02/14/1995 Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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. ,? in. She maintained that issue number III (rezoning to Single Family, Cluster) was the issue of paramount importance to the Commission at this time and that the other issues should be considered, but those issues should not drive a decision about issue III and she intended to limited her remarks to issue III. She maintained that there was nothing on the site that would preclude a single family development. She did not believe that Mr. Whitlatch has shown any advantages to the neighbors in developing it as Single Family; Cluster. The engineer had advised that these same improvements can be made in a single family development. The 16 acres of woods is an asset to the neighborhood and she presented pictures showing this property after the rain on January 16th, pointing out that this property holds back the water from their back yards. She also believed that a professional wetland study must be done to take into account the many different types of criteria, _other than the type of soil on the property. She noted that the woods also cuts down on the noise from Lorain Road. A single family home development would be an asset. to their community, and pointed out that, in the last 10 years, all the single family homes that have been constructed have been bigger and more expensive than the others in their neighborhood. No reasons have been given why this could not be done in this area and she cited the Pheasant's Walk development which is a similar situation: it is 20 acres, this property is 16; it has access from Lorain Road with commercial on the south, similar to what could be expected for this property; there are `B" type homes in Pheasant Walk with $150,000. to $250,000. homes, some ofwhich will abut a 41ane highway. She noted the number of condominiums and apartments which are very close to this area and maintained there was no need for more, but there was a need for single family homes, both here and in other parts of city. No arguments were presented as to how this development would benefit the city. She listed the two other areas where the zoning was changed to permit cluster homes, and maintained that in both cases the zoning was upgraded to cluster and neither of them significantly abut other single family areas. She maintained that this rezoning would be degrading the zoning and setting a dangerous precedent and be of no advantage to the city. She believed that it must be determined what is best for these 16 acres and for the city, not if this is the best Single Family, Cluster development that there can be. She does not believe that the developer has presented any evidence that this change in zoning is good for the city. Again, she urged that the Commission to consider the rezoning, not the other issues. Mr. Hickey asked that the zoning not be changed, 18 years ago he was told that the woods were zoned for Single Family, Residence, he hoped not to lose the woods, but if they have to go, he hopes it will be for single family. They have reduced the nu.mber of units only by 6 dwellings which he believed to be insignificant. Mr. Vadora asked that, if this development goes in, he would like the city to look closely at any variances to the fencing and presented a newspaper article about a 5 year old who was recently drowned in 11 inches of water in a drainage ditch. He was also concemed about the birds who use the woods as a migration path every August. Councilmau Lind again urged a`?no" vote to rezone, and mentioned that there were 23 or 24 multi-family u.nits from Clague Road to Great Northern Boulevard and did not believe another multi-family unit was called for. He noted that there were very few of these on the west side of town. He does not believe that any multi-family development should be built in this section of the city until the infrastructure in the area is rehabilitated. He presented a petition signed by residents in the area. Ms. Lawrence asked the Commission to consider the residents who live in the area, not just the customers who will be coming into this development: She made several points: that the residents had bought there homes in good faith that this land was zoned single family and they believed it would remain that way; every time it rained, she feared that her basement would flood again; the Clague Road sewers were very old and much construction had 6