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| NewsThursday, August 16, 2007 11:49 PM CDT |
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Planning commission recommends adding 6 buildings to The Oaks
NORMAL — A plan to add six buildings to The Oaks on Hovey was recommended by the Normal Planning Commission on Wednesday after neighbors and the developer reached an agreement on addressing problems at the apartment complex. Many of the neighbors who complained about continual problems with noise and foul language met with developer Jeff Tinervin and members of town staff Monday to discuss possible solutions. Town Planner Mercy Davison said the plan includes: issuing more tickets and fewer warning for noise ordinance violations; requiring onsite security to stay an additional hour each day; discussing on-street parking restrictions with nearby neighbors; and requiring the developer to plant evergreens near existing trees as an additional sound buffer. “It’s really a remarkable effort between the three groups,” said planning commission Chairwoman Jeanne Moonen. The commission had tabled the request by Tinervin and his business partner Marti Rave on Aug. 9 after hearing about the problems neighbors are having with the current 70 apartments on the site on Hovey Avenue just east of Cottage Avenue. The new buildings would be built on 2.6 acres just west of the existing complex. “We’re all very hopeful it will help resolve the problems,” said neighbor Carol Torrens, 1015 Primrose Lane, who spoke on behalf of the neighborhood. She also suggested parking problems might be better addressed by eliminating one building. Merry Anne Schmied, 1214 Searle Drive, took the idea one step further. “Why are you looking at increasing the density by 40 percent in an area where there already are problems? Our quality of life has been taken down by what’s there now,” she said. Schmied said the developers were not honest about the complex when they presented the original plan in 2001. “I asked if it was student housing,” she said. “They said no, they are not targeting students.” But Schmied said advertisements for the rental units were in The Vidette, the Illinois State University newspaper. “Consider the well-being of the people,” she said. Moonen said the fact that the complex could be rented to students “certainly was in everyone’s mind” the first time around. “That’s the reason we asked the developer to put in a fence and security,” she said. Commission member Jill Hutchison suggested the plan to add more buildings be tabled a month to see if the suggested security measures are working. City Manager Mark Peterson said a delay would cause a hardship on the developer. Hutchison voted against rezoning the property to allow the addition and she voted against amending the original plan to include six more buildings. The City Council will vote on the plan at its 7 p.m. Monday meeting. E-mail this story | Print this story | Search archives | RSS Show comments |  Hide comments | Hide comments on all stories |
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