A sign proclaims the land use hearing regarding this property, at 3016 Grand Prairie Road S.E.
A proposal to rezone an undeveloped property on Grand Prairie Road in southeast Albany to allow apartments or townhouses will be the subject of a continued public hearing next week.
Four people had questions or comments about the request at an Albany Planning Commission hearing on Oct. 14. The hearing continues at 5:15 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28, in the council chambers at City Hall.
The 4.3-acre property is at 3016 Grand Prairie Road, on the south side of the road. Periwinkle Creek runs through the land.
I took a bike ride to the site Tuesday. The property lies between the buildings and parking lots of the Latter-day Saints on the west and Jehovah’s Witnesses on the east. The Seventh-Day Adventists are across the street.
The owners, Tyler Davidow and his wife, Amy Bean, are asking to split the property along the creek. And they would like the city to redesignate (on the comprehensive plan) and rezone the northern part of 2.8 acres, facing Grand Prairie, from low to medium-density residential.
The 1.5 acres below the creek would remain low-density residential, the same as the surrounding neighborhood of single-family houses.
The application does not specify any development of the northern part. But if it was developed with townhouses, the commission was told on Oct. 14, the site could hold 70-72 units.
Green Cascades LLC, an engineering firm on Calapooia Street, is representing the applicants before the commission.
Concerns expressed by neighbors at the first hearing included that there was no information about the intended use of the land, that the rezoning would run counter to the comprehensive plan, that there would be more traffic and other problems, and that the site had become a homeless encampment.
According to the minutes, Kim Riccitelli of Green Cascades LLC responded that any development would remove the vagrancy problem.
The request for the land division can be approved by the planning commission. The rezoning, though, is up to the city council. The council’s hearing on that point is set for Nov. 6. (hh)
The commission agenda includes this map of the property’s location on Grand Prairie Road.
Yet another example of the “permission-slip economy” where Americans must first genuflect to government authority.
A rebalancing of power is needed.
We need to dial down turf-protecting bureaucrats, special-interest politicians, and progress-hating NIMBY activists.
We need to dial up free markets, individual liberty, and economic progress.
Albany has been doing great for many years. Remember they gave people land to build one home enough to raise your family. Until the last tree is gone and the rivers are dry. And the earth could no longer give food to eat,
Ballance was taught by our ancestors
Only take what is needed,
Look at Portland, look at Salem, learn from Eugene.
All Americans have the right and power to protect and ballance growth or destruction.
I’m all for growth, until we’re the only ones giving up our land. I suggest we stop building residencies until other areas are used and Albany gets a much needed break.