2002-19 REZONING PROPERTY - 3500 BLOCK OF NORTH CHARLES STREET

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A h I ttac ment 1: Description of Requested Achon. li The request is to change the zoning of this parcel from PMR-1 to R-6 for the purpose of a planned Unit Development, to be known as Heritage Fields, to create affordable housing for individual with disabilities, specifically, mental illness. Heritage Behavioral Health intends to undertake this development in three phases. The first phase would be the development of an apartment complex consisting of eighteen one bedroom units for adult clients of Heritage Behavioral Health and one two bedroom unit for a Resident Manager. The fully independent living apartments would be grouped into three one-story buildings and a fourth building would contain offices, laundry facilities and meeting rooms. The complex will be designed as supported independent housing and will not include treatment services. Treatment will continue to be provided by Heritage Behavioral Health at its offices downtown. The second phase would be the development of a 10-bed group home for adult clients of Heritage Behavioral Health who are deemed not yet ready for supported independent living. The group home would be staffed 24 hours a day, combining treatment with housing. Within the group home there would be three shared bedrooms housing a total of six clients and four efficiency apartments housing a total of four additional clients. The third phase would be the development of a second 19-unit apartment complex. Designed like the units built in Phase l,the Phase 3 apartments would also be grouped into three buildings. Unlike Phase 1, however, there would not be an additional community building. Residents of the Phase 3 units would share the community building facilities built in Phase 1. As in the Phase 1 apartments, the units would not include treatment services, as Heritage Behavioral Health would continue those services downtown.. The Heritage Fields development will provide attractive, safe and affordable housing for 46 adults with a mental illness. The buildings will be designed in accordance with Housing and Urban Development standards and will present a non-institutionalized look. Access to the property will be by a single road off of Charles Street. The group home, the two Resident Manager apartments and the Community Building offices will have a clear view of that road to control access to the property. The grounds will be attractively landscaped, featuring an outdoor gazebo designed to offer residents recreational and socialization opportunities. Transportation to supplement public transit will be provided for the residents. Taken together, the Heritage Fields development will not only create high quality housing, it will also offer a form of assisted living for adults with a mental illness. Clients residing in the group home will be able to move from the efficiency apartments within the group home to the independent apartment complexes as their respective condition improves without leaving the larger community of staff and residents. Clients whose condition deteriorates could likewise move from independent living to the group home.