With a city-approved site plan for his Castlegate Apartments in his pocket, developer Chet Antonsen is now wrangling over how many units the Argay Terrace complex will eventually have and what amenities residents will enjoy. While Antonsen’s plan calls for 56 units in seven buildings (the maximum number of units allowed at R3 density with special considerations and allowances), Base R3 zoning allows 42 units.
Bureau of Development Services Gina Tynan acknowledged in a phone message and email that building permits were applied for and said there are many approvals needed for a project like this.
She said Antonsen has received a first check sheet from her office with comments and that he has “quite a ways to go. … There are a number of zoning code standards (in addition to the amenity bonuses) that have not yet been demonstrated. The permit will not be issued until all of the outstanding items have been fully addressed to meet zoning code standards.” She added that “amenity bonuses requested to allow additional residential density on the Castlegate site have not yet been fully demonstrated on the permit plans. In order to obtain the additional requested density, the plans will need to clearly demonstrate that all requested amenity bonuses are met per the city’s zoning code.”
She went on to say that prior to issuing a building permit, Antonsen has to sign a covenant ensuring that amenities provided to residents increasing Castlegate’s density won’t go away even if Antonsen sells the development.
Responding to Tynan’s checklist, Antonsen said in an email, “We have had site plan approval; we are addressing the city’s checklist on amenity bonuses and do not see any major issues.”