Seven-story residential development gets OK

While the development meets the 15 percent affordable housing requirement, commissioners said they’d like to see additional affordable units in exchange for the project’s height concession of two stories — or 22 feet — above the standard.

“I love the design,” Commissioner Ernie Schmidt said. “But I don’t think adding an extra six units to take it to 20 percent would’ve killed you guys, especially when you’re asking for an extra two stories in an area where it’s five stories max.”

Vice Chair Kevin Bondonno echoed those concerns, and said he’d like to see the affordable units remain as such for perpetuity; those units will currently remain affordable for 55 years.

While Commissioner Muhammad Safdari praised the development for converting office space to housing, he questioned the developer for adding fewer units than eligible under the state density bonus law, which allows up to a 20 percent residential density bonus in exchange for 5 percent very low income units, according to a staff report.

In its latest proposal, ROEM added just six of 24 units — 16 affordable — that it theoretically could have included in the project.

ROEM’s Director of Design Teo Speranza said parking drives unit counts, and the geometry of the site as well as required parking minimums prevented the firm from adding additional units, including affordable ones. Originally, the project included underground parking in accordance with the city’s precise plan but, after the Federal Emergency Management Agency updated its flood map, underground parking was no longer an option. The project now includes two levels of parking above ground.

“Parking was extremely creative in the way it was laid out,” Speranza said. “We tried to be as efficient as possible with the way the stalls were engineered, and I think that was probably the most stalls that can be placed within that footprint.”

In response, Safdari said that is something city staff and the commission should think about when passing ordinances.

“That’s an interesting unintended consequence that can affect, in this case, both affordable or market rate housing and I wouldn’t have guessed that coming in,” he said.

Schmidt revisited the prospect of boosting the project’s affordable housing from 15 to 20 percent, but Alex Sanchez, ROEM’s executive vice president, reiterated that such an endeavor would be too challenging for his firm given “the constraints of the project.”

“I really hope that you’ll go back to your office and wear down some lead on some paper and work your numbers a little harder,” said Chair Nancy Radcliffe.

Despite concerns among commissioners about the amount of affordable housing included, Bondonno commended ROEM for actually building low- and very-low-income units as opposed to paying into the affordable housing fund, and Radcliffe said she appreciated that the affordable units will be integrated with the market-rate ones and not separate.

“I think that’s very important for everyone to feel on an equal plane living together,” Radcliffe said.

Commissioners also praised the project’s design, which saw three reviews by the Architectural Advisory Committee. The back of the building opens up onto the creek, and a 14-foot-wide public trail will run along the rear of the property and creek. The developer will also install an overlook point along the creek as well as seats and bike racks, and between the trail and building there will be tables and chairs, fitness stations and a bocce ball court.

zachary@smdailyjournal.com

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