Purpose and intent. A multifamily workforce housing district is hereby
established in order to provide suitable opportunities within the
Town for the development of housing designed to satisfy the needs
of households maintained by the disabled, the young, the elderly,
and families earning less than 80% of the county's annual median income.
The district is intended to provide for the construction of multifamily
housing on sites determined to be appropriate based on criteria established
herein which are designed to promote the public health, safety and
general welfare and to develop housing which is responsive to a variety
of special needs of present and future residents of the Town. To help
assure the achievement of this goal with proper protection for existing
and future neighboring development and infrastructure, the Multifamily
Work Force Housing District shall be established on a floating-zone
basis, subject to approval by the Town Board and in accordance with
an approved preliminary development concept plan, as described and
defined herein.
Eligible property. Any site proposed to be included in the Multifamily
Work Force Housing District shall be in the OP2 District and shall
meet the following site eligibility requirements, all of which shall
be met on the effective date of the Zoning Map amendment:
Notwithstanding the minimum lot size requirements for the OP-2
District set forth in the Commercial Zoning Schedule[1] such site shall have a minimum lot size of 25 acres.
Single-family dwellings (attached or detached), subject to the
issuance of a special permit from the Town Board and site plan approval
from the Planning Board.
Special permit standards. The issuance of a special permit for single-family
or multifamily residential housing shall be subject to the following
standards:
In any development of 10 or more dwelling units, at least 10% of the units shall be classified as affordable housing as defined by § 138-4B. In computing this number, fractional units of 0.5 or more shall be rounded up.
Development standards. All single-family and multifamily residential
development in the Multifamily Work Force District shall comply with
the following standards:
Physical integration. Units designated as priority units shall
be designed to be integrated into the overall project so as not to
be immediately identifiable and shall contain the same quality workmanship
and materials.
Dwelling unit size and unit type. Dwelling unit types may include
multifamily and single-family attached or single-family detached types
and may include one- or two-bedroom units.
Minimum floor area. The minimum gross floor area (living space)
per affordable housing dwelling unit shall not be less than 80% of
the average floor area of nonrestricted housing units in the development,
and no less than the following:
Bedrooms. No multifamily housing unit shall contain more than
two bedrooms. The intended use of each room in a multifamily housing
unit shall be specified on the site plan. For the purpose of determining
the number of bedrooms in the dwelling unit, any room designed, intended,
furnished or occupied for sleeping quarters and any room other than
a living room, kitchen or bathroom or a utility room having more than
50 square feet of floor area shall be considered a bedroom. The identification
of use of rooms in each dwelling unit shall be a part of the approval
of the site plan. The habitable floor area of a dwelling unit shall
not exceed 1,800 square feet.
Each project shall be required to define the selection criteria
and process for compliance of the project to this section as part
of the project marketing plan or community benefits agreement.
The project marketing plan or community benefits agreement shall
identify the organization, group or company who shall ensure compliance
with the eligibility requirements for the project. As part of the
special permit approval process, the Town Board shall have the authority
to approve or disapprove of the organization, group, or company that
shall manage and ensure compliance with the eligibility requirements
for the project.
Each project shall define how the project shall benefit the
identified preference groups/population identified in the project
marketing plan or community benefits agreement.
Typical preference groups could include such residents and/or
workers in the Town of Southeast who are members of the fire and police
force, school district employees, veterans residing in Putnam County,
persons aged 55 and older, persons with disabilities, and Putnam County
first responders.
At least 34% of the priority units shall be subject to a ninety-nine-year
restriction limiting the sale or rental price of such affordable priority
units, initially and upon rerental or resale.
With respect to rental units, such affordable priority units
shall be rented to qualifying affordable households at rates equal
to 30% of 80% of the Putnam County household income, as published
by the United States Census Bureau from time to time or as adjusted
consistent with increases in the CPI during interim periods.
With respect to sale units, such affordable priority units shall be sold to qualifying affordable households at sales prices equal to 90% of the prices set forth in the sales offering plan or memorandum (for the first six months of sales, as established by the sale of the first unit), or 90% of the sales price of similar housing units in the subject multifamily housing development in the six months preceding the date of the contract of sale, adjusted for unit size. The sale price of these units shall not exceed the threshold for an affordable housing unit as defined in § 138-4B.
Application procedure. The procedure for planning and zoning approval
of a proposed multifamily work force housing development in accordance
with this section shall involve a three-stage review process, including:
1) Town Board approval of a Zoning Map change to designate the subject
property as within the Multifamily Work Force Housing District; 2)
Town Board approval of a special permit for the single-family or multifamily
residential development; 3) Planning Board approval of a site plan.
Reservation of parkland. Before the Town Board may approve a special
permit for a project containing multifamily residential units, a site
plan shall be provided that shall show, when required by such Board,
a park or parks suitably located for playground or other recreational
purposes.
The Town Board shall not require land for park, playground or
other recreational purposes until it has made a finding that a proper
case exists for requiring that a park or parks be suitably located
for playgrounds or other recreational purposes within the Town. Such
findings shall include an evaluation of the present and future needs
for park and recreational facilities in the Town based on projected
population growth to which the particular site plan will contribute.
Such findings shall provide an individualized determination that such
required dedication or reservation is related both in nature and extent
to the impact of the proposed project.
In the event the Town Board makes a finding pursuant to the preceding subsection that the proposed project presents a proper case for requiring a park or parks suitably located for playgrounds or other recreational purpose, but that a suitable park or parks of adequate size to meet the requirement cannot be properly located on such site plan, the Town Board may require a sum of money in lieu thereof. In making such determination of suitability, the Board shall assess the size and suitability of lands shown in the site plan which could be possible locations for park or recreational facilities, as well as practical factors including whether there is a need for additional facilities in the immediate community. As part of the special permit referral pursuant to § 138-52A(2), the Town Board shall seek a report and recommendation from the Planning Board regarding the suitability of lands shown in the site plan which could be possible locations for park or recreational facilities. Any monies required by the Town Board in lieu of land for park, playground or other recreational purposes, pursuant to the provisions of this section, shall be deposited to the Town of Southeast to be used by the Town exclusively for park, playground or other recreational purposes, including the acquisition of property. Such payment shall be a condition of special permit approval and shall be assessed in accordance with the site plan recreation fee schedule established by the Town Board per § 138-87. No site plan shall be signed by the Chairman of the Planning Board until such special permit approval is granted by the Town Board, and payment has been received by the Town and receipt therefor provided to the Planning Board.