Item 3: PH on Ordinance Regarding State Motor Pool Metro Plan Amendment and Zone Change

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(b) Adoption of the amendment must not make the Metro Plan internally inconsistent. The Metro Plan diagram amendment to re-designate 1.7 acres of land from High Density ResidentialIMixed Us~/Nodal Development to Commercial/Nodal Development will not create an internal conflict with the remainder of the Metro Plan. No text or other diagram changes are necessary to ensure internal consistency with the proposed diagram amendments; adoption of this amendment will not make the Metro Plan internally consistent. Consistency with Metro Plan Dolicies: The applicant concludes that "...findings were made at the time of adoption of the Downtown Plan. The change of the Metro Plan map, when that change is only to make it conform with the text of the adopted refinement plan, and now the Metro. Plan, should not require new findings of Metro Plan consistency" (applicant's letter to City June 8, 2006). Staff does not concur with the applicant's conclusion. That the refinement plan was earlier found to be consistent with the Metro Plan is not sufficient evidence that the specific plan amendment proposed is consistent with the Metro Plan. Staff presents findings below as evidence that the proposed Metro Plan diagram amendment is consistent with the policy direction contained iil the Metro Plan. The following Metro Plan polices are applicable to the requested amendment: Residential Land Use and Housing Element: Generally locate higher density residential development near employment or commercial services, in proximity to major transportation systems or within transportation-efficient nodes. (policy A.II) Encourage residential developments in or near downtown core areas in both cities. (Policy A.I9) The current Metro Plan designation of the parcel is High Density ResidentialIMixed Use/Nodal Development. The Metro Plan also'contains the following cautionary statement related to the residential land supply: "While all medium and high density allocations shown on the Metro Plan Diagram may not be needed during the planning period, there protection for these uses is important because available sites meeting pertinent location standards are limited" (pg. II-G-3). However, the proposed amendment has been found to have no actual effect on the buildable residential land supply (as noted in findings for Goal 10 under EC 9.7730(3)(b) above). In addition, the proposed designation ofCommercial/Nodal Development would accommodate both multi-unit residential and commercial uses. The applicant claims that a High Density Residential designation is not appropriate for the subject parcel. . This is due to the fact that: 1) The parcel is surrounded by commercial, industrial and office uses (applicant's letter to City July 24, 2006 pg. 5). Staff does not agree that this makes the site unsuitable for High Density Residential Uses, which are anticipated in the Downtown Plan and often located within compact commercial centers and next to office uses. The site is also proximate to other housing, parks, and other amenities for residents. 2) The applicant states that the parcel is also not suited for residential uses due to the parcel's configuration. The parcel is only 130 feet deep on the west (Pearl Street) side, with the longest boundary along the railroad (written statement April 13, 2006 pg. 3). It is not clear how this configuration makes the site dif~cult to develop in high density housing. The site is substantially