Two Duplexes, Four Houses
Now Planned
What was to be one of Buena Vista’s biggest housing projects in years has been downsized considerably in scope.
Instead of building 22 townhouse units that were to go in an undeveloped wooded/ pasture area on the east side of Magnolia Avenue, between Sixth and Ninth streets, Bryson Adams is now proposing to build four single-family houses and two duplexes for a total of eight residences.
The Planning Commission recommended approval of a special exception permit for the housing project on Aug. 11 and City Council held a first reading this past Thursday, Sept. 3, of an ordinance to grant the SEP.
Tom Roberts, the city’s director of community development, explained that the earlier plans, approved about 18 months ago, proved to not be “feasible because of the infrastructure costs. … In order to do it all – the storm water management and the roads and the utilities and all – the numbers just didn’t pencil out. So, the developer reworked it.”
A conceptual site plan shows four single-family houses facing Magnolia Avenue that would have rear driveways accessed by a two-way alley off of Sixth Street. On the east side of the alley, in the direction of Woodland Avenue, would be two duplexes, which would actually be oriented toward Magnolia Avenue and accessed from the alley.
Duplexes require an SEP in the R-3 residential district. An SEP is also needed because the front setbacks for the duplexes are just 10 feet from the alley, which is less than would otherwise be required. The rear of the property toward Woodland Avenue has a substantial dropoff, necessitating the siting for the duplexes that is closer to the alley. Parking for the duplexes will be right off the alley. The single-family homes will have driveways and garages.
“There’s basically a big cliff back there,” said Roberts. “So, Woodland Avenue is much lower than Magnolia Avenue. And these [all of the proposed structures] are on the Magnolia Avenue side of that cliff, if you will. So the alleyway will be … paved [and] wide enough for twoway traffic.” Noting that staff and the Planning Commission are recommending approval of the SEP, Roberts said the addition of eight new housing units would be a “positive thing” for the city.
City Manager Krystal Onaitis said the project would help “fill a need that the city has with a lack of diversified housing … it’s a step toward … getting a little more density in some areas where we can support it.”
