The Centerville City Council Tuesday held off a second request by a developer for a rezoning in the city's transitional commercial-residential area, calling instead for a study of the area and eventual amending of the city's master plan.
Developers Dan Loewen and Bob Roberts want to rezone 6.5 acres at 250 West Chase Lane from agricultural to residential and have been rebuffed twice in two months by citizen opposition and the council.After a public hearing Tuesday night, the council tabled the rezoning request and called for a comprehensive study of the area bounded by Main Street and the I-15 frontage road between Parrish and Chase lanes.
The area is a mixed bag of uses, ranging from the city's main commercial and retail center to a wholesale nursery, a major condominium complex and pasture land.
Loewen and Roberts want to build a development geared to "empty nesters" - older, semi-retired people whose children have left home. A similar development in the city called Country Cottages on the south side of Parrish Lane all but sold out while it was still in the planning stage.
Loewen and Roberts in November asked for an R-2 zoning designation to build a twin home-style development. The public hearing at that meeting drew scores of area residents, most opposed to the project but some adjacent landowners speaking in favor.
The council turned down the request, suggesting other types of development would better serve as a buffer between the commercial, high density residential and single family housing in the neighborhood.
The developers returned Tuesday, again asking for the R-2 zone but this time saying they want to build single-family housing in the $125,000 range.
The proposal again drew a mixed reaction. Some neighbors oppose it, citing increased traffic on narrow residential streets and what they fear is cheap housing that will deteriorate and bring down their neighborhood.
Other landowners in the area spoke in favor, saying they believe the project will enhance the neighborhood.
Council members in November called for a review of the area by the city planning staff but that hasn't happened yet, according to City Manager David Hales, because the staff is swamped with work handling the Centerville Marketplace development, a major retail shopping center proposed for the south side of Parrish Lane at I-15.