Eliot Neighborhood Association LUTC meeting minutes 6/16/14

Present:
LUTC: Mike Warwick (chair), Clint Lundmark, Alise Munson, Allan Rudwick, Phil Conti, Paul Van Orden, Mike Faden

Others: Pamela Weatherspoon (Legacy Emmanuel), Steve Cole (Irvington Community Association and Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods ), three neighbors

Meeting to order at 6.33pm

Minutes of May meeting approved with one small correction

Presentation of proposed development by Solterra Systems: Andrea Wallace, Andrew Durkin, Matt Kirkpatrick

• Company started in solar energy, progressed into full building design firm
• Proposed development is The Woods: Northwest corner of Fargo and Williams
• At early design stage
• Developer/owner is sister company Solterra Cities (Brian Heather and James Wong)
• 50-unit apartment building, 10 2-bedroom, 40 1-bedroom, retail on ground floor
• 6 floors total, about 70 feet high.
• Design is two towers separated by central area consisting of stepped back terraces that include shared areas and decks, living walls
• Parking:
  • 12 parking spaces
  • Owner is willing to look at mechanical parking, which costs $15K per car, but only if fits into current budget
  • With mechanical parking, number of spaces could increase to 25 or possibly close to 29
  • Presenters say City would normally require 13 car parking spaces for this many units, but developer is permitted to reduce the car parking spaces by one if they provide bike parking; the proposal includes a central bike parking area plus some in-unit parking
• City requires 15 foot sidewalk on N Williams
• Plans include metal siding; eco roof; small theatre; fitness facility
• Questions:
  • From Paul van Orden: Would company be willing to enter into good neighbor agreement saying will not complain about neighbors (there have been problems at some other developments) – presenter says does not see that as an issue
  • Ownership? Solterra Cities would retain and manage the building
  • Timeline? Goal to get permit around end of year. Company is seeking early design advice from city and meeting with neighborhoods (Boise also) to collect all early input before going through design review
  • How will impact life of people in area? Presenter says will be parking impact; more cars parking on street
  • Question from Allan Rudwick: Would developer consider going down to 30 units, full ground floor retail, no parking requirement.

Rodney Bike project

• Discussion of remaining concerns (following city presentation at May LUTC meeting). Concerns include:
  • Diverters at Williams & Cook and on Rodney at Ivy or Cook
  • Retaining some North-South stop signs on Rodney
  • Suggestion to wait to see impact of Williams project on traffic on neighboring streets before implementing Rodney diverter; Clint suggests requesting new traffic counts within a year of Williams project implementation.
• Mike Warwick will write letter to City 

Other items

• Brief discussion of proposed 75-foot building at 7th and Russell
• Mike W to respond to ENA board request for index of affordable/low income housing – will seek to clarify what is requested and put on to-do list
• Mike W: Brief update institutional zoning committee
• Mike W: Brief update about Broadway walking tour for mixed use zoning committee

Meeting closes at 8.35 pm