By Adam Swift
City Manager Fidel Maltez is requesting a city council subcommittee to discuss a smart growth overlay district proposed for Prattville.
The council’s scheduled regular meeting for Monday night was moved to Wednesday due to the winter storm over the weekend.
“Our Administration has been working collaboratively with the Chelsea Housing Authority on this proposal,” Maltez said. “We respectfully request this subcommittee for February to allow the City Council adequate notice and input, before the zoning request is formally submitted. A 40R District is commonly referred (to) as a Smart Growth Zoning Overlay.”
The city and the Chelsea Housing Authority have a partnership with a private developer to redevelop the CHA units while building new market rate units in the area.
“This zoning unlocks a one-time payment from the State and an incentive payment of $3,000 per unit built inside of the district,” Maltez stated. “This will result in significant new funding for a project like Fitzgerald/Prattville. These efforts are directly in line with the City Council’s goals of creating more affordable housing in the City and growing our housing stock in a strategic and responsible way.”
At the subcommittee meeting, Maltez said the administration will share a draft of the proposed ordinance for its review.
The process for the zoning overlay district includes the following steps:
An application, including a draft ordinance amendment and draft district map, is prepared and submitted to the Executive Office of Housing & Livable Communities (EOHLC) for review and approval;
EOHLC reviews the application, draft ordinance amendment, and draft map for compliance with State requirements: if approved, EOHLC issues a Letter of Eligibility;
The State approved draft ordinance is submitted to the Council for approval in accordance with the standard zoning amendment;
The Council accepts the proposed amendment and forwards it to the Planning Board for review and a recommendation;
The Planning Board holds a public hearing to receive comment on the proposed amendment;
The Council receives the Planning Board recommendation and, after a public hearing of its own public hearing votes on the amendment;
The approved zoning amendment is sent to EOHLC, which sends the City a letter of approval; and
The City receives an incentive payment for adoption of the amendment, the amount based on the number of residential units that can be built over and above that in the underlying zoning district.
“We look forward to reviewing this proposal further during a Subcommittee of the City Council,” Maltez stated. “Thank you for your support for more affordable housing and our partnership with the Chelsea Housing Authority.”