Woodland Drive-Slides and OFFER- WF8-6-2020Woodland Drive: City Surplus Lot 8/4/20 slidesPLUS: summary of offer to Sandlewood EstatesSite Visit Saturday 8/8/20 9:00-10:00 AMOpen House style, drop by to chat and tour
Offer to Sandlewood Estates HomeownersIF Sandlewood Homeowners Association Then the CITY will1. Agrees to support three single‐family homes2. Amends its Covenants to:A. Remove restrictions on dwelling B. Reduce garage requirements to one bay1. Require buyers to join the HOA and pay dues2. Fund garages for the two affordable units3. Fund endowment to cover affordable units’ HOA dues4. Include the design standards (below) in HOA covenant.1. Agrees to support twosingle‐family homes2. Amends its Covenants to:A. Remove restrictions on dwelling sizeB. Remove garage requirementsC. Doesn’t require dues for the affordable home1. Require market rate buyer to join HOA/pay dues2. Require affordable unit to join HOA without dues3. Create a deed restriction limiting uses to two single‐family homes in total4. Would be willing to include the design standards to the HOA covenant1. Is not prepared to support the project 1. Not restrict affordable housing developer to one unit (either by asking City Council to amend their approval order or simply selling a lot without restrictions)2. Make no commitment to joining the HOA or paying for street lights beyond that already required by law.
City of NorthamptonMASSACHUSETTS_________In City Council, April 2, 2020Upon the recommendation of Mayor David J. Narkewicz and Planning & Sustainability20.035 An Order to Accept a Donation of Land on Woodland Drive for Housing and Trail UsesWHEREAS, David Teece has offered to donate to the City or its assignees 1.906± acres on Woodland Drive (Map ID 42-031) with a deed in lieu of foreclosure for back real estate taxes, stormwater fees, and all interest inpenalties;WHEREAS, Consistent with the City’s Sustainable Northampton Comprehensive Plan and the Open Space, Recreation,and Multiuse Plan, the property can, subject to final due diligence and to permitting by the Zoning Board,be used for:1. One first-time homebuyer or affordable home2. One work-force housing or market rate home3. A potential parklet that might, in the future, provide a walking and bicycling path a portion of the way fromWoodland Drive to Ladyslipper LaneOrdered, thatThe Mayor is authorized to accept said deed to the above referenced 1.906± acres;Further that City Council declares the two potential building lots surplus to City needs;Further that the Mayor is authorized to transfer deeds for the building lots subject to the city retaining an affordablehousing restriction.
Sustainable Northampton Comprehensive Plan (2008) | Housing Needs Assessment (2010)Open Space & Recreation Plan (2018) | Unlocking Opportunity-Assessing Barriers to Fair Housing (2019)Reason for Woodland Drive program1.All housing, especially affordable to those earning ≤80% Area Median Income (e.g., 3 person household=$63,900)2.Walkable neighborhoods with trail connections3.Open space identified in plan4.Good design mattersMarket rate housing (>120% AMI), 11%Moderate Income (80‐120% AMI) Market rate, 45%Low income (50‐80% AMI) housing burdened, 15%Very low income (50% AMI) housing burdened, 29%Transition, shelter SRO 1%
Neighborhood compatability•Look from the street (curb appeal)•Frontage will be in keeping with neighborhood•Design standards are in keeping with neighborhood (except garages)•Water supply protection •Units/per acre (what drives water supply protection) dramatically below requirement in conjunction with Parsons Brook Greenway‐Pine Barrens•Link to Parsons Brook from Open Space Plan: create new lots to ensure affordability otherwise lost with open space
NOT part of Sandlewood Estates (except street lights)
Consideration of comments received 5/4/20 public forum & 7/20/20 Sandlewood Estates Homeowners Assoc.1. Can we have no development or affordable housing?2. Can we limit use to two homes?3. Can we keep some of the land permanently wild?4. Can we keep a Trail Easement for a future trail to Lady Slipper Lane?5. Can the lots join Sandlewood Estates HOA/covenant, and pay dues?6. If the new lots do not join the HOA, do they maintain their street light, sidewalk, and grass strip?7. Can there be design standards for new homes?8. What is the tentative project schedule?
Can we have no development or affordable housing?•City has a clear program for housing. This site does not meet other goals.•Affordable housing has a place in every neighborhood in the city.•We rejects the claim that affordable housing, when carefully designed, is undesirable or harms property values.
Can we limit development to two homes?•YES, IF we can reduce permit and development costs•(dividing by 2 instead of 3 adds costs)•ONLY IF consensus:•One market rate single‐family home•One affordable single‐family home•Join HOA and Covenant•HOA dues only for affordable housing lot•No minimum house size or garage•Design standards set forth below•Support for permitting and covenant not to sue•Note: Zoning allows accessory apartments in all single family homes
Can we keep some of the land wild?•The City was willing to explore donating ½ acres to the homeowners association, but they do not want the property.•This open space does not meet the City’s goals in the Open Space, Recreation, and Multiuse Trail Plan(2018‐2025)
Can we keep a trail easement for a future trail to Lady Slipper Lane?•Yes. The City will sell the market rate lot subject to the city holding a trail easement. •There is no guarantee, however, that the three other necessary property owners will allow said trail.
Can the new lots join the Sandlewood Estates Covenant and HOA, and pay dues?Yes, if we reach the agreement on support for two homesTherefore, we propose:A. The covenants are amended to list the new lots as part of the subdivision demonstrating that these lots are part of Sandlewood EstatesB. Support for project and covenant not to sueC. Full HOA dues apply to the market rate lot, but do not apply to the affordable lotD. The covenant requirements for minimum house and garage sizes does not apply.E. We can add the proposed design standards (below) if the HOA wanted to apply to these all new construction at Sandlewood.
If the new lots do not join the HOA, do they maintain their own street light, sidewalk, and grass strip?•It is cleanest to bring them into the HOA, and that is our preference.•If we cannot reach an agreement•The city requires that property owners clear their sidewalk•We would default to existing regulatory requirements
Can there be Design Standards for new homes?•Yes. We would require the following standards that are stricter than the existing City regulations to insist on good design. We would not, however, specify the house style (e.g., Colonial), hopefully as part of a new HOA agreementHouse and structure minimum setback (from existing 2020 property lines, NOT any lines we create in dividing up the property)•Front = 30’ (25’ for projecting front porches)•Side = 15’•Rear = 20’
Can there be Design Standards for new homes?Tree PreservationMaintain all existing healthy trees within the 30’ front setback, except as necessary for a 12’ wide driveway, for any solar PV that brings a home to net energy zero, and to remove unhealthy trees and safety threats.
Can there be Design Standards for new homes?Building DesignHomes must have a minimum 6’ x 8’ covered front entry facing the street. •The covered entry may project beyond the front façade of a building or may be integral to the overall massing and roof form of the building. •An upper story front porch may be stacked on a lower story front porch. However, the porches may not be connected by an external stairway within, or in front of the house.The front façade must have windows and doors proportioned as follows•Ground Floor: 20% (min) to 50% (max) •Upper Story: 20% (min) to 50% (max)•Window glass must not be flush with exterior wall surfaces.
Can there be Design Standards for new homes?Parking, Garage, and Screening Placement and Design •Maximum one curb cut per lot, not to exceed 12’ at the public right of way (16’ for a common driveway).•Parking areas must be located to the side or rear of a dwelling (“A” on diagram). No more than 1 parking space may be located in front of a dwelling’s front façade (“B”).•Parking areas visible from the street (“F”) shall not be more than 30’ of lot width as viewed from the street. •When detached garages are located to the side of a dwelling and the garage doors are visible from the street, the width of the detached garage must be no more than 50% of the width of the principal dwelling on the property.•When an attached garage is located between two dwelling units, the garage doors must face the side or rear of the lot. •When the garage doors of an attached garage faces and is visible from the street, the garage shall be no wider than 30% of the total width of the front façade(s) of the dwelling, and no garage door shall be wider than 12’.•Refuse containers must be contained within a structure or screened from view from a public way and adjacent properties.
Lot 1 & 2: Affordable ≤80% AMI1. Fossil fuel free2. If agreement: 1 single-family, HOA3. No agreement- 2 homesLot 3: Market Rate lot w/1. City trail easement2. If agreement: HOA, duesSlivers/buffersSale or trade with abutters
Schedule (subject to change)Public forums (2) 5/4 & 8/6/20Percolation Test 7/10/20Concept plan 8/06/20Join Sandlewood covenants- IF agreement 10/15/20Bid affordable housing 9/01/20Survey and preliminary design 12/31/20Apply for Comprehensive Permit 2/01/21Abutter land swaps/sales 4/01/21Bid market rate lot 4/01/21Transfer all lots 5/15/21