City Council Minutes 2015 12 15 - Laserfiche WebLink

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City Council Meeting Minutes December 15, 2015 Page 12 of 25 Ozi Friedrich, Humphreys -Poli Architects, reviewed the quality design and construction of the development. The unit designs are characterized by very large windows, for extensive daylighting; accessible ground floors, DEEP sustainability, and family and senior - friendly housing. The streetscapes are characterized by front stoops and porches. The fairly large buildings are broken down in mass to make them look like smaller individual units. The third story is always set back from both sides, creating a roof deck that looks over into the street. These buildings are offset in a saw -tooth fashion wherever they occur so the module is broken down further and there is a carriage house building and parking is under the gable room element. BCHA has brought 100 year thinking to this project. One of the biggest measures is the geothermal heat pump, heating and cooling. This is the best and most efficient system for the Colorado climate. It allows the potential for this project and this site to go fossil fuel free as no gas is required to run these buildings. They could be provided with PV power locally or remotely, and allow this portion of the community to become carbon neutral if there is the opportunity to do so in the future. The senior building illustrates the BCHA concept of an intergenerational community. In the foreground there is a unique design element called the play garden. This is a community garden area designed to be kid friendly and to engage children in learning about agriculture and growing. Immediately across the street is the garden entry to the senior housing building. The Senior Housing Courtyard connects the two senior housing buildings. Site landscaping is adaptive, xeriscape, wildflower or natural prairie grass. There is a precast culvert to allow passage under and turns the hill into a play structure. The last area is mowed grass and intended as amphitheater -like seating with an area of crushed fine surface where mobile tables can be moved into the sun or shade. This area could be used for projecting movies. Conclusion: Ms. Boyd explained Boulder County Housing Authority is an affordable housing provider. She noted this project is a perfect alignment of timing, need and funding. The investment in collaboration with the City and Boulder County staff members has paid off. Boulder County Housing Authority requested City Council approval of the Kestrel development. COUNCIL QUESTIONS Council member Loo inquired about the community center parking and noted parking is an issue in Louisville. She stated her understanding the County presented parking statistics from the Josephine Commons and Aspinwall affordable housing, which does not have any commercial or retail operations. Ms. Boyd confirmed the statistics for the Kestrel project were based on the parking at Josephine Commons and Aspinwall affordable housing projects. In the Josephine Commons development, the ground floor is used by the City of Lafayette and Meals on Wheels for their senior citizens meals. Aspinwall is a multi - family unit development and will be similar to Kestrel. The study revealed less than 50% utilization of the parking area at both Josephine Commons and Aspinwall. Kestrel will have 1.5 parking spaces per unit. They will not seek a reduction