The West U City Council unanimously approved the second reading of an ordinance on Friday to put the moratorium in place.
A moratorium is now if effect for residential development of platted lots between Mercer Street and Poor Farm Ditch.
The West U City Council unanimously approved the second reading of an ordinance on Friday to put the moratorium in place.
The moratorium puts a halt on development in that area.
The city has 120 days to review its ordinances and the effects on platted lots between Mercer and Poor Farm Ditch.
There are about 16 large parcels of land on Mercer that could potentially be developed into 32 single family lots.
The city took the steps to put a temporary moratorium in place after being notified by a developer about a potential project that would be built on Mercer and back up to Poor Farm Ditch.
Parker Stuckey Residential approached the city about plans to build four homes on two Mercer Street lots. The two parcels have large “back lots” that back up to Poor Farm Ditch, where a right of way currently exists but no street exists.
The potential building plans only show access to the back lots through a cul-de-sac off of Mercer.
The city’s ordinances require all homes to abut a “street area.” The city’s definition of a “street area” is broad enough where an applicant could claim that the ditch qualifies as the required “street area.”
Parker Stuckey Residential believes their plans meet the ordinances, without any variances or re-plat.
The city does not agree with their interpretation.
The moratorium doesn’t affect Parker Stuckey Residential because the company submitted its application to the city before the temporary moratorium took effect. The plan will be reviewed separately.
June 2, 2011 at 10:28 am
Anyone willing to take bets on this? Does the new City Council enforce existing ordinancesor allow another developer (with influlence) to capitalize on tax money greed?
We cannot be so naive as to believe that that the powers-that-be at City Hall saved the day. Someone there had been working with Stuckey since January and got caught with their pants down.
June 2, 2011 at 5:11 pm
…”Someone there had been working with Stuckey since January and got caught with their pants down.”
If you knew of specific criminal behavior, I have no doubt that you would have already brought it to the attention of the d.a.’s office. Since you obviously don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, please refrain from making unsubstantiated (and idiotic) allegations without proof.
June 2, 2011 at 6:04 am
Read the article on the front page of this week’s Village-Southwest News.
June 1, 2011 at 3:37 pm
I see that the for-sale signs in front of the two Mercer lots no loner say “sale pending”. Does this mean the lots are back on the market?