Friday, March 23, 2007

Planning Confirms: Commission's Recommendation Would Require 3 Single Family Homes at 6th and Garfield

Metro Planning Department confirmed to me this afternoon that, if the Planning Commission's recommendation holds, the owners of the five properties at 6th and Garfield would be able to build two duplexes on the properties zoned MUN if they chose, but they would be required to build three single family homes on the remaining properties. The recommended MUN would allow them a wide variety of residential and/or retail options.

Planning also laid out the path ahead:
The Planning Commission's action to disapprove the request for a rezoning to R6 but approve a rezone to parcels 491, 492, and 493 to RS7.5 is a recommendation to the Metro Council. As this is a recommendation not a final decision, it cannot be appealed. The Metro Council will be the final decision maker in this case. As the Planning Commission recommended disapproval of the original request, that request would need to have 27 votes in favor at the Council to pass. An appeal of a Council decision would go through the courts.
The Planning Commission's recommendation would require a simple majority of Council Members voting to pass. If we can get either 21 Council Members to support the Planning Commission or 14 Council Members to commit to voting against the Duplex Kings' original request, Salemtown will get a more balanced residential development at the important intersection of 6th and Garfield.

4 comments:

  1. Mike - My wife and I have been trying to move into the Salemtown area since 2001. We finally jumped on a great opportunity to buy and renovate a Salemtown home in Nov. 06. We moved in around mid February, It's good to finally be in the neighborhood.

    Now, with all that said, why aren't the "duplex kings" going through with the Salem Gardens project? That plan is just beautiful... it would be great for the Garfield & 6th area and they’d stand to make a lot of money in the process. What gives? Are they insane or just plain cheap?

    I’m glad to hear about the Planning Commission's recommendation. What can we do to help? We’re here and sinking our roots deep.

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  2. Welcome to the neighborhood! E-mail me and I'll put you and your wife on our association contact list if you are interested. That is the best way to find out how to help.

    The Duplex Kings did not want to pay the costs to hook up to the storm sewer, which is required because of run-off problems in some places. From what I've heard, builders who are serious about their projects and stormwater run-off would have paid $400,000 to run a pipe underground.

    With the requirement of adding 3 single family homes (if approved), I think that this project could be even more attractive to potential buyers than Salem Gardens was. Most buyers want to live in a single family home (even if they don't have a family) and would choose one over a duplex any time. The SF homes in Salemtown get snapped up either before or soon after they are complete. Duplexes sit on the market longer, because you can get one any where. The duplex kings seem to fail to appreciate the high demand (and hence, quicker profits) of SF homes.

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  3. Interesting. I guess the duplex kings are responsible for the 3 side-by-side duplexes at 6th ave. N. and Buchanan.

    They did a nice job with these units, but having just moved from a duplex in Brentwood to our single family in Salemtown I’m happy to no longer call one my home.

    We'll be attending the neighborhood association meeting this evening. See you there.

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  4. They are not involved in the development at 6th/Buchanan.

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