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Basalt planning commission approves recommendation for third-floor deed-restricted unit at 540 Basalt Avenue
Summary
The Basalt Planning & Zoning Commission voted to approve a site-plan/special-review/PUD amendment package that adds one Category 5 deed-restricted two-bedroom unit at 540 Basalt Avenue. Commissioners and staff cited added bike storage, floodplain mapping and a parking easement as conditions and considerations.
The Basalt Planning and Zoning Commission on March 17 voted to approve an application to add a deed-restricted two-bedroom apartment above an existing commercial building at 540 Basalt Avenue and to forward the PUD amendment to town council for final action.
Carlton Henry, Planner II with the Town of Basalt, summarized staff materials and referral comments and said the Basalt Affordable and Community Housing Commission reviewed the proposal on Feb. 26 and recommended approval. "This application proposes the addition of a 659 square-foot two-bedroom residential unit to be deed restricted at category 5," Henry said during the staff presentation.
Applicant Patrick Raleigh of Raleigh Design Planning said the third-floor unit is a stand-alone affordable unit intended in part to serve employees associated with the property and highlighted the site's proximity to transit. "So this is really a very walkable TOD-oriented ... about a 3 minute walk," Raleigh said.
Architect Willis Pember described the compact floor plan and added storage to meet town livability standards: "We've met, or exceeded them," he said. The applicant committed to providing dedicated ground-floor bike storage, retaining a 100-square-foot "tough shed" for tenant storage and pursuing a parking-easement agreement with the neighboring property owner to address overflow parking.
On engineering and site constraints, the applicant told the commission that updated floodplain mapping (submitted after packet distribution) shows the site outside the 100-year floodplain and that drainage and traffic-rated inlet specifications will be provided with the building-permit submission. The applicant also said an additional EQR (water-equivalent residential unit) will be purchased at permit submittal to serve the new unit.
Commissioners asked technical questions about glazing and shading, rooftop mechanical screening, egress from the third-floor deck and whether adding a single deed-restricted unit required full commission review. Staff explained that because the site is inside a PUD, a PUD amendment triggers town council review as part of entitlements.
After deliberation a commissioner moved to approve the application as presented; the motion was seconded and the commission approved it by voice vote. Staff noted the matter will now advance to town council for the PUD amendment required by the entitlement process.
Next steps: The commission's recommendation and application materials will go to Basalt Town Council for consideration of the PUD amendment and final approvals.
