HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance-1997-1091
CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO
INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DiTULLIO
Council Bill No 27
Ordinance No. 1091
Series of 1997
TITLE
AN ORDINANCE CONCERNING RESIDENTIAL DENSITY LIMITATIONS
UPON MULTIFAMILY DWELLING UNITS IN THE R-3A DISTRICT
WHEREAS, the City is In the process of revising its Comprehensive Plan, and
WHEREAS, one element of the revised Comprehensive Plan concerns residential
density, and
WHEREAS, the City Council has enacted a moratorium on rezoning to certain
residential zone districts and on the issuance of building permits for duplex and multifamily
units in these districts, all in order to permit the revision of the Comprehensive Plan and
adoption of implementing ordinances to be completed in an environment free from
immediate development pressure, and
WHEREAS, the citizens of Wheat Ridge have articulated their desire for reduced
residential densities in neighborhood meetings, and
WHEREAS, the City Council has received and reviewed the recommendations of the
ComprehenSive Plan ReView Committee and the Planning Commission regarding residential
denSity, and
WHEREAS, the City Council has received and reviewed the recommendation of the
Planning Commission concerning this Ordinance, and
WHEREAS, said recommendations include recommendations on two essential
components of residential density (1) minimum lot area and (2) minimum land area per
reSidential unit, and
WHEREAS, the City Council wishes to implement certain of these recommendations
within the R-3A District, and
WHEREAS, the City Council IS authorized by Charter Section 5 10 1 (e) to reduce
density In any zoning district
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE,
COLORADO
GED',5302~ 2572~~ 03
Section 1. Legislative Declaration. The City Council hereby finds and declares that
residential density has a great capacity to affect neighborhood quality of life and that
preservation and protection of existing developed neighborhoods within the City is of prime
concern to the present and future residents of the City The Council further finds that
development of available vacant properties and redevelopment of eXisting built properties
Within residential neighborhoods has the capacity and potential to seriously degrade this
quality of life and residential neighborhood stability The Council further finds that thiS
ordinance is also necessary to achieve the following goals
To preserve and protect the integrity, quality and stability of existing
developed residential neighborhoods within the City,
2 To protect the legitimate rights of property owners to realize a return on their
investment while at the same time recognizing the legitimate concerns of the
surrounding neighborhood,
3 To implement the poliCies and recommendations of the Wheat Ridge
Comprehensive Plan as it pertains to residential denSity, and
4 To preserve and protect the quality of life in the City of Wheat Ridge for
present and future residents
Section 2. Section 26-17 of the Wheat Ridge Code of Laws, Residential - Three A
District (R-3A), subsection (F), entitled "Development and Use Regulations," is amended as
follows
Multifamily (3imore dwelling units)
square feet
minimum land area per unit
3-,.GOO 3,960
Section 3. Section 26-17(F) IS hereby further amended by the addition of a new
footnote (k), to read
(k) The requirements of Section 26-7(D)(2) shall not apply
to require compliance with minimum lot area and/or minimum
land area per unit requirements otherwise applicable to the
reconstruction of multifamily dwelling units in the R-3A district,
where such structures and their reconstruction meet all of the
follOWing requirements (1) the structure was legally In
existence on September 8, 1997, (2) the structure IS located
upon a lot which does not meet the then-applicable minimum
lot area and/or minimum land area per unit requirements for
such proposed reconstruction, and (3) such reconstruction is
restricted to replacement of the structure which has been
destroyed This exemption shall not apply to (1) new
construction where no replacement of a preexisting structure
takes place or (2) reconstruction of structures which were not
, ~~-I "
legally in existence (as d'lstingu'lshed from legal nonconforming
structures)
Section 4 Safetv Clause The City Council hereby finds, determines, and declares
that this Ordinance is promulgated under the general police power of the City of Wheat
Ridge, that it is promulgated for the health, safety, and welfare of the public and that this
Ordinance is necessary for the preservation of health and safety and for the protection of
public convenience and welfare The City Council further determines that the Ordinance
bears a rational relaflon to the proper legislative object sought to be attained
Section 5. Severability, Conflicting Ordinances Repealed If any section, subsection
or clause of thiS ordinance shall be deemed to be unconstitutional or otherwise invalid, the
valid'lty of the remaining sections, subsections and clauses shall not be affected thereby
All other ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with the prOVisions of thiS ordinance
are hereby repealed
Section 6. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall take effect fifteen days after final
publication, as provided by Section 5.11 of the Charter
INTRODUCED, READ, AND ADOPTED on first reading by a vote of ~ to .-l- on
thiS 11 ", day of August, 1997, ordered published in full in a newspaper of general
Circulation in the City of Wheat Ridge and Public Hearing and consideration on final passage
set for September 8, 1997, at 700 o'clock pm. in the Council Chambers, 7500 West
29th Avenue, Wheat Ridge, Colorado
READ, ADOPTED AND ORDERED PUBLISHED on second and final reading by a vote
of 6 to 1 ,this 8th day of September , 1997.
SIGNED by the Mayor on this
day of
, 1997.
DAN WILDE, MAYOR
ATTEST
WANDA SANG, CITY CLERK
':;ED ,:?r:::. ,~~""'20i: U:3
3
Mayor Wilde did not sign this ordinance.
APPROV
First Publication August 22, 1997
Second Publication September 26, 1997
Wheat Ridge Transcnpt
Effective Date October 11, 1997
Vetoed by Mayor Wilde on September 8, 1997.
Veto overridden by City Council on September 22, 1997 by a vote of 7 to 1.
I-~ ~J r, ~I - ...:. " , ..2 (b n_~
4