08-08-11 Common Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING AUGUST 8, 2011 sewer, storm sewer, natural gas, electricity, telephone, etc.) is required for development within this district. Mr. Spier advised that no site plan is required when rezoning to the SF2 Single Family & Two Family District. However, the petition indicates that new single family homes with three to four bedrooms are proposed to be constructed through a partnership between the petitioner and the South Bend Heritage Foundation. The existing duplex along Cottage Avenue will be razed. Those proposed new homes will be leased to low-to-moderate income individuals with an option to purchase. Per the historical aerial maps, residential structures were located on each of the four lots on Cottage Grove Avenue and on the lot on Cushing Avenue in 1966. By 1986, two of the four structures along Cottage Grove were demolished, and another was demolished between 1993 and 2002. The structure on Cushing Avenue was razed between 1986 and 1993. Prior to 1996, the lots on Cottage Grove Avenue were zoned “B” Residential (Multifamily) / “a” Height & Area, and the lot on Cushing Avenue was zoned “B” Residential (Multifamily) / “b” Height & Area. Both Cottage Grove Avenue and Cushing Street are two lane local streets. The lots will be served with municipal sanitary sewer and water. The Department of Community & Economic Development is supportive of this rezoning request. The Division of Engineering & Public Construction had no comment. Mr. Spier stated that this rezoning meets the stated objective and policy. The future land use map within City Plan recommends high density residential (more than 12 du/acre) for the Cottage Grove Avenue lots and commercial use for the Cushing Street lot. These recommendations were based on existing multi-family residential along Cottage Gove Avenue, and the existing commercial use of the lots to the north of the Cushing Street lot fronting Lincoln Way West. The Lincoln Way West Commercial Corridor Revitalization Action Plan (June 1999) recommends commercial use for the lot along Cushing Avenue. In 1999, this lot served as a parking area for the commercial use to the north, which has since been razed. The northern lot along Cottage Grove Avenue is occupied by a vacant duplex while the three lots to the south are vacant. The lot along Cushing Avenue is also vacant. The most desirable use of the lots is residential to further compliment the adjacent residential uses and to meet the objectives of City Plan. The adjacent property values should be conserved, or could potentially be raised, as a result of infill residential development on these vacant lots. It is responsible growth and development to allow single-family residential homes to be constructed on underutilized and vacant lots within a primarily single-family residential neighborhood. Based on information available prior to the public hearing, the staff recommends that this rezoning petition be forwarded to the City of South Bend Common Council with a favorable recommendation. The proposed use of these lots as single-family residential is compatible with the adjacent zoning districts, permitted uses, and existing single-family residences, and addresses the housing objectives of City Plan. Mr. Spier advised that the Area Plan Commission held a public hearing on Tuesday, July 19, 2011 and sends this to the Common Council with a favorable recommendation. Ms. Anne Mannix, Managing Partner, Lincoln Park Development, LLC, 724 W. Washington Street, South Bend, Indiana, made the presentation for the bill. Ms. Mannix advised that she is a managing partner of Lincoln Park Development, LLC. She stated that they have four lots on Cottage Grove that they are seeking a zone change from multi-family to single family and also one other lot on Cushing to change from community business to single family. She noted that currently all of these lots are vacant except one. She stated that if the rezoning is approved the house will be razed and have a signed commitment to that effect. She stated that this project is located south of Lincolnway West, west of Chapin and Martin Luther King Dr. Ms. Mannix stated that they are calling it Lincoln Park; it is an older area, where a lot of residents once raised their families there. She stated that it is close to downtown and adjacent to the new fire station and where Chapin Street has been redone. Ms. Mannix noted that it is also adjacent to the West Washington Neighborhood. She advised that she has talked with neighborhood residents, South Bend Heritage, and Council Members of the area, and they are all in support of this project. She stated that she tried to do this project last year but was unsuccessful due to the zoning when they applied for funding. She stated that they are requesting the zone change now and currently have site control of 21 lots. She stated that they want to build 24 houses. She also stated that it takes quite a while to buy vacant lots in city neighborhoods. She stated that if anyone has ever tried or inquired 3