Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
Council again delays decision on apartments
- Blue Ridge Apartments developers not happy as City Council is split on access amendment, decides to hold off until Bill Dingus’ replacement comes aboard.
By Courtney Bacalso
Staff Writer
Developers said they may choose not to continue with the proposed 209-unit Blue Ridge Apartments.
This comes after the City Council, in a 4-2 vote, chose to defer the project — a move that goes against the grain of the council’s priority for more housing.
“Let me say that this pains me to potentially vote against it,” Councilman John James said. “I am one of the largest advocates for additional housing in this community and one may not understand how hard it is to not go into this direction.”
Developer Ken Lokey of Santa Rosa, LLC told the Reporter-Telegram that if he decides to not move forward with the project it would not be his loss but rather a loss for the community.
After a two-hour discussion, Councilman Scott Dufford proposed amending the ordinance, which included a requirement that the apartment include one entryway for residents instead of the Planning Commission’s recommendation for two.
However, the motion failed when council members Michael Trost, Vicky Hailey and John James voted against it, causing a split vote.
As a result, Trost voted to defer the project until the City Council becomes complete following the July 22 special election.
“I think it’s too important of a project for an incomplete council to decide,” he said.
The division had been influenced by the residents who appeared before the council opposing the project due to concerns about the possibility of crime and an increase in traffic.
At the cost of the developer, a traffic survey conducted indicated two things:
- If the residents’ lone access to the apartments happened to be the service road, the road would be able to handle the traffic despite the traffic engineer and the staff preferring at least two;
-With residents not being able to access Whitman Drive going north, they would be able to access Faulkner Drive, which could handle the traffic as well. No Faulkner Drive residents attended the meeting.
Several residents living on Caldera Drive, just north of the development, said they would rather have the 15 acres be retail development instead.
However, Cameron Walker of the city planning department said retail would attract 300 percent more traffic to area than Blue Ridge Apartments.
“It will be developed one way or another,” Trost said. “I understand (the residents’) concerns completely but I ask (them) to look at the possibilities down the line of developers who can affect the neighborhood more adversely.”
If the developer chooses to move forward, the item would be discussed in August when the second at-large seat is sworn in.
The seat had been vacated by Bill Dingus, who resigned to run against state Rep. Tom Craddick, R-Midland. Dingus last year had been the lone council vote approving the ongoing apartment project.
“We do want more housing but we want them in the right places,” Perry said.
Other actions taken during the meeting include:
– The council approved appropriating $250,000 toward developing plans for the renovation and redevelopment of Centennial Plaza.
Funds will be taken out of the city’s general fund unappropriated fund balance and will match funds received from a federal grant.
Earlier this year, an architectural firm, the Vandergriff Group, presented plans for transforming the plaza into an urban park similar to Millennium Park in Chicago.
Perry abstained.
– Downtown building owners will have to maintain their abandoned buildings or they will be fined by the city.
The council gave its final approval for an ordinance that forces building and property owners to secure vacant and unsafe buildings; not use exterior plywood in most cases; to ensure doors and windows must be lockable and in good condition; to free property of debris, junk, combustible materials and graffiti from street level sight; and to maintain landscaping in parking areas and building areas.
All properties within the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone will be affected.
City Attorney Keith Stretcher said the law will take effect five days after a public notice is published in the Reporter-Telegram.
Perry also abstained from this item.
– Taxi fares will increase after the council approved changes to the city’s existing ordinance.
Currently, a passenger is automatically charged $2.85 as a start-up fee; $4.35 the first mile and $1.50 every mile thereafter.
This time around, taxicab officials requested a per-mile increase by 90 cents — which reflects rates in surrounding cities, a city document states.
With the ordinance change approved, fees for the first mile will be $5.25 while fees for every mile after will be $2.40.
The council will have to approve the second reading of the ordinance.
———
On the Net:
On MyOpenForum: Go to www.myopenforum.com and offer your take on the council’s decision.
———
Courtney Bacalso can be reached at c.bacalso@mrt.com.
Blue Ridge Apartments Timeline
June 4: Planning Commission approves proposal for the 209-unit apartment despite residents concerned over traffic and possible crime due to the people it may attract. Developers argue it will serve “high-end clientele.”
June 12: Proposal dies after members of the City Council did not make any motion.
Aug. 21: Developers alter plans such as making an 8-foot wall and no longer extending Whitman Drive, one of its entry points, from Bluebird Lane to the Loop 250. Planning Commission approves project.
Aug. 28: Council votes 6-1 to deny the site plan for Blue Ridge Apartments.
March 3: Planning Commission grants developers another chance to have a public hearing.
May 5: Developers propose residents to only have access from the Loop 250 service road while the Whitman entrance would only be used for emergency vehicles. But Planning Commission recommended to the council it be used for public access as well.
May 27: City Council votes 4-2 to defer the project until a seventh council member joins them. This comes after they couldn’t agree on an amendment regarding the number of entrances the complex should have.
This comes after the City Council, in a 4-2 vote, chose to defer the project — a move that goes against the grain of the council’s priority for more housing.
“Let me say that this pains me to potentially vote against it,” Councilman John James said. “I am one of the largest advocates for additional housing in this community and one may not understand how hard it is to not go into this direction.”
Developer Ken Lokey of Santa Rosa, LLC told the Reporter-Telegram that if he decides to not move forward with the project it would not be his loss but rather a loss for the community.
After a two-hour discussion, Councilman Scott Dufford proposed amending the ordinance, which included a requirement that the apartment include one entryway for residents instead of the Planning Commission’s recommendation for two.
However, the motion failed when council members Michael Trost, Vicky Hailey and John James voted against it, causing a split vote.
As a result, Trost voted to defer the project until the City Council becomes complete following the July 22 special election.
“I think it’s too important of a project for an incomplete council to decide,” he said.
The division had been influenced by the residents who appeared before the council opposing the project due to concerns about the possibility of crime and an increase in traffic.
At the cost of the developer, a traffic survey conducted indicated two things:
- If the residents’ lone access to the apartments happened to be the service road, the road would be able to handle the traffic despite the traffic engineer and the staff preferring at least two;
-With residents not being able to access Whitman Drive going north, they would be able to access Faulkner Drive, which could handle the traffic as well. No Faulkner Drive residents attended the meeting.
Several residents living on Caldera Drive, just north of the development, said they would rather have the 15 acres be retail development instead.
However, Cameron Walker of the city planning department said retail would attract 300 percent more traffic to area than Blue Ridge Apartments.
“It will be developed one way or another,” Trost said. “I understand (the residents’) concerns completely but I ask (them) to look at the possibilities down the line of developers who can affect the neighborhood more adversely.”
If the developer chooses to move forward, the item would be discussed in August when the second at-large seat is sworn in.
The seat had been vacated by Bill Dingus, who resigned to run against state Rep. Tom Craddick, R-Midland. Dingus last year had been the lone council vote approving the ongoing apartment project.
“We do want more housing but we want them in the right places,” Perry said.
Other actions taken during the meeting include:
– The council approved appropriating $250,000 toward developing plans for the renovation and redevelopment of Centennial Plaza.
Funds will be taken out of the city’s general fund unappropriated fund balance and will match funds received from a federal grant.
Earlier this year, an architectural firm, the Vandergriff Group, presented plans for transforming the plaza into an urban park similar to Millennium Park in Chicago.
Perry abstained.
– Downtown building owners will have to maintain their abandoned buildings or they will be fined by the city.
The council gave its final approval for an ordinance that forces building and property owners to secure vacant and unsafe buildings; not use exterior plywood in most cases; to ensure doors and windows must be lockable and in good condition; to free property of debris, junk, combustible materials and graffiti from street level sight; and to maintain landscaping in parking areas and building areas.
All properties within the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone will be affected.
City Attorney Keith Stretcher said the law will take effect five days after a public notice is published in the Reporter-Telegram.
Perry also abstained from this item.
– Taxi fares will increase after the council approved changes to the city’s existing ordinance.
Currently, a passenger is automatically charged $2.85 as a start-up fee; $4.35 the first mile and $1.50 every mile thereafter.
This time around, taxicab officials requested a per-mile increase by 90 cents — which reflects rates in surrounding cities, a city document states.
With the ordinance change approved, fees for the first mile will be $5.25 while fees for every mile after will be $2.40.
The council will have to approve the second reading of the ordinance.
———
On the Net:
On MyOpenForum: Go to www.myopenforum.com and offer your take on the council’s decision.
———
Courtney Bacalso can be reached at c.bacalso@mrt.com.
Blue Ridge Apartments Timeline
June 4: Planning Commission approves proposal for the 209-unit apartment despite residents concerned over traffic and possible crime due to the people it may attract. Developers argue it will serve “high-end clientele.”
June 12: Proposal dies after members of the City Council did not make any motion.
Aug. 21: Developers alter plans such as making an 8-foot wall and no longer extending Whitman Drive, one of its entry points, from Bluebird Lane to the Loop 250. Planning Commission approves project.
Aug. 28: Council votes 6-1 to deny the site plan for Blue Ridge Apartments.
March 3: Planning Commission grants developers another chance to have a public hearing.
May 5: Developers propose residents to only have access from the Loop 250 service road while the Whitman entrance would only be used for emergency vehicles. But Planning Commission recommended to the council it be used for public access as well.
May 27: City Council votes 4-2 to defer the project until a seventh council member joins them. This comes after they couldn’t agree on an amendment regarding the number of entrances the complex should have.
 |
 |
|
| Snyder fire chief recovering after Ride to Remember accident | American patriots, American soldiers, American heroes ... with respect from a grateful nation |
Article Rating
Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of mywesttexas.com.
Submit a Comment
We encourage your feedback and dialog, however we reserve the right to delete any post we see that may be considered slanderous, excessive and/or foul language, or any post that we may deem inappropriate.
You must register with a valid email to post comments. Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here: |
Become a Registered User |
News
Sports
Business
Entertain
Life
