A small victory for our neighborhood?
Sep. 18th, 2003 09:34 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bronwynrhDevelopers withdraw plan
Bryan Park Place zoning request dropped, for now, in face of strong opposition
By Sarah Morin, Herald-Times Staff Writer
September 18, 2003
A proposed subdivision in Bloomington's Bryan Park neighborhood that was debated for months - and ultimately approved by the city plan commission last month - may not be built.
Before the development could be introduced for first reading at the city council meeting Wednesday night, developers Tim Henke and Steve Smith withdrew their rezoning request.
Bryan Park Place, a proposed subdivision of 30 single-family homes and 20 multifamily units, required approval from the city council to rezone the land between Hillside Drive and Grimes Lane just west of Henderson Street.
The developers say they withdrew the request at the last minute because they expected continued heavy opposition from neighbors in the Bryan Park area.
Scores of neighbors, wearing Bryan Park Neighborhood Association stickers, had attended three months of plan commission meetings, speaking out against the project.
Neighbors say the project has loose design standards and no predictability on the quality of buildings that would go up. Other concerns were increased density in the neighborhood and lack of green space.
Henke said Wednesday night that the developers decided more time is necessary. "We're going to take some time and explain it to the neighbors," he said.
He predicted the subdivision would have had support from the city council.
The developers may modify the subdivision plan and resubmit it. Or they may eliminate the multifamily units and work within the existing zoning regulation. Such a change in approach would require only plat approval, eliminating the need for rezoning votes by the plan commission and council.
Another possibility is sale of the land to another developer. Henke said the 6.6 acres on the city's near south side has sparked a lot of interest.
Over the next month or so, Henke said, he wants to continue discussions on Bryan Park Place.
He wants to get the word out that the project is a traditional neighborhood designed for families that will be in keeping with the community and the neighborhood.
"We think in general it's been misrepresented for political gain," Henke said.
Bill Hayden, president of the neighborhood association and a vocal critic of Bryan Park Place, is running as a Democratic candidate for the city council's District 5 seat in November's election.
Hayden agreed that politics has played a part.
"It's inevitably political," he said. "It (a decision on the project) could play either way for me."
But he questioned that the rezoning vote would have any political implications for current members of the city council.
Hayden and other neighbors, however, did share their concerns about Bryan Park Place with council members.
"We were asking and lobbying all of the council (members) to vote against it," he said.
Council President Chris Gaal said he had talked with the neighbors about their concerns.
With the withdrawal, Gaal said he hopes to see more dialogue about the project.
"It gives us an opportunity to have more discussion about the concerns raised by the neighbors," he said.
For Hayden, the withdrawal is good news. But the neighbors' involvement is not over, he added.
"While this is perhaps a victory, it's only one battle. We won't be satisfied until we know appropriate houses will be built back there," Hayden said.
In a press release from Henke and Smith, they described Bryan Park Place as a development using the best features of the old neighborhoods and the best of the new.
"Bryan Park Place is an exceptional project that would be an asset to our community, but skepticism runs rampant in the neighborhood," it reads.
For now, Henke and Smith will seek more input from community leaders and the neighbors by scheduling additional meetings with them, Henke said.
Bryan Park Place zoning request dropped, for now, in face of strong opposition
By Sarah Morin, Herald-Times Staff Writer
September 18, 2003
A proposed subdivision in Bloomington's Bryan Park neighborhood that was debated for months - and ultimately approved by the city plan commission last month - may not be built.
Before the development could be introduced for first reading at the city council meeting Wednesday night, developers Tim Henke and Steve Smith withdrew their rezoning request.
Bryan Park Place, a proposed subdivision of 30 single-family homes and 20 multifamily units, required approval from the city council to rezone the land between Hillside Drive and Grimes Lane just west of Henderson Street.
The developers say they withdrew the request at the last minute because they expected continued heavy opposition from neighbors in the Bryan Park area.
Scores of neighbors, wearing Bryan Park Neighborhood Association stickers, had attended three months of plan commission meetings, speaking out against the project.
Neighbors say the project has loose design standards and no predictability on the quality of buildings that would go up. Other concerns were increased density in the neighborhood and lack of green space.
Henke said Wednesday night that the developers decided more time is necessary. "We're going to take some time and explain it to the neighbors," he said.
He predicted the subdivision would have had support from the city council.
The developers may modify the subdivision plan and resubmit it. Or they may eliminate the multifamily units and work within the existing zoning regulation. Such a change in approach would require only plat approval, eliminating the need for rezoning votes by the plan commission and council.
Another possibility is sale of the land to another developer. Henke said the 6.6 acres on the city's near south side has sparked a lot of interest.
Over the next month or so, Henke said, he wants to continue discussions on Bryan Park Place.
He wants to get the word out that the project is a traditional neighborhood designed for families that will be in keeping with the community and the neighborhood.
"We think in general it's been misrepresented for political gain," Henke said.
Bill Hayden, president of the neighborhood association and a vocal critic of Bryan Park Place, is running as a Democratic candidate for the city council's District 5 seat in November's election.
Hayden agreed that politics has played a part.
"It's inevitably political," he said. "It (a decision on the project) could play either way for me."
But he questioned that the rezoning vote would have any political implications for current members of the city council.
Hayden and other neighbors, however, did share their concerns about Bryan Park Place with council members.
"We were asking and lobbying all of the council (members) to vote against it," he said.
Council President Chris Gaal said he had talked with the neighbors about their concerns.
With the withdrawal, Gaal said he hopes to see more dialogue about the project.
"It gives us an opportunity to have more discussion about the concerns raised by the neighbors," he said.
For Hayden, the withdrawal is good news. But the neighbors' involvement is not over, he added.
"While this is perhaps a victory, it's only one battle. We won't be satisfied until we know appropriate houses will be built back there," Hayden said.
In a press release from Henke and Smith, they described Bryan Park Place as a development using the best features of the old neighborhoods and the best of the new.
"Bryan Park Place is an exceptional project that would be an asset to our community, but skepticism runs rampant in the neighborhood," it reads.
For now, Henke and Smith will seek more input from community leaders and the neighbors by scheduling additional meetings with them, Henke said.
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Congrats!
Date: September 18th, 2003 08:31 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: September 18th, 2003 09:13 am (UTC)As one who grew up watching the hundreds of acres of woods in her hometown (and especially surrounding her street) get torn down so that more crappy cul-de-sacs and Wal-Marts and malls could be built, I am always ready to cheer for anyone who fights the good fight. (;
(no subject)
Date: September 18th, 2003 10:34 am (UTC)yaaaay.
(no subject)
Date: September 21st, 2003 01:59 am (UTC)