Minutes 01/27/1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 1998 recommending an extension of the Special Use Permit on December 18, 1997. public hearing, and the following comments were provided: Mayor Adams then opened the Mr. John Sweezy, attorney for Adkins Construction, stated that Council should recall that in the mid-1980's his client, Bill Adkins, was approached by the City and asked to attempt to come up with a plan for putting a ~' residential development on this very challenging site. Mr. Adkins had come back with a proposal for attached town homes, the City had endorsed the plan, and since 1986 Mr. Adkins has fought very hard to in court and otherwise to finish the project. Mr. Sweezy stated that there were now twenty-three (23) units constructed and owned by homeowners, valued at $90,000 each, and that they serve a different housing need in the community than a typical single family dwelling. Mr. Sweezy also stated that Mr. Adkins had been compelled to pace the project with the economy, had been in substantial compliance with development roles, had corrected problems promptly when notified, and had not attempted to avoid legal requirements. He further stated that the City must consider what would be in the best interest of all citizens of Martinsville, and whether or not the project would be seen as contributing to the growth and development of the City. Mr. Sweezy noted that 23 taxpaying residents live in the development, residents who pay $16,000 to $17,000 per year in real estate taxes, and that they should not be treated in a demeaning manner such as to characterize them as second class citizens. He went on to state that this is an excellent project, the issue of the extension of the Special Use Permit had been pending before the City since September of 1997, that the City should look to its commitment to Mr. Adkins, and that Council should move expeditiously to act favorably on the Permit extension. Mr. Ashby Pritchett of 715 Corn Tassel Trail then came forward to speak. Mr. Pritchett ~-~ said he had been an adjacent landowner in the area of the Royal Oaks project for 12 years. He noted that his presentation would be a protest on behalf of the landowners in that neighborhood. He then produced a document which he said covered five violations of the current permit that Mr. Adkins held, and presented this information to Council, stating that it was signed by all twelve adjacent landowners. Mr. Pritchett noted that Mr. Sweezy had been provided a copy of this document two days before. He then provided a document,