Planning Commission Agenda and Packet 2021 12 09

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Planning Commission Meeting Minutes November 11, 2021 Page 3 of 12 Diehl asked about the price per unit that had been mentioned at the Council meeting. Ritchie deferred to the applicant. Brauneis replied that the numbers given at that meeting were $5-700,000 per individual unit and were a broad estimate. Williams observed that senior housing and housing for 55+ (or "55+") were vastly different products. Senior included independent and assisted living and there was always a need for more, whereas 55+ was not available anywhere in the city even though surrounding cities had housing with that restriction. Ritchie agreed that Council thought that was important. Brauneis stated that the goal was not affordability for 55+ because those were market - range units, and he wondered about the utility of having housing designated for 55+ that was market -rate. Ritchie noted that BVSD had had enrollment issues in the past and there was a concern that overcrowding could be an issue, leading parents to get involved speaking up about that overcrowding in the past. 55+ housing was unlikely to have school -aged children and so that was one direct way that a housing development could reduce the impact of local schools. She observed that it was a certain housing need and style that provided for local residents and empty nesters and allowed them to have a higher likelihood of getting a house in the city. Brauneis asked for clarification on senior housing. Ritchie replied that the Boulder County Housing Authority (BCHA) used "senior" on its website but that included income restrictions. Brauneis asked if those were affordable rentals and noted that Balfour was privately operated. Ritchie replied that Balfour was a different animal than what the Foundry would be. Brauneis noted that the 55+ housing was different than what existed for senior housing elsewhere in the city. He asked if the recent Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) report addressed housing. Ritchie replied that the EDI task force had brought recommendations to council, including on housing accessibility and equity, which encompassed a number of concerns. Council did not address any specific action items as a result of the task force but the task force had recognized housing as important. Ritchie explained that the Comp Plan was required by state statute and was mostly an advisory (and not regulatory) document that could include recommendations for changes and included community -driven policies for the future. It was rare to have specific guidance in a comprehensive plan for a specific property, but there were usually policies and