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Planners delay vote on Del
Aire apartments
County panel gives
developer a list of conditions to consider. Changes don't satisfy some
residents at meeting.
Thursday, October 07, 2004, By
Alison Shackelford
Copley News Service
The county's Regional Planning Commission on Wednesday delayed approval of
a 450-unit apartment building in unincorporated Del Aire, and issued a
list of conditions for the developer to review before the panel revisits
the project later this year.
Commissioners asked the developer, Trammel Crow Residential, to consider
creating more parking spaces, locking in minimum rents, eventually
converting some of the proposed apartment units to condominiums and making
a hefty contribution to a day-care program at a local elementary school.
They also suggested scheduling semi-annual meetings with the community to
ensure that the community's security needs are being met.
Most of the conditions address specific concerns raised by Del Aire
residents who oppose the project. More on-site parking would reduce the
number of renters parking their cars on Del Aire's residential streets,
for example. And keeping rent above a mandatory minimum -- studios in the
project currently would start at $1,411 monthly -- will prevent the
complex from becoming a "ghetto," some residents have said.
George Minter, managing principal from Greer/Dailey/Minter consulting for
Trammel Crow, said he believes the company will be able to address many of
the requests.
"We're going to sit down and try to work through some of these
issues," Minter said. "And we'll meet with those Del Aire
residents who are still concerned."
Still, among a dozen residents who attended Wednesday's meeting, several
said they don't want the project even with the proposed changes.
"It's just too many people moving in," resident John Cortiula
said.
Leslie Bellamy, chairman of the Regional Planning Commission, sympathized
with such concerns, but joined other commissioners in pointing out that
the Trammel Crow project offers much-needed housing.
"I'm really between a rock and a hard place," Bellamy said.
"I'm really pro-development, but I also understand the community's
concerns."
The meeting was the latest of several that as many as 200 Del Aire
residents have attended to voice their opposition to the project.
However, after engaging in a lengthy exchange with Trammel Crow
representatives Wednesday, the commissioners decided not to allow any more
public comment, leaving several residents who took time off work to attend
the meeting irked that they couldn't reiterate their objections.
"The commissioners actually addressed most of what I wanted to talk
about," said John Koppelman, who has spearheaded the Del Aire effort
to stop the apartment complex. Still, he added, he would have liked the
chance to ask some pointed questions.
"I'm very encouraged by the restrictions that the commission has
imposed, but the tone indicates to me that they want to approve the
project," Koppelman said.
"They just want the developer to come back and give them reasons to
feel good about approving this ... but this would have been a done deal
without us. At least we're forcing a lot of good changes."
The commission will take up the project again on Nov. 3 to discuss the
proposed changes. A final vote is expected on Dec. 1, after which the
issue goes before the county Board of Supervisors. |