Planning commission advances Village Cooperative senior housing plat and NR3 rezoning

The Cheyenne Planning Commission on Feb. 2 voted to advance the Village Cooperative preliminary plat to the governing body and recommended a concurrent rezoning to NR3 for the proposed senior housing cooperative.

Developer Andrew Schaefer of Real Estate Equities Development Company told the commission the project is planned as a single three‑story building with about 54 homes, an underground parking garage and community amenities. "A cooperative senior housing cooperative is an ownership housing option for people over 62 and it gives them the option to purchase a share in the cooperative corporation," Schaefer said, describing the model and noting the developer typically pre‑sells 50–60% of homes before breaking ground.

Staff described the proposal as a preliminary expedited plat to create a single lot for high‑density senior residential use and said the plat dedicates an extension of Melton Street on the north side of the property. Planner Morgan Dennis said the land is being annexed from the county and that the project must meet NR3 standards concurrently with the plat.

Commissioners focused substantial discussion on a requested exception to the city's block‑size standard and on pedestrian access. Commissioner Boyd Wigum asked what could be done to "ensure that when this plat comes and it's developed ... we're protecting the ability of pedestrians to get from here to there," noting the large surrounding block and how arterial spacing limits additional street connections. Staff and the applicant said Melton Street will be built on the north side and pedestrian facilities will accompany that street, while the south side is constrained by adjacent property ownership and Powderhouse Road's arterial classification.

Schaefer provided additional details on the building and site: the footprint is roughly 30,000 square feet on a roughly 3.5‑acre parcel (under 25% coverage), the building will include interior community spaces, guest suites and garden plots, and access is proposed from both Powderhouse Road and the new Melton alignment.

A motion to approve the preliminary plat and advance the final plat to the governing body, with an exception to block size, passed on a roll call vote. Commissioners voting in favor included Daryl Hibbons, Amy Hernandez, Boyd Wigum, Lonnie Olsson and Bob Matia. The commission also recommended the concurrent zone change to NR3; that item passed and will proceed through the city's annexation and ordinance readings.