12-11-1985 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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T0: THE LITTLE CANADA PLANNING COMMISSION I am here tonight to express two concerns. My family has lived on Iona Lane for 23 years. We moved to Iona Lane principally because of the excellent schools and uncongested living conditions. We have put five children through the schools; one is a doctor, one a registered nurse, two are businessmen, and the fifth is 11 years old. My first concern is the overwhelming trend to build apart- ments in the city of Little Canada. There is no question that the proportion of residents living in apratments in Little Canada has increased at an incredible rate in the past decade. We are allowing our city to become a renting, transient, one parent city, rather than the homeowning, family community we once were. This overwhelming trend has not lowered taxes and has certainly not improved the quality of our schools. Now, we face the question of rezoning R -1 property to accommodate the building of yet another 156 apartment units. The City Council has prematurely, I believe granted preliminary approval for this project and provided the bonding authority. I ask the Commission, what is the city's motivation? What is the city's objective in continuing this clear trend to poorer schools, higher taxes, and a non -owner community? Our second concern is very personal. The residents of the north side of Iona Lane met on December 3, 1985 and unanimously decided to ask the Planning Commission: (1) Why the city will not honor the promises made at the time of the comprehensive rezoning in the late 60's? (2) Why cannot the Winter property be developed as single family residences with, for example, a street separating them from the Cardinal property? The north (Cardinal) side of the street could then be townhouses (quads) and then farther north, apartments and offices. This proposal is logical, consistent with the extant zoning and with good planning. Placing a three story apartment behind quality single family residences violates: (1) the Comprehensive Zoning Plan. (2) all guidelines of good planning and zoning. (3) our reliances on the promises of the city at the time of the comprehensive rezoning. We, the residents of Iona Lane, respectfully request that the Planning Commission reject the city's proposal to rezone the Herb Winter property and suggest development consistent with the Comprehensive Zoning Plan and their prior promises. O._S,1; .y