Concerns over zoning could
keep development locked in holding pattern
Source:
Author: Kristen Bastian
Even as planes continue to land
and take off from the
Developer Lloyd Goff is moving
forward with the creation of
Goff acquired an option on the
airport land last June. Since then he and his development team rounded up other
surrounding parcels and laid out plans to create a "small village."
Neighborhood meetings were held
and polls taken to determine the features of the development. In April, Goff
then submitted a request to the city of
The land is currently in
On May 19, the planning and
zoning board voted to approve the annexation. However, the zoning switch hasn't
made it off the ground.
According to the city's East
Mulberry Corridor Plan, only about 40 percent of the proposed development could
be approved for the employment zoning, according to Ted Shepard, the chief
planner in
For the development to go
forward as planned, the zoning of all of the parcels would need to be
employment. Under this zoning, the development could include residential,
commercial and light industrial uses.
Goff intends for the site to
consist of 40 percent residential development, 10 percent industrial and 50
percent commercial.
The Airpark Village Web site - www.airparkvillage.com
- provides examples of the types of structures that would fit into the
development. These include town homes with workspace on the ground floor; a
condominium complex with retail and recreation on the ground floor; retirement
town homes with commercial services sprinkled in between, and a research and
development park, which Goff has designated for the eastern portion of the
development.
"The economic engine that
we have chosen for
Rather than let the planning
and zoning recommendation for annexation and zoning go to city council in its
current state, Goff and his team met with the board again on July 21 - after
this publication went to press - to discuss a recommendation to amend the East
Mulberry Corridor Plan to allow the entire parcel to be zoned employment.
When reviewing the zoning, the
planning and zoning board cited concerns about the specific types of structures
that would go into this development under the employment zoning and the
compatibility of the development with the plan and surrounding area. Another
concern was the retention of three existing helicopter businesses on the site.
In a memorandum to the board,
the current planning staff "continues to recommend approval of the Airpark
Village Annexation and amendment to the East Mulberry Corridor Plan that would
allow placement into the employment district."
The staff reports that issues
of compatibility are best addressed in the project development plan, which
occurs later in the development process. Also, the developers provided new
information on the safety requirements for the helicopter businesses.
Even without the certainty of
the zoning, Goff is moving forward. He and his development group purchased the
first 21-acre parcel last month.
"The next purchase will be
later in the year as we buy the smaller parcels first and save the biggest
piece for last - sometime early next year," Goff said.
Even before the delay over
zoning cropped up, he estimated it would be several years before any
construction would start on the site.