[Neighbors] Copper/Aliso Development Exceeds 39 ft. Height Limit
Sally Beers via Neighbors_nobhill-nm
neighbors_nobhill-nm at mailman.swcp.com
Tue Dec 5 13:58:55 MST 2017
I also agree that a HISTORIC DESIGNATION needs to be implemented. Some developers seem to be interested only in their profits, not the people or the neighborhood's future.
Sally Beers
--------------------------------------------
On Tue, 12/5/17, Gloria Birkholz via Neighbors_nobhill-nm <neighbors_nobhill-nm at mailman.swcp.com> wrote:
Subject: Re: [Neighbors] Copper/Aliso Development Exceeds 39 ft. Height Limit
To: "Karen Green" <fgreen38 at comcast.net>, "'Susan Michie'" <sgmichie at yahoo.com>
Cc: "'NobHill Neighbors'" <neighbors at nobhill-nm.com>, "'Pat Davis'" <davis.patrick at gmail.com>, "'TheBoard NobHill-NM'" <theboard at nobhill-nm.com>, "'Shani Madden'" <shanikm at me.com>
Date: Tuesday, December 5, 2017, 11:12 AM
I agree that we
need to go for historic designation protection for Nob Hill
along Route 66.
gloria
From: Karen Green
<fgreen38 at comcast.net>
Sent: Monday, December 4, 2017 10:08:39 PM
To: 'Gloria Birkholz'; 'Susan
Michie'
Cc: 'Pat Davis'; 'NobHill Neighbors';
'TheBoard NobHill-NM'; 'Shani Madden'
Subject: RE: [Neighbors] Copper/Aliso Development
Exceeds 39 ft. Height Limit
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They do not care or they would
have stopped and re-designed. The City does not care; City
planners do not live next door to these buildings, but had
the power to stop them. It is very much the same as
ART. Those that are building, care only about their goal,
not the neighborhood. The most environmentally harmful
street designs are Zuni and ART. The most obnoxiously tall
and out-of-place buildings are
the storage building going up on Central and the 3 story
housing on Campus/Copper. Karen
From: Neighbors_nobhill-nm
[mailto:neighbors_nobhill-nm-bounces at mailman.swcp.com]
On Behalf Of Gloria Birkholz via
Neighbors_nobhill-nm
Sent: Monday, December 04, 2017 10:48 AM
To: Susan Michie
Cc: Pat Davis; Shani Madden via Neighbors_nobhill-nm;
NobHill Neighbors; TheBoard NobHill-NM; Shani Madden
Subject: Re: [Neighbors] Copper/Aliso Development
Exceeds 39 ft. Height Limit
I find it amazing that one of
our own nob hill residents, who is also a builder/developer,
would not be aware of his community’s long efforts at
honoring and preserving our historical appearance and the
codes
for building in their own community. It seems that both our
neighbor and the city made “mistakes” that the community
is expected to live with . I’d be happy to contribute to
any efforts at an appeal. As a 30 year resident, i too
know that exceptions become
precedent .
Sent from my iPhone
On Dec 3, 2017, at 9:25 PM, Susan Michie via
Neighbors_nobhill-nm <neighbors_nobhill-nm at mailman.swcp.com>
wrote:
Sorry,
but I find it hard to believe that developers, architects,
and planners who have lived in this city for decades and who
are always involved in the city zoning/planning processes
are unaware of the allowed building heights in a commercial
zone when they apply for a building permit! These are very
intelligent people who I am quite certain can read and
understand a sector development plan which includes a map
that clearly shows what
the building heights and step backs are for each block in
Nob Hill. Susan
On Wednesday, November 22, 2017,
9:57:03 AM MST, Shani Madden via Neighbors_nobhill-nm <neighbors_nobhill-nm at mailman.swcp.com>
wrote:
I found Kassam’s email
thoughtful as well. The rendering looks attractive as
well. I think more focus on permits and city’s approval
process in the
future is of utmost importance; This one seems to have
gotten by us. I don’t think it fair to hold the builder
accountable.
Shani
~ Sent from my iPhone
On Nov 22, 2017, at 9:13 AM, Joan Weissman <joan at joanweissman.com>
wrote:
There are obviously larger issues
involved, such as the consistency of the planning
department, and the future of local codes in the light of
new zoning
regulations. We should not let go of neighborhood
oversight, and I appreciate the detailed follow up.
However, after reading Mr.
Kassam’s thoughtful message, and seeing the picture of his
development, I think it might be time to move on in this
particular
case. The rendering is quite attractive, and I look forward
to seeing it finished and occupied with new Nob Hill
residents.
Joan Weissman
joan at joanweissman.com
www.joanweissman.com
505.265.0144
c. 505.379.4851
On Nov 21, 2017, at 6:28 PM, Jim
Strozier via Neighbors_nobhill-nm <neighbors_nobhill-nm at mailman.swcp.com>
wrote:
Neighbors,
Rahim Kassam asked me to pass
along this message. He is travelling to visit family for
Thanksgiving.
Jim Strozier
President, Consensus Planning,
Inc. and Nob Hill resident
As the developer of the project at
Aliso and Copper, I would like to meet with the neighbors to
show you the project.
I also want to take a moment to clarify some of the
information in the email that was sent out by Veronica
Salinas and Govinda Haines regarding my
project:
1. When
I originally met with the city over 2 years ago, they
informed me that the height limit for the property was 54
feet and allowed for 4 stories as this property was located
in the CCR-2 zone. I worked with the city during those 2
years developing a plan for
this site which is in a designated metropolitan
redevelopment area. I went through 3 PRT's, 1 DRT and
the building permit process. During that time I worked with
the city in good faith to come up with an aesthetically
pleasuring design that worked within their
guidelines. It was the interpretation of the City Planning
Department that the allowable height for this lot is 54 feet
with up to an additional 5% for parapet variation & and
additional 20% for other design elements.
2. My
building is slightly over 40 feet including the parapet
with 4 smaller stories. I also have a stepback staring at
the third floor. During this entire time I was never told
that there was a different interpretation of the maximum
building height.
3. I
had no intention of building to the maximum height allowed,
but rather designed a shorter, 4-story building with a
stepback in order to provide for an appropriately scaled
building to the street. The seasoned architect on this
project came up with an innovative
double townhouse design.
4. In
addition, the project does not maximize the density
allowed. The project is designed for 12 dwellings even
though I was told at an earlier PRT that the site could
allow for 24 units.
5. I
have always felt that this project will enhance the
neighborhood. It was formally a boarded up motel and then an
empty lot next to a liquor store and is now being
transformed into something that the city and the Nob Hill
Neighborhood can be proud of. I have
attached a rendering showing the project (prior to lowering
the height).
6. After
working with the City, I made an application for a building
permit, which was approved and I started
construction.
7. The
neighborhood brought the city’s error to their attention.
However, even after that I had a meeting with the planning
department determined that 54 feet and four stores was
allowed. When the City brought their error to my attention
and red tagged the project,
I met with them and determined the best way to proceed. I
modified the building plans and cut down the third floor (at
considerable expense) to lower the overall height to 39 feet
with the allowable parapet slightly above that. The modified
height is consistent
with the requirements of the Nob Hill Sector
Plan.
8. The
project is designed with rear (alley) access garages which
come at a higher cost than unsightly surface
lots.
9. I
applied for and received an administrative approval, as
provided for in the zoning code, for a change to allow a 4
story building within the allowable 39 foot height limit.
The City’s carefully considered decision is also attached.
Part of the city’s reasoning
was that the height of this project would be the same as a
three-story project allowed in the old Nob Hill Sector
Development Plan. It’s important to note that with the
passage of the IDO, the allowable height is now 42 feet with
no setback at all.
10. I
have been asked, why didn’t you just sue the city when
they placed a red tag on your project after it was already
permitted? That is not my style. I prefer to try and work
with everyone to come up with a solution.
I am a small, independent
developer who previously lived in this neighborhood starting
from the age of three. I
love Nob Hill and want to see the best happen for it. I
think I have designed a beautiful, small, infill project
that will greatly enhance the neighborhood. I would like to
meet with the community to show you the project and review
the design and the changes
that have been made.
Sincerely,
Rahim Kassam
<image001.jpg>
From: Neighbors_nobhill-nm
[mailto:neighbors_nobhill-nm-bounces at mailman.swcp.com] On
Behalf Of Veronica
Salinas via Neighbors_nobhill-nm
Sent: Tuesday,
November 21, 2017 12:45 PM
To: NobHill
Neighbors <neighbors at nobhill-nm.com>;
TheBoard NobHill-NM <theboard at nobhill-nm.com>; codeenforcement at cabq.gov
Cc: Pat
Davis <davis.patrick at gmail.com>;
Suzanne G. Lubar <slubar at cabq.gov>; agarcia at cabq.gov; bnwilliams at cabq.gov
Subject: [Neighbors]
Copper/Aliso Development Exceeds 39 ft. Height
Limit
Neighbors:
The development under construction on the southwest
corner of Copper and Aliso
has exceeded the 39 ft. height limitation specified in the
Nob Hill Highland Sector Development Plan. Per our sector
plan, construction in this parcel is limited to 3 stories
and 39 ft. in height, measured from grade to the top of the
parapet. The building
is currently 4 stories and at least 42 ft.
high.
I spoke with the developer on Saturday, November
18, and he stated that the building
measures 39 ft. from floor level to the roof deck. When the
height of the parapet and the distance from grade to the
floor level are included, the building is at least 42 ft.
high. Why is the city allowing construction to
continue?
When the city red-tagged the project in September,
they knew that the building
already measured 22 ft. from the sidewalk to the top of the
second story and that it would be nearly impossible to
squeeze another 2 stories plus the parapet into the
remaining 17 ft. Defying reason, the city approved a special
exception for a fourth story,
knowing full well that the final building would likely
exceed the 39 ft. height limit.
Now the building does not comply with the 3
stories AND it does not comply
with the 39 ft. maximum height. It is also likely that it
does not comply with the required stepback at 26 ft. on the
Copper side.
The neighborhood has made our concerns known to
city Code Enforcement. Even the
developer admits that the building does not comply with
zoning height limits. What does it take to get the city to
enforce the zoning code?
-Govinda Haines, Nob Hill
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