EATON – A preliminary planned unit development (PUD) for a complex to be called St. Clair Townhouses proposed for a property in the city brought out several residents to voice their concerns to Eaton City Council during its Monday, July 15, meeting.
The first reading of an ordinance approving the preliminary PUD was on the agenda for the evening. The building currently located on the property was the former chiropractic office of Dr. James Brenn.
Developer Brad Oyler with Oyler Construction, along with Doug Kramer with Kramer & Associates, were on hand to represent the project and present information to council. The preliminary PUD was recommended by Eaton Planning Board and had been sent to council for its approval.
According to Kramer, the proposed townhouses would occupy .26 acres of the land. It would include three townhouse buildings with a mix of 21 two- and three-bedroom two-story units.
“They’ll have a nice entrance on the front and on the back, they have a patio with privacy fences, and so forth,” Kramer explained. He went on to note, the city’s most recent comprehensive development plan’s future land use map included the area as part of the core residential area. “I think the reason it was included was to show that other than some very dense downtown areas, this is sort of the core residential area here.”
Kramer said the number of necessary parking spaces would be addressed in the final plan.
“Again, this is preliminary,” Assistant City Manager Joe Ferriell reminded those in attendance. “This will have to go through the whole process for the final design, water, sewer and storm.”
“And it’s under a PUD for a reason,” Law Director Ryan Brunk said. “Our code requires that if you’re going to do town houses, it has to be by way of a PUD. So this, again, is just preliminary. Do you like the concept. There’s still going to be a final PUD.”
City Manager Brad Collins pointed out, a developer could build 16-17 apartments on the property without coming for any approvals.
Several community members shared their concerns surrounding parking, population density, privacy fencing, and compatibility with the surrounding area of St. Clair, Liberty and Franklin Streets. Some expressed concerns about affordable housing, government-assisted housing, their perceived lack of jobs for new residents, and potential drug issues brought in by new residents.
Council approved the first reading of the ordinance and will hold the second at a future meeting.
Council also:
•Held a public hearing and the first reading of an ordinance regarding rezoning property for the proposed construction on North Maple Street of a future administration building for Preble County Board of Developmental Disabilities on DD-owned property adjacent to the agency’s ASK Playground.
•Approved ordinances entering into and adding 121 East Washington-Jackson Road, site of the future Cobblestone Hotel, to the Eaton-Lewisburg Energy Special Improvement District, which helps property owners who undertake “special energy improvement projects for the properties finance such special energy improvement proejcts by way of voluntary assessments.” Council also voted to appoint Assistant City Manager Joe Ferriell to the ELESID Board.
Reach Eddie Mowen Jr. at 937-683-4061 and follow on Twitter @emowenjr.
