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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1991 03-05 HCM MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE HOUSING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA REGULAR SESSION MARCH 5, 1991 CITY HALL CALL TO ORDER The Brooklyn Center housing commission was called to order at 7:05 p.m. ROLL CALL Chairman Nicholas Eoloff, Commissioners Ernie Erickson, Barbara Jensen, Neal Nelson and Robert Torres. Also present were Council Liaison Phil Cohen, City Planner Gary Shallcross and Assistant EDA Coordinator Tom Bublitz. Absent and excused from the meeting were Commissioners Pamela Frantum, John Kalligher and Jon Perkins. REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF REPORT ON LARGE- FAMILY HOUSING Council Liaison Phil Cohen noted he had to leave the meeting early this evening and requested that he be able to relay some of his suggestions regarding this issue at the beginning of the meeting. He explained he had several suggestions based on the information received from staff in the report. First of all, he suggested the design standards described in Mary Vogel Heffernan's report, referenced on page 23 of the staff report, should be considered by the commission in the discussion of any changes to the existing ordinance. He pointed out the summary of design recommendations in Ms. Vogel- Heffernan's report, including the issues of home -like quality, safety and security, quality residential environment, privacy and community, indoor and outdoor connection, and appropriate scale density and arrangement of units. Councilmember Cohen also suggested that we should contact the city attorney to determine whether or not standards such as these can be adopted legally in the City ordinance. He also cited the need for additional data including a projected need in the next decade for large family housing, and a projection of the surplus of single family homes that will be found in the city in the next decade. He suggested that perhaps the Maxfield Research Group could supply some information in the area of these types of demographics. As a starting point, Councilmember Cohen suggested that Mary Vogel Heffernan be invited to the next housing commission meeting to discuss her report for commission members. Councilmember Cohen commented the staff report does give some direction on the issue but that additional demographic information is needed, such as the number of three bedroom housing units which will be needed in the next decade in the City of Brooklyn Center, 3/5/91 1 the housing sector of which Brooklyn Center is a part including Brooklyn Center, Robbinsdale, New Hope, Crystal and Brooklyn Park and an indication of the number of units needed in the entire metropolitan area. Additionally, he pointed out the need for a projection on the number of surplus single family homes that will be available in the next decade. Councilmember Cohen suggested, in addition to the design categories previously referenced on page 23 of the staff report, the design standards addressing interior hallways (page 31), accessible play space (page 33), and storage space (page 35) are also critical design elements to consider. Commissioner Jensen inquired as to the additional cost of the amenities proposed in the University of Minnesota report and also the feasibility of converting existing units to include these types of amenities. Also, she pointed the issue of converting the large family units back if they are no longer needed in the future. Councilmember Cohen suggested that whatever the City develops in terms of policy should have a significant "shelf life" in terms of housing. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FEBRUARY 5, 1991 There was a motion by Commissioner Erickson and seconded by Commissioner Nelson to approve the February 5, 1991, minutes as submitted. The motion passed. CONTINUATION OF DISCUSSION ON LARGE- FAMILY HOUSING The Assistant EDA Coordinator pointed out that for purposes of developing the staff report, he addressed the issues in the 0 Council resolution directing the housing commission to study the large family housing issue and which included demographics, statistics regarding a profile of families needing housing with three or more bedrooms, the amenities needed in large family housing, use of single family homes as an alternative to multi- family housing and the future of state and federal programs as they relate to large family housing. The commission continued its discussion of the large- family housing issue and whether or not the percentage in the zoning ordinance should be increased to at least 25 percent to comply with the existing requirements of the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency's Low Income Tax Credit Program. The City Planner inquired whether there might be some MHFA standards as referenced in the University of Minnesota report that are already in place and if the City can reference those standards in their ordinance. Commissioner Jensen posed the question of whether developers, using MHFA -type programs, would create a glut of new construction or conversions with increased three bedroom units. She then reviewed the Section 8 waiting list data presented in the report and indicated that more data was needed to determine what the actual need would be in the future as opposed to merely describing the present need. 3/5/91 2 The Assistant EDA Coordinator explained presently there is relatively little activity in the MHFA Tax Credit Program with regard to conversions which include three bedroom units. He explained presently there are little or no conversions being done in suburban communities. The housing commission members continued to discuss the design criteria presented in the University of Minnesota report, with several commission members pointing out the design guidelines would be quite expensive to implement. Commissioner Erickson explained that in reading the records of the past City Council and planning commission meetings which established the ten percent figure, he was unable to find any specific piece of data that led to the ten percent figure. He suggested that if we now change the percentage from ten percent, there should be some additional requirements attached along with an explanation of how the new percentage was achieved. Commissioner Eoloff suggested that the commission might consider increased land area requirements as opposed to a straight percentage. The City Planner commented that use of a land area requirement is a more traditional zoning approach to this issue. He explained he had interviewed many other suburban communities and that none of them had a percentage requirement with regard to capping the number of three bedroom units in a particular development. He explained the City staff views the ten percent limit as more of a housing policy rather than a land -use policy. Commissioner Eoloff suggested that for the next meeting, the staff should provide some examples of conversions done by nonprofit groups, explore the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency's standards expressed in the University of Minnesota report, and the staff should come up with some options for further consideration by the commission. Commissioner Jensen inquired whether any other cities have any requirements regarding the types of amenities described in the University of Minnesota report. Additionally, she inquired whether there may be some tradeoff for land area versus amenities included in a project. For example, you may require 750 square feet of land area per unit with no amenities and 600 square feet with some type of additional amenities. In other words, the land area requirement would be reduced as the amenities are increased. ADJOURNMENT There was a motion by Commissioner Torres and seconded by Commissioner Nelson to adjourn. The motion passed. The Brooklyn Center housing commission adjourned at 8:30 p.m. Chairperson 3/5/91 3