Council eyes 2.4% water-sewer rate increase
The much-maligned proposal to add 60 apartments and some retail shops in downtown Fayetteville comes up for a final vote Thursday night.
The proposal by Rea Ventures Group would establish an apartment complex called Abbington Square to house 60 apartments along with limited retail on the first floor facing North Glynn Street. The property is situated on 4.6 acres downtown, between Lafayette Avenue to the south, the 100-block of North Glynn Street to the east and a short distance from Lanier Avenue to the north.
The request for the property would have it rezoned from C-1 (commercial) to PCD (planned community development). Plans call for 93 percent of the apartments to be one or two bedroom units. Rents will run from $640 per month to $1,200 per month. Amenties would include an art/studio space, business center, fitness center, a community garden, Energy Star appliances and washer-dryer hookups.
Access to the development would be by way of Lafayette Avenue only, according to city planning staff, who recommend approving the proposal.
The proposal has come under fire because of its desire to provide affordable housing in Fayetteville through the use of federal tax credits. At the May 19 City Council meeting, Mayor Ed Johnson asked the developer if he wanted to pull the proposal in light of the controversy surrounding it. The developer said no, so Thursday’s vote will take place.
If the City Council denies the proposal, as expected, it may not be the last time the city has to deal with the issue.
The city has received a constitutional objection letter from the developer, so the issue may eventually wind up as the subject of a lawsuit.
In other action planned for Thursday night, the City Council will vote on reversing zoning for a townhome proposal.
In the spring of 2015, the City Council voted to allow 33 detached townhouse on Cobblestone Boulevard across the street from the Cobblestone Apartment complex and rezone the 5.89 acres from C-3 (Highway Commercial) to RMF-15 (Multi-Family Residential). The most vocal opponents against allowing the development to move forward were residents of the OakBrook subdivision, who live behind the proposed development.
The measure passed by a 3-2 vote with councilmen Jim Williams, Scott Stacy and Paul Oddo voting for it, while Ed Johnson and Mickey Edwards voted against it.
But since a year has passed, the City Council has the option of restoring the original zoning classification because of a provision of the city’s zoning ordinance that states if no development has been initiated in 12 months, the zoning can be revoked. The provision is a deterrent to speculative zoning.
The City Council will also consider a proposal to raise water and sewer rates by 2.4 percent. The minimum water and sewer bill will increase by 79 cents.
