DATE: 12/12/2014
TO: Franklin Municipal Planning Commission
FROM: Amy Diaz-Barriga, Principal Planner
Catherine Powers, Director of Planning and Sustainability
Subject
title
PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of Resolution 2014-92, To Be Entitled "A Resolution Approving a Development Plan for the Harpeth Square PUD Subdivision with Seven Modifications of Standards (MOS 1 - Setbacks; MOS 2 - Façade Occupancy within Front Setback; MOS 3 - Façade Occupancy within Side Setback of Corner Lots; MOS 4 - Façade Design Variation; MOS 5 - Parkland Dedication; MOS 6 - Tree Canopy Preservation; MOS 7 - Festival Lights), Located at Various Properties within the Block of Main Street East, First Avenue North, Bridge Street, and Second Avenue North, by the City of Franklin, Tennessee." (12/18/14 FMPC 6-0; 1/27/15 WS)
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Purpose
The purpose of this memo is to provide information to the Franklin Municipal Planning Commission (FMPC) concerning a development plan for 7 modification of standards and 4 design modifications for the Harpeth Square PUD development plan within downtown Franklin.
Project Information
COF Project Number: 4713
Applicant: Greg Gamble, Gamble Design Collaborative
Owners: Jaymar Development, Rep: Jay Franks
Harpeth Associates, LLC, Rep: J. Roderick Heller III
Danmark Company, Rep: William DePriest
Ron Shuff Family Partnership, Rep: Ronald Shuff
Background/Staff Comments
This development plan proposes a boutique hotel, retail spaces, and attached housing upon the majority of a city block within downtown Franklin. Planning commends the applicant for bringing a boutique hotel to downtown Franklin. It will be a great asset to the city, and will help support businesses throughout the downtown area. Planning also commends the applicant for proposing attached housing in downtown Franklin. This proposed use adds to the diversity of the housing stock within downtown Franklin, providing additional housing options to both existing and future citizens of Franklin. The scale of this building is something that has rarely been considered within downtown Franklin, and because of this, the massing and architecture require intense scrutiny to ensure that it is compatible with the existing context of the downtown without diminishing or changing its character. It also needs intense analysis as to how it will affect the existing infrastructure on and around the site.
The applicant has generally responded to comments and critics of the plan throughout this process, and the plan has evolved into a better product than what was first presented. It has several outstanding conditions that staff would like to see resolved, and have created conditions of approval to address these items. In terms of architecture, the corner of 1st and Main needs to have deeper setbacks along both 1st Avenue and Main Street to fully comply with transitional features. On 2nd Avenue, a port a cachere needs to be added to the side elevation of the hotel facing the Heritage Foundation building, to help comply with transitional features.
It should be noted that the height of this building, at 4 stories, is permitted only with PUD developments utilizing transitional features. While Planning feels that the intent of transitional features is being met for the majority of the building's massing, it does not meet the strict interpretation of the zoning ordinance in several places. Also, it should be noted that this plan will be required to be approved by the Historic Zoning Commission, whose guidelines are more stringent than those of the zoning ordinance. HZC approval will come before the site plan can be approved, and if revisions to the plan are significant enough, this development plan may need to be revised and re-approved by this board. There is a condition of approval addressing this issue (Conditions #3).
Also, this plan, including the elevations, are dependent on several modifications being approved. Should certain modifications of standards not be approved, the development plan may need to be revised and re-reviewed by this board.
Project Considerations
Project Considerations are not conditions of this approval, but are intended to highlight issues that should be considered in the overall site design or may be required when more detailed plans are submitted for review. These items are not meant to be exhaustive and all City requirements and ordinances must be met with each plan submittal.
The elevations shown in this development plan are conceptual in nature and are not approved as part of this development plan. Elevations will be reviewed and approved at site plan.
This development is within the Historic Preservation Overlay, and will be subject to their approval of the building and its design prior to site plan approval. While this plan does meet staff's requirements for transitional features, the Historic Zoning Commission has stricter guidelines regarding transitional features and may not approve the development plan as proposed.
The proposed building heights do not appear to be compatible with the Commercial Infill Buildings section of the Historic District Design Guidelines. The Guidelines recommend that new buildings "not exceed the average height of buildings on a block or neighboring blocks by more than 10 percent" (p.105, #16). It appears that the building heights of adjacent block faces range from 12'-39', as provided by the applicant. Also worth consideration is the Guidelines' recommendation against "add[ing] historically typical details such as
window balconies
to new buildings" (p.105, #14). The Historic Zoning Commission must review and approve the proposal for issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness in light of the Historic District Design Guidelines.
Staff will require the itemized costs associated with each offset/reimbursement request to be submitted for review and approval prior to the development plan being placed on a BOMA agenda.
Applicant shall set up a meeting with Lori Jarosz to further discuss the addressing for this site and before site plan is submitted.
A consolidation plat will be required to be submitted with the site plan.
Modifications of Standards
1. Request to provide setbacks that are respectful of the existing neighboring buildings, and to align with them to form the building setback line.
Staff recognizes that several of the buildings on this block are not built to the edge of sidewalk, as code requires of new buildings within this character area. Staff also feels that it is more appropriate to match the established setbacks of the various block faces, especially in cases where the existing buildings are historic and will not be demolished. Staff recommends approval.
2. Request for final plans to conform to the development plan PUD as approved by BOMA, for the percentage of primary building wall occupying the front property line.
Staff recognizes that several of the buildings on this block are not with the majority of their façade along the setback line, as code requires of new buildings within this character area. Staff also feels that it is more appropriate to allow some relief between new buildings and established, historic properties. Staff recommends approval.
3. Request for final plans to conform to the development plan PUD as approved by BOMA, for the percentage of primary building wall occupying the side street property line.
Staff recognizes that several of the buildings on this block are not with the majority of their side street façade along the setback line, as code requires of new buildings within this character area. Staff also feels that it is more appropriate to allow some relief between new buildings and established, historic properties. Staff recommends approval.
4. Request a minimum façade variation every 50 feet.
Staff recognizes that this structure has proposed a high level of quality in its architecture, and a high level of architectural detailing. Also, in some areas of this structure, a variation in the façade every 25 feet as required in this character area would create a distraction between this building and the smaller, historic buildings adjacent to the structure. Staff recommends approval.
5. Request to satisfy parkland dedication requirements with the donation of property located at 1416 Columbia Pike (16,900 SF) and any short fall in the total parkland dedication fee amount to be paid as fees in lieu.
Parks has stated that they do not wish to accept this property for future park space. Further, Parks feels that the distance from this development to the proposed parkland dedication is too far to meet the intent of the parkland dedication requirement. Parks has requested a trail system along the development and the river be instead offered as parkland dedication. A second alternative option provided by Parks is to make improvements to nearby Bicentennial Park. Staff recommends denial.
6. Request to save only the trees identified on the development plans.
Staff has determined that the existing trees are either in poor conditions or will be compromised with any construction on site. Staff recommends approval.
7. Request to put up festival lights as accents for courtyards, specifically on Main Street.
Several businesses within downtown Franklin have made similar requests for festival lights, and the city's stance is that these are not allowed, and that there are no exceptions to this rule. Staff recommends denial.
Design Modifications
1. Request for a building length of 573 feet at the longest portion, where the maximum length allowed by the zoning ordinance is 200 feet.
Staff acknowledges that this structure will have a high level of architectural detail and will have façade variation every 50 feet. Due to this high level of architecture, staff recommends approval.
2. Requesting the use of flat roofs, versus the required roof pitch between 3:12 and 12:12 for multifamily structures.
Many of the buildings within downtown Franklin have flat roofs, and so this proposed use of flat roofs is not out of context. Also, this building is a mixed use building, and not solely a residential facility, which further supports a roof type that is more commercial in nature than residential. Staff recommends approval.
3. Requesting a minimum façade variation every 50 feet.
Staff recognizes that this structure has proposed a high level of quality in its architecture, and a high level of architectural detailing. Also, in some areas of this structure, a variation in the façade every 25 feet as required in by the zoning ordinance would create a distraction between this building and the smaller, historic buildings adjacent to the structure. Staff recommends approval.
4. Requesting a maximum of five colors for use on the building facades.
For the scale of this building, the use of five colors is not out of context for downtown Franklin. The approval of the location of the colors, and the approval of the actual colors themselves, will be done at site plan. As staff has further approval of the context of these five colors, staff recommends approval.
Recommendation
recommendation
Staff recommends a favorable recommendation to BOMA.
end
See attached pages for a list of staff recommended conditions of approval.
PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS:
1. Fifteen (15) half-size copies of the Development Plan shall be submitted to the Department of Planning and Sustainability by 9am on the Monday after the Planning Commission meeting in order to be placed on the Board of Mayor and Aldermen agenda.
2. If the plan receives BOMA approval, the applicant shall upload the corrected plan to the online plan review website (https://franklin.contractorsplanroom.com/secure/) and submit one (1) complete and folded set and a .pdf file of corrected development plan to the Department of Building and Neighborhood Services (Suite 110, Franklin City Hall). All revisions to the approved plans shall be "clouded." With the resubmittal, each condition of approval/open issue in the online plan review system shall contain a full response from the applicant as to the satisfaction or completion of that condition.
3. The city's project identification number shall be included on all correspondence with any city department relative to this project.