08-22-16 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

REGULAR MEETING AUGUST 22, 2016 , Mr. Bogunit responded two (2) are single bedrooms and one (1) is a double bedroom unit. Councilmember Scott stated it is a good thing that the building was originally designed as an apartment building because we have had some issues arise when buildings are changed from their original purposes. No one from the public spoke in favor of the bill. Those wishing to speak in opposition: Samuel Brown, 222 East Navarre Street, stated his problem with this is that on the west side of St. Joseph Street all the way down to Bartlett we have these no parking signs. Those signs need to be removed so that the neighborhood can have more parking. The City needs to rethink the parking in that neighborhood before this is approved. Mr. Bogunit responded that he understands parking is an issue in the neighborhood and Bartlett Street is congested at the moment. He looks at St. Joseph Street as a place his tenants could park. Councilmember Scott stated his thought on this is that people need to be good neighbors. He is concerned with this but he is also concerned about having a vacant building in a neighborhood that invites people to break in and commit other criminal activity. He is interested in working with the City and Mr. Brown to get the west side of St. Joseph Street converted into residential parking permit only. Maybe we should also increase the passes given to the residents in that neighborhood. Councilmember John Voorde made a motion to send Bill 36 -16 to the full Council as amended. Councilmember Jo M. Broden seconded the motion which carried by a voice vote of eight (8) ayes. Chairperson Gavin Ferlic asked for a motion to hear Bill 38 -16 before Bill 37 -16, so moved by Councilmember John Voorde. There was no second to the motion and the motion failed. 37 -16 PUBLIC HEARING ON AN ORDINANCE INITIATED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA AMENDING CHAPTER 21 OF THE SOUTH BEND MUNICIPAL CODE, ARTICLE 2 BY ADDING SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING TO PERMITTED USES IN MF1 URBAN CORRIDOR MULTIFAMILY DISTRICT AND MF2 HIGH - DENSITY MULTIFAMILY DISTRICT; AND ADDING SINGLE FAMILY AS A SPECIAL EXCEPTION USE IN MU MIXED USE DISTRICT Councilmember Oliver Davis, Chair of the Zoning and Annexation Committee, reported that they met and send this bill forward with a favorable recommendation. Council Attorney Kathleen Cekanski - Farrand stated this is a substitute that was voted on at the last Council meeting. Angela Smith, Area Plan Commission with offices on the 11th Floor of the County -City Building, served as the presenter of this bill. This is a text amendment that looks at Single Family Residential Districts. We have always tried to make text amendments to protect the Single Family home owner throughout the City. Something that has come up repeatedly since the housing crash are provisions from banks and lending institutions that are no longer willing to accept the legal non - conforming status of Single Family homes. In 2004 when the zoning map was adapted and changed, there were several properties that were zoned MF 1 according to some desired land uses in the area. However, the majority of those were actually Single Family homes. In 2004 we made a lot of homes legal non - conforming which has caused problems over the years for the home owners. This text amendment would help correct that by making them a permitted use in the Multi- Family District and keep them as a special exception use in the Mixed -Use District. The reason for the special exception is there might be some areas where it is not 4