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About Keizertimes. (Salem, Or.) 1979-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 30, 2016)
SEPTEMBER 30, 2016, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A5 KT on vacation Submitted photo Wrigley Field was a hot spot for recent Keizer tourists in Chi-Town. ABOVE: Bob and Maureen Renner. RIGHT: Kelson, Brennan and Ethan Whalen. Send KT on Vacation photos to kt@keizertimes.com. Committee volunteers needed The City of Keizer is looking for volunteers to serve on the following committees. • The Keizer Points of Interest Committee identifi es, authenticates, and memorializes sites of interest located in the Keizer area. Meetings are on the fourth Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. • The Public Art Commission reviews, evalu- ates, selects, maintains, and documents all art- work, public art, and public murals within the city. The meetings are on the fourth Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. • The Stormwater Advisory Committee re- views guidelines and makes recommendations to the City Council on the development of ordinances pertaining to illicit discharge detec- tion and elimination, stormwater runoff control, and stormwater management. The Committee is looking for individuals who have experience in the development or building industry, but it is not a requirement. Meetings are scheduled as needed and are usually held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. • Youth Councilor/Liaison/Page positions of- fer opportunities for youth service on various city committees. Volunteer applications are available at www. keizer.org. Individuals can also request applica- tions to be mailed to them by calling City Hall at 503-390-3700. Applications due by noon on Oct. 12. puzzle answers Commissioners fi nd minimal wiggle room as they seek to expand housing infi ll options By ERIC A. HOWALD Of the Keizertimes It was billed as an opportunity to give developers more options when proposing new subdivisions in Keizer, but the city’s planning commission didn’t fi nd much room for fl exibility. “Part of what we are wrestling with is we want to encourage different housing types,” said Nate Brown, Keizer community development director. “For example, the Herber family (which owns the cow pasture property on the west side of Verda Lane Northeast) didn’t have many options for development other than requesting the rezone given the constraints of the land. The standard, classic zoning approach gives us everything we’ve had in the past. If we are going to get creative, we have to get past the discomfort of change.” Brown and Shane Witham, the city’s associate planner, asked planning commissioners for their input on four areas of the city’s planned unit development (PUD) standards. PUDs are comprehensive plans for neighborhoods that encompass various types of housing, commercial and, sometimes, industrial areas. The fi rst topic was on the density allowed in PUDs. Current standards require at least 20 percent of open space, but allow commercial spaces to fall under the open space requirement. For each percentage point of open space above the minimum, developers are allowed and equal percentage of increased density (a 1-to-1 ratio), but city staff and members of the commission were open to increasing the density bonus. In essence, the bonus allowed will increase developers ability to create mixed housing options, e.g. mixing in duplexes, triplexes and townhouses in with single family residences. “If we are going to get creative, we have to get past the discomfort of change” — Nate Brown Community development director Commissioners hedged on providing actual numbers to increase the bonus by. “Some small increase would be reasonable. Something more than 1 percent and less than 50 percent,” said Commissioner Jim Jacks. Commissioners also suggested that the change from single family residences to higher density homes be gradual. On a question about what types of housing should be allowed, commissioners were less willing to give. Commissioner Hersch Sangster did not want to see apartments mixed in with single family residences. Even triplexes were largely ruled out. They seemed more open to increasing the different types of housing available to developers as the size of the overall development increased. Gary Whelan cautioned against making the standards so prohibitive that the costs to live in a new PUD was out- of-reach for the average family. “Affordable housing is an elusive deal, but we need to make sure there is some cost effi ciency that allows the developer and the end user to be part of this community,” Whelan said. On a question of whether and how commercial uses should be permitted within PUDs, commissioners kept the possibility open, but did not wanted it counted as open space in the future. Commissioners asked that Brown and Witham come back to them with a proposal for percentages of how much space could be used for commercial development. The commission also tackled a question regarding allowing private streets that would likely be gated. The majority opposed the options of private streets and gated accesses given that the streets would have to meet all established standards. Only Sangster said he would prefer to leave it as an option. “If someone wants a gated community they should be able to have it, but they have to assume the responsibility,” Sangster said. KEIZER MAYOR CATHY CLARK JOINS GATOR AND DENISE EVERY WEDNESDAY AT 5:30 PM TUNE IN AS WE TALK ALL THINGS KEIZER!
