Council balks at developer's push for quick vote on big south-side project

Athens, Ohio
03-01-2007
by Nick Claussen
Athens News Associate Editor

The developer of a proposed Richland Avenue apartment complex asked Athens City Council members on Tuesday to schedule a vote quickly on his project, but they said they need more information and would not schedule a vote.

To say the project is controversial is an understatement, as a wide variety of opinions were offered about the proposal at an Athens City Council committee meeting Tuesday evening.

On one hand, the developers said the project will provide much-needed new student housing, will not change the view much, and will benefit the city.

On the other hand, some city residents said the project will desecrate Native-American burial grounds, will cause safety hazards, will destroy another hilltop, is too large and will cause storm-water drainage problems. In addition, one resident claimed that one of the developers was not truthful with her about the project, and warned the council members to not trust the developers.

The project is the Summit Coates Run student-housing complex, and it's planned for the hillside on Richland Avenue just across the street from the University Courtyard complex and between the Ohio University Inn, Dairy Barn Cultural Arts Center and Carriage Hill Apartments.

The project has been discussed for several years and has had several different names and development companies attached to it during that time.

The latest developer is Edwards Communities out of Columbus. Rich Kirk of Edwards Communities discussed the project on Tuesday and asked Council to move ahead with voting on the development.

The proposed student-housing project would have 257 apartment units, with a total of 878 beds, and a clubhouse building, Kirk said.

Ryan Pearson, land use planner for the Edwards Community, said that the developers also hope to eventually use part of the land for an undetermined use such as a motel, retail business, health-care facility or private club.

Kirk said he hopes to open the apartment complex in the fall of 2008, and said it will take 14 months to build the development. He asked City Council to schedule a vote soon on his project so he can know if it will go forward or if it will have to be changed.

Debbie Phillips, who represents the Fourth Ward on Council, said that she has several questions on the issue before she could vote on it. She said she wants to know if the development is complying with the wishes of the Athens Tree Commission and the Disabilities Commission, and she also wants City Law Director Gary Hunter to answer if the project is meeting certain city regulations. Phillips also asked developers to provide more information on the extra space they want to develop for commercial use.

Other council members echoed her concerns. At-large representative Jim Sands said that if Kirk wants council to vote quickly so Kirk's company doesn't have to spend any more money until it knows the city's intentions, that would be a rash vote.

"It really isn't a fair request," Sands said.

Second Ward representative Paul Wiehl said he has heard from many city residents who are concerned about the size of the project.

"It's just too big. That's what I usually hear, period," Wiehl said.

Pearson of the development company said that if people think the project is too big, he does not see how removing one apartment building will really make a difference for them. The project has been designed so that it will not change the view of the hill significantly, he added.

Kirk added that the developers have no plans to scale back the size of the project.

"We want you to vote on the proposal we have, period," Kirk said. He noted that the developers can answer the questions that council has about the project, but he needs a vote to be held soon.

"We are eager to move forward here," Kirk said.

Council, however, was not as eager, and did not schedule a vote on the issue. The development will be discussed at the March 12 committee meetings, but no promise was made about bringing the proposal up for a council vote.

SEVERAL CITY RESIDENTS spoke out against the project during the meeting, including Chris Knisely of the Southside Community Association. The association has completed a survey on the project, she said, and all 24 people who responded to the survey expressed concerns about the size of the project. The respondents were also concerned about the project's impact on the environment, traffic and safety on the south side, Knisely said.

She has concerns about the developers' plan to move more than 300,000 cubic yards of dirt as part of the project.

Knisely also asked if the proposal calls for placing one building on top of a Native-American burial ground.

Pearson confirmed that the plans do call for this, though he said it's the "remnants of a burial mound" that was excavated years ago.

City resident Greg Broadhurst said he is very upset that the proposal calls for placing a building on "sacred ground." He said that the city has been trying to market its heritage and history to tourists, and it makes no sense to build on top of a burial mound and "desecrate" the site, especially when so many burial grounds have been destroyed in the Athens area over the years.

Tom McGuire, attorney for Milestone Development, one of the minority partners in the development proposal, argued that the mound is a not a historical site. The mound was excavated more than 30 years ago and has trees growing on it, McGuire said.

While the city's comprehensive plan calls for preserving historic places in the city, it also calls for striking a balance between history, growth and economic development, McGuire said.

This project is needed to provide the housing that will be in demand when OU increases its enrollment, and it will help stop the conversion of single-family homes to student rentals in the city, McGuire said.

Delia Rapp, president of the Southside Community Association, said that she does not want to see another hilltop removed in the city just so more apartments can be built.

She also said that she asked Kirk previously if the plans included any commercial development, and he told her they did not. She was surprised to hear about the commercial development plans now, and warned council to be careful trusting Kirk and the promises he makes about the development.