By JOHN McCALLUM
Editor
Cheney's Planning Commission gave official approval on Monday to a rezone application that will allow a national developer of student housing to build higher than other nearby dwellings.
The commission voted to adopt the findings of their May 14 public hearing and grant Campus Crest Development's request to change the zoning of a 21-acre irregularly shaped piece of property along Cheney-Spangle Road from R-3 multi-family medium density to R-3H multi-family high density.
The rezone allows Campus Crest to build its planned 192-unit apartment complex, The Grove, as a four-story building since the height regulation under the new R-3H zoning is a maximum 85 feet, nine stories, as opposed to just 36 feet, roughly three stories, under R-3.
The new zoning also allows for an increase in density per acre, up to 28 dwellings, but Campus Crest has indicated that their proposed density at The Grove will be 14.8 dwellings per acre.
Commissioner Don Nichols reintroduced an idea presented by Commissioner Doug Nixon at the May 14 meeting about possibly limiting The Grove to a four-story complex as part of the commission's written decision.
Nixon first brought the height issue up mainly because structures around the complex would be single-family residential, limited to two stories at most, and could possibly lead to complaints by future residents.
“Is height such a bad thing?” Commission chairman Mike Rossey asked.
“It does preserve your land space.”
Nixon said on Monday that his main concern was about Campus Crest saying their complex would top out at four stories now, and then suddenly chang their plans, potentially erecting what would amount to a new high-rise on land east of downtown.
“Given the location where it's at, would having an eight-story building there make any difference?” Nixon said.
Commissioner David Rey said he didn't see any reasons to limit how high Campus Crest can build, adding that if the city wished to do so, it would be better done in the code's overall language than on a case-by-case basis. Nixon agreed, as did the three commissioners attending the meeting, and said he was OK with leaving any limitations off of the written decision.
The rezone passed unanimously, 5-0, with Commissioners Ray Gawenit and Randall Butler not in attendance.
The commission was also to review a revised site plan for Terra Vista providing a detailed view of mitigation measures that the developer, Defender Development LLC, plans to implement to protect local wetlands, but postponed it until their next meeting in July.
Community development director Tom Richardson said his office had only received the drawings last Friday, June 8, and was not able to review them in time for the meeting.
John McCallum can be reached at [email protected]
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