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There have been three petitions submitted to the City with regard to a proposed student housing project:
- An amendment to the Southeast Ogden Community Plan to allow consideration of an R-5/CO zoning option on the western half of 3801 Harrison Boulevard and all of 3778 Brinker Avenue, 1176 East 3850 South, and 1164 East 3850 South.
- The rezone of four properties from R-1-6 and PI to R-5/CO. This includes 3801 Harrison Boulevard, 3778 Brinker Avenue, 1176 East 3850 South, and 1164 East 3850 South.
- A zoning ordinance amendment that would define and create standards for Student Housing and allow it as a use in the R-5 and C-2 zones along Harrison Boulevard between 35th Street and 4800 South.
The petitions for the community plan amendment and the rezone were filed by Mr. Chris McKay, and the Student Housing definition petition was filed by Mr. Daniel Stevens. Mr. McKay is no longer involved in the project, and Mr. Stevens is now the representative for all three petitions.
The specific project proposed by Mr. Stevens would consist of a maximum of 41 units, would have a maximum height of 44 feet, consisting of four total levels with three above ground, and would have a maximum of 118 parking stalls.
The proposed project would include significant landscape buffering and fencing adjacent to the homes in the neighborhood, and would have its entrance and exit on 3850 South. The concept plan for the project can be viewed here.
The specific project proposed by Mr. Stevens would consist of a maximum of 41 units, would have a maximum height of 44 feet, consisting of four total levels with three above ground, and would have a maximum of 118 parking stalls.
The proposed project would include significant landscape buffering and fencing adjacent to the homes in the neighborhood, and would have its entrance and exit on 3850 South. The concept plan for the project can be viewed here.
Background on the Three Petitions
Amendment to the Southeast Ogden Community Plan
In April of 2016, Chris McKay submitted a petition to amend the City’s Southeast Ogden Community Plan to allow for the option of an R-5/CO (Residential Multi-family/Conditional Overlay) zone on several properties near the corner of 3850 South Harrison Boulevard. The original petition was accompanied by the request to rezone several properties for the purpose of developing a student housing complex. The Southeast Ogden Community Plan, adopted in 1987, allows for the R-5 zoning option for only those properties that front onto Harrison Boulevard. The amendment to the community plan is needed to allow the option of the R-5 zone on the properties that do not front onto Harrison Boulevard. The petition included the following properties: 3785 Harrison Blvd, 3801 Harrison Blvd., 3805 Harrison Blvd., 3778 Brinker Ave., 1176 E. 3850 S., and 1164 E. 3850 S. A copy of the current Southeast Ogden Community Plan can be viewed here. The Planning Commission reviewed the petition and forwarded a recommendation of approval to the City Council on May 18, 2016. The Commission’s recommendation was to amend the community plan by adding the following language:
14. Northwest corner of 3850 S. and Harrison Blvd. including 3801 Harrison, 3778 Brinker and 1176 E 3850 South and 1164 E 3850 South
a. Consider an option for R-5/CO (Conditional Overlay)
b.
c. The building needs to be oriented to Harrison Blvd.
d. Heavily landscaped/bermed setback of sufficient distance shall be provided along Brinker/3800 South frontage
(The Council directed changes to the community plan language at the May 16, 2017 work session. Those changes are shown above.)
Rezone of Properties
In conjunction with the community plan amendment, Mr. McKay submitted a petition to rezone several properties near the intersection of 3850 South Harrison Boulevard from the current R-1-5 (Residential Single-family) and P/I (Professional/Institutional) zones to the R-5/CO zone.The properties included in the proposed rezone include: 1176 E. 3850 S., 1164 E. 3850 S., 1150 East 3850 South, 3778 Brinker Ave., 3785 Harrison, 3801 Harrison Blvd. and 3805 Harrison
In addition to the general R-5 zoning, the proposed rezone includes what is known as a Conditional Overlay, or CO. The conditional overlay is meant to more narrowly tailor what can be done on the property beyond that of the general zoning regulations.
In this case, the CO zoning is being proposed to allow the approval of the rezone to be done in conjunction with a development agreement that sets forth such things as contractual obligations of both the City and the developer, design standards for the proposed development, timelines for construction, a conceptual site plan, conceptual building architectural designs, and other similar elements. A copy of the proposed development agreement can be viewed here.
The Planning Commission reviewed the rezone petition at a number of its meetings. The Commission reviewed the rezone at the May 18, 2016 and August 3, 2016 meetings and each time the Commission tabled the item until changes could be made to the proposal. In the fall of 2016, Mr. McKay withdrew from the process and was replaced by Mr. Stevens. Prior to Mr. Stevens’ involvement, the Commission had tabled the item to the October 5, 2016 meeting. The item was tabled again at the October 5, 2016 and the November 2, 2016 meeting to allow Mr. Stevens time to make the needed changes to the petition. On February 1, 2017, after changes had been made to the proposal, the Commission reviewed the petition and forwarded a recommendation of approval to the City Council with a vote of 8-0, excluding 1150 East 3850 South, 3785 Harrison Boulevard and 3805 Harrison Boulevard which had been removed from the petition.
Through the process, the proposed development has been significantly reduced in overall size and number of units. The initial proposal consisted of a five-story building with 130 units and 297 parking spaces. The current project proposal has been reduced to a four-level (three above ground) building with a maximum height of 44 feet, a maximum of 41 units, and a total of 118 parking spaces.
The Planning Commission reviewed the rezone petition at a number of its meetings. The Commission reviewed the rezone at the May 18, 2016 and August 3, 2016 meetings and each time the Commission tabled the item until changes could be made to the proposal. In the fall of 2016, Mr. McKay withdrew from the process and was replaced by Mr. Stevens. Prior to Mr. Stevens’ involvement, the Commission had tabled the item to the October 5, 2016 meeting. The item was tabled again at the October 5, 2016 and the November 2, 2016 meeting to allow Mr. Stevens time to make the needed changes to the petition. On February 1, 2017, after changes had been made to the proposal, the Commission reviewed the petition and forwarded a recommendation of approval to the City Council with a vote of 8-0, excluding 1150 East 3850 South, 3785 Harrison Boulevard and 3805 Harrison Boulevard which had been removed from the petition.
Through the process, the proposed development has been significantly reduced in overall size and number of units. The initial proposal consisted of a five-story building with 130 units and 297 parking spaces. The current project proposal has been reduced to a four-level (three above ground) building with a maximum height of 44 feet, a maximum of 41 units, and a total of 118 parking spaces.
Student Housing Definition
The last of the three petitions, submitted on January 13, 2017 by Mr. Stevens, is intended to create a definition and standards for Student Housing. Currently, under the City’s definition of Family, a residential unit may be occupied by a family that is related by blood or marriage, by two unrelated adults and their minor children, or by up to three unrelated individuals without minor children. What this means for student housing is that in any residential unit not on Weber State’s campus no more than three unrelated students may live in one unit. In order for the petitioner to effectively create a student housing project, he has indicated that at least four students must be able to occupy a single residential unit.The petition proposes to create a definition for Student Housing that would allow up to four unrelated individuals to occupy a single unit if certain conditions are met. In an effort limit the potential impacts of student housing and to keep any such student housing close to Weber State University, the following standards are being proposed:
- Student Housing is a permitted use in only the R-5 (Residential Multi-family) and C-2 (Community Commercial) zones.
- The building or buildings shall be on one lot or parcel with frontage on Harrison Boulevard and located between 35th Street and 4800 South.
- The development shall meet the site development standards set forth in the applicable zone for one building or group dwellings.
- The building or group dwellings shall have a minimum of ten student housing dwelling units per building.
- A minimum of 50% of all new building exterior shall be covered in brick.
- Required parking shall be a minimum of 0.7 stalls per bedroom with a maximum of one stall per bedroom.
- A bedroom shared by two persons shall not be smaller than 130 square feet.
Timeline
Information and Reports
- Press Release - Harrison Student Housing
- News Advisory - Harrison Student Housing
- Southeast Ogden Community Plan Amendment Information Packet
- Harrison Student Housing Project Rezone Information Packet
- Student Housing Definition Information Packet
- Harrison Student Housing Project Traffic Study
- Harrison Student Housing Presentation 05.13.17 Work Session
- Proposed Harrison Student Housing Rezone Map
Next Steps
The City Council considered the petitions at the June 13, 2017 meeting. The Council approved the three petitions with some amendments. The Council approved the Southeast Ogden Community Plan amendments as presented, and approved the rezone with minor changes to the development agreement and concept plan. The Council also approved the Student Housing definition zoning ordinance amendment, but narrowed the area to which it would apply to only the property included in the proposed development (3801 Harrison Blvd.).Mr. Stevens will now need to undergo the development review process. The development review process will include a more detailed review and analysis of impacts related to such things as utilities, traffic impacts, site engineering and geotechnical analysis, and building permit review. Preliminary evaluations of these issues were done with the initial petitions, but the development review process will provide a more project-specific review and analysis of these and other similar issues.