SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Approve amendments to the Community Development Code, Appendix C. Downtown District and Development Standards, and pass Ordinance 9664-23 on first reading.
Body
SUMMARY:
The City established the Public Amenities Incentive Pool (Pool) in the Clearwater Downtown Redevelopment Plan when it was amended in 2004. The Pool is intended to support private sector efforts to redevelop Downtown by providing the ability to request increases in density and/or intensity in excess of the established maximum development potential when certain public amenities are incorporated into the project, thereby providing benefits to both parties and furthering the city’s goals for Downtown. Currently there are 2,079 dwelling units and 2,095,667 square feet of floor area available for allocation from the Public Amenities Incentive Pool which may be requested for projects anywhere within in the Downtown District.
Proposed Ordinance No. 9664-23 establishes a two-tier approach to allocation of units from the Pool. This is proposed to be enabled through a companion amendment to the Downtown Clearwater Redevelopment Plan (proposed Ordinance 9663-23). Certain bonuses are identified in the Code which the Community Development Coordinator would be authorized to approve through the Development Review Committee (DRC) process (Tier 1 - Streamlined Allocation Process). Requests that propose other public amenities or which do not meet the thresholds established will continue to have the option of requesting an allocation from the Community Development Board (Tier 2 - Public Hearing Allocation Process). The proposal would streamline the pool allocation process while also providing more structure to the Pool.
A new Table 1. Tier 1 Public Amenities Incentive Pool Criteria (Table 1) identifies the following (summarized) bonus opportunities:
1. Incorporate rental residential units into project (applies to market rate and affordable/workforce housing).
Proposed Bonus: 40% residential density in all Character Districts
2. Provide residential units (other options, would not include short-term rentals; applies to market rate and affordable/workforce housing).
Proposed Bonus: 20% residential density in all Character Districts
3. Include Class A Office space in project.
Proposed Bonus: 25% FAR in Downtown Core and 20% FAR in Prospect Lake
4. Construct hotel use with public function spaces.
Proposed Bonus: 25% FAR in Downtown Core
5. Achieve LEED Gold certification or equivalent.
Proposed Bonus: 35% residential density, 20% hotel density, and 20% FAR in all Character Districts
6. Provide public parking within parking structure or pay into parking fund.
Proposed Bonus: 35% residential density, 20% hotel density, and 20% FAR in all Character Districts
7. Build streetscape on all frontages that meets city’s standards.
Proposed Bonus: 35% residential density, 20% hotel density, and 20% FAR in all Character Districts
8. Include both EV-Ready and Level 2 charging parking spaces.
Proposed Bonus: 15% residential density, 10% hotel density, and 10% FAR in all Character Districts
9. Provide public art or pay into public art fund.
Proposed Bonus: 10% residential density, 5% hotel density, and 5% FAR in all Character Districts
The Table provides clear structure to developers who may need or want additional development potential but do not want to negotiate which amenity or amenities to incorporate and wait for a public hearing to confirm the allocation is approved.
The Planning and Development Department has determined that the proposed text amendments to the Community Development Code are consistent with and further the goals, objectives and policies of the Comprehensive Plan and the Community Development Code as outlined in the staff report.
The Community Development Board, in its capacity as the Local Planning Agency (LPA), will review the proposed amendments to the Community Development Code at its meeting on April 18, 2023. Staff will report its recommendation at the City Council meeting.