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Planning Commission 11/26/02 Item 1 ITEM: Recommendation of Ordinance Amending Section 9-2.05, subd. 2d of the Falcon Heights City Code. SUBMITTED BY: Deborah Jones, Zoning and Planning Coordinator REVIEWED BY: Heather M. Worthington, City Administrator EXPLANATION: Summary Early this year the Planning Commission undertook the task of studying the issue of impervious lot coverage and building density in the City's single-family residential zones. The existing City Code limits coverage to 75% in all zones. Setback requirements and other restrictions have the effect of lowering the practical buildable area to less than 75% in most cases. However, residents had been expressing concerns about properties where coverage approached or exceeded 40%. This degree of density, while legal, was creating a visible impact on neighborhoods. The Commission sought to find out if a lower limit than 75% is appropriate for R-1 zones and, if so, • what that limit should be. With the help of consultant Dan Cornejo of Short Elliott Hendrickson and Deb Jones, City Planning and Zoning Coordinator, the Commission determined the following: ^ Falcon Heights is not alone in confronting the need to balance residents' changing needs for more house and garage space with the community value of landscaping and open space. ^ Similar communities have lot coverage or Floor Area Ratio limits much lower than our 75%. Most are in the 30% - 40% range. ^ A limit on coverage area would serve Falcon Heights better than Floor Area Ratio because F.A.R. is a measure of bulk, which is effectively controlled already by our building height restriction. ^ Keeping the 75% limit would allow very dense build up of residential lots. It is no longer unrealistic to expect that some owners will want to approach this limit with additions, garages, landscaping, etc. Such abuild-up would completely change the character of our neighborhoods and have a severe impact on water run-off. ^ Because there is a wide range of lot sizes in Falcon Heights, a single limit is not appropriate. For example, a 30% coverage limit would allow enormous homes to be built on larger properties along Fairview but would restrict smaller lots in Northome so much that no additions or new garages could be built at all. ^ Any new restriction should recognize the existing conditions in neighborhoods. It should not • end up making many properties non-conforming from the start, and it should allow most properties some expansion options without the need to apply for a variance. 30