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Developer seeks small rezoning to unify townhome parcel; council discusses access and parking
Summary
Architect-developer representative asked the council to rezone two small slivers to match the rest of a site already zoned for R3M townhomes to provide a second access and turnaround for an existing multi-unit project; staff said the main portion is already R3M and traffic improvements and PUD review remain.
A developer representative and the city planning staff told the council that two small strips of land near 400 West and 1600 North are the subject of a proposed zone change to remove planning inconsistencies and provide a second access for a planned townhome development.
Pierre Long, an architect with Axis Architects who described the team as an architect-led developer, said the site is mostly already zoned R3M (dwelling multiple units) and that two narrow slivers currently carry different zone labels. The rezoning request would make zoning uniform across the parcel and allow an additional turnaround and a second access point to 400 West to improve circulation and fire access.
Staff and council discussed traffic concerns at the nearby I-15 underpass and the need to limit left turns at the new access point. Planning and engineering recommended a right-in/right-out treatment at 400 West for safety; staff said that having the second access would allow safer circulation, reduce pressure on the underpass, and give the fire department better egress.
Parking and density questions: Council members asked whether re-including the slivers in R3M would effectively give the developer extra land-credit toward unit counts even if the slivers are in easement or not buildable; staff confirmed that acreage counts toward allowable units in theoretical per-acre calculations and that precise unit counts remain subject to the future PUD (planned unit development) approval process. Staff and the developer estimated roughly 65–80 units depending on final design and site geometry; staff warned the oddly shaped parcel and the new PUD standards will likely reduce buildable density from older theoretical maxima.
Public hearing was opened and closed with no public speakers. The council placed the item into the action queue for decision (next steps include PUD submittal and engineering review).
