The 1.11-acre lot may be an overgrown tennis court right now, but it’s a quarter mile from groceries, health care and employment. It’s half a mile from schools as the crow flies, and 500 feet from two bus stops on Interstate 80's frontage road.
Not everyone thinks it’s the right spot for affordable housing.
Three years ago, a developer proposed putting in 22 townhomes, all for rent below the market rate. Wednesday, the developer got de facto approval—a rezone for no more than 12 units.
The rezone came after a three-hour hearing where close to 100 Pinebrook residents showed their opposition to the townhomes.
Neighbors’ most common complaint has been density, saying the original 22, and even the reduced 12 units, on an acre is too much.
Some worry the development, which has its own entrances off lower Pinebrook Road, will create gridlock.
Last year, nearby residents held a traffic demonstration and shared the video on YouTube. A man begins the video by asking if he should park behind the red car on the right.
There are other ways to get into the neighborhood, like Pinebrook Boulevard and the main roundabout at Interstate 80; both bypass the street in question.
After public comment, Canice Harte was the first councilmember to speak up.
“I kind of started with a ‘no’ vote. You got to show me why it'd be ‘yes,’ but I would need to see what it is I'm voting on,” he said. “I wouldn't want to just be loose about it.”
One reason for Harte’s no vote was he thought the townhomes wouldn’t blend in with neighboring developments, which, in the case of the Ranch Condominiums, are at most 10 units per acre.
At previous meetings, the council had promised Steinman a “yes” or a “no” Wednesday. 22 units turned into 12 by the end of the night, and the parcel was rezoned by a 4-1 vote, with Harte dissenting.
Other restrictions include: no nightly rentals, local workers get priority, half the units go to people making 60% of the county’s median income and the other half to those making 80%.
The project will add sidewalks, have a property management company enforce community rules, leave existing trees on the property line intact, and where it can’t, plant more.
Steinman said the new restrictions will make building the homes “more difficult” but not impossible.
“We're glad that we still have a good positive impact on the community here, while still being able to make this a successful project,” he said after the hearing.
He expects to be able to build the project over the course of two years.
Wednesday’s rezoning doesn’t mean the project can break ground. The developer will return to the planning commission for a conditional use permit, and staff have indicated it’s likely the project will comply with county code.
Other resident concerns about trash, recycling, parking, height, fire hydrants and the like will be addressed at the planning commission. Gorgoza Water says it can and will supply the development.
