Council approves Loveland’s first clustered housing development zoning

LOVELAND — Loveland’s first clustered housing development received nods of approval from the Loveland City Council Tuesday night.

Kentro Real Estate Management LLC, a Denver-based developer, proposed to a 25.85-acre single-family, housing-for-rent neighborhood on a hilly property on the south side of 14th Street Southwest east of South Colorado Avenue and west of the BNSF Railway in south Loveland.

In order to build the neighborhood, the developer would need the city to amend the comprehensive plan and to rezone from a corridor commercial zone to a planned unit development property. Both city staff and the Planning Commission recommended approval of the rezoning.

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Some neighbors to the west objected to the proposal. They said the hillside provides solitude to their neighborhoods up the hill and also serves as a wildlife corridor.

One of the neighbors who lives on Marilyn Court, Nancy Meredith, said in a letter to the council that “this is a community hillside used by kids, animals, walkers, mountain bikers, xc (cross-country) skiers, and bird watchers. It’s not an ugly hill but one that teems with life,” she  wrote.

The developer said that the developed site would contain between 169 and 195 single-family detached homes and duplex units.

While the developers were not required to submit a site plan — and a final plan is not yet drawn — Kentro did provide a concept plan.

Kentro said it is considering four product types from one- to three-bedroom single-family and duplex units, all for rent. A clubhouse with pool and gym would be included. A property manager would handle maintenance, including mowing, snow removal, and building maintenance. 

The site can contain greater density — at the existing zoning, seven-story apartment buildings with 60 units per acre could be constructed on the site. Kentro expects that rents for the cottage-style residences, at eight units per acre, will target middle-income renters. 

Council members noted that the proposed rents, from $1,700 to $2,800, are beyond the 80-90% of area median income for Loveland but instead would be 100%-120% AMI, which is on the upper end of middle income.

Under questioning from council members, the developer said it is not open to creating affordable housing in the development, even if it were permitted greater density.

Members of the council said that even though it doesn’t meet affordable-housing needs in the city, any new housing helps with the city’s housing shortage.

Council member Laura Light-Kovacs said that the city is missing 4,800 units for “folks in the middle.” She said she still supported the project.

Mayor Jacki Marsh also said she supported it but wished there could be some units available for sale. “We need more of all kinds of housing. I like that it’s an infill project. I like that it will be low water (use) and use native plants.”

Council member Andrea Samson said, “There’s a need for single-family rentals,” and Dana Foley said that with a 5% vacancy rate in Loveland, “clearly there’s a need.”

The council voted unanimously, 8-0, on both the comprehensive plan amendment and the rezoning, with council member Patrick McFall absent.