Washington Evening Journal
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Clarifying development objections
Aug. 1, 2023 8:34 am
Dear Editor:
It appears there is a need to clarify misunderstanding arising from the article which appeared in the July 21 issue of the Southeast Iowa Union regarding an out-of-town developer backing out of plans to build an apartment complex in the northeast part of Washington. What the article only briefly mentioned was the primary objection: the planned complex would require “spot rezoning” the land to R4 – multi-family residential – from a large surrounding zone designated R2- single- and two-family residential. Based on my roughly 10 years on the Planning & Zoning Commission, it has been my experience that whenever appropriate and practicable, we have endeavored to make zoning areas more consistent with adjacent properties, not less consistent. Chapter 165.19 of the city zoning regulations regarding planned developments provides in part:
“The proposed project will constitute a residential environment of a sustained desirability and stability; it will be in harmony with the character of the surrounding neighborhood and ensure substantially the same type of occupancy as obtained or may be expected to be obtained in said neighborhood …”
In conversations with many residents living in the area of the apartment complex, their objection was to having a large multi-story apartment complex of any kind built in the middle of an area of one-story single-family residences. The schematic renderings of the proposed apartment complex, as initially provided to the Planning & Zoning Commission in June, appear to show as many as 72 apartments contained in either two-story or three-story buildings built on a relatively small tract of land.
The secondary concern immediately raised was that the dramatic in vehicular traffic coming and going from this proposed large apartment complex would primarily go southbound on North Fourth and North Second avenues, directly past Stewart Elementary, the attached preschool/daycare facility and the North Park Playground, all of which are situated within one block from the proposed apartment complex, an area where school buses are loading and unloading children, parents are dropping off and picking up their children, and may children are crossing those streets and riding their bikes. The potential for accidents and serious injuries would be high.
There are other concerns as well, including the necessity of building infrastructure sufficient to prevent water and/or sewer problems in surrounding homes, an area where drainage issues already exist.
Nevertheless, in a careful reading of the July 21 article, it does not say that the developer is backing out of Washington entirely, only that plans are “on hold.” There is undoubtedly a need for affordable housing in Washington, but there are multiple factors that need to be considered, including the impact on the surrounding area. There are existing R4 zones in or near Washington that can be developed for apartment complexes. According to local Realtors, there is also a great need for affordable single-family homes, which would be a much more appropriate way to develop the land in question in northeast Washington and would be in comformance with zoning regulations.
Susan Fisher
Washington
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