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Council continues 49-acre ‘build-to-rent’ PUD to July for more review
Summary
After extended questioning about master metering, long-term maintenance and code gaps, the council continued the Village at Greeley planned unit development (build-to-rent) to July 15 and asked staff and the applicant to work with council and planning staff on outstanding questions.
The Greeley City Council continued consideration of the Village at Greeley planned unit development, a proposed build-to-rent neighborhood on roughly 49.056 acres northwest of 70 First Avenue and 20 Fifth Street, to a business meeting on July 15.
The proposal would construct a mix of single-family and duplex “build-to-rent” units with planned amenities; staff described the product as horizontal multifamily with 1–3 bedroom units ranging from about 665 to roughly 1,380 square feet. Don Threewood, city planning staff, said the project is proposed in two planning areas bisected by an extension of 70 Fourth Avenue and that planning staff recommended approval.
Council members spent more than an hour questioning staff and the developer about long-term maintenance, conversion to for-sale housing, utility metering and code gaps for this relatively new product type. Council member Olson asked what controls would limit future owners if the single-owner rental portfolio were sold. Planning staff replied the PUD and any development agreement “run with the land” and would bind future owners, and that condominium plats or other conversions would require separate applications.
Developer Brian Frio of Empire Group described the product as a “starter-home substitute” that fills a market gap for households priced out of single-family ownership. Frio said the company typically manages the properties and is willing to include PUD conditions to address council’s maintenance and quality concerns. “We would be willing to put something in a PUD that said, hey…You need to do x as far as maintenance,” Frio said, offering to accept obligations in the PUD to address council concerns.
Several council members urged that staff develop discrete build-to-rent standards in Greeley’s development code. Planning staff said a city-wide code audit and update is already underway and that the department intends to propose build-to-rent standards as part of that process. Given unanswered questions and requests for additional analysis and updated research, Council member Olson moved to continue the matter to July 15; Council member Hall seconded. The applicant consented to the continuance, and the council unanimously approved the continuance 7-0.
Discussion vs. decision: this meeting was primarily review and questioning; no rezoning or PUD ordinance was adopted. The continuance gives staff and the applicant time to refine the PUD, provide requested information (updated market research, metering alternatives, minimum street widths and conversion paths), and schedule a work session before the July hearing.
