Proposed apartment splits planning vote, back in June
Friday, May 16, 2008
A proposed apartment building to occupy the parking lot behind the former First Financial Bank building will have to wait until next month.
Oxford Planning Commission members voted 3-3 to approve a conditional use permit for the property, which proposed having residential space on the ground floor.
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The three-story structure would house four dwelling units, each dwelling containing four bedrooms.
Architect Scott Webb said he hoped to eliminate the required commercial space from the first floor due to the parcel's landlocked nature. He argued that it would be difficult to for a business to thrive while facing an alleyway, with only a handful of Uptown bars finding success under those circumstances.
"The building is designed to keep the stone wall presently on the property in place and we plan to put in a tree grate," Webb said. "It's fairly unattractive as it is right now, but we're hoping to bring some greenery back into the alley."
Because the commission's vote was a tie, the application automatically comes before the body at its June 10 meeting. Members were split on many key issues of the proposed building, including potential increases in alleyway traffic and population density in the area.
Chair Bill Brewer said he has safety concerns regarding the influx of automobile traffic in the area, in addition to a past record of voting against similar proposals.
"I've consistently voted against residential space on the first floor on an alley," Brewer said. "I understand the property owner's right to build, but I'm troubled BZA is OK with this."
Commission member and council representative Dick Keebler said he appreciated the size and scope of the property in comparison with surrounding properties. Forcing commercial space upon the developer, he said, doesn't do anything for local residents or the Uptown area.
"I would like to see it stay a parking lot, frankly," Keebler said. "It deplores me that all ancillary parking Uptown is disappearing, but they have a right to build on that lot and I think this is better than we might hope for."
