09-23-19 Regular Meeting of the La Porte City Council

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DEVELOPMENT SUMMARY Hawthorne at Fairmont will be a Class A residential apartment community that provides 294 new luxury units to the City of La Porte. While offering a wide range of residential options — including one, two, and three bedroom floor plans, the interior features and exterior amenities will remain top-notch and exceed similar existing Class A apartment communities in the surrounding cities. Hawthorne at Fairmont has been designed in an urban architectural style, to accommodate the increasing multi -family market demand in LaPorte. Situated on 12.608 acres of land located at the northwest intersection of Fairmont Parkway and Canada, Hawthorne at Fairmont development will serve residents from the increasing petrochemical job growth and economic expansion that is impacting the nearby ship channel. Moreover, this new community will provide luxury apartment options for nearby businesses and working residents in the La Porte vicinity. Rental rates at Hawthorne at Fairmont are projected to range from approximately $1,225 for the smallest one -bedroom units up to $1,995 for the three bedroom units. Residents will be responsible for paying all their utilities and will have the option to rent garages. Additionally, all residents will need to pass criminal background checks and credit checks. At Hawthorne at Fairmont, the interiors will feature luxury kitchens with designer cabinets, stainless steel appliances, luxury plank style flooring, crown molding, granite countertops, full size washers and dryers, and open living areas. Other distinctive features will include pantries, large walk in closets, garden size tubs with enclosed shower areas, and spacious balconies and patios with convenient outside storage. The exterior of Hawthorne at Fairmont will include a pleasurable design of stone, brick, stucco, and cementitious siding construction on the four-story building. This attractive Class -A building will provide a comfortable residential feel situated around an internal courtyards with a heavy use of pleasing landscaping and fencing around the perimeter. The clubhouse will feature a furnished community room with custom home finishes. The building will be elevator served and the development will include a fitness center, outdoor grilling areas, along with a resort style swimming pool in the interior courtyard. Additionally, Hawthorne at Fairmont will be a gated access community and have detached garages and covered parking options for most units. Hawthorne at Fairmont complies with La Porte's zoning ordinance except that the development will need to obtain a variance for four items. First, the zoning ordinance only allows 14 units per acre. Hawthorne at Fairmont's proposed density is 23.4 units per acre. Second, the zoning ordinance limits multifamily developments to 180 units. Hawthorne at Fairmont is proposing 295 units. Third, the zoning ordinance states that buildings cannot exceed 45 feet in height. With the proposed building being a four story, elevator served building, the height of the building would be 60 feet. Fourth, the zoning ordinance prevents multifamily residential developments within 1,000 feet of each other if they are larger multifamily developments. If this distance is measured from building to building, then our proposed development would be more than 1,000 feet from the closest other multifamily development; however if this distance is measured from property line to property line, we would be within 1,000 feet of another senior multifamily development on the other side of Canada.