Planning Commission Minutes 2014 05 08

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Planning Commission Meeting Minutes May 8, 2014 Page 4 of 13 requesting portions of the northern part to be vacated as part of this development. Lastly, they are proposing, consistent with the Highway 42 plan, two Mews. A Mews is a green space. They propose two green spaces running through center of property to serve the townhomes. PUD: Phase 1/1A, they wish to relocate a 50 year old house that is not designated historic, but it is older than 50 years. They will relocate it adjacent to the railroad. Within the majority of the development, it is a traditional street grid/alley loaded product, but instead of a street, there will be a public space as a Mews. There will be 55 townhomes located on these three blocks. There will be multi-unit townhomes and a public greenway done in Phase 1A in the southern portion of the site. Eventually, they will come back with Phase 2 which south of Lafayette Street. In the preliminary, Phase 2 is a multi-family and commercial development. In Phase 1/1A, this is predominantly a townhome development seen in the planned preliminary PUD. In summary from PUD perspective, there are 55 townhomes with buildings fronting Griffith with two internal Mews, and be served by Cannon Street to the east, Front Street (private street) to the west, and be served by alleys. This is not unlike the Steel Ranch development, the Boulder Creek portion, where the Mews design was built. There are 159 parking spaces, 2.6 spaces per unit, which meets MUDDSG. They follow the Highway 42 Framework Plan in creating the grid requested. They are doing articulated street oriented architecture which is good for the mixed used design guidelines. It is consistent with the pedestrian orientation goals of the district. It transitions consistently with the guidelines endorsed in the Highway 42 Plan and adopted in the MUDDSG. The transition to Little Italy to the north, residential portion, has a stepped down effect from the development. They are introducing public spaces with public access that will be privately maintained. The PUD generally follows the MUDDSG, Chapter 17.14 in the LMC. They are asking for a waiver, requesting relocating the 50 year old structure to modify the requested lot width and lot coverage as well as the height in the zoning. The underlying zoning states the minimum height of a one story is and the 50-year old structure does not meet that height. They wish to relocate the yellow house on Griffith and use it for offices adjacent to the railway. It is a good transition between the redevelopment district and Downtown on the west and Little Italy on the north. Regarding new construction, they are asking for a waiver regarding rear yard setback related to the alley products. These are attached single family units under in height which complies with the transition zones. They have on-street parking provided as well as a tuck-under garage. Visitor parking is provided on north Front Street with head-in parking. All units are parked to their standard. The Mews will be privately maintained space with public access easement over it. It is meant to serve at public space for the development. A detention pond is proposed with joint use and public space to southern end of property. The detention pond decision is somewhat in flux. The applicant, staff, and Louisville Revitalization Commission are looking at off-site storm water retention as a solution for some storm water demands upon the entire development district and make collective pond. If this does come to fruition, it will be seen with conditions in Phase 1/1A as a part of Phase 2 to convert this to a more public space rather than a detention pond design.