In Staff's Own Words

"Staff is concerned that this proposal will destabilize the long-existing residential neighborhood which fronts on both sides of W. Cornwallis and N. Elm and continues toward the north, south and west of the applicant properties. If approved, it will put pressure on surrounding properties and encourage additional non-residential developments along neighborhood gateways or further into the neighborhood."

That's the opening paragraph of the Zoning Commission's staff report regarding "Elmwood Cornwallis LLC's" rezoning request. Unfortunately, staff's comments end with what are essentially the five easy ways to have the project approved listed below.

At least, the developers told neighbors they could easily meet staff's conditions at the December 1st meeting. They had no answers to staff's initial concerns about the neighborhood nor did they seem particularly interested in addressing them.

And how about staff's original concerns for the neighborhood? Did they melt away between the first and last paragraphs of the report? Did it get too hot to stand by that stove?

"1. Retaining and rehabilitating the residential building located at 2207 N. Elm Street for adaptive reuse.
2. All new development shall have similar scale and massing as adjacent residential properties.
3. Street facing facades shall be modulated with projections or recessions of at least 3 feet in depth once every 45 feet.
4. Height shall be limited to 40 feet above grade.
5. The front façade of any principal buildings on site shall be oriented towards either W. Cornwallis."