pedestrian -oriented design, inclusion of common open space, and strict cottage size limitations. F. Townhouses. Encourage the development of townhouses in the R-2 and R-3 zones and commercial/mixed-use zones as an efficient form of housing. Allow for attached and detached townhouses in all residential districts provided size, design, and other provisions are included to promote compatibility with surrounding uses. Additional considerations may include: Design standards should emphasize pedestrian -oriented design, fagade articulation, and usable open space. Policy 1.3.7. — Explore the development of zoning incentives to help meet the housing diversity and affordability goals. Examples could include residential density bonuses, variations in allowed housing type, or flexibility in regulations, if a proposal meets community goals for affordable, senior, size -limited or other types of innovative housing. If not permitted outright or through discretionary review processes, consider providing these incentives through pilot programs or other innovative measures. Housing Element: Goal 5.1 — Encourage diverse and affordable housing choices Policy 5.1.4. — Facilitate small lot sizes, condominiums, clustering and other options that increase the supply of affordable homeownership options and the diversity of housing that meet the needs of aging, young professional, and small and large households. Policy 5.1.8. — Encourage and incentivize affordable housing development. Policy 5.4.8. — Promote safe, energy efficient, and healthy housing attainable to very low-, low-, and moderate -income households. Zoning Ordinance Amendment Options, which Support Tiny Homes/Efficiency Units: 1. Modify the definition of dwelling, multiple -family to eliminate the word "attached". February 7, 2017 This option is the least complex, but would open the Multi -Family zoning district to allow a mixture of single-family homes, duplexes, and other multi- family dwellings on a single lot of record, and as a result, may also require the definitions of dwelling, single-family detached and dwelling, two-family to be modified accordingly. 2. Modify the definition of dwelling, multiple -family as follows: "Dwelling, multiple -family" means a structure or structures, or portion thereof, designed for occupancy by three or more families living independently of each other and containing three or more attached dwelling units on a lot. Multiple -family and detached single-family dwellings that are clustering around a common amenity such as open space, recreation facilities or common community building, and have a common driveway access on a single lot of record is also considered multiple -family development. This option would allow tiny homes/efficiency units, but would require a more refined site plan with shared amenities and access. Staff Recommendation: The City Planning Division recommends option #2 as this amendment will: 1) Allow tiny homes/efficiency units as multi -family development in the Two Family Residential zoning district as a Type (2) or (3) Review dependent upon the density of the development; 2) Allow the use as a Type (1) Review in the Multi -Family zoning district; 3) Prohibit the use in the Suburban Residential and Single -Family zoning districts; 4) Ensure that multi -family developments composed of this alternative housing type contain the required amenities to ensure that they are operated similar to that of an apartment complex, and not as independent single-family homes; and 5) Minimize amendments to other definitions within the Urban Area Zoning Ordinance.