04-10-06 Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING APRIL 10, 2006 “SF2” Single Family Residential District is established to protect, promote and maintain the development of single family dwellings and two family dwellings in the urban core of the City of South Bend, as well as to provide for limited public and institutional uses that are compatible with an urban residential neighborhood. The corner lot is approximately 10,000 square feet. A site plan is not required for single-family zoning. This site was previously zoned “B” Multifamily Residential district. The City Zoning Map, which became effective on May 7, 2004, designated the site for “MU” Mixed Use district. On November 28, 2005, the City Council denied the Catholic Workers located at 1126 West Washington Street a rezoning from “SF2” Single-Family Residential to “MF1” Multifamily (APC#2333-05.) In December 2005, a storefront located in the southwest corner of the lot was removed. West Washington Avenue has two lanes. Elm Street has two lanes made of cobblestone. There is an alley adjacent to the north property line. Municipal water and sewer are available to this site. The Comprehensive Plan: Policy Plan: Goal 3: Strengthen the neighborhoods of the County and its municipalities. Objective A: Promote the development and/or maintenance of community and neighborhood character. Policy ii. Ensure that infull residential development in older neighborhoods is consistent with the housing characteristics and physical fabric of the existing neighborhood. This rezoning is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan’s neighborhood policy. The Land Use Plan does not recommend this area for a specific use. The West Washington-Chapin Development Plan (1991) recommends the lot for medium density residential land use (APC#:1410-91) The rezoning is consistent with the plan, which is to shift land use to single family in order to strengthen the residential character of the neighborhood. The proposed “SF2” Single-Family District will be more conforming with the plan than “MU” Mixed Use District. The existing single-family house is located in a neighborhood with single family houses, apartments, and a local business. The most desirable land use is for single family residential. Rezoning this property to “SF2” Single-Family Residential District should conserve the surrounding residential property values. It is responsible development and growth to rezone this property in conformance with the West Washington-Chapin Plan (1991) Based on information available prior to the public hearing the staff recommends that this petition be sent to he Common Council with a favorable recommendation. The rezoning is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan neighborhood policy. It is also consistent with the West Washington-Chapin Plan (1991), which is to shift land use to single family in order to strengthen the residential character of the neighborhood. The rezoning would be an extension of the northern and southern “SF2” Single-Family Residential Districts. It is compatible with the surrounding single family houses. Ms. Charlotte Sobel, Director of Development and Special Projects, South Bend Heritage Foundation, 803 Lincolnway West, South Bend, Indiana, made the presentation for this bill. Ms. Sobel advised that South Bend Heritage Foundation request this rezoning of 1201 West Washington Street from MU (Mixed Use) to SF 2. When the most recent revision of the zoning ordinance was enacted, the existing MU designation was continued for this property as a youth community center was meeting periodically in the commercial storefront attached to the form of this single family home. South Bend Heritage Foundation purchased this property last year with the intention of substantially rehabilitating the property for sale to a qualified low and/or moderate income family. The commercial storefront has been removed and the front wall of the house rebuilt. It is anticipated that the construction work will be completed within the next few month so that the home can be marketed. In order to allow private mortgage financing to be obtained, the property must be properly zoned. Therefore, South Bend Heritage Foundation is requesting that the property be rezoned SF 2, the predominant single family zoning category in the Near West Side Neighborhood so that an additional family can become a homeowner in the Near West Side Neighborhood. This being the time heretofore set for the Public Hearing on the above bill, proponents and opponents were given an opportunity to be heard. 7