“This standard prevents tall buildings from appearing monolithic and can mitigate the impacts of height at the street level,” Tripard said. “It helps preserve the view of the mountains and access to natural light on the street.”
The city’s design standards would also mean any new building would be very close to the sidewalk, Tripard said.
“Parking cannot be located between the building and the street to screen parking from the street view,” she said.
The new standards also mean any new building would have to have lots of windows, lots of entrances and lots of natural materials like masonry or wood. There would be limits on things like synthetic stucco, for example. The zoning would allow up to 43 dwelling units per acre.
The zoning promotes efficient use of existing infrastructure and is in the best interests of the city as a whole, Tripard told the board.
Aaron Wilson, the city’s infrastructure and mobility planning manager, said his office supports the rezone request.
“The location supports the region’s ‘focus inward’ approach to growth, and our desire to increase the intensity of land use where existing infrastructure and transportation services can support the additional mobility needs,” he said. “A compact approach to development provides more people with access to more resources and opportunities without having to travel far.”