Q&A
Detailed discussion on City of Yes zoning changes and their impact
2:00:43
ยท
3 min
Council Member Narcisse requests a detailed explanation of the maximum allowable height and FAR (Floor Area Ratio) for the three zoning districts (R6A, R7A, and R7X) affected by the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity initiative. Richard Bass provides a comprehensive breakdown of the changes.
- Bass explains the changes for each zoning district, including increases in FAR and maximum height allowances.
- He clarifies that despite increased allowances, their project will not utilize the maximum heights permitted.
- Bass emphasizes that economic factors and construction methodology constrain their ability to build to the new maximum heights.
- The discussion highlights the difference between zoning allowances and actual building plans, with Bass stressing their commitment to the originally proposed building heights.
Mercedes Narcisse
2:00:43
Thank you.
2:00:44
Now this question, like I said, I trust you, but we're gonna have to go there.
2:00:47
City of yes for housing opportunity increased the height and density permitted in several zoning district, including r 6 a and r 7 a.
2:00:58
Can you please state for the record what is the maximum allowable height and FAR for the for 3 for the 3 zoning district?
Richard Bass
2:01:10
Sure.
2:01:10
The let's start with the largest.
Mercedes Narcisse
2:01:12
Like the r six a, r seven a, and r seven x.
2:01:16
Right.
2:01:17
And how where they changed the city I mean, by the city of yes.
Richard Bass
2:01:22
Okay.
2:01:22
The r seven x, did not change the FAR.
2:01:26
It was 6.0 before.
2:01:28
It's 6.0 now.
2:01:30
The maximum height was 125.
2:01:34
It's now 145.
2:01:36
At 125, our project was at 80 90, feet height.
2:01:41
The r seven a, was, a 4.6 FAR, it's now a 5.01 FAR.
2:01:53
That increased, the potential development by 15,500 square feet.
2:01:59
It increased the height, maximum height, from 95 to a 115 feet tall.
2:02:06
Again, our proposal was 40 to 70 feet, on on coil.
2:02:11
And on the r six a, it changed it from a 3.6 to a 3.9 FAR, an increase of 14,000 oh, 11,400 square feet, and also increased the height by 10 feet from 85 to 95.
2:02:29
We're not changing the height of our buildings on Bragg.
2:02:34
We will absorb those 11 apartments in the proposed, height that we showed you.
2:02:41
Okay.
2:02:43
I could you know, again, just, you know, sorry that I keep using the cup.
2:02:46
I used to be a professor and I loved, you know, props.
2:02:51
Just because the there's a height a maximum height limit doesn't mean you build to that height limit.
2:02:58
Again, your zoning entitlements only will bring you up so far on the r seven x and I you have to speak to city planning why they went from 125 to 145.
2:03:09
We didn't need the 125 at the 6.0.
2:03:12
We definitely don't need the 145 but to go to that height, we would have to change construction methodology, and that is expensive, and that makes us not do the project.
2:03:25
So we're gonna do, a plank, building and we're gonna keep our promise of 8 9 stories, regardless of what the zoning district, has.
2:03:35
And your question is, you know, I've been doing this a long time, every zoning I've done, the community raises the same issue that your building is x, but, you know, the the zoning permits y.
2:03:47
Mhmm.
2:03:48
Chairman Riley, you probably have heard this many times.