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Request by Jonathan Ward, Altius Building Company, for a Zoning Map Amendment from C2 District to C2/Planned Unit Development (PUD) District at 11400 W. Blue Mound Road
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Submitted by:
Tamara Szudy
Department:
Planning Division
A. Background/Options
The applicant is requesting a zoning map amendment from General Commercial (C2) District to C2/Planned Unit Development (PUD) Overlay District on an approximately 0.8 acre site located on the north side of Blue Mound Road between 114th Street and 115th Street. The intent of the amendment is to establish a PUD for a four-story, multi-unit residential development consisting of 41 residential units. Rezoning the site to C2/PUD Overlay District is necessary to allow for multi-family residential development, reduce required setbacks to move the building closer to the sidewalks along Blue Mound Road and 115th Street, and reduce the lot area per unit requirement.
The Plan Commission reviewed the project at the March meeting and recommended approval 7-0. The required public hearing before the Common Council was held April 18, 2023 with one person speaking in support of the project and two people providing comment including a concern about the proposed building setback from the Blue Mound Road property line.
Attached to this report is the applicant's project statement and zoning information. The next agenda item provides the plans for about the proposed development. The Plan Commission item is linked for reference.
B. Staff comments
Planning/Zoning Division:
The Future Land Use Map in the 2008-2030 Comprehensive Plan indicates maintaining the 2008 uses of the parcels through the future land use category of “Planned Commercial”. Many goals, objectives, and policies found in Volume Two: Polices and Recommendations, primarily in Chapter 2.1 Land Use and Chapter 2.3 Housing and Neighborhood Development, support multifamily housing development opportunities in the City. In addition, to address changing conditions over the life of the Plan, Volume Two of the Comprehensive Plan on page 186 states “the precise location of zoning district boundaries may vary, as judged appropriate by the Plan Commission and City Council. Departures from the exact land use boundaries depicted on the Future Land Use map may be particularly appropriate for planned development projects, projects involving a mix of land uses and/or residential development types, properties split by zoning districts and/or properties located at the edges of future land use areas. In their consideration of zoning map issues, the Plan Commission and City Council will also evaluate the specific timing of the zoning map amendment request, its relationship to the nature of both existing and planned land uses, and the details of the proposed development. Therefore, this Plan allows for the timing of zoning actions and the refinement of the precise recommended land use boundaries through the zoning, conditional use, planned development, and land division processes.” Volume Two of the Comprehensive Plan is found here:
<https://www.wauwatosa.net/home/showpublisheddocument?id=480>
The City's 2023 Housing Study and Needs Analysis identifies a continued demand for housing units that will likely be supplied through multi-family developments. The Housing Study is found here:
<https://www.wauwatosa.net/home/showpublisheddocument/4879/638125711998330000>
Finally, consistent feedback heard during the review of other multi-family development proposals is multi-family developments should be located in areas where there is little impact to residential neighbors. While there are adjacent residential neighbors, the height of the proposed building is only five feet higher than the existing buildings and the massing is similar to the existing buildings.
The applicant also provided additional information related to the project’s consistency with adopted plans and studies.
Building Division: No issues.
Assessor's Office: No issues with zoning map amendment.
City Clerk’s Office: No issues.
Engineering Division: No issues with zoning map amendment. Site plan and landscaping comments are included in the preliminary PUD request.
Fire Department: No comments provided.
Health Department: No comments provided.
Police Department: No comments provided.
C. Recommendation
Staff recommends approval.
recommendation
Recommendation: No action needed. Action is with item #3