Longmont council approves affordable housing in industrial zone

LONGMONT – Residential units designated as “affordable housing” can be located in areas that are zoned for mixed industrial use, according to a measure passed 6-1 on Tuesday night by the Longmont City Council.

The amendment to existing zoning rules contained the stipulation that such housing has to be within a certain distance of parks, schools and stores.

The council’s action, while aimed at providing space for future affordable-housing ventures, was prompted to bring one particular development into compliance – “The Suites” at 2000 Sunset Way, east of the Village at the Peaks development site. The property, formerly an extended-stay hotel called Hawthorne Suites, was purchased in 2011 by the Longmont Housing Authority. It contains 70 fully furnished one- and two-bedroom apartments. Renovating that property for long-term affordable housing required either an exception for just that property or a change in the rules for that zone as a whole, which already allowed some limited residential uses.

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In Longmont, the “Mixed Industrial” zone designates an area for a variety of industrial and limited commercial uses, including manufacturing conducted inside a building, warehousing and distribution, research and development, and commercial retail uses of less than 25,000 square feet.

Council member Sarah Levison cast the lone vote in opposition.