CleConcerned

Wow, tough crowd. A transition area is an area between residential and some other more intense use, such as commercial or industrial. For instance, Battery Park has traditional residences on one side, industrial on two sides (one industrial building has since been converted to lofts), and railroad tracks and the lake on the fourth side. The developer built detached homes on the street facing the older traditional homes and then attached townhouses further in. The W. 117th St. proposal again is an area of transition with commercial on the back side, it is also a block to itself, and has townhouses across in Lakewood. The fact that some doubles or apartment buildings are in my area does not make this an area of transition. Those structures are historic existing conditions, but should not effect our modern zoning districts and laws. My neighbors and I are not against development, but think it should be done with an eye towards the quality of life of residents, and its fit with the character of the neighborhood. Twelve units is just too dense for this site. Neighborhood concerns include quality of life, privacy, peaceful enjoyment, property values and fit with the character of the neighborhood. While abutting properties will of course be the most dramatically affected, it will also affect the neighborhood as a whole. How would you feel about a three story wall of townhouses with rooftop stairway penthouses and decks being built along your property line, taking away any privacy, and increasing traffic, noise and other nuisances? I think everyone would take steps to protect their home, and their quality of life...

Townhouse districts are intended to serve as a transition between areas of detached residences and areas of higher intensity development, and so are inappropriate on a site that is fully surrounded by traditional individual homes.

URGENT: St. Thomas Rezoning Hearing, Friday, April 17, 9am, City Hall, Rm 514 St. Thomas Church, 9509 Lake Ave., redevelopment proposal has been fast-tracked. The developer, who currently does not hold title to the property, wants to rezone the property from its current single-family (A1) zoning, to demolish the church and to build 12 townhouses on the site. This site, which is surrounded by individual homes, is not an appropriate place for a townhouse district. We, as a community, have no obligation to change our zoning to maximize developer profits. This type of preferential zoning goes against the purpose of zoning and destroys the fabric of a neighborhood. We need as many concerned residents as possible at the Planning Commission hearing. We are continuing to seek signatures on a petition to retain the current single-family zoning, or, at the very least, have it designated as a low density townhouse district (RA-1), rather than the higher density that is proposed. Please share this information with other concerned residents.