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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-01-21 PZC MINUTES• • • CITY OF ENGLEWOOD PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING Community Development Conference Room January 21, 2015 ~ I. CALL TO ORDER The regular meeting of the City Planning and Zoning Commission was called to order at 7:15 p.m. in the Community Development Conference Room of the Englewood Civic Center, Chair Fish presiding. Present: Absent: Staff: Bleile, Brick, Fish , Freemire, Kinton , Knoth , Roth , Townley, Madrid King (Excused) Alan White, Director, Community Development Chris Neubecker, Senior Planner Nancy Reid , Assistant City Attorney Also Present: Brian Ewert, Superintendent, Englewood Schools ~ II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES December 2, 2014 Knoth moved: Roth seconded: TO APPROVE THE DECEMBER 2, 2014, MINUTES Chair Fish asked if there were any modifications or corrections . There were none. AYES: NAYS: ABSTAIN: ABSENT: Brick, Kinton , Knoth , Roth , Townley, Chair Fish None Bleile, Freemire King Motion carr ied. ~ Ill. Discussion with Brian Ewert, Superintendent of Englewood Public Schools Brian Ewert, Superintendent of the Englewood Public School District, reviewed the status of the school district. Mr. Ewert stated that at this time, enro llm ent is approximately 2,900 students, 600 of which do not li ve in Englewood but come from outside of Englewood . Englewood Schools are considered a district of choice with an open enrollment policy. About 700 students li ve below the poverty lin e which presents multiple challenges to the Pag e 1 of 6 • • • district. Nine percent of the enrolled students are legally homeless in that they do not have a permanent address. Fifteen percent are English Language Learners and the turnover rate in the district is approximately 20 % district wide. Expenditures per pupil is about $7,000 per student. Colorado ranks at 45th to 481h in the nation for "per pupil" funding which is below the national average of $10,500. Private schools in Colorado spend approximately $15,000-$20,000 per student. t?ll There is one Early Childhood Center at Maddox Elementary, four elementary schools and two middle schools , one of which is Englewood Leadership Academy that is a small school with approximately 80 students. There are two high schools, Englewood High School and Colorado's Finest High School of Choice. The newly completed Englewood Campus houses three schools. There will be an open house for the community on February 7th at 10:00 a.m. and Mr. Ewert encouraged everyone to attend. ltll The construction of the new campus was completed with a $50 million dollar tax increase and a grant of $8 million from the Colorado Department of Education. In 2010, the district was in the lowest 10% of Colorado Schools but has experienced growth over the past 5 years. Mr. Ewert explained the metrics by which school districts are ranked: by student growth and by achievement. Efforts are ongoing to improve growth which will improve achievement. Almost al I students gain more than one year of knowledge during the school year. The district is in the top 25 % in the state for student growth. t?ll Mr. Bleile asked for Mr. Ewert's opinion on how the district has improved over the last 5 years since he was hired as superintendent. He remarked that he feels the district as a whole has made progress in many areas but still faces many challenges. Discussion continued regarding the impact of quality schools on the City and how the neighborhoods are changing and evolving with new development. The enrollment is stable after years of declining enrollment. The specialty programs being offered by the high school includes cosmetology and culinary programs and 3 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) schools. !?] Mr. Brick inquired about the opportunities for students to participate in workforce training activities. Mr. Ewert outlined the structure of the district administration. The school district and the City could potentially work together with the workforce program. The school board is considering a bond to finance the replacement of the elementary schools. Currently there are four elementary schools but Mr. Ewert believes that the district would be more efficient with three medium sized elementary schools. Charles Hay, Maddox and Clayton are located on large lots that could accommodate the medium sized schools . Page 2 of 6 • • • Mr. Ewert spoke to the changing demographics of the area. He feels that the biggest hurdle to success now is the impact of poverty on students and consequently the resources available through the school district. ltJ Mr. Brick asked about the impact of illegal immigration on student achievement and whether or not the City can help correct the associated issues. Mr. Ewert responded that the problem is complex: • Parents are fearful of association with government entities such as schools, libraries and recreation centers. • Student achievement and growth is directly related to parental involvement and it is difficult to engage the parents who are here illegally. • Any child who comes to Englewood schools is welcome and will receive support for learning. ltJ Mr. Brick asked about the structure of the school administration, Mr. Ewert made several changes when he took the Superintendent position that have resulted in a smaller staff for administration. Mr. Madrid asked about the anticipated impact of the new apartment developments in Englewood. Mr. Ewert commented that it is an unknown, but if families are moving to the area for the community and renting an apartment it may be a transition to home ownership in Englewood. Ms. Townley asked what types of agreements are in place between the school district and the City. Currently the City uses the gym space at the schools for recreation programs for no charge. The City performs some maintenance at the schools. In the future, the City may take on more of the physical maintenance of the district's buildings. Mr. Freemire asked Mr. Ewert what he thinks the City can do to assist the district in improving their "brand". He replied that continuing to build the relationship between the school district and the City is important. The improvement of the schools will impact the overall perception of the City and efforts for economic development. Mr. Ewert reviewed the policy regarding Use Tax charged to the school due to the Home Rule Charter. Agreements were made that resulted in much of the Use Tax being applied to the improvement projects. ltJ Mr. Neubecker asked if there is anything that Planning and Zoning Commission can do to help the schools. Mr. Ewert did not have any specific ideas but stated that understanding the need for quality facilities and support from the City and citizens is crucial to building the image of the community at large. The Commissioners thanked Mr. Ewert for his time and the information he presented . l?ll Ill. STUDY SESSION Accessory Dwelling Units 2014-01 Page 3 of 6 • • • Mr. Neubecker reviewed the definition of ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units) as they exist in other communities. Common themes among some of the communities that allow AD Us: 1) The owner of the property must live in one of the units on the property, enforced by covenant attached to the property 2) Required minimum lot sizes 3) Minimum and/or maximum size of the ADU as it relates to the lot size or the primary unit 4) Parking requirement for the ADU of at least one space 5) Occupancy limits 6) Design and material requirements; Englewood does not currently have any design or material requirements for accessory buildings at this time. Specific concerns of the Commission could be written into the ordinance. Mr. Neubecker asked the Commissioners to discuss what aspects of ADUs are important to them. Ms. Townley-Limit on the number of ADUs on a property. Mr. Bleile -The Commissioners have already approved a PUD that contains ADUs. The next step is how to allow ADUs for the rest of the City. His preference is to have ADUs defined as a separate structure, not to include basement apartments or a room in the primary residence . Mr. Neubecker stated that an ADU would have its own kitchen , bathroom and exterior entrance and could operate independently of the main structure. He reviewed the definition of a household in the UDC (Unified Development Code.) Mr. Madrid asked if separate utilities would be required; Ms. Reid stated that current regulations require separate utilities (water and sewer.) Mr. Neubecker will follow up with the Utilities Department to ascertain how the utilities would be handled for ADUs. Mr. Knoth added that he did not want to see lots subdivided to accommodate an ADU. Mr. Roth commented that it would be preferable to have a requirement that the owner live on the premises . Chair Fish brought up the topic of short term rentals and cited the example of what is happening in New York City with Airbnb. He would not want to see properties purchased for short term rentals. Mr. Brick stated that he is opposed to ADUs in R-1-A zone districts . Mr. Knoth believes that R-1-A would be the most likely to accommodate ADUs given the larger lot sizes. Mr. Roth expressed concern about parking. Ms. Townley suggested that features of the property could be evaluated such as alley access and driveways. Discussion as to whether or not to continue pursuing ADUs; the consensus of the Commission is to continue. Mr. Bleile recommended selecting the various data points provided by Staff for individual discussion. Ms. Townley recommended gathering more information regarding demand and what is successful. Mr. Kinton agreed that it is Page 4 of 6 • • • necessary to find out what the consequences have been in areas where they are permitted . ~ Mr. Neubecker stated that he does not believe the area would be inundated with ADUs and that the actual number would be relatively small. Mr. Kinton remarked that more and more people want to have family live close. Mr. Madrid asked if, in the pursuit of higher density, would the preferred alternative be more apartment buildings or homes with ADUs. Discussion continued regarding the various aspects to consider for allowing AD Us. Mr. Freemire asked if the Commission receives direction from City Council regarding community issues and priorities. Director White responded that it would be a good idea to get City Council's opinion on ADUs. The priorities taking precedence are the Fire Department issue and the Comprehensive Plan update. Mr. Bleile responded by saying that in his tenure on the Commission , City Council has allowed the Commission to be the "thought leaders" in terms of addressing planning and zoning issues. City Council has expressed that the housing stock and "aging in place" are important issues. Mr. Knoth asked if the Commissioners are in agreement that they should pursue the topic. After pol Ii ng the Commissioners it was agreed that they want to explore the possibi I ity of allowing ADUs. Chair Fish and Director White discussed the upcoming JOlnt study session with City Council and the Planning and Zoning Commission. It will be an opportunity to provide input and gather information about the direction that City Council wants to take. l?l1 Mr. Knoth asked about the direction of the conversation. It was agreed that staff would bring information regarding the elements of ADUs to the Commission for discussion. Mr. Neubecker will break down the elements outlined in his chart that was supplied to the Commissioners and present information at future meetings. The Commissioners agreed that should another matter requiring immediate attention arise, the discussion around ADUs could be set aside. l?l1 IV. PUBLIC FORUM No members of the pub I ic were present. ~ V. ATIORNEY'S CHOICE Ms. Reid commented on the Use Tax issue surrounding the school construction. The contractor was responsible for paying Use Tax which was passed on to the cost of the school construction. The City does not waive fees for construction projects. Ms. Reid informed the Commission that she intends to retire at the end of February 2015 . lfl] VI. STAFF'S CHOICE Page 5 of 6 • • • Director White reminded the Commissioners of the joint study session with City Council on Monday, January 26 1h at 6:00 p.m. Inform ation regarding the meeting will be e-mailed to the Commissioners. City Council passed on second reading the Amendments to the PUD Regulations and MU- R-3-B and MU-R-3-C cleanup items and the public hearing on Bulk Plane Amendments took place January 201h. Second reading on the Bulk Plane Amendments will be February 2nd. I?] VII. COMMISSIONER'S CHOICE Mr. Bleile acknow ledged that the meeting is Mr. Roth's last with the Planning and Zoning Commission and expressed his appreciation for his knowledge of Englewood and his work with the Commission. Mr. Roth spoke about his history with the Planning and Zoning Commission and other City boards on which he has served. He believes that the Commission is the forward- thinking arm of the City. Mr. Brick expressed that he has a great appreciation for Mr. Roth's depth of knowledge concern in g the City's history . Mr. Freemire wished Mr. Roth we ll in his future endeavors . Ms. Townley stated her appreciation for Mr. Roth's insights into projects and plans. Mr. Kinton said that he has found Mr. Roth's perspectives interesting and informative and that it will be difficult to replace that knowledge. He commented that Ms. Reid will be missed. Mr. Knoth thanked Mr. Roth for his service . He commented on Mr. Freemire's ear li er comment regarding the ADU discussion but feels that the Commission is headed in the right direction. He thanked staff for their work. Mr. Madrid thanked Mr. Roth for his service. Chair Fish recalled that he and Mr. Roth have been working together on boards since the 1980s. He encouraged Mr. Roth to come to future meetings to provide input. The meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m. t &_;· A..c.i.(J , Recording Secretary Page 6 of 6