Ordinance 3769-20 - Laserfiche WebLink

ERC Narrative Statement(4) abuts the east subject properties. The vacated Summit Avenue will be converted to passive and active open space and pedestrian access to the subject properties will continue to be via Summit Avenue. Vehicular access to the expanded Summit campus will be via Harrison Avenue and the alley between Summit and Harrison Avenues. Parking for the subject properties will continue to be located at the existing parking lots along the alley at 2601 Summit Avenue. The effect of the vacation, if approved, will be to create a more inviting pedestrian environment at the subject properties and to limit vehicular use in the same area. (Supports Location Criteria 8). The development agreement restrictions described above will ensure the proposed project and any future development is compatible with the residential neighborhood. With the restrictions, building heights at the east properties would be consistent with RS-2 building heights proposed through the City's Rethink Zoning process. Buildings heights at the west properties would be consistent with building heights at the adjacent commercial properties per Rethink Zoning. With lower building heights,the east subject properties will function as a transitional zone between the west subject properties and single family areas to east. (Location Criteria 4, 8) The west properties have a unique land use context: they are bound by the 1-5 corridor to the north and west, a long-standing commercial use to the south and ERC's well- established institutional use to the east. The next nearest neighbor is a long-established church institutional use located northeast of the west subject properties. ERC's existing Summit Campus and the church are located in the single family zone and their uses are allowed through Special Property Use permits. As a result, the west subject properties are quite separate from the single family uses. Given this context, higher height limits at the west property are appropriate and would lead to more efficient land use across the subject properties without any meaningful impact on the nearby single family uses. (Location Criteria 4, 7 and 8) The use and building size restrictions would allow for ERC's current and improved services while codifying protections against speculative development in the future. This will ensure that future uses and building sizes are not incompatible with the single family areas north and east of the site. (Location Criteria 8) ERC's existing buildings at 2601 Summit Avenue will serve as the model for new buildings at the subject property. The scale and character of the 2601 Summit Avenue buildings were reviewed through Special Use Permits in the 1980s and 1990s to be compatible with the surrounding residential areas. New buildings at the west subject properties will be designed to complement the existing campus with similar scale and exterior materials to ensure minimal visual impacts on the residential areas. (Location Criteria 4) ERC has no plans to redevelop the east properties but the rezone will allow for a less burdensome permit process as ERC shifts some of its services to the west properties. This will make it more efficient and cost-effective for ERC to adapt its services across