Agenda - Planning Commission - 04/05/2007

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someone could purchase the property fer a cenvenience stere, which would result in mere traffic. and there weuld net be much the City can say. . Community Development Director Trudgeon indicated the Comprehensive Plan is. the expectatien of people on hew the area will develep over a periad af time. There are provisions to amend the Comprehensive Plan, either City initiated, citizen initiated, or property owner initiated. . There were a lot of peaple present at the Planning Commission public hearing that were concerned about the changes and the value. and there were concerns about the general demeanar of the whale neighbarhaod. :Mr. Trudgeon advised this lat is on the edge as far as commercial and single faruily; there is single faruily to the south, Super Bowl to the north, and storage across the street. A valid argument cauld likely be made for bath sides an the zoning of this property. Currently the property is a vacant parcel. If the Council comes to the conclusion that there should be something there the focus should be on what type of development will be there, and whether it is a good enough develapment to allaw on the site. Cauncilmember Jeffrey stated when this project came up he was very concerned about what the neighbors said, and still is. However, the thing Mr. Murphy brought forward and makes sense is these are one level townhomes; the neighbors were talking about townhomes bringing down the value of their property. but these are nice looking and have come a long way since the Council originally looked at this. Someone mentioned traffic generatian, but if this praperty remains commercial the traffic generatian by the propased commercial use weuld be a greater impact than the develapment being prapased. The best use af the land is what is being laaked at. and these are ene level upscale townhemes that will not lawer property values in the neighbarhood; Councilmember Strammen commented the Cauncilmembers have all struggled with the right zoning for this parcel. She has been apen to. the idea af hearing the argument of designating this as multi-family residential to serve as a bnffer with the single family. She is still strnggling with this and is net seld an the designs and style being presented, and there is still a let ef mass going into. a small area She struggles whether this is the right way to. go. an this parcel and that it may be a mismatch. There will be a little single family, a little commercial, and one mare thing an this parcel; she feels this will be too. much af an eclectic mix. AlSo.. these are nat small buildings, and the garage dears are very prominent. . Mr. Murphy, applicant, stated he understands the concern. They struggled qUite a bit aver what would wark best in this area. They are trying to. balance the price point and the best use af the land. Prom those hasic two starting points it is obvious that $300,000 to $400,000 homes will not fit. A certain amaunt af square footage is needed to. make this wark at the middle price point. He loeked at 50 to. 60 designs and this is the best fit between the square featage, price and design. Regarding the eclectic mix in the area, he daes net knaw that this will change. the overall appearance. There are hemes alang the river, but the homes coming up frem the river are in the $200,000 price range; it seems to him this would be an overall fit for the neighborhood. Mr. Murphy stated he has been warking with Amy Geisler faur to. five times.ta tweak this withaut completely scrapping it. and he dees nat knaw if he can really change the design they have right now. He and Mr. Halmes have a lot of time and a substantial amaunt of maney invested to try to get this to. werk. He has listened to. the cemplaints af the hemeowners in the area, but mast af thase related to. there really being a moratorium on tawnhomes in general; no. ane listened to . City Conncil! Jannary 9, 2007 Page14 of 24 P52