Developers withdraw proposal
Published 11:39 am Friday, September 19, 2008
Before the Troy Board of Adjustments Thursday could approve or deny a variance request for independent living apartments, the property owners withdrew their proposal.
A rezoning requested related to the same project was denied by the Planning Commission last month.
Walt Stell, who represented Legacy Properties, had requested to rezone a parcel of land to build independent living apartments in the area of Corman Avenue, Botts Avenue and First Street.
The request was denied by the planning commission after area residents protested.
But with the Planning Commission’s support, Legacy Properties submitted a variance request to the Board of Adjustments to build the apartments with restrictions to the age of tenants.
But the project again met opposition at Thursday’s Board of Adjustments meeting.
Area Residents said they would oppose the variance unless the apartments were only for handicapped residents or residents above the age of 45, a single-story building and had only one entrance off of Corman Avenue.
“We weren’t getting anywhere,” said Keith Laney, owner of Legacy Properties. “We needed two entrances.”
Stell withdrew the request once the board began to make a motion.
As the property is currently zoned, the owners could build duplex housing, which could house up to 90 people of any age, Stell said.
Laney said he is not certain whether they will build duplexes or attempt to revisit the independent living apartments.
Board of Adjustments Chairman Jack Norton said the board was acting on the residents’ requests.
“We were trying to give the people what they wanted, and they withdrew their motion,” Norton said.
Otis Stone, a neighborhood resident, said overall, the residents were not opposed to their proposal.
“We were for building these apartments for people 45 and older. Our concern was the entrance,” Stone said. “We feel this place should not have anything on it, but we understand we have no say over that.”
Stone said traffic was the main concern for the protests.
“Corman Avenue is a thoroughfare,” Stone said.